AFC West Contract Details: Thornton, Koonce, Tomlinson, Booker
Here are the latest details from contracts recently reached in the AFC West:
- Tyquan Thornton, WR (Chiefs): Two years, $11MM. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Thornton’s new deal has $7.4MM in guaranteed money at signing, including a $4MM signing bonus. The remaining guaranteed money comes from his 2026 salary ($1.4MM) and $2MM of his 2027 salary ($5.4MM).
- Malcolm Koonce, DE (Raiders): One year, $11.01MM. Per Wilson, Koonce’s re-upped agreement is worth slightly more than the originally reported figure of $11MM. The one-year deal has $10.5MM guaranteed at signing, made up of a $5.25MM signing bonus and a single-year base salary for the same $5.25MM amount. Koonce will have the chance to earn an additional $510K by making the most of a $30K per game active roster bonus.
- Dalvin Tomlinson, DT (Chargers): One year, $6.2MM. Disputing an originally reported amount of $7.5MM with $6MM guaranteed, Wilson reports the above-stated base value with $5.69MM fully guaranteed at signing, comprised of a $3MM signing bonus and Tomlinson’s 2026 base salary ($2.69MM). Like Koonce, Tomlinson can earn an additional $510K with his $30K per game active roster bonus.
- Thomas Booker, DE (Raiders): One year, $3.67MM. According to Wilson, Booker signed his free agent tender at the above-stated value.
- Spencer Burford, G (Raiders): One year, $3.26MM. Per Wilson, Burford’s deal includes $2.75MM in guaranteed money at signing, consisting of a $1.5MM signing bonus and his 2026 base salary ($1.25MM). Burford will also enjoy the same per game active roster bonus potential as Koonce and Tomlinson for as much as $510K.
- Denzel Perryman, LB (Chargers): One year, $2.79MM. Per Wilson, Perryman’s contract only contains $500K in guaranteed money at signing, consisting of a $200K signing bonus and $300K of base salary ($1.3MM). The bulk of Perryman’s contract value comes in an inflated per game active roster bonus. Unlike the others, Perryman’s bonus is $70K per game with a potential maximum value of $1.19MM.
- Trey Lance, QB (Chargers): One year, $2.5MM. While the maximum value of $6.75MM was known, the above-stated base value was previously unreported. Per Wilson, the deal for Lance includes $2MM fully guaranteed at signing made up of an $800K signing bonus and $1.2MM of his base salary ($1.7MM). That means $4MM will be available in incentives for Lance in 2026.
- Josh Harris, LS (Chargers): One year, $1.82MM. According to Wilson, the long snapper’s deal is fully guaranteed at signing with a $187.5K signing bonus and base salary of $1.63MM.
- Kader Kohou, CB (Chiefs): One year, $1.81MM. Wilson reports that Kohou’s deal is also fully guaranteed with a signing bonus of $665K and base salary of $1.15MM.
- Matt Gay, K (Raiders): One year, $1.6MM. Per Wilson, the Raiders’ new kicker can earn up to $2.25MM on this contract that only has $1.35MM of guaranteed money at signing, $200K from his signing bonus and $1.15MM of his base salary ($1.4MM). $650K will be available to Gay through an incentive based on his field goal percentage.
- Mike Caliendo, G (Chiefs): One year, $1.35MM. Per Wilson, Caliendo’s new deal includes $650K fully guaranteed at signing, consisting of a signing bonus of $150K and $500K of his base salary ($1.15MM). Caliendo can also earn up to $50K with a per game active roster bonus of $2.94K.
- Emari Demercado, RB (Chiefs): One year, $1.25MM. According to Wilson, Demercado’s contract includes $550K of full guarantees at signing made up of a $50K signing bonus and $500K of his base salary ($1.15MM). He’ll have the same per game active roster bonus as Caliendo, giving him the potential to add on another $50K in 2026.
