AFC North

Russell Wilson is reportedly remaining confident in the possibility he will return for a second season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"I was with Russell on Friday, and I'm just telling you, the tone that I got from him was entirely different than reports that are out there," ESPN's Adam Schefter said Monday on the Pat McAfee Show. "And we'll see what winds up happening, whether or not he's back there. But I think he feels like there's definitely a chance he's going to be back there.

"He's having conversations with the organization about the future, and where it's going to go. There's still a lot that's going to play out here, but I think he definitely thinks that he may be back in Pittsburgh."

"I was with Russell Wilson on Friday and he feels like there's a chance he's gonna be back in Pittsburgh..

He's having conversations with the organization about the future" ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/7ld5P0B88E

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 10, 2025

Both Wilson and Justin Fields hit free agency after the 2024 season, and team owner Art Rooney said last week the Steelers "probably won't wind up bringing them both back."

"I think both of them see themselves as starters, and I don't know that they want to share the same job again next year," Rooney said, per ESPN's Brooke Pryor.

Both Wilson and Fields have expressed interest in being the Steelers' QB1 next season.

Days after the Steelers were eliminated from the Wild Card round with a Jan. 11 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Wilson told reporters returning to Pittsburgh in 2025 was "the plan."

"I just love the guys," Wilson said. "I love the locker room. I love Coach Tomlin... I love playing the game. And, you know, if it works out that way, I'm excited to do that for the black and gold again."

Two weeks earlier, Fields had told Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review he wanted to be in Pittsburgh next season.

"I'm kind of tired of learning a new offense every year," Fields said. "This will be my third in four years. Of course I'd love to be back, but that's all up to God at the end of the day. I'll be where God wants me to be."

Schefter reported on Sunday night that the Steelers have spoken with both Fields and Wilson so far this offseason.

As of Sunday, the Steelers were "still undecided" as to which of the free agent quarterbacks they would re-sign, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport.

Per Pelissero and Rapoport, the Steelers are looking to sign one Wilson or Fields to "a short-term deal while also continuing to seek a long-term answer, potentially through the draft."

That matches what Rooney said earlier this month, when he said the Steelers would be targeting quarterbacks in the 2025 and 2026 drafts, per Pryor.

Wilson, who turned 36 in November, is likely to be targeting a short-term contract regardless of where he ends after the dissolution of his previous deal with the Denver Broncos.

Fields, who will turn 26 in March, could look to earn a longer-term contract if he can take the next step in his development on a prove-it deal next season.

Schefter said Sunday there were "a number of teams interested" in Fields should he depart from the Steelers this offseason. Free agency interest from other franchises could encourage the Steelers to make their quarterback decision as soon as possible.

Russell Wilson signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season, and it seems like his time with the AFC North team may be limited to just that one year.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated wrote about the situation Monday and said he feels "Wilson is going elsewhere" this offseason.

"This week some pro-Wilson narratives surfaced, and my sense is that probably wouldn't be very well received by the Steelers as they mull their future at the position," he wrote while also noting the team is interested in bringing Justin Fields back but not as the surefire starter and instead someone who would once again have to compete for playing time.

Fields started the 2024 campaign under center because of Wilson's calf injury, and the former Chicago Bears signal-caller went 4-2 as a starter with 10 total touchdowns to one interception.

JUSTIN FIELDS TO CALVIN AUSTIN III. 55-YARD TD.

📺: #LACvsPIT on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/IyvXrXm1pU

— NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2024

However, head coach Mike Tomlin made the switch to Wilson when the veteran was healthy, and it seemed to be the right call when Pittsburgh went 6-1 in the next seven games. Yet the team then dropped the final four regular-season games before losing to the rival Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Wild Card Round.

The Steelers didn't reach the 20-point mark in any of those final five contests and now have a decision to make at the most important position.

"Wilson wasn't an innocent bystander in all of that. His limitations in the dropback game, and throwing the ball over the middle of the field, could only be worked around for so long," Breer wrote. "And so some friction surfaced as the season circled the drain, and the collapse showed that, while the Steelers are consistently in the running, they aren't all that close to the elite."

Fields is just 25 years old, while Wilson is 36. If both have limitations, it makes more sense to bring back the younger one who at least brings his elite running ability to the table, which can add another element to the offense.

