NFL Player News

Pickens is entering a contract year and may "hold in" if he doesn't have an extension before the summer, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reports.

Pickens will turn 24 in March, having topped 800 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons. He hasn't quite reached an elite level at his position, but his ability to make difficult, contested catches downfield is second to none, and there's no doubt his production has been negatively impacted by poor quarterback play in Pittsburgh. It's unclear if the QB situation will improve in 2025, potentially adding an extra element of contention to contract negotiations, which may already be difficult in light of Pickens' reputation for mercurial behavior and the gap between his production and his perceived talent/skill. The current CBA essentially eliminates the ability for players to hold out, but if Pickens is unhappy this summer he could opt to show up to the team facilities but not participate in practice.

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tuesday that Hill is recovering from left wrist surgery he underwent to address a ligament issue, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com reports.

Hill was listed on the injury report for much of the 2024 campaign with a 'wrist' designation, which helps on some level to explain his decline in production. He delivered an 81-959-6 receiving line across 17 regular-season games, a notable decrease after he'd exceeded 1,700 receiving yards in each of the prior two years. The veteran wideout pulled himself from Miami's finale against the Jets in Week 18, saying "I'm out," but he recently reframed those comments as mere frustration, saying "I don't want to go nowhere," per Louis-Jacques. Hill should be able to catch a football over the summer as he recovers from the surgery, Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post reports.

Texans GM Nick Caserio suggested he's open to re-signing Diggs (knee), but Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle thinks it's unlikely to happen unless the wideout accepts less money than he could get from other teams.

Be it in Houston or elsewhere, there's no question Diggs will have to settle for less than he's accustomed to earning, as he's 31 years old and suffered an ACL tear in late October. He's set to become a free agent while still rehabbing the knee injury, with no assurance of being ready for Week 1 of 2025. The Texans figure to be in the market for high-end WR talent even if they ultimately re-sign Diggs, having lost Tank Dell to a multi-ligament knee tear in late December. Although he's six years younger than Diggs, there's not much reason for optimism about Dell being a significant contributor in 2025. The Texans do at least have Nico Collins, who emerged as one of the league's bonafide No. 1 receivers the past two seasons.

The Seahawks waived Powell on Friday, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com reports.

Powell spent the second half of the 2024 regular season on the Seahawks' practice squad, and he was signed to a reserve/future contract in early January despite never being elevated to the active roster. Assuming he clears waivers, the 2021 fifth-round pick will look to catch on with another team looking to add depth to its wide-receiver corps.

The Ravens re-signed Kirkwood on Wednesday, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reports.

Kirkwood spent the entire 2024 campaign on Baltimore's practice squad, though he didn't appear in a single game with the team, despite being elevated for the Ravens' AFC wild-card round win over Pittsburgh. The veteran journeyman will spend the offseason competing for an opportunity to reprise a similar reserve role in the 2025 campaign.

The Buccaneers and Godwin (ankle) agreed Tuesday to push back the void date on his contract to March 12, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports.

Godwin is slated to become an unrestricted free agent, and by extending the veteran wideout's void date until the final day of the league year, the two sides will have more time to negotiate a new deal. Auman notes that Tampa Bay will carry some dead money in 2025 from Godwin's current deal no matter what, but the Buccaneers will be able to spread that cap hit over the next two years -- as opposed to having all $18 million on the books next season -- if they are able to work out an extension with the soon-to-be 29-year-old. Godwin ended last season on injured reserve after suffering a dislocated left ankle in Week 7, but he's expected to be healthy by the start of training camp.

The Raiders signed Philips to a contract Tuesday.

Philips spent the entirety of the 2024 campaign on the Eagles' practice squad, failing to play at least one game for the first time since he was selected by Tennessee in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The 5-foot-11 wideout has played in 13 regular-season contests during his career, compiling 23 receptions on 35 targets for 259 yards and no touchdowns while also handling kickoff and punt return duties. His move to Las Vegas will reunite him with offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who served as UCLA's head coach during the four seasons Philips played for the Bruins.

Jackson appeared in 12 regular-season games during the 2024 campaign, catching one pass (on three targets) for eight yards while totaling 627 return yards.

Jackson was never able to secure a significant role on offense after being selected in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He did serve as Tennessee's primary punt and kickoff return man to begin the season, but the Tulane product was a healthy inactive for the final five games, leaving his role with the squad up in the air for 2025.

Kinsey appeared in six regular-season games for the Titans in 2024, securing two catches (on two targets) for 17 yards.

Kinsey has been a Titan for four seasons, but his workload has remained limited, and his 2024 production was actually a career high. The 26-year-old remains under contract for the 2025 campaign, but he seems unlikely to carve out a larger role next season.

Wilson (hamstring) suited up for one regular-season game in 2024 for the Steelers, playing only five offensive snaps and not getting a target.

Wilson's season wasn't what was expected when he was selected in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, as the Michigan product suffered an ankle injury in training camp that derailed his season. Even after he recovered, Wilson was a healthy scratch in Week 3 through 5 before making his debut in Week 6 against the Raiders. A hamstring injury then landed him on injured reserve, which is where he ultimately finished the campaign.