December 15 is a big day on the NBA calendar. On that date, the vast majority of the players who signed over the summer become trade-eligible. While NBA “trade season” doesn’t have an official opening day, December 15 might as well be it. Around the league, executives refer to this period as the “Early Trade Season”.

In each of the last six seasons, the NBA has seen a trade made somewhere between days and weeks of “Early Trade Season” opening:

• January 14, 2024: Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala traded from Washington Wizards to the Detroit Pistons for Marvin Bagley III and Isaiah Livers
• December 30, 2023: RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley traded from the New York Knicks to the Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa.
• January 5, 2023: Noah Vonleh traded from the Boston Celtics to the San Antonio Spurs in a salary-shedding/tax avoidance move for Boston
• January 3, 2022: Rajon Rondo traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a deal that also involved the New York Knicks
• January 16, 2021 (this season worked on an adjusted calendar due to starting a month later): James Harden was traded from the Houston Rockets to the Brooklyn Nets in a deal that involved the Cleveland Cavaliers and included seven players and multiple draft picks changing hands
• December 23, 2019: Jordan Clarkson was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Dante Exum
• December 17, 2018: Trevor Ariza was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kelly Oubre Jr. and Austin Rivers

Sometimes the trades involve players where the teams had to wait for the restriction to lift, and other times it’s just time for a deal to happen. Often, these deals are the result of months of trade talks that finally come to fruition in mid-to-late-December. But one thing is certain: be on the lookout for movement when “Early Trade Season” opens on Friday, December 15.

One potential reason, beyond history, to watch for an early trade is the benefit of being an early mover. The new CBA has made it harder to make deals with hard-caps and more ways than ever to trigger them. Waiting until trade deadline week (or even deadline day) to make a major move might be hard to make happen.

Because of that, you might see sellers looking to make moves before the buyer market dries up as a result of various restrictions and tight margins around the tax and the aprons. You could also see buyers make a move early to remove the chance that things get too complicated to pull off a move closer to the February 6th deadline. In addition, the 2025 NBA Draft class is loaded and teams are going to want to put themselves in position to land as high of a pick as possible.

This year, we’ve going to present the list in terms of teams to watch as early movers: either as buyers or sellers. There’s clearly some benefit to getting things done early. We’ll break down why we are focused on these teams as the ones to make an early trade.

Sellers

Brooklyn Nets

Players to watch: The entire roster

No snark intended here. The entire Brooklyn Nets roster is available in trade talks. The Nets don’t have a franchise player Thus, they haven’t made anyone untouchable. That’s the smart approach for Brooklyn.

Why might the Nets move early? They’ve already won at a better clip than ever expected. They didn’t trade to get their draft pick back to finish in the middle of the lottery. (Yes, we know ownership and Sean Marks have both said differently, but we aren’t buying it.) Expect them to pivot towards ping pong balls sooner rather than later.

In any trades they make, the Nets will be looking for a combination of young players, draft picks and salary relief. The Nets currently project to have over $40 million in cap space this summer, but that figure could easily grow to well over $60 million if Marks gets off some future salary.

One counterproposal: This doesn’t look like a quick turnaround for Brooklyn. If they can increase their return in trades by taking on some bad long-term salary, that’s worth considering. There aren’t any splashy, quick-fix free agents that will take the team from rebuilding to contender in the span of one offseason. Eating a little money to improve the young players or draft picks they get for their veterans isn’t a bad idea.

Chicago Bulls

Players to watch: Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic

In reality, no one should be off limits for the Chicago Bulls. However, outside of Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, there are reasons others won’t be very involved in trade talks. Some are young and part of what Chicago is building (Matas Buzelis, Coby White, Patrick Williams), while others are coming off injuries or are veterans that won’t bring much in return (Lonzo Ball, Jevon Carter, Torrey Craig).

And let’s not pretend trading LaVine or Vucevic is a simple thing either. LaVine is coming off an injury while carrying a huge contract. Vucevic is an aging big man who doesn’t offer much defensively. But both have been outstanding offensively this year and that’s rebuilt their trade value.

LaVine looks healthy again. He’s been quick and explosive. The veteran guard is turning in one of his best all-around offensive seasons. Yes, his contract is large ($138 million through 2026-27), but LaVine is proving to be worth it. It’s unlikely that a better offensive player will be available at this deadline.

As for Vucevic, he’s having a career-year on offense. The veteran center is shooting 58.7% from the field. That would shatter his career-best mark by over six percentage points. In addition, Vucevic is hitting 47.4% of his three-pointers. Again, easily a career-best mark.

Sure, there’s going to be some drop-off coming. Vucevic is unlikely to maintain such a torrid pace. But there’s not going to be a better offensive center (and he still rebounds at a pretty good clip too) available this trade season than Vucevic.

Despite history to the contrary, the Bulls could be an early mover to accelerate moving towards a better draft pick. Chicago owes a top-10 protected pick to the San Antonio Spurs. They don’t want to be anywhere near that cutoff line come lottery time.

New Orleans Pelicans

Players to watch: Brandon Ingram, C.J. McCollum, Zion Williamson

To be fair, Brandon Ingram has been on trade watch since last summer. We’re still here. The difference now is that Ingram recently changed agents and that’s usually done to spark movement on an extension or a trade.

Here’s the challenge: Ingram just suffered a pretty severe ankle injury. He’s expected to miss multiple weeks. That could slow things down as far as his trade market goes.

To continue to be fair, it’s probably not really likely that C.J. McCollum gets traded, and even less likely Zion Williamson does. But talks now could set the stage for a summer move. If New Orleans resets around a core of Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones and draft picks, they could move the others to hasten that reset, including whoever they get with a likely high draft pick.

It’s that likelihood of a top pick that means the Pelicans could be an early mover. They’re going to want to stay inside the top few picks in the lottery, both to help their odds and to guard against slipping down if others jump up.

New Orleans has said they want to get a look at the roster when healthy, but that doesn’t seem likely to happen this season. Because of that, look here for a big move or two before the deadline.

Portland Trail Blazers

Players to watch: Jerami Grant, Duop Reath, Anfernee Simons, Robert Williams III

The Portland Trail Blazers are probably closer to the Brooklyn Nets in terms of no one being off limits than they’d like to admit. Sure, it’d cost a decent amount to get Shaedon Sharpe or Donovan Clingan (and less to get Scoot Henderson), but neither of those guys screams untouchable franchise guy.

That being said, Portland isn’t going to trade the kids they’ve drafted in the last few years. The vets? Keep a moving company on retainer for the next couple of months.

The Trail Blazers don’t want to miss out on adding a top tier player in the 2025 NBA Draft. So, they need to get to losing. Right now, Portland is seventh in the lottery. That’s not nearly bad enough to guarantee one of the best five or six players in this draft class.

How do you move down? By trading away the vets that are keeping you competitive. Jerami Grant has the long contract, but the size of any single season isn’t overly daunting anymore, not with the cap growth that is projected. Anfernee Simons has a very tradable deal and teams are always looking for backcourt scoring and shooting. Robert Williams III has a great contract, if a team can convince themselves he’ll stay healthy.

Deandre Ayton could be movable, as he’s only got a year left. If there’s a team that is just missing a center from making a playoff run, they could convince themselves to go for Ayton for a two-year look. Matisse Thybulle is kind of in the Williams camp. He’s a great defender and an improved shooter, but he’s battling an injury.

Washington Wizards

Players to watch: Malcolm Brogdon, Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Poole, Jonas Valanciunas

Basically, if you weren’t selected in the last two drafts, the Wizards will probably trade you. And that’s fine. This team is just starting the full rebuild process, even openly saying they are still in teardown mode.