There was a time when Wilson was one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL during his peak on the Seattle Seahawks, but he was just 26th in the league in QBR during the 2024 season, per Pro Football Reference.

Signs are indicating the Steelers will move on this offseason, which means he will likely need to find another team looking for a veteran option who could either start or be a bridge quarterback until someone younger is ready to take over.

Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett communicated a trade request to the team "weeks" before he went public with the demand.

Garrett announced Feb. 3 in a statement he wants out, citing his desire to win a Super Bowl title.

Breaking: Reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year and #Browns star Myles Garrett has requested a trade.

Exclusive statement: pic.twitter.com/LgS5YCeCnP

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 3, 2025

According to The MMQB's Albert Breer, however, "his request had been in for a couple of weeks."

"My sense would be that the request becoming public came as a result of some level of frustration from the former Defensive Player of the Year," Breer said. "The Browns told him they wouldn't deal him. They've messaged that to other teams. And Cleveland planting its feet in the ground on that would motivate Garrett to go public."

At least one NFL personnel evaluator has serious doubts the Browns actually trade Garrett.

"There is no way they are going to trade that guy," the anonymous exec said to The Athletic's Mike Sando. "They would be crazy to. I think they are just going to sit on it and simmer it down. That said, when (offensive guard Joel) Bitonio came out and said he had doubts as well, it affirmed for me that this is all about Deshaun Watson. I think they want him out of the building and they want a clear path to no more drama."

An immediate reaction from many was that the six-time Pro Bowler's days in Cleveland are numbered.

Thanks in part to the Deshaun Watson trade being such a spectacular failure, whatever title window the Browns once had seems to have closed. Beyond the extent to which Garrett's trade request will linger around the organization, dealing him might be the most straightforward way for the front office to accelerate a rebuild.

Maybe the anonymous executive's read on the situation will instead prove to be correct.

Soon, free agency and the NFL draft will give fans something else to talk about, thus taking the focus away from Garrett and his future in Cleveland. General manager Andrew Berry might in turn feel a little less pressure to act.

Still, it's tough to see what the front office can do to address Garrett's concerns when the Browns are projected to be more than $30.1 million over the salary cap. Cutting ties with Watson is out of the question, too, thanks to the financial consequences.

Cleveland is going to have a new starting quarterback for 2025; that much is clear. The team may struggle to identify one who's enough of an upgrade to lift the team into contention.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow doesn't want to lose his top two targets to free agency, and he is reportedly doing what he can to convince the team to keep both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

"He is putting the hammer on them," an NFL executive said in a Monday story by Mike Sando of The Athletic.

Higgins is scheduled for free agency this offseason after playing the 2024 campaign on the franchise tag, while Chase has one year remaining on his deal. While Burrow signed a five-year, $275 million contract extension in 2023, he has publicly said he is willing to restructure his deal to help keep the wide receivers in Cincinnati.

"I'm of the thought that when he decided not to make an Eli Manning situation with Cincinnati in the draft, that he had talks beforehand about how they were going to proceed with player acquisition," another executive said, per Sando. "And now it is to the point where they have to hold up their end of the bargain."

Former Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer famously demanded a trade from Cincinnati during his career, but one executive said the situation is different with Burrow.

"Carson got hurt in a playoff game, but Joe got them to the Super Bowl," the exec said. "That carries a lot of weight going forward. The issue is going to be, will they spend money elsewhere, at a level necessary to keep guys? I think that this time they might. I'm not saying they will have a wholesale change in their philosophy. Joe has the leverage to have them do something that they might not have wanted to do."

Committing to Burrow in 2023 the way the Bengals did and then not spending to keep his top two receivers would undercut the team-building process for a franchise looking to take the next step as a contender.

Will Ja'Marr Chase take home OPOY this year? 🐅 @Surface

📺: #NFLHonors – Thursday 2/6 9pm ET on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/Xp9lsL8tEo

— NFL (@NFL) January 29, 2025

Cincinnati made the Super Bowl during the 2021 campaign and reached the AFC Championship Game the following year with the star quarterback leading the way. Even its down seasons in 2023 and 2024 saw it finish with a winning record of 9-8 in large part because of the brilliance of Burrow, Chase and the passing game.

