Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio has emphatically dismissed speculation regarding a potential trade of quarterback C.J. Stroud as “moronic” and confirmed the player remains central to the franchise’s future.
Speaking at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday, Caserio rejected suggestions that the team might move on from their signal-caller following a challenging postseason.
“We are not trading the guy. He’s our quarterback,” Caserio stated.
“He’s going to be playing quarterback for the Houston Texans in 2026.”
Playoff struggles spark rumours
Discussions surrounding Stroud’s future intensified online following a difficult end to his third campaign in the league.
The 2023 number two overall draft pick endured a seven-turnover playoff run, culminating in a four-interception performance during a 28-16 divisional round defeat by the New England Patriots.
Stroud also missed three matches earlier in the season due to a concussion sustained against the Denver Broncos in Week 9.
Despite guiding the Texans to a 9-5 record in his regular-season starts, the former Ohio State standout saw his production dip compared to his debut year.
During that rookie season, he became just the fifth first-year player to surpass 4,000 passing yards and led the NFL with a superior touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Commitment to the future
In his most recent campaign, the quarterback recorded 19 touchdowns and 3,041 passing yards across 14 appearances.
Although Stroud is now eligible for a contract extension, Caserio offered no specifics regarding potential negotiations.
However, the general manager made it clear that the organisation is focused on helping the passer recapture his best form rather than exploring alternative options.
“He’s been a good player and won a lot of football games,” Caserio added.
“Quarterback is the hardest position to play in sports. He had some ups and downs — that’s natural for a position, but overall, he’s had a pretty significant impact on what we are as a program.”
Caserio concluded with a definitive message regarding Stroud’s status: “He’s not going anywhere.”
Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta is confident of agreeing a contract extension with Lamar Jackson while the team has made a “market-setting” offer to Tyler Linderbaum.
DeCosta said he is “definitely” optimistic a deal can be reached with the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player following discussions in Indianapolis.
The Ravens face a pressing deadline, as Jackson is set to count $74.5m against the salary cap this season – the second-highest figure in the league.
Managing the salary cap
Baltimore likely needs to restructure the quarterback’s deal or sign a fresh extension by the start of the league year on 11 March to free up funds for free agency.
“Lamar and I have an agreement [that] we handle business kind of in-house internally,” DeCosta said at the NFL scouting combine on Tuesday.
“I have spoken to Lamar about a lot of different things over the last month… He’s been very engaged.”
An extension would likely create $30m in cap space and secure the 29-year-old’s services for another three to four years.
Should an agreement fail to materialise, owner Steve Bisciotti has indicated the franchise would restructure the existing contract, though this would significantly raise his cap number for the final year of his deal in 2027.
Linderbaum offer on the table
Alongside negotiations with their star passer, the Ravens are prioritising a new deal for Linderbaum before free agency begins.
DeCosta confirmed the organisation has submitted a “market-setting” proposal to the 25-year-old but ruled out using the franchise tag.
“He’s proven to be, in my opinion, the best center in the league,” DeCosta added.
“We’ve had conversations since the end of the season, and at this point in time, we’ve made him a market-setting offer.”
Linderbaum is the first Baltimore offensive lineman to earn three consecutive Pro Bowl selections since Marshal Yanda’s dominant run ending in 2016.
Any new deal would likely need to exceed the $18m per season earned by Kansas City Chiefs center Creed Humphrey, the current benchmark at the position.
New Atlanta Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham has confirmed quarterback Kirk Cousins will be released on 11 March, the first day of the new league year.
Cunningham informed the 37-year-old and his agent of the decision recently, according to an interview on 92.9 The Game.
The move formally ends a complex two-year association between the franchise and the veteran passer.
Speaking to local media at the NFL Scouting Combine, Cunningham was definitive about the team’s future plans.
“We won’t re-sign Kirk,” Cunningham said.
When asked if there was any possibility of retaining the four-time Pro Bowler on a reduced salary, the general manager confirmed there was not.
Financial implications
The decision comes as little surprise following a contract restructure negotiated by the previous regime earlier this year.
That adjustment guaranteed significantly more money for the 2027 season, a figure that would have vested had he remained on the roster beyond mid-March.
By releasing Cousins with a 1 June designation, Atlanta will save $2.1m in salary cap space.
However, the NFC South club will still absorb substantial dead money charges across the 2026 and 2027 financial years.