Washington is already bad. Like, worst in the NBA by a wide margin bad. Why would they be an early mover? Simply to not miss out on the market. If buyers make moves early, options for Washington to trade their vets could dry up. That would be a major missed opportunity.

Expect lots of interest to come in Kyle Kuzma, Malcolm Brogdon and Jonas Valanciunas. All three vets fill holes teams are always looking to plug at the trade deadline. And all three have reasonable, tradable contracts.

Jordan Poole is more of a wild-card. His contract doesn’t look as onerous anymore, because Poole has played quite well this season. This one might be more of an offseason move, but it wouldn’t be a shocker if a team felt like Poole could help them and made a move for him now.

Buyers

Denver Nuggets

Needs: Shooting, bench depth

The Denver Nuggets don’t have a ton to work with trade-wise. They’re over the first apron, so taking back more money than they send out isn’t possible. They do have enough wiggle room under the second apron that they can combine some salary. That’s good news, as Denver can get to about $14.7 million without touching any core rotation players.

That should be enough to get Denver in the mix for some decent upgrades for their bench. This team desperately needs more shooting. They could also simply use more depth across the board. The Nuggets might also move early just so they don’t miss out. Their apron window is tight enough that they need to strike when they can.

Golden State Warriors

Needs: Star power, playmaking

Steve Kerr leaned on his depth early on to propel the Golden State Warriors to a terrific start. Now, that’s started to flip a bit. The Warriors don’t have much star power behind Stephen Curry and they severely lack in on-ball playmaker. In addition, there’s started to be some grumbling about the expanded rotation and inconsistent roles.

The Warriors scream consolidation trade. The margins are extremely tight for Mike Dunleavy Jr. to work around though. Golden State is hard-capped at the first apron and currently have just over $500,000 to work with in space. So, making a big move is tricky, but not impossible.

Mostly, for the Warriors to land a star, they’re likely going to have to put Jonathan Kuminga and/or draft picks on the table in a deal. That’s in addition to probably having to move Andrew Wiggins to match salary.

If it’s a blockbuster trade or a smaller deal to consolidate, while adding depth, expect Golden State to trade De’Anthony Melton. Yes, that’s a little harsh as he’s out for the season, but it’s really just math. Melton’s $12.8 million salary will go a long way towards salary-matching. And because he’s on an expiring deal, the Warriors could re-sign him next summer as a free agent, even if they trade him away now.

Houston Rockets

Needs: Shooting, playmaking

The Houston Rockets are kind of a tricky one. They’re still growing with their young core. They definitely need more shooting, and could use more playmaking, but they won’t want to do that at the expense of their developing players. They’ve said as much repeatedly.

In some ways, Houston is more likely to stand pat at the deadline. Then they can survey where things land, figure out what they need after a postseason run, and make their big move this coming summer.

But if Jimmy Butler really wants to play in Houston, as per reports… Or Kevin Durant surprisingly becomes available… Or (insert veteran star here) is put on the market…

Any of those probably change the calculus for the Rockets. Houston can get to over $40 million in expiring or pseudo-expiring (options or non-guarantees) tradable salary without touching a single core rotation player. Rafael Stone also has some extra draft picks to move, including ones from the Suns and the Nets.

All of the above means that if a star is available, and the Rockets want to be involved in trading for that star, they can be. That makes them a team to watch now, closer to the deadline or next offseason.

Los Angeles Lakers

Needs: Depth, scoring, playmaking, perimeter defense

Nothing has really gone right for the Los Angeles Lakers this season, outside of Dalton Knecht showing he slipped too far in the draft. When you have LeBron James and Anthony Davis, sitting in the middle isn’t acceptable. That means a shakeup is probably coming.

The Lakers struggles as a decidedly average team with little upside, combined with overflowing frustration around transaction inaction, means we’re on the clock for James to suggest a move or two is necessary. And we’re using “suggest” to be nice instead of calling it a demand, which is what it will really be.

The Lakers have the same tight margins as many others, despite not yet triggering a hard cap at either apron. But being well over the first apron, and barely below the second apron, means that Rob Pelinka is going to have to be careful with any moves he makes.

Despite that, Los Angeles has tradable salaries. The only really off-limits players will probably be James, Davis and possibly Knecht (less so for the rookie, but they aren’t just tossing him in deals either). D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, any of the minimum players and, yes, the once-untouchable Austin Reaves could all be moved.

For the Lakers, the reason to make an early move is simple: They need to climb the standings. The last two years have seen Los Angeles have to push really hard for postseason positioning, and that’s resulted in still having to work through the Play-In Tournament. If they want to avoid that this year, stacking wins sooner rather than later is important.

Orlando Magic

Needs: Shooting, playmaking, wing depth

The Orlando Magic have stayed remarkably solid since losing Paolo Banchero. But with Franz Wagner now down with the same injury as Banchero suffered, we’re approaching “three darts is too much” territory for Orlando.

That’s why the Magic are potentially a team to watch to make an early move. This team is good. They’ll be really good when they get Banchero and Wagner back, and that will happen as neither is out for the season. The defense will keep Orlando afloat for the next few weeks, but they could use more offensive punch.

Orlando has all of their own first- and second-round picks, an extra first-round pick (from Denver) and a couple of extra second-round picks. The Magic roster is also pretty well-stocked with talent, meaning rostering a whole bunch more young players might not be possible over the next few years.

In addition, Jeff Weltman can put together some packages featuring solid veterans, youngsters with upside and draft picks. That should have the Magic in position to make a move if they find one.

Here’s the challenge: Orlando has been active at the deadline in the past, but it’s generally been with smaller moves, especially after they held a fire sale in 2021.

The counter: None of the Magic teams since then have been as good as this one is. This Magic team can make a real playoff run. They need to bolster the offense around Banchero and Wagner to do that. By making an early move, Orlando could stabilize the offense until the stars return, while setting themselves up even better in the long-term.

Bonus Player to Watch

Jimmy Butler

News broke on Tuesday that the Miami Heat are open to listening to offers for Jimmy Butler. That’s not all that surprising, given Butler and the Heat have seemed to be moving in different directions since last summer. Pat Riley was critical of Butler during the offseason, while Butler was scarcely moved in his extension desires.

Is a trade coming here? Butler makes $48.8 million this season. That’s a very big number to move in-season. But it’s not impossible. For example. Houston could get there relatively easily (Miami would need to waive a bunch of players or re-route them elsewhere because it would be an imbalanced trade roster-wise). The Warriors are reportedly star-hunting, have liked Butler in the past and could put together some contracts to make a run at the veteran wing.

A player of Butler’s status appearing on the trade market juices things. Also, acquiring someone like Butler takes a bit of time to gel. That could mean we see him on the move sooner rather than later this trade season. Think of this like the OG Anunoby or Pascal Siakam moves last year. Big trades that came together earlier than expected, but helped to kickstart the Raptors rebuild, while pushing the Knicks and Pacers playoff runs.

It happened. After months of rumors stating that Mets’ owner Steve Cohen wouldn’t be underbid for prize free agent OF Juan Soto - rumor became reality on Sunday night.

The New York Mets and Juan Soto agreed to an historic 15 year, $765 million free agent contract that includes no deferred money, a $75M signing bonus, $15M of available escalators (TBD), and a player opt-out after the 2029 season that can be voided with an additional $40M guarantee. In other words - this is a $765M contract today, but could finish off as an $820M deal before it’s all said and done.

The Total Value

Soto’s $765 million base value guarantee is the largest in MLB history, surpassing Shohei Ohtani’s blockbuster contract with the Dodgers last winter. The previous high mark came from Mike Trout’s $426.5M extension in Los Angeles of Anaheim.

