NIL
Who's left on MLB free
Angels sign Yusei Kikuchi (No. 17) for three years, MJack Flaherty (No. 12)Nationals sign Trevor Williams for two years, M Beyond Sasaki, Flaherty and Pivetta are the only two pitchers left who appear likely to command considerably lucrative multi-year deals. Each comes with potential promise and pitfalls. Flaherty had a generally excellent 2024 campaign and […]
Angels sign Yusei Kikuchi (No. 17) for three years, MJack Flaherty (No. 12)Nationals sign Trevor Williams for two years, M
- Beyond Sasaki, Flaherty and Pivetta are the only two pitchers left who appear likely to command considerably lucrative multi-year deals. Each comes with potential promise and pitfalls. Flaherty had a generally excellent 2024 campaign and is only 29, but his injury track record and fluctuating performance in prior seasons has teams wary. Pivetta may offer more durability and consistency than Flaherty but not as much perceived upside, and will require a team to forfeit a draft pick due to the qualifying offer he received from Boston.
- This quintet is difficult to predict. St. Louis could end up subtracting. The Brewers are banking big on Brandon Woodruff coming back from shoulder surgery; might they look to add insurance on that front? The Astros have plenty of talent on paper and added Hayden Wesneski as useful depth in the Kyle Tucker trade, but still have a ton of uncertainty from a health/durability standpoint. You could argue the Braves belong in “all set” if we assume Spencer Strider comes back at full strength, but that’s a big if — and it’s not like Chris Sale and Reynaldo López don’t come with injury question marks themselves. And the Reds, even after retaining Martinez and acquiring Singer, were reportedly interested in dealing for Crochet. They also need far more help on offense and already have some young arms knocking on the door, so it’s hard to know what to expect from them.
- He has reportedly met with at least seven teams (Dodgers, Padres, Yankees, Mets, Cubs, Rangers and Giants) with more meetings expected to come in the near future, either with additional teams and/or with the few finalists. Because of his age (23), immense talent and the minimal financial outlay required to sign him, every team could and should want Sasaki regardless of their current rotation depth chart. Some staffs (Padres, Giants) need him a lot more than others (Dodgers, Yankees), and his decision may spark a cascading effect elsewhere in the market.
- These contenders have made some of the biggest moves in this arena and, besides a pursuit of Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki (more on him shortly), it seems highly unlikely any of them will be prioritizing adding another starter anytime soon.
- Mets sign Frankie Montas (No. 50) for two years, M
- These teams entered the winter with strong starting staffs and have far more pressing needs elsewhere on their rosters.
- Orioles sign Tomoyuki Sugano (No. 44) for one year, M
- These are the names we’ve heard floated thus far. Others could emerge leading up to Opening Day.
- Quintana and Heaney go together as veteran southpaws who could each reasonably eat innings effectively at the back of a contending club’s rotation. Quintana is coming off a far better season, but Heaney is two years younger, and may be more likely to secure a multi-year deal.
- These deals range from intriguing rehabbers like Sandoval to bounce-back candidates like Cobb and veteran stabilizers like Williams. Nothing too splashy, but these deals help set the market for the lower-tier of starters still seeking jobs — and also can eliminate potential landing spots for such arms as these pitching staffs get more crowded.
- How the rest of the free-agent market shakes out — headlined by Sasaki’s upcoming decision — will dictate clubs’ willingness and aggressiveness toward pursuing these deals. Last winter, Burnes wasn’t traded to Baltimore until February, and the Padres didn’t acquire Cease until mid-March.
- Rangers sign Nathan Eovaldi (No. 18) for three years, M
- Guardians acquire Luis L. Ortiz from Pirates
Phillies acquire Jesús Luzardo from MarlinsReds acquire Brady Singer from Royals
- When surveying the league for potential trade candidates, our instinct is often to focus on veterans making significant salaries and/or players whose contracts are set to expire over the next year or two. Indeed, these pitchers make up the vast majority of the deals we’ve already seen thus far: Crochet, Luzardo, and Singer are each under team control for just two more seasons, while Cortes will hit free agency next winter. Springs has two years left plus a club option in 2027.
