The Chicago Bears are signing quarterback Case Keenum to a one-year, $3 million deal, according to ESPN.

• The 11-year veteran signal caller has played for seven different teams. He began his career with the Houston Texans in 2013, where he played for two seasons.

  Coincidentally, Keenum rejoined the Texans and spent the last two seasons in H-Town. In 2023, he started two games and throwing 291 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions.

  In August 2024, Keenum was placed on injured reserve, appearing in zero games last season.

  The 37-year-old Keenum has his best season in 2017 when he guided the Minnesota Vikings to the NFC Championship Game. He passed for 3,547 yards and 22 touchdowns against seven interceptions in 15 games (14 starts).

  Over his career, Keenum has appeared in 80 games (66 starts) and recorded 15,175 passing yards, 79 passing touchdowns, and 51 interceptions.

  He will provide an experienced backup behind 23-year-old Caleb Williams.

  --Field Level Media

Trey McBride agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday.

• ESPN reported that the total value of the deal is $76 million.

  McBride's $19 million per season average makes him the highest-paid tight end in NFL history, topping the $17.125 million average that belongs to Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs.

  Arizona officially announced McBride's extension but didn't divulge all the financial details. He will remain under contract with the team through the 2029 season.

  Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray was glad to hear of the development.

  "Maaaaan! So happy for my dawg, worth every penny! More work to be done but a great day," Murray said on social media.

  The 25-year-old McBride has quickly gone from a relatively unknown player to one of the best tight ends in the league.

  McBride was a second-round pick by the Cardinals out of Colorado State in 2022 and caught 29 passes as a rookie.

  Then, he stepped up in 2023 with 81 receptions for 825 yards and shattered those marks last season with 111 catches for 1,146 yards while reaching the Pro Bowl for the first time.

  The 111 receptions were fourth-most in the NFL and the yardage ranked 11th.

  Though he has 221 catches for 2,236 yards in 49 NFL games, McBride has just six touchdown catches.

  At Colorado State, McBride was a consensus All-American as a senior in 2021, when he caught 90 passes for 1,121 yards and one touchdown.

  --Field Level Media

The Las Vegas Raiders and their new quarterback, Geno Smith, have agreed to a two-year, $75 million contract extension, multiple media outlets reported on Thursday afternoon.

• The new deal could be worth $85.5 million with incentives and includes $66.5 million guaranteed, per the reports.

  Smith, 34, will be under contract through the 2027 season. He had the 2025 season and $31 million remaining on the $75 million pact he signed while with the Seattle Seahawks in 2023.

  The Seahawks traded Smith to Las Vegas last month for a 2025 third-round draft pick after being unable to come to terms on an extension.

  A full-time starter in Seattle the past three seasons with two Pro Bowl nods, Smith was reunited with former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, whom the Raiders hired this offseason. Carroll, 73, was out of coaching last year after mutually agreeing with the Seahawks to step down as head coach. He stayed on as an adviser.

  Smith was Carroll's starting quarterback his final two seasons, piloting the Seahawks to matching 9-8 records after taking over for Russell Wilson, who was traded away before the 2022 season.

  That year, his first as a full-time starter in Seattle, was Smith's most successful, as he threw for 4,282 yards and a career-high 30 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, leading the Seahawks to the playoffs. He also completed a NFL-leading 69.8 percent of his passes and was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

  The follow-up year netted fewer passing yards (3,624) and touchdowns (20) as Smith missed two games to a groin injury. Last year, under new coach Mike Macdonald, Smith rebounded to throw for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns (albeit with 15 interceptions) while leading Seattle to a 10-7 record.

  Smith was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round in 2013 after a highly productive college career at West Virginia. He started 29 games over his first two seasons before being relegated to the bench, bouncing to the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers before landing in Seattle in 2019.

  --Field Level Media

The Washington Commanders on Thursday signed T.J. Maguranyanga, a former rugby player who is part of the NFL's International Player Pathway program.

• Maguranyanga, 22, is listed as a defensive end. The Zimbabwe native played in the French Top 14 rugby league before heading to the football development camps at the IMG Academy in Florida in December.

  He will not count against the Commanders' 90-man offseason roster. Per NFL guidelines, teams are allowed an additional spot in training camp and on the practice squad for designated players with international backgrounds.

  --Field Level Media

The Kansas City Chiefs are bringing back free agent safety Mike Edwards on a one-year deal, NFL Network reported on Thursday.

