July in the NFL is about money and mayhem.<\/p>\n
Which contract extensions get done? Which don\u2019t \u2026 and create bad blood?<\/p>\n
Who gets released or traded \u2014 and how do those moves reshape contenders?<\/p>\n
Whose injury recovery isn\u2019t as promising as originally advertised?<\/p>\n
Who lands in hot water off the field?<\/p>\n
Here are seven things unsettled as the NFL creeps toward the start of training camps:<\/p>\n
1. Are Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield going to sign new contracts?<\/strong><\/p>\n Jackson\u2019s contract negotiations are historically unpredictable.<\/p>\n Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) works out during NFL football practice, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Owings Mills, Md. AP Photo\/Nick Wass<\/p>\n The two-time MVP is signed through 2027, and Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti is committed to extending him, though it seemed last season that Jackson and the team weren\u2019t always on the same page.<\/p>\n Enter a new coaching staff.<\/p>\n Patrick Mahomes\u2019 new contract pays him a top-of-market $64 million average annual value. Will the Ravens go there for Jackson?<\/p>\n Mayfield set a deadline for the Buccaneers: New deal by the start of training camp or play out the season. He has outperformed his rank as the No. 16-highest paid quarterback ($33.3 million AAV) over the past two seasons and wants to find a \u201cmiddle ground,\u201d though reports say the sides remain far apart.<\/p>\n Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) waits to work on a passing drill with teammates during mandatory mini-camp at the AdventHealth Training Center in Tampa on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. ZUMAPRESS.com<\/p>\n 2. Is Brandon Aiyuk going to play anywhere this season?<\/strong><\/p>\n Aiyuk\u2019s four-year, $120 million extension with the 49ers is in the conversation for worst-ever contract considering head coach Kyle Shanahan intervened to stop a September 2024 trade to the Steelers because the receiver was coming off a 1,342-yard season. Since then, Aiyuk has played seven games due to a combination of injury and a bitter feud that included the 49ers voiding his guaranteed money<\/a>.<\/p>\n And yet the more he uses unhinged social-media rants to try to talk his way out of town \u2014 and to the Commanders and with former Arizona State teammate Jayden Daniels \u2014 the more the 49ers seem to dig their heels in on not releasing him. And the fewer suitors seem eager to add a potential locker-room cancer.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s not doing himself any favors,\u201d one NFL source told The Post.<\/p>\n 3. When are Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson going to reset the running-back market?<\/strong><\/p>\n The 2024 NFL leader in touchdowns from scrimmage (Lions\u2019 Gibbs, 20) and 2025 leader in yards from scrimmage (Falcons\u2019 Robinson, 2,298) are both due extensions.<\/p>\n They waited for the Jets\u2019 Breece Hall (three years, $43.5 million<\/a>) and Dolphins\u2019 De\u2019Von Achane (four years, $64 million<\/a>) to get paid this offseason.<\/p>\n Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) runs with the ball on the field during minicamp. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n Both Gibbs \u2014 who is now in the workhorse role for the first time \u2014 and Robinson should surpass the Eagles\u2019 Saquon Barkley\u2019s $20.6 million AAV. Are they just waiting on each other?<\/p>\n \u201cWhoever goes second,\u201d a second source said, \u201cwill be the new highest-paid back.\u201d<\/p>\n The Falcons already spent to extend tight end Kyle Pitts (three years, $54 million) and receiver Drake London (four years, $141 million).<\/p>\n If either contract doesn\u2019t get done before training camp, could a surprise hold-in be in store?<\/p>\n 4. Are the Cardinals going to keep their stars or embrace the tank?<\/strong><\/p>\n Speaking of hold-ins, the Cardinals are playing with fire at the start of head coach Mike LaFleur\u2019s tenure.<\/p>\n Seeking a raise commensurate with starting quarterbacks, journeyman Jacoby Brissett didn\u2019t practice in minicamp. Does he have leverage, or are the Cardinals ready to roll with Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck considering Brissett was 1-11 as a fill-in starter last season?<\/p>\n Pass-rusher Josh Sweat delivered 12 sacks on the first year of a four-year, $76 million contract, but indications are that he wants to be traded, eyeing a reunion with Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.<\/p>\n Is former starter James Conner going to be traded to a team light on running backs? He took a pay cut to stick after the additions of Tyler Allgeier and Jeremiyah Love.<\/p>\n 5. Where will the top win-now free agents sign?<\/strong><\/p>\n Stefon Diggs, 32, wears out his welcome fast (three teams in the past three seasons), but his production for the Patriots was undeniable (85 catches for 1,013 yards).<\/p>\n Deebo Samuel, 30, shook off his injury-prone label to contribute 72 catches for 727 yards to the 2025 Commanders.<\/p>\n It would be interesting if they essentially traded places, but don\u2019t count out the Vikings and Chiefs in the receiver market.<\/p>\n Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) runs the ball during the second quarter of the Jets and New England Patriots game in East Rutherford, NJ. Bill Kostroun\/New York Post<\/p>\n Left tackle Taylor Decker, 32, might have miscalculated his demand by asking for his release from the Lions. He could be a stopgap for the Cowboys or Steelers \u2014 or do the all-in Rams act fearing that Alaric Jackson could be subject to league discipline for his arrest (no felony charge) on suspicion of domestic battery?<\/p>\n Will the 49ers sign Joey Bosa, 30, to pair him on the defensive line with his brother? Retirement can\u2019t be ruled out.<\/p>\n 6. Will Alvin Kamara be traded or released?<\/strong><\/p>\n The Saints\u2019 all-time leading rusher is a fan favorite and doesn\u2019t want to leave. At least not when the Saints reportedly haven\u2019t yet approached him about a pay cut to lessen his $10.5 million salary-cap charge.<\/p>\n But it could be a win-win to let Kamara, 30, chase a Super Bowl ring elsewhere and let the Saints start fresh with free-agent signing Travis Etienne and three young backups.<\/p>\n 7. Will Mahomes, Bo Nix and Daniel Jones be ready for training camp?<\/strong><\/p>\n Keep an eye on social media. That\u2019s usually where injured players post workout videos to create buzz about their recovery.<\/p>\n The story is the same for quarterbacks of three AFC contenders coming off major injuries: The Chiefs\u2019 Mahomes (torn ACL), Broncos\u2019 Nix (fractured ankle) and Colts\u2019 Jones (torn Achilles) all participated in 7-on-7 during minicamp and all are expected to be ready for training camp.<\/p>\n No need to be pessimistic now, but expectations often change when it\u2019s time for 11-on-11.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"July in the NFL is about money and mayhem. Which contract extensions get done? Which don\u2019t \u2026 and…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":913474,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[39],"tags":[29354,29288,1232,271045,25663,62,61680,20026,67,132,68],"class_list":["post-913473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nfl","tag-baker-mayfield","tag-lamar-jackson","tag-nfl","tag-nfl-free-agency-2026","tag-nfl-free-agency","tag-sports","tag-stefon-diggs","tag-training-camp","tag-united-states","tag-unitedstates","tag-us"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116865604471924998","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/913473","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=913473"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/913473\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/913474"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=913473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=913473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=913473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}