- Nick Pivetta (No. 26)
- Red Sox sign Patrick Sandoval for two years, .25M
- Now that we’ve established which teams could still be in the market to add a starter via free agency or trade, let’s take a look at what pitchers remain.
- At the same time, there’s no doubt that teams are also making calls on younger pitchers with markedly more years of team control remaining. While clubs are understandably far more reluctant to part with such arms, these deals are possible under the right circumstances. So far, only Cleveland has managed to do so in its trades for Ortiz (under team control through 2029) and Cecconi (through 2030) from Arizona in the Josh Naylor deal. There’s still time for other clubs to exhibit similar creativity when it comes to bolstering their rotations.
- Tigers sign Alex Cobb for one year, M
- Red Sox sign Walker Buehler (No. 23) for one year, .05M
Let’s start with Crochet’s former Chicago teammate, Dylan Cease. On the surface, it’s strange that Cease finds himself in trade rumors again just a year after San Diego acquired him from the White Sox. It’s not like the Padres are suddenly rebuilding and are trying to flip Cease for a bunch of teenage prospects for the future. They are still in win-now mode. But with a bloated payroll due to a bevy of long-term guaranteed contracts for several of their other stars, the Padres’ financial flexibility currently appears to be severely limited. San Diego’s complete lack of activity this winter despite several notable holes on the roster suggests that it may need to offload some significant salary in order to make any notable additions via trade or free agency, especially if it wants to avoid going into the luxury tax. Trading Cease, who will make approximately .6 million in his final year of arbitration before hitting free agency next winter, would represent such a move.Athletics sign Luis Severino (No. 13) for three years, M
- Each of these clubs has made at least one notable rotation addition but could still use another boost if they want to be taken seriously as viable contenders. The Angels and Athletics made big early splashes with Kikuchi and Severino/Springs but have been quiet since. The Nats have more promising young mound talent already in place, but still sorely lack a bona fide frontline arm.
- For teams more inclined to add pitching via trade than free agency, there are several names worth monitoring as spring training approaches.
- Future Hall of Famers Scherzer and Verlander continue to search for the right landing spot as they each attempt to extend their legendary careers. It’s hard to imagine either getting more than a one-year deal, and it remains to be seen if either is committed to pitching strictly for a contending team or are willing to sign with any club willing to give them a rotation spot.
- You can look at these clubs’ rotations and be like “OK, yeah, I see five solid starters there.” But considering the Mets’ spending power, the Cubs’ urgency to get back to the postseason and the Rangers’ highly active winter thus far, it would hardly be a surprise to see any of these three make another addition in this space.
White Sox sign Bryse Wilson for one year, .05M
Have added, rotation seems set: Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, D-backs
The Giants and Blue Jays have been linked to numerous top free agents on both sides of the ball all offseason. So far, neither has made a notable pitching move. The bottom portion of San Diego’s rotation does not reflect a championship contender but the Padres appear to have the financial flexibility to fix it — just not yet. No matter what the reason, it has been an uncharacteristically quiet winter for general manager A.J. Preller.
Haven’t added, rotation seems set: Mariners, Pirates, Twins, Rays, Royals
Starting pitchers accounted for 20 of our Top 50 free agents at the outset of the offseason. Thirteen of them have signed new contracts:
Have added, but could maybe still use another arm or 2: Mets, Rangers, Cubs
Brewers acquire Nestor Cortes from Yankees
Have added, but still need another arm or 2: Orioles, Tigers, Guardians
With Joe Musgrove out for 2025 due to elbow surgery, San Diego’s rotation is already thin beyond Cease, Michael King and Yu Darvish. A deal involving Cease would either need to net the Padres a younger, cheaper pitcher who can contribute right away (think King as a main part of the Juan Soto trade return a year ago), or afford San Diego enough payroll relief to replace Cease in free agency (a tall task with few high-caliber options left available). It is this context that makes a Cease trade a particularly delicate maneuver for San Diego, and also underscores how massively impactful it would be for the Padres to land Sasaki, a move that would increase their flexibility on multiple fronts on top of the boon of adding a pitcher of his caliber.