However, Ohtani’s deal in LA contains significant deferrals ($680M), lowering the present day value of the contract down to $460M (though it should be noted here that the player will still be earning all $700M). In this sense, Soto’s deal in Queens obliterates every one contract in MLB history.

Largest Total Value Contracts in MLB History
1. Juan Soto, $765M
2. Shohei Ohtani, $700M
3. Mike Trout, $426.5M
4. Mookie Betts, $365M
5. Aaron Judge, $360M

Complete MLB Contract Rankings

For the record, Soto’s 15 year, $765M contract is also the longest contract in MLB history, surpassing Fernando Tatis Jr.s’ 14 year contract in San Diego.

The Original Offer

Juab Soto was an international signing by the Washington Nationals back in 2015 to the tune of a $1.5M bonus. He would help take the Nats to a World Series Championship in 2019, prompting the organization to eventually lay down a $440M contract extension offer to Soto & agent Scott Boras. The deal would buy out the rest of Soto’s arbitration years at $54M, with 13 years, $386M built into the free agency portion of the contract.

Soto’s new deal with the Mets nearly doubles that output.

The Average/CBT Salary

From an average per year standpoint, Soto’s $51M to be earned trails only Ohtani’s $70M, who of course won’t be actually earning $70M per year at any point in time due to the 10-year deferral package.

Highest APY in MLB History
1. Shohei Ohtani, $70M*
2. Juan Soto, $51M
T3. Max Scherzer, $43.3M
T3. Justin Verlander, $43.3M
5. Zack Wheeler, $42M

*deferrals

Complete Contract APY Rankings

From a collective balance tax salary perspective, things end up a little bit different. As noted above, Ohtani’s deferrals lower his present day value, and subsequent tax salary, down from $700M/$70M to $460.08M/$46.08M. With no deferred compensation built into the Soto deal, his $51M now rises to the top of the list - by nearly $5M.

Highest CBT Salary in MLB History
1. Juan Soto, $51M
2. Shohei Ohtani, $46.08M
3. Zack Wheeler, $42M
4. Aaron Judge, $40M
5. Jacob deGrom, $37M

Complete Tax Salary Rankings

Soto’s $51M salary represents 21.1.% of the $241M MLB threshold for 2025.

The Opt-Out

Following the 2029 season (when Soto will have just turned 30-years-old), Juan Soto will have the ability to opt-out of the remaining 10 years, $460M.

The team will then have the ability to void that opt-out with an additional $40M guarantee ($4M added to each of the remaining 10 seasons). The Yankees had a similar setup with SP Gerit Cole, but the two sides decided to void the opt-out this past winter and focus on a new, tbd contract instead.

The Signing Bonus

Soto’s $75M signing bonus is by far the largest in league history, surpassing Mookie Betts’ $65M bonus in LA. The payout will help Soto from an income tax purpose in the state of NY, and it front-loads a total of $295M into the first 5 seasons of this contract.

Largest MLB Signing Bonuses
1. Juan Soto, $75M
2. Mookie Betts, $65M
3. Blake Snell, $52M
T4. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, $50M
T4. Max Scherzer, $50M

Career Earnings

At the surface, adding $765M to Soto's previously earned $82.3M brings his career number over $847M. But that's likely only the start of this story, right? It seems hard to imagine that the opt-out/buyback in 2030 will happen, adding another $40M to Soto's bottom line. Now we're approaching $888M, and there appear to be incentives/escalators available that can get us into the $900M conversation before it's all said and done.

The only person even in this same stratosphere is of course Ohtani, who will have cashed in over $742M in his career once the deferrals are all paid out.

Final Thoughts

We’ll save our complete concluding thoughts until the full salary/escalator breakdown becomes available, but for now this is simply a wow. The bidding for Soto was large, historic, and surprisingly out loud. Numbers that were being floated around by league reporters wound up being 100% factual, with at least 4 teams willing to go into the $700M pool at one point in time.

The Mets - as was always the assumed case - simply came in with a final offer that couldn’t be matched, and the additional $40M opt-out void had to be the icing on the cake. Will this be the nail in the coffin to the next 2 decades of Mets offseason spending? Owner Steve Cohen’s pockets are deep enough to suggest no. After a botched first spending experience in 2022, this was always going to be the next big splash in Queens. If anything, the need to continue spending and bring a championship back to Flushing is now higher than ever, as this contract will be annually scrutinized if the success on the field doesn’t add up.

More to come as new details are confirmed.

After the first 29 players to sign in 2025 free agency all re-signed with their current club, former Gotham midfielder Delanie Sheehan broke the pattern yesterday when it was announced that she was signing with the Houston Dash. A few hours later Angel City defender Madison Curry joined Sheehan signing with the Seattle Reign. 

With the season only ending on November 23rd and being followed immediately by Thanksgiving week, it’s not really a surprise that this week marked the beginning of players announcing new locations for their 2025 seasons. 

Looking forward, next week the currently open trade window will close and followed by the End-of-Season decision sheets being turned into the league. Under the new CBA, any old contract which had a semi-guaranteed status versus guaranteed will now become guaranteed for 2025 starting in December versus under the old CBA they only became guaranteed at the Roster Freeze toward the end of the season. 

The remaining 2024 NWSL Calendar

Free Agency Over the Years

2022-23: 

Requirement: Six years of service for player to be unrestricted free agent

45 Unrestricted Free Agents

2023-24: 

Requirement: Five years of service for player to quality for unrestricted free agency, three years of service for a player to quality for restricted free agency

55 Unrestricted Free Agents and 20 Unrestricted Free Agents

2024-25: 

NEW CBA — Any player with a contract ending is a free agent

132 Unrestricted Free Agents

As you can see, thus far this free agency period there have already been more players who re-signed with their current team than any previous year. It will be interesting to see how the different buckets continue to fluctuate over the coming months, especially with the ending of the NWSL Draft and collegiate athletes being able to sign with teams at any time. 

2025 NWSL Rosters

When looking at the remaining free agents, it is also important to keep in mind that every NWSL team has a limited number of active roster spots available for the 2025 season, 26. The table below shows how many active players a team has signed as well as any 2023 or 2024 SEI’s/D45’s which are under contract for 2025 and have the opportunity to join the active roster in the upcoming season. 

The other thing to keep in mind for the offseason roster moves is that this is the first offseason where teams are fully able to utilize the expanded international roster spots. A week before the 2024 season kicked off, the NWSL announced that it would be expanding the available international spots for the rest of 2024 and moving forward. 

You can read more about the expansion to seven spots here or check out your team’s current players occupying spots here

15 Players to Watch

Christen Press, forward, Angel City

Midge Purce, forward, Gotham FC

Maitane Lopez, defender, Gotham FC

Amanda West, forward, Houston Dash

Kristen Hamilton, forward, Kansas City Current

Elizabeth Ball, defender, Kansas City Current

Nichelle Prince, forward, Kansas City Current 

Kerolin, forward, North Carolina Courage

Narumi Miura, midfielder, North Carolina Courage

Marta, forward, Orlando Pride

Becky Sauerbrunn, defender, Portland Thorns

Elli Pikkujamsa, defender, Racing Louisville

Danielle Colaprico, midfielder, San Diego Wave

Hannah Betfort, forward, Utah Royals

As a reminder, you can check the status of your favorite team’s 2025 rosters here or follow along with 2025 Free Agency at Spotrac’s tracker here. A comprehensive list of all offseason moves can also be found here.

NFL MVP Conversation

QB Josh Allen, -230
RB Saquon Barkley, +500
QB Lamar Jackson, +1100
QB Jared Goff, +1100
QB Patrick Mahomes, +1500

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Bills QB Josh Allen still holds a commanding grip on the MVP, an honor that would bag him an additional $1.5M this season. An upcoming game against Jared Goff and the Lions could be a very big step forward or backward in this race.

