G Michael Onwenu Agrees To Revised Patriots Deal
2026 remains the final year of Michael Onwenu‘s Patriots contract. A revision was recently agreed to by the veteran guard, however.
Onwenu has signed a new pact covering the coming season, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. The 28-year-old was not previously owed any guaranteed money for 2026, but that has now changed. Onwenu’s cap charge has been reduced by $7.5MM as a result of this new deal, but he is now set to collect $10MM in salary and bonuses.
As detailed by Over the Cap, Onwenu’s 2026 compensation includes $8.95MM guaranteed. Of that figure, $6MM has already been paid out. This arrangement will thus create cap relief for the Patriots while providing short-term security to Onwenu. The seventh-year veteran has spent his entire career in New England so far, but that could very well change next spring.
Recent indications have suggested the Patriots are likely to allow Onwenu to depart on the open market in 2027. An extension obviously would have ensured a longer run for the Michigan product’s New England tenure. Instead, a compromise covering his walk year has been worked out. The Pats made a big-money guard investment in the form of Alijah Vera-Tucker in March, and a lower cost at the right guard spot beginning in 2027 can be expected.
Onwenu has seen time at right tackle over the course of his NFL career (including as recently as 2024). Last season, though, the former sixth-rounder operated exclusively at right guard, his most common spot for New England. That should remain the case for 2026, and another top-10 PFF evaluation among guards would come as little surprise after he posted one on four previous occasions. That could set Onwenu up for a payday on the open market, but it is increasingly clear his next contract will come from a new team.
Eagles, Patriots Still Negotiating A.J. Brown Trade; Philadelphia Open To Accepting 2028 First-Round Pick
The countdown to June 1 continues as it pertains to an A.J. Brown trade. The swap ending his Eagles tenure is still expected to take place and send him to New England, but there is work to be done between those two teams.
An official Brown-to-New England move is not guaranteed to be in place when it is first feasible to be finalized, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network cautions (video link). Brown’s contract will be far easier to absorb after June 1, something driving the lengthy waiting period before clarity emerges in his case. Rapoport confirms the Patriots remain the expected destination for Brown, 29 next month, so a reunion with head coach Mike Vrabel continues to loom.
Philadelphia and New England have not yet agreed to the price of a Brown trade, per Rapoport and The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson. Anderson adds a swap of picks may wind up taking place once the trade is official. A Day 1 selection continues to be sought out by Eagles general manager Howie Roseman. Especially if the Patriots wind up agreeing to meet it, it will be interesting to see if draft capital attached to Brown and his contract gets sought out by New England.
The Eagles discussed a Brown trade prior to last month’s draft, but their attention ultimately turned to next year’s edition. The 2027 class is held in very high regard (especially compared to this year’s), and that factor is no doubt driving part of New England’s hesitation to part with a first-rounder next year. Roseman has shown a willingness to take draft picks two years into the future as part of a trade, however. That could come into play in this case.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated writes the Eagles discussed a 2028 first-round pick when speaking about a Brown trade earlier this offseason. That conversation took place with a team other than the Patriots, he adds. The non-New England market on this front has been largely quiet, although the Rams have been mentioned as a suitor. Nevertheless, Los Angeles is now seen as being out of the running for Brown.
Across his four years with the Eagles, Brown racked up 5,034 yards and 32 receiving touchdowns. The three-time Pro Bowler helped Philadelphia win Super Bowl LIX, but his level of satisfaction within the team’s offense in general and his on-field relationship with quarterback Jalen Hurts in particular increasingly became a talking point over time. Indications from the team and Hurts have pointed to a separation being expected relatively soon. It still remains to be seen if trade terms can be worked out with the Patriots over the coming days, however.
Eagles Eyeing 2027 First-Rounder For WR A.J. Brown; Rams No Longer Suitors
A.J. Brown will remain a member of the Eagles through at least June 1. A trade after that upcoming date is still expected, although an agreement between Philadelphia and Brown’s long-presumed next team does not appear to be in place.
[RELATED: Chiefs Have Not Pursued Brown]
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirms (video link) the Patriots are still considered the likeliest team to swing a trade in this case. Negotiations have taken place throughout the offseason on a swap which would see Brown reunite with head coach Mike Vrabel. To no surprise, though, the matter of the price in a trade is still unresolved.