• Edwards, 28, played for the Chiefs' Super Bowl championship team during the 2023 campaign. He split last season with the Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

  A third-round pick by Tampa Bay in 2019, Edwards has recorded 247 tackles, eight interceptions and four defensive touchdowns in 83 games (30 starts) with the Buccaneers (2019-22, 2024), Chiefs and Bills.

  He won Super Bowl LV with Tampa Bay and Super Bowl LVIII with Kansas City.

  --Field Level Media

The Dallas Cowboys are acquiring quarterback Joe Milton III from the New England Patriots, multiple media outlets reported on Thursday.

• Per ESPN, the Cowboys are sending their compensatory fifth-round pick to the Patriots and a seventh-round pick.

  Milton, 25, will serve as the backup to Dak Prescott in Dallas after Cooper Rush signed with the Baltimore Ravens last month. Trey Lance, the Cowboys' third-string quarterback the past two seasons, is a free agent.

  Making his NFL debut, Milton completed 22 of 29 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown in a 23-16 win against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 5. New England selected Milton in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Tennessee.

  The Patriots feature Drake Maye as their starting quarterback. They also have Josh Dobbs on the quarterback depth chart after signing the veteran to a two-year, $8 million deal last month.

  --Field Level Media

With three years remaining on a four-year contract signed 13 months ago, Kirk Cousins is guaranteed nothing in Atlanta in 2025. Well, other than the $27.5 million Falcons owner Arthur Blank owes for the upcoming season under the terms of that pact.

• Blank said at the NFL annual meeting in Florida that he understands the situation and peripheral concern around paying a longtime starter more than $2 million per month in 2025 to be the No. 2 quarterback behind Michael Penix Jr. As of his most recent one-on-one meeting with Cousins, Blank maintained that's precisely what he plans to do.

  "I think Kirk will do what he needs to do. He'll show up when he needs to show up," Blank said two days after head coach Raheem Morris informally dismissed Cousins from voluntary workouts. "I think he'll do what his heart and spirit allows him to do. I never see him as being a divisive individual. I don't think it's in him to be that way. With certain personalities, you might worry a little bit. I'm not really worried about that."

  Cousins turns 37 in August and, in addition to $100 million in guarantees, the Falcons gave him a no-trade clause to sign who was considered the marquee free agent in the 2024 offseason cycle. But suitors are unlikely to part with assets to pick up Cousins' albatross contract -- unless an injury or unexpected turn of events leads to desperation.

  Among the potential landing spots for Cousins are the Minnesota Vikings -- as a backup or competitor to second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy, selected two picks after Penix by the franchise Cousins abandoned in free agency -- and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

  Pittsburgh is changing starting quarterbacks for the third consecutive season, opening the door for Justin Fields (Jets) and Russell Wilson (Giants) to bolt in free agency after both posted winning records for the team last season. The Steelers are on hold for another greybeard free agent, Aaron Rodgers, to decide if he'll join the team for 2025. Minnesota also kicked the tires on bringing in Rodgers, an option that could be revived.

  Blank claims Atlanta's commitment to Cousins as a No. 2 quarterback, as expensive and rare as the arrangement might be, works for the team for at least another season. He said the Falcons are comfortable paying Cousins a premium rate as insurance behind Penix, who had a significant history of major injuries in college and has only started three games in the NFL.

  "When you have a starting quarterback, God forbid, even with all the protection the league affords with rules and equipment, etcetera, players get hurt on occasion. And it could be the quarterback," Blank said.

  --Field Level Media

A year after stating the goal of building a new stadium on the Chicago lakefront, the Bears are now saying an Arlington Heights, Ill., location is back on the table, team president and CEO Kevin Warren said Wednesday.

• Warren made the assertion at the NFL's annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.

  The Bears bought a 326-acre property in Arlington Heights in 2021 that was expected to include a multibillion dollar stadium project with restaurants, retail space and real estate. Over the summer of 2023, however, the team said those plans were "at risk" due to stalled negotiations over property taxes.

  Instead, in April of 2024 the Bears unveiled plans for a new state-of-the-art domed stadium with the intention of building it on the museum campus in Chicago near the team's current site at Soldier Field.

  On Wednesday, Warren said the final decision will include both of those locations.

