The Detroit Lions and Jared Goff have agreed to a four-year, $212 million contract extension with $170 million guaranteed, ESPN and NFL Network reported Monday.

• Goff, 29, was entering the final year of a contract he signed with the Rams before the 2021 trade that sent Goff to Detroit and Matthew Stafford to Los Angeles.

  Goff's reported $53 million annual average value would rank second in the NFL behind Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who has a $55 million AAV. Burrow signed a five-year, $275 million deal last September.

  After Goff took the Lions to their first playoff appearance since 2016 and their first division title since 1993, general manager Brad Holmes said the quarterback had "earned an extension" and negotiations were ongoing.

  Detroit worked out new deals for offensive tackle Penei Sewell and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown last month.

  Goff completed 67.3 percent of his passes for 4,575 yards and 30 touchdowns against 12 interceptions last season while leading Detroit to its first division title since 1993 and its first two playoff wins since the 1991 season.

  --Field Level Media

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are making Antoine Winfield the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history.

• The All-Pro safety agreed to a four-year, $84.1 million deal that includes $45 million fully guaranteed, his agents confirmed to NFL Network on Monday.

  It marks the first time in NFL history that a safety is the league's highest-paid defensive back, per NFL Network.

  At $21.025 million per season, Winfield's deal tops the $21 million average annual value for Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander. The league's second-highest-paid safety is Derwin James of the Los Angeles Chargers with an AAV of $19.133 million, per Spotrac.

  Winfield, 25, made the All-Pro first team in 2023 with a league-high six forced fumbles, and career highs in sacks (six), tackles (122) and interceptions (three) in 17 starts.

  He has seven interceptions, 11 forced fumbles, 15 sacks and 384 tackles in 59 games (all starts) since Tampa Bay drafted him in the second round in 2020.

  Winfield is represented by David Mulugheta of Athletes First.

  --Field Level Media

The New Orleans Saints agreed to terms on a one-year deal with veteran guard Lucas Patrick.

• Agents Joel and Justin Turner said Patrick, 30, will sign his contract on Monday. Financial terms were not disclosed.

  Patrick spent the past two seasons with the Chicago Bears after five campaigns with the Green Bay Packers.

  He has started 54 of his 96 career games (including 15 starts in 2023) since going undrafted out of Duke in 2016.

  --Field Level Media

Game 1 of the 2024 NFL regular season features the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, Sept. 5.

• The Week 1 headliner was confirmed by the league as the build-up begins for a full schedule release on Wednesday night with select marquee games and dates made official by the NFL.

  The Chiefs beat the Ravens, 17-10, in the AFC Championship game to reach the Super Bowl, where Kansas City topped the San Francisco 49ers.

  This is the third time in five seasons the Chiefs and Ravens are scheduled to face off. The Thursday night primetime game has become a traditional spotlight game for the defending Super Bowl champions.

  Last season, it became a springboard for the Lions when Detroit left Arrowhead Stadium with a 21-20 win.

  Previously the NFL confirmed Game 2 of the NFL season would feature the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles on Friday, Sept. 6, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It's the first time a regular-season game is being played in South America and the first game on a Friday of the NFL's opening week since 1970.

  --Field Level Media

A.J. Smith, former general manager of the then-San Diego Chargers, died Sunday. He was 75.

• Atlanta Falcons assistant general manager Kyle Smith, the son of A.J., and his family announced the passing on Sunday. The elder Smith died after a seven-year battle with prostate cancer.

  Smith began his NFL personnel career as a scout with the New York Giants in 1977, advancing in his career until his eventual promotion to general manager with the Chargers in 2003. He held that position for 10 seasons.

  During that period, the Chargers won five division titles and finished with a .500 or better record for eight straight seasons. Smith was the winningest GM in Chargers history, as San Diego totaled 98 wins (including postseason) over his 10 seasons in charge.

  "Belying a tough, matter of fact and no-nonsense persona -- one synonymous with that of a true football guy -- was A.J.'s softer side which included a tremendous love for his family, the NFL and the Chargers," Chargers owner Dean Spanos said in a statement on Sunday. "The architect of one of the greatest chapters in franchise history, A.J. made everyone around him better with a singular focus and intensity that elevated our organization."

