The NFL is preparing to enter into its summer break, otherwise known as the short period in the offseason where something isn’t going on around the league. After OTAs and mandatory minicamps conclude, the league enjoys true down time before regrouping for training camp in late July.
Unless there is bad news to report, this portion of the offseason is relatively quiet. Most of the noteworthy news that lingers into the summer are contract disputes with players on existing deals and/or those holding out during minicamp in search of that new deal.
The majority of these players get new deals at some point in the offseason, whether its prior to minicamp ending or at the beginning of training camp. Some contract disputes last deep into August and even into the regular season, keeping the storyline going until the deal is eventually done — or if the player is traded.
San Francisco 49ers wideout Brandon Aiyuk stood as one of the biggest contract disputes last season, but there are plenty more deep into the 2025 offseason. These names are currently holding out in search of new deals, and one may be on his way toward playing for a new team next season.
Parsons is heading into the final year of his rookie contract, playing under the fifth-year option worth $24 million. The Cowboys typically wait until the last minute to get deals done — as they have with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb — so it shouldn’t be a surprise the front office drags this out with Parsons.
Set to be the highest-paid non-quarterback in football, Parsons is going to surpass Ja’Marr Chase’s $40.25 million average annual salary … whenever he signs. How much Parsons gets in terms of guaranteed money and average annual salary is likely the holdup, as he’s presently absent from voluntary OTAs.
Parsons is the only player in NFL history with 12+ sacks in each of his first four seasons, and his 52.5 sacks are the fifth most by any player after his first four seasons in the league. He’s going to get paid.
Hendrickson and the Bengals are currently in a contract dispute as the star pass rusher has one year and a base salary of $15.8 million remaining on his four-year, $60 million contract. The Bengals reached extensions with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but have yet to sign Hendrickson, who will be 31 this season.
How much Hendrickson is worth makes this situation difficult. He’s the first player since JJ Watt in 2014-2015 to have 17+ sacks in back-to-back seasons and trails only TJ Watt (73.5) and Myles Garrett (72.0) for the most sacks over the last five seasons (Hendrickson has 70.5).
Hendrickson is a top-five pass rusher, and Nick Bosa is the fourth-highest paid edge rusher in the league at $34 million. Is that the barometer for Hendrickson, and will he get that elsewhere? The Bengals have given Hendrickson permission to seek a trade, but he is reluctant to accept a short-term deal. Perhaps that will change deeper into the offseason.
Watt is the seventh-highest paid edge rusher in football with an average annual salary at $28 million — and he’s still underpaid. The 31-year-old Watt has a base salary of $21 million entering his final year of his four-year, $112 million extension he signed in 2021 — so an extension is in order.
Watt has the most sacks in the NFL over the last five seasons (73.5) and has had the most sacks in the league in three of the past five seasons. Because Watt is 30, it’s hard to determine what type of deal he’ll get — whether it’s short or long term.
Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett were the edge rushers paid this offseason. That $34 million average annual salary for Nick Bosa may be the starting point for Watt in contract negotiations.
Cook is in the final year of his rookie contract and scheduled to make a base salary of $5.271 million this season. Obviously Cook is underpaid for his position, but how much is he worth?
Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry received new contracts this offseason, but Cook isn’t making $20.6 million per year (Barkley) nor $15 million per year (Henry). This is where the Bills and Cook have to find the middle ground in how much Cook is worth.
Cook did lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns last season (16) and has back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. Cook has a $15 million-per-year price tag, but the Bills may be reluctant to match it. This holdout may last a while.
McLaurin is facing a potential holdout from the Commanders as he’s entering the final year of a three-year, $68.3 million contract. His base salary is $15.5 million in 2025, so McLaurin is underpaid in terms of production.
The 16th-highest paid receiver in the NFL, McLaurin is due for a raise. Eight wide receivers make over $30 million a year, so that may be the salary range McLaurin is seeking. McLaurin is coming off five straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons and isn’t the highest-paid wide receiver on his own team.
The Commanders will need McLaurin to make a Super Bowl run in 2025. Washington may want to get a deal done with a player who has been loyal to the franchise.
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