Haven’t added … yet: Giants, Blue Jays, Padres
Roki Sasaki (No. 2)
More Jordan Shusterman
Could use more help, but will Angels, A’s and Nationals spend more?
Outside our rankings, there are also still several capable alternatives available: veteran workhorses (Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn, Colin Rea), right-handers with a hint of upside (Michael Lorenzen, Spencer Turnbull) and lefty innings-eaters (Martín Pérez, Patrick Corbin).
Wild cards: Cardinals, Brewers, Astros, Braves, Reds
These clubs could end up with an experienced arm on a one-year deal that could either be trade bait in July or serve as veteran leadership for their younger pitchers.
Rebuilding, could use a veteran: Marlins, White Sox, Rockies
Sasaki looms large as not just the top pitcher left on the market, but the most compelling storyline left to monitor this offseason. His fascinating free agency is expected to reach its highly anticipated conclusion sometime between when the international signing period opens on Jan. 15 and when Sasaki’s posting window closes on Jan. 23.
Here are the starting pitchers still unsigned from our rankings:
7 top arms available
Angels sign Kyle Hendricks for one year, .5MMets sign Sean Manaea (No. 14) for three years, M
- Guardians sign Shane Bieber (No. 24) for two years, M
- This baker’s dozen doesn’t include Clay Holmes (No. 29), who we had labeled as a reliever, the role he has occupied for the majority of his big-league career. Holmes signed with the Mets on a three-year deal worth million, and New York plans to transition him to a rotation role, a decision that will be one of the more compelling spring training storylines to monitor. Perhaps another team will sign a reliever on our rankings with the intention of having him start. Jeff Hoffman is reportedly a candidate for such a move. For now, we’ll stay focused on the remaining arms available who we already recognize as traditional starting pitchers.
- As the Cardinals continue to search for a Nolan Arenado trade, they also have three veteran arms who could be moved if St. Louis is committed to offloading payroll through other avenues: Erick Fedde, Steven Matz and Sonny Gray.
- Nationals sign Michael Soroka for one year, M
- Now that January has arrived, it’s time to take stock of where the starting pitching market stands with pitchers and catchers slated to report to Arizona and Florida in roughly six weeks. Which teams have successfully addressed their rotation needs? Which teams are still searching for help? And most important: Who is still available?
Dylan Cease, pictured celebrating after throwing a no-hitter vs. the Nationals in July, is a hot name in trade talk rumors. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images) - This huge collection of signings and trades has drastically altered the shape of the starting pitching market. Certain rotation depth charts across the league have filled up while others remain shallow and in need of a boost. Let’s begin with the teams who seem unlikely to invest further into starting pitching this offseason:
D-backs sign Corbin Burnes (No. 3) for six years, 0MFor all the transactions we’ve seen so far during baseball’s offseason, no player subgroup has been more consistently active than the starting pitching market, which has been steadily buzzing from the beginning of winter all the way up until the calendar flipped to 2025.Somewhat similar to Gray is Mariners right-hander Luis Castillo, who too possesses a no-trade clause and is owed nearly million over the next three seasons. Though it remains unknown how likely it is that Castillo would green-light a trade out of Seattle, his name has surfaced in recent reports involving potential deals as the Mariners continue their search for infield upgrades via trade. Though president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto stated earlier this offseason that trading from Seattle’s premium rotation would be “Plan Z,” Castillo always felt far more likely to be available in the right deal than any of the four other excellent right-handers who are all in their mid-20’s — Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo — arguably all of whom were better than Castillo in 2024. Trading Castillo may still not be a preferred route for the Mariners, but the longer they go without making a trade — it’s been a rather uncharacteristic lull in deals for Dipoto and Co. — Castillo’s name will likely continue to swirl in rumors as spring training approaches.Justin Verlander (No. 43)Red Sox acquire Garrett Crochet from White SoxMets sign Griffin Canning for one year, .25M
2024 – false season
The trade market
Yankees sign Max Fried (No. 7) for eight years, 8MA’s acquire Jeffrey Springs from RaysA ton of starters have changed threads already this winter, but the movement is far from over, and rotations are far from set as we sit here in January, especially when factoring the wave of injuries that have unfortunately become an annual part of the spring training experience. Teams will always need more pitching, and that dynamic will continue to spur more transactions among this group of players in the weeks ahead.We’ve also seen seven other big league deals for starters who were not on our Top 50 rankings:
| Player | this bad now, and he seems like a perfect bounce-back candidate for another team to buy low on. He’s still by far the most likely pitcher to be dealt before Opening Day.