  Smith had some high-profile moments during his tenure in San Diego.

  Smith went ahead and selected Eli Manning with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft despite father Archie Manning requesting the team not pick his son. Smith then traded Manning to the New York Giants for quarterback Philip Rivers (the fourth pick) and also obtained draft picks used to select linebacker Shawne Merriman and kicker Nate Kaeding.

  The trade worked out for both teams with Rivers setting Chargers franchise marks of 59,271 passing yards and 397 touchdowns. Manning won two Super Bowls with the Giants.

  After Rivers' second season, Smith allowed Drew Brees to leave as a free agent and turned the club over to Rivers. Brees had injured his shoulder in the 2005 season finale and underwent major surgery before recovering to become a star with the New Orleans Saints.

  The Chargers went 14-2 in 2006 but were upended at home 24-21 in the postseason by the New England Patriots after holding an eight-point, fourth-quarter lead. That led to the firing of coach Marty Schottenheimer, who Smith had refused to talk to during the campaign due to their frosty relationship.

  The coaching search was held in February, leading to Norv Turner becoming the new coach. San Diego reached the 2007 AFC Championship Game before losing to the Patriots in Foxborough. The Chargers have not advanced that far ever since.

  Smith famously signed tight end Antonio Gates as an undrafted free agent in 2003. Gates, a college basketball player, holds the team's all-time records for receptions (955), receiving yards (11,841) and touchdown receptions (116).

  Smith and Turner were fired after a 7-9 season in 2012.

  After his tenure with San Diego, Smith spent three seasons as a consultant with Washington before announcing his retirement in 2015.

  Smith is survived by wife Susan, son Kyle, daughter Andrea, son-in-law Noah and three grandchildren.

  --Field Level Media

New England Patriots rookies - head coach Jerod Mayo and quarterback Drake Maye - spent a good deal of time together the past two days at the team's rookie camp, with Mayo taking a level approach in his initial reviews.

• "Early impressions of Drake?" Mayo said Saturday. "He has a lot to work on. But I have no doubt he'll put the work in."

  Maye, the Patriots' first-round pick (No. 3 overall) from North Carolina, has not yet been named the starter but that's widely expected to come this summer.

  Until then, Mayo will watch closely and continue to challenge the 21-year-old quarterback.

  "He has a lot to work on. A lot to work on ...," Mayo continued. "He was here all night trying to get on the same page as everyone else."

  While "all night" might be a stretch, Mayo underscored the importance of spending quality time with his rookies.

  "We'll be here ‘til 7, 8, 9 o'clock," he said. "Go in for a lift, then we have some meetings.

  "The best thing about mini-camp is being around the guys for the first time. We're at the hotel together. We're right across the hallway from each other, so we'll watch the film and look at the scripts for the next day together. We've got nothing else to do up here. Why not focus on football?"

  Among Maye's future targets, wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk spoke highly when asked for his evaluation of Maye.

  "Guy can sling it," said Polk, New England's second-round selection. "Very confident and vocal. He's a leader.

  "He's setting the tone in practice, trying to get guys moving around and operating at a high level. This is new to all of us. We're still learning and trying to get to know each other so everybody can get on the same page."

  Much of Maye's early work centered on fundamentals.

  "I'm trying out two new stances that I'm getting used to," he said. "Just getting more reps at it. Footwork is huge. It's something that's not easy."

  Along with Mayo, Maye will lean on Mayo as well as New England offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, offensive assistant coach Ben McAdoo and quarterbacks coach T.C. McCartney.

  "T.C. is talking to us during the meetings," Maye said, "Coach Van Pelt will chime in when he needs to. (McAdoo) is awesome. All three of them know a lot of football."

  -Field Level Media

The New England Patriots named Eliot Wolf their executive vice president of player personnel on Saturday.

• Wolf, 42, has 20 seasons of NFL experience, including the last four as director of scouting for the Patriots. His duties will include overseeing the personnel department, managing the salary cap and control of the 53-man roster.

