Vikings To Sign QB Kyler Murray
As expected, Kyler Murray is heading to Minnesota. The quarterback is inking a one-year deal with the Vikings, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The 28-year-old Murray was always destined to make $36.8MM in 2026 by virtue of his release from the Cardinals, and the Vikings are indeed only paying their acquisition a minimum salary. Notably, the team did include a no-tag clause in Murray’s deal, meaning he’ll hit unrestricted free agency once again next year.
While one report stated Murray could exercise patience in finding a new home, he will head elsewhere just one day after the Cardinals made his long-awaited release official. The Vikings immediately became the frontrunners to sign Murray, the former No. 1 pick who fell out of favor in Arizona after seven seasons.
The Cardinals’ attempts to trade Murray proved futile, leading the team to cut him and take on $54.3MM in dead money. They will reportedly incur a $47.1MM dead cap charge in 2026 and a much more manageable $7.2MM hit in ’27.
A former Heisman Trophy winner at Oklahoma, the 5-foot-10, 207-pound Murray’s NFL career got off to an auspicious start. Murray took home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2019 before earning back-to-back original-ballot Pro Bowl nods from 2020-21. The Cardinals won 11 games to break a five-year playoff drought in Murray’s third season, but the Rams crushed them in the wild-card round. Thanks in part to injuries, Murray’s career has trended downward since the Cardinals awarded him a five-year, $230MM extension in July 2022.
A torn ACL in late 2022 cost Murray six games that year, and the recovery process held him out of the Cardinals’ first nine contests the next season. After Murray shook off the rust during his late-2023 return, he showed some encouraging signs in 2024. In the only 17-game season of his career, Murray completed 68.8% of passes for 3,851 yards (7.1 per attempt), 21 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, a 93.5 passer rating and a career-best 63.4 QBR. As a runner, Murray amassed 572 yards on 7.3 per carry and chipped in another five TDs.
Murray was unable to build on the momentum in 2025, yet another injury-shortened season. A mid-foot sprain limited Murray to just five games. He did not take the field beyond Oct. 5.
Like Murray, injuries have been a problem for Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy. The 2024 first-round pick from Michigan missed his rookie season with a torn meniscus, leading veteran Sam Darnold to fill in for the entire year. Darnold revived his career during a 14-3 season, but the Vikings let him walk in free agency.
Darnold, now a reigning Super Bowl champion, signed a three-year, $100.5MM pact with the Seahawks. Daniel Jones, a former Giants starter, finished 2024 as Darnold’s backup in Minnesota. While the Vikings tried to re-sign Jones, he took the Colts’ offer instead because he saw a clearer path to playing time. Jones went on to enjoy a career resurgence in 2025, leading the Colts to re-sign him to a two-year, $88MM contract this week. The Vikings were interested in reuniting with Jones before the Colts placed the transition tag on the 28-year-old and then extended him.
Minnesota’s pursuit of veteran signal-callers came in response to a rough first year as a starter for McCarthy. Three different injuries – a high ankle sprain, a concussion and a hairline fracture in his right hand – held McCarthy to 10 games. The 9-8 Vikings managed six wins in McCarthy’s 10 starts, but he threw more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (11). McCarthy also completed just 57.6% of passes while ranking near the bottom in the league in traditional passer rating (72.6) and QBR (35.7).
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, the general manager who drafted McCarthy, lost his job in January. Before his ouster, he and head coach Kevin O’Connell made it known they would at least seek veteran competition for McCarthy this offseason. The offensive-minded O’Connell now has it in Murray, who will aim to follow in Darnold’s footsteps in Minnesota. If Murray beats out McCarthy and reestablishes himself as a legitimate starter in 2026, he could position himself for another lucrative deal a year from now.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
49ers To Bring Back LB Dre Greenlaw
The 49ers are reuniting with linebacker Dre Greenlaw, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. Greenlaw will return to San Francisco on a one-year, $7.5MM deal.