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Reds sign Nick Martinez (No. 19) for one year, .05M (accepted qualifying offer)Finally, there’s D-backs lefty Jordan Montgomery. His debut season in the desert was disastrous as he never found his groove after signing on Opening Day and was ultimately bounced from Arizona’s rotation. His poor performance ensured there was no way he would re-enter free agency by opting out of the .5 million he was owed for 2025, but his financially motivated decision to stay put hardly made his spot on the Arizona starting staff any more secure. A potential path toward earning back a rotation spot became even less clear after Arizona’s surprise signing of Burnes. With the money Montgomery is owed and the brutally bad season he is coming off of, Arizona likely can’t expect much in return in a potential trade.Max Scherzer (No. 42)It was no secret that each of these AL postseason clubs entered the winter in need of rotation reinforcements, and each has gone about addressing those needs in different ways. Cleveland arguably belongs in a separate tier having retained Bieber and added a possible breakout arm in Ortiz with another rotation candidate in Slade Cecconi also acquired via trade. Not having the rehabbing Bieber to start the year has left the current depth chart with a lot of uncertainty. Detroit and Baltimore, though, having added only Cobb and Sugano, respectively, absolutely have work left to do if they are to enter spring training feeling like their rotations are in formidable shape. NILMountaintop View 5-20-25 Sherrod, Bulldog NIL, and other Monday news and notesThe spring sports season is winding down but there is still plenty of content to peruse through in today’s edition. We cook up some football content and spice it with some baseball and softball content for a full course edition. Enjoy!! Sherrod expected to bring explosiveness to 2025 Boise State offense One of the thoughts […]  The spring sports season is winding down but there is still plenty of content to peruse through in today’s edition. We cook up some football content and spice it with some baseball and softball content for a full course edition. Enjoy!! Sherrod expected to bring explosiveness to 2025 Boise State offenseOne of the thoughts going into this football season for Boise State has been how to replace the explosiveness Ashton Jeanty provided last season. However, as indicated by his showing during spring camp, transfer Malik Sherrod might have eased some of those concerns. Here is how SI sees it as they list Sherrod as the top transfer portal addition for the 2025 Boise State team. After near misses in portal, Bulldogs trying to rebuild NIL poolFresno State has been effective in keeping their top football players from the bigger money from P4 conferences for the most part in Head Coach Matt Entz’s inaugural season. But it has come with some close calls, so the program working to infuse their NIL pool with new resources. Without Nash, how will Spartan WR room look like in 2025?San Jose State didn’t just lose star WR Nick Nash, but also second option Justin Lockhart from their WR corps from last season. So with those big shoes to fill, what is the outlook for this position group for the upcoming season? ESPN lists Aztec’s DE as a top returning NCAA pass rusherThe Mother Ship lists their top returning pass rushers for the upcoming NCAA football season and a returning San Diego State player lands on their list. MW Baseball Championship Bracket setNevada and Fresno State are the top two seeds for the tournament with play beginning tomorrow. Recapping San Diego State’s softball run in the Los Angeles regionalThe Aztecs softball team was one win away from getting to the championship game in the Los Angeles regional, but two losses on Saturday ended their season. Here is the recap of that day. On the horizon:
NILHow Are College Football Leaders Valuing Player NIL Under Rev Share Structure?When it comes to college football, recruiting, the transfer portal, and NIL, there’s a new dominating headline every week. The recent noise has surrounded top five-star offensive tackle recruit Jackson Cantwell, whose recent commitment to the Miami Hurricanes has sparked a massive debate surrounding name, image, and likeness. Reportedly, Cantwell received a $2 million NIL […]  When it comes to college football, recruiting, the transfer portal, and NIL, there’s a new dominating headline every week. The recent noise has surrounded top five-star offensive tackle recruit Jackson Cantwell, whose recent commitment to the Miami Hurricanes has sparked a massive debate surrounding name, image, and likeness. Reportedly, Cantwell received a $2 million NIL deal to join the Hurricanes over the Georgia Bulldogs. Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart later came out and criticized high schoolers receiving more than a senior. Cantwell’s NIL deal also led to many college football personnel wondering, what’s the right NIL price per position on a roster? Following Cantwell’s commitment, Chris Hummer of 247Sports (subscription required) surveyed Power Four personnel and coaching staff. He sought their opinions on spending 10% of a team’s salary cap on an offensive tackle yet to take a single college snap. NIL has been unrestrained and unregulated, with teams spending millions on obtaining star talent in the transfer portal — Miami being a notable one with Carson Beck’s multimillion-dollar NIL deal. That’s expected to change with the approval of the House settlement, under which schools will be held to a cap on revenue-sharing spending, which is expected to be $14 to $16 million for most Power Four schools in football. Many in the sport view Cantwell’s valuation as untenable, not only due to the lack of proven talent in a high school tackle, but also due to how much of the salary cap his $2 million price tag amounts to. That’s the context in which many are looking at Cantwell’s massive price tag and wondering how an unproven high school tackle could be worth it. Schools can no longer expect to spend unlimited resources and must adopt a much more thoughtful approach to building their rosters in the revenue-sharing era. One SEC director of scouting did highlight offensive tackle as a position to pay a premium for, alongside quarterback, edge rusher, and cornerback. Others had a short list of wide receivers and defensive tackles but believed that all of that is scheme-dependent outside of quarterback. Intriguingly, one Big 12 general manager posed a rebuttal to Cantwell’s price tag, preferring to instead sign three high school offensive tackles to $100,000 deals each. That’s an interesting strategy to consider, as high school recruits just might not work out. College athletes who transfer might not translate to a new program. But one of three might hit on a serviceable level. That perspective was in line with several others surveyed, who argued that depth across positions is much more valuable than paying premiums for stars and leaving holes in the roster. “I don’t find that to be the most effective way to build a roster long term,” the SEC director of scouting said. “But in reality, yes, some teams are going to spend that on a premium position or two each class because either they badly need the position in the short term or maybe they just don’t want to play against them for three-plus years.” Now, if Cantwell hits, some may walk back that criticism. Arguably, there’s an important strategy in spending top dollar on the position that protects a quarterback’s blind side. Many in the sport might not have agreed with Beck’s price tag, nor Cantwell’s, but if the former is paid, then a team must address the latter role at offensive tackle with sufficient resources for that player under center to compete. NILHow Are College Football Leaders Valuing Player NIL Under Rev Share Structure?When it comes to college football, recruiting, the transfer portal, and NIL, there’s a new dominating headline every week. The recent noise has surrounded top five-star offensive tackle recruit Jackson Cantwell, whose recent commitment to the Miami Hurricanes has sparked a massive debate surrounding name, image, and likeness. Reportedly, Cantwell received a $2 million NIL […]  When it comes to college football, recruiting, the transfer portal, and NIL, there’s a new dominating headline every week. The recent noise has surrounded top five-star offensive tackle recruit Jackson Cantwell, whose recent commitment to the Miami Hurricanes has sparked a massive debate surrounding name, image, and likeness. Reportedly, Cantwell received a $2 million NIL deal to join the Hurricanes over the Georgia Bulldogs. Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart later came out and criticized high schoolers receiving more than a senior. Cantwell’s NIL deal also led to many college football personnel wondering, what’s the right NIL price per position on a roster? How Should Rosters Be Built in the Rev-Sharing Era With NIL?Following Cantwell’s commitment, Chris Hummer of 247Sports (subscription required) surveyed Power Four personnel and coaching staff. He sought their opinions on spending 10% of a team’s salary cap on an offensive tackle yet to take a single college snap. NIL has been unrestrained and unregulated, with teams spending millions on obtaining star talent in the transfer portal — Miami being a notable one with Carson Beck’s multimillion-dollar NIL deal. That’s expected to change with the approval of the House settlement, under which schools will be held to a cap on revenue-sharing spending, which is expected to be $14 to $16 million for most Power Four