NFL Draft Rumors: Cardinals, RBs, Downs, Woods, Terrell
As free agency slows, the general focus of the NFL is starting to shift to the 2026 NFL Draft. For one team, though, the focus appears to be the 2027 NFL Draft, per Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom. As several teams work to secure optimal situations in their quarterbacks rooms, the Cardinals appear to be working around it.
After cutting veteran quarterback Kyler Murray, Arizona seems content to move forward in 2026 with journeyman backup Jacoby Brissett, who went 1-11 as the Cardinals’ starter last year. They supplemented the room with another frequent flier with starting experience in Gardner Minshew. Neither passer is viewed as the team’s future at the position but more as bridge options until that future comes along. The prevailing opinion throughout league circles appears to be that Arizona is tanking the 2026 season in hopes of setting themselves up well for a draft projected to be a bit more rich in quarterback prospects than this year’s draft.
With that in mind, the remainder of their offseason will be focused on building an offense around their future quarterback, starting with the construction of a reliable wall in front of him. For this reason, there’s belief the Cardinals will be targeting an offensive lineman with their No. 3 overall pick, and the popular opinion is that Hurricanes top tackle prospect Francis Mauigoa could be that target. The three-year starter out of Miami (FL) has a strong chance of being available as Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is expected to go No. 1 to Las Vegas, and the Jets are expected to add to their defense with the second overall pick.
Here are a few other draft rumors from around the NFL:
- While only one or two running backs project to be top prospects in the draft, there are plenty of options for teams looking to build depth or add some fresher legs to their room. With Alvin Kamara‘s future in New Orleans in doubt, Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports reports that the Saints have shown interest in Arkansas running back Mike Washington. A Buffalo- and New Mexico State-transfer, Washington rushed for 1,070 yards and eight touchdowns for the Razorbacks last year.
- When it was thought that Aaron Jones would be departing from Minnesota, some at ESPN believed the team would go to the draft, as opposed to the free agent market, to fill out the room. With Jones returning on a re-worked contract that expires after this year, running back may still be a focus for the Vikings in this year’s draft.
- Despite re-signing J.K. Dobbins and restricted free agent Jaleel McLaughlin and having spent a second-round pick on RJ Harvey last year, the Broncos are doing research on the draft’s offerings at the position. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, the team hosted Indiana running back Kaelon Black for a top 30 visit. The national champion rushed for 1,040 yards and 10 touchdowns and has visited the Jets with visits with the Panthers, Bengals, and Raiders set in the future.
- According to ESPN’s Matt Miller, some post-combine conversations with scouts revealed a dramatic range of opinions for Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods. The former five-star recruit took over a full-time starting position in his sophomore season and grabbed the attention of scouts everywhere with three sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss in 11 games while proving to be an elite run-stopper. His production declined in his junior year, which Pro Football Focus (subscription required) still saw as good but graded as his worst campaign in Clemson. As a result, some scouts still see the potential and view him as a top 15 prospect, while others have him “solidly” as a Day 2 prospect.
- The Giants have had an incredibly busy (and in many views productive) offseason thus far, so many are eager to see what approach they will take with their fifth overall pick in the draft. According to La Canfora, despite their success rebuilding so far, New York still has a glaring hole in the secondary. New head coach John Harbaugh‘s former organization invested heavily in the safety position over the course of his tenure with the team, and it’s believed that that mentality has followed him to New York. Ohio State’s Caleb Downs has been tied to the Giants before, and La Canfora doubles down on the opinion that he could be the selection at No. 5 overall.
- Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell, the younger brother of Falcons first-round cornerback and one-time second-team All-Pro AJ Terrell, is widely viewed as a top five prospect at his position. After suffering a minor hamstring injury at the combine, though, the younger Terrell will not be participating in the Tigers’ pro day, according to Jordan Reid of ESPN. Instead, he has scheduled a separate workout for scouts that will take place March 30.
