Stock up, stock down following the Bills’ AFC Divisional win over Ravens Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Sharif Phillips-Keaton The Buffalo Bills began the 2024 NFL season with the goal of making it to the Super Bowl after many outside of the organization said that this would be a rebuilding season of sorts. Not only did Buffalo make it back to the playoffs, but they did it with a better record and Sunday, they showed that they weren’t going to let the Baltimore Ravens get in the way of their mission. In their AFC Divisional matchup, the Bills beat the Ravens 27-25 thanks in large part to Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson and tight end Mark Andrews being unable to connect on a two-point conversation that could have sent the game into overtime. Buffalo let go of the rope in the second half, allowing the Ravens to come back from a 21-10 halftime deficit, but Josh Allen and company held on when it mattered the most. With this win, the Bills are back to the AFC Championship Game for the first time since the 2020 season and this time, they are hoping to overcome the Kansas City Chiefs for the right to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Before getting to that, here is Bills Wire’s stock report following Buffalo’s narrow win over the Ravens in the AFC Divisional on Sunday: Stock Up: WR Khalil Shakir Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images It was a snowy day at Orchard Park and as a result, the passing game became harder to rely on for both teams as the game went on. In Buffalo’s case, Shakir was the leading receiver in almost every category and it was clear that he was the only one that could make plays on a consistent basis for a Bills team that had just 126 yards passing, Shakir accounting for 67 of those receiving yards. Stock Down: WR Keon Coleman Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images While it has been noted that the Bills did not attempt that many passes in Sunday’s win over the Ravens, it should be pointed out that Coleman should have had more of an impact based off his profile as a player who can use his size and athleticism to make some tough catches. Granted, he only received one target in this game, but given his talent, Coleman should be expected to do more and he will have a chance to do so in the AFC Championship Game. Stock Up: DE Greg Rousseau Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Rousseau continued his string of good play for the Bills as he was disruptive all game long on the line of scrimmage and in the backfield as he continued to put pressure on Lamar Jackson. For someone like Jackson, it is important for a defense to continually put pressure on him while also now allowing to escape that pressure and the Bills were able to achieve both of those goals thanks in large part to Rousseau’s play. Stock Down: Bills Secondary Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images While the Bills’ secondary has shown up at various points this season, part of the reason that the Ravens were able to make this game close was due to the inability of Buffalo’s defensive backfield to make plays to disrupt what Baltimore was doing in the passing game. Three different Ravens had at least 61 receiving yards and all of them had at least 12.2 yards per catch, led by tight end Isaiah Likely with his four catches for 73 yards (18.3 yards per reception) and one touchdown. Stock Up: RB Ray Davis Mark Konezny-Imagn Images Davis played just 10% of the snaps for the Bills in this one, but his time on the field was vital to Buffalo keeping the pressure on the Ravens. In just six snaps, Davis ran four times for 29 yards and one touchdown, all while spelling starting running back James Cook, who had a decent game himself, but Davis brought his spark to the game that allowed Buffalo to stay within striking distance. Stock Up: K Tyler Bass Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images This entry is to point out how good Bass has been for the Bills, especially with consideration to how he has had his struggles kicking the ball in the playoffs in the past. Bass hasn’t missed a field-goal since Dec. 15 and in this one, he had two key field-goals to give Buffalo the margin it needed to at least go to overtime against the Ravens if Mark Andrews was able to hold on to the two-point conversion that he makes in his sleep.