  "The focus now is both downtown and Arlington Heights," Warren said Wednesday. "One thing about Arlington Heights, I always try to look for the positive elements. To have that beautiful piece of land that has great topography -- you can actually see downtown from there. To have the Salt Creek that runs in between it, it's almost split equally from an acreage standpoint. And you think of the Metra spots, it has an Arlington Park location there."

  "... Arlington Heights is, I keep going back to it, it's an absolutely fantastic piece of land. I thank George and his family for having the foresight."

  Although the team has said construction of the stadium will be privately funded, concerns arose in Arlington Heights regarding how much of the cost of the infrastructure around the stadium would be put on taxpayers.

  Warren noted "progress" in Arlington Heights, where in December the Board of Trustees unanimously voted to settle the annual property tax bill for the Bears' potential stadium site at $3.6 million.

  "These are not linear processes or projects. They take time, they take a lot of energy and effort," Warren said. "I am very, very pleased with where we are. I think we, collectively as a group, are where we thought we would be."

  NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was not concerned at how long the Bears' stadium decision is taking.

  "It's an important issue for the community and the team," Goodell said from the annual meetings, per the Chicago Sun Times. "It's not uncommon for it to be a two-year discussion. They started very early -- their lease isn't up (until after the 2033 season). Those discussions, you expect are going to be thorough. There are going to be twists and turns through that process. And then you get to the process of having to actually build once you make those decisions, ultimately. There's a lot to do."

  --Field Level Media

John Vella, an offensive lineman who played eight seasons in the NFL and won a Super Bowl with the Oakland Raiders, has died aged 74.

• The Raiders announced his passing on social media. No cause of death was given.

  "The Raiders Family mourns the passing of John Vella, a standout on the dominant Raider offensive lines of the 1970s and a starter on Oakland's Super Bowl XI Championship team," the team said in a statement. "The prayers of the entire Raider Nation are with the Vella family at this time."

  The Raiders selected Vella in the second round of the 1972 draft out of Southern Cal. He played in 92 career games (48 starts), all but eight of those games coming with the Raiders. He finished out his career in Minnesota in 1980.

  Vella started 14 games at right tackle during the 1976 season, culminating with three starts in the postseason as the Raiders defeated the Vikings 32-14 in Super Bowl XI.

  --Field Level Media

The Kansas City Chiefs have asked the NFL to make them a fixture of the Christmas Day lineup, The Athletic reported Wednesday.

• Much like the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, the Chiefs wish to become a permanent staple on the Dec. 25 holiday.

  Kansas City played games on Christmas in 2023 and 2024, with last year's win at Pittsburgh drawing 24.1 million viewers across Netflix and local CBS stations in the participating markets.

  The NFL confirmed earlier this week that three games will be played on Christmas (a Thursday) in 2025, two on Netflix followed by the nightcap on Amazon Prime.

  According to The Athletic, the Chiefs are expected to be part of that tripleheader.

  The report also identified Kansas City as the "No. 1 franchise in consideration" to face the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 5 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

  --Field Level Media

The Denver Broncos signed free agent quarterback Sam Ehlinger on Wednesday.

• Terms were not disclosed by the Broncos. Multiple outlets reported it's a one-year contract.

  Ehlinger, 26, had spent his first four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, who selected him in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Texas.

  He has played eight games in his NFL career, none last season. Ehlinger played in four games in 2022, making three starts and going 0-3 with 64-of-101 passing (63.5 percent) for 573 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. He also had 17 rushing attempts for 87 yards.

  Ehlinger joins starting quarterback Bo Nix and seventh-year veteran Jarrett Stidham on the depth chart. The Broncos' third quarterback last season, Zach Wilson, signed with the Miami Dolphins in March as a free agent.

  --Field Level Media

Retired tennis great Serena Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, have submitted a bid as potential investors to the NFL's planned pro flag football men's and women's leagues, Front Office Sports reported.

• A league spokesperson confirmed the bid to the league's request for proposal. The bid comes on the heels of Williams' attendance at the NFL owners meetings last week as part of a panel conversation on women's sports.

  FOS reported that the NFL is looking to invest in the leagues but have other partners operate them. The NFL eyes selling media rights for the leagues once they're operational.

  Ten companies so far have approached the NFL about investing in the venture, per Sports Business Journal.

  "It's clear that there's a lot of interest in a pro flag league," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters. "We've been getting bids on people who want to invest in that either financially or invest in the operations of that. So, we're hard at work, and I expect there'll be progress soon."