RB Saquon Barkley is on pace to approach Eric Dickerson’s 2,105 rushing yard figure, and if he gets there - could really contend for this honor, despite not being a quarterback.

Lamar Jackson (and the Ravens) suffered a demoralizing loss to Philadelphia this weekend, seemingly dialing back whatever hype or momentum surrounding the Baltimore franchise until further notice.

Philly’s refusal to go away should keep Goff & the Lions motivated all the way through Week 18, but it won’t be an easy run for Detroit: Green Bay, Buffalo, @ Chicago, @ San Francisco, Minnesota.

Mahomes doesn’t have the surface stats to belong in this conversation, but his efficiency and timely clutch performances along with a sparkling 11-1 record keep him relevant (for now). 

Kirk Cousins’ Downslide

Despite losing three straight, the Falcons still find themselves atop a miserable NFC South. In those three losses, QB Kirk Cousins has posted a 61 Passer Rating, throwing for 0 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. The fanbase is now on high alert, especially with newly drafted Michael Penix, Jr. awkwardly waiting in the wings.

Contractually speaking, Cousins $27.5M salary for 2025 is already fully guaranteed. A $10M roster bonus for 2026 will become fully guaranteed on March 16th. An outright release next March means $65M of dead cap. A trade next March means $37.5M of dead cap (though Cousins holds a full no trade clause). At this point, the contract is still telling us that Cousins likely remains with Atlanta through 2025, but patience may prove to be impossible soon.

Christian McCaffrey’s 2024 Finale

After months of intense rehab to repair an achilles injury, RB Christian McCaffrey’s return to the field appears to be short-lived, after a PCL injury against Buffalo likely has him sidelined for the remainder of 2024.

McCaffrey signed a renegotiated contract with the 49ers this past June that put him under contract through the 2027 season, including $8.5M guaranteed through 2025. Assuming a return to full health, the 28 ½ year old should be back to collect another $16.2M total next season, raising his career earnings to nearly $98M.

Trevor Lawrence Torpedoed

Following one of the dirtier plays in years, Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence sustained a serious head/brain injury that will likely end his 2024 campaign, furthering the concern for Jacksonville’s clear roster deficiencies this offseason.

Lawrence is finishing out Year 1 of a 7 year, $306.3M contract that includes $202M of practical guarantees through 2028. His team-friendly $17M cap figure for 2025 should aid in the continued build-up of the roster, though this weekend’s injury will be something to monitor for the remainder of his career.

Taysom Hill’s Tenure in New Orleans

Despite a plethora of passing-oriented incentives built into his contract, Taysom Hill never developed into an NFL-worthy QB. That didn’t stop him from becoming one of the most impactful Saints players over the past 5 years, as a tight end, rusher, & special teamer.

A serious knee injury this weekend almost certainly ends his 2024 campaign, but will it also bring his tenure in New Orleans to a close as well? The 34-year-old  has 1 year, $10M (non-guaranteed) remaining on his contract.

We got magic, good and bad
Make you happy or make you real sad
Get everything you want, lose what you had
Down here in New Orleans

Those are lyrics from “Down In New Orleans” as sung by Dr. John. And they pretty well sum up the history of the New Orleans Pelicans.

You had the high of the team relocating from Charlotte. Then Hurricane Katrina forced the team away for a couple of years.

Anthony Davis came in the 2012 NBA Draft Lottery and brought the Pelicans a playoff series win with a monster first-round upset in 2018. Then things fell apart and Davis forced a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers just one year later.

The 2019 NBA Draft Lottery delivered generational prospect Zion Williamson to ostensibly replace Davis as the franchise player. Moments of pure magic have been surrounded by Williamson being out of the lineup for long stretches.

Now, the Pelicans are facing a series of difficult decisions down in New Orleans.

Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Herb Jones, C.J. McCollum, Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy III, Jordan Hawkins and Jose Alvarado.

Even with nary a center in that group, that’s a pretty good eight-man rotation.

The Pelicans have played exactly zero games with that group together. In fact, it’s been so bad, that the most minutes played by any even three-man combination of that top-eight is 87 by Ingram, Jones and McCollum.

Injuries have destroyed this team. New Orleans is 4-13 as of this writing. That’s last in the Western Conference and only slightly ahead of the Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers for the worst record overall.

Essentially, after the Murray trade, it felt like the Pelicans had everything you want (minus a good, experience starting center). But as the song tells us, New Orleans can make you happy or make you real sad.

Right now, things are real sad for the Pels.

But the NBA season doesn’t stop in late-November, no matter how bad things get. There are still 65 games left as of this writing. And trade season is only a few weeks away from opening up.

Maybe those 65 games won’t really end up mattering all that much for wins, because the Pelicans are already five games out of the final spot in the Play-In Tournament. But trade season is where we could get some of that good New Orleans magic.

In an ideal world, the Pelicans would move Brandon Ingram and C.J. McCollum in deals that return younger players and draft assets. Sadly, we don’t live in an ideal world.

Let’s start with Ingram. New Orleans tried to move him over the summer. Nothing happened, because other teams have the same consternation about Ingram that the Pels do: He wants a max or near-max deal, and he’s not really at that level. One All-Star appearance and a bunch of injury-impacted seasons can’t get you another max deal.

Those contract desires have kept Ingram from extending with the Pelicans. And any acquiring team would have the same issues, plus whatever they had to give up in a trade to get Ingram. That’s why the veteran forward is still in New Orleans.

Ingram is having a nice season. His efficiency is a bit down, but that’s because there have been a lot of nights where his available teammates have consisted of two-way players and G League callups. Most encouraging? Ingram has been the lone Pelican to stay healthy this season. 

Ingram makes $36 million this season. That’s a big number, but it doesn’t tip into the $40-to-$50-plus million range where it gets really hard to move in-season.

The good news for New Orleans, and a potential Ingram trade, is that teams get increasingly desperate as the trade deadline closes in. Someone is going to look at Ingram and decide that they can get a scoring/playmaking wing, and that they’ll worry about the next contract later. At that point, it’s up to the Pelicans to establish a price. It’s not quite a “take whatever you can get” situation, but given Ingram’s future with the team seems to be pretty murky, a younger player and/or a draft pick or two should be enough.

McCollum is a different story. His first two seasons with the Pelicans have been better than he often gets credit for. McCollum has been efficient as a shooter and playmaker, and he does a nice job playing off-ball in an offense keyed by Ingram and Zion Williamson. There isn’t a lot of defense there, but McCollum is smart enough to be an ok help defender and director, when he’s not left exposed in pure isolation situations.

That all sounds good, right? Then you look at the contract. McCollum is on the books for $33.3 million this season and $30.6 million next season. That’s not great for an offense-first guard who is 33 years old.

Still, guard help is always in demand around the deadline. The return for McCollum won’t be as good as it will be for Ingram. However, if New Orleans can take back a swap of not-great money that maybe runs a year longer, they could extract a pick or promising young player from a guard-needy team.

But those deals aren’t the needle-movers. Not in the biggest way. To do that, the Pelicans have to consider what was once thought unthinkable.

It’s time to consider trading Zion Williamson. If not a trade, then it’s worth a quiet conversation about getting out of his contract after the season.

Yes, you read that correctly. Here’s why:

• 24 games

• 61 games

• 0 games

• 29 games

• 70 games

• 6 games

Those are the games played for Zion Williamson in his six-year career. That’s a total of 190 games played out of 407 possible games over six seasons. That’s 46.7% availability. In addition, Williamson has played in zero of the Pelicans 10 playoff games since he’s been in the NBA.

