NFL News Official 2025 NFL Free Agency Thread

[Hawaiipatsfan2]

The problem with this is that taxes aren’t as simple as just your home state. Every year will be different depending on schedule. Not sure administratively if it’s possible to make it work where it’s equal team to team. NFL also has no control over the state that endorsements and investment gains would be taxed at. I don’t think there’s actually a way to equalize it.

It seems overly complicated, but it could be done in many ways. Even ways where the owners would agree.

Example. Each team gets a a set salary amount per year. Another allocation of the cap is set aside as a pool by the league to pay players taxes. At the end of the season, any money left over after taxes, is then Redistributed amongst the players and owners in some agreed upon split. Any money spent over, is taken from next years increase . That could be, a percentage based on the players season salary, playing time etc etc. There are so many creative ways you could go about it that might work.

A reality, doubt it.
Possibility, I think so! It could be done in a way that benefits the majority involved.

And my no means am I trying to say that should be the exact way it should be done, just more so an idea of how it might be tackled.

 

[Ross12]

Why do I get the feeling they’ll get at best a 5th rounder and send him to like Minnesota or somewhere.

I think they really want some picks, both to get players and also for potential trade capital.

 

[Ross12]

Man, 7 players signed on day 1 of free agency is pretty significant. Vrabel meant it when he said they’d be “aggressive”. So aggressive they even signed guys who had already agreed to deals with other teams!

 

[Hugepatsfan]

It seems overly complicated, but it could be done in many ways. Even ways where the owners would agree.

Example. Each team gets a a set salary amount per year. Another allocation of the cap is set aside as a pool by the league to pay players taxes. At the end of the season, any money left over after taxes, is then Redistributed amongst the players and owners in some agreed upon split. That could be, a percentage based on the players season salary, playing time etc etc. There are so many creative ways you could go about it that might work.

A reality, doubt it.
Possibility, I think so! It could be done in a way that benefits everyone involved.

And my no means am I trying to say that should be the exact way it should be done, just more so an idea of how it might be tackled.

If the league pays the players taxes then the IRS will treat that as income and tax them on it though. Taxation isn’t an NFL thing, it’s an IRS thing.

I guess you could have players agree to after tax salaries and each NFL team would have to gross up the payroll each week such that the play gets his after tax salary pro rated. But the player still has to finalize and a tax return and what state they’re in and any other income generated will impact what they actually file with.

 

[Hawaiipatsfan2]

If the league pays the players taxes then the IRS will treat that as income and tax them on it though. Taxation isn’t an NFL thing, it’s an IRS thing.

I guess you could have players agree to after tax salaries and each NFL team would have to gross up the payroll each week such that the play gets his after tax salary pro rated. But the player still has to finalize and a tax return and what state they’re in and any other income generated will impact what they actually file with.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

Another LT off the board.
Lions to re-sign Dan Skipper

 

[jmt57]

Unfortunately, unless they land a draft pick who's an instant hit or someone new comes available via trade, I think #1 WR is going to go unaddressed again this year.

We are less than 12 hours in, but I'm not surprised.
My assumption was Vrabel would address the trenches and defense.
- Slightly surprised by the amount of emphasis on defense.
- Disappointed in the lack of additions to the OL, specifically LT.
- Not surprised that WR was a lower priority.
Perhaps they are going to wait a bit to see what McDaniels can do with what he has to work with first?
Maybe they are being realistic/pragmatic and this is more than a one-year fix, despite all the cap $ to work with.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

We are less than 12 hours in, but I'm not surprised.
My assumption was Vrabel would address the trenches and defense.
- Slightly surprised by the amount of emphasis on defense.
- Disappointed in the lack of additions to the OL, specifically LT.
- Not surprised that WR was a lower priority.
Perhaps they are going to wait a bit to see what McDaniels can do with what he has to work with first?
Maybe they are being realistic/pragmatic and this is more than a one-year fix, despite all the cap $ to work with.

Of course it’s more than a 1 year fix. We had the worst roster in the NFL. There’s no way they can fix it all in one year. There’s not that many high end player available in a given year and other teams aren’t all just gonna punt on the offseason. They’ve checked a lot of boxes so far though with good long term/multi year signings and then Moses/Hollins are good depth/stop gap signings on offense. They made some dents in the roster building needs today. It’s going to take a couple years at least before they can finish churning things over.

 

[PatsFan2]

Did LT Cam Robinson kick somebody's Dog??

 

[mgteich]

Or just allow teams in taxed states, to have a salary cap with a percentage which is higher (adjusted per state) to compensate what players seek to lose due to taxes playing for teams in those states.

Now a bunch of owners probably say “hell no” to that. I think the players would love it, the NFLPA too. It would be complicated to implement, but something along those lines would get a little parity back across the league.

I don't think that the players would love it.

But we'll see. If the idea is so popular among players, they can negotiate for this as part of the next deal. The total money to players will be the same. So, let's see if they will be willing to subsidize MA at the expense of FL.

 

[mgteich]

Of course it’s more than a 1 year fix. We had the worst roster in the NFL. There’s no way they can fix it all in one year. There’s not that many high end player available in a given year and other teams aren’t all just gonna punt on the offseason. They’ve checked a lot of boxes so far though with good long term/multi year signings and then Moses/Hollins are good depth/stop gap signings on offense. They made some dents in the roster building needs today. It’s going to take a couple years at least before they can finish churning things over.

I guess rinse and try again works for some
=============
We had a terrible Defense last year. Add a safety tomorrow and we have top 5-10 Defense. Our Special Teams are better than average.

After 12 hours, the Offense is not year competitive. Sign Robinson, an IOL. a S, and a RB tomorrow or WED and we'll enter real free agency in very good shape.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

If the league pays the players taxes then the IRS will treat that as income and tax them on it though. Taxation isn’t an NFL thing, it’s an IRS thing.

I guess you could have players agree to after tax salaries and each NFL team would have to gross up the payroll each week such that the play gets his after tax salary pro rated. But the player still has to finalize and a tax return and what state they’re in and any other income generated will impact what they actually file with.

To a first approximation, federal taxes are the same. It's the state taxes that are an issue.

 

[mgteich]

Man, 7 players signed on day 1 of free agency is pretty significant. Vrabel meant it when he said they’d be “aggressive”. So aggressive they even signed guys who had already agreed to deals with other teams!

I include Landry and Hooper signed yesterday, so I count 9, including 5 starters.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I almost feel bad for the Saints not being willing to bite the bullet.

 

[mgteich]

I note that when free agency actually starts, there will additional players who are available, last-minute cuts to get under their cap.

 

[DaBruinz]

Another LT off the board.
Lions to re-sign Dan Skipper

Dan Skipper? The JAG who spent time on the Pats?

 

[DaBruinz]

Mack Hollins is a guy who I would have signed 2 years ago.. Not this year when he'll be 32 in September.

 

[DaBruinz]

FB…yes, please. Either him or Patrick Ricard if he becomes available.

No thanks. I want Pegues in the draft. Two way player who plays FB and DT as well as STs..

 

[DaBruinz]

Other free agents worth thinking on:

- LT Cam Robinson
- LT Tyron Smith
- WR Cooper Kupp
- WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
- OG Teven Jenkins
- OG Will Fries
- DE Za’Darius Smith
- FS Jevon Holland
- FS Justin Reid

Has Kupp been officially released? Haven't been on since about 3pm EST

 

[DaBruinz]

Patriots complete WR corps - 10 TDs in 2024
Mack Hollins - 6

Mack Hollins is going to magically catch more TD passes than any other season of his career? NOT.