  The deadline for submissions is this week. However, there's no timeline for launch of the leagues or franchise locations, per SBJ.

  --Field Level Media

The New England Patriots have fielded multiple trade inquiries for quarterback Joe Milton III, MassLive.com reported Wednesday.

• A source close to the 25-year-old former sixth-round pick said Milton would prefer to be on a roster where he can compete for the starting job rather than serve as one of Drake Maye's backups in New England.

  The Patriots also have Josh Dobbs on the quarterback depth chart after signing the veteran to a two-year, $8 million deal last month.

  Milton caught the league's attention in Week 18 last season. Making his NFL debut, the rookie completed 22 of 29 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown in a 23-16 win against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 5.

  First-year Patriots coach Mike Vrabel was asked Monday at the NFL owners meetings about Milton being a potential trade asset.

  "We'll see as the draft approaches, or where Joe is on April 7 to start our offseason program," Vrabel said. "But you have to give Joe credit for being ready to go, going from the third quarterback to being able to win that football game and stay ready and stay hungry."

  --Field Level Media

Six-time Pro Bowl defensive end Calais Campbell is going back to where his NFL career began, signing a one-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals on Tuesday.

• The Cardinals did not confirm financial terms, but ESPN and NFL Network reported the deal is for $5.5 million with a max value of $7.5 million.

  Campbell, 38, was a second-round draft pick of the Cardinals in 2008 and played his first nine seasons there, followed by stints with Jacksonville (2017-19), Baltimore (2020-22) and Atlanta (2023).

  He spent the 2024 season with the Miami Dolphins and posted 52 tackles (12 for loss), 12 quarterback hits and five sacks.

  In his 261-game career (242 starts), Campbell has amassed 917 tackles, 266 quarterback hits, 110.5 sacks, 18 forced fumbles, 13 fumble recoveries and three interceptions. His 187 tackles for loss rank most among all active players.

  Campbell was also the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year for the 2019 season and a first-team All-Pro in 2017.

  --Field Level Media

While the tabling of a vote to ban the "tush push" hogged the headlines Tuesday at the NFL annual meeting, commissioner Roger Goodell addressed other topics ranging from a proposal to change playoff seeding to flag football in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

• Goodell said discussions with franchises and the NFL Players Association about NFL participation in the Olympics are on the horizon.

  He said he's heard from several players enthusiastic about playing in the 2028 Games, when flag football will make its debut as an event.

  "I think that's something that we'll continue discussions with not just the union, but also the clubs," Goodell said. "I think both of those are things that will probably resolve sometime in the next 60 days."

  Goodell had also floated the idea of the NFL establishing a professional flag football league when speaking at the Super Bowl in February. There were no concrete updates Tuesday on the development of such a league, but the topic was tied back into the Olympics.

  "I do think that the Olympics is a critical moment for us in the flag development on a global basis," Goodell said. "Listen, the Olympics are the pinnacle of international sport, and for us to be able to participate in that, to have both men's and women's flag teams participating from around the world, is a significant moment for us.

  "So there is a lot of lead-up to that in the qualifications and how that happens, so that is clearly inspiring some of the work."

  In the near term, one league rule change that didn't pass but could gain traction was the Detroit Lions' proposal to change playoff seeding. The Lions wanted wild-card teams to be seeded above division winners with inferior records.

  Goodell called it a "very healthy proposal" and said he could see a world where division winners with sub-.500 records do not receive home-field advantage for the first round.

  "There's great data to show that we should really look at some form of this," Goodell said.

  Goodell also declined to discuss the league's investigation into Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, who stands accused by 16 massage therapists of inappropriate sexual conduct.

  "I haven't gotten an update but I know the review is ongoing," Goodell said. "We won't be giving updates but when we have something, we'll certainly share it with everyone."

  --Field Level Media

ESPN announced that it has finalized a deal with NFL insider Peter Schrager.

• Front Office Sports reported last week that the sides were engaged in "serious talks," and ESPN made the official announcement Tuesday.

  Schrager, 42, is well known for his role as the co-host of "Good Morning Football" on the NFL Network along with his pre-game and sideline work for Fox Sports' NFL broadcasts. His final day with GMFB was Monday.

  Schrager is expected to contribute to numerous programs across the network, including "SportsCenter," "NFL Live," Stephen A. Smith's "First Take," "The Pat McAfee Show" and "Get Up" with Mike Greenberg. He will also contribute to ESPN's coverage of the 2025 NFL Draft later this month.