When healthy, Williamson is a dynamic offensive force. He’s nearly undeniable going to the rim. He shoots just well enough from the outside that teams can’t sag off him. When they do, Williamson is quick and explosive enough to still finish over a dropped defender. He’s also a very good and, importantly, very willing passer.

The rebounding has never been quite what we hoped it would be. That’s a problem. The defense is also lacking. There are still some crazy turnovers mixed in there too.

But, honestly, none of those negatives really matter all that much. It’s about the availability, or lack thereof.

Williamson is owed the following on his deal:

• 2024-25: $36.7 million ($18.4 million guaranteed until league-wide date of January 7)

• 2025-26: $39.4 million ($7.8 million guaranteed (assuming Williamson met weight clauses), with guarantees escalating based on games played in 2024-25)

• 2026-27: $42.2 million (non-guaranteed, but escalating guarantees based on weight clauses and games played in 2025-26)

• 2027-28: $44.9 million (non-guaranteed, but escalating guarantees based on weight clauses and games played in 2026-27)

That’s a lot to take in. But to make it really simple: The Pelicans can get out of Williamson’s contract after this season with somewhere between zero and $7.8 million owed to him, if he can’t get on the court for 35 of the 65 games New Orleans has left this season. Given Williamson is shelved indefinitely with a hamstring strain, hitting that games-played trigger seems unlikely.

So…do you look at trading your franchise player? Or do you simply waive him and hit the summer with somewhere between $25 million and $30 million in cap space to work with next offseason?

Simply waiving Williamson has to be somewhere close to 99% off the table. While the idea of wiping that contract off the books entirely has to have some appeal, it seems like a fairly “last resort” type of approach.

Trading Williamson? That’s not as crazy as it once seemed.

NBA teams are generally run by folks with big egos. They all believe a player who didn’t fit on one team will fit on their team. And they all believe that they can be the ones to crack the code on keeping an injury-prone player on the floor. When that player is as talented as Zion Williamson is, that belief and the willingness to take a risk is multiplied by a great margin.

If the Pelicans put Williamson on the trade block, they’re going to get offers. It may not be the four-picks and multiple-swaps blockbusters we’ve seen in the past, but New Orleans would net a healthy return for Williamson.

Trading a guy who you built this whole iteration of your team around is a very hard pill to swallow. But when that guy has played in less than half of your games over a six-year period, you have to consider taking a gulp of whatever liquid you have handy and you pop that pill.

There's been trials and tribulations
You know I've had my share
But I've climbed the mountain, I've crossed the river
And I'm almost there, I'm almost there, I'm almost there

Anika Noni Rose sung those lyrics as Princess Tiana in The Princess and the Frog. They also apply to the New Orleans Pelicans.

We’re not addressing any ideas of trading anyone like Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Jordan Hawkins or Jose Alvarado. New Orleans just traded for Murray and just re-signed Murphy. Jones has one of the most team-friendly contracts in the league. Hawkins is still on his rookie scale deal and Alvarado’s contract is so small, there’s no reason to not keep him.

It’s really the trio of Brandon Ingram, C.J. McCollum and Zion Williamson who you have to consider moving. The real question: Should you do it?

Ingram is probably the easiest one. Assuming you aren’t just giving him away, and the Pelicans won’t have to do that, they should move him. Unless he comes way down in his ask for his next contract, there’s no real reason Ingram should finish the season on this team.

McCollum should be moved, if you can net a positive return. That might come by taking on some onerous longer-term money, but that’s not the end of the world. If you have to pay to get off McCollum’s deal, you don’t make a deal. In that case, the Pelicans need to keep him and ride it out until he’s on an expiring contract next season.

Williamson is by far the hardest decision. Like the song Down In New Orleans says:

We got magic, good and bad
Make you happy or make you real sad

The Williamson magic is so very good. It makes you so very happy. But when he misses so many games, that’s so very bad and makes you real sad.

As painful as it is, the Pelicans have to consider moving Williamson. Let another team be swayed by the potential you see in the games that he does play. If the right deal comes along, it’s time for New Orleans to move along.

But what are they moving to? The 2025 NBA Draft is a good start. New Orleans has all of their own draft picks, including in this loaded 2025 NBA Draft. They’ve already had Lady Luck smile upon them twice in the lottery in the past. A third time would mean bringing Cooper Flagg to New Orleans.

But even if the ping pong balls don’t bounce their way, the Pelicans have already been bad enough that they could end up with Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper, V.J. Edgecombe, Egor Demin, Nolan Traore or another potential franchise guy, should one emerge. The 2025 NBA Draft class is loaded with top-end talent.

It wasn’t how anyone planned for it to go. The Pelicans were supposed to be good. But they aren’t. Injuries have left them a mess. Even as some players have started to return to the lineup, the hole might be too deep. Sure, it’s worth giving this group another few weeks to see if they can spark a turnaround. But the Western Conference is unforgiving. It might be too late in New Orleans.

By having the courage to take some more lumps, New Orleans can put themselves on a path to be better than ever. It wasn’t really by choice, but the path to where we are has already been walked. We do get to choose how we move forward. And it’s time for Pelicans to choose to walk a new path.

There’s been trials and tribulations, but the New Orleans Pelicans are almost there. Like Tiana sang to us: People down there might think you’re crazy, but you can’t care. You can’t take the easy way. You gotta make it happen. You’re almost there.

By the end of this week, all of the end of season awards will be finalized. As they are announced, Spotrac will keep this page up-to-date with the latest:

As a reminder, all of this year’s awards from Best XI to MVP come with a $5,000 cash bonus as per the previous CBA. 

2024 NWSL Most Valuable Player

Temwa Chawinga (KC)

2024 NWSL Defender of the Year

Emily Sams (ORL)

2024 NWSL Midfielder of the Year

Croix Bethune (WAS)

2024 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year

Ann-Katrin Berger (GFC)

2024 NWSL Coach of the Year

Seb Hines (ORL)

2024 NWSL Rookie of the Year

Croix Bethune (WAS)

2024 NWSL Best XI

First Team

Goalkeeper: Ann-Katrin Berger (GFC)

Defenders: Emily Sams (ORL), Casey Krueger (WAS), Kaleigh Kurtz (NC), Jenna Nighswonger (GFC)

Midfielders and Forwards: Temwa Chawinga (KC), Barbra Banda (ORL), Marta (ORL), Croix Bethune (WAS), Trinity Rodman (WAS), Sophia Smith (POR)

Second Team

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse (ORL)

Defenders: Naomi Girma (SD), Tara McKeown (WAS), Kerry Abello (ORL), Ryan Williams (NC)

Midfielders and Forwards: Vanessa DiBernardo (KC), Lo’eau LaBonta (KC), Hal Hershfelt (WAS), Esther (GFC), Rose Lavelle (GFC), Yazmeen Ryan (GFC)

Monthly Award Winners (Best XI, Rookie of the Month, Player of the Month)

Awards History

NWSL MVP

NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year

NWSL Defender of the Year

NWSL Rookie of the Year

NWSL Best XI History

The 2023 NWSL season had 23 SEI’s. The 2024 NWSL season hit that number by the end of August, and with the NWSL Championship this weekend there are currently 32 players with SEI’s on rosters. Here Spotrac takes a look into when the SEI’s occurred and whose rosters were impacted.

February marked the return of players into market and unfortunately those six weeks saw five players join the SEI list before their season even started (Jun Endo—Angel City, Melissa Lowder—Bay FC, Simone Charley—Orlando Pride, Megan Montefusco—Orlando Pride, Gabby Provenzano—Portland Thorns). The first two weekends of the regular season Gotham FC forward Midge Purce and Utah Royals defender Imani Dorsey joined the group of 2024 SEIs. 