Chase in particular was unstoppable this past season and led the NFL in catches (127), receiving yards (1,708) and touchdown catches (17). Higgins had back-to-back seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards in 2021 and 2022 and set a career-high with touchdown catches (10) in 2024.

Both receivers and Burrow are in their 20s, so it is not difficult to envision the trio leading the Bengals for years to come.

But first the front office has to commit to paying the necessary contracts to keep the pass-catchers in town.

Tee Higgins, wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals, is uncertain about his future with the team as he approaches free agency next month.

"Obviously, we want to build something here in Cincy, but it's not in my hands right now," Higgins told reporters. "I've got to do what I've got to do and if that's go to another team, you know, that's what happens."

"Obviously, we want to build something here in Cincy, but it's not in my hands right now. I've got to do what I've got to do and if that's go to another team, you know, that's what happens."

See the rest of our interview with Tee Higgins tonight on @FOX19 after #SuperBowlLIX pic.twitter.com/dpwIiwCp98

— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) February 9, 2025

After finishing season with 911 yards, 10 touchdowns (a career high) and 73 receptions, Higgins and the Bengals have yet to reach an agreement on a contract renewal, something they were not able to finalize last season.

Unable to strike a longer-term deal, Higgins signed a one-year, $21.8 million contract with the Bengals. The team finished the season 9-8 and missed the postseason.

With that in mind, Higgins is now considering his future beyond Cincinnati, the only team he's played for over the past five years.

"I'm just trying to stay away from it right now," Higgins added. "Clear my head, get away from the game, especially after tonight, clear my head. Get away from the game for a few weeks. And then, obviously, in March that's when things start ramping up for me, with free agency coming up, and I would love to be here in Cincinnati. I love it here. I love the city. I love the fans. I love coaching staff—everything that we're building. But it's out of my control."

TEE HIGGINS' THIRD TOUCHDOWN OF THE GAME TO BEAT DENVER IN OT 🔥

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/ZnP1RWP59d

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) December 29, 2024

In addition to focusing on his own future, Higgins would like to see the majority of the Bengals' core stay intact heading into next season. That certainly includes tight end Mike Gesicki, who will become an unrestricted free agent and finished the season with 665 yards and two touchdowns.

"Yeah, of course, we all want to keep the core pieces what it is (right now) even with Mike Gesicki," Higgins said to Danneman. "That's a core piece as well. So obviously, we want to build something here in Cincy. But you know, it's not in my hands right now. So I got to do what I need to do and if that's go to another team. That's what happens."

With many moving pieces expected for Cincinnati in the offseason, the 26-year-old wide receiver, Higgins, would undoubtedly attract a lot of interest if the Bengals were to move on from him.

Derrick Henry's first season with the Baltimore Ravens couldn't have gone much better, and the AFC North team may look to extend his contract beyond just the 2025 campaign.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported Sunday that she expects the Ravens to "explore a contract extension" since there is only one year remaining on the deal. She also noted she asked the running back about it Thursday, and he said, "I love Baltimore. I want to finish my career in Baltimore."

That will be welcome news to Ravens fans, as he was dominant in 2024 with 1,921 yards and a league-best 16 touchdowns on the ground.

Opposing defenses had to pick their poison with a backfield of Henry and quarterback Lamar Jackson, as either of them are capable of taking it to the end zone on any single run. And if defensive ends or linebackers hesitate for even a second to make sure Jackson didn't keep it, Henry can blow right past them with his combination of size and speed.

KING. HENRY. 👑

📺: #CLEvsBAL on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/IVEuCo53Mm

— NFL (@NFL) January 5, 2025

Running back is not exactly the position known for long-term durability in today's NFL, but Henry appears to be quite an exception.

He is 31 years old and led the league in rushing attempts in four of the previous five seasons before he joined Baltimore. The toll of that wear-and-tear would likely be too much for most running backs to remain effective, but he is still among the NFL's best.

All he did in 2024 was average a career-best 5.9 yards per rushing attempt with the Ravens and showed no signs of slowing down.

Given that as the backdrop, it comes as no surprise Baltimore would want to bring him back.

Myles Garrett has already spoken in depth about his desire to be traded from the Cleveland Browns this offseason, citing a desire to compete for championships, and has previously mentioned consulting LeBron James on the decision.