  The Patriots also have a first-year head coach in Jerod Mayo.

  "As I have stated multiple times during the offseason, the plan was to observe the working relationship and involvement between Eliot and Jerod and see how they managed our offseason personnel decisions," Patriots CEO Robert Kraft said in a news release. "Then, following the draft we would formally undertake a process for setting up the permanent structure of our personnel department.

  "I have been impressed with Eliot's management style and experience and I'm excited that he has agreed to take on this new position."

  Wolf previously spent time with the Green Bay Packers (2004-17) and Cleveland Browns (2018-19). He was assistant general manager with the Browns.

  "It is an honor to accept this position with the New England Patriots," Wolf said. "I am grateful to the Kraft family for this opportunity and want to thank my family, especially my wife and children, for the support and strength they have given me as I move forward in my new role. I also want to thank all of the people I have worked with and learned from over the years."

  Wolf is the son of former Packers general manager Ron Wolf, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.

  --Field Level Media

Bill Belichick isn't coaching an NFL franchise this season, but he'll still be on television screens often during the 2024 NFL season.

• Peyton Manning, who with his brother, Eli, hosts the "ManningCast" on ESPN -- officially called "Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli" -- said the coach will appear on every episode during the upcoming season.

  "ManningCast" airs as an alternative viewing format for the majority of, but not all, "Monday Night Football" games.

  Peyton Manning told "The Pat McAfee Show" on ESPN on Friday that Belichick will be on the show every week, likely early in the game, to share his expertise.

  "That's the idea, that Bill is going to be a permanent guest on every 'ManningCast' show early in the game, probably the first quarter," Manning explained, "to kind of take people behind the ropes as to what this defense has to do or what the quarterback's challenges are."

  The Manning brothers have a long history with Bill Belichick, who won six Super Bowl games with the New England Patriots. He and the team, which he started coaching in 2000, mutually split after a 4-13 season in 2023.

  Peyton and Tom Brady were the preeminent quarterbacks of their era, engaging in a head-to-head rivalry that saw Brady's Patriots beat Peyton's Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos 11 times in 17 attempts.

  Eli's New York Giants beat the Patriots twice in the Super Bowl, to conclude the 2007 and 2011 seasons.

  Belichick has been coveted for television jobs, and he agreed to join Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions.

  "It was an easy pitch to Bill. I said, 'Bill, we want you to come on. Look, we'd love to go behind the ropes on the defensive side as to kind of what the Eagles are going to have to do to stop Patrick Mahomes, right?'And if you ever run out of things to say, just make fun of Eli, right? That's always sort of a time-filler,'" Peyton said.

  "And Bill doesn't like Eli. We all know that -- two Super Bowls -- so it's just a match made in heaven."

  --Field Level Media

Denver Broncos first-round draft pick Bo Nix signed his four-year rookie contract.

• The team announced the signing but not the terms for the quarterback, who was selected with the 12th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. Multiple reports said the fully guaranteed deal is worth $18.6 million with a signing bonus of $10.36 million and includes the standard team option for a fifth season.

  "I don't want to just be a draft pick," Nix said. "I want to be able to show my improvements and show that I can do what (they) picked me to do, and that's to go out there and help win games (and) do whatever I can to put his team in a better situation."

  Nix, 24, completed 77.4 percent of his passes and threw for 4,508 yards and 45 touchdowns while getting picked off just three times for Oregon last season. He was named the 2023 Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year.

  Nix will compete with Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham for the starting role in Denver.

  --Field Level Media

The Arizona Cardinals brought more help for quarterback Kyler Murray, agreeing to terms Friday with free agent receiver Zay Jones, according to multiple reports.

• Arizona selected top wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. fourth overall at the NFL draft last month.

  Multiple reports peg the one-year deal with Jones to be worth $4.25 million.

  After three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jones was released April 30 following the draft, in which the Jaguars selected LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. 23rd overall.

  Jones, 29, reportedly also drew interest from the Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys.