Stock up, stock down following the Bills’ AFC Divisional win over Ravens
2025 NFL Draft prospect profile – Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Could Higgins add size to the Giants’ offense? The New York Giants top priority over the 2025 offseason is to rebuild their offense. Much of the focus will, rightly, be on the quarterback position, but the Giants could add to just about every position on their offense. That could mean adding a wide receiver to help round out their passing game. If so, they could look to add a big receiver like Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins to complement Malik Nabers, Wan’Dale Robinson, and Jalin Hyatt. Higgins has excellent size at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds (unofficial), yet moves well for a big receiver. He’s also been very productive (87 receptions, 1,183 yards, 9 touchdowns in 2024) despite some poor quarterback play at Iowa State. Could he be on the Giants’ radar? Prospect: Jayden Higgins (9)Games Watched: vs. Iowa (2023), vs. Texas (2023), vs. Iowa (2024), vs. West Virginia (2024)Red Flags: none Measurables Height: 6-foot-4Weight: 215 pounds Strengths Best traits Size Ball skills Body control Blocking Route running Long speed Jayden Higgens is a big, tall, and long receiver with many of the traits that teams look for in a wide receiver prospect. He’s listed at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds and could weigh in bigger. He also clearly understands how to use his frame to his advantage in a number of situations. Higgins is a long-striding runner who takes a couple steps to build up to top speed, but he’s capable of eating up yardage in the open field. That, along with his size, makes him a consistent threat in the intermediate to deep areas of the field. Higgins is a relatively savvy route runner who understands how to manipulate defenders with his release, stem, and fakes throughout the route. That also extends to understanding his role in route concepts and he has a definite knack for drawing defenders to create opportunities for his teammates. He has good ball skills down the field as well. Higgins is quick to locate the ball in the air, track it down the field, and he makes good adjustments to expand the receiving window. He also has excellent body control for a bigger receiver and is able to contort and extend to give errant passes a chance. Higgins uses late hands to keep defenders from disrupting the catch and does a very good job of plucking the ball out of the air. Finally, he plays with great competitive toughness as both a receiver and a blocker. He’s willing (and able) to fight through physical coverage throughout his route and make catches in traffic. Likewise, he’s a willing blocker who uses his size well to sustain his blocks. In particular, he is very quick to transition from receiver to blocker after his teammate has the ball, and he’s also quick to recognize scramble drill situations and make himself available. Weaknesses Worst traits Agility Run after catch Higgins’ size is something of a double-edged sword. While it’s certainly an asset and offers him a number of advantages over smaller receivers, he can’t escape physics and his size limits him in other ways. Higgins moves well for a bigger receiver, but he lacks the lower body fluidity to be a truly agile receiver. He struggles on sharply breaking routes and his play can slow noticeably if he has to snap off sharp cuts in the short area of the field. He often requires a couple steps to throttle down before executing his breaks, which can make it difficult for him to separate in close quarters. His issues with agility and short-area quickness also limit him after the catch. There were instances where Iowa State used him on shallow crossing routes and he was consistently brought down shortly after the catch and before he could turn upfield. He simply lacks the acceleration to break away from defenders in close quarters. That will likely limit his appeal and prevent him from being truly scheme diverse at the NFL level. Game Tape (Higgins is Iowa State receiver number 9) Projection Jayden Higgins projects as a starting wide receiver at the NFL level. He has the size teams often look for in an outside receiver as well as enough athleticism and toughness to put his technical skills to use. Higgins doesn’t have the rare lower-body fluidity required to be a truly scheme-diverse player at his size, and that will limit how teams can use him and which teams will find him most appealing. He likely wouldn’t fit in an offense (or role) that looks for catch-and-run production from the receivers. However, he can be used to create those opportunities for his teammates and has upside as both a possession receiver and as a vertical threat. Higgins might not be a “WR1” at the NFL level, but he has the potential to be an excellent WR2 and a versatile compliment for a team that already has a “number one” receiver. Does he fit the Giants?Yes Final Word: A Day 2 value with starting upside
Miami Dolphins tied for longest Championship game drought
Photo by Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images It has been 32 seasons (and counting) since the Miami Dolphins last made the AFC Championship game. With the Washington Commanders advancing to the NFC Championship game this past weekend, the Miami Dolphins find themselves in a dubious position. It has been 32 seasons since this once storied franchise has made the AFC Championship game — now tied with only the Cleveland Browns for the longest such drought in the entire National Football League. Now, technically the Browns’ last appearance in the AFC Championship game was on January 14th, 1990 when they lost 37-21 to John Elway and the Denver Broncos, while Miami’s last AFC title game was on January 17th, 1993 in a loss to Jim Kelly’s Buffalo Bills, however, since the Cleveland Browns were an inactive franchise during the 1996, 1997 and 1998 seasons, those don’t count towards the number of seasons in between AFC Championship game appearances. Browns and Dolphins now have the longest drought without playing in a conference championship. pic.twitter.com/foL3UPsh1r — Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) January 19, 2025 In addition to the 32 seasons since the Dolphins last had an opportunity to play for a chance at a Super Bowl berth, Miami continues their playoff winless streak — with their last postseason victory coming on December 30th, 2000 in an overtime contest against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. It is the longest such streak in the NFL. While the rest of the league has enjoyed a degree of parity when it comes to playoff victories and Conference Championship game appearances, the Miami Dolphins remain atop both lists every time league broadcasts speak on such matters — which is incredibly fun for us fans sitting at home. Let’s see if Chris Grier, Mike McDaniel and company can somehow break these unfortunate streaks as we head into the 2025 offseason — or if another regime will be given a chance to bring the South Florida franchise back to prominence.