The Broncos released Greenlaw on Tuesday, ending his stay in Denver after one season, but it did not take the 28-year-old long to land on his feet. Greenlaw, a fifth-round pick in 2019, spent the first six seasons of his career in San Francisco. The Broncos scooped up Greenlaw on a three-year, $35MM pact last March, but the move did not pan out as hoped.
[RELATED: 49ers To Sign CB Nate Hobbs]
While the Broncos boasted the NFL’s third-ranked scoring defense in 2025, they only received limited contributions from the oft-injured Greenlaw. The 6-foot, 230-pounder began the season on IR with a quad injury and did not debut until Week 7. He also missed the Broncos’ last two games as a result of a hamstring issue. Greenlaw ended the year with 43 tackles, an interception, a sack and a forced fumble over eight games (seven starts). Designating him a post-June 1 release saved the Broncos $8.19MM on next season’s cap.
Greenlaw has not played a full season since his rookie campaign, which ended with a loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV. Injuries have held him out of 45 regular-season games since then. He played just three games in 2021 and two in 2024. Greenlaw’s 15-game absence in ’24 came as a result of a torn Achilles he suffered while trotting onto the field for the first half of a Super Bowl LVIII rematch with the Chiefs. The rehab process prevented him from returning until mid-December. He made two appearances before the 49ers shut him down for the year.
When healthy, Greenlaw has been among the league’s top linebackers at times. During his most productive two-year stretch, 2022-23, he combined for 247 tackles across 30 games. Pro Football Focus ranked Greenlaw as the league’s seventh-best linebacker in 2022. Even in his abbreviated Broncos season, PFF rated Greenlaw’s performance an outstanding 16th among 88 qualifiers at his position.
In his return to San Francisco, Greenlaw will work under new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris. He will also reunite with superstar linebacker Fred Warner, who is coming off an injury-shortened year of his own. The four-time first-team All-Pro dislocated and broke his ankle in Week 6, ending his season in October. The 49ers will bank on healthier seasons from Greenlaw and Warner in 2026, but their linebacker group is deep beyond that duo. Dee Winters, Tatum Bethune and 2025 third-rounder Nick Martin are also under contract.
Eagles Remove Year From G Landon Dickerson’s Contract
After considering an early retirement, Landon Dickerson joined Lane Johnson in agreeing to return to the Eagles. But the Pro Bowl guard will no longer be tied to the same contract.
Philadelphia is removing a year from Dickerson’s deal, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The sides’ revised contract — a two-year deal worth around $36MM — removes the 2028 season. Dickerson had been tied to a four-year, $84MM pact and was previously due $39MM from 2026-27. A slight pay cut appears in the works, with Fowler adding incentives would help Dickerson reach his original amount.
Dickerson, 27, is one of the NFL’s best guards. The three-time Pro Bowler carried a $10MM guarantee for 2026 and is due $15.7MM this year, per Fowler. But the Eagles stand to save a bit of cap space; Dickerson was tied to a $10.28MM number. That is fairly low, but the Eagles regularly backload their deals through option bonuses and void years. Dickerson’s pact already included four void years.
Coming into the day with just more than $11MM in cap space, the Eagles have been negotiating with the Vikings on a Jonathan Greenard trade. They also moved Dallas Goedert‘s void date to Friday, buying more time to re-sign the soon-to-be UFA tight end. Philly dropped in late in the Trey Hendrickson pursuit after being in the Maxx Crosby derby. It seems like the team will add an edge rusher soon, and a chunk of cap space will be necessary for such a move.
Missing much of training camp due to meniscus surgery, Dickerson returned in time for Week 1 (he had already undergone offseason knee surgery). But he played hurt often in 2025. The five-year veteran missed time because of an ankle injury as well, though he did suit up for 15 games and Philly’s wild-card contest. The injury-plagued season led to the former second-round pick considering retirement. That would have dealt a blow to the Eagles’ O-line, but for one more year at least, they will have Dickerson and Johnson together. The latter will play an age-36 season in 2026.