  Selected by the Buffalo Bills 37th overall pick in 2017, Jones also played for the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders before spending the past two seasons in Jacksonville.

  Jones caught 47 passes for the Raiders in 2021 and 82 for 823 yards in 2022 with the AFC South champion Jaguars.

  He started 15 of the 16 games he played in 2022.

  Injuries and misdemeanor domestic battery charges were among Jones' troubles last season, though the court case was subsequently dropped.

  Jones played in only nine games in 2023, catching 34 passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns.

  Over his eight NFL seasons (104 games, 67 starts), Jones has 287 receptions, 3.028 yards and 18 touchdowns..

  -Field Level Media

Aidan O'Connell started 10 games as a rookie for the Las Vegas Raiders and has shown further progression in the offseason.

• So despite the addition of veteran Gardner Minshew, O'Connell is the early leader in the club's quarterback battle.

  "Aidan's earned the right to go out there and earn the first snap," Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said Friday. "What he's done this offseason -- changing his body, his work ethic, being here every day, blocking out the outside noise. He's not worried about anything. I'm excited.

  "Then you bring Gardner in here ... talk about personality. ... It's great. It's great for our building. It's great for our quarterback room. And if you got competition in the quarterback room, what does every other room look at?"

  O'Connell, 25, completed 62.1 percent of his passes for 2,218 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 11 games last season after being a fourth-round pick out of Purdue. He was 5-5 in his 10 starts.

  He was especially good late in the season, firing eight touchdown passes against no interceptions over the final four games.

  Minshew, who turns 28 next Thursday, was signed in the offseason as a free agent after spending last season with the Indianapolis Colts. He passed for 3,305 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 17 games (13 starts) and was a Pro Bowler for the first time.

  But with the Colts committed to Anthony Richardson as their long-term option at quarterback, Minshew departed and chose the Raiders as his best option to get on the field in 2024.

  Las Vegas general manager Tom Telesco says his team has two good options at quarterback competing for the job.

  "That's the plan is to have both those guys really compete through the offseason program, but more so in training camp, and we'll see how it plays out," Telesco said.

  "I thought Aidan did an excellent job last year in a really difficult situation where the head coach changed, the (offensive) coordinator changed and he played really good football down the stretch. I've had a chance to be around him a little bit more in the building and you kind of see the quarterback intangibles that are there, which is nice to have, that you have to have as a franchise quarterback.

  "And then with Gardner, you know, Gardner played well last year with the Colts. I mean, he was in the Pro Bowl, so obviously had a pretty good year. He's always performed at a high level when he's given that opportunity, so to have both those guys here competing for the job, we'll see how it goes."

  Pierce is in his first full season as Raiders coach after replacing the fired Josh McDaniels at midseason and guiding Las Vegas to a 5-4 record over the final nine games. And he likes what he sees, while understanding that the season is still four months away.

  "What I see is guys getting out there early," Pierce said. "Aidan is already kind of taking the bull by the horn and he's leading the way, and Minshew's right there doing it as well.

  "Two guys that played against each other last year, they went neck to neck. But I'm really excited to see what happens. I think it's going to be a process. We're going to stick to the process."

  --Field Level Media

Chicago Bears rookie Caleb Williams on Friday was named the team's starting quarterback for the upcoming season.

• The announcement comes as little surprise, given the Bears selected Williams with the top overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Southern California.

  Tyson Bagent, 23, is expected to serve as the backup. He started four games as an undrafted rookie last season.

  Bears coach Matt Eberflus didn't mince words when announcing the decision on Williams.

  "No conversation. He's the starter," Eberflus said.

  Williams, 22, said he's ready to take the steps to learn how to lead.

  "To be a great leader, you have to learn how to follow first. So right now I'm following all the vets, I'm following all the coaches, I'm listening -- having both ears open and my mouth shut -- just kind of sitting back listening," he said. "When I get to the point of when I learn everything, when I learn the ways of how we do it, the culture, the playbook and what the offensive line, wide receivers are all doing, running backs and tight ends, things like that, then you can start taking the lead, then you can start taking the helms of it and take the next steps.