  "Peter will have an instant impact at ESPN combining his charismatic style and deep knowledge of the NFL," ESPN president of content Burke Magnus said in a statement. "His versatility is an asset and will be on display across our shows and platforms as he becomes a signature voice of our NFL coverage. He is a tremendous addition to our roster."

  Schrager began his career writing for ESPN.com before joining FoxSports.com and steadily expanding his role as an NFL insider to include "Good Morning Football." He has also authored two books: "Strength of a Champion" with former NFL linebacker O.J. Brigance, and the New York Times best seller "Out of the Blue" with former New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz.

  Schrager joined for the launch of GMFB in 2016.

  "I'm incredibly excited for this amazing opportunity with ESPN," he said in a statement. "Beyond their fantastic year-round, wall-to-wall, coverage of the NFL, ESPN is personally special to me in that I grew up watching SportsCenter three or four times every morning before school and swore by that NFL Primetime music with Chris Berman and Tom Jackson doing the highlights on Sunday nights.

  "I can't wait to be a part of it all and am thrilled to be joining this incredible team."

  --Field Level Media

Building on last season's holiday success, the NFL is planning a Christmas Day tripleheader in 2025.

• Two games will air on Netflix on Dec. 25 followed by a Thursday nightcap on Amazon Prime, the league confirmed Tuesday at the owners meetings in Florida.

  The NFL broadcast two games on Netflix last Christmas, which fell on a Wednesday. The Baltimore Ravens beat the Texans 31-2 in Houston, with Beyonce providing the halftime entertainment, and the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Steelers 29-10 in Pittsburgh.

  Both games averaged more than 24 million viewers, according to Nielsen data. Nielsen and Netflix said that 65 million people watched at least a minute of the streaming service's nine-hour presentation.

  The teams participating in this season's Christmas trifecta will be revealed when the NFL schedule is released in May.

  --Field Level Media

The method for measuring first downs in the NFL will switch from chain gangs to camera-based technology in 2025, the league announced Tuesday.

• The official use of Sony's Hawk-Eye virtual measurement system, consisting of six 8K cameras for optical tracking of the ball's position, was announced at the annual league meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.

  The technology is "an efficient alternative to the process of walking chains onto the field and manually measuring whether 10 yards have been met after the official has spotted the ball," the league said in a news release.

  The traditional chain crew will remain on the sidelines in a secondary capacity.

  "The NFL and Sony are integrating world-class on-field officiating with state-of-the-art technology to advance football excellence," said Troy Vincent, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations. "Combining the art of officiating with Sony's trusted Hawk-Eye system is a healthy recipe for success in our commitment to raising the standards of accuracy, consistency and efficiency. Replay technology and data-driven insights from Sony's Hawk-Eye Innovations aid us in advancing our efforts toward the future of football."

  The system notifies on-field officials of the measurement's outcome, with virtual recreations of the measurements produced in real time for the in-stadium crowds and broadcast audience. The total process takes about 30 seconds, saving up to 40 seconds over measurement via chains.

  The Hawk-Eye system will be operated from the NFL's Art McNally GameDay Central Officiating Center in New York and integrated with the league's existing replay system.

  "Sony's longstanding relationship with the NFL is built upon our joint desire to innovate and bring audiences closer to the action, and Sony's Hawk-Eye virtual measurement system further activates on those commitments," said Neal Manowitz, president and COO of Sony Electronics, North America. "We look forward to providing more excitement to passionate fans as we help transform the game in ways that are only possible through the power of creativity and technology."

  --Field Level Media

There is optimism in Pittsburgh that four-time NFL Most Valuable Player Aaron Rodgers will quarterback the Steelers in 2025.

• Team owner Art Rooney II told reporters Tuesday at the NFL annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., that there are indicators that Rodgers, a free agent, will sign with the Steelers.

  "We keep hearing that he's, I guess, headed in our direction," Rooney said. "And so that seems to [mean] all signs are positive so far."

  Among the signs are a meeting with the Steelers as well as a throwing session at UCLA with newly acquired wide receiver DK Metcalf.

  Rodgers has been weighing his options for next season since his release by the New York Jets last month. Rooney implied the team hasn't run out of patience and will continue to wait on Rodgers.

  "Not forever, but a little while longer," he said.

  Russell Wilson and Justin Fields were the starters in Pittsburgh last season and both signed free agent deals to play in New York -- Wilson with the Giants, Fields with the Jets.