Full list of the 2025 Detroit Lions free agents
Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images Breaking down all the Detroit Lions UFA, RFA, and ERFA free agents for the 2025 offseason. As the Detroit Lions shift into the 2025 offseason, they have 48 players who finished the season on the roster—on either the 53-man roster, practice squad, or injured reserve—that are not currently under contract with the organization. Let’s take a look at the four different groups those players can fall into, as well as which players land in those groups. 24 unrestricted free agents (UFA) Unrestricted free agents are players on expiring contracts who have at least four accrued seasons of NFL experience. While they do not currently hold a contract with the Lions, Detroit can negotiate a potential new deal at any time. If they have not reached an agreement with the Lions by March 10, 2025—when the free agent tampering period begins—these players below can begin negotiations with other NFL franchises. Note: Starters are bolded. QB Teddy Bridgewater WR Tim Patrick WR Allen Robinson OT Dan Skipper RG Kevin Zeitler OG Netane Muti EDGE Marcus Davenport EDGE Al-Quadin Muhammad DL Levi Onwuzurike DL John Cominsky DL Jonah Williams DL Pat O’Connor DL Myles Adams NT Kyle Peko LB Derrick Barnes LB Ben Niemann LB Anthony Pittman LB Ezekiel Turner CB Carlton Davis CB Kindle Vildor CB Khalil Dorsey CB Emmanuel Moseley DB Ifeatu Melifonwu K Michael Badgley 16 street free agents (SFA) Street free agents are players who finished the season on the Lions practice squad but were not offered a futures contract. Because practice squad contracts expire seven days after a team’s final game, the Lions practice players are set to become SFAs on January 25. (NOTE: the Lions are expected to begin offering futures contracts in the next few days) The difference between a UFA and an SFA is that SFAs do not have to wait until March to negotiate a contract with another team, as they are immediately eligible to open up contract talks with all 32 teams. QB Jake Fromm RB Jermar Jefferson WR Tom Kennedy WR Maurice Alexander WR Donovan Peoples-Jones TE James Mitchell OT Jamarco Jones OC Kingsley Eguakun DL Chris Smith EDGE Isaac Ukwu LB Kwon Alexander LB Abraham Beauplan LB DaRon Gilbert CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver S Lored Strickland S Erick Hallett 3 restricted free agents (RFA) Restricted free agents are players on expiring contracts but they only have three accrued seasons in the NFL. Like with UFAs and SFAs, the Lions can enter contract negotiations at any time, but they also have the ability to offer a one-year tender to each of these players. The one-year tenders fall into three categories: First-round: Worth an estimated $7.2 M Second-round: Estimated $5.2 M Right of first refusal: Estimated $3.2 M If these players are offered a tender by the Lions, the player can accept the one-year deal or they can negotiate a contract with another team during the free agency period. Suppose an agreement with another organization is reached. In that case, the Lions have the option to match the offer (as they did with Brock Wright last offseason) or allow the player to sign elsewhere and receive the appropriate compensation for the tender. RB Craig Reynolds TE Shane Zylstra OG Kayode Awosika 5 exclusive rights free agents (ERFA) Exclusive rights free agents are players on expiring contracts but they have less than three years of accrued experience in the NFL. Like with RFAs, the Lions can offer these players a qualifying tender, but unlike RFAs, there is only one tender option and the player is not allowed to negotiate with another team unless the Lions opt to release them from that restriction. That means, if the Lions offer an ERFA a one-year tender, that player can either accept the offer and play for the Lions or sit out the season. If the Lions do not offer the player a tender, that player becomes a UFA and can negotiate a contract with other teams during the March free agency period. OT Connor Galvin IOL Michael Niese EDGE Mitchell Agude LB Trevor Nowaske DB Morice Norris Keep an eye out for our annual Detroit Lions depth chart/contract tracker in the near future, as it will have the full overview of the Lions roster and current contract situations.