  "For right now though, I'm listening more than I'm speaking and talking and I'm taking it one step at a time and being in the moment."

  Williams won the Heisman Trophy in 2022 and passed for 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns and five interceptions for the Trojans in 2023.

  In three seasons at Oklahoma (2021) and USC combined, Williams put up prolific passing numbers: 10,082 yards, 93 touchdowns and 14 interceptions with 27 rushing TDs.

  Bagent completed 94 of 143 passes for 859 yards with three touchdowns and six interceptions in five games last season.

  --Field Level Media

New York Giants first-round draft pick Malik Nabers signed his four-year rookie contract Friday ahead of the start of rookie camp.

• The team announced the signing but not the terms. Multiple reports said the fully guaranteed deal is worth $29.2 million with a signing bonus of $18.1 million and includes the standard team option for a fifth season.

  "Surreal," Nabers said of signing his contract. "When I put my name on that paper, I was kind of shaking a little bit and I got emotional because the job is not done, but another stage in my life was done. For me to make it to this part of my life and part of my journey, it was a pat on my back in that moment."

  Nabers, a wide receiver, was selected by the Giants with the sixth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft out of LSU.

  Nabers had 89 catches for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns in 13 games last season while playing with Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels.

  Nabers, who turns 21 in July, said he isn't worried about what kind of numbers he can put up as a rookie.

  "Right now, it's just learning the playbook, interacting with my teammates and the rookies here," Nabers said. "Trying to learn how to be a Giant, following the instructions, rules they have here. It's just being a pro at the end of the day."

  Giants coach Brian Daboll said deciphering the team's offensive system is something Nabers needs to tackle.

  "He's got a lot to learn," Daboll said, "and I would say learning the information and how we do things is the most important right now."

  Nabers was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which honors the nation's best receiver. That award ultimately went to Marvin Harrison Jr. of Ohio State.

  Running back Tyrone Tracy, a fifth-round draft choice from Purdue, also signed his rookie contract.

  Tracy rushed for 716 yards and eight touchdowns last season for the Boilermakers.

  --Field Level Media

The Detroit Lions will hold rookie minicamp this weekend without coach Dan Campbell, who is away from the team for unspecified personal reasons.

• Campbell is expected to return to the team later this month, the Detroit Free Press reported Friday. The next scheduled event is May 21-23 with organized team activity practices.

  The team's draft picks, undrafted free agents and tryout players are among those at the three-day camp in Allen Park, Mich.

  The Lions had six picks in last month's NFL draft, headlined by a pair of cornerbacks -- first-round selection Terrion Arnold (Alabama) and second-rounder Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (Missouri).

  The team also has brought in 15 undrafted free agents.

  The Lions finished the 2023 season with a 12-5 record and won the NFC North. Detroit reached the conference title game but lost, 34-31, to the San Francisco 49ers.

  --Field Level Media

Las Vegas Raiders first-round draft pick Brock Bowers signed a fully guaranteed four-year contract worth $18.1 million with a team option for a fifth season.

• Bowers, a tight end, was selected by the Raiders with the 13th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Georgia.

  The first back-to-back Mackey Award Winner (2022, 2023) given to the top tight end in college football, Bowers had 31 touchdowns (five rushing) in three seasons with the Bulldogs. In 40 career games, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Bowers hauled in 175 receptions for 2,538 yards.

  Also on Thursday, the Raiders signed five other draft picks. They are cornerback Decamerion Richardson (fourth round, Mississippi State), linebacker Tommy Eichenberg (fifth, Ohio State), running back Dylan Laube (sixth, New Hampshire), safety Trey Taylor (seventh, Air Force) and cornerback M.J. Devonshire (seventh, Pitt).

  --Field Level Media

Saints first-round pick Taliese Fuaga signed a fully guaranteed four-year contract on Thursday worth $17.3 million with a team option for a fifth season.

• Fuaga was the 14th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and is expected to start immediately with the offensive line in flux in front of starting quarterback Derek Carr.