  Quarterbacks currently on the roster are Mason Rudolph, a former Steeler who is returning after a season with the Tennessee Titans, and Skylar Thompson, the former Miami Dolphins backup.

  Rodgers passed for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2024, returning from a season-ending Achilles injury suffered in his first game with the Jets in September 2023.

  The 10-time Pro Bowl selection ranks fifth in league history in touchdown passes (503) and seventh in passing yards (62,952).

  --Field Level Media

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll has spent a lot of time in a dark place -- the film room -- since the end of the regular season, and he's already reaping the benefits.

• Daboll emerged from the film room on Tuesday morning at the NFL annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., one of the first times this offseason anyone spotted him without a clicker in his hand.

  Daboll said he personally watched every snap in 13-year veteran Russell Wilson's career -- over 10,000 and more than 7,400 pass plays -- to become familiar with exactly where he excels and what the Giants' playcaller might need to avoid as Wilson gets to work with his fourth NFL team.

  "Did a lot of work on him," Daboll said. "He makes good decisions with the football. He's athletic. He's a little bit older -- so maybe not as athletic as '13 and '14 -- but certainly has ability to use his legs, extend plays, create explosive plays."

  The Giants brought back Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen with a stern directive to fix the QB position. It's a hard reset that began last November, where Daniel Jones' six-year run with the franchise ended with his outright release. Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito didn't fare well behind a line besieged by injuries and weren't fully healthy themselves.

  The Giants are still addressing the QB depth chart, even after Wilson and Jameis Winston signed, and Daboll doesn't rule out the possibility of selecting a prospect with the No. 3 pick in the draft. He doesn't expect the Giants to trade out of the No. 3 slot, even to move up for Miami's Cam Ward, but with three more weeks to go, Daboll also said there are numerous questions left to answer.

  "The face of a franchise is a quarterback, and it's not an easy position to evaluate. It's not an easy position to coach. It's not an easy position to play," Daboll said. "You do the best job you can to try to find the right one for your team."

  Daboll won't be on the road -- Colorado's Shedeur Sanders is among the top prospects in the draft and has a pro day Friday -- but said he's hosted a number of private workouts with quarterbacks in the 2025 draft class. And he's been seeing plenty of Ward and Sanders in the film room, scratching notes and creating reports that could be useful if the Giants opt to add to the QB room.

  "We've got three weeks to keep grinding on them. They're good players. They're good people," Daboll said.

  His film study of Sanders includes throws to a player Daboll can't hide his affinity for: Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. A wide receiver and cornerback at Colorado, Hunter has piqued the Giants' interest and is the No. 1 prospect in the draft, according to ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr.

  Hunter had 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns as a receiver to go with four interceptions and 11 passes defensed at cornerback.

  But would New York dare to double up on top-10 picks at wide receiver with 2024 sixth overall pick Malik Nabers on the roster?

  Well, the answer to that question lies at the end of a few thousand more plays, Daboll said.

  "There's a lot of tape. It's really remarkable what he has done and the ability to perform at that level not really getting a rest," Daboll said. "He's been a fun player to evaluate and to meet and talk with. He's a heck of a player."

  --Field Level Media

NFL owners tabled a vote on whether to ban the "tush push" play at the annual league meetings Tuesday in Palm Beach, Fla.

• The Green Bay Packers had proposed a ban on the play, which the Philadelphia Eagles and quarterback Jalen Hurts, in particular, run with great success in short-yardage situations. The Packers' proposal sought "to prohibit any offensive player from pushing a teammate who was lined up directly behind the snapper and receives the snap, immediately at the snap."

  ESPN reported that 16 teams supported the Packers' rule, with 24 votes the minimum threshold to approve a rule change. The debate is not gone for good: It's expected to resurface when the league meets again next month in Minnesota.

  Committee chairman Rich McKay told reporters that the Packers would consider rewording their proposal by focusing on an old NFL rule prohibiting pushing or pulling ball-carriers anywhere on the field. That rule was eliminated after the 2004 season.

  "A lot of teams had a lot of views," McKay said. "I think No. 1, I'm going to go back to what I said the other day, which is you'd never like any discussion in any room to be projected towards a team or two. It's never something we've ever liked doing.