A graphical representation of when players were added to the SEI list throughout the 2024 NWSL season

By the end of April—which did include a short FIFA break—the total number of SEI’s was up to 13 including Bay FC’s Alex Loera, Chicago’s Ava Cook, Louisville’s Elli Pikkujamsa, Orlando’s Luana, and Washington’s Anna Heilferty. The May and June months thankfully had a slowdown with only Kansas City’s Gabby Robinson and Gotham’s Sinead Farrelly joining the SEI club. 

July had the internationals exit for the Olympics and the NWSL Summer Cup which saw four more additions to the SEI list, Chicago lost Sam Staab, Kansas City—Alex Pfieffer, Louisville—Kristen Wright, and Seattle—Ryanne Brown. August trended the same with an additional four players, Lyza Bosselmann from Washington, Ali Riley from Angel City, Lauren Flynn from Utah, and Grace Chanda from Orlando unfortunately before she was able to make her Pride debut. 

September’s SEIs included Washington’s Croix Bethune, Gotham’s Kelley O’Hara, and Houston’s Havana Solaun. As the season reaches closer to its ending, the bar for an SEI lowers as there is less time until the season concludes, so it is normal for the SEI’s per month to stay elevated. October was another four SEI month with Washington’s Andi Sullivan, Utah’s Cloe Lacasse, Portland’s Olivia Wade-Katoa, and Houston’s Diana Ordonez joining the club. Following the regular season conclusion, Kansas City’s Bia Zaneratto and Orlando’s Rafaelle Souza were the final members joining 2024’s 32 person SEI class. 

Of the 14 NWSL teams, only San Diego and North Carolina were able to make it through the entire season without a single SEI (although the Courage did have Sydney Collins on the D45 list from before opening day until the NWSL Quarterfinal that closed out their season). 

In 2023 there were 22 regular season games and minimally six Challenge Cup matches for teams, where the Challenge Cup matches were mainly played as midweek games throughout the regular season. 2024 saw 26 regular season matches, with only two midweek games per team and the NWSL Summer Cup did not overlap at all with the regular season but was used to keep games going while players were called away for the Olympics. 

While recovery time between matches was prioritized in the regular season scheduling this year, overall the 2024 regular season started one week earlier than 2023 and there was also the first inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup which ran from February 20th until March 10th, giving some national team players less than a week before their NWSL seasons started. Compared to 2023 where the NWSL regular season slightly overlapped with the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, this year there were 13 days between the Olympic soccer final and NWSL regular season games being played. That being said, the 2024 regular season still did end two weeks later than it did in 2023. 

There are a lot of factors which one could blame for the increase of injuries, from field conditions, to number of games, length of the season, etc. but as the league expands in teams and games, there needs to be increased prioritization in player’s safety and health because a 40% increase of season-ending injuries year–over–year is not sustainable for the athletes, teams, or the league. 

With the midway point of the 2024 NFL season now in the rearview mirror, it’s a good time to reassess where each starting quarterback stands in terms of their stability on the field, but also contractually speaking going forward.

Kyler Murray (ARZ)

4 years, $157.8M Remaining

3 years, $111.5M Practical

The Cardinals have turned a corner and Murray is back to producing at his peak. This was one of the contracts on a watch list 6 months ago. That’s no longer the case. Furthermore, Arizona hasn’t had to touch this deal from a cap perspective through three seasons, and may not need to again in 2025 ($45.6M cap against a potential $270M league threshold).

Kirk Cousins (ATL)

3 years, $117.5M Remaining

1 year, $50M Practical

The numbers are down both in terms of efficiency and total production, but there’s still time for Cousins and his new offense to find a little more rhythm. It’s still very likely that Atlanta sticks with Cousins through the 2025 season before turning the keys over to Michael Penix Jr., but it’s not entirely impossible that that discussion begins this coming offseason.

Lamar Jackson (BLT)

3 years, $147.5M Remaining

2 years, $95.5M Practical

The two-time MVP remains an MVP candidate - if not favorite, heading toward December. All $43.5M of Jackson’s 2025 compensation is fully guaranteed already, and $29M of his 2026 salary locks in this coming March. Baltimore likely keeps his $43.65M cap hit in place next season, as things jump quickly thereafter ($74.65M).

Josh Allen (BUF)

4 years, $129.5M Remaining

1 year, $14.5M Practical

Buffalo quietly adjusted Allen’s deal this past spring, pulling $30M of cash forward (and building in a nice incentive package) for 2024 to sweeten his pot. The move however leaves him with just $14.5M to be earned in 2025, the last year of his deal with early vesting guarantees. Teams generally don’t rip up contracts with four years remaining on them, but it shouldn’t come as a surprise if the Bills and Allen are at the negotiating table in the coming months, discussing an APY that’s double his current $32.5M remaining. 

Bryce Young (CAR)

2 years, $10.1M + Option Remaining

2 years, $10.1M Practical

Not exactly how they drew it up on draft night, but Young has fared better since returning from a mini-benching early on in 2024. The Panthers have an awful lot to improve upon this coming offseason, but starting over at the QB position probably isn’t a priority - yet.

Caleb Williams (CHI)

3 years, $13.1M + Option Remaining

3 years, $13.1M Practical

Williams and the Bears offense haven’t exactly meshed together out of the gate, and the 22-year-old is now already on to his 2nd offensive coordinator in the league. Chicago has time and resources to turn this around quickly if it’s developed and managed properly. Ben Johnson may soon have the largest contract offer in NFL coaching history.

Joe Burrow (CIN)

5 years, $198.8M Remaining

3 years, $107.8M Practical

A healthy Burrow has rounded right back into top form this season, posting near-career-highs as we head toward December. The 27-year-old earned the biggest payday on his entire contract this season ($65.7M), and is early vested through the 2027 season.

Deshaun Watson (CLE)

2 years, $92M Remaining

2 years, $92M Practical

Unfortunately, we’re running out of new ways to discuss this one. An achilles injury torpedoed what was already a miserable 2024 campaign, adding further pressure on the Browns’ organization to seriously consider making a rash decision on this albatross of a contract. We’re an offseason removed from Denver taking on $85M of dead cap ($38M cash) to move off of Russell Wilson. For the Browns to move on from Watson, we’re talking about $172.7M of dead cap ($92M cash). Alternatively, Watson’s cap hit in 2025 is currently $72.935M, so another cap-conversion just to keep the rest of the roster intact is likely, making for more pain in 2026-2027.

Dak Prescott (DAL)

4 years, $187.75M Remaining

3 years, $132.75M Practical

Off to a rocky start (including season-ending hamstring surgery), Dak’s contract is fully secured through 2025 right now, and practically guaranteed through 30% of 2028 compensation. The Cowboys have a big offseason coming up to reset their window.

Bo Nix (DEN)

3 years, $7.4M + Option Remaining

3 years, $7.4M Practical

The Broncos went all-in on turning over a new leaf at the QB position, and early marks say it’s panned out. Russell Wilson’s $32M dead cap hit in 2025 stings, but it’s offset nicely by at least two more years of maximum value from this Nix contract. The 24-year-old won’t become extension-eligible until after the 2026 season.

Jared Goff (DET)

4 years, $160M Remaining

3 years, $113M Practical

Goff is now headlining the most explosive offense in football, putting up efficiency numbers that sit atop the league (and some all-time lists as well currently). Furthermore, he holds a very manageable $32.6M cap hit in 2025 (which can be lowered to $19.2M per a cap conversion), allowing the Lions plenty of room to operate this coming offseason.

Jordan Love (GB)

4 years, $152M Remaining

2 years, $84M Practical

The Packers wasted no time locking up Love after he sat behind Aaron Rodgers for the better part of 3+ seasons. As per usual with Green Bay’s contracts, Love’s deal is heavy cash front-loaded ($79M) which affords them both cap & cash flexibility moving forward. Love is cap friendly ($29.7M, $36.1M) through 2026.

