The Chicago Bears have officially entrusted their franchise to Caleb Williams as he heads into his second NFL season.

Williams’ rookie year had its ups and downs. The Bears started strong with a 4-2 record but soon lost momentum, leading to the dismissal of head coach Matt Eberflus.

Now, a fresh chapter begins in Chicago. With the hiring of former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, a renewed sense of optimism is spreading among fans.

While change is in the air, some traditions remain intact. During a recent visit to Fanatics, Williams signed a batch of trading cards, leaving a bold message on one: “Green Bay Sucks.” It seems the young quarterback has already embraced the Bears’ long-standing rivalry with the Packers.

Williams split games against Green Bay in his debut season, capping off the year with one of his best performances in a victory over their divisional foes.

Although the Detroit Lions have claimed the NFC North title in back-to-back seasons, one thing remains true—every team in the division shares a deep-rooted dislike for the Packers. With their decades-long dominance, any win against Green Bay is always a moment to celebrate.

Bears Catch Huge Break in Pursuit of Chiefs Pro Bowl OG Trey Smith

The Chicago Bears just received a major boost from the AFC West.

According to Nate Taylor of The Athletic (February 19), the Kansas City Chiefs are unlikely to place the franchise tag on Pro Bowl offensive guard Trey Smith. This means Smith is set to hit free agency next month unless he reaches a long-term deal with Kansas City in the coming weeks.

With the Bears looking to strengthen their offensive line, Smith’s potential availability could be a game-changing opportunity for Chicago as they build around Caleb Williams.

“The Chiefs are not expected to place the franchise tag or the transition tag on Smith, according to a league source,” Taylor wrote. “Instead, the Chiefs should do their best to keep one of their best players by offering Smith a four- or five-year contract.”

Bears Represent Biggest Threat to Chiefs if Trey Smith Becomes Free Agent

Kansas City’s financial constraints could work in Chicago’s favor.

As of Wednesday, Spotrac reports the Bears have $64 million in salary cap space, while the Chiefs are limited to just $3.2 million. The NFL salary cap is expected to rise by $22-$26 million next season following final negotiations between the league and the players association, which could aid Kansas City’s efforts to retain Trey Smith.

However, Chicago has been linked to Smith since before the Super Bowl, and those connections are only gaining momentum. The Bears could present a massive offer—potentially a five-year deal exceeding $100 million—that would make Smith the highest-paid offensive guard in NFL history.

With Caleb Williams sacked 68 times as a rookie, Chicago is in desperate need of O-line reinforcements. New head coach Ben Johnson, who thrived with an elite offensive line in Detroit, has made it clear that strengthening the trenches is a top priority for the Bears.

Bears Dubbed Top Fit for Chiefs Guard Trey Smith

ESPN’s Matt Bowen ranked Trey Smith as the No. 2 free agent for 2025 across all positions, further intensifying speculation about a potential move to Chicago. Bowen also listed the Bears as Smith’s ideal landing spot, adding more momentum to the growing buzz that a deal could materialize in the coming weeks.

“The top interior lineman on the market, Smith would upgrade a critical position of need in Chicago,” Bowen wrote. “Smith is a powerful mover in the run game, as his run block win rate of 75.1% ranked sixth among guards. Plus, he has the foot speed to mirror interior defenders and the strength at 6-6 and 321 pounds to anchor against bull rushes. Bears general manager Ryan Poles could make a splash move to rebuild the front for Ben Johnson’s new offense.”

Chicago holds the No. 10, 39, and 41 picks in the first two rounds of April’s draft and is expected to use at least one or two of those selections on offensive linemen, even if they secure Smith in free agency.

The Minnesota Vikings are wasting no time in making key roster decisions ahead of the 2025 offseason.

Their latest move could give them more flexibility when it comes to retaining starting cornerback Byron Murphy, who is set to hit free agency.

Murphy, 27, just wrapped up a two-year, $17.5 million contract and is now in line for a sizable raise. With $28.6 million in career earnings, according to Over The Cap, he’s expected to draw significant interest on the market. However, the Vikings remain a strong candidate to offer him the payday he deserves.

“Per a league source, the Vikings and CB Byron Murphy have agreed to push back the void date on his contract,” ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported on X on February 18. “Originally, the deal voided 23 days prior to the start of the league year (either today or tomorrow). Now, it’s the day before the start of the league year, which means Murphy cannot be franchised (since that date is past the deadline for teams to use the franchise tag).”

Murphy had a standout 2024 season, posting career highs with 81 total tackles, 14 pass deflections, and six interceptions—ranking third in the league. His ability to play both on the outside and in the slot adds even more value to his skill set.

However, this is just one piece of the puzzle for both Murphy and the Vikings.

According to Spotrac, the 27-year-old cornerback is projected to command around $22.1 million per year, with a potential four-year, $88.4 million contract as a benchmark.

