Penn State’s Abdul Carter, who many experts believe will be gone in the first five picks of the 2025 NFL Draft, will not be working out at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this week due to a shoulder injury.
Carter will be participating in the league’s physical exams and interviews with teams in Indianapolis.
Carter’s shoulder injury is nothing new, as he played through it in the team’s Orange Bowl loss to Notre Dame. He did, however, get cleared to start training again recently.
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Carter’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told ESPN his client intends on being available for his Nittany Lions Pro Day.
"We fully expect Abdul to be recovered in time to work out at his pro day at Penn State, and he will perform at a very high level," Rosenhaus told ESPN.
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Rosenhaus will also send a letter to all 32 NFL teams from Dr. Dan Cooper, who said Carter has been cleared to resume training, per ESPN.
Carter isn’t the only top prospect not participating in workouts at the combine, as running back Ashton Jeanty and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, both considered first-round talents, will do the same as Carter.
For many prospect experts, Carter is the best defensive end in this year’s draft and arguably the best defensive player available.
He recorded 24 tackles for a loss, 12 sacks, two forced fumbles and four passes defended for the Nittany Lions in a season in which they made the College Football Playoff. Carter was crucial in Penn State winning the Big Ten title as well as their CFP run until the Fighting Irish stopped them.
Mock drafts from various outlets have Carter as high as first and second overall, while others have him as low as No. 7.
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Matthew Stafford, the Los Angeles Rams quarterback who could be on the trade block this NFL offseason, reportedly wants to be paid more heading into his 17th season.
During "Good Morning Football" on Monday morning, NFL Network’s Peter Schrager reported that the Rams and Stafford have a "fine relationship."
However, he wants to be paid more – among the top quarterbacks in the league to be exact.
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"This is nothing between them personally," Schrager said about Stafford and the Rams. "This is a money issue. Matthew Stafford wants to be paid what he thinks he’s worth. He wants to be paid more than $50 million."
The Rams did give Stafford permission to discuss a contract with other teams this offseason despite being under contract for another two seasons before he’s set for free agency.
According to Sports Illustrated, quarterback-needy teams like the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers have contacted Stafford.
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Schrager adds that teams are willing to pay Stafford more than the Rams are willing to offer him.
For the 2025 season, Stafford carries a $49.67 million cap hit, per Spotrac, and it goes up to $53.67 million in 2026.
The Giants are an intriguing team in terms of trading for Stafford because they own the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft. However, Schrager said the Giants would never get rid of that pick for Stafford, but perhaps a second-round pick could be involved.
As for the Steelers, they were a playoff team last season with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson playing under center for them. Maybe Pittsburgh is willing to pay big money for a quarterback with a Super Bowl pedigree to make a playoff run they haven’t had since 2016, when they lost in the AFC Championship.
The Browns have Deshaun Watson under contract, but after re-tearing his Achilles during rehab, their quarterback situation is in limbo heading into 2025. Finally, the Raiders, now under the leadership of legendary coach Pete Carroll, are a rebuilding squad that could use more senior leadership in the locker room, and Stafford certainly fits the bill.
But like Schrager said, the Rams and Stafford don’t have a spoiled relationship, and perhaps they can work something out.
If $50 million is the starting point for Stafford, only nine other quarterbacks in the NFL are due to make that in 2025 – Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott is top of the list at $60 million per season.
The only quarterback making above $50 million on that list with a Super Bowl ring like Stafford is Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, who got his first Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LIX.
And while that’s all going on with Stafford, the Rams also made it clear that veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp, long one of his quarterback’s most-trusted targets, is on the trade block. He isn’t expected to be at training camp with Los Angeles but rather a different team when a desirable trade package is presented.
The Rams have young star Puka Nacua, who developed strong chemistry with Stafford in just two seasons, on the roster. However, Demarcus Robinson, who was WR3, is an unrestricted free agent, as well as Tutu Atwell, the team’s second-round pick from 2021.
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