C.J. Stroud (HOU)

2 years, $9.7M + Option Remaining

2 years, $9.7M Practical

The honeymoon is over with Stroud and this Houston team, but things still look extremely positive in both regards. The Texans will gain at least one more season of maximum value from this rookie contract ($9.9M in 2025) before Stroud will be extension-eligible. If things stay on their current path, he’ll be in line to reset an already soaring market next winter.

Anthony Richardson (IND)

2 years, $9.1M + Option Remaining

2 years, $9.1M Practical

An injury plagued rookie season has now been compounded by poor play, and a mini benching in Year 2. It’s safe to say that the 2025 offseason will be a big one both for Richardson and his future as a QB1, and for this Colts organization as they push to remain relevant in the AFC South.

Trevor Lawrence (JAX)

6 years, $267.3M Remaining

4 years, $163M Practical

Lawrence and the Jaguars agreed to keep this marriage together for the better part of 5 more seasons this past summer, and early returns aren’t great. The good part? Lawrence’s cap hits over the next two seasons ($17M, $24M respectively) give the Jags plenty of flexibility to improve this roster as needed - and it’s needed.

Patrick Mahomes (KC)

7 years, $315.5M Remaining

3 years, $160M Practical

The Chiefs sweetened the middle portion of Mahomes’ contract to account for the fact that the best football player on the planet was drastically underpaid (due to a terrible contract decision). That maneuver should hold both sides over through 2027, but 32-year-old Mahomes should be in position to reset the sports contract market thereafter.

Justin Herbert (LAC)

5 years, $222.5M Remaining

4 years, $172.5M Practical

Herbert is putting together his overall best season to date in 2024, setting the Chargers up to quickly rebuild this roster into a true Harbaugh machine as quickly as possible. Herbert’s contract is secured through 2027, with $25M of 2028 compensation also carrying an early trigger.

Matthew Stafford (LAR)

2 years, $62M Remaining

$4M Guaranteed

Stafford’s contract was tweaked a bit this summer to dedicate a bit more cash to 2024, and fully guarantee a $4M roster bonus due next March. While it seems unlikely that the Rams would move on after 2024, the contract certainly allows for it. Crazier things have happened in LA.

Gardner Minshew (LV)

1 year, $12.5M Remaining

$3.16M Guaranteed

Minshew has worked in and out of the starting role thus far in 2024, putting his future in serious doubt. The Raiders can free up $6.18M of 2025 salary cap by releasing him next March, but they’ll need to pay him $3.16M out the door.

Tua Tagovailoa (MIA)

4 years, $192.5M Remaining

2 years, $109M Practical

Tua’s career seems to be hanging in the balance every time he steps on the field, but the simple fact of the matter is that Miami is a much better football team when he’s out there. Contractually, the Dolphins are tied to all $51M of his 2025 compensation, while $54M of 2026 salary fully guarantees this coming March.

Sam Darnold (MIN)

Pending Free Agent

The shine on Darnold’s season has worn off a bit, but he still pegs to be the most notable free agent quarterback on the open market this March. Will there be a slam dunk starting opportunity for him out there? If so, Baker Mayfield’s 3 year, $100M re-up in Tampa Bay seems a likely starting point. Behind him, J.J. McCarthy has 3 years, $8.5M plus an option through 2028.

Drake Maye (NE)

3 years, $12.4M + Option Remaining

3 years, $12.4M Practical

Maye’s progression out of the gate - despite an underwhelming offense around him - has been one of the brighter spots of 2024 thus far. The Patriots, and their league high $100M+ cap space, could be poised for a massive offseason to ramp up and get the most out of Maye while he holds max value.

Derek Carr (NO)

2 years, $90M Remaining

$10M Guaranteed

When healthy, Carr’s been an efficient option for an underperforming Saints team, and New Orleans doesn’t appear to have their next QB1 currently rostered. While Carr’s deal does offer a soft out after 2024, it seems likely that he’ll get one more year out of this contract before all parties cut ties.

Daniel Jones (NYG)

2 years, $78M Remaining

$23M injury guarantee

Jones’ time in NY is dwindling. There’s simply no other way to look at it right now. His contract carries a $23M injury guarantee for the 2025 season, and with 2024 more than half gone, it’s just smart business for the Giants to sit him down and preserve their ability to release him next March, a move that will free up at least $19.4M of cap ($30.5M if Post June 1st). 

Aaron Rodgers (NYJ)

1 year, $37.5M Remaining

No future guarantee

Rodgers and Jets have been largely disappointing in 2024, setting up an awful lot of big decisions from the top down this winter. If Rodgers wants to continue his career, it seems plausible that the Jets would strongly consider keeping him through 2025 (unless Jordan Travis becomes an offseason star), but so much of this depends on how chips fall with the GM/Coaching Staff, etc… in the coming weeks. If this is it for Rodgers and the Jets (release/retirement/trade), NYJ will need to take on $49M of unallocated bonus dead cap going forward.

Jalen Hurts (PHI)

4 years, $195M Remaining

3 years, $144M Practical

The Hurts contract was looking like a problem prior to 2024, but he’s mostly righted the ship thus far this season, navigating his Eagles squad into 2 seed contention in the NFC. The 26-year-old is mostly guaranteed through 2026 right now, with early vesting triggers leading through the 2027 season.

Russell Wilson (PIT)

Pending Free Agent

Wilson hasn’t looked back since taking over the QB1 role from Justin Fields 4 weeks ago, setting himself up for a potential contract extension to remain as such for the next year or two. The projected $42M franchise tag seems a bit much for this current situation right now, and it’s unclear if other teams would be bidding for Wilson’s services just yet, but all of it should be on the table at this point.

Geno Smith (SEA)

1 year, $25M Remaining

Non-Guaranteed

The final year of Smith’s contract in Seattle includes a $10M roster bonus due March 16th (which could escalate a bit based on 2024 incentives). The 34-year-old’s efficiency numbers are largely down, but the overall production has remained consistent for the better part of 2 ½ seasons. A healthy set of weapons down the stretch could help to solidify his role in 2025. The Seahawks can free up $25M of cap space if they decide to cut ties.

Brock Purdy (SF)

1 year, $1.11M Remaining

Non-Guaranteed

Quite possibly the biggest name to watch as the calendar turns to 2025, Purdy has a very strong chance of resetting the NFL contract market - an unimaginable feat for a former #262 overall draft pick. The Niners may try to slow play this and make him play out his rookie contract before finalizing anything significant, but Purdy & his representation likely won’t stand for that this offseason.

Baker Mayfield (TB)

2 years, $70M Remaining

$10M Guaranteed

At this point the question isn’t will Mayfield and the Buccaneers continue on together, it’s will Mayfield agree to remain in this contract? He enters Week 11 with a Passer Rating north of 103, a Completion Percent north of 70, and  24/9 TD/INT split. The Bucs probably want him to remain on the $30M salary through 2025 before discussing something new, but it’s a powerful time for legitimate QB1s in this league.

Will Levis (TEN)

2 years, $3.61M Remaining

$2.85M Guaranteed

It’s been a miserable go around for Levis in his sophomore campaign when combining both injury & poor play. There’s a very realistic chance that Tennessee signs or drafts his replacement this coming spring, pushing Levis into a backup role, or simply buying out his remaining contract to move on completely ($4.8M dead cap).

Jayden Daniels (WSH)

3 years, $12.67M + Option Remaining

3 years, $12.67M Practical

So far so good, though a recent injury has slowed the honeymoon phase of Daniels’ rookie campaign dramatically. The Commanders have notable pieces in place on both sides of the ball right now, setting up what could be a very aggressive offseason now that they have a taste of legitimacy for the first time in a long time.

