Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Taking a closer look at the interior defensive linemen that performed well at the 2025 NFL Combine. The interior defensive linemen kicked off the televised coverage of the 2025 NFL Combine, and as anticipated, the prospects projected to be the top of this class put on some very impressive performances. Of our 10 interior defensive linemen we targeted for Detroit Lions fans to watch, a few didn’t participate—Kenneth Grant (Michigan), Walter Nolen (Mississippi), and Shemar Turner (Texas A&M)—while a few others will hope to have better performances at their pro day. There were seven interior defenders that did stand out, including a few names that were not on the watch list. Darius Alexander, 3/5T, Toledo (6-foot-4, 305) ran an impressive 1.72 second 10-yard split, looked smooth in the drills, showing minimal pauses when changing direction, with no wasted movement. He was a bit tight bending the edges, but he was balanced and under control when executing pass rush moves, and showed power in his hands. Joshua Farmer, 3T, Florida State (6-foot-3, 305) gets upfield in a hurry and was at his best when attacking forward. His powerful hands stood out as one of his best traits, but he also showed the range to be gentle when needed (i.e the circle/towel drill). He showed good balance throughout the day and never lost steam. Derrick Harmon, 3T, Oregon (6-foot-4 1⁄2, 313) has incredible length and it showed up in nearly every drill. He’s better when his feet stay on the ground because it allows him to move his feet quicker and with accuracy. His change of direction was above-average, he was controlled through the hips, and used his hands efficiently. Omarr Norman-Lott, 3T, Tennessee (6-foot-2, 291) didn’t run the 40, but he showed quick feet and speed in drills. He was one of the faster players when getting upfield, and showed good recovery when he misstepped. He was best in pass rush drills, but did fall when making a 180 degree turn, which prematurely ended his day. Ty Robinson, DL, Nebraska (6-foot-5, 288) was a player I had considered on my watchlist, and after his performance, I regret leaving him off. He’ll remind people of a bigger and more athletic John Cominsky, both in style and movement. He’s long and powerful (especially in his hands), changed direction well in tight spaces, and was smooth getting up and down the drills. He was balanced and under control in pass rush drills, used his length to his advantage, but it took a beat to slow down his momentum because he was so aggressive. His 1.71 second 10-yards split led the group. CJ West, 3T, Indiana (6-foot-1, 316) was another standout who was not on my watchlist but probably should have been. While he is a bit sawed-off, he got up and down the drills quickly and looked at his best in pass rushing drills. He’s not an edge bender, and he did wear down by the end of the day, but he had some impressive power in his hands and stayed under control. Tyleik Williams, NT, Ohio State (6-foot-3, 334) didn’t run the 40, but checked a lot of boxes in drills. He was a bit of a heavy mover—no surprise—but he had solid change of direction movement. He has strong hands and loaded up to show them off—his power showed up throughout the day. He had to fight through the drills where he needed to bend, but the body control was solid, which is what you want in a nose tackle.
2025 NFL Combine results: 7 standouts from the interior defensive line group
Should the Eagles keep Milton Williams?
The Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl season is over and the 2025 NFL offseason is officially here. We’re continuing our Eagles roster outlook series by examining the defensive tackle position. PREVIOUSLY: Quarterback | Running back | Tight end | Wide receiver | Offensive tackle | Offensive guard | Center | Edge rusher. THE PLAYERS JALEN CARTER STATS: 831 snaps, 42 total tackles, 4.5 sacks, 12 TFLs, 2 forced fumbles, 16 QB hits, 52 QB hurries, 6 pass deflections PLAYOFF STATS: 237 snaps, 11 total tackles, 2 sacks, 2 TFLs, 1 forced fumble, 7 QB hits, 16 QB hurries, 2 pass deflections REVIEW: Prior to the 2024 season, BGN’s Jonny Page wrote about how Carter had Defensive Player of the Year upside. That dominant ability was fully on display in the Eagles’ Week 3 win over the New Orleans Saints, where Carter totally wrecked their entire offense. Carter continued to excel over the course of the season, often drawing extra attention that created one-on-one opportunities for his teammates. For his efforts, Carter made his first career Pro Bowl in addition to being named second-team All-Pro. Carter was responsible for arguably the biggest two play sequence from the Eagles’ Super Bowl season when he sacked Matthew Stafford and then pressured the Los Angeles Rams quarterback into an incompletion for a game-sealing turnover on downs in the Divisional Round. The Eagles were never in more danger of losing in the playoffs than they were before Carter saved the day. Another aspect of Carter’s impressive season is how often he played. Vic Fangio rode him hard; Carter logged 79.4% of the Eagles’ total defensive snaps. By contrast, he only played 563 snaps for 48.5% as a rookie. OUTLOOK: Carter is currently signed through 2026 and the Eagles have a fifth-year option they can exercise for 2027. If Carter continues to progress as a game-wrecking force, he very well might be DPOY as soon as next season. And he’ll likely be one of the highest paid defenders in the NFL when he becomes eligible for a contract extension next year. MY TAKE: Stay. Poll Jalen Carter: Stay or go? 0% Stay (0 votes) 0% Go (0 votes) 0 votes total Vote Now MILTON WILLIAMS STATS: 501 snaps, 24 total tackles, 5 sacks, 7 TFLs, 1 forced fumble, 10 QB hits, 39 QB hurries, 1 pass deflection PLAYOFF STATS: 153 snaps, 7 total tackles, 2 sacks, 2 TFLs, 1 forced fumble, 2 QB hits, 11 QB hurries, 2 pass deflections REVIEW: Williams had a great training camp and that offseason success carried over into the regular season. With Carter often drawing extra attention, Williams crushed his one-on-one opportunities to log a career high in sacks. Williams finished the season strong by shining in Super Bowl LIX with two sacks (including a strip-sack on Patrick Mahomes) and two TFLs. OUTLOOK: If the salary cap didn’t exist, the Eagles keeping Williams would be a no-brainer. He’s an ascending defensive lineman who only turns 26 in April. He’s extremely athletic. He’s only missed one game in his entire career. Williams deserves to get paid … and he likely will. But given that the Eagles have limited resources to work with, I just don’t think spending them on Williams is the right play for them. With reports that Osa Odighizuwa, who is in a similar position to Williams, could make over $21 million per year … Williams is about to get PAID. Again, I believe Williams has earned his money. But this is a guy who had half of a sack in 2023. He played better than that number would suggest, to be clear. But Williams isn’t a player the Eagles MUST keep. Especially when 1) there are other defensive tackles who can excel playing next to Carter, 2) the Eagles have a potential in-house replacement for Williams in Moro Ojomo, and 3) the 2025 NFL Draft is loaded with DT talent. It’s unfortunate the Eagles can’t keep Williams but letting him walk is the right call for them. His departure will help the Birds when it comes to acquiring compensatory picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. MY TAKE: Go. Poll Milton Williams: Stay or go? 0% Stay (0 votes) 0% Go (0 votes) 0 votes total Vote Now JORDAN DAVIS STATS: 388 snaps, 27 total tackles, 1 sack, 3 TFLs, 0 forced fumbles, 1 QB hit, 12 QB hurries, 2 pass deflections PLAYOFF STATS: 57 snaps, 6 total tackles, 2 sacks, 2 TFLs, 0 forced fumbles, 2 QB hits, 3 QB hurries, 1 pass deflection REVIEW: After logging 519 snaps (45%) in 2023, Davis only logged 388 snaps (37%) this season. Including the playoffs, the 2022 first-round pick played the fourth-most snaps of any Eagles defensive tackle. Davis’ impact arguably goes beyond the box score since he’s often tasked with eating space. And he actually did show up with some big plays in the stat sheet during the postseason; he doubled his sack total from the regular season. OUTLOOK: Declaring Davis a bust is obviously too harsh. But it’s fair to say he hasn’t exactly lived up to high expectations associated with being the No. 13 overall pick. It’ll be very interesting to see how the Eagles handle his contract situation moving forward. 