Niners John Lynch provides update on negotiations with quarterback Brock Purdy
49ers general manager John Lynch reveals at NFL Combine that the team is in negotiations with Purdy’s folks to secure him as their quarterback for the future.
The NFL’s new league year will begin on Wednesday, March 12 at 4 p.m. ET. At that time, free agents can officially sign new contracts for the 2025 season and beyond.
Of course, there will be plenty of action before that day arrives. NFL teams are attempting to re-sign some of their own stars, considering using the franchise tag ahead of the March 4 deadline and assessing potential trades that could improve their roster or provide them with extra draft capital.
Plenty of big-name players will change places during the 2025 NFL offseason. Deebo Samuel has already been traded from the San Francisco 49ers to the Washington Commanders in a deal that can’t be finalized until the new league year. Aaron Rodgers is also expected to move onto the third team of his career as he looks to erase a disappointing two-year stint with the New York Jets from his memory.
USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates and the latest rumors about players who will be available in NFL free agency and via trade below.
NFL free agency rumors
Jets shopping WR Davante Adams; will release him if not traded
The Jets aren’t just moving on from Rodgers during the 2025 NFL offseason. They are also expected to part with veteran receiver Adams, for whom they traded ahead of the 2024 NFL trade deadline.
Adams will have a $38.2 million cap hit in 2025, so trading him may be complicated. The Jets are expected to release him if they can’t find a taker for the 32-year-old wide-out, per Rapoport.
Justin Fields ‘has edge’ over Russell Wilson with Steelers
The Steelers don’t have a quarterback under contract heading into the 2025 NFL offseason. Their two starters from 2024 – Fields and Wilson – are set to be free agents, along with third-string quarterback Kyle Allen.
Fowler reports Pittsburgh has the soon-to-be 26-year-old Fields ahead of Wilson, 36, in its pecking order at quarterback. However, both remain options for the team, and Fields may draw more interest than Wilson on the open market.
The Jets and Raiders are believed to be interested in Fields, per Fowler.
Cowboys could use franchise tag on DT Osa Odighizuwa
The Cowboys are trying to agree to a long-term extension with Odighizuwa, the team’s best interior pass rusher. If they can’t agree to a multi-year contract, Fowler reports Dallas will use the franchise tag on Odighizuwa ahead of the March 4 deadline to do so.
Odighizuwa had 4.5 sacks for the Cowboys in 2024 and ranked third among interior defensive linemen with 60 pressures, per Pro Football Focus. If franchised, the 26-year-old would be set to play on a one-year, $25.1 million contract in 2025. Dallas has just under $3.9 million in available cap space, according to OverTheCap.com.
49ers ‘open to trading’ WR Brandon Aiyuk
The 49ers traded starting receiver Deebo Samuel during the 2025 NFL combine. Could they also trade Aiyuk? San Francisco appears interested in the possibility, though Silver isn’t sure teams would be willing to trade for Aiyuk on a big-money contract as he recovers from a torn ACL.
49ers general manager John Lynch was asked about the Aiyuk trade rumors at the combine.
“Yeah, that typically happens with really good players,” Lynch said, per 49ers Webzone. “I remember, I think two years ago, having similar conversations. You get calls, and you always listen to calls.”
49ers trade Deebo Samuel to Commanders
The 49ers gave Samuel permission to seek a trade ahead of Super Bowl 59. About a month later, they dealt him to the Commanders, who made the NFC championship game last season, for a fifth-round pick.
Samuel had a down year by his standards, logging 51 catches for 670 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games. All marked his lowest totals since the 2020 season, during which he played just seven games.
Samuel has one year remaining on the three-year, $71.55 million extension he signed with the 49ers in 2022. He is due to make $21.7 million in 2025, per NFL.com.
Giants interested in QBs Aaron Rodgers, Sam Darnold
The Giants were among the teams interested in pursuing Matthew Stafford before he agreed to a restructured contract with the Rams. With Stafford off the table, New York is considering Rodgers – who will be released by the Jets – in its search for a veteran quarterback, per Schefter.
The Giants also hold an interest in Darnold, a player who they considered signing as a backup to Daniel Jones during the 2024 NFL offseason. They ultimately signed Drew Lock to a one-year, $5 million deal while Darnold landed with the Vikings.
Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Sam Darnold among Raiders QB options
The Raiders were among the teams connected to Matthew Stafford but will have to pivot with the veteran returning to Los Angeles. That could involve chasing one of Darnold, Fields or Wilson as free-agent stopgaps, per Schefter.
Wilson has an obvious connection to the Raiders after spending a decade with Pete Carroll in Seattle. Fields and Darnold represent younger alternatives, with the former possessing excellent mobility and athleticism and the latter coming off a breakout Pro Bowl season under the tutelage of Kevin O’Connell.