Bold 2025 Resolutions for 10 NFL Players

Michael Ginnitti
Michael Ginnitti, Managing Editor & NFL/MLB ExpertJanuary 03, 2025
© USA TODAY Sports

As the calendar flips to 2025, Spotrac dives into 10 looming scenarios that could come to fruition in the coming weeks and months, including potential trades, extensions, releases, & retirements.

The New York Jets and QB Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers is due a non-guaranteed $37.5M in 2025, including a $35M option bonus that doesn’t need to be exercised until the beginning of the regular season. While his $23.5M cap figure next season isn’t overly restraining, it seems wildly unlikely that a Jets/Rodgers relationship will continue.

The contract carries $49M of dead cap due to previously paid out bonuses. The Jets will have the choice to take that all on in 2025, designate him a Post June 1st release (splitting the cap into $14M for 2025/$35M for 2026), or simply waiting until after June 1st to process a release (or a potential Rodgers retirement).

Prediction: The Jets outright release Aaron Rodgers in early March, taking on all $49M of dead cap in 2025 as they look to fully reset their roster & financials. Rodgers takes the spring to assess his options, ultimately opting for retirement after 20 seasons.

The Buffalo Bills and QB Josh Allen

Allen’s contract was adjusted this past March to bring money forward, giving the 28-year-old a $60M base payout in 2024. There’s another $5M available based on playoffs & and MVP win. The maneuver leaves just $14.5M of base cash available in 2025 now, making it very likely that another adjustment will be necessary.

Allen has 4 years, $129.5M remaining on his contract through 2028, a $32.3M APY. With top QB contracts now nearly doubling this mark, it stands to reason that the Bills could opt to start fresh with a brand new deal for the 28-year-old.

Prediction: The Bills and Josh Allen agree to a 5 year, $290 million renegotiated contract through the 2029 season that includes $232M guaranteed for practical purposes. 

The Cleveland Browns and DE Myles Garrett

The last place Browns possess 8 contracts with a total value of $50M or more, putting the pressure on this front office to either get back to winning immediately - or start selling pieces to reduce the financial blow (and help mitigate a rebuild).

Garrett’s contract holds 2 years, $44.7M remaining on it, and the league’s top edge rushers will soon be approaching $40M per year (especially after Micah Parsons and T.J. Watt lock in new deals this offseason). Cleveland will be pressured into considering a Garrett extension this Spring as well, but it might not be in the best interest for their current window.

Prediction: The Browns trade Myles Garrett to the Arizona Cardinals for a 1st, 3rd, & 5th round draft pick. Arizona signs Garrett to a 4 year, $140 million renegotiated contract through 2028 that includes $91M guaranteed.

The Green Bay Packers and Jaire Alexander

The Packers have pushed a lot of right buttons over the course of the past decade or so, but the 4 year, $84 million extension for Alexander might go down as a bit of a miss (at least according to their standards). After an outstanding 2022 campaign, the 27-year-old has missed significant time in each of the past two seasons, putting his future in Green Bay in serious doubt.

Alexander’s contract contains 2 years, $37M remaining, but none of it is guaranteed, and there are no early offseason bonuses to contend with.

Prediction: The Packers release Jaire Alexander this March, taking on a $19.1M dead cap hit, freeing up $6.7M of space. Alexander signs a 1 year, $10M contract with the New England Patriots for the 2025 season.

The Minnesota Vikings and their Quarterbacks

Minnesota will be a must-follow franchise for the next few months as they navigate one of the best problems in all of sports: too many quarterbacks at their disposal.

Sam Darnold’s 2024 was a revelation, setting up the Vikings to put #10 overall pick J.J. McCarthy in a holding pattern until further notice. Darnold is a pending free agent, so the decision to keep him will prove expensive. But losing him could prove even more costly.

Prediction: The Vikings apply a $39M+ franchise tag on Sam Darnold, then trade J.J. McCarthy to the Las Vegas Raiders days before the NFL Draft. Darnold and the Vikings agree on a 4 year, $196M extension before the July 15 deadline that includes $110M guaranteed.