2025 is the last year of Davis’s rookie contract but the Eagles must decide to exercise his fifth-year option or not by the May 1 deadline. If they do pick it up, they’ll be handing over a fully guaranteed $11.7 million value to Davis for the 2026 season. That’s a lot of money for a player who was basically DT4 this past season. And based on that usage, it doesn’t seem like Vic Fangio is going to massively expand his role moving forward. MY TAKE: Stay. Poll Jordan Davis: Stay or go? 0% Stay (0 votes) 0% Go (0 votes) 0 votes total Vote Now MORO OJOMO STATS: 388 snaps, 20 total tackles, 0 sacks, 0 TFLs, 0 forced fumble, 5 QB hits, 33 QB hurries,
Tennessee Titans 7-round mock draft: Titans select their QB of the future at No. 1 overall
The Tennessee Titans are on the clock with the first overall pick, but the decision isn’t as straightforward as usual. They could take one of the top two quarterback prospects — a clear need for Tennessee this offseason — but neither is viewed as a can’t-miss, surefire franchise QB. Tennessee Titans 7-round mock draft: Titans select their QB of the future at No. 1 overall 2YNDE3B KANSAS CITY, MO – NOVEMBER 23: Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) throws a warm up pass between drives in the second quarter of a Big 12 game between the Colorado Buffaloes and Kansas Jayhawks on November 23, 2024 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images) By Josh Liskiewitz Posted Feb 27, 2025 11:24 am EST A new face of the franchise: Sanders may not have elite athleticism or a rocket arm, but he checks all the boxes needed to succeed as an NFL passer. His 2024 adjusted completion percentage of 81.9% ranked second in the country. Pass-rush help on Day 2: Jack Sawyer recorded a pass-rush win rate above 17% in each of his final two seasons at Ohio State while also tallying 33 run stops to just six missed tackles on 591 combined run plays between 2023 and 2024. 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team. Estimated reading time: 2 minutes The Tennessee Titans are on the clock with the first overall pick, but the decision isn’t as straightforward as usual. They could take one of the top two quarterback prospects — a clear need for Tennessee this offseason — but neither is viewed as a can’t-miss, surefire franchise QB. They also have major needs at edge rusher, cornerback, and wide receiver, all of which feature prospects worthy of the No. 1 pick. The best option might be to trade back. A move down to No. 3 with the New York Giants, for example, would give the Titans significant additional draft capital while still allowing them to land an elite prospect at a position of need. For this mock draft, however, Tennessee stays at No. 1, focused on finding the face of the franchise. Sanders may not have elite athleticism or a rocket arm, but he checks all the boxes needed to succeed as an NFL passer. His 2024 adjusted completion percentage of 81.9% ranked second in the country. When kept clean, he recorded 18 big-time throws (eighth-most) while posting a turnover-worthy play rate of just 0.5% (second-best). He also ranked fourth nationally in both passing grade (92.8) and adjusted completion percentage (70.9%) on intermediate throws (10-19 yards). Factor in that he consistently had to create plays behind a subpar offensive line, and he looks every bit the part of an NFL franchise quarterback. Sawyer recorded a pass-rush win rate above 17% in each of his final two seasons at Ohio State while also tallying 33 run stops to just six missed tackles on 591 combined run plays between 2023 and 2024. Round 4, Pick 102: WR Tre Harris, Mississippi Harris transferred from Louisiana Tech to Ole Miss in 2023 and posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for the Rebels, with 841 of his combined 2,080 yards coming after the catch. Bryant had a standout senior season at Kansas, recording four interceptions and nine forced incompletions while earning the second-highest run defense grade among cornerbacks nationwide (91.3). Powell-Ryland transferred to Virginia Tech from Florida in 2023 and recorded 50-plus total pressures in back-to-back seasons for the Hokies. Nelson had his best season at Wisconsin in 2024, allowing just one sack and one quarterback hit in pass protection. Round 6, Pick 180: DI Zeek Biggers, Georgia Tech Biggers delivered his best performance of 2024 against the year’s second-ranked team, recording three tackles for loss or no gain against Notre Dame in Week 8 while earning a positive grade on 33.3% of run plays. Round 7, Pick 241: G Nash Jones, Texas State On 458 pass-blocking snaps during his senior season at Texas State, Jones didn’t allow a sack and surrendered just three quarterback hits.