Can the Eagles and Jalen Hurts keep winning without a passing game? (Yeah, probably!)
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images Opinions vary wildly on the Eagles’ QB, who isn’t passing much but keeps on winning. Well, you can say this about the 2024 Eagles… they are committed to the bit. Having firmly established an identity months ago as a run-first, defense-first team, the Eagles have leaned into that philosophy in a major way in their two postseason victories over the Packers and Rams. Rushing Yards vs. Packers: 169 Rushing Yards vs. Rams: 285 Net Passing Yards vs. Packers: 121 Net Passing Yards vs. Rams: 65 The Eagles are hosting their second NFC Championship Game in three seasons thanks mainly to Saquon Barkley, an incredible run-blocking offensive line and a stout defense that makes big plays and hits hard. Back in the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s, those were the keys to winning Super Bowls. But over the last 20 years, NFL rules have evolved to enable the passing game to be the primary source of success, and one can only assume Jeffrey Lurie would still like for this Eagles team to be a pass-first operation. Despite being a victory over the No. 6 seed Washington Commanders next Sunday at home away from returning to the Super Bowl, many fans are unhappy. Why? Jalen Hurts and the passing game. It seems inconceivable that the Eagles can continue to win these last two games with a passing attack that has netted a total of 186 yards over the last two games. Make no mistake, their wins over Green Bay and L.A. have been ugly, but also consider yesterday’s game was played in a messy, sleety slop and, in the wild card round, Hurts was coming off a concussion and hadn’t played in three weeks. The knee injury he suffered in the third quarter, combined with the field conditions, limited his mobility and certainly factored into a few of the seven sacks he absorbed. After the game, A.J. Brown offered up a reasonable excuse (via NFL.com). “You’ve got to give this a pass,” Brown said. “You’ve got to give this game a pass. It was just tough. The conditions were tough. I keep getting this question, but can’t do nothing about it. The conditions were crazy. We couldn’t even see out there, so imagine throwing the ball and catching the ball, even though they were doing it at the end. The game’s on the line, they didn’t have a choice. I don’t think that would’ve been their first choice.” “Absolutely, it affected everything,” he said. “I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. That was not fun, honestly. That wasn’t fun at all, man. Tough game. Tough conditions. You make the most of it, try to get the win, and I’m glad we did it.” So it sure seemed like the elements factored into yesterday’s issues, but this isn’t a one-week blip. It’s part of a larger trend Brown himself complained about prior to the Pittsburgh game in which they piled up 270 net passing yards. The big question is, can the Eagles and Jalen Hurts continue to win without a viable passing game? At least one NFL talking head, noted Hurts’ detractor Chris Simms, doesn’t think so. NFL analyst @CSimmsQB on the #Eagles lack of passing game vs. the Rams… “They WILL NOT win a Super Bowl if that’s the passing game we see.”@heykayadams @Eagles | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/Q5OkFxI2d6 — Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) January 20, 2025 It may be true if they get to the Super Bowl, but against Washington this week, the answer is probably yes. Jayden Daniels is on a heater, but the Commanders have given up a ton of rushing yards to Barkley and the Eagles in their two match-ups: 228 in Week 11 and 211 in Week 16, and have allowed the third highest yards-per-carry in the NFL (4.8). Keeping the ball out of Daniels’ hands with long drives would make a lot of sense this Sunday. The Eagles and Hurts have clearly decided to play conservatively in the postseason and, given the results, it’s hard