schools in football. Many in the sport view Cantwell’s valuation as untenable, not only due to the lack of proven talent in a high school tackle, but also due to how much of the salary cap his $2 million price tag amounts to. That’s the context in which many are looking at Cantwell’s massive price tag and wondering how an unproven high school tackle could be worth it. Schools can no longer expect to spend unlimited resources and must adopt a much more thoughtful approach to building their rosters in the revenue-sharing era. One SEC director of scouting did highlight offensive tackle as a position to pay a premium for, alongside quarterback, edge rusher, and cornerback. Others had a short list of wide receivers and defensive tackles but believed that all of that is scheme-dependent outside of quarterback. Intriguingly, one Big 12 general manager posed a rebuttal to Cantwell’s price tag, preferring to instead sign three high school offensive tackles to $100,000 deals each. That’s an interesting strategy to consider, as high school recruits just might not work out. College athletes who transfer might not translate to a new program. But one of three might hit on a serviceable level. That perspective was in line with several others surveyed, who argued that depth across positions is much more valuable than paying premiums for stars and leaving holes in the roster. “I don’t find that to be the most effective way to build a roster long term,” the SEC director of scouting said. “But in reality, yes, some teams are going to spend that on a premium position or two each class because either they badly need the position in the short term or maybe they just don’t want to play against them for three-plus years.” Now, if Cantwell hits, some may walk back that criticism. Arguably, there’s an important strategy in spending top dollar on the position that protects a quarterback’s blind side. Many in the sport might not have agreed with Beck’s price tag, nor Cantwell’s, but if the former is paid, then a team must address the latter role at offensive tackle with sufficient resources for that player under center to compete.
NILGeorgia Bulldogs NewsThe conversation surrounding NIL from the No. 1 player in the country continues on, even though it’s been a week since they ditched Georgia and committed elsewhere at the last second. The Bulldogs former star quarterback also made headlines on Monday based on simple predictions and goals he made for himself. But let’s first begin […] 
 The conversation surrounding NIL from the No. 1 player in the country continues on, even though it’s been a week since they ditched Georgia and committed elsewhere at the last second. The Bulldogs former star quarterback also made headlines on Monday based on simple predictions and goals he made for himself. But let’s first begin with the best news Georgia received on Monday, which came in the form of a prediction to land a recruit currently committed to one of their rivals. Shadarius Toodle predicted to flip to GeorgiaOne of the nine official visitors to Georgia this weekend was four-star linebacker Shadarius Toodle. Toodle is a top 200 player in the country as well top 10 linebacker, according to the 247Sports composite rankings, so it’s clear how crucial this visit was. The only problem is that he has been committed to Auburn for about 10 months now. That however could be changing in a hurry as On3’s Steve Wiltfong officially predicted Toodle to flip his commitment to Georgia. This doesn’t guarantee that Georgia will successfully flip Toodle, but it does make it seem very likely Georgia will put the Tigers back in their place once again. Jackson Cantwell dramaFive-star Jackson Cantwell committed to Miami (FL) over Georgia a week ago already, but that hasn’t stopped the NIL discourse surrounding his recruitment from continuing. Kirby Smart previously stated that he believes a freshman shouldn’t make more than his seniors at Georgia, which seemed to be a shot at Cantwell’s $5 million NIL deal from Miami. It appears Miami head coach Mario Cristobal saw this comment, because he responded on Monday claiming Cantwell didn’t choose Miami because of the money. Neither coach directly mentioned each other in their comments, but it does sure feel like they were taking jabs at each other. Georgia legend David Pollack however didn’t hold anything back as he came out and directly said that Cantwell is being paid too much money for his liking. At the end of the day, these comments mean absolutely nothing because Cantwell is headed to Miami no matter what people think of his NIL deal. But this just goes to show how much NIL matters to people nowadays, especially when it comes to the top recruits in the country. Carson Beck has unrealistic expectations at MiamiSpeaking of Miami, the Hurricanes and