The Patriots have not previously been willing to part with a first-round pick to acquire Brown. Rapoport notes Philadelphia continues to seek a Day 1 selection in the 2027 draft, one projected to be much stronger than the class from last month’s event. New England’s preference, meanwhile, remains a lower price to finalize the trade. It will be interesting to see the Patriots’ efforts to avoid outbidding themselves ultimately result in an agreement relatively soon.
The Rams have loomed as a strong Brown suitor at times this spring. Rapoport adds Los Angeles was the three-time Pro Bowler’s preferred destination, but he will not be heading there. Despite the fact previous talks between the Eagles and Rams went further than they did with the Patriots, Rapoport confirms Los Angeles is no longer in the running for Brown. Once the Rams elected to retain Davante Adams, the expectation emerged that he would spend a second season with the team as a complement to Puka Nacua.
Both Nacua and Adams are pending 2027 free agents as things stand. That led many to connect Los Angeles to wideout Makai Lemon ahead of the first round of the draft, but the Rams drafted quarterback Ty Simpson 13th overall instead. The Rams’ decision on that front helped allow the Eagles to trade up to No. 20 and draft Lemon, their latest move to bring in a new receiver and help soften the impact of the long-anticipated Brown departure.
The Patriots currently have roughly $35.5MM in cap space. Absorbing the remainder of Brown’s contract – which runs through 2029 – should be feasible as a result. The possibility of trade talks picking up between Philadelphia and New England will make for an intriguing storyline with the window of opportunity for a swap opening soon.
Ravens S Jaylinn Hawkins Considered Patriots, Three Others In Free Agency
After a relatively unheralded first five years of his career, safety Jaylinn Hawkins broke out in 2025 as a key part of the Patriots’ elite defense. He started 15 games and led the unit with four interceptions to go along with 71 total tackles and six passes defended, also top-five marks team-wide.
That performance helped Hawkins draw significant interest in free agency before ultimately signing a two-year, $10MM with the Ravens. In Baltimore, the 28-year-old will operate as the No. 3 safety in Jesse Minter‘s new defense behind All-Pro Kyle Hamilton and 2025 first-rounder Malaki Starks.
Hawkins did consider staying in New England, he revealed on The Lounge podcast (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss), hinting that the Patriots opted to sign All-Pro and reigning NFL interceptions leader Kevin Byard instead. He also indicated that the Cowboys, Texans, and Panthers all expressed interest before his decision to sign in Baltimore.
All three of those teams made changes to their safety room this offseason, but it is unclear if they could have offered a bigger role for Hawkins. The Ravens had a clear need for a third safety in 2025, resulting in the Odafe Oweh–Alohi Gilman swap with the Chargers, but Gilman and Ar’Darius Washington left in free agency. Gilman played 749 snaps in Baltimore, representing a 98% snap share across his 12 games as a Raven, so Hawkins is in line for a substantial role in his new defense.
The Cowboys re-signed Malik Hooker for his sixth year in Dallas this offseason, and signed longtime Cardinals starter Jalen Thompson to replace Donovan Wilson. They also added P.J. Locke and used a first-round pick on Ohio State All-American Caleb Downs, giving new defensive coordinator Christian Parker multiple options for this season. Dallas might have been a good destination for Hawkins to operate as a versatile No. 3 behind Hooker and Thompson, but Downs would have complicated his path to playing time.
The Texans are returning their 2025 starters, Jalen Pitre and Calen Bullock, as well as veteran No. 3 M.J. Stewart and 2025 sixth-rounder Jaylen Reed. Rather than signing Hawkins, they signed former Eagles Reed Blankenship to a three-year, $24.75MM deal and drafted USC’s Kamari Ramsey in the fifth round of April’s draft. DeMeco Ryans‘ defense does not frequently use three-safety packages, but Houston’s $8.25MM per year investment in Blankenship and Pitre’s slot flexibility could lead to some changes in 2026.
The Panthers entered the new league year with just three safeties on their roster: veteran starter Tre’von Moehrig, 2025 fourth-rounder Lathan Ransom, and 2024 UDFA Demani Richardson. Nick Scott was retained for the other starting job, but the unit could have used another veteran like Hawkins in a tertiary role. Carolina later added Penn State’s Zakee Wheatley with a fifth-round pick, but they may remain a team to watch for a safety acquisition in the coming months.
Seahawks Not Close To Devon Witherspoon Extension
The Seahawks are not close to signing star cornerback Devon Witherspoon to an extension, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson.
