Despite NFL free agency and the NFL Draft being well in the rearview at this point, there are still moves that could be made. Just as importantly, with minicamps all but being wrapped up and training camps beginning sooner than you might think, there are players who we certainly have our eyes on as potential breakout stars. Just because we're in the dead of summer doesn't mean that guys like Jalen Ramsey and Terry McLaurin can't still be traded, or that Drake Maye can't win over New England Patriots fans more than he already has.
Here are the NFL news and rumors that fans need to know from around the league right now as the offseason inches closer to training camp.
Jalen Ramsey trade to Steelers now looks unlikely
While the Los Angeles Rams were considered the initial favorties to acquire All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey via trade as the Miami Dolphins aim to move on, the Pittsburgh Steelers later emerged as a potential suitor. In fact, there were some rumblings on social media that Mike Tomlin's club was all but a done deal to bring Ramsey into the fold and substantially upgrade the secondary. That, however, might not be the case after all.
NFL insider Adam Schefter appeared on ESPN Radio in LA on Tuesday and indicated that, though the Steelers have checked in on Ramsey and the potential workings of a trade, that Pittsburgh isn't considered a "likely destination" for the star cornerback at this time (h/t Steelers Now). Beyond that, though we have to consider where he was making the appearance, Schefter noted that the Rams and Chargers are the favorites for Ramsey as of right now.
Of course, this is the NFL and situations can turn on a dime. For the Steelers, the secondary headlined by Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay could certainly be upgraded by a player of Ramsey's caliber, even at this point in his career. Perhaps they reinsert themselves into the conversation there, but for now, it doesn't seem like Pittsburgh has another big trade up their sleeves after acquiring DK Metcalf and sending away George Pickens already this offseason.
Terry McLaurin connected to Raiders amid contract holdout
One of the big stories out of minicamps was Washington Commanders star wide receiver Terry McLaurin holding out as he enters the final year of his contract. That, naturally, raised some speculation that he could potentially be traded. That's something that David Helman of FOX Sports unpacked, among other holdouts this offseason, as he identified the best fits for these players if they were to be traded. For McLaurin, it was the Las Vegas Raiders that emerged as the top landing spot.
Here's what Helman had to say on the matter:
"But if I’m dreaming up a perfect landing spot for McLaurin, Vegas really sounds fun. Talk about a big swing for a team that hasn’t had a lot to get excited about. The Raiders are already in decent shape for Geno Smith’s first season. Brock Bowers is a star, and Ashton Jeanty should be one soon. Jakobi Meyers is a solid receiver, but Vegas still needs to upgrade its receiver room. Rather than take your chances in the draft, why not ship a pick or two to Washington and lock in McLaurin for the rest of his prime?"
Helman did, crucially, note that he doesn't expect the Commanders to trade McLaurin. Given the investment in second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels, that makes complete sense as having Scary Terry and Deebo Samuel as the WR1 and 2 in some order is part of the plan to further elevate the offense under Kliff Kingsbury. Having said that, if things continue to go south in contract negotiations, the Raiders are a fascinating fit for all the reasons mentioned.
After hiring Pete Carroll as the team's next head coach, it's clear that the Raiders are doing everything possible to try and win now. Acquiring a target like McLaurin to fit into this offense with Geno Smith would certainly be a massive leap of faith in that regard.
Josh Allen adds fuel to Drake Maye breakout season fire
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye were compared to one another when the latter was coming out of North Carolina into the draft. They're about to have even more in common this season, though, when Stefon Diggs suits up for the Patriots as he played several seasons with the Bills as well and was instrumental in Allen's development and emergence as a superstar in the league.
Allen, meanwhile, has his own expectations and hype for Maye. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Allen was asked about the impact Diggs could have with Maye. While he was favorable of that new connection, he also couldn't stop glowing about his division rival quarterback and seemingly set the stage for him to break out in a massive way.
"I think Drake is super talented, he’s one of my favorite young quarterbacks in the league," Allen said. "I've spent some time around him and he's got his head on his shoulders the right way. He just does things the right way. I think that he exemplifies football."
That's high praise from one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, much less someone who's going to be squaring off with Maye twice per season for the foreseeable future. That praise, however, continues what we're hearing. Despite an awful situation as a rookie, Maye still found ways to shine. Now, with Diggs, Kyle Williams, an improved offensive line and a new coaching regime, the situation has improved drastically. If Allen and the hype are to be believed, a big season could be brewing for the Patriots second-year quarterback.
Cowboys confident in Tyler Booker as a Day 1 starter
Dallas Cowboys fans weren't all that happy in the immediate aftermath of the first round in the 2025 NFL Draft. Tyler Booker was a good player at Alabama, no doubt, but the fact that Jerry Jones and his braintrust selected a guard at No. 12 overall seemed like a massive reach in terms of positional value, especially with options like Matthew Golden, Jalon Walker and others at more premium positions still on the board.
Since the draft, though, Booker's stock has been on the rise. He's said the right things, his fit after Zack Martin's retirement is obvious, and it could help Brian Schottenheimer return the Cowboys to their longstanding DNA in the trenches that they've recently lost. More importantly, the feeling coming out of offseason minicamps appears to be, at least in the building, that Dallas hit a home run.
ESPN's Cowboys insider Todd Archer noted that Booker has been running with the starters and is being viewed "as a Day 1 starter" in the same vein as Martin, Tyler Smith, Tyron Smith and many other Cowboys first-round picks on the offensive line. Dak Prescott was also highly complimentary of Booker's work without pads, particularly his willingness to learn and doing the job the right way.
Booker coming in and slotting into Martin's role at guard right away could be massively important for the Cowboys. For all of the talk and criticism of the Cowboys running backs a season ago, the offensive line took a massive step back. If they can shore that up as Prescott returns healthy, Dallas has viable postseason aspirations. The early returns on Booker suggest that they're on the right track.