to argue with that strategy. Someone just sent me this: moral of the story? Yards are nice.. but playing smart situational football and avoiding turnovers are better pic.twitter.com/8MkjcKpORs — trey wingo (@wingoz) January 20, 2025 Since their Week 5 bye, Hurts has thrown just one interception and lost two fumbles. He has thrown 16 TDs and run for another 13. That’s 29 total TDs and 3 turnovers. That’s smart football. And when you consider Hurts’ performance in the divisional round, please also take a look at the statistics of two other star QBs who won while playing in bitterly cold and/or adverse conditions. Divisional Round QB performances: Patrick Mahomes23-14 winPassing: 16-25, 177 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 3 sacksRushing: 14 yards98.2 rating | 66.3 QBR Josh Allen27-25 winPassing: 16-22, 127 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 1 sackRushing: 20 yards, 2 TD86.7 rating | 71.1 QBR Jalen Hurts… pic.twitter.com/ngor6jJNtV — SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) January 20, 2025 Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen did what they had to do to win the game. They don’t receive nearly the same fan scrutiny as Hurts does in Philadelphia. This isn’t to say the Eagles shouldn’t be better at passing the football. They absolutely should. With Hurts, Smith, Dallas Goedert and, heck, even Jahan Dotson out there, it shouldn’t look this difficult. In fact, having Barkley as a dynamic running threat should make passing the football a breeze. But since the concussion, Hurts’ field vision isn’t as good as it was, he’s failed to hit on longer passes, and he’s taking far more sacks than he should be. It’s clear he’s holding the ball too long, and while some of that is on him, some of it is also on the play caller. Here’s how long it took from snap to first contact by a defender on the Rams’ 7 sacks against Jalen Hurts: 1) 4.012) 3.363) 1.884) 5.315) 3.716) 3.277) 3.86 pic.twitter.com/0CawlFpISA — Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) January 20, 2025 Yeah, you just
Early 2025 breakout candidates for every NFL team
From players returning from injury to rookies who showed flashes in a short span, let’s take an early stab at a player to watch on every team entering 2025. Premium Content Sign Up Early 2025 breakout candidates for every NFL team 2XRWKWB Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) looks to pass during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) By Bradley Locker Posted Jan 20, 2025 8:45 am EST • Several first-round quarterbacks should break out: Michael Penix Jr., Caleb Williams and J.J. McCarthy are in good position to thrive in 2025. • Don’t sleep on Tykee Smith: In his first year, the Bucs defensive back collected a 90.3 PFF run-defense grade, the fifth-best among any defender with 150 or more run-defense snaps. • 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: 14 minutes The 2024 NFL regular season may have just ended, but it’s never really too premature to discuss next season. While almost every roster will look different in some capacity, talented young players will likely still possess an opportunity to make an impact. From players returning from injury to rookies who showed flashes in a short span, let’s take an early stab at a player to watch on every team entering 2025. Click here to jump to a team: ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAX | KC | LVR | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WAS The Cardinals finished 25th in team pressure rate and tied for 30th in team pass-rush grade this season, but that came with Ojulari missing all of 2024 with a torn ACL. During his rookie season, Ojulari ranked fourth among qualified rookies with a 13.4% pass-rush win rate, generating 20 pressures on only 161 pass-rushing snaps. With Dennis Gardeck, Baron Browning, L.J. Collier and more hitting the market, Arizona will likely turn to Ojulari to provide internal pass-rushing help.