Seattle had no issue signing fellow 2023 first-rounder Jaxon Smith-Njigba to a long-term contract this offseason. The reigning Offensive Player of the Year is now the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL with a $42.25MM AAV in a deal that came together quickly this offseason.
Agreeing to terms with Witherspoon will take more time. The cornerback market increased by $5MM from 2024 to 2025, but Trent McDuffie only secured a $900K bump to $31MM on his deal with the Rams. That is somewhat discouraging considering McDuffie’s additional leverage since Los Angeles traded a first-round pick to acquire him.
Witherspoon, who is coming off his third straight Pro Bowl and a second-team All-Pro selection despite playing in just 12 games, could be angling for a bigger raise. He was a crucial part of Seattle’s league-leading defense in 2025 and all cornerbacks with 90.1 overall grade, a 90.1 run defense grade, and 13 quarterback pressures, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Another element is Witherspoon’s shared representation with Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez. New England is working on an extension with its 2023 first-round pick, but WIN Sports Group could be playing their offer against Seattle’s to secure the best deals possible for both players.
The Seahawks typically finalize their extensions by the start of training camp, Henderson notes, giving them some time window to finalize an agreement with Witherspoon. The former No. 5 pick was among the veterans present at OTAs this week, suggesting that he is not frustrated by contract talks thus far and offering optimism on reaching a deal within the next two months.
Eagles’ A.J. Brown Talks With Rams Advanced Further Than Negotiations With Patriots
Less than two weeks remain until the A.J. Brown trade window truly opens, with June 2 looming as the point where the Eagles‘ financial burden would ease and create a manageable dead money blow for 2026. However, Philadelphia may not move on immediately after that pivotal date.
The Eagles could certainly hang onto their top wide receiver for weeks or months beyond June 2 in hopes a bidding war drives up the price. Philly has been insistent on receiving a first-round pick in a Brown swap. The most recent known talks with the Patriots — long viewed as Brown’s most likely destination — had not involved a Round 1 choice being proposed. Without other serious suitors, however, New England could keep its price where it is and wait for Philadelphia to relent.
[RELATED: Stefon Diggs Patriots Return Could Hinge On Brown Path]
If talks with the Pats continue down this path, the Eagles will surely reassess other teams’ interest. Revisiting Rams negotiations may be prudent for the seller here, and NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo notes the Eagles’ talks with the NFC West club advanced further than their Patriots negotiations the first time around.
The Rams entered into Davante Adams trade talks, in a scenario in which Brown would effectively replace the 33-year-old standout, but the accomplished pass catcher remains on Los Angeles’ roster. Uncertainty around Puka Nacua has emerged this offseason as well, with a rehab stint — after a woman alleged Nacua bit her twice, made an antisemitic remark and exhibited “rude or vulgar, threatening, violent, and harassing conduct” — taking place this year. The first-team All-Pro came up as an extension candidate, as this is his contract year, but that noise has quieted. It is worth wondering if the Rams will table that goal for now.
With Adams set to turn 34 before this season ends and both he and Nacua in contract years, the Rams could reengage on Brown, who is controlled through 2029. It would be interesting if the team showed an openness to acquiring Brown without offloading one of its top two wideouts.
The Rams have more than $20MM in effective cap space, with Ty Simpson‘s rookie deal not yet finalized. Brown is tied to a veteran-minimum salary (for cap purposes) but is due a guaranteed $27.45MM option bonus before the season. Brown, who already has a $4MM guarantee for 2027, is due option bonuses worth $19.41MM, $29.36MM and $28.32MM from 2027-29.
L.A. considered Makai Lemon and Kenyon Sadiq at No. 13 before deciding to draft Simpson, who had not been expected to go off the board that early. It would be interesting to see if Brown could represent a method of Matthew Stafford appeasement, as a Nacua-Adams-Brown trio would be on the short list for best in NFL history. Brown would also give the Rams, in theory, a pass catcher to build around beyond this season. It would be interesting to see if the Rams would swing the door open for a Nacua tag-and-trade move in 2027 if they pulled off a Brown acquisition, but some moving parts would come with such a transaction.
The Rams are certainly not shy about trading first-round picks. Les Snead has traded future firsts on five separate occasions over the past decade — with the Jared Goff trade-up preceding the Stafford, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Ramsey and Trent McDuffie swaps — and the team no longer needs to hold its 2027 or ’28 firsts for a quarterback move.
With Stafford going into an age-38 season, it would stand to reason the Rams are open for business with regards to moving a future first to strengthen their 2026 roster. A Stafford extension — which is widely expected — would also reduce the reigning MVP’s cap number ($48.27MM) and increase 2026 flexibility.
