NFL Player News

Teams have contacted the Bengals about trading for Higgins but have been told he isn't available, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.

A franchise tag can pave the way for a trade, but in this case it seems more likely to lead to a multi-year contract. The Bengals may end up rethinking their stance, however, if negotiations don't progress within the next few weeks and there's serious risk of no long-term agreement being reached before the July 15 deadline. Higgins might hesitate to sign his franchise tag (worth $26.17 million) if that were to happen, having already played under the tag once, although he'd likely still sign it before Week 1 rather than miss out on around $1.5 million each week. The Bengals hope it won't come to that and presumably have already begun negotiations for a multi-year contract.

Metcalf requested a trade from the Seahawks on Wednesday, and Seattle has agreed to explore moving the wideout, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Metcalf -- who has one year left on his contract -- is seeking a new deal, so any trade would likely be contingent on the acquiring team being willing to extend him. The 27-year-old wideout is coming off a season in which he posted a 66-992-5 receiving line over 15 games, and while that level of production represented a step back from previous years, Metcalf is still likely to draw ample interest around the league from teams looking to add a field-stretching playmaker. Seattle released longtime slot wideout Tyler Lockett on Wednesday, so the team's receiving corps could look dramatically different in 2025 if Metcalf is ultimately traded.

The Jaguars plan to release Kirk (collarbone) when the new league year begins next Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Kirk's release will save Jacksonville over $10.4 million in cap space, per Schefter. The 28-year-old has one season remaining on his four-year, $72 million deal with the Jaguars, but his disappointing 2024 campaign along with the emergence of Brian Thomas as a clear No. 1 wideout provides enough motivation for the team to move on from Kirk. A broken left collarbone sustained in late October forced Kirk to miss the final nine games of the season, with the wideout finishing with 27 catches for 379 yards and a touchdown on 47 targets over his eight appearances. If healthy, Kirk should have no issue drawing attention as a free agent from multiple suitors in need of a capable veteran receiver.

The Seahawks released Lockett on Wednesday, John Boyle of the team's official site reports.

Lockett, one of the most productive wideouts in franchise history would have carried a substantial cap hit of $17 million had he remained with the team for the 2025 season, so the writing had been on the wall for Seattle to part ways with him this offseason. Though he played in all 17 of Seattle's games in 2024, Lockett took a big step back statistically and finished with a 49-600-2 receiving line on 72 targets, operating as the clear No. 3 wideout behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba and DK Metcalf. Still a capable ancillary contributor, Lockett should draw a fair amount of interest on the free-agent market, though any potential fantasy value for the upcoming season will rely heavily on the target competition of his ultimate landing spot.

Collins agreed to terms Wednesday on a contract restructure that opens up $9.8 million in cap space for the Texans, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Collins' restructure comes in the form of his $13.5 million base salary being converted into a signing bonus. The move provides Houston some additional flexibility ahead of the official start of free agency next week. Collins dealt with injuries that forced him to miss five games in 2024, but he nonetheless managed to finish the campaign with an impressive 68-1,006-7 receiving line on 99 targets across 12 appearances during the regular season. With Stefon Diggs (knee) potentially moving on in free agency and with Tank Dell (knee) in danger of missing a substantial portion of the upcoming season, Collins looks locked in atop the depth chart as C.J. Stroud's clear No. 1 target.

Dell is scheduled to undergo a second procedure Wednesday to repair multiple torn ligaments in his left knee, Sam Warren of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Dell initially underwent surgery Jan. 15, the first of what was expected to be multiple procedures to address a dislocated kneecap as well as a torn ACL, LCL, MCL and associated meniscus damage to his left knee, which he sustained Dec. 21 while catching a touchdown pass in a loss to the Chiefs. Wednesday's surgery will reportedly be to repair the ACL. Head coach DeMeco Ryans said last week that Dell is "headed in the right direction with the recovery," but cautioned that it's "too soon" to project the extent of Dell's potential contributions for the 2025 campaign. Given the severity of Dell's injuries, it wouldn't be surprising if he missed a majority -- if not all -- of the upcoming season. Over his 14 appearances in 2024, Dell turned in a 51-667-3 receiving line on 81 targets.

Lamb (shoulder) and the Cowboys agreed to terms Tuesday on a restructured contract that will create roughly $20 million in salary-cap space for the team, Tommy Yarrish of the team's official site reports.

Lamb is working his way back from an AC joint sprain in his right shoulder, which caused him to miss the final two games of the 2024 campaign, but he should be fully recovered by the time Dallas' offseason activities begin. The Pro Bowl wideout posted a 101-1,194-6 line on 152 targets across 15 regular-season appearances last season, despite being paired with quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) for only eight of those contests. Getting Lamb and Prescott back at full health will provide reason for optimism with the Cowboys' passing game under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer, whose scheme promises an uptick in play action and improvements in the running game.

The Jets released Adams on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Adams had no guaranteed money remaining on his contract, and the decision to release the veteran wideout saves the Jets $29.9M in salary-cap space. The 32-year-old wideout is coming off a 2024 season in which he recorded 85 catches for 1,063 yards and eight touchdowns over 14 games split between the Raiders (three) and Jets (11). Adams will head into free agency as one of the top available options at his position.

The Jets have given Lazard permission to seek a trade, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

The second season of Lazard's four-year, $44 million contract went much better than the first, but it still looks like a huge overpay, and he still hasn't found success with any QB besides Aaron Rodgers (who won't be with the Jets in 2025). A release is more likely than a trade, as Lazard presumably would need to accept a pay cut to generate any interest. He's scheduled for non-guaranteed base salaries of $11 million in both 2025 and 2026.

The Buccaneers aren't planning to use the franchise tag on Godwin (ankle), Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.

Tampa Bay has already used the tag on Godwin twice, so using it again would result in a 144 percent raise, Laine notes. She also states that the Buccaneers want Godwin back and that the wideout wants to return to the club, so there appears to be a mutual desire to get a new deal completed. Godwin ended last season on IR due to an ankle injury that he suffered in mid-October, but he's expected to be ready for the start of next season, which will be his ninth in the NFL -- all of which to this point have been with Tampa Bay.