The Eagles have Dickerson, Johnson, Cam Jurgens and Jordan Mailata signed beyond 2026. Only RG Tyler Steen is in a contract year. But Johnson’s age and Dickerson’s retirement flirtation create some instability for one of the NFL’s best position groups, one that lost longtime leader Jeff Stoutland this offseason.
Mike Evans Considered Signing With Bills
A dozen years into a potential Hall of Fame career, wide receiver Mike Evans left the Buccaneers for the 49ers on Monday. Discussing the decision on Thursday, Evans told reporters he entered free agency seeking a contender with a good quarterback (via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports California). He found that in San Francisco, which reeled him in with a three-year offer worth a base value of $42.4MM.
The 32-year-old Evans will go forward with Brock Purdy as his quarterback, but he also considered moving to Buffalo to team with Josh Allen.
“So I was looking at here, Buffalo Bills, teams that needed a No. 1 wide receiver,” Evans said. “I liked this place. This was my No. 1 spot on my own.”
It is unclear if the Bills were aggressive in pursuing Evans, especially after they acquired the pricey D.J. Moore from the Bears last week. However, if the Bills brought in Evans to pair with Moore, it would have given them a much better outside receiver duo than they had last year. The Bills have a quality slot target in Khalil Shakir, but the rest of their wideouts underwhelmed in 2025.
Former second-round pick Keon Coleman did not progress as hoped during a year in which former head coach Sean McDermott made him a healthy scratch four times. Meanwhile, Josh Palmer and Curtis Samuel struggled to produce during injury-shortened years. To no surprise, the Bills released Samuel last Friday. Late-season pickup Brandin Cooks is also a free agent. Tyrell Shavers is under contract, but he will miss time next season after tearing his ACL in a wild-card round win over the Jaguars.
As things stand, Coleman and Palmer are Buffalo’s top boundary receivers beyond Moore. There is clearly still room for improvement, whether it comes by way of a dwindling free agent market, another trade or the draft.
Jauan Jennings, the 49ers’ most productive receiver in 2025, may be the No. 1 option left in free agency. The 49ers have already lost auxiliary wideout Kendrick Bourne to the Cardinals, but they now have Evans slotting in with Ricky Pearsall atop their receiving corps. The 49ers are counting on healthier seasons for both players. Multiple injuries – including a hamstring strain and a broken clavicle – limited Evans to eight games in 2025 and denied him a record-setting 12th straight 1,000-yard season. Knee problems held Pearsall to nine games during the second year of his career.
Despite injuries to Pearsall and a slew of other noteworthy contributors, the 49ers went 12-5 and advanced to the divisional round last season. During their run to a Super Bowl title, the NFC West rival Seahawks knocked the 49ers out of the postseason in a 41-6 blowout. But Evans, who won a Super Bowl in Tampa Bay, is confident he will help San Francisco get over the hump next year.
“Even with all the injuries last year … I feel like they were one piece away,” the six-time Pro Bowler said (via Nick Wagoner of ESPN). “And I think that I am that piece. I look forward to coming here and proving that.”
Cowboys To Sign CB Cobie Durant
The Rams importing the 2025 Chiefs’ starting cornerback duo will send Cobie Durant elsewhere. The fifth-year corner is heading to Dallas, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Todd Archer.
The Cowboys are signing Durant to a one-year deal. A primary Rams starting corner over the past two seasons, Durant has extensive experience on the perimeter and in the slot. A Dallas team that has run into regular CB injuries over the past two seasons will likely turn to Durant as a starter in 2026.
A 2022 fourth-round pick, Durant became a central component in the Rams’ low-cost cornerback plan following the 2023 Jalen Ramsey trade. Los Angeles turned to the Division I-FCS product (South Carolina State) as a 32-game starter from 2024-25; he started nine games in 2023, becoming a young option in a position group that soon included vets Darious Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon.