Vikings Maintain Flexibility With Byron Murphy

Delaying Murphy’s void date suggests that the Vikings are interested in keeping him on the roster. The same applies to Aaron Jones, whose void date was also pushed back to just before the start of the new league year.

However, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert cautioned that this move doesn’t necessarily guarantee a return. He pointed to past cases in Vikings history where similar situations ultimately led to the player departing.

“Vikings executed the same procedural move with CB Byron Murphy Jr. as they did with Aaron Jones, per Dan. Big upshot here, though: NO franchise tag for Murphy. He has a clear path to free agency if he wants it,” Seifert posted on X in reaction to Graziano’s report.

“They did this with Dalvin Tomlinson in 2023 and Marcus Davenport in 2024,” Siefert responded in another post responding to a follower, “and both players moved on.”

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell had high praise for Murphy throughout the season.

Meanwhile, Jones is coming off a standout season at 30 years old, playing on a one-year, $7 million deal.

The Vikings are expected to have cap space, but they have several priorities to tackle—quarterback being one of them—before turning their focus to the cornerback position. Their ongoing roster adjustments may also give them confidence that they can manage without Murphy if necessary.

Byron Murphy a Projected Fit for Las Vegas Raiders

ESPN’s Matt Bowen identified the Las Vegas Raiders as a potential landing spot for Murphy if he departs from the Vikings in free agency this offseason.

“The Raiders need more ball hawks in the secondary, and they could lose safeties Tre’von Moehrig and Marcus Epps and slot corner Nate Hobbs to free agency,” Bowen wrote on February 18. “With the ability to play on the perimeter or in the slot (259 snaps in 2024), Murphy has the backfield vision and short-area speed to close on the ball and make an impact for Las Vegas. He’s a clear upgrade for a defense that finished with only 10 interceptions in 2024.”

Over The Cap estimates the Vikings will have $56.3 million in cap space this offseason.

Meanwhile, the Raiders are projected to have over $92 million available, which could give them a competitive advantage in free-agent negotiations.

The challenge for Minnesota is balancing its priorities—waiting on one player could mean losing another. This highlights the need for strategic resource allocation, setting up what is likely to be another busy offseason for the Vikings.

With the offseason in full swing, quarterback-needy teams are being linked to nearly every available signal-caller on the free agent market— and the Las Vegas Raiders are no exception.

The team made waves with one of the most surprising coaching hires of the year, bringing in 73-year-old Pete Carroll as their new head coach.

Naturally, this fueled speculation that Las Vegas might try to replicate Carroll’s past success in Seattle by pursuing former Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.

Rumors gained even more traction when Carroll interviewed ex-Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell for the Raiders’ OC position.

However, he ultimately chose Chip Kelly for the role, slightly dampening the Wilson-to-Vegas buzz. Still, despite the duo’s turbulent ending in Seattle, whispers of a reunion haven’t disappeared entirely.

Now, attention has shifted to another free agent quarterback—Minnesota Vikings’ Sam Darnold. According to an ESPN report, the Raiders have been linked to the veteran passer.

Darnold is coming off a breakout 2024 season, throwing for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions while leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record and a Wild Card playoff appearance.

Under the guidance of Coach of the Year Kevin O’Connell, Darnold thrived after stepping in as Minnesota’s full-time starter following a preseason injury to rookie J.J. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick. However, as the soon-to-be 28-year-old QB weighs his options, questions remain about whether his strong 2024 campaign was a turning point in his career or merely an outlier.

How will the Raiders handle the quarterback position for 2025?

Before 2024, Sam Darnold had never come close to the level of success he achieved last season. He shattered his previous career-high passing yard total by 1,295 yards, threw 16 more touchdowns than his previous best of 19, and improved his best full-season passer rating by over 18 points.

To say his numbers from last year are unsustainable would be an understatement. However, the current free-agent quarterback market isn’t exactly overflowing with talent.

Options include the aforementioned Russell Wilson, a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers who might retire, and names like Justin Fields, Daniel Jones, Cooper Rush, Jameis Winston, Joe Flacco, and Trey Lance.

That means Darnold might actually be the most appealing option available. And the Raiders? They don’t have many choices. Last season, they ranked 29th in scoring, averaging just 18.2 points per game. Their quarterback carousel featured Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell, and Desmond Ridder—none of whom provided a long-term solution.

Darnold could be their guy. Of course, the Vikings could opt to use the franchise tag on him, but with the 2025 quarterback tag expected to exceed $40 million, they might instead choose to tag and trade him.

How the Raiders approach their quarterback situation under Pete Carroll remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: they’re starting fresh. The team recently parted ways with assistant general manager Champ Kelly, possibly to avoid confusion after hiring Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator.

With Carroll in charge and minority owner Tom Brady offering guidance—while also calling games for Fox—the Raiders are likely to make a calculated decision. Whether that means signing Darnold to a short-term “prove it” deal or targeting a quarterback in the draft remains to be seen.