Roseman has set a firm asking price of a first-rounder, Garafolo adds. Even though the Eagles’ acquisitions of Lemon, Marquise Brown, Dontayvion Wicks make it quite likely Brown will be moved, the team could hold out in hopes better value arrives in a deal later in the summer. Trade parameters, though, could already be in place with the Patriots. A first-rounder — perhaps in 2028 — should be expected in a deal, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler said during a 97.5 The Fan interview (h/t Yardbarker), but it is unlikely the Eagles land more than that here. The Eagles had previously hoped for first- and second-round picks for Brown, but Fowler does not expect such a haul to materialize.
Offers have come in for Brown, Bleacher Report’s James Palmer said during an Up & Adams appearance (h/t PhillyVoice.com), but no trade negotiations have taken place recently. That could set up a long ending to this saga, as the Eagles certainly do not have to move Brown in early June.
The Bills also inquired on Brown before acquiring D.J. Moore, while the Ravens — linked to Brown earlier this year — loom as a possible suitor as well. The Chiefs just saw more hurdles emerge for Rashee Rice, leaving Xavier Worthy as the team’s only safe bet to be a notable receiver on their 2027 roster.
Jaylen Waddle fetched first- and third-round picks from the Broncos, and the Eagles assuredly took notice regarding their effort to move Brown. Waddle did not post Brown-like numbers in Miami but was also not seen as a distraction, which Brown certainly has been in Philly.
New England should probably still be considered the favorite here. But the Eagles failing to see a first-rounder put on the table would create an interesting decision for Roseman, given his offseason investments at the position. This saga stretching past early June will be squarely in play in the event unsatisfactory offers continue to emerge.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/20/26
Today’s midweek minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: TE Heinrich Haarberg
- Waived (with injury settlement): RB Montrell Johnson
- Waived: OLB Jamil Muhammad
Las Vegas Raiders
- Waived (with injury settlement): DT Brodric Martin
New England Patriots
- Signed: DT Travis Shaw
- Released: LS Niko Lalos
The Panthers are adding some tight end help in the form Haarberg, a converted quarterback during his time at Nebraska. Starting as an in-state, three-star passing prospect, Haarberg first found the field as a redshirt sophomore, after the Cornhuskers began his transition to tight end. In his second game, though, the team’s starter went down with injury, and Haarberg started 8 games under center, going 5-3. He returned to his tight end role the next two seasons but saw more action rushing than receiving, serving as a bit of a Taysom Hill-type of weapon.
The Patriots add another undrafted rookie to their class in Shaw. The North Carolina-transfer played for the Longhorns in his final year of eligibility but didn’t see much improvement in playing time after three years as a rotational piece for the Tar Heels.
DeMario Douglas’ Patriots Roster Spot In Jeopardy?
Patriots slot receiver DeMario Douglas saw his playing time and production drop in 2025, which could go down as his last season in New England. Douglas is still a member of the Patriots, but the three-year veteran’s roster spot appears to be in jeopardy, according to Chad Graff of The Athletic.
As the 210th overall pick in 2023, the former sixth-rounder from Liberty has outplayed his draft position since he entered the NFL. Douglas started seven of 14 games as a rookie and caught 49 passes for 561 yards, though he did not find the end zone. He showed even more promise in 2024, quarterback Drake Maye‘s rookie campaign. Playing a career-high 62% of offensive snaps (up from 55% in 2023), the 5-foot-8, 192-pounder set personal bests in receptions (66), yards (621) and TDs (three) over 17 games and seven starts.
Maye took massive steps forward in 2025, a year in which he finished second in MVP voting and helped the Patriots to an AFC title. Surprisingly, Douglas was not much of a factor in Maye’s breakout. Although Douglas played a full season for the second year in a row, he logged a meager 26% offensive snap share, went without a start, and managed just 31 catches, 447 yards and three scores. Four Patriots wideouts (Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte and Kyle Williams) received more playing time than Douglas.
Diggs is now off the Patriots’ roster, and Boutte may be on his way out via trade, but they added Romeo Doubs on a four-year, $68MM pact in free agency and are expected to swing a deal for the Eagles’ A.J. Brown sometime after June 1. Brown and Doubs would be the Patriots’ top two receivers in that scenario, leaving Douglas, Hollins, Boutte (unless the Pats move him), Williams and Efton Chism to round out the group. Chism had just three catches in eight games as an undrafted rookie in 2025, but if he becomes the Patriots’ kick returner, he could edge out Douglas for a roster spot, per Graff. He averaged 23.9 yards on 16 kick returns last season.