McVay’s thoughts on Stafford, Kupp, and Jared Goff
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Sean McVay says he is better at having tough converstaions with his players. That’s an advantage On the most recent episode of Fitz and Whit, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Andrew Whitworth ask Sean McVay how challenging, but required conversations have gone with Cooper Kupp and Matthew Stafford as either player could be departing the Los Angeles Rams. McVay knows that for the most successful relationships to work they demand difficult discussions, and he doesn’t shy away from it. He expressed in his responses throughout the episode that he continues to evolve as a person, and as an NFL head coach. He also credits his prior experience with Jared Goff as a turning point when it comes to having what can be uncomfortable dialogues. Starting with Kupp The head coach summarized the talks with Kupp have been important, but he doesn’t say they’ve been easy. “We’ve had to have some honest conversations…there’s no good way to deliver some tough information other than with some empathy, being direct, and open and honest…” McVay’s regrets with Jared Goff McVay’s admitted before he should’ve handled the trade of Jared Goff differently, and the offensive guru’s regrets with Goff, may be fueling him to have “better” conversations with Kupp and Stafford. “When I look back on it, the Jared Goff situation could’ve been handled better on my part…you sit there and you say, ‘Man, I definitely…I had some growing up to do’, coulda done a better job for Jared, there’s a lot more respect…etiquette that he deserved in the way that that was handled on my end…that was poor on my part and you want to make sure…to apply your learning lessons from your mistakes. that you’re at least trying to communicate with clarity. And it doesn’t mean that they’re easy, but like I said earlier I think people just don’t like being caught off guard, and this is something that you have a lot of sleepless nights trying to figure out what is best for the short and the long term.” How are talks between McVay and Stafford? When Fitzmagic asks L.A.’s head coach about Stafford, McVay seems to think that whatever happens, Stafford should not feel the same surprise that Goff once did when he was traded to the Detroit Lions, but the outcome is yet to be determined. “When we had these conversations prior to the Super Bowl, I think the important thing is let’s be clear, open and honest…don’t want to have to anything in secret, want to make sure that we’re all abreast of the situation. Even though, the first goal in mind is to have you come back here as the quarterback, but that’s where we’re really trying to measure all those things…he and I have had dialogue throughout this process, and know where we want it to be able to end up, but these decisions aren’t made in a vacuum and that’s kinda the challenging part about it.” Last year, McVay was a big reason that Stafford stayed. Could McVay help make that happen again? Fitzpatrick praises McVay’s transparency, and says that most of all players want that, transparency, despite how awkward or inconvenient those talks can be. McVay continuing to improve in personal and personnel aspects of the job is an edge for the Rams The already Super Bowl winning head coach improving his game further is a scary thought for the rest of the league, and a badge of pride for the Rams’ organization and its fans. McVay reflects during the episode that he can always learn from situations as they arise, he’s not perfect, but he is outwardly expressing a willingness to admit error and adapt. That admission by McVay is huge for the Rams if they wish to reconcile with Kupp and or Stafford. Regardless of any outside chatter, McVay is keeping doors open for the team through the way he is managing with L.A.’s players. That’s an advantage.