former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck shared some predictions for Beck heading into the 2025 season. Obviously these expectations will be lofty, because that is how every team thinks throughout the offseason, but Beck’s goals are flat out unrealistic. Beck and Miami believe that he can work his way into becoming the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, just like Cam Ward did this last year with the Hurricanes. While there theoretically is a chance this happens, it is such a small chance that it’s borderline laughable to discuss. What Beck should be focusing on instead is improving on his struggles from the 2024 season in hopes that it will be enough to help the Hurricanes finally accomplish something for once. And if he becomes one of the top picks in next year’s draft, then so be it. NILQuinn Ewers wearing his teal Miami Dolphin uniform“There’s a lot of guys out there right now, and everyone’s fighting for the same job,” Ewers said. “But you’ve got to earn the job and earn the trust of those guys as well.” When Quinn Ewers slipped on a Miami Dolphins jersey for the first time, the seventh-round rookie quarterback left the disappointment of […]  “There’s a lot of guys out there right now, and everyone’s fighting for the same job,” Ewers said. “But you’ve got to earn the job and earn the trust of those guys as well.”When Quinn Ewers slipped on a Miami Dolphins jersey for the first time, the seventh-round rookie quarterback left the disappointment of draft weekend behind and focused on the opportunity ahead. “I didn’t expect to fall as low as I did, but it is what it is at the end of the day, and I have the same opportunity as everybody else does, and I’m beyond thankful for that,” Ewers said as the Dolphins opened rookie minicamp. Ewers, selected 231st overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, enters a quarterback room led by Tua Tagovailoa and recent free agent signing Zach Wilson. Despite being the last of 13 quarterbacks drafted, the former Texas Longhorns star is determined to prove himself at the professional level. “I just want to go in there and play my game at the end of the day and learn and develop as a quarterback,” Ewers said. The transition to the NFL marks a new chapter for Ewers, who finished his college career with 3,472 passing yards and 31 touchdowns in his final season at Texas, leading the Longhorns to back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances and an SEC Championship game. Ewers’ collegiate success placed him among the top quarterbacks in Texas history, but questions about consistency and injuries may have contributed to his draft slide. Off the field, Ewers is already making headlines. Just a month into his Dolphins tenure, he secured a $3 million exclusive autograph trading card deal with Panini, a figure nearly matching his four-year, $4.3 million rookie contract with Miami. “Thank you [Panini] for helping me tell my story and continuing our relationship! I can’t wait to see my first NFL trading cards!” Ewers posted on social media. The endorsement helps offset speculation about the NIL money he left behind by declaring for the draft rather than transferring for a final college season. Ewers also had a prior NIL deal with Panini. As Ewers dons the Dolphins’ aqua and orange, he faces the challenge of climbing the depth chart and earning the trust of teammates and coaches. For now, the rookie is focused on learning, developing, and making the most of his opportunity in Miami. “There’s a lot of guys out there right now, and everyone’s fighting for the same job,” Ewers said. “But you’ve got to earn the job and earn the trust of those guys as well.” NILEagles' KJ Henry used NIL money to save his father's lifeName, image, and likeness opportunities have given college athletes a chance to own exotic cars and wear designer clothes. For some, the ability to earn NIL money has allowed them to pay off the student debt of a sibling or help another loved one live debt-free. Eagles edge rusher KJ Henry used his NIL capabilities […] 
 Name, image, and likeness opportunities have given college athletes a chance to own exotic cars and wear designer clothes. For some, the ability to earn NIL money has allowed them to pay off the student debt of a sibling or help another loved one live debt-free. Eagles edge rusher KJ Henry used his NIL capabilities at Clemson to help his father get a new kidney and save his life. “To be able to use my platform to kind of help my family, that’s what it’s for,” Henry said. “The material things are cool and all, but when you get to make real change in people’s lives, your own or others, that’s what it’s for.” Henry was talking about Keith Henry’s path to a new kidney and the organization that helped him do it while he was outside the nonprofit Help Hope Live’s headquarters