Douglas collected salaries ranging from $750K to $1.03MM in his first three seasons, but thanks to a Level 1 Proven Performance Escalator, that number will jump to $3.67MM this year. The Patriots will save almost all of that money if they trade or cut Douglas before next season. Parting with him would leave the team with a mere $33,333 in dead cap.
Patriots Still Open To Trading WR Kayshon Boutte?
The Patriots continue to loom as A.J. Brown‘s presumed destination via trade. An agreement with the Eagles does not appear to be in place, but a swap happening after June 1 would increase the possibility of an in-house New England wideout being dealt.
On that note, Kayshon Boutte‘s name has been mentioned on more than one occasion. The Patriots were open to a trade leading up to last month’s draft. Nothing materialized at the time, but it appears as though New England would still be willing to authorize a swap in this case.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported in April the Patriots were prepared to move Boutte for a Day 3 pick. Even though no deal was made then, and despite the fact the Brown swap has not yet occurred, Breer writes New England would still likely accept a fifth- or sixth-round selection in a Boutte trade. The LSU product is entering the final year of his rookie contract.
Boutte played in just five games as a rookie, but he has operated as a regular presence on offense over the past two seasons. The 24-year-old has totaled 1,140 yards and nine touchdowns during that span, and he chipped in with one score during the Patriots’ run to the Super Bowl in 2025. Boutte is owed $1.15MM in cash for the coming campaign.
New England’s receiver depth chart no longer includes Stefon Diggs, but it is currently topped by free agent addition Romeo Doubs. He is set serve as a starter, while the same will of course be true for Brown if/when he winds up with the Patriots. Boutte is joined by Mack Hollins and DeMario Douglas as a pending 2027 free agent, so movement among wideouts in that group could take place prior to roster cutdowns at the end of August. By that point at the latest, more clarity on the Boutte front should emerge.
AFC East Staff Updates: Patriots, Clark, Jets
The Patriots brought former Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen onto their staff just over a month ago, placing him in a minor role under new defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr who used to have a minor role on Bowen’s defensive staffs in Tennessee and New York. According to Ryan Dunleavy of New York Post Sports, New England wanted to bring Bowen on last year for a more significant role on their staff, but the Giants reportedly “wouldn’t let him go.”
Serving as a defensive coordinator over the past five seasons, Bowen is obviously overqualified for a defensive analyst position, but unable to find a decent position immediately following his dismissal from New York, he has accepted the minor role with a staff that holds several familiar faces from head coach Mike Vrabel‘s time in Tennessee. Bowen will likely attempt to land a coordinator job in the next offseason.
Elsewhere, in the front office, New England has parted ways with director of scouting projects Marshall Oium, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. After beginning his scouting career in Cleveland, Oium joined the Patriots as a pro scout in 2018, earning a promotion to assistant director of scouting in 2023. The next year, they moved Oium over the analytics side of things, naming him director of football strategy. Following rumors that the organization was looking to improve in analytics and research, Oium was moved to his most recent role. His dismissal ends an eight-year tenure with the team.
Additionally, Neil Stratton of SucceedInFootball.com reports that Robert Haines has joined the Patriots as midwest area scout. Haines arrives in New England following the conclusion of a 22-year tenure with the Panthers last year. His most recent position in Carolina was as a national scout over the past three years. Haines comes in to fill the role of Justin Hickman who left for a role with the Falcons.
Here are a couple other staffing updates from across the AFC East:
- One of few holdovers from Mike McDaniel‘s staff in Miami, Austin Clark has been on the Dolphins‘ defensive staff since 2020. He started that year, under then-head coach Brian Flores, as the team’s outside linebackers coach, overseeing the edge rushing group. From 2021 up until now, though, Clark worked as the team’s defensive line coach. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Clark’s role under new head coach Jeff Hafley — though unchanged in title — will see him take on the coaching of the edge rushers in addition to the defensive line. Following the departures of Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, Clark will have his work cut out for him.
- Lastly, per Wilson, the Jets have parted ways with pro scout Dominic Esposito. Esposito’s NFL debut came with the Jets following a short time working in recruiting at South Alabama. He arrived in New York as a training camp intern in 2019, got hired on full-time as a player personnel assistant, and become a pro scout after three years with the team.