The Cincinnati Bengals and Tee Higgins

Life is just better in Cincinnati when Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins are all on the field together. Higgins, the top pending free agent according to our rankings, hasn’t negotiated with the Bengals in months, setting up a likely exit this March.

With Chase likely to reset the WR market (currently $35M APY, $110M guaranteed), the idea of paying both he and Higgins this spring seems nearly impossible for a Bengals franchise that has been selective with their finances. But that doesn’t mean they have no path forward…

Prediction: The Bengals slap a 2nd franchise tag on Tee Higgins, which comes in at $26.18M for the 2025 season, setting up a holdout battle with the 25-year-old. Higgins signs the tag before the start of the season, and the band gets back together one last time.

The New York Jets and RB Breece Hall

From A-Z, the Jets organization appears to be at a crossroads, setting up an opportunity for rostered players nearing next contract negotiations to be poached.

Running back appears to be one of the deeper positions on this Jets roster, setting them up to float Hall in trade discussions this March as they look to bulk up on draft picks for the pending rebuild. Hall’s deal contains 2 years, $3.4M remaining, none of which is guaranteed.

Prediction: The Jets trade RB Breece Hall to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 3rd & 6th round pick.

The Las Vegas Raiders and Maxx Crosby

Crosby will enter 2025 with 2 years, $42.8M remaining on his contract, but none of it guaranteed and no early offseason bonuses built in. He was an often vocalized name at the trade deadline, despite both he and the team publicly claiming they remain committed. But the team has continued to downslide and the roster appears to be very much in flux.

Crosby should be seeking a new deal this spring, but does it make sense for he and the Raiders to lock in to something significant right now? It’ll take an aggressive offseason to begin to truly right this ship - but that’s exactly what we’re anticipating here.

Prediction: The Raiders and Maxx Crosby agree to a 3 year, $100 million extension through 2029, including $66M fully guaranteed.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Russell Wilson

Don’t leave Russ for dead just yet. The Steelers dodged more than a few bullets this season to remain relevant both in the AFC North and into the postseason. Wilson isn’t statistically close to what he once was, nor is he capable of single-handedly leading an offense into contention, but he’s a clear fit with this Steelers setup for the short-term.

The 36-year-old pending free agent is likely seeking one final contract this offseason.

Prediction: The Steelers and Russell Wilson agree to a 3 year, $100M contract extension through 2027, including $45M fully guaranteed.

The San Francisco 49ers and Brock Purdy

This is becoming one of the tougher reads of the looming offseason, as a wonderful story and dynamically exciting team came to a crashing halt in 2024. Purdy battled his own injuries this season, but even when healthy, didn’t appear capable of elevating a weakened offense to higher places. Was 2024 just an overall mess to be ignored, or is it proof of a much lower future ceiling (confirming his original draft position)?

It was perfectly plausible to evaluate Purdy’s looming extension along the lines of Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence, or even Joe Burrow based on his ability to both navigate and manage one of the top teams in all of football for multiple seasons.

It now seems perfectly plausible to evaluate Purdy a tier below that threshold, especially with the growing sense that the 49ers aren’t going to be negotiating against another other NFL team for Purdy’s services going forward (a mistake the Giants made with Daniel Jones 2+ years ago).

As a Pro Bowler in 2023, Purdy’s 2025 salary will escalate from $1.1M to an estimated $5.2M based on the Proven Performance Bonus available to non-first-rounders. Will the Niners ask Purdy to play out his rookie contract before making any significant decisions? Or will Purdy feel he’s capable of holding out to ensure he garners the long-term guarantee he deserves (a tactic more than a few 49ers have taken in recent offseasons).

Prediction: The 49ers offer Brock Purdy a well-below-market 3 year, $105M extension, including $50M guaranteed. Purdy declines the offer, holds out most of the summer, then returns to play on his $5M salary for 2025, setting up free agency or a potential franchise tag in 2026.


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