  "So, I think the idea (Tuesday) was, as opposed to voting on this particular proposal today, Green Bay asked, ‘Could we go back and talk about reintroducing the 2004 language, study it, understand it and talk about it again when we get to May.' "

  NFL commissioner Roger Goodell later chimed in that safety issues are among the factors under deliberation, though there is no data supporting the play causes injuries.

  "I do think there's a lot of discussion about going back to the previous rule," Goodell said. "... The reality of that is, I think that makes a lot of sense in many ways because that expands it beyond just that single play. There are a lot of plays where you see someone pushing or pulling somebody that are not in the tush push formation that I think do have an increased risk of injury. And so, I think the committee will look at that and come back in May with some proposals."

  Concerns about player safety were among the Packers' arguments -- particularly the possibility of neck injuries because of the way both offensive and defensive players must position their bodies during the play.

  "I think certainly the medical professionals at the league have high concerns about putting players in positions that could lead to catastrophic injuries," Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said, per The Athletic. "I think this is something that needs to be discussed and we need to be proactive with it rather than be reactive on that.

  "I think we owe it to our players. It's not about success. It's about safety here."

  Not everyone agrees. That group includes Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen, who spent 2021 and 2022 as the Eagles' offensive coordinator.

  "I'm not in favor of taking it out. I think it's good for the game," Steichen said, according to The Athletic. "What (the Eagles) do, they do it better than anyone. Other teams are doing it. Buffalo's doing it. I think it's been around for a long time, to be completely honest, because when you're on the half-yard line and backed up, you gotta run a QB sneak. People (are) usually back there pushing."

  --Field Level Media

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday that he thinks a long-term deal with star pass rusher Micah Parsons isn't too far away from becoming a reality.

• Jones said Parsons called him to set up a meeting, and the two spoke for "five or six hours" to work out a long-term extension.

  "Most of the issues we are in agreement on. We discussed it all," Jones said at the NFL's annual league meeting. "But we obviously don't have an agreement relative to the new contract."

  At the moment, Parsons is in line to earn approximately $24 million on the fifth year of his rookie contract. The Dallas Morning News reported late last week that Parsons was seeking a record-setting $200 million contract extension that would make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.

  In regard to the negotiations, Jones said he has been discussing the contract directly with Parsons -- not his agent, David Mulugheta.

  "I'm the one who has to sign the check, and Micah's the one that has to agree to it," Jones said. "That's the straightest way to get to it is the one writing the check and the one agreeing to it talking, and that's the principal that's involved here."

  As for excluding Mulugheta, Jones doesn't view it as a big deal.

  "The agent is not a factor here," Jones said. "And I don't know his name. And so my point is that I'm not trying to demean him in any way but this isn't about an agent."

  Parsons, however, took to social media Tuesday to say that no deal would get done without his agent.

  "Facts!! David is the best and I will not be doing any deal without David Mulugheta involved!" Parsons wrote. "Like anyone with good sense I hired experts for a reason. There is no one I trust more when it comes to negotiating contracts than David! There will be no backdoors in this contract negotiation."

  Also on Tuesday, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said he expects Parsons to take part in the team's voluntary offseason workouts despite ongoing contract negotiations.

  The workouts begin Monday.

  "Hey, look, at the end of the day this is a business and when you're dealing with the money that's being tossed around, not just with Micah but with the big-name players, negotiations sometimes take time," the first-year coach said, per ESPN. "I feel very comfortable. Micah said he's going to be around. I think that he wants to be. I think we're all very comfortable with that."

  With the departure of longtime defensive leader DeMarcus Lawrence, Parsons has a chance to fill that void.

  "Micah's excited about the opportunity to step up in a leadership role," Schottenheimer said. "There's no reason he shouldn't. The best teams I've ever been around, their best players are their best leaders, and so again, I think the more you're around, the more you have a chance to influence the guys, and not just the guys that are back but there's a bunch of new faces. We've added the free agency group. We're going to add some guys in the draft. That's a part of the puzzle. But I know he's excited about that. I think that's one of the reasons why he will be around."

  Parsons, 25, recorded 12 sacks, 43 tackles and two forced fumbles in 13 games (all starts) last season.

  A Pro Bowl selection in each of his first four seasons in the league, Parsons has totaled 256 tackles (63 for loss), 112 quarterback hits, 52.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 63 career games (all starts).

  --Field Level Media

Former New England head coach Bill Parcells will be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame as a contributor.

• Franchise owner Robert Kraft made the announcement Tuesday in a news release.