Random Ramsdom: Sean McVay falls to Nick Sirianni again
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images Los Angeles Rams News and Links for 1/20/25 To my knowledge the last time the Los Angeles Rams beat the Philadelphia Eagles Doug Pederson was the head coach. Since Nick Sirianni became the head coach of Philly, L.A. has not defeated the Eagles once. Sean McVay lost to Sirianni again this past Sunday and it’s not an indictment on McVay. It’s just the way it is. The Rams had a great season, but the Eagles are having a better one. I know it’s hard for the Rams and their fans to process the defeat, but the Rams had a great year. There is just no guarantee that next season will be better, but it certainly has a chance to be. In the meantime, thanks for checking out Turf Show Times. Enjoy your Monday and hopefully we’ll see you throughout the offseason! Rams vs. Eagles highlights, analysis: Philly wins with hobbled Jalen Hurts (foxsports.com) “For the first time in nearly 40 years, the NFC Championship Game will be an all-NFC East affair. Washington (14-5) will face Philadelphia (16-3) next Sunday at 3 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field with a trip to Super Bowl LIX on the line. The last time this happened for the NFC East was at the end of the 1986 season when the New York Giants and Washington played in the NFC title game; the Giants won 17-0 en route to their first Super Bowl championship.” “I’m sure damn proud of Matthew Stafford.” -HC Sean McVay pic.twitter.com/Y6bpVMl7vU — Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 20, 2025 Eagles survive late Rams rally, punch ticket to NFC championship game: Highlights (usatoday) “The Philadelphia Eagles appeared to have the Los Angeles Rams beaten when Saquon Barkley ran for a 78-yard touchdown to extend their fourth quarter lead to 13 points with 4:36 left in regulation. The Rams had other ideas. Los Angeles mounted a furious comeback push in the final five minutes of the game and made it into the red-zone with just over a minute left and an opportunity to fully erase their deficit. In the end, Matthew Stafford couldn’t quite get the job done. Jalen Carter sacked him on a third-and-3 before the veteran quarterback misfired on a fourth-and-11 toss to Puka Nacua to stamp Philadelphia’s ticket to the NFC championship game.” “I love this group. I love this coaching staff. I love these players.” -HC Sean McVay pic.twitter.com/tVF9eieLnW — Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 19, 2025 Last-gasp drive comes up short for Rams in season-ending loss to Eagles (latimes.com) “Jalen Carter sacked Matthew Stafford on third down, and the Rams quarterback failed to connect on a pass intended for Puka Nacua on fourth-and-long to seal Philadelphia’s win in the NFC divisional playoffs. After Kobie Turner sacked Jalen Hurts for a 12-yard loss to spur a three-and-out for the Eagles, the Rams got the ball at the L.A. 18 with 2:23 left.” Fought til the final whistle. pic.twitter.com/pgo6r0uR62 — Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 19, 2025
7 takeaways from first half as Bills hold a 21-10 lead over Ravens in divisional round
7 takeaways from first half as Bills hold a 21-10 lead over Ravens in divisional round glenn erby The first half appeared to be a reverse of Week 4, and two Lamar Jackson turnovers played a pivotal part in Baltimore trailing 21-10 after 30 minutes of football in Buffalo. The Bills held the Ravens to 73 yards rushing in the first half and 28 offensive plays. According to Next Gen Stats, Jackson has been under pressure on over half of his dropbacks (54.5%) for the first time since Week 4, 2023. He’s been pressured 6 times and sacked once on 11 dropbacks (as of Damar Hamlin’s strip sack). With the second half underway, here are seven takeaways from the first 30 minutes. Lamar Jackson ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 19: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens fumbles the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the second quarter during the AFC Divisional Playoff at Highmark Stadium on January 19, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) Jackson was 6-10 passing for 123 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and a 97.1 rating. Jackson also had five carries for 31 yards, but his two turnovers played big. Derrick Henry Jan 19, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) runs the ball during the first quarter against the Buffalo Bills in a 2025 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images The Ravens King, Henry, only had eight carries in the first half for 21 yards, far off his massive game in Week 4. Josh Allen Jan 19, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) runs the ball during the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens in a 2025 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images The MVP favorite in some expert’s eyes, Allen was 5-7 passing for 69 yards in the first half. Allen had 15 yards rushing in the first half. Rashod Bateman Jan 19, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (7) makes a catch for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Buffalo Bills in a 2025 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images With Zay Flowers out, Bateman had two catches for 58 yards (29.0 avg) and one touchdown. Random notes Jan 19, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) runs the ball during the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens in a 2025 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Baltimore had 182 yards in the first half compared to Buffalo’s 156. The Ravens were 4-5 on third downs.