As we turn the page into the second half of the 2024 regular season, the time to start collecting potential offseason contract decisions begins now. Spotrac starts that process with a look at players who are trending toward signing a contract that would reset their respective position’s market.

RELATED: Spotrac’s Market Values

QUARTERBACK: Brock Purdy

Market Highs:
APY: $60M
Guarantee: $231M
APY of Cap: 24.47%

I know, I can’t believe I’m saying it either, but enough is enough. The 2022 Mr. Irrelevant has become one of the most efficient passers in football, enters Week 11 as the #8 ranked QB in football according to PFF, and now carries a valuation near $60M in our system.

He’s under contract through 2025 at $1.1M, but it’s tough to imagine him (or agent Kyle Strongin) letting things go any further without a substantial pay raise. There’s a very clear path to that raise now coming in at or above Dak Prescott’s 4 year, $240M mark.

Prediction: 4 years, $250M

RUNNING BACK: None

Market Highs:
APY: $19M
Guarantee: $26.5M
APY of Cap: 7.44%

James Conner, Najee Harris, Aaron Jones, & JK Dobbins lead the pending free agent class, while Kyren Williams, Brian Robinson, & Kenneth Walker can be considered early extension candidates.

WIDE RECEIVER: Ja’Marr Chase

Market Highs:
APY: $35M
Guarantee: $110M
APY of Cap:13.70%

Despite an offseason “hold-in” as he attempted to lock in an extension, Chase is on pace to obliterate his career highs (100 receptions, 1,455 yards, 13 TDs). With Tee Higgins’ likely moving on in free agency next March, Cincinnati will have no excuse but to give their former #5 overall pick an exceptional pay raise. Not to mention, the Bengals will be looking to significantly lower his current $21.8M cap hit for 2025, stemming from a fully guaranteed 5th-year option.

Chase currently holds an even $32M valuation in our system, projecting toward a 4 year, $128M extension. Justin Jefferson’s $35M per year is the current top mark among Wide Receivers.

Prediction: 4 years, $145M

TIGHT END: George Kittle

Market Highs:
APY: $17.125M
Guarantee: $40.1M
APY of Cap: 7.81%

Kittle will be entering a contract year in 2025, set to earn a non-guaranteed $15M. The 31-year-old has been exceptionally reliable over the past 4 seasons, and currently ranks as the #1 Tight End in football according to PFF.

The only real precedent we have for a TE maxing out at this age is Travis Kelce’s renegotiation in Kansas City (2 years, $34.5M) this past summer. Kittle’s valuation puts him right there (2 years, $32.5M). 

Prediction: 2 years, $36M

TACKLE: Rashawn Slater

Market Highs:
APY: $28.12M
Guarantee: $88.2M
APY of Cap: 11.1%

The #13 overall pick from 2021 has lived up to the hype, and now combines with newly drafted Joe Alt as maybe the best bookend pairing in all of football. With QB Justin Herbert now fully locked in for the foreseeable future, aligning Slater with him should be a priority this coming winter.

Slater is under contract through 2025 on a fully guaranteed $19M salary, holding a $22.3M valuation in our system. Mathematically speaking, he’s a long way off of Tristan Wirf’s league-high $28.1M APY, but the rising salary cap and further need for consistency across an OL could force the Chargers to play ball near the top of this market. Indy’s Bernhard Raimann & Seattle’s Charles Cross could also be in consideration here.

Prediction: 5 years, $130M

GUARD: Trey Smith

Market Highs:
APY: $21M
Guarantee: $63M
APY of Cap: 9.61%

The last thing the Chiefs need is another important piece of their puzzle in need of a top of the market contract - but here we are. The former 6th round pick out of Tennessee has improved mightily each year, culminating with career bests in 2024 thus far.

Mathematically speaking he’s a $19M player in our system, so a push to Landon Dickerson’s $21M per year mark isn’t far off.

Prediction: 4 years, $88M

CENTER: Tyler Linderbaum

Market Highs:
APY: $18M
Guarantee: $50.3M
APY of Cap: 7.4%

The Ravens 1st Round Pick back in 2022 has progressively improved each of his first three seasons, and can now be classified as one of the best (and most reliable) centers in all of football. Linerbaum will become extension-eligible for the first time after 2024, and the Ravens will have the ability to exercise a 5th-year option for the 2026 season, so time isn’t of the essence here. But it seems to be only a matter of time before big dollars come his way.

Prediction: No Extension until 2026

INTERIOR DEFENDER: None

Market Highs:
APY: $31.75M
Guarantee: $95M
APY of Cap: 12.4%

B.J. Hill, Chauncey Golston, & Levi Onwuzurike headline the pending free agent class, while Travis Jones, D.J. Reader, & David Onyemata represent early potential extension candidates.

EDGE DEFENDER: T.J. Watt / Micah Parsons

Market Highs:
APY: $34M APY
Guarantee: $122.5M
APY of Cap:15.34%

Watt will be entering a contract year in 2025, set to earn $21.05M (the same compensation he’s earning in 2024). The newly 30-year-old is still performing at a Defensive Player of the Year level, which should prompt the Steelers into lowering his current $30.4M cap hit with an extension this coming offseason. Watt holds a $32M valuation in our system, so it shouldn’t take much to get past Nick Bosa’s mark.

Parsons will be entering his 5th-year option year in 2025, set to earn a fully guaranteed $21.3M. While an ankle injury has greatly limited his 2024 season thus far, it’s extremely hard to imagine that Parsons shows up to any offseason workouts without a new deal. Has he done enough to warrant a $35M+ per year extension? The math ($29M) says no, but logic says otherwise.

Predictions: Watt: 3 years, $120M; Parsons: 4 years, $150M

OFF-BALL LINEBACKER: None

Market Highs:
APY: $20M APY
Guarantee: $60M
APY of Cap:10.4%

A position that continues to be devalued more and more every offseason appears to have one of its weakest classes ahead of it in terms of both pending free agents, and potential extension candidates. We’ll be seeking late additions to bring to this list before March, but for now, expect a lot of near minimum contract value signings.

CORNERBACK: TBD

Market Highs:
APY: $24.1M
Guarantee: $77.5M
APY of Cap:10.7%

After Patrick Surtain II ($24M APY) & Jalen Ramsey ($24.1M APY) took the cornerback market to a much needed new level, we entered the 2024 season eyeing three more players, Trent McDuffie, Ahmad Gardner, Derek Stingley Jr., as “next in line”. All three however are having slight step back years based on their own set expectations, and could opt to play out another year before locking anything in. With that said, any of those three players could very easily become the first $25M CB in football.

A few more names to watch here: Buffalo’s Christian Benford, San Francisco’s Deommodore Lenoir.

SAFETY: Kerby Joseph

Market Highs:
APY: $21M APY
Guarantee: $51.5M
APY of Cap: 9.2%

Joseph and teammate Brian Branch may not just be the best 1-2 punch in all of football, they may be the best two safeties in all of football period. The former 3rd rounder will be entering a contract year in 2025, set to earn $1.4M through the 2025 season.

Detroit fed a lot of mouths in the 2024 offseason, but Joseph just turned 23 years old and seems a lock to be a factor for this defense over the next 3-4 seasons at least. He projects toward a 4 year, $94M extension in our system, putting him in great shape to top this market when it’s all said and done.

Prediction: 4 years, $85M

Austin Eckroat wins the World Wide Technology Championship. Eckroat earns $1.296 million bringing his 2024 on-course earnings to $4.64 million and his career on-course earnings to $7.65 million. 

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