🏈 The Touchdown Collective: Warp speed, captain Kirk
Kirk Cousins' future, Joey Bosa and Fred Warner all feature to keep you ahead of the game, one play at a time.
Hello there, we have just 99 days until the 2025 season opener, so let’s dive into today’s Touchdown Collective where there’s the latest on all the key players missing from OTAs (and why), plus a Terry Bradshaw broadside in Press Coverage, AJ Brown takes a ride in Get to the Post, while Inside Zone has the scoop on a new offer to Jaire Alexander. And it’s all about England in Snap!
📰 Press Coverage
Organised Team Activities
Teams are initiating their 2025 OTAs, a key part of the voluntary offseason workout program with 20 teams beginning yesterday and the remaining five teams starting today. OTAs are designed to facilitate team-building and assessment through 11-on-11 drills without live contact. Most players participate, but these sessions are not mandatory. Teams are allowed to conduct a mandatory minicamp during this period, with fines applicable for non-attendance.
Notable player absences have been reported as NFL teams begin their OTAs. Buffalo are missing two key players with running back James Cook absent and defensive end Joey Bosa out through injury as reported by ESPN.
Cook, in the last year of his rookie deal, is seeking a contract extension. His absence is significant as he had a standout year with the Bills, tying a franchise record for rushing touchdowns. Meanwhile, renowned pass rusher Bosa – who signed a one-year deal worth a possible $12.6m earlier this year – is sidelined due to a calf injury sustained prior to the workout last week and is not expected to be ready until training camp in the summer.
Elsewhere, the absence of quarterback Kirk Cousins from the Atlanta Falcons’ OTAs, as reported by CBS, raises questions amid trade speculation. Although OTAs are voluntary, Cousins’ absence is notable given previous participation in the team’s offseason program.
His hefty remaining contract and trade rumours, particularly linking him to teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers as they wait on a decision from Aaron Rodgers, add layers to the ongoing narrative about his potential departure from the Falcons.
Cousins was benched late last season in favour of rookie Michael Penix Jr and it is possible, as Jeremy Fowler outlines here, that Cousins’ potential only hope out of Atlanta is to the Steelers. There is more on them and their QB situation below. ⬇️
Cleveland Browns
First-round Draft pick Mason Graham has signed his rookie deal for a fully guaranteed $40,874,191, according to his agents Ryan Matha and Ryan Tollner of Excelfootball.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Veteran QB Mason Rudolph believes he’s in a better place thanks to his time away and return to the Steelers – and given the current wait for Aaron Rodgers, he might be right.
Rudolph spent 2024 in Tennessee but is happy to be back in “special” Pittsburgh as they try to solve their hole at QB.
"I think just perspective and experience and a different staff and a different team, and a lot of adversity, but a lot of good lessons learned," Rudolph said of last season.
Rodgers is still expected to sign with the Steelers but for now Rudolph remains the only experienced NFL quarterback in the building. Should Rodgers decide to retire, though, it would throw the door open for Rudolph to take the starting job, or potentially battle it out with Kirk Cousins, should they trade for him.
Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw, meanwhile, has blasted the Steelers and Rodgers.
On 103.7 The Buzz, Bradshaw said the Steelers the Steelers ‘failed’ Kenny Pickett when he was the starter.
“When they got him to Pittsburgh, they didn’t protect him, they didn’t get him an offensive line,” he said. “They wanted to run the football, but they didn’t have an offensive line that could protect and they didn’t have weapons. He had no wide receivers to speak of.
“Then they throw a kid in there for two years and you’ve got an offense that doesn’t fit and doesn’t work, and they can’t run because their offensive line’s not even good enough for a run-blocking team. Now, they’re saying Kenny Pickett is a failure. He wasn’t a failure, the Steelers were a failure.”
Bradshaw also went off on the Rodgers situation, adding: “That’s a joke. That to me is just a joke. What are you gonna do? Bring him in for one year, are you kidding me? That guy needs to stay in California. Go somewhere and chew on bark and whisper to the gods out there.”
Elsewhere, steelersdepot.com reports Roman Wilson made a positive start to his second NFL season as he participated fully in OTAs, after overcoming injuries from the previous season.
New York Jets
Veteran safety Andre Cisco believes the Jets have a secondary which can become one of, if not the best, in the NFL this season.
After joining the team earlier in the off-season, Cisco says a group including cornerbacks Sauce Gardner, Michael Carter II and Brandon Stephens, plus safeties Tony Adams, Jarius Monroe and rookie Malachi Moore, has plenty of potential to cause problems.
"I think we should set the bar in terms of what it looks like at a high level around the league," Cisco said. "I think guys should be able to look at this secondary, the play style, the effort, the smartness in terms of IQ and we should be able to set the bar high in this league. I’m excited to have this chance and it's already felt really good and really natural."
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers yesterday signed linebacker Fred Warner to the three-year extension I told you about last week.
"Fred’s leadership is exemplary and his approach to his craft is contagious," said President of Football Operations and General Manager John Lynch. "Fred sets the tone for our entire team with the consistency, speed and physicality with which he plays.
“Off the field, his passion, energy, and professionalism are second to none and truly embody what it means to be a Niner. We are extremely proud to get this extension done and lock Fred in for the future."
Arizona Cardinals
Budda Baker is trying to up his zen levels.
The Cardinals cornerback says he is loving life as a mentor and now understands everybody is giving their all, even if the outcome isn’t always the desired one.
He said: "I kind of had to not be as angry when guys are messing things up. That’s when I kind of got hot with the second or third time messing it up. Just understanding that those guys are trying hard. Everyone wanted to do their job."
↗ Get to the Post
“That’s enough, sir.” Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown wasn’t a fan on this ride…
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…meanwhile Tampa’s Sterling Shepard shares his skincare routine…
…and the Giants stars are showing their strength early!
The Indianapolis Colts have introduced a jersey patch to honour Jim Irsay, which the team will wear during the 2025 season.
🤫 Inside Zone
Green Bay are in discussions to restructure the contract of cornerback Jaire Alexander, who has been a crucial part of their defence despite injuries, a source told Matt Schneidman of The Athletic.
The Detroit Lions are preparing for their OTAs by signing veteran linebacker Zach Cunningham. This move adds depth to an already crowded linebacker room, reports Jeremy Reisman on Pride of Detroit.
Tampa cornerback Zyon McCollum is delighted with the Bucs’ 2025 schedule with plenty of prime-time games and a late bye week. “I love it,” he said.
The Raiders have reportedly come to an agreement with punter AJ Cole worth $15.8m over four years with $11m of that guaranteed, sources told ESPN.
📸 Snap!
The NFL went international again last season, with one of the games taking place between New England and Jacksonville at Wembley, England.
🔁 Last week’s poll results – Q: Is there any doubt about how good a deal Derrick Henry's extension was for Baltimore? Your answer: No (67%).
🔁 Last week’s most clicked: Cleveland insider Mary Kay Cabot says Kenny Pickett is the current frontrunner to start Week 1 as the Browns QB.
📩 Who am I? I’m Michael Ham, the Daily Star Sunday and Sunday Express Sports Editor – and an avid NFL fan. I have almost 20 years of experience in sports news journalism and I’m the writer behind The Touchdown Collective. Write to me using this form with your thoughts on anything in this newsletter, things you’d like to see more of, or your view on anything NFL.
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