  The team shared a video of Carr embracing Fuaga as they arrived at the team facility.

  The contract matches the maximum draft slot afforded the Saints with the 14th pick.

  Fuaga started 25 games at right tackle for Oregon State and could be tried at left tackle. Trevor Penning, a first-round pick in 2022 who was injured in his first training camp, was benched last season and replaced by Andrus Peat. But Peat left in free agency to sign with the Raiders.

  Ryan Ramczyk is the returning starter at right tackle but he's coming back from offseason knee surgery.

  A consensus first-team All-American and first-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2023, Fuaga was the third offensive tackle drafted during a run on offensive players that lasted until the Colts selected UCLA defensive end Laiatu Latu 15th.

  Notre Dame's Joe Alt (Chargers, No. 5 overall), Alabama's JC Latham (Titans, No. 7) and Penn State's Olu Fashanu (Jets, No. 11) have not yet signed their rookie deals.

  --Field Level Media

Pro Football Hall of Famer Jimmy Johnson, a lockdown cornerback who spent his entire 16-year career with the San Francisco 49ers, died on Wednesday evening, his family announced. He was 86.

• The Hall of Fame made the announcement Thursday for Johnson's family, which said he had been in declining health for some time and had remained in the San Francisco area.

  Enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1994, Johnson played from 1961-76. He competed in 213 games -- at the time a franchise record later broken by Jerry Rice. Johnson's 47 interceptions also were a team mark later broken by Ronnie Lott.

  "Jimmy Johnson was extraordinarily athletically talented," Pro Football Hall of Fame President Jim Porter said in a statement. "The 49ers enjoyed the luxury of using him on offense and defense early in his career to fill team needs. Once he settled in at left cornerback, he flourished. The notion that a ‘lockdown' cornerback could cut the field in half for the opposition was true with Jimmy.

  "Only rarely would other teams' quarterbacks even look his direction, and more often than not regretted the decision if they challenged him."

  Johnson was selected to the Pro Bowl for four straight seasons (1969-72) as well as in 1974. He was first-team All-Pro in 1970-72. The Pro Football Hall of Fame selected him for the All-Decade Team of the 1970s.

  "I don't look at someone and think that he can't beat me," Johnson said. "If you play long enough, you're going to get beat. The question and the key to your effectiveness is how often."

  He also played halfback and flanker in 1962 and 1963, catching 40 passes for 690 yards and four touchdowns.

  San Francisco selected him as one of its three first-round draft choices (sixth overall in 1961). He was a football star at UCLA at wingback and defensive back as well as a track standout in hurdles and long jump.

  His brother, Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete Rafer Johnson, was his presenter at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony on July 30, 1994.

  "Jimmy is a quiet man, but he played with determination and commitment," Rafer Johnson said. "Most of all, Jim was and is a gentle man and a true gentleman."

  Jimmy Johnson won the Pro Football Writers' George Halas Award for courageous play in 1971 after playing half of that season with a broken wrist. He twice received the Len Eshmont Award, chosen by 49ers players and given to a teammate for inspirational play.

  "Jimmy Johnson has not only been a great football player, he has been one of the game's finest citizens throughout his career," Joe Thomas, the team's vice president and general manager at that time said when the 49ers retired Johnson's No. 37 jersey in 1977. "There is no one in the NFL who does not have the highest respect for him, both as a player and as a man."

  --Field Level Media

The Los Angeles Rams are releasing veteran wide receiver Ben Skowronek, NFL Network reported Thursday.

• Skowronek, 26, appeared in all 17 games last season but managed only eight catches for 66 yards and one score.

  He caught 58 passes for 575 yards and one TD in 45 games (12 starts) since the Rams drafted him in the seventh round in 2021.

  In addition to stars Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, the Rams' receiver room includes Tutu Atwell, Tyler Johnson, Demarcus Robinson and 2024 sixth-round pick Jordan Whittington.

  --Field Level Media

Lions general manager Brad Holmes continues checking off priorities in Detroit, and a long-term extension for quarterback Jared Goff is rising to the top of the list.

• "He's earned an extension," Holmes said in a radio interview with 97.1 The Ticket. "It's important. It's a high priority for us. Both sides are working really, really hard. These things just take time."

  Closing in on the final season of a four-year, $134 million contract Goff signed before he was traded to Detroit in the QB swap that sent Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams, an extension has been in the works for months.

  Holmes hoped to simultaneously share big contract news on Goff last month when the Lions struck new deals with offensive tackle Penei Sewell and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.

  "In a perfect world, we would've had all three of them done. Bang, bang, bang," Holmes said. "But these things just kind of take a while. Especially with the quarterback market. But I do have faith that it's going to get done."

  Talks with Goff's agent, Ryan Tollner, took a back seat during the NFL draft. Holmes didn't select a quarterback among the Lions' six picks but did draft Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker in the third round in 2023. Goff turns 30 in October.

  A former No. 1 overall pick, Goff averaged $33.5 million annually on his existing contract while the market has exploded since massive deals last offseason raised the bar beyond $50 million per season.

  The top-paid quarterback in terms of average pay per season is Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals at $55 million. He has $1.01 million more in guaranteed salary than the Los Angeles Chargers gave Justin Herbert, whose AAV is $52.5 million, in the same neighborhood but just ahead of Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles) and Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens).

  "We've done a lot of work. Again, both sides have. We've done a lot of work, dialogue's been consistent," Holmes said of how close the sides might be to a contract.

  "There hasn't been just dead periods and all that stuff. We've been talking. Again, I do have faith looking at all the numbers. You gotta think about what can we do now, and what are the impacts on the future, as well. And we look at all of it, because we said all along, when (coach) Dan (Campbell) and I first got here, we're looking to build sustained success, and that's still the goal."

  Goff completed 67.3 percent of his passes for 4,575 yards and 30 touchdowns last season while leading Detroit to its first division title since 1993 and its first two playoff wins since the 1991 season.

  --Field Level Media

The New York Giants signed veteran wide receiver Allen Robinson on Thursday.

• Robinson, 30, caught 34 passes for 280 yards with no touchdowns in 17 games (all starts) last season for the Steelers. He was released March 8 after one season in Pittsburgh in a money-saving move.

  He is the latest addition to the wide receiver corps for New York, which selected Malik Nabers of LSU with the No. 6 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.

  The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Robinson in the second round in 2014, and he spent four seasons there before moving on to the Chicago Bears (2017-21), Los Angeles Rams (2022) and Steelers.

  Robinson has 562 catches for 7,028 yards and 43 touchdowns in his career. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2015 when he tallied 1,400 receiving yards, the first of his three 1,000-yard seasons.

  The Giants were 6-11 last season. Their passing game ranked 31st in the NFL.

  --Field Level Media

The NFL will release the full 2024 schedule on May 15 at 8 p.m. ET, according to media reports on Wednesday.

• Teams had been told informally that Thursday would be the release day but no reason was given for the delay in a league memo Wednesday afternoon, according to Sports Business Journal.

  Hans Schroeder, NFL executive vice president of media distribution, wrote in the memo that more details about the plan are expected in the coming days, Sports Business Journal reported.

  One explanation could be determining which games would be set for Dec. 25, which this year falls on a Wednesday. The league in late March changed its stance to allow playing Christmas Day games if the holiday was a Tuesday or Wednesday. The four teams involved would play in a doubleheader the preceding Saturday.

  Another possibility is the delayed release allows teams to better prepare for such a highly anticipated day with promotion on social media tied to single-game ticket sales.

  Or, the NFL could be stretching what is a one-night event into multiple days with game details staggered across multiple days, as the NFL draft has evolved.

  The teams and their fans already know the opponents on their home and road schedules but not the order, dates and times.

  Locked in are five international games for five teams, with most dates and all times to be determined: In Sao Paulo, Brazil, Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Sept. 6; London, Minnesota Vikings vs. TBD, Chicago Bears vs. TBD and Jacksonville Jaguars vs. TBD; Munich, Germany, Carolina Panthers vs. TBD.