Coaching Notes: Wink, Jets, Bisaccia, Broncos, Eagles, Martin
Former NFL defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale was a strong candidate to take the same role with the Jets this offseason. Martindale was the only coach to fly in for an interview and meet with the Jets twice, but talks fell apart after head coach Aaron Glenn decided he would rather call the plays than allow someone else to do it for the second straight year. Glenn wound up hiring first-time coordinator Brian Duker, the ninth and final candidate to interview for the position. Addressing the Jets’ DC choice with Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News, Martindale implied it was not Glenn’s call.
“I think it was close. I’ve always respected and I like Aaron Glenn. He’s a good dude, and we think a lot alike on a lot of similar things defensively,” Martindale said. “But just to be honest with you, I think it was one of those decisions that was out of his hands, and we’ll just leave it at that. But that’s OK. Wherever you’re at is where you’re supposed to be.”
It would be easy to infer from Martindale’s comments that owner Woody Johnson meddled in the hiring process. Regardless, it will primarily be up to Glenn to turn the Jets’ defense around in 2026. With Steve Wilks and then Chris Harris in charge last year, the unit ranked 31st in scoring and somehow failed to intercept a single pass.
In other coaching news…
- Clemson hired longtime NFL special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia for the same job earlier this month. Bisaccia has previous experience at Clemson, where he coached special teams and running backs from 1994-98. The 65-year-old spent the past four seasons running the Packers’ special teams unit, leaving them surprised when he stepped down in February. Bisaccia has also been an ST coordinator with the Raiders, Chargers and Cowboys. After Jon Gruden‘s resignation in 2021, Bisaccia took over as the Raiders’ interim head coach and led them to a 7-5 record. The Raiders earned their most recent playoff berth under Bisaccia, but they did not promote him to the full-time post after the season. They instead hired Josh McDaniels, who stumbled to a 9-16 mark during his year and a half in Las Vegas.
- As part of an NFL career that spanned from 2014-24, former receiver Willie Snead spent three seasons playing for Sean Payton in New Orleans. The two are reuniting in Denver in 2026. Payton, now the Broncos’ head coach, hired Snead in an offensive quality control role, per Mike Klis of 9News. Payton also promoted Chris Morgan from assistant offensive line coach to O-line coach and added former NFL linebacker Zaviar Gooden as an assistant strength and conditioning coach (via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network and Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2).
- Briefly an Eagles quarterback in 2011, Jerrod Johnson interviewed twice for their offensive coordinator vacancy in January. The job went to Sean Mannion, but the Eagles still added Johnson to their staff earlier this month (via Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia). After a three-year run as the Texans’ QBs coach, Johnson will serve as senior offensive assistant/special projects for the head coach in Philadelphia.
- Tee Martin was on the Ravens’ staff for the past half-decade, working as John Harbaugh‘s wide receivers coach for two years and then his quarterbacks coach for three. New head coach Jesse Minter did not retain Martin, who is now joining Lane Kiffin‘s LSU staff as an offensive analyst, insider Jordan Schultz reports. Martin, a former national title-winning QB at Tennessee, garnered over a decade of experience coaching at the college level before he moved to Baltimore.
Browns Making WR A Potential First-Round Focus
The Browns aren’t doing much to hide one of their main focuses for the 2026 NFL Draft. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported yesterday that the team has hosted several wide receivers for top 30 visits in the past few days. 
Cleveland hasn’t lost much in its receiving corps to free agency and, just this week, added former Ravens return specialist Tylan Wallace to the room. The Browns are set to return Jerry Jeudy, Isaiah Bond, and Cedric Tillman to a passing attack that finished second-to-last in the NFL last year on the arms of three competing quarterbacks. Though things may still change, this year’s group isn’t expected to be dealing with as much uncertainty, with the expectation being that second-year passer Shedeur Sanders will compete with a recovering Deshaun Watson for QB1 honors.
Given the sheer number of returning bodies at the position, Cleveland likely isn’t aiming to build depth. Based on their early reported visits, the aim appears to be adding a starting-caliber receiver that can complement the playmakers currently in the building. We saw yesterday their plans to host Washington wideout Denzel Boston days after bringing in Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson and Ohio State’s Carnell Tate (as well as Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson). Considering those three pass catchers are three of NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah’s top five receivers, a first-round wideout could easily be in the Browns’ immediate future.
Those three aren’t alone in competition for Cleveland’s favor, though. Per Cabot, USC’s Makai Lemon, Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., Alabama’s Germie Bernard, and Louisville’s Chris Bell have all been subjects of the Browns’ pre-draft homework. The team has hosted all of them at some point in the past few days, as well as Miami (FL) offensive tackle Markel Bell, Oklahoma edge rusher R Mason Thomas, and Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
It doesn’t seem the Browns are looking for any one particular attribute in a potential first-round receiver. The prospects they’ve looked at thus far range in body size, speed, and abilities. Some excel at making contested catches, while others specialize in yards after catch, and others still make route-running an art. Whether they’re looking for an upgrade in the slot, a big-bodied red-zone target, or someone to take the top off the defense, they appear to have no shortage of options or interests.
Dolphins Restructured Aaron Brewer, De’Von Achane Deals For Waddle Trade
The Dolphins’ decision to part ways with Tua Tagovailoa this offseason put them in a tight cap situation due to the $99.2MM in dead money it left on their books.
Trading Jaylen Waddle stretched their budget even further, as the pre-June 1 move accelerated his remaining bonus prorations onto this year’s salary cap. That created $26.5MM in dead money in 2026, higher than his originally-scheduled cap hit of $11.8MM, which would have put Miami over the 2026 limit once the trade was processed.
To clear the requisite space, the Dolphins restructured the contracts of center Aaron Brewer and running back De’Von Achane, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. For Brewer, this meant a conversion of $5.25MM of his 2026 salary to a signing bonus, reducing his salary to the veteran minimum and his cap hit by $4.2MM to $4.95MM (via OverTheCap). This is the last year of Brewer’s contract with three void years already present, so one more was added to maximize the savings of the move, according to KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson. While technically this increases his cap hit in each of the next four seasons by $1.05MM, those charges will all accelerate onto the Dolphins’ 2027 cap when Brewer’s deal voids next February, leaving $4.2MM in dead money. An extension before the void date will prevent that acceleration.
Achane’s salary – originally boosted to $5.77MM as a result of the Proven Performance Escalator – was also reduced to the veteran minimum with $4.62MM converted to a signing bonus, per Wilson. Four void years were added to maximize the 2026 cap savings of the restructure, thereby creating the same amount of dead money for the 2027 season. An Achane extension, which could be negotiated in the coming months, would defer those charges.
The Dolphins will still need to clear more cap space to sign their rookie class and afford minor in-season expenses. Much of that relief will arrive on June 1, when the $20.2MM in savings from Bradley Chubb‘s release will be processed. The Dolphins will also receive a $3.08MM cap credit in 2027 for Waddle, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.
Miami’s new regime was clearly prepared for these cap gymnastics entering the offseason. They were able to sign a full free agent class – including quarterback Malik Willis, who signed the seventh-biggest contract in free agency – despite devoting more than half of their budget to players that are no longer on the team.
But moving Waddle was only worth it for the compensation they received from the Broncos. Miami established a first-round-plus valuation for their star wide receiver back at the 2025 trade deadline and stuck to it during negotiations this offseason. Denver was willing to add a third-rounder to their No. 30 selection, but only if a fourth-round pick swap was also part of the deal, per 9News’ Mike Klis.
KC Concepcion To Visit Dolphins
After a prolific college career divided between NC State and Texas A&M, KC Concepcion is expected to come off the board early in this year’s draft. The Dolphins are among the possibilities for Concepcion, who has booked an upcoming visit with the team, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Concepcion was by far NC State’s best receiver as a true freshman in 2023. Not only did he rack up 71 catches for 839 yards and 10 touchdowns over 13 games, but he also added 320 rushing yards on 41 attempts (7.8 per carry). He earned ACC Rookie of the Year and second-team All-ACC honors as a result.
