It's official. Josh Simmons and the Kansas City Chiefs have put pen to paper, agreeing to what is hopefully the first of several contracts between the two parties with a four-year, $14.6 million deal that has a fifth-year option on it, as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter.
If the Chiefs do pick up Simmons' fifth-year option, the team will likely be spending between $25-$30 million that year if he hits certain goals, such as playtime and Pro Bowl selections.
For example, Cowboys' offensive lineman Tyler Smith, who is a guard that can also play tackle, has a bare minimum guarantee of $16.6 million on his fifth-year option. The Cowboys did pick it up, but since he's a full-time starter and a Pro Bowler, his cap hit is $21.2 million. The more Pro Bowls, the higher the amount, and this is a player from four drafts ago.
The good news is that both Jaylen Moore and Ja'Waan Taylor would be off the cap, and in five years, Travis Kelce and his massive hit would probably be riding off into the sunset.
The Chiefs drafted Simmons with the 31st overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. The fifth tackle and eighth offensive lineman off the board, Simmons may have been the best in the draft, but a mid-season knee injury against Oregon ended his season early and caused teams to inquire about his long-term health potential as well as his immediate playing availability.
While Simmons is still rehabbing as he slowly gets ready for the season, the injury, though scary, is not expected to be a massive immediate problem.
"An athletic tackle prospect with adequate size and length, Simmons has experience starting on both sides. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in mid-October, so his recovery and timetable for return will need to be vetted." Wrote NFL.com's Lance Zierlein. "He’s a consistently fluid mover both inside the box and when asked to play in space, and he has the slide quickness to compete against NFL edge speed. He’s more positional than powerful in completing his run-blocking tasks, but he can fit into all schemes."
"Improved hand placement and latch-in strength can help better control opponents in both the run and pass games. Simmons can still be susceptible to twists and counters in pass pro, so he might need a year to continue honing his craft in that area before he is ready to take on NFL pocket hunters."
A potential home run for the Chiefs.
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The Las Vegas Raiders just stunned the league by releasing defensive tackle Christian Wilkins after only one year with the team. After signing a four-year, $110 million contract, he struggled with injuries in 2024. This was supposed to be a big bounce-back year for Wilkins, but after a dispute between the two sides in regard to how to handle his foot injury, the team decided it was best to part ways. Now, a premier interior disruptor is suddenly available. Assuming his medicals get checked out soon, there should be a lot of interest around the league. Where should he land? Dallas Cowboys Dallas has needed a dominant interior presence for quite some time. Osa Odighizuwa is an awesome threat, but he is only solid against the run. Alongside him, the team will be banking heavily on 2023 first-rounder Mazi Smith, who has been disappointing so far. With Dallas looking to return to the playoffs, adding a stud like Wilkins could give Dallas one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. San Francisco 49ers The 49ers added some young bodies in CJ West and Alfred Collins, yet neither offer a proven, all-around talent like Wilkins could if healthy. The 49ers defensive line was horrid outside of Nick Bosa in 2024, but by adding Wilkins, the team would now have a solid cast of starters with Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, Wilkins and Kevin Givens/Jordan Elliott. Miami Dolphins A return to Miami makes a ton of sense for both sides. The Dolphins know exactly how to use Wilkins, he knows the building and players, and the transition would be very easy. Miami needs help in the interior defensive line; by plugging Wilkins back into his old role, he could offer the quickest path to high-level impact. Detroit Lions With Levi Onwuzurike out with injury and Detroit needing more juice on the defensive line, adding a proven disruptor like Wilkins could make some sense. He could provide more depth while he gets fully healthy, and he can join a legit Super Bowl contender. His energy and mentality could be a good fit for a Dan Campbell-led squad. Jacksonville Jaguars The Jaguars defense is average in the interior, but they have excellent edge-rushers who would benefit greatly from a strong disruptor up the middle. Wilkins could balance the front, help in the run defense and allow more one-on-ones for their premier edge-rushers. For a team that wants to return to the playoffs as soon as possible, adding a veteran like Wilkins could be a worthy bet to make.
