NFL Player News

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.

The Raiders decided to not tender Turner (knee) on Monday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.

Turner missed Las Vegas' final five games of the 2024 season due to a knee injury that landed him on injured reserve. However, he was fairly productive when on the field, catching 16 of his 29 targets for 158 yards and one touchdown. The Pittsburgh product also added five carries for 33 yards and one touchdown on the ground last season, playing 162 offensive snaps across 12 appearances. Fowler reported that the Raiders are open to bringing Turner back to Las Vegas, but only at a price lower than the tender.

Higgins (ankle) announced Monday via his personal social media accounts that the Bengals have informed him he will receive the franchise tag.

Cincinnati will place the franchise tag on Higgins for a second consecutive offseason, positioning him to play out the 2025 campaign on a one-year, $26.17 million contract unless both sides can reach agreement on a long-term extension by July 15. The move prevents Higgins from hitting free agency at the start of the new league year next week, as he would have been arguably the top available player on the open market. The Bengals have expressed a commitment in retaining the 26-year-old wideout via a long-term deal, motivated no doubt in part by Joe Burrow's public statements that he desires Higgins, Ja'Marr Chaseand pass rusher Trey Hendrickson kept together as a headline trio. Higgins posted a 73-911-10 receiving line despite playing just 12 regular-season games in 2024.

Kupp remains unlikely to stay with the Rams for 2025, SI.com's Albert Breer reports.

There was some thought Kupp and Matthew Stafford would both be traded/released and move on to the same team. Stafford instead signed a new contract, but that apparently doesn't mean Kupp will do the same, as the Rams are hoping to free up cap space and may envision Jordan Whittington quickly becoming an effective replacement in the slot. Kupp will turn 32 in June and has two years remaining on his contract, with the remaining non-guaranteed money consisting of a $12.5 million base salary in 2025, a $14.85 million base salary in 2026 and a $5 million roster bonus in 2026. Given his age and recent injury troubles, Kupp is unlikely to attract much trade interest without a pay cut, which means he'd probably be better off if the Rams simply released him before the start of the new league year and allowed him to hit the open market at a time when numerous teams have a need at his position as well as plenty of cap space. If a trade happens instead, it'll likely be for a late draft pick.

The Jets are open to trading Adams before the start of the new league year on March 12, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Rapoport adds that the Jets are expected to release Adams if they cannot arrange a trade elsewhere, and, if he's let go, he could follow quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a new team in free agency. New York officially informed Rodgers on Feb. 13 that the team would not bring him back after his second season with the team. Adams reunited with the quarterback, who was his longtime teammate during their time in Green Bay, when the wideout was traded from the Raiders to the Jets in October. The 32-year-old posted 67 receptions for 854 yards and seven touchdowns over 11 games in the Big Apple. He also tallied 18 catches for 209 yards and one touchdown over three games with Las Vegas in 2024, marking his fifth straight 1,000-yard season. Adams would incur a $38.2 million cap hit for the Jets next season if he's cut, and he has two years remaining on his current contract, though none of his salary is guaranteed. Teams interested in acquiring him would likely prefer to wait until he is released before attempting to sign him on a lower number in free agency, which will make finding a trade partner by March 12 rather difficult.

The 49ers are trading Samuel to Washington for a fifth-round draft pick, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

An offseason trade for Samuel had been anticipated since San Francisco granted the wideout and his agent permission to find a trade partner in early February. The domino finally fell Saturday with the report that Samuel is headed to Washington to join an upstart Commanders club that advanced to the NFC Championship Game last season. The 2021 first-team All-Pro will now catch passes from 2024 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels while forming a dynamic wideout duo alongside Terry McLaurin. It remains to be seen how much Samuel will be used out of the backfield after he got at least 37 regular-season carries each of the past four years in San Francisco, but regardless the move gives Samuel a fresh start following a disappointing 2024 regular season during which he caught just 51 of 81 targets for 670 yards and three touchdowns while adding 136 yards on 42 carries and one touchdown. He also contributed as a kick returner, taking 17 returns for 533 yards.

The Commanders and Texans are among the top teams that have expressed interest in acquiring Samuel, whose trade request San Francisco general manager John Lynch said the team plans to honor, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reports.

Schultz reports the Steelers and Broncos are among other teams that have inquired about trading for Samuel, but he notes Washington and Houston have been the strongest suitors to this point. The Commanders seem committed to adding another playmaker for Jayden Daniels, who earned 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors despite Terry McLaurin being his only pass catcher to even approach the 1,000-yard mark. Houston, meanwhile, faces a similar conundrum, needing to surround C.J. Stroud with new offensive talent, as Stefon Diggs (knee - ACL) seems likely to move on, and Tank Dell (knee - ACL + MCL) is in danger of potentially missing a significant amount of the 2025 campaign. Samuel admittedly struggled to impress in 2024, finishing with a mere 51 catches (81 targets) for 670 yards and three touchdowns across 15 appearances, plus 42 carries for 136 yards and one score on a career-low 3.2 YPC. However, he boasts a uniquely versatile skill set and could yet rebound in greener pastures.

San Francisco general manager John Lynch said Wednesday that the team plans to honor Samuel's request for a trade, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports. "He's asked for a fresh start, and I think we're going to honor that," Lynch said. "He is a great player; I think often one of my favorite draft picks of my time. He makes plays and he makes game-changing plays. Everything is good...But it probably makes sense [to trade him]. We're having conversations so we'll see where that goes."

Samuel is entering the final year of his contract and carries a $15.9 million cap number. He looked sluggish at times in 2024, finishing the season with just 51 catches for 670 yards and three touchdowns. His 9.1 rushing yards per game were also Samuel's fewest since an injury-shortened 2020 season. Given his pricey contract along with the fact that he turned 29 years old in January and is coming off an underwhelming season, Samuel is unlikely to fetch much more than a mid-round draft pick in any trade.