in Radnor on Sunday during the Hope Travels 5K event. He had just placed medals around the necks of formerly conjoined twins Anias and Jadon McDonald. Three years ago, Help Hope Live, an organization that helps families like the Henrys and McDonalds raise funds for uninsured expenses, entered Henry’s life when his family needed it most. Keith Henry, a longtime football coach, now the running backs coach at North Carolina A&T, had been dealing with a chronic kidney disease since the early 2000s and needed a new kidney. Henry got to work with some Clemson teammates by his side. Among them was current Eagles running back Will Shipley, who helped Henry come up with the idea to use the new NIL rules to host an autograph signing that kick-started a fundraising campaign that collected more than $100,000 for Henry’s family. KJ Henry eventually partnered with Help Hope Live to manage the fundraising. “I’m so thankful to this organization being able to help my family through a traumatic experience,” Henry said. “It’s a blessing to now be in the home base city where this all takes place.” The road here has been a bit of a winding one. Henry, a North Carolina native, was a second-team all-ACC selection in 2022 before being drafted by Washington in the fifth round. He appeared in 10 games as a rookie, with three starts, and registered 1½ sacks. But he was cut before the 2024 season, a move that started a series of roster moves for him. Henry was immediately picked up on waivers by Cincinnati. He appeared in two games in a reserve role before being waived and re-signing with the Bengals’ practice squad. Two weeks later, he was signed by Dallas, where he spent nearly two months, appearing in two games. The Cowboys cut him in late November. Then came the third NFC East team to put him on its roster in three months. The Eagles signed Henry to their practice squad in late November, and he remained with the team through the rest of the season in that capacity. He never dressed for a game, but Henry traveled with the team and celebrated a Super Bowl victory. As for his father, who received a kidney from his wife’s cousin in July 2022: “He’s doing well,” Henry said. “Active. Appreciative. He’s up every morning on that bike making sure that that kidney is getting its workout in for sure. “I’m so close with all my family, so close with my dad. I didn‘t think anything could make us closer. It just reminds you to have appreciation for the little things and everybody in life.” Shipley, whom Henry described as a “bighearted guy who wanted to help,” and the rest of Henry’s Clemson teammates are high on that list of appreciation. The Eagles have become a second home for Georgia Bulldogs, but there are a few Clemson players, too: Henry, Shipley, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and second-round pick Andrew Mukuba, who finished his college career at Texas but played three seasons at Clemson, two of which overlapped with Henry. “Yeah, there’s a lot of Georgia players, rightfully so,” Henry said. “Good team. But we’re sneaking in some Clemson. I told Mukuba, ‘I know you went to Texas, but don‘t get it twisted, you’re a Clemson guy.’ And we’re claiming him. That’s another Clemson guy on our board, one of my old teammates. “Those guys, all they do is love football and they come to work every day. They just do the simple stuff well and they’re great guys. It says a lot, when you haven‘t seen guys in a while, when a guy transfers, and just like that you feel like you’re right back to that locker room lifestyle. It says a lot about the kids they are and how serious they love this game. Just happy to be in the same locker room with them again.” In what capacity remains to be seen. Henry was one of 13 players the Eagles signed to futures contracts — for players who did not finish the season on the 53-man roster — in February. His path to the active roster on the edge won’t be easy even though the Eagles lost Brandon Graham to retirement and Josh Sweat to free agency. The Eagles return disruptive rushers in Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt, but the depth chart after those two is a bit of a mystery. The Eagles drafted a hybrid linebacker-edge rusher, Jihaad Campbell, with their first pick and used a late-round pick on another rusher, Antwaun Powell-Ryland. They signed the oft-injured Azeez Ojulari, as well as Joshua Uche, in free agency. They are hoping Bryce Huff has a bounce-back season. And there are other players, Henry among them, in the mix to grab spots at the bottom of the chart. “Within our room we have nothing but dogs in there and they’re giving us a chance to compete on that edge,” Henry said. “Just excited to be a part of this team. … Ready to take another step forward. “No better place to do it.”
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