On Sunday, he spoke again on those topics during an appearance on ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown:

"I have a lot of love for Northeast Ohio ... I want to get to contending and winning playoff games and having a chance to be in games like today."

Myles Garrett laid out why he requested a trade from the Browns. pic.twitter.com/iSPEfs2CZ0

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 9, 2025

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This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers will have to make a decision at quarterback this offseason, with both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields hitting free agency.

If they choose not to keep Fields, however, don't expect him to be a free agent for long.

"The Steelers have made it very clear they'd like to bring back one of those two quarterbacks. They've spoken to [Wilson], they'll be talking to Fields," ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Sunday. "But there will be a market for Fields. A number of teams interested in him, and we'll see whether or not that includes Pittsburgh."

Some quarterback storylines: pic.twitter.com/uF7lV32MFW

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 9, 2025

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This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis.

For more from Bleacher Report on this topic and from around the sports world, check out our B/R app, homepage and social feeds—including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

The Cincinnati Bengals will have to make a decision on the future of Trey Hendrickson ahead of the 2025 season.

The veteran pass-rusher—who led football with 17.5 sacks this past season—will be making just $16 million in 2025 and will be a free agent following the season. He already requested a trade ahead of the 2024 campaign, though the Bengals obviously didn't grant it.

As Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport noted on Sunday, "Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said recently they'll try to extend Hendrickson but noted both sides must agree. Cincinnati rarely makes trades, with Tobin often noting that he doesn't like to trade away great players. But if Hendrickson became available, there would be a strong market."

It could be quite the offseason in the edge-rusher market, with Myles Garrett already requesting a trade and Micah Parsons an interesting trade candidate if the Dallas Cowboys decide they don't want to reset the market with an extension to keep him for the long term.

Losing Hendrickson would be a major blow, no doubt—he has 57 sacks since joining the Bengals in 2021—but it might be necessary from a salary cap perspective if the Bengals want to keep both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins at wideout. It seems more likely, however, that both Chase and Hendrickson will get extensions and Higgins will walk in free agency.

Myles Garrett wants to be traded, and the Cleveland Browns don't want to trade him.

And, reportedly, both sides have remained firm in their position in recent days.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport reported Sunday that Cleveland's "stance hasn't changed" regarding Garrett's trade request.

It was clear Garrett's future would be a major talking point during the upcoming offseason when the pass-rusher requested a trade Monday with a statement that explained he wants to win a Super Bowl and believes it will be easier to make that happen away from Cleveland:

Breaking: Reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year and #Browns star Myles Garrett has requested a trade.

Exclusive statement: pic.twitter.com/LgS5YCeCnP

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 3, 2025

However, a Browns spokesperson told Tom Withers of the Associated Press, "we aren't entertaining trade offers for Myles."

What's more, general manager Andrew Berry told reporters last month, "We always have a really good and direct two-way communication with our players. We feel really good about Myles obviously as a big piece of our future. We're looking forward to him being on the field. Like I said in my (early January) press conference, we envision him going from Cleveland to Canton when his career is over."

That may be Cleveland's position, but things can change.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic noted teams from both conferences have called the Browns and been told, "We are not moving him… but stay tuned."

She also reported she believes potential suitors want to complete a trade prior to the start of the new league year on March 12, which is notable because Garrett has been in New Orleans ahead of the Super Bowl because he "knows the league's biggest decision-makers are all in town."

Russini continued, adding, "publicly, the Browns are standing firm, but behind the scenes? This isn't a smoke screen. Sources close to Garrett say he's not bluffing."

Myles Garrett the game wrecker 😤@Browns recover the fumble!#PITvsCLE on Prime Video
Also streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/kMpAX5LOvw

— NFL (@NFL) November 22, 2024

While no team wants to lose a player of Garrett's caliber, this could at least be an opportunity for a Browns team coming off a 3-14 season to accelerate a rebuild with significant draft capital or younger players.

Pelissero and Rapoport suggested the six-time Pro Bowler "would be expected to command massive trade compensation" seeing how he is still just 29 years old with two years remaining on his current deal.

He wouldn't just be a short-term rental for a potential contender that needs to bolster its pass-rush, which would give the AFC North team the chance to demand plenty in return.

First, the Browns front office will have to change the way it feels about the situation.