Deployed more as a slot option in 2023 (349 inside snaps), Durant became an outside staple for L.A. over the past two years. After 132 slot snaps in 2024, he saw only 34 (compared to 744 boundary plays, per Pro Football Focus) last season. PFF graded Durant 43rd overall among corners last season — up from 56th in 2024. Coverage stats classify Durant as consistent between 2024 and ’25, as he is charged with allowing 54.0 and 55.9 completion rates as the closest defender to go with 71.2 and 79.2 passer rating-against numbers. Those stack up reasonably well among CB regulars.
Durant intercepted three passes last season and broke up 15 between the 2024 and ’25 campaigns. He notched pick-sixes in 2022 and ’25. The 5-foot-11 cover man is on the older end for a first-time cornerback FA, turning 28 in February. That makes a one-year contract rather risky, as time is running out for the starter to secure a nice payday. Though, this one-year Dallas offer likely indicates a big market did not form here.
The Rams’ decision to keep costs low at corner may have cost them a Super Bowl berth, however, as Sam Darnold torched the L.A. secondary for 346 yards and three touchdown passes in the NFC championship game. Los Angeles has since traded a four-pick package for Trent McDuffie and signed his four-year Chiefs teammate Jaylen Watson to a three-year, $51MM deal. As the Rams transformed their CB balance sheet, their holdovers will either see their roles reduced or, in Durant’s case, change teams.
Cutting Trevon Diggs after an injury-filled stretch on his pricey extension, the Cowboys paid DaRon Bland last year but saw him suffer a season-ending injury. Foot trouble has plagued the versatile DB. Dallas drafted Shavon Revel in last year’s third round. Revel figures to be a key part of the Cowboys’ 2026 secondary, but after fielding an abysmal defense last year, the Cowboys needed reinforcements. New DC Christian Parker has identified one in Durant.
Steelers To Sign S Jaquan Brisker
Having already lost Kevin Byard and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, the Bears will see another veteran defensive back walk out the door in free agency. Safety Jaquan Brisker is signing with the Steelers, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. It’s a one-year, $5.5MM deal, per Garafolo and colleague Ian Rapoport.
Brisker is heading back to his native Pittsburgh, which will be his second NFL stop. After a standout college career at Penn State, Brisker joined the Bears as a second-round pick in 2022. The 26-year-old started in all 52 of his games with the Bears.
Brisker played back-to-back 15-game seasons to begin his career, but he missed time with concussions in both years. Another head injury cost Brisker 12 games in 2024. Despite that, Brisker brushed off retirement in favor of continuing his career last year.
Not only did the 6-foot-1, 204-pounder log his first 17-game season in 2025, but he led all Bears defenders with a 99.91% defensive snap share (Byard finished second at 99.81%). Brisker tallied 93 tackles, eight passes defensed and an interception along the way. Pro Football Focus ranked Brisker’s performance a solid 45th among 91 qualifying safeties. With a 79.0 grade against the run, he placed 20th in that category.
Kyle Dugger, Chuck Clark and Jabrill Peppers were among the Steelers’ safety choices last season, but all three are now unsigned. Brisker will join a group that includes Jalen Ramsey, DeShon Elliott and the newly signed Darnell Savage. Between Brisker and former Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean, Pittsburgh has added two full-time starters to its secondary this week.
Browns Re-Sign P Corey Bojorquez
Corey Bojorquez is set to be back in Cleveland for a fifth season. The Browns announced today that they re-signed their veteran punter.
“This is a place we’ve been for now going to be over half my career,” Bojorquez said in the team’s statement. “So, to have that continuity and be here with a lot of the players, and I’m excited for the new coaching staff, so I’m really looking forward to it.”
Bojorquez first caught on with Cleveland before the 2022 campaign, where he was set to compete with Joseph Charlton for the punting job. Bojorquez won the gig, and he’s only missed a single game for the Browns since that time. He inked a two-year extension with the organization back in 2024.
The 29-year-old has led the NFL in punts and punting yards in each of the past two seasons, but it’s not all quantity. Bojorquez had the NFL’s longest punt (84 yards) in 2024, and he accomplished the same feat in previous stops with the Bills (2020) and Packers (2021). He’s also landed 37.5 percent of his punts inside the 20 during his career.