Concepcion’s production fell the next season, during which he put up 53 catches, 460 yards and six scores in 12 games. While Concepcion only rushed 19 times for 36 yards, he did add two TDs on the ground.
Concepcion was mostly a slot receiver at NC State, which played a role in his decision to transfer to Texas A&M ahead of the 2025 campaign. Lining up in the slot and on the outside with the Aggies, Concepcion formed an excellent receiving duo with fellow transfer portal pickup Mario Craver. Concepcion caught 61 passes for 919 yards (a personal-best 15.1 YPC) and an SEC-leading nine touchdowns. He finished with just 10 carries, but he picked up 75 yards and another TD. In what went down as Concepcion’s lone year at Texas A&M and final season in college, he was a consensus All-American and an All-SEC performer.
As the 21-year-old Concepcion prepares to enter the NFL, the Dolphins are among logical fits. Outside of running back De’Von Achane, Miami is starved for offensive weapons. The team is especially lacking at receiver, having released Tyreek Hill and traded Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos for a package of draft picks, including the 30th overall selection this year. Thanks in part to his issues with drops (he had 19 in college), Concepcion may not be an option in the top half of the first round. That might rule out the Dolphins taking him 11th overall, but with Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com ranking Concepcion as the 33rd-best prospect in the class, they could reel him in at No. 30 or 43.
Chargers Had Interest In Elgton Jenkins; Latest On Guard Plans
The Chargers’ offensive line endured a brutal, injury-plagued year in 2025, but the unit will look much different next season. Left tackle Rashawn Slater will return after a ruptured patellar tendon cost him the entire season. Right tackle Joe Alt, who missed 11 games with an ankle injury, will also be back. The Chargers overhauled the rest of the unit, meaning three new starters will join Slater and Alt in 2026.
A full-time starter in Los Angeles over the past two years, center Bradley Bozeman retired in February. The Chargers found a capable replacement in former Cowboy and Commander Tyler Biadasz, whom they handed a three-year, $30MM contract. Along with Bozeman, the Chargers waved goodbye to guards Zion Johnson and Mekhi Becton.
Johnson started in 65 of 66 games during his four seasons as a Charger, but he did not turn into the dominant force they wanted when they picked the Boston College alum 17th overall in 2022. The Chargers declined Johnson’s fifth-year option last May, setting him up for a trip to the open market this offseason. He accepted the Browns’ three-year, $49.5MM offer when the negotiating window opened March 9.
The Chargers handed Becton a two-year deal worth up to $20MM last March. Although Becton was a 14-game starter in the first year of the pact, the Chargers were not content to run it back with him. They released Becton before free agency opened. He remains unsigned.
With Johnson and Becton walking out the door, the Chargers made a couple of modest free agent investments at the guard position. The team had interest in Elgton Jenkins after the Packers released him, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports, but the two-time Pro Bowler joined Johnson in Cleveland on a two-year, $24MM accord.
The Chargers signed Cole Strange to a two-year agreement worth up to $13MM and re-upped Trevor Penning for $4.5MM the day before Jenkins chose the Browns. At least for now, the plan is for Strange to replace Becton at right guard and Penning to take over for Johnson on the left side, according to Popper.
The Patriots surprised many (including Rams head coach Sean McVay and GM Les Snead) in taking Strange 29th overall in 2022. The Chattanooga product has started in 43 of 44 games since then, including 14 with the Dolphins last year, but he is already on his third team four years after Bill Belichick chose him. However, during his lone season in Miami, Strange won over head coach Mike McDaniel. The Dolphins fired McDaniel after the season, leading him to take the Chargers’ offensive coordinator job in late January. Adding Strange a month and a half later “was very obviously a McDaniel-driven signing,” Popper writes.
Penning joins Johnson and Strange as a former first-rounder who has fallen short of his draft slot in the NFL. The 19th overall pick of the Saints in 2022, Penning began at left tackle. Foot injuries limited Penning to six games and one start as a rookie. The 6-foot-7, 325-pounder started the Saints’ first five games at left tackle in 2023, but he played poorly enough that they benched him for the rest of the season. While New Orleans deployed Penning as a 17-game starter at right tackle in 2024, he led all O-linemen in penalty yards and gave up the second-most pressures in the league at his position.