A turbulent tenure
Cousins’ time in Georgia was defined by the organisation’s decision to draft Michael Penix Jr just six weeks after signing the veteran in free agency.
After recovering from an Achilles tear to lead the team to a 6-3 start in 2024, an arm injury and a dip in form led to his benching.
The Falcons committed to Penix as their starter for the 2025 campaign, leaving Cousins on the periphery during training camp.
However, a torn ACL for Penix in Week 11 thrust the 14-year veteran back into the line-up.
Cousins rallied the team to a four-game winning streak to close out the season, finishing with a 5-3 record as a starter compared to Penix’s 3-6.
He concluded his final year in Atlanta with 1,721 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Former NFL wide receiver Rondale Moore has died at the age of 25, his former college coach Jeff Brohm has confirmed.
Police in New Albany, Indiana, stated that Moore was found in a garage with a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound on Saturday.
The death was subsequently confirmed by the Floyd County Coroner, though no further details regarding the circumstances were immediately available.
‘The ultimate competitor’
Brohm, who coached Moore during his standout collegiate career at Purdue, released a statement paying tribute to the wideout’s character.
“Rondale Moore was a complete joy to coach,” Brohm said.
The Louisville coach described the 25-year-old as the “ultimate competitor” who possessed a work ethic “unmatched by anyone”.
“A great teammate that would come through in any situation,” Brohm added.
“We all loved Rondale, we loved his smile and competitive edge that always wanted to please everyone he came in contact with.”
Career hampered by injury
Moore entered the league as a second-round draft pick for the Arizona Cardinals in 2021.
During a three-year tenure in the desert, the dynamic playmaker started 23 games, recording 135 receptions for 1,201 yards and three touchdowns.
He also contributed on the ground, rushing 52 times for 249 yards and a score.
However, the latter stages of his time in the NFL were significantly disrupted by fitness issues.
The receiver missed the entire 2024 campaign after suffering a dislocated right knee during a stint with the Atlanta Falcons.
Most recently, he spent the 2025 offseason and training camp with the Minnesota Vikings.
His comeback attempt was cut short in August when he sustained a season-ending left knee injury while returning a punt in a preseason opener.
The Dallas Cowboys have reached an agreement with running back Javonte Williams on a new three-year contract which includes $16m (£12.8m) in guaranteed money.
Sources confirmed the terms of the extension for the impending free agent on Saturday.
Williams originally joined the NFC East franchise on a one-year deal following a four-year stint with the Denver Broncos.
Career-best campaign in Dallas
The 25-year-old responded with the most productive season of his career, rushing for 1,201 yards to rank ninth in the NFL.
He achieved those figures despite missing the final game of the campaign due to a lingering stinger issue which affected him during the final month of the season.
His yardage total was the highest recorded by a Cowboys player since Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 1,357 yards in 2019.
In addition to his impact on the ground, the versatile back contributed 35 catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns through the air.
Overcoming injury history
Williams, who was selected in the second round of the 2021 draft, set new personal bests in carries (252) and rushing touchdowns (11).
This resurgence follows a difficult period in Denver, where he missed the majority of the 2022 season after tearing the ACL and LCL in his right knee.
Before his breakout year in Texas, his previous career high was 903 yards during his rookie season.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba believes he deserves to become the highest-paid player at his position following a Super Bowl-winning campaign.
The 2025 AP Offensive Player of the Year is eligible for a contract extension this offseason after playing a pivotal role in securing the franchise’s second Lombardi Trophy.
Smith-Njigba stated that while he is not in a rush to sign, he expects the terms to reflect his status as the league’s premier wideout.
To set a new market benchmark, the deal would need to exceed an annual average value of $40m.
Eyeing the top spot
“I’m really not too pressed right now to get it done,” Smith-Njigba told WFAA.
“I know my time is coming and when we get it done, it’s going to be a great deal. God’s timing is perfect timing, so whenever that may come, we’ll be ready for it.”
The former Ohio State standout was explicit about his valuation following a career-best year.
“I believe I deserve to be the highest paid in my position,” he said.
“Just what I give to the game and the community, I give it my all, and I think that’s worth a lot more.”
A historic campaign
Smith-Njigba’s demands follow a statistically dominant season where he led the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards.
Despite Seattle employing a run-heavy offensive scheme, the 2023 first-round pick set a new franchise record for yardage and hauled in 10 touchdowns.