  Super Bowl LIX is Feb. 9, 2025 at the Superdome in New Orleans.

  --Field Level Media

The Denver Broncos released quarterback Ben DiNucci on Wednesday, leaving three signal-callers on their roster.

• "All part of the journey!!" DiNucci posted on X. "Excited for what's to come."

  DiNucci, 27, originally signed with Denver in May 2023 but did not see any action last season and became the odd man out.

  In addition to the returning Jarrett Stidham, the Broncos drafted Bo Nix with the No. 12 overall pick and acquired former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson in a trade with the New York Jets this offseason.

  A seventh-round pick by Dallas in 2020, DiNucci made his only NFL start that season. He completed 21 of 40 passes for 180 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in the Cowboys' 23-9 loss at Philadelphia on Nov. 1.

  --Field Level Media

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is connected to another police investigation in Dallas, this time an alleged assault, WFAA and the Dallas Morning News reported Tuesday.

• Police view Rice as a suspect in an incident that took place outside a nightclub early Monday morning, according to the reports. A man allegedly hit a photographer, who was then taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

  Rice's attorney declined comment to the Morning News, and no charges were filed as of Tuesday evening.

  The wide receiver, who grew up in the Dallas area and played for SMU, was already in trouble in the city for his connection to a six-car crash on March 30. Rice turned himself in to police several days later and faces one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury.

  An arrest warrant affidavit obtained by the Morning News showed that Rice was driving 119 mph before the accident. A friend and former SMU teammate, Teddy Knox, was traveling 116 mph in a separate car, and he faces the same charges as Rice.

  Seven people were left with injuries, including at least one woman who sustained "serious bodily injury" and another who was stranded on the highway with her 4-year-old son for about five hours after the crash.

  On April 3, Rice said he took "full responsibility" for his actions related to the crash.

  --Field Level Media

Joe Collier, the standout defensive coordinator of Denver's famed "Orange Crush" defense, Monday night at his home in Littleton, Colo., the Broncos announced. He was 91.

• Collier spent 20 seasons on the Broncos' defensive staff from 1969-88, including the final 17 as defensive coordinator.

  "Joe Collier is one of the most impactful coaches in the history of the Denver Broncos and regarded among the best defensive coordinators of all time," the Broncos said in a statement. "He was an innovator in the NFL with his 3-4 defense, helping the Broncos to three Super Bowl appearances during a legendary career with our franchise that spanned more than two decades.

  "Intelligent, modest and soft-spoken, Collier provided steady leadership to five different head coaches as the Broncos emerged as perennial contenders in the 1970s and 1980s. His profound influence on countless players and coaches in Denver included 12 Broncos Ring of Famers, 11 Pro Bowl selections and 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Randy Gradishar."

  The Broncos made Super Bowl appearances after the 1977, 1986 and 1987 seasons with Collier running the defense. However, they went 0-3 in those games and lost by an average of 22.7 points.

  Collier also served as head coach of the Buffalo Bills from 1966-68 and went 13-16-1. He was fired after an 0-2 start in 1968.

  Collier also served as defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots in 1991-92 after his stint with the Broncos.

  Collier was an All-America receiver at Northwestern in 1952 before being a 22nd-round selection by the New York Giants in the 1954 NFL Draft. He didn't play pro football.

  --Field Level Media

Quarterback Nathan Rourke wasn't out of a job for long after being claimed off waivers by the New York Giants on Tuesday, NFL Network reported.

• Rourke was waived by New England on Monday as the Patriots trimmed the quarterbacks on their roster to four.

  The Giants are adding Rourke, who turns 26 on May 24, to a QB room that already has incumbent Daniel Jones, Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito.

  Rourke has not appeared in an NFL regular-season game after spending time on the Jacksonville Jaguars' active and practice squad rosters since January 2022. The Jaguars waived him in December and he was claimed by the Patriots, who re-signed him in March.

  A native of Canada, he played in college at the University of Ohio (2017-19) and appeared in 23 games for the Canadian Football League's BC Lions from 2021-22, throwing for 4,103 yards with 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

  --Field Level Media