Chiefs’ Trey Smith and Cowboys’ Osa Odighizuwa appear to be coming off the market
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images Two potential Bengals targets likely won’t be hitting NFL free agency. While the Cincinnati Bengals may have a dynamic offense, they have arguably the worst pair of starting guards in the entire NFL. It just so happens that one of the best in the NFL — Kansas City Chiefs Pro Bowl guard Trey Smith — was set to hit free agency this offseason…until he wasn’t. According to Fox Sports reporter Jordan Schultz, the Chiefs are using the franchise tag on Smith. That ends any hope Bengals fans had of seeing Smith upgrade an offensive line that once again ranked near the bottom of the NFL in 2024. Alas, that pipe dream is now a distant memory. Elsewhere, the Bengals need some major help on the other side of the trenches, namely at defensive tackle. Dallas Cowboys standout Osa Odighizuwa was someone who’s been mentioned as a potential Bengals target, but he too appears to be coming off the market before free agency begins. According to Mike Fisher of Cowboys Country, Dallas is close to hammering out a long-term deal for Odighizuwa that could average $21+ million annually. With that, two players who were set to be at or near the top of the free agency rankings are now likely off the board.
NFL Officially Sets 2025 Salary Cap at $279.2 Million
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images What does this mean for the Vikings? Free agency will kick off in the National Football League in just under two weeks, and the league has given all of the teams the last piece of information they’ll need before the spending frenzy gets underway. The league has officially announced that the salary cap for the 2025 season will be set at $279.2 million. That means that, as things stand right now, the Minnesota Vikings will be sitting on approximately $63 million heading into free agency. That is more available space than all but six other teams, which should give the Vikings some room to make quite a bit of noise. The salary cap has increased right around 80% over the course of the last decade. The cap for the 2016 season was $155.3 million. That’ll happen when you’re the sort of phenomenon that the NFL has become not only in this country, but around the world. Based on projections, the franchise tag figure for quarterbacks will be right around $40 million, which is what we’ve been expecting all along. So, if the Vikings do intend to use the tag on Sam Darnold, then they. . .or whichever team they might be interested in trading him to. . .will know exactly what they’re dealing with. We’ll be keeping an eye on things with our favorite team as free agency gets closer, but now we know exactly how much money Rob Brzezinski and company will be working with when things do kick off on 12 March.
NFL Combine Day 2 media recap: PSU safety fits Lions character
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NFL Draft 2025: 5 players the Eagles should be watching closely at the Combine
Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images NFL Combine preview. When the Eagles won Super Bowl LII, they followed it up with an incredibly great performance in the 2018 NFL Draft. Dallas Goedert, Josh Sweat, Jordan Mailata, and Avonte Maddox all had key roles to play since they joined the Eagles and those guys certainly were huge parts of the recent Super Bowl LIX victory. Which, is all to say, this draft cannot be slacked on even if the team is currently at the mountaintop. NFL Combine testing will be going all weekend and the Eagles will have a close eye on players on both sides of the ball. Here is who I will be watching closely. Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge Defender, Boston College: The Eagles will be looking to reload on their defensive line this offseason. Josh Sweat is most likely hitting fee agency and the team will need an impact player across from Nolan Smith. Ezeiruaku is coming off a dominant 16.5 season for the Golden Eagles and is looking to prove himself in Indianapolis. Ezeiruaku has questions to answer about his size and athleticism. Though undeniably smaller for an NFL edge defender, he can assuage concerns by testing really well at the combine. For the Eagles, who are no stranger to smaller, more athletic players coming off the edge, these tests will be key. Benjamin Morrison, Cornerback, Notre Dame: A year ago, Benjamin Morrison was considered a top prospect. A season-ending injury later and it’s possible he slides down to the end of the first round. The Eagles are going to possibly be in the cornerback market to find someone to succeed Darius Slay. With strong testing, Morrison could be an attractive choice for a ballhawk opposite Quinyon Mitchell. Nick Emmanwori, Safety, South Carolina: It’s to be seen if Reed Blankenship returns to Philadelphia, but it is possible the Eagles turn to the draft to find some safety help. Nick Emmanwori is more of a true strong safety and nickel linebacker type of player who could be an interesting fit in the Vic Fangio defense. He’s actually bigger than Nakobe Dean. Walter Nolen, Interior Defensive Lineman, Ole Miss: With Milton Williams set up for a big pay day elsewhere, the Eagles will need to find another twitchy interior defender to rotate in with Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. Walter Nolen’s upside is obvious and he has this weekend to prove how undeniable his athletic talent is. Mason Taylor, Tight End, LSU: In three straight seasons, Dallas Goedert has been plagued by injuries. Though excellent when on the field, the Eagles famously drafted Goedert when Zach Ertz was still one of the best tight ends in the country. Mason Taylor is young and has a ton of upside. It would be no surprise if Philly targeted him in the late first round. A strong weekend in Indy could be a deciding factor.