His influence continued into the postseason, where he contributed 199 yards and two scores across three playoff games on the road to Super Bowl LX glory.
Currently, Cincinnati Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase holds the financial record for receivers with an annual average of $40.25m.
Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson sits second on the list at $35m per year.
Future in Seattle
The Seahawks are expected to open negotiations with both Smith-Njigba and Pro Bowl cornerback Devon Witherspoon in the coming months.
Seattle retains the ability to exercise a fifth-year option on both players’ rookie contracts by 1 May.
Without an extension, the Seahawks star has one season remaining on his current four-year deal, excluding the potential option year.
“I would play this game for free,” Smith-Njigba added.
“I love this game so much. But you don’t have to, and I’m learning to be a good businessman, and we need that check at the end of the day.”
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has offered a positive update on the future of Travis Kelce, suggesting the tight end is leaning towards returning for a 14th NFL season.
Reid appeared in good spirits regarding the 36-year-old’s status during a press conference ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine.
The veteran coach indicated that ongoing discussions point toward Kelce delaying retirement for at least one more campaign.
“There is communication, that is the main thing,” said Reid.
“As long as there’s communication, I’m good. That means people want to move forward and I think that’s where Travis is.”
Decision expected before free agency
Kelce had previously stated he would determine his playing future by early March, prior to the start of the NFL free agency period.
Despite the Chiefs’ season ending six weeks ago, the growing sentiment within the organisation is that the star pass-catcher will remain in Missouri.
“I’m not trying to put words in his mouth at all, and I try to give him some space here,” Reid added.
“He has been doing this a long time, and he can sort all that out as he goes forward, but we’re proceeding with that.”
Even in his 13th season, the tight end remained the focal point of the Kansas City offence, leading the team with 76 receptions and 851 yards.
Reunion with Bieniemy
A potential return would see Kelce reunited with offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who re-joined the coaching staff last month.
The four-time All-Pro has publicly praised the appointment, acknowledging his best statistical years came under Bieniemy’s previous tenure between 2018 and 2022.
“I can’t wait to see him back in the building,” Kelce said on his podcast.
“He is one of my favourite coaches of all time and I’ve had so many unbelievable growing moments under him as a player.”
Mahomes making progress
While Kelce weighs his options, quarterback Patrick Mahomes is continuing his rehabilitation from significant knee surgery.
The two-time NFL MVP has spent the last two months recovering from procedures to repair a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee.
Reid confirmed that the quarterback is working diligently with athletic trainer Julie Frymyer.
“He spends a ton of time here, seven hours a day,” Reid said.
“He is in there cranking away and making progress every day.”
Curt Cignetti has finalised a new contract with Indiana worth an average of $13.2m (£10.4m) per season after leading the school to the national title.
New deal rewards historic success
The agreement keeps the 64-year-old at the university through the 2033 season and cements his status among college football’s highest earners.
His annual salary rises from $11.6m to $13.2m, placing him alongside Georgia’s Kirby Smart and LSU’s Lane Kiffin as the only coaches earning at least $13m nationally.
Indiana had previously announced a new deal in October, but a specific clause prompted a review following their post-season success.
Terms in the contract mandated a salary adjustment if the Hoosiers reached the College Football Playoff (CFP) semifinal.
The team triggered this clause by defeating Alabama in the Rose Bowl on 1 January.
Under the agreement, the salary had to be adjusted to rank no lower than third among active head coaches.
Transforming the programme
The veteran tactician has revitalised the team since arriving in late 2023, boasting a remarkable 27-2 record.
He guided the Hoosiers to their first national title in 2025 and secured their first outright Big Ten title since 1945.
His contract has now been revised three times in just two seasons, reflecting the rapid ascent of the programme under his stewardship.
Having previously stated his intention to retire at the school, the Indiana boss reaffirmed his commitment to the Bloomington side.
“I couldn’t be more proud to be a Hoosier,” Cignetti said.
“The way that this state has embraced us and our success in football has meant more to me than anything else.”
Staff retention remains priority
The revised contract includes a $15m buyout clause should Cignetti leave for another position.
Indiana has also moved to secure key backroom staff, awarding multi-year deals to offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines.
Haines was recently recognised with the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach.
Athletic director Scott Dolson emphasised that retaining staff and building resources remained “Priority 1” alongside securing his head coach’s future.