Cowboys set to anger Patrick Mahomes by making a Chiefs star the centerpiece of their 2025 plan | Marca

Cowboys ready to pursue Nick Bolton in free agency

Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton has won two Super Bowls in four seasons with Kansas City, which drafted him in the second round of the 2021 draft. The Cowboys happen to have a glaring need at middle linebacker — and according to an ESPN predction, Dallas might not have to look any further than Bolton, a native of Frisco, Texas, where the Cowboys’ practice facility stands.

Bolton, 24, has been regarded as one of the Chiefs’ most cerebral players — and barring his injury-shortened 2023 season, Bolton has made at least 100 tackles in each of his three full NFL campaigns. A graduate of Lone Star High School, Bolton’s asking price may be unaffordable for the Chiefs given their cap constraints…but a projection of four years and $49 million could be doable for Dallas.

Why Donovan Smith Makes Sense for Chiefs in 2025 | Forbes

According to a source close to the situation, about half of the league called to check on Smith last year.

Though he wasn’t able to help the Chiefs or any other team in 2024, he’s better now and hopes to continue his career in 2025.

The rub, however, is that Smith will turn 32 this summer, and his durability is a concern. Before missing the 2024 season, he missed five games in 2023 due to a neck stinger.

Smith has started 124 games during his nine-year career, and his dependability while blocking for Tom Brady is why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed him to a two-year, $31.8 million contract extension in March of 2021.

NFL combine 2025: Xavier Worthy claps back at Texas players who said they’d break his 40-yard dash record | CBS Sports

“I think I’ll break the 40 record … 4.1 or 4.20,” Blue said Friday, via The Athletic.

“Workouts all last year, that was the person [Worthy] I ran next to,” Blue continued, via Landry Locker. “Me and him used to go at it. He won a few, I won a few. He’s fast, don’t get me wrong. I don’t think people really know how fast I am because I don’t really run in games unless I have to. I think y’all will see that”

Neither Blue (4.38 seconds) nor Bond (4.39) failed to threaten Worthy’s record when they ran Saturday. That led to Worthy clapping back at both players on his Instagram story: ”Respect those who come before you.”

There’s fast then there’s me.

— Z A Y 🖤 (@XavierWorthy) March 1, 2025

Around the NFL

Deebo Samuel trade grades: Commanders receive high mark for landing star WR; Niners get mediocre compensation | CBS Sports

The trade

Commanders get: WR Deebo Samuel

49ers get: Fifth-round pick

The grades

Commanders: A

The Commanders had a clear need for a secondary pass catcher opposite of Terry McLaurin, and Samuel fills that need splendidly. While McLaurin topped 1,000 yards receiving for the fifth consecutive year, no other Washington pass catcher was able to cross that threshold. Veteran tight end Zach Ertz, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, was second on the team in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. As for the next-best receiver on the roster, that was Olamide Zaccheaus, who registered 506 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games played. Samuel should come in and immediately warrant the second-most touches in the passing game for the Commanders.

Jets seem open to extending Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, but when? | NBC Sports

Cornerback Sauce Gardner and receiver Garrett Wilson each became eligible for new contracts after the conclusion of the 2024 regular season. During the Scouting Combine, G.M. Darren Mougey was asked whether extensions for either or both are realistic.

“The to-do list is to keep good young players on the team and add good players,” Mougey said, via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com.

That’s really not an answer to the question. The Jets have the ability

to keep both of them for two more years, thanks to the fifth-year option for first-round draft picks. The real question is whether they’ll get a new deal before or after Year Four.

Some teams make the move before the player’s fourth year, and some wait. The hidden benefit of waiting comes from having the player at a very low cash and cap number for one more season, before the fifth-year option drives it significantly higher.

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Chiefs Roster: How Kansas City will find additional 2025 cap space

Restructures

As in the past, most of Veach’s work will come via restructuring existing contracts. League-wide, all eyes are on quarterback Patrick Mahomes — and his $66.3 million cap number.

The Chiefs will certainly take steps to lower Mahomes’ cap hit, probably well before a $32.5 million roster bonus becomes due on May 5. If the Chiefs were to push every dollar possible into the future, they could lower the star’s cap hit by as much as $39 million. While the team may not be that aggressive, another restructure is probably coming.

When Mahomes and the Chiefs agreed to a new contract structure in 2023 to increase his cash flow, it was reported that the parties intended to revisit the deal entirely after the 2026 season. Heading into 2025, however, the quarterback market appears remarkably stable, with almost every eligible star passer signed to a long-term deal. While the Chiefs will probably use the existing contract as a bank one or two more times, the possibility of Mahomes and the Chiefs going ahead and hammering out a new contract should not be discounted.