Salary cap officially set at $279.2 million
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images That’s a jump of nearly $24 million The NFL salary cap has been officially set at $279.2 million for the 2025 season, per Adam Schefter. That marks an increase from $255.4 million in 2024. Since 2023, the cap has risen roughly $55 million from its $224.8 million mark in 2023. That is an increase of 19.5% over two seasons. The New York Giants are estimated to have $48.090 million available under the cap. Coming off a 3-14 2024 season and a 9-25 mark over two years, Giants GM Joe Schoen can be expected to be aggressive this offseason with both his financial flexibility and draft capital. “Where we are financially from a salary cap, health standpoint, we’re in good shape,” Schoen said on Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. “We have premium draft capital, so not suffocating. We have the resources to improve the roster.” The Giants have a number of needs, including quarterback, offensive line, defensive line and cornerback. We will find out in a couple of weeks how Schoen uses his assets.
Greg Cosell: Cam Ward worthy of No. 1 pick in 2025 NFL Draft
Cam Ward | Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images Cosell, speaking exclusively with BBV at the NFL Combine, says Ward is “clearly a better prospect” than Shedeur Sanders Greg Cosell is one of the foremost quarterback analysts in the business. So, when I spotted Cosell making the rounds in the prospect interview space Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine, I asked him if we could talk New York Giants for a couple of minutes. Cosell, who I had never met, graciously agreed. The results of our 3-minute chat are below. Will Matthew Stafford be a Giant? I had to ask Cosell what he thought about the hype train that is the Matthew Stafford to the Giants rumors. “To be honest with you, I don’t know. That’s all speculation. No one knows the answer to that stuff,” Cosell said. “So, I can’t speak to that. I don’t think Stafford’s lost anything as a player. So, that’s all I can say.” Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders? If the Giants are not able to swing a deal for Stafford, their next-best option appears to be selecting either Cam Ward of Miami or Shedeur Sanders of Colorado at the top of the 2025 NFL Draft. Cosell was emphatic about which of the two he sees as a better prospect. “Well, I think one guy’s clearly a better prospect than the other. I think Cam Ward’s clearly a better prospect,” Cosell said. “I think Shedeur is the kind of quarterback, and you can be very successful this way, but he’s a ball distributor and an executor, so he needs a team. “The way the NFL has sort of evolved, those kinds of quarterbacks have to really be high level, pre-snap and post-snap. The guy who’s sort of the epitome of that is Joe Burrow. You’ve got to be really, really good, because the game is such now that defenses have really evolved and gotten so much better with pressure concepts and late coverage rotation that you really have to be high, high level if you’re just basically a pocket quarterback, which is what Shedeur Sanders is. “Shedeur Sanders is not the same level of prospect, for instance, as C.J. Stroud, and C.J. Stroud sort of fits into that mold as well, but Shedeur’s not that level of prospect.” Would Cam Ward be worth moving to No. 1 for? Cosell said he is surprised that he seems to be a bigger believer in Ward than other analysts. “I’ve done both these guys in great detail. I’m kind of confused as to why Ward is not being talked about sort of in the general world out there,” Cosell said. “I don’t know what teams think, but to me, Ward has really high level traits.” Good enough traits for the quarterback-needy Giants to engineer a trade from No. 3 to No. 1 select him? “I think Ward’s worthy of a No. 1 pick in the draft. That’s my opinion based on film study. I think he’s worthy of that,” Cosell said. “And I happen to know people at Washington State [where Ward played in 2022 and 2023] who told me he’s an alpha dog and a highly accountable kid and everything you want in a quarterback. Normally I don’t get that kind of information. I just sit in my office at (NFL) Films and watch tape. But once I learned that, it made me think that enhances my view based on the tape.”