  Parcellls guided the Patriots to a 32-32 regular-season record from 1993-96. While the .500 mark pales by comparison to what was to come for the franchise under Bill Belichick, it marked a turning point for New England, which was 14-50 in the four seasons before his arrival.

  "In the early 1990s, the Patriots were in disarray," Kraft said. "But the hiring of Bill Parcells in 1993, a two-time Super Bowl champion, brought instant credibility to the franchise. We had never had a head coach with his credentials. He was a master motivator and always got the most out of his players. In my first season as owner, he led us on that unforgettable seven-game win streak to qualify for the playoffs.

  "Two years later, he accomplished something Patriots fans had never seen before, leading us to our first two home playoff wins in franchise history, and another trip to the Super Bowl. Those are memories I will never forget and achievements worthy of this honor. As a five-time finalist for our Hall of Fame, I am sure he would have been voted in eventually, but I wanted to expedite the process so he can enjoy the ceremony. I look forward to welcoming Bill back to Foxborough and celebrating his induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame."

  The Patriots' honor comes 12 years after Parcells, now 83, was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is the only coach in NFL history to lead four different teams to the playoffs and three different teams to a conference championship game.

  Parcells had a career 172-130-1 record with the New York Giants (1983-90 with two Super Bowl wins), Patriots, New York Jets (1997-99) and Dallas Cowboys (2003-06).

  --Field Level Media

Kirk Cousins wants to be a starting quarterback, which he made clear in one-on-one meetings with Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot, owner Arthur Blank and his head coach.

• Raheem Morris said Tuesday the Falcons are still comfortable keeping Cousins as the backup to Michael Penix Jr., but after those meetings the likelihood of Cousins playing in Atlanta remains unlikely at best. There's even less of a chance Cousins will attend offseason voluntary workouts, Morris said.

  "I'm not going to be foolish to think that he's going to show up for voluntary work," the coach said Tuesday at the NFL's annual league meeting. "Right now, we're dealing with a businesslike mode. ... We're dealing with that type of feel. I don't think he'll be there. If he is, we'll welcome him with open arms. But I'm not going to be foolish enough to make myself get worked up and angry about Kirk Cousins missing voluntary workouts."

  Cousins is not expected to waive his no-trade clause until after the 2025 NFL Draft later this month to avoid finding himself back in the same position he encountered in Atlanta. After signing a four-year, $180 million contract in March 2024, the Falcons surprised the former Washington and Minnesota Vikings starter by drafting Penix with the No. 8 overall pick.

  The Falcons started the season 6-3, but a nosedive Cousins told NFL Network coincided with a shoulder injury prompted Morris to turn the offense over to Penix with three games left in the regular season. Penix went 1-2.

  That's the thrust of the conundrum for Cousins -- and the Falcons, who are on the hook for $27.5 million guaranteed in 2025 with $10 million more due as a roster bonus in 2026. He turns 37 in mid-August and a team with an opening at the position would need to rewind his 2024 game film to before a dismal five-game stretch in November and December where Cousins had a record of 1-4, was sacked 11 times and threw nine interceptions and one touchdown pass.

  Even the most QB-needy teams are not expected to knock on Fontenot's door and take on Cousins' deal as comprised. That's why the GM and Morris have taken a position that they'll go into the season with Cousins as a backup.

  "I do know he would like to try to be a starter at some point," Morris said. "That's definitely been clearly communicated with me and whoever else he had an opportunity to talk to. I do know that. The way about that, I'm not sure. But we have to figure those things out. We have to get to that process."

  --Field Level Media

Former All-Pro NFL cornerback Richard Sherman on Monday took to social media to share security footage and stills of armed gunmen breaking into his home with his family inside.

• ABC News reported that the break-in occurred on Sunday evening, Sherman's 37th birthday.

  "House being robbed at gun point with my family in it isn't what anyone wants for a birthday gift," Sherman posted on X.com. "Scary situation that my wife handled masterfully and kept my kids safe. If anyone has any info that can help find these people please reach out."

  The security footage shows three armed men breaking through a window in Sherman's home.

  Per ABC, no arrests have been made.

  The five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro currently works as an analyst for Amazon Prime Video.

  Selected in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by Seattle, Sherman went on to star for the Seahawks for seven seasons, winning a Super Bowl in 2014. He also played three seasons for the San Francisco 49ers (2018-20) and one season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2021).

  --Field Level Media