His performance started to slip a bit in 2025. He landed a career-low 25.3 percent of his punts inside the 20, and his 37 net yards per punt also represented a career low. Still, Bojorquez will provide the special teams with additional continuity as they welcome in a new ST coordinator in Byron Storer.
49ers To Sign CB Nate Hobbs
Nate Hobbs has quickly found a new home. After getting cut by the Packers earlier this week, the cornerback is signing with the 49ers, according to Jordan Schultz. It’s one-year deal for the cornerback. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero says the deal could be worth up to $4.5MM.
[RELATED: Packers To Release CB Nate Hobbs]
After completing his rookie contract with the Raiders, Hobbs inked a four-year, $48MM deal with the Packers last offseason. The cornerback’s injury problems persisted in Green Bay, where he dealt with knee issues for much of the campaign. It started with a meniscus issue in training camp, and it concluded with a season-ending MCL injury. The 26-year-old ultimately got in 11 games (five starts) during his lone season with the Packers.
Instead of facing the second year of Hobbs’ contract, the Packers moved on from him earlier this week. The move created $8.84MM in cap savings for the Packers while generating a dead money charge of $4MM.
The 2021 fifth-round pick impressed as a rookie, including a fifth-place ranking in Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings. He struggled to reach that ceiling over the next three years, with Hobbs often finding himself in and out of the starting lineup with the Raiders. He finished his tenure in Las Vegas with 281 stops and three interceptions.
Hobbs will get another chance to show what he’s got in San Francisco. However, if he wants to serve as more than a backup, he’ll have to leap the incumbents. At the moment, the 49ers are set to return basically their entire CB corps, including Deommodore Lenoir, Renardo Green, and Upton Stout.
Commanders To Re-Sign OL Trenton Scott
Trenton Scott will be back for another season in Washington. The veteran offensive lineman is re-signing with the Commanders, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The lineman bounced around the NFL a bit to begin his career, spending time with the Chargers, Panthers, and Steelers. He started a career-high nine games in Los Angeles in 2019. Scott inked a two-year deal with the Commanders in 2023, and he inked a new one-year contract with the organization last offseason. He’s seen time in 35 games during his stint in Washington, starting six games. He also saw some significant playing time during the 2024 postseason while filling in for Sam Cosmi.
He dropped down the depth chart last offseason following the additions of LT Laremy Tunsil and rookie RT Josh Conerly. That led to him finishing the campaign with only eight appearances and 82 offensive snaps.
Conerly, Tunsil, and Cosmi will all be back on Washington’s OL in 2026, but the rest of the grouping remains uncertain. The team cut center Tyler Biadasz while guard Chris Paul remains unsigned. The Commanders surely aren’t done adding to the position, but Scott could find himself competing with the likes of Nick Allegretti for a significant role next season.
Eagles To Sign LB Arnold Ebiketie
After completing his rookie contract in Atlanta, Arnold Ebiketie is heading to Philly. The free agent linebacker is signing with the Eagles, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
It will be a one-year deal for the former second-round pick. Ebiketie can earn up to $7.3MM this upcoming season, including $4.3MM in guaranteed money.
The 38th-overall pick in 2022, Ebiketie didn’t necessarily live up to his draft billing in Atlanta. He started only 12 of his 67 games across four seasons, appearing in less than half of his team’s defensive snaps. He did show some ability to get after the QB, including a stretch between 2023 and 2024 when he totaled 12 sacks.
His counting stats took a step back in 2025, as the 27-year-old finished with career-lows in sacks (two) and QB hits (six). Pro Football Focus was generally a fan of his performance, however, ranking him 27th among 119 qualifying edge defenders. While the site identifies pass-rushing as his best skill, they also gave him solid marks for his run-stuffing ability.
Ebiketie will join an Eagles squad that didn’t have a single defender with more than seven sacks last season. The team has lost linebackers Nakobe Dean and Jaelan Phillips, who combined for six sacks in 2025. Ultimately, the newest addition may find himself replacing Josh Uche as the primary backup to Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith.