NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Arrests are made in connection with Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce burglaries

The case is gradually being cracked.

Via ABC News, seven men have been charged by federal prosecutors with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. The allegations relate to the string of burglaries targeting professional athletes.

All seven defendants are from Chile, and they range in age from 20 to 38. They’re accused of stealing property worth more than $2 million. They face up to 10 years in prison, if convicted.

The criminal complaint links the men to last year’s burglaries at the homes of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

Three of the seven separately have been charged in connection with the burglary at the home of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.

The complaint alleges that the burglars identified targets based on their team’s playing schedules. They allegedly broke a window or used a crowbar to get inside. They would identify and take the highest-value items before fleeing.

PFT

 

Dallas, Atlanta, Miami, Seattle, Buffalo, Cleveland along with the Saints are all in the red also.

The Patriots are in a prime spot to do some real damage.

 

Lions WR Jameson Williams won't face NFL discipline over gun

Detroit Lions wideout Jameson Williams will not face discipline from the NFL for carrying an unlicensed gun, with a league spokesman confirming to ESPN on Wednesday that the matter is closed.

Williams, 23, avoided criminal charges for the gun, discovered by police during a traffic stop in October. He was a passenger in the car being driven by his brother when police pulled his brother over for speeding. Two guns were found, one registered to Williams and one to his brother.

Williams did not have a concealed pistol license to carry the gun at the time but obtained one later. Wayne County (Michigan) prosecutors in late November declined to charge Williams.

Williams has been suspended by the NFL two times for six games total in his first three seasons for violating gambling and performance enhancing drug policies.

He hauled in 58 catches for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games in 2024. He has 10 touchdowns in 33 career games since the Lions selected him No. 12 overall in the 2022 draft.

ESPN

 

I will never get the being STUCK stupid thing

 

NFL working to ensure field conditions are better in Brazil in 2025

The NFL announced Wednesday that the Chargers will host the league’s second regular-season game in Brazil.

Per ESPN, the NFL is working with stadium officials to ensure the field is in better condition for 2025 than it was in 2024.

On the Friday night of opening weekend last season, the poor field conditions were as much a story as Philadelphia’s 34-29 win and Packers quarterback Jordan Love’s knee injury.

Corinthians Arena in São Paulo used GrassMaster, a combination of artificial fibers with perennial ryegrass, as the playing surface, and it was slick. On the first play from scrimmage, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley slipped immediately after catching a pitch and lost 5 yards.

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts called the field challenging, saying it was “kind of rough to get traction.”

Neither team saw injuries because of the slick conditions, but the NFL is working to make sure they are better for the Chargers and their yet to be named opponent.

PFT
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I was doing something Im not good at... thinking. Wouldnt it make sense to expand to Canada if thats what the international games are for. Travel would be a piece of cake, no jet lag, no nonsense. Canadians love football, cities there are already stadium ready. Kind of a simple way to get started on seeing what might happen when the NFL inevitably expands.

 

Elijah Molden, Chargers agree to $18.75 million, 3-year deal

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Chargers signed safety Elijah Molden to a multiyear contract, the team announced Thursday.

The deal is a three-year, $18.75M contract with $13.5M guaranteed, Molden's agents CJ Laboy and Doug Hendrickson told ESPN Adam Schefter.

The Chargers traded for Molden ahead of Week 1, sending a 2026 seventh-round pick to Tennessee. He quickly emerged as one of the most essential pieces of L.A.'s defense, which finished first in points allowed per game. Molden ranked second among Chargers defensive backs in tackles (72) and interceptions (three).

It was the best year of Molden's career and his first as a full-time starter. "This is a place where I kind of revitalized my career," Molden said in January.

Perhaps Molden's most crucial role was allowing coordinator Jesse Minter to move safety Derwin James Jr. to nickel, while Molden played deep safety.

Molden's play allowed James' to play closer to the line of scrimmage and sparked a career renaissance for James after a down year in 2023. James was named an All-Pro for the first time since his rookie season and made his fourth Pro Bowl.

ESPN

 

I don't think CFL wants to compete with the NFL... Just my take. It's easy enough for Canadiens to travel to the US to catch games if they want to see American football. I don't think they want to be pushed out.

 

I mentioned this a few weeks ago but I’m hosting a March Madness Squares pool. I’m down to 31 open squares if anyone is interested. It’s $20 a square, with 63 chances to win (no cap on how many times a square can win), starting on March 20th with the round of 64.

Winning squares are based on the final score of each game, with the last numbers being the ones that matter. You’re not locked into any specific team or round. If your numbers hit, you win!

 

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce expected to return for 13th NFL season

Travis Kelce has unfinished business.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end is expected to return for a 13th NFL season, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday, continuing a career that will someday go down as one of the greatest ever at the position.

The news comes after Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said earlier Tuesday in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine that Kelce is "fired up" about returning.

"We left it as, he'd be back and we're excited to get him back and get him going," Veach told reporters.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid also expressed confidence in a Kelce return during a Tuesday inteview with NFL Senior National Columnist Judy Battista.

"I think it will all work out. But I'm big on that, I'm big on stepping away," Reid said. "I mean, Trav is positive. There's no negative to it. But step back and get yourself away from it. … You just think clearer. We obviously hope he's coming back. He's been positive in that direction. We'll cross all that here next week or so."

Retirement winds swirled around Kelce ahead of Super Bowl LIX as they had during Kansas City's previous two trips to the big game.

Rapoport reported on Feb. 8 that although Kelce spoke about playing for years to come during Super Bowl week, he remained undecided about his future beyond the 2024 season.

Kelce then said on his New Heights podcast following Super Bowl LIX that he would "take some time" to figure out if he would retire or return for another season.

Not content to have his final game be a 40-22 decimation by the Eagles that shattered the Chiefs' three-peat dreams, Kelce is expected to keep playing to try to help Kansas City return to the mountaintop.

NFL.com

 

Big thanks to @LAOJoe . If anybody else is interested, just let me know which ones you are wanting.

 

The salary cap for the 2025 NFL season is set.

The NFL announced on Wednesday that the cap will be $279.2 million. The news comes a week after the league sent teams a memo saying the final number would be somewhere between $277.5-281.5 million.

It’s the highest salary cap in league history and a jump of nearly $24 million from the $255.4 million cap for the 2024 season. It is nearly $100 million more than the cap for the 2021 season, which was a drop from the 2020 number due to COVID.

Given the size of the league’s media deals and the likelihood that the league will go to an 18-game season soon, it will likely take another national emergency to keep the cap number from growing in years to come.

 

Report: Myles Garrett is “not open” to a contract extension with the Browns

Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett has made his wishes known: He wants a trade out of Cleveland.

It is not an attempt to get more money out of the team.

Mary Kay Cabot said Garrett is “not open” to a contract extension from the Browns.

The Scouting Combine is where General Managers and agents meet to talk about such matters, but Garrett’s camp has “slammed the door” on negotiations, per Cabot.

Garrett made a public request for a trade Feb. 3, seeking to go to a Super Bowl contender. The Browns, though, continue to insist they aren’t trading their All-Pro player.

Both General Manager Andrew Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski said this week that they expect Garrett on the roster this season.

Garrett, the No. 1 pick of the 2017 draft, is a four-time All-Pro and is already one of the best players in franchise history. He has 102.5 career sacks, becoming the first player in league history to record at least 14 sacks in four consecutive seasons.

He has two years left on his contract with cap hits of $19.722 million in 2025 and $20.374 million in 2026. Garrett has no guaranteed money left in his contract.

PFT
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So, Cleveland wants him, Garrett wont sign an extension and wants out, but Garrett has 2 years left on contract... Im confused.

 

It’s simple, the players run the league now. If he wants out, he’s going to get out or he can sit and the Browns will lose some leverage. If they trade him now, they will have more suitors but lose some of the cap equity they will gain by trading him post June 1. Picks/players or trade capital, that’s the difference at this point. But… he wants out, so he will get out.

 

Well, I hope they get a boat load for him, or they are screwed.

 

The moment he leaves signifies a complete rebuild.

 

The Los Angeles Rams and offensive tackle Alaric Jackson have agreed to a three-year, $57 million contract, with $37 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on Friday.

Jackson had been slated to enter free agency next month, but instead will stay in Los Angeles, where he'll continue to protect Matthew Stafford. The star quarterback agreed to a restructured deal with the Rams earlier Friday.

ESPN

 

49ers reach agreement to trade Deebo Samuel to the Commanders

The 49ers have reached an agreement that will send veteran receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. to the Commanders, per multiple reports. San Francisco will get in return a fifth-round draft pick.

Based on the breakdown of the extension he signed in 2022, Samuel will make $17.55 million in 2025.

The deal won’t be official until March 12, the first day of the 2025 league year. In theory, either team could decline to proceed with the trade.

The move will reunite Samuel, 29, with former 49ers assistant G.M. Adam Peters, who now serves as the Commanders G.M. Earlier this week, 49ers G.M. John Lynch said the team would grant Samuel’s trade request.

in part; PFT

 

If he stays healthy looks like a good move Washington