The Saints shifted Penning to left guard last season, and while he started in his first six appearances, they traded him to the banged-up Chargers for a 2027 sixth-rounder at the Nov. 4 deadline. Penning started in four of seven games with the Chargers, who used him at right guard and left tackle. Pro Football Focus rated his play a subpar 64th among 79 qualified guards, though Johnson (54th) wasn’t much better. Becton (77th) was worse.
Armed with $48.68MM in cap space, the Chargers still have plenty of money to upgrade at guard. Free agency has thinned out over the past 12 days, but quality veterans like Kevin Zeitler and Joel Bitonio remain without contracts. Either may be a fit if the Chargers are willing to spend. Otherwise, with three picks in the top 86, they could turn to the draft for help.
Eagles Still In Market For Edge Rusher
The Eagles worked to re-sign Jaelan Phillips in free agency, but they were ultimately outbid by the Panthers. A much, much, cheaper pivot to Arnold Ebiketie followed, but he alone will struggled to replace Phillips’ pass rushing production in 2026.
As a result, Philadelphia is still looking to add to their edge rushing room this offseason, according to Zach Berman of The Athletic. Currently slated to start are 2023 first-rounder Nolan Smith and 2024 third-rounder Jalyx Hunt, who both broke out with 6.5 sacks in their second seasons, with Ebiketie and Jose Ramirez providing depth. Brandon Graham has also signaled his intention to return for a 17th NFL season, though his playing time and production has waned in the last two years.
Smith, Hunt, and Ebiketie are a solid, but perhaps not game-changing, trio of edge rushers, and Ramirez, a 2023 sixth-round pick by the Buccaneers, has only played in four career games, all in 2024 in Tampa Bay. The unit could certainly use an infusion of talent, and Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is known to go big-game hunting.
Among the potential additions is Vikings edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, per Berman. Philadelphia has interest in the 2024 Pro Bowler, though it would take both draft picks and a new contract. Neither has typically been an issue for Roseman, who has been willing to move aggressively in trade and contract negotiations to secure his desired talents. The Eagles currently have $32.58MM in cap space (via OverTheCap), and can clear another $7.04MM with an A.J. Brown trade after June 1. Such a deal should net enough draft capital to acquire Greenard, too.
Even if Roseman declines to go after Greenard, the losses of Joshua Uche and Azeez Ojulari in free agency will encourage him to add some veteran edge depth. His predilection for brand names could point him towards Cameron Jordan or Joey Bosa, both multi-time Pro Bowlers who has remained effective in rushing the passer in the last few years.
AFC Contract Details: Doubs, Steelers, Chiefs, Bengals, Titans, Bills
After a solid four-year run with the Packers, wide receiver Romeo Doubs entered free agency hoping to earn $20MM per season on his next contract, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. Twenty-two receivers are currently in that club, but Doubs fell short of joining the group. He will still rake in $17MM per annum on his four-year, $68MM deal with the Patriots. The contract includes $3MM in annual incentives, which would enable Doubs to reach his goal of $20MM per year. However, securing all of that money would require huge production. Doubs would earn $750K each for 70 catches, 80 receptions, 1,000 yards and 1,200 yards, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reports. The 25-year-old has averaged 51 catches and 606 yards per season.
Here are more contract details from around the AFC:
- Sticking with the Patriots, guard Alijah Vera-Tucker will collect $500K each if he’s active for 85% of snaps, 90%, 95%, and picks up an original-ballot Pro Bowl nod, per Volin. Although the oft-injured Tucker missed 42 of 85 games during his half-decade with the Jets, he still pulled in a three-year, $42MM payday.