The Bengals’ tag options with Tee Higgins
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images A breakdown of how what the Bengals could keep Tee Higgins as NFL free agency nears. The Cincinnati Bengals want to keep wide receiver Tee Higgins in their building for a long time. That has been made clear by head coach Zac Taylor, franchise quarterback Joe Burrow, and star receiver Ja’Marr Chase. How they go about doing that, however, could be one of five options: A long-term extension, an exclusive franchise tag, a non-exclusive franchise tag, a transition tag, or a tag and trade. Let’s take a look at their options: Long-Term Contract Extension Simply put, this is the desired outcome for all parties involved. As soon as the Bengals’ season ended, Higgins’ 2024 franchise tag expired, and he became eligible to sign a new contract with the Bengals. The two sides could come to an agreement at any time. Exclusive Franchise Tag This is what the Bengals signed Higgins to last offseason. This means Higgins would not be able to negotiate with other teams on the open market. The salary on that tag is an average of the five highest salaries for a player at the position, or 120% of Higgins’ prior year’s salary, whichever is highest. Of course, if the Bengals choose to tag Higgins, they will have a window until July 15th, when they can still negotiate a long-term extension. After that deadline, Higgins would be subject to play on another one-year contract, which is projected to be worth $26,179,200. Non-Exclusive Franchise Tag This isn’t as often used, but one of the more recent non-exclusive tags we saw was the one the Baltimore Ravens placed on Lamar Jackson before signing him to an extension. Essentially, this means Higgins could negotiate with other teams like a free agent, but the Bengals would have five days to match any offers and retain Higgins’ services. If the Bengals chose not to match the offer, the team that signs Higgins would owe the Bengals two first-round picks. Transition Tag Even more rare, the transition tag is a salary that is the average of the top 10 players at the position, but the 120% provision applies like in the exclusive tag. This would give the Bengals the right of first refusal to match any offer sheets, but they wouldn’t get any draft compensation if they declined to match the offer. Tag and Trade The Bengals could franchise tag Higgins with the hope of trading him. If they were to place the tag on Higgins, they would be able to trade him to the highest bidder, provided that the team trading for Higgins’ services would sign him to a long-term extension. This could happen any time in the window between when Higgins is tagged and the deadline for a long-term deal closes. The Bengals would essentially name their price to any teams inquiring. The hope is that the Bengals can come to an agreement with Higgins while also extending Chase this offseason, but if that can’t happen, the Bengals should look at how to get as much return on Higgins as possible.
New Orleans Saints schedule second interview with Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver
Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports Anthony Weaver will interview for the Saints head coaching job on Wednesday. Coach Mike McDaniel and the Miami Dolphins are inching closer to a fourth consecutive offseason search for a defensive coordinator. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported early Monday morning that the New Orleans Saints will bring in Anthony Weaver for a second interview for their open head coaching job on Wednesday. The #Saints are bringing in #Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver for a second interview for their head coaching job on Wednesday, per sources. Weaver impressed in multiple interviews with Washington and Atlanta last year, and now is in the final round again. pic.twitter.com/IWho14Pyxg — Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 20, 2025 The Saints and Chicago Bears have shown interest in Weaver, who also interviewed for the Washington Commanders and Atlanta Falcons openings last offseason. Pelissero added that New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka will also receive a second interview. Known for his ability to connect with players, Weaver played 103 games across seven seasons in the NFL before turning his attention to coaching. While the Dolphins failed to make the playoffs in 2024, his impact was noticeable as the defense ranked eighth in points per game (20.8) and sixth in opponent yards per game (314.4) — without premiere edge rushers Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips available for the majority of the year. Weaver was defensive coordinator of the Houston Texans in 2020 before joining the Baltimore Ravens as defensive line coach, and being promoted to assistant head coach the next year. Miami’s defense wasn’t flashy and Weaver doesn’t come with the promise to develop a quarterback, but as a coach and a leader, it’s easy to see why he has caught the eye of multiple franchises around the league.
