| NFC EAST |
| WASHINGTONQB MARCUS MARIOTA returns to Washington on a one-year deal. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com: The second overall pick in the 2015 draft will continue to be the No. 2 quarterback in Washington. Via Ben Standig, the Commanders are re-signing quarterback Marcus Mariota. It’s a one-year deal for the 11-year veteran, with a base package of $7 million and a maximum value of $11 million. In his second season with Washington, Mariota appeared in 11 games with eight starts.– – -EDGE ODAFE OWEH is getting a big deal with the Commanders after a strong stint as a 2025 rental with the Chargers. Nick Shook of NFL.com: A strong finish to the 2025 season has netted Odafe Oweh a huge pay day. The edge rusher is signing a four-year, $100 million deal with the Washington Commanders, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported on Monday. The contract includes $68 million in guaranteed money, per Rapoport and Garafolo. Oweh’s average annual salary lands him between the likes of Montez Sweat and Nik Bonitto among edge rushers, a per-year compensation rate that would have been considered absurd prior to Oweh’s midseason move to the Chargers. Ah, how beautiful (and lucrative) and change of scenery can be. After being shipped from Baltimore to Los Angeles (in exchange for veteran safety Alohi Gilman and a Day 3 draft pick) prior to Week 6, Oweh found an excellent fit in Jesse Minter’s defense, piling up 7.5 sacks and a 17.3 QB pressure percentage while rushing opposite future Pro Football Hall of Famer Khalil Mack with the Chargers. When the lights shined brightest on Wild Card Weekend, Oweh delivered his best performance, sacking Patriots quarterback Drake Maye three times while forcing two fumbles in a game that would have been a blowout if not for the efforts of the Chargers defense. In terms of production, Oweh has enjoyed his best seasons in his last two years. The 2021 first-round pick of the Ravens logged 10 sacks in Baltimore in 2024 but struggled to make the same impact for a battered defensive front in 2025, benefitting from a more favorable change of scenery in Los Angeles, a perfectly timed move that walked him into a favorable edge-rusher market. Washington stepped up as the most interested party, using their copious cap space to bring Oweh to the negotiating table and lavishing a massive contract on an edge rusher who needs the right fit to truly pay off the investment. In Washington, Oweh walks into a situation with a team that needed an edge rusher and presented a welcoming environment thanks to the presence of defensive tackle Daron Payne and fellow edge rusher Dorance Armstrong. Despite their struggles, the Commanders proved they could help individuals succeed statistically within their defense, as evidenced by 36-year-old Von Miller’s 9.0 sacks in 2025. Meanwhile, the Commanders also retained LT LAREMY TUNSIL at an unprecedented cost. Erik Edholm of NFL.com: The Washington Commanders have signed left tackle Laremy Tunsil to a two-year, $60.2 million extension that includes $52.65 million fully guaranteed, NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reported Monday, per sources. At an average of $30.1 million per season over the extension, Tunsil is now the highest-paid offensive tackle. Previously, the Los Angeles Chargers’ Rashawn Slater held the title with $28.5 million per year. With one year remaining on Tunsil’s deal entering this offseason, Commanders general manager Adam Peters said in February that Washington was “very motivated” to get a deal done with him. Tunsil, 31, was one of the Commanders’ big acquisitions last offseason, landing him in a trade with the Texans. He started the Commanders’ first 14 games last season before an oblique injury kept him on the shelf for the final three contests. Tunsil missed the Pro Bowl for the first time since 2021 after earning a bid three straight years in Houston. He has five total Pro Bowl honors in his 10-year career after initially being drafted by the Dolphins in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. |
| NFC SOUTH |
| ATLANTAQB TUA TAGOVIALOA is taking a one-year deal with the Falcons per Marc Raimondi and Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com: Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa plans to sign a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The move now will give the Falcons two left-handed quarterbacks, Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr., heading into the 2026 season. Tagovailoa was informed Monday that he will be released by the Dolphins. The Falcons entered the offseason in the market for a quarterback, with Penix Jr. recovering from a knee injury and Kirk Cousins set to be released before the start of the new league year Wednesday. Atlanta’s answer at the position is Tagovailoa, who will cost the Dolphins an NFL-record $99.2 million in dead money against the salary cap. A source told Schefter that Tagovailoa’s release will be designated post-June 1, allowing the Dolphins to split the dead money over two years. The post-June 1 designation will leave the Dolphins with a $67.4 million dead hit against the salary cap in 2026, followed by $31.8 million in 2027. The move ends Tagovailoa’s six seasons in Miami only one year into the franchise-record extension he signed in 2024. |
| CAROLINAThe Panthers come to terms with LB DEVIN LLOYD, a prolific linebacker allowed to walk by the Jaguars, and EDGE JAELIN PHILLIPS. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com: The Panthers have made another move to improve their defense. Via Mike Garafolo of NFL Media, Carolina has agreed to terms with former Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd. Per the report, it’s a three-year, $45 million deal. Of the amount, $25 million is guaranteed. A first-round pick in 2022, the Jaguars decided after three seasons not to pick up his fifth-year option. With 2025 becoming a contract year, Lloyd made the Pro Bowl and landed on the All-Pro second team. The Panthers signed Eagles edge rusher Jaelan Phillips early in the day. Lloyd’s biggest play in 2025 happened in the Monday night win over the Chiefs. He dropped into coverage near the goal line, intercepted quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown. |
| TAMPA BAYMichael Gallagher of Newsweek on the departure of WR MIKE EVANS: However, Evans appeared to have his mind made up that he wanted a change of scenery. He even laid out the criteria he was looking for in his new team. “Mike Evans will limit his choices to a handful of teams in part because of his criteria,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported. “He wants a quarterback he believes in, a chance at a Super Bowl, a top-shelf offensive coordinator and the promise of high-volume touches. Only so many teams fit that mold.” Evans ultimately agreed to terms on a three-year, $60 million deal with the Dan Francisco 49ers on Monday during the league’s legal tampering window, and immediately social media was flooded with people looking to place blame. “Sadly, this [news] speaks loudly about Baker Mayfield and Todd Bowles,” Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus tweeted. Evan Closky of WTSP-TV provides this: ECloskyWTSPMike Evans sound timeline March 8, 2024:“It’s very hard to stay with one team the entirety of your career. That’s something that was a goal of mine…” Jan. 5, 2025:“I was probably never gonna leave Tampa anyway.” Dec. 17, 2025:“When I leave this game soon, I’m going to be happy with the receiving room that’s left in Tampa.” The Bucs did re-sign TE CADE OTTON and added two veterans from other teams: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have reached two-year deals with ex-Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell and former Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone, sources told ESPN on Monday. Gainwell agreed to a $14 million deal, sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Anzalone reached a $17 million deal with the Bucs, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Contracts can be finalized when the new league year begins Wednesday. Gainwell earned team MVP honors for the Steelers last season after leading the team with 73 receptions on 85 targets. He racked up a career-high 1,023 yards from scrimmage and scored eight touchdowns. Gainwell, 26, initially joined the Steelers on a one-year, $1.79 million contract after spending the first four years of his career as a backup with the Philadelphia Eagles. Though he split backfield snaps with running back Jaylen Warren, Gainwell had a significant impact on the offense as a pass-catching back. He played 50% of offensive snaps, while Warren also played 50%. Gainwell was also one of the team’s primary kick returners and averaged 24.3 yards in 26 returns. Initially selected in the fifth round of the 2021 draft by the Eagles, Gainwell has 21 career touchdowns and a career average of 4.4 yards per carry and 6.9 yards per reception. He was also part of the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX-winning team. The nine-year veteran has been a starter since joining the Lions in 2021 and has 490 total tackles, 9.0 sacks and three interceptions in four seasons with the team. Anzalone started in all 16 games that he appeared in for Detroit last season and logged the team’s second-most tackles (95), including four for loss. After he expressed disappointment last offseason with how contract negotiations with the Lions had gone, Detroit adjusted Anzalone’s contract for the 2025 season, adding $250,000 to his base salary, boosting it to $6.25 million, which Detroit also guaranteed. He then was voted a team captain for the fifth straight year. Anzalone spent his first four seasons with the New Orleans Saints, who took him in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft. Anzalone already spends a lot of time in the Tampa Bay area as his wife is from Clearwater. Although he is from Pennsylvania, he went to Florida. |
| NFC WEST |
| ARIZONAA nuts and bolts OL signing by the Cardinals. Doug Haller of The Athletic: Arizona’s offensive line last season was a mess. Outside of left tackle Paris Johnson Jr., and center Hjalte Froholdt, this group needed an overhaul. The Cardinals’ inability to run the football made them one-dimensional. They also gave up 59 sacks. The signing of Isaac Seumalo (3 years, $31.5 million) should help. No. 18 on The Athletic’s list of free agents, Seumalo is a 10-year vet who can play right or left guard. He spent the last three years in Pittsburgh, where he was a leader up front. He also spent seven seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. Perhaps most important for the Cardinals, Seumalo knows what it takes to win. With the Eagles, he played in two Super Bowls, winning one. Overall, eight of the 10 teams he’s played on finished with winning records. Only concerns – age and health. Seumalo turns 33 in October. In addition, he’s missed seven contests the past two seasons with injuries. |
| SAN FRANCISCOWR MIKE EVANS bolts the Buccaneers to sign with San Francisco. And Mike Luciano of Niner Noise explains that it is not really as long a deal as it sounds. The San Francisco 49ers decided to swing for the fences as they try to find some wide receiver help that can move the needle, as they managed to do the unthinkable and pry future Hall of Fame target Mike Evans away from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after over a decade of service. Evans signed a three-year contract worth $60 million with the Niners, which puts him in the rarified $20 million AAV range despite the fact he is coming off an injury-riddled season and might be losing just a tick off his fastball in his later years. While 49ers fans may not like this supposed lack of financial discipline due to their financial constraints, the specifics of this deal make it look much less of a commitment than the raw numbers appear to make it seem. According to Adam Schefter on the Pat McAfee Show, the three-year deal in practice is “really a shorter-term deal than that, but going to be called a 3-year deal for cap purposes.” If things go sideways, or the Niners need to move on, they can get out of the final years of this deal. Mike Evans contract details are better for 49ers than initial reports2025 was the first season in Evans’ 12-year career in Tampa Bay that he didn’t hit 1,000 yards. While injuries got the better of him, his 24 touchdowns in the two prior seasons suggest that his ability to find paydirt hasn’t necessarily eroded with time in the way many think it has. Evans, who currently ranks 10th in NFL history with 108 touchdown receptions, will be a nice stylistic complement to Ricky Pearsall. WIth Brandon Aiyuk all but gone and Jauan Jennings likely to leave in free agency, San Francisco can still add someone early in the 2026 NFL Draft. This deal was likely made with the knowledge that Evans will need to work around a few other big deals to keep this championship window open. Even though Evans already has a ring, he wasn’t going to pass up a chance to get one more in his trophy case. The Evans contract gives the 49ers a big-bodied target on the outside with the veteran savvy to consistently find small openings in zone coverage that he can exploit. Even if the contracts looks gnarly for someone as old as he is, general manager John Lynch likely has enough flexibility to work around it. |
| SEATTLEThe Seahawks have kept WR RASHID SHAHID. Michael-Shawn Duggar and Diana Russin of The Athletic: The Seahawks and Rashid Shaheed have agreed to terms on a three-year, $51 million contract to keep the wide receiver and game-breaking returner in Seattle. Shaheed, who turns 28 just before the start of the 2026 season, was No. 32 on The Athletic’s list of the Top 150 free agents and seventh among receivers. The Seahawks entered the offseason with the sixth-most salary-cap space, according to Over the Cap. Shaheed’s 2026 cap hit will depend on the structure of the deal. |
| AFC WEST |
| DENVERThe Broncos are bringing back oft-injured RB J.K. DOBBINS. Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com: The Denver Broncos are bringing back running back J.K. Dobbins on a two-year, $20 million deal that includes $8 million fully guaranteed at signing, NFL Network reported Monday, citing a source. Dobbins appeared to confirm his return in a social media post. Dobbins’ value and the quandary of his free agency were on display for the Broncos during the 2025 season. After signing during minicamp last June — Dobbins, 27, led the Broncos in carries (153), rushing yards (772) and runs of at least 10 yards (21). But he also didn’t play after Nov. 6 because of a foot injury he suffered in a Thursday night win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Last season, Dobbins failed to play more than 10 games for the fourth time in his six-year NFL career; he missed the 2021 season because of a torn ACL and played just one game in 2023 after tearing his Achilles. Dobbins, who had returned to practice during the Broncos’ playoff run, said he was “very, very close” to playing in the AFC Championship Game and “100% would have played” in the Super Bowl if the Broncos had advanced. Broncos coach Sean Payton said Dobbins’ injury was a significant reason Denver struggled at times down the stretch to find some consistency in the run game. Dobbins’ impact was on display in the games he played. His explosive run total was seven more than the Broncos’ next back — rookie RJ Harvey finished the season with 14 runs of at least 10 yards. |
| KANSAS CITYThe signing of Super Bowl MVP RB KENNETH WALKER III may get the Chiefs out of their 2025 doldrums. Jason Abbey of DAZN: A decorated former NFL player believes that the Kansas City Chiefs’ acquisition of running back Kenneth Walker III is a match made in heaven. That endorsement comes from Brian Baldinger, a former offensive lineman who knows what it takes for running backs to succeed after a 13-year career spent paving the way for the likes of Hall of Fame tailback Tony Dorsett. Kansas City agreed to terms with Walker after a breakout campaign with the Seattle Seahawks that culminated in MVP honours at Super Bowl LX – making him the first running back in 28 years to win the award. Baldinger, speaking on NFL Network – available to Game Pass subscribers on DAZN – believes the motivation to find extra help in the ground game was clear. “The Chiefs collapsed last year. Patrick Mahomes gets injured, and they don’t make the playoffs. They’ve got problems at running back – Kareem Hunt, Isiah Pacheco. “The Chiefs needed a running back. A stud running back,” he continued. Baldinger outlined why the need to play catch-up with their division rivals likely factored into the Kansas City’s decision. “They have seen what the Broncos and the Chargers just did to them as they surpassed them last year,” he said. “They want to get back onto the stage.” In Baldinger’s eyes, the circumstances surrounding Walker’s availability and Kansas City’s needs lined up in a fit that served both sides. “It’s just a perfect storm.” That coming together, he believes, gives Walker an opportunity to thrive in one of the league’s most creative offensive systems under head coach Andy Reid. |
| LAS VEGASThe Raiders signed a passle of players, led by elite C TYLER LINDERBAUM. ESPN.com: The Las Vegas Raiders doled out millions Monday to try to improve a team that finished 3-14 and earned the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. Free agent center Tyler Linderbaum agreed to a three-year, $81 million deal that includes $60 million guaranteed and makes him the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Raiders and wide receiver Jalen Nailor also agreed to a three-year, $35 million deal that includes $23 million guaranteed, agents Ken Sarnoff and Joe DiBenedetto told Schefter. In moves to improve their defense, the Raiders reached deals with linebackers Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean and defensive end Kwity Paye. Dean agreed to a three-year deal that’s worth $36 million and including $20 million guaranteed, sources told Schefter, while Walker agreed to a three-year, $40.5 million deal including $28 million guaranteed, agents Kyle McCarthy and Todd France told Schefter. Paye reached agreement on a three-year, $48 million deal that includes $32 million guaranteed, sources told Schefter. Defensive end Malcolm Koonce also agreed to return to the team on a one-year, $11 million contract, a source told Schefter. Linderbaum, 25, has quickly established himself as one of the best centers in the league. He is the first Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman to go to three consecutive Pro Bowls (2023-25) since Marshal Yanda went to six straight from 2011 to 2016. Since the Ravens drafted him in the first round in 2022, Linderbaum has the second-best pass block win rate at center (96.2%), ranking behind only the Kansas City Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey (97.9%). Over that same time, Linderbaum’s 71.2% run block win rate ranks seventh among centers. Last season, Linderbaum was a major reason why the Ravens rushed for 156.6 yards per game, the second-best mark in the NFL, and produced a league-high 5.3 yards per carry. Linderbaum became an unrestricted free agent because Baltimore declined to pick up his fifth-year option in April. It was a decision based on an unusually high financial commitment and not performance. His option was projected to be worth $23.4 million, which would have been $5.4 million more than the NFL’s highest-paid center at the time in terms of average per year. Baltimore selected Linderbaum with the No. 25 pick four years ago after it acquired that selection in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals for wide receiver Hollywood Brown. Linderbaum is the only center to be selected in the first round in Ravens history. This marks the second time in the Ravens’ 31-year history that they have failed to keep a multiple Pro Bowl first-round pick past his rookie deal. The other time this occurred was 2019 with C.J. Mosley. |
| AFC NORTH |
| BALTIMOREThis from Ian Rapoport: @RapSheetThis is wild. The #Ravens’ 2022 draft class has collected $298.5M in total contract extensions, with Daniel Faalele still available. Here’s the breakdown:Kyle Hamilton: $100.4 millionTyler Linderbaum: $81 millionTravis Jones: $40.5 millionCharlie Kolar: $24.3 millionJordan Stout: $12.3 millionIsaiah Likely: $40 million But only Hamilton and Jones are still Ravens. Linderbaum went to the Raiders, TE Kolar signed with the Chargers and Stout and Likely are going with John Harbaugh’s Giants. |
| PITTSBURGHThe Steelers lost RB KENNETH GAINWELL to the Buccaneers, but signed RB RICO DOWDLE coming off one big year in Carolina after one big year with the Cowboys. This from ESPN.com: The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing former Carolina Panthers standout running back Rico Dowdle to a two-year, $12.25 million deal, NFL Network reported Monday. Dowdle led the Panthers with 1,076 yards rushing in 2025, giving him consecutive 1,000-yard seasons between Carolina and Dallas. He began the year as the backup to Chuba Hubbard, but when Hubbard was out Weeks 5 and 6 with a calf injury, Dowdle exploded for a franchise-record 473 scrimmage yards over a two-game stretch, surpassing the previous mark held by Christian McCaffrey. Coach Dave Canales praised Dowdle for his “violent” running style and elevated him to the starting role after a two-week attempt to split the repetitions. Dowdle was instrumental in a midseason win at Green Bay, rushing for 130 yards and two touchdowns. However, his production and carries dropped significantly over the final three games, when he had only 28 carries for 88 yards. He made it clear he was unhappy about that after the season and planned to test the free agent market. Dowdle went undrafted after playing collegiately at South Carolina. He signed as a free agent with the Cowboys and spent his first four NFL seasons in Dallas, eventually becoming the starter in 2024. Pittsburgh’s addition of Dowdle was especially necessary after running back Kenneth Gainwell, the Steelers’ team MVP last season, agreed to terms on a two-year, $14 million deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to sources. Dowdle, though, isn’t a one-for-one replacement of Gainwell. The versatile Gainwell is prolific in the pass game — he led the Steelers in receptions last season — but Dowdle is a more physical, pure running back. He joins a room that also includes bruising back Jaylen Warren and 2025 third-round pick Kaleb Johnson. |
| AFC SOUTH |
| HOUSTONThe Eagles allowed S REED BLANKENSHIP to skate and he signed a nice 3-year deal with the Texans. Brooks Kubena and Dianna Russini of The Athletic: Former Philadelphia Eagles safety Reed Blankenship has agreed to terms with the Houston Texans on a three-year, $24.75 million deal, sources told The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. Blankenship ranked No. 90 on . A team captain in 2025, Blankenship rose from undrafted rookie to four-year starter. He was the stable safety in an Eagles secondary that shape-shifted nearly every year. Now, he leaves Philadelphia (and his podcast partner Cooper DeJean) to join a Houston defense that ranked No. 1 last season in terms of EPA. Blankenship, 27, totaled nine interceptions in four seasons. He had a season-high four interceptions in 2024, when he played in tandem with C.J. Gardner-Johnson on an Eagles defense that dominated in a Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Blankenship, a free safety, totaled three tackles for loss while mostly hovering in coverage. He thrived upon defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s 2024 arrival. The Eagles fielded the NFL’s top passing defense in 2024 and ranked eighth in 2025. The Eagles received stable play from Blankenship at a bargain. An undrafted free agent out of Middle Tennessee State, Blankenship never cost the Eagles more than $1.8 million against the cap. His $8.25 million per year average with the Texans is not beyond what the Eagles have spent on the position. (They signed Gardner-Johnson to a three-year, $27 million deal in 2024). But the Eagles spent a 2025 second-round pick on Drew Mukuba and restructured Michael Carter II’s contract on Monday. |
| JACKSONVILLEA brilliant rookie in 2024 but less than that in ’25, WR BRIAN THOMAS, Jr. may be on the move. Jordan Dajani of CBSSports.com wonders who might be interested: The Jacksonville Jaguars could potentially part ways with one of their top receivers this offseason, as SNY reported that general manager James Gladstone is open to listening to trade offers for Brian Thomas Jr. The Jaguars would want something significant in return for the 23-year-old pass-catcher, but it’s believed he could be had for the right price. BTJ had a historic rookie season in 2024. After the Jaguars selected him No. 23 overall out of LSU, Thomas caught 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns. He became just the fourth rookie since 1970 to surpass 1,200 receiving yards and catch double-digit touchdowns, joining Randy Moss, Odell Beckham Jr. and Ja’Marr Chase. Despite quarterback Trevor Lawrence dealing with numerous injuries that season, Thomas recorded seven straight games with at least 75 receiving yards — the second-longest streak by a first-year player since 1970 — and caught an NFL-high 53% of his team’s touchdowns. However, 2025 was a different story. Thomas dealt with injuries and struggled with drops. In fact, his 10 drops tied for the second-most in the NFL. The Jaguars even acquired Jakobi Meyers at the trade deadline to help the receiving corps, while Parker Washington stepped up as Lawrence’s most reliable target. Overall, Thomas caught 48 passes for 707 yards and just two touchdowns in 14 games played. He had zero 100-yard outings and was held under 50 receiving yards eight times. If the Jaguars are open to trading Thomas, there will certainly be a market. Below, we break down five potential landing spots for BTJ. Denver BroncosThe Broncos should be in the market for a new weapon. This team might have made the Super Bowl if Bo Nix hadn’t injured his ankle during the divisional-round victory over the Buffalo Bills. It’s clear Denver’s Super Bowl window is open right now, so big swings are necessary. The Broncos’ passing attack didn’t even rank in the top 10 last year, as Courtland Sutton struggled with consistency while Evan Engram wasn’t the godsend some imagined he would be. Thomas could potentially take this Broncos offense to the next level. Washington CommandersThe Commanders reportedly made a massive offer to Alec Pierce before he decided to remain with the Indianapolis Colts. Now they could turn their attention to a young player who would pair nicely with Terry McLaurin. Wide receiver is again a need for the Commanders, as last year’s leading receiver Deebo Samuel, Zach Ertz, Noah Brown and Chris Moore are all free agents. One factor that could hurt Washington in the BTJ sweepstakes is its lack of draft capital. The Commanders’ 2026 second- and fourth-round picks belong to the Houston Texans in the Laremy Tunsil trade. Still, Jayden Daniels needs more help if Washington is going to bounce back in 2026. Tampa Bay BuccaneersMaybe Thomas could remain in the state of Florida. The Buccaneers lost franchise legend Mike Evans to the San Francisco 49ers in free agency, so general manager Jason Licht could replace him with a younger deep threat. Emeka Egbuka had a stellar rookie season with 938 receiving yards and six touchdowns, but Baker Mayfield needs more. Chris Godwin is now 30 years old and averaged just 40 receiving yards in nine games last season. The Buccaneers did re-sign tight end Cade Otton, but that isn’t enough to make up for the production Evans brought to this offense over the last decade. New England PatriotsThe Patriots are another team that missed out on Pierce and are rumored to be in the A.J. Brown sweepstakes as well. If Brown stays put in Philadelphia, could the reigning AFC champions turn their attention to Thomas? The Patriots are set to release Stefon Diggs, and he was the only player to surpass 770 receiving yards last year for New England. If the Patriots want to remain atop the AFC East and ahead of the Bills, adding more weapons for Drake Maye is a must. New York JetsSNY reported that the Jets called the Jaguars about BTJ last year, so they have to be included on this list. Plus, Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn have already been active in the trade market this offseason, swinging deals for T’Vondre Sweat and Minkah Fitzpatrick. New York owns four picks in the top 44 of this upcoming draft, so it could target a wide receiver with high upside. The Jets have been busy upgrading their defense in free agency, agreeing to terms with players such as Joseph Ossai, Demario Davis, David Onyemata and Kingsley Enagbare. Now it’s time to address the offensive side of the ball. |
| TENNESSEEMichael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com on the expenditures of the Titans: As the dust settles on the first day of NFL free agency, the Titans stand out as one team that knows it has to improve its roster, and is spending a lot of money to do it. A flurry of free agents agreed to contracts with the Titans on Sunday, giving Tennessee a team that already looks like it will be very different from the one that was on the field during the 2025 season — and a team that its coaching staff knows well. New head coach Robert Saleh will be able to build his defense around some of Monday’s signings, including three cornerbacks: Joshua Williams from the Chiefs, Cor’Dale Flott from the Giants and Alontae Taylor from the Saints. Also added to Saleh’s defense was defensive end John Franklin-Myers, who previously played for Saleh on the Jets. That comes on the heels of Saleh trading for another one of his former Jets defensive ends, Jermaine Johnson. On offense, the Titans spent big on reuniting former Giants players with Tennessee offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who previously coached the Giants. Those new additions include wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, center Austin Schlottmann and tight end Daniel Bellinger. And the Titans signed a new backup quarterback in Mitchell Trubisky, who played in Daboll’s offense on the 2021 Bills. Contracts are not yet finished and full details are not yet known, but initial reports indicate the Titans committed more than $172 million in guarantees to the free agents they agreed to terms with on Monday. They know they need to get better, and they’re not wasting any time in doing it. |
| AFC EAST |
| BUFFALOQB KYLE ALLEN (no relation) is back as the backup to QB JOSH ALLEN. Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com: The Bills agreed to terms with their former backup quarterback Kyle Allen, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday. Allen’s deal is for two years and $4.1 million, but it could be worth up to $6.1 million, the source said. He was previously with the Bills as Josh Allen’s backup in 2023. The Bills needed a backup quarterback after Mitchell Trubisky agreed to a two-year deal earlier Monday with the Tennessee Titans. Kyle Allen spent last season backing up Jared Goff in Detroit after spending the 2024 season as a backup with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kyle Allen has played in 34 games and made 19 career starts. Josh Allen has not missed a start since his rookie season, the longest active start streak among quarterbacks (122). The Bills also re-signed quarterback Shane Buechele to a one-year deal earlier this offseason. |
| MIAMIThe new GM from Green Bay and the new coach from Green Bay believe in QB MALIK WILLIS. Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post: The Dolphins thanked Tua for his service and welcomed Willis. In a transformative first day of free agency under a new regime, the Dolphins let it be known that Tua Tagovailoa will be released later this week despite an NFL-record $99.2 million dead salary cap charge. Miami then quickly pivoted to Malik Willis as its new starting quarterback when he agreed to a reported three-year, $67.5 million contract that includes $45 million guaranteed Tagovailoa wasn’t out of work for long — or at all? He zeroed in on the Falcons as his new home on a one-year contract, according to ESPN, even though he won’t officially hit the free agent market until Wednesday. There were two obvious landing spots offering the comfort of familiarity to Willis, who spent the past two seasons as Jordan Love’s backup under head coach Matt LaFleur with the Packers. He could have joined the Cardinals — coached by Matt’s brother, Mike LaFleur — or be part of the Green Bay exodus headed to Miami, including general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley. With the Dolphins, Willis will have another Kyle Shanahan protégé (offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik) calling plays, so the system should be similar to the LaFleurs’. It’s still a gamble by Miami, however, considering that Willis has made just six career starts in four seasons. He fell to the No. 86 pick of a 2022 draft with only one quarterback (Kenny Pickett) in the first two rounds, and then was traded by the Titans after two seasons. Now he is deemed to be worth $22.5 million per year — the No. 22 biggest average annual value on a quarterback contract. “That’s pretty wild, isn’t it?” one NFL offensive assistant said. “I wouldn’t have taken that risk.” But, as one NFL scout pointed out, “the general manager and head coach have seen him every day for two years,” so the conviction is stronger with them than other teams would have felt. Willis was 30-for-35 passing last season in extensive duty against the Bears and Ravens, plus a brief pinch-hit touchdown pass against the Giants. “I don’t think he fell to pick No. 86, either. It’s where he should’ve been based on college tape,” the scout told The Post. “If you look at the years past and how he has grown in that offense — even in his preseason tape — he’s shown that he is taking strides. Besides the arm talent and ability to escape in the pocket, it’s the ball placement and decision-making he showed this year even in a short amount of time — two games against two good teams.” But did the Dolphins get better in 2026? Or just reshuffle the deck for the sake of a fresh start? Has Tank for Tua — the old saying during the 2019 season — been replaced by Tank for Arch (Manning) in 2027? Given his age and résumé, Tagovailoa, 28, is arguably the most desirable quarterback changing teams this offseason. He has a 44-32 career record with 120 touchdown passes compared to 59 interceptions and different single seasons leading the league in completion percentage and passing yards. The downside is that Tagovailoa has a long history of concussions and is coming off a season in which he was benched for rookie Quinn Ewers. The Falcons could have Tagovailoa compete with fellow left-hander Michael Penix Jr. for the starting job. Penix has been a disappointment through two seasons as the former No. 8 overall pick and has a long injury history of knee injuries dating to college. Tagovailoa threw the most famous pass of his career — a 2018 national championship-winning walk-off overtime touchdown strike to Alabama teammate DeVonta Smith — in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Like the Dolphins, the Falcons will take on a big dead-money charge to release a veteran quarterback (Kirk Cousins) on Wednesday. The Dolphins tried and failed to drum up a trade market for Tagovailoa. Instead, Miami will designate the former Pro Bowler as a post-June 1 cut, meaning it can spread the cap charge over two years, with $67.4 million dead money in 2026 and $31.8 million dead money in 2027. He was one year into a four-year, $212.4 million extension. Because the Dolphins owe Tagovailoa a $54 million guaranteed salary in 2026, he can sign for the minimum with the Falcons. “I would take that chance,” the offensive assistant said. “What do you have to lose? Maybe you get him at his best — quick-feeding your weapons.” |
| NEW ENGLANDThe Patriots sign OL ALIJAH VERA-TUCKER from the Jets. ESPN.com: The New England Patriots bolstered their offensive line Monday night, agreeing to a three-year, $42 million deal with the versatile but injury-plagued Alijah Vera-Tucker, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Strengthening the unit in front of quarterback Drake Maye was expected to be a focus of the reigning AFC champions, and adding Vera-Tucker accomplishes that. He could slot into left guard for the team, between tackle Will Campbell and Jared Wilson, if the latter moves to center in the wake of Garrett Bradbury being traded to the Chicago Bears. Vera-Tucker, drafted 14th in 2021, earned $15.3 million last season on his fifth-year option with the New York Jets. The Jets were so high on him as a prospect that they traded up in the first round — an unusual move for a player whose natural position isn’t tackle. His career has been defined by unusual versatility and devastating injuries. Vera-Tucker (6-foot-5, 308 pounds) has started at every position on the offensive line except center — 20 games at right guard, 16 at left guard, six at right tackle and one at left tackle. Early in his career, there was talk of making him a full-time tackle, but he eventually settled in at guard — specifically, right guard over the past two seasons. But he has struggled to stay on the field. He has suffered three major injuries in five years — a torn Achilles and torn triceps (both arms). He has missed one full season (2025) and large chunks in two others (2022, ’23). All told, he has played in only 43 out of 85 games, making him a big risk/big reward free agent. Vera-Tucker was looking forward to a big year in 2025, when he was elected a captain for the first time, but he tore a triceps in practice during the run-up to the season opener. When healthy, he’s considered an above-average run blocker who can adapt to any scheme. In 2024, he finished with the third-best pressure rate among right guards, per Next Gen Stats. |