The New York Yankees didn't come into the season with the strongest third base situation, and it only got worse over time. They converted traditional second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the hot corner after getting him at the Trade Deadline last season and installed a timeshare with him, DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, and Oswaldo Cabrera there in 2025. However, the latter player broke his ankle on May 12, and the Yankees released the now 37-year-old LeMahieu on July 10. Chisholm was primarily back at second at that point, so this left Peraza and Jorbit Vivas as their only true remaining third basemen. With Peraza hitting .147 and Vivas hitting .164, it was clear what the team's biggest need was. That's why it acquired veteran third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies on Friday. New York manager Aaron Boone gave his thoughts about the 30-year-old before Friday's bout with the Philadelphia Phillies, via SNY. "I know there's real offensive potential there. I know he's had real offensive success, as well as some struggles there over the last calendar year or two," he said. "It seems like over the last month he's really started swinging the bat like he's capable of. He can impact the ball, he can control the strike zone, he's had some swing-and-misses that have probably hurt him a little bit." "But then he can really defend over there," he continued. "The handful of times that we've played against them that I watch him, you're like, 'That's what it should look like over there.' He moves really well and has that prototypical good third base thing." McMahon is slashing .217/.314/.403 with 16 homers and 35 RBI over 100 games this season. He also has a .978 fielding percentage and six errors. Right-handed pitcher Will Warren (6-5, 4.91 ERA) will start for the Yankees against Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker (3-5, 3.75 ERA) on Friday.
The Green Bay Packers are adding one extra offensive piece to the roster. On Friday, the team claimed running back Israel Abanikanda off waivers from the San Francisco 49ers. He had been waived by the Niners, where he spent seven months, on Thursday. Abanikanda played college football at Pittsburgh and was drafted in the 2023 fifth round by the New York Jets. He was cut by the Jets last December and claimed by the 49ers right thereafter. Because his original rookie contract has never been terminated, he is now under control of the Packers through 2026. The running back only had playing time in regular season games during his rookie season. Abanikanda appeared in six games, with 22 carries for 70 yards (3.2 yards per attempt), plus seven receptions in 11 targets for 43 yards. In 2023, he played 7% of the offensive snaps and 1% of the special teams snaps for the Jets. Since Israel Abanikanda played for Nathaniel Hackett and Kyle Shanahan, he has a fairly decent understanding of the Green Bay Packers' offensive scheme under Matt LaFleur, which will help his transition throughout training camp. Profile Back in 2023, Abanikanda was projected as a third/fourth-round prospect by NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein. His one-cut ability, important for LaFleur's offensive style, was highlighted on his draft report. "A zone-scheme runner with early down size, Abanikanda can be a bit inconsistent with his reads and tempo early in the run. However, he has plant-and-go agility and is able to snap off cuts at tight angles to elude short-area traffic when needed. He has terrific top-end speed to gash a poorly fitted run front, but he needs to run with better discipline and downhill decisiveness to stay ahead of NFL speed. Abanikanda isn't much of a third down option, but he does have the size and talent to compete for a RB2/3 slot early on with a chance to move up the depth chart in time." — Lance Zierlein. Depth The Packers are relatively short at running back because undrafted rookie Amar Johnson started camp in the active/non-football injury list. He can be activated at any time, but it makes sense to add one more option to the backfield meanwhile. The top of the depth chart has Josh Jacobs, last year's third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd, and holdovers Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks. Most likely also competing for a practice squad spot is another undrafted rookie, Jalen White. Green Bay already had an open roster spot, so no corresponding move is necessary. The Packers have already had three practices during camp. The next one is on Sunday. Green Bay's first preseason game happens on August 9, curiously against the Jets at Lambeau Field.
Top NHL analyst Stephan Roget of 'Canucks Army' believes the Canucks could definitely offer sheet Mason McTavish or Marco Rossi, but they likely won't. Offer sheets remain one of the less common NHL deals, so a midsummer offer sheet from the Vancouver Canucks would remain highly unlikely. The player must be a restricted free agent (RFA) to be offer-sheet eligible, and come mid-July, there are not many remaining who are. Two of them are strong possibilities for whom the Canucks would consider making an offer sheet: Anaheim Ducks' Mason McTavish and Minnesota Wild's Marco Rossi. And offer sheets are a two-part process. Your team has to first make an offer. And then there has to be acceptance of a player before his current team is in a position to counter. That is uncertainty enough. Any offer sheet from the Canucks would have to be at least $11.7 million per year The Canucks would only be able to give Mason McTavish or Marco Rossi at the absolute highest compensation level, above $11.7 million annually. That would cost four protected first-rounders across five drafts to the Canucks. While both Rossi and McTavish would certainly appreciate an offer of this nature, whether either is truly worth this kind of investment of this size, especially for Vancouver, a club not comfortably in a playoff position, is questionable. 'As it stands, the Canucks are still eligible to make offer sheets to McTavish and Rossi - but only certain offer sheets. 'Whether it's realistic to expect a mid-summer offer sheet from the Canucks, is no'. - Stephan Roget Bottom line: While theoretically, a Canucks summer offer sheet is conceivable, too high a price, in cap space and future equity, makes it extremely unlikely, per NHL analyst Stephan Roget of 'Canucks Army.'
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