- Steelers running back Rico Dowdle‘s two-year, $12.25MM agreement features a $5MM signing bonus and salaries of $1.25MM and $6MM, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 relays. Newly signed defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day‘s two-year, $11MM accord includes a $4.7MM signing bonus and salaries of $1.3MM and $5MM, Wilson adds.
- Chiefs defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga three-year, $21MM arrangement includes a $5.6MM signing bonus, a first-year salary of $1.22MM and then back-to-back $6.75MM salaries, according to Wilson. Safety Alohi Gilman‘s three-year, $24.75MM contract comes with a $6MM signing bonus and salaries of $1.25MM, $7.25MM and $8.75MM (via Wilson).
- Bengals defensive tackle Jonathan Allen‘s two-year, $25MM deal features a $7.5MM option after signing and $7.5MM in full guarantees, per Wilson. Allen’s salary will skyrocket from $2.4MM next season to $18.8MM in 2027.
- New Titans backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky‘s two-year agreement is worth $10.5MM, including $6.83MM in guarantees, Wilson reports. It includes a $2MM signing plus salaries of $2.83MM and $4.83MM. Also via Wilson, kicker Joey Slye will make $2MM, including $750K fully guaranteed, on his one-year deal.
- Bills slot cornerback Dee Alford‘s three-year deal is worth $15.75 and carries $7.88MM in full guarantees, $2.25MM in injury guarantees, and a $4.5MM signing bonus, according to Wilson. Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson‘s one-year, $6MM pact has a base value of $3.5MM, $3.02MM in full guarantees, and two void years, per Wilson. Backup QB Kyle Allen‘s two-year, $4.1MM deal includes $1.5MM in guarantees, Wilson adds. Allen could earn $1MM in incentives for playing time, wins, touchdowns and team improvement.
Steelers Host QBs Carson Beck, Cole Payton
The Steelers hosted quarterback prospects Carson Beck and Cole Payton for pre-draft visits this week, according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, signaling their interest in some of this class’ less-heralded passers.
At the moment, Pittsburgh does not have a clear starting quarterback for the 2026 season or beyond. 2025 sixth-rounder Will Howard did not play a snap as a rookie, and the Mason Rudolph experiment is probably not worth another try. 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers is poised to reunite with his old head coach Mike McCarthy, but he is hardly a long-term proposition for a Steelers team that has lacked a true franchise quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger‘s retirement in 2022.
But the 2026 draft class is weak at the position, for the third time in five years. The Steelers’ perennial winning seasons under Mike Tomlin always kept them out of range of a top prospect, and this year will be no different. Fernando Mendoza is widely expected to be taken by the Raiders with the first overall pick; the consensus QB2, Ty Simpson, should be available to the Steelers at No. 21, but is not seen as a surefire NFL starter after just one year leading Alabama’s offense.
Pittsburgh may instead look to add another developmental arm to their quarterback room in April. Beck, 23, started for two seasons at Georgia with SEC-highs in attempts, completions, and yards in 2024. He doubled his interception total from six to 12 the following year, leading the conference, causing him to transfer to Miami to rebuild his draft stock. Beck led the ACC with a 72.4% completion percentage, but threw another 12 interceptions including a game-ender in January’s national championship loss to Indiana.
Payton earned North Dakota State’s starting job in 2025 and led the Bison to an undefeated 12-0 season, though they fell to Illinois State in the second round of the FCS playoffs. The 23-year-old only averaged 209 passing yards per game with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions, but he was the highest-graded quarterback in college football by Pro Football Focus. Payton also put up an excellent testing performance at the Combine, ranking among the top three quarterbacks in every drill.
Pryor also notes that the Steelers hosted Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez for a visit. He led the Big 12 in solo tackles in each of the last two seasons with an FBS-high seven forced fumbles in 2025. The Nagurski and Bednarik winner did not post elite numbers in Indianapolis, but still had a solid all-around day with the fastest three-cone and short shuttle numbers at his position. With questions about his athleticism answer, Rodriguez has risen to No. 45 on NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s rankings and could very well hear his name called on Day 2 of April’s draft.