Panthers To Re-Sign LB Isaiah Simmons
Isaiah Simmons will remain in place with the Panthers in 2026. The veteran linebacker has agreed to a new Carolina deal, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report.
As a Swiss Army knife at Clemson, the 6-foot-4, 238-pound Simmons logged at least 100 snaps at five positions: inside linebacker, slot corner, free safety, outside linebacker and strong safety. In 2019, his last college season, Simmons took home the Butkus Award for the nation’s best linebacker and earned ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Simmons’ success at Clemson convinced the Cardinals to draft him eighth overall in 2020. The Panthers considered Simmons at No. 7, but they wisely chose defensive tackle Derrick Brown instead. Brown remains a cornerstone defender in Carolina, while Simmons has not made the type of impact most expected when he entered the league.
Simmons did not find a home at either safety or linebacker in Arizona, though he mostly served as a starter there from 2020-22. The Cardinals sent Simmons to the Giants for a seventh-round pick before the 2023 campaign. The Giants shifted Simmons back to linebacker, where he played in 34 straight games over two seasons, but did not re-sign him in free agency last year.
Simmons joined the Packers last April, but he was unable to earn a roster spot. Three months after the Packers cut him in late August, the 27-year-old signed with the Panthers’ practice squad at the end of November. Simmons appeared in five regular-season games, though just one of his 88 snaps came on defense. In the Panthers’ lone playoff game, a wild-card round matchup against the Rams, Simmons came up with a well-timed blocked punt late in the fourth quarter. It nearly helped the Panthers to an upset, but they dropped a 34-31 nail-biter.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
Raiders To Trade QB Geno Smith To Jets
Geno Smith is heading back to where his career began. The Raiders have worked out a trade which will send the veteran quarterback to the Jets, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. 
Vegas will send Smith and a seventh-round pick in this year’s draft to New York for a sixth-round selection this year, Schefter adds. The Raiders, meanwhile, are retaining most of Smith’s base salary for 2026, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The Jets will pay him near the league minimum as a result, with Schefter adding a restructure was agreed to prior to the trade.
Per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Vegas will be on the hook for $16.5MM with New York taking on $3.3MM. Smith will receive a $1MM compared to the guaranteed figure he was owed prior to this swap as a result.
Smith’s Raiders tenure was known to be ending after just one season with the team preparing to draft Fernando Mendoza first overall in April. Vegas was willing to release the 35-year-old in the event no trade suitors could be found. Instead of Smith becoming a free agent tomorrow, he will begin a second stint with the Jets.
The former second-rounder is at the Jets’ facility, Dianna Russini of The Athletic notes Smith has already conducted a physical, paving the way for this swap to be made official. One major move at the quarterback position has now been taken care of for New York, although more changes will be coming. One year remains on Justin Fields‘ contract, but he is not expected to be back with the team in 2026. Tyrod Taylor is a pending free agent.
Smith began his career as a Jets draftee, and he spent four seasons with the team. That included a two-year run (2013-14) as New York’s starter, a stint which did not go as planned to say the least. A lengthy spell without another QB1 opportunity came to an end when Smith took over starting duties for Seattle following the Russell Wilson trade.
Smith spent three years atop the Seahawks’ depth chart, earning Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2022. That season included a league-leading 69.8 completion percentage and a career-high 30 touchdown passes. Smith secured a second straight Pro Bowl nod the following year, but the arrival of new head coach Mike Macdonald in 2024 did not result in a long-term Seattle deal being worked out. Instead, the Seahawks targeted Sam Darnold last offseason and traded Smith to Vegas, allowing him to reunite with Pete Carroll.
After a disastrous season together, Carroll and Smith are now out of the fold. The latter will look to rebuild his value in a familiar setting, although he does not have experience playing under Jets head coach Aaron Glenn or offensive coordinator Frank Reich. A quick acclimation period would of course be welcomed by all involved, with Glenn no doubt under pressure to guide New York to more success in Year 2 than the team had during his debut on the sidelines. The Vikings were mentioned as a potential Smith suitor, and NFL insider Jordan Schultz confirms there was “real interest” on the part of Minnesota. The team’s list of free agent targets has now been thinned out, however.
Reich has a history with Carson Wentz, and a reunion between those two has been mentioned as something to watch for. In general, it will be interesting to see if the Jets add another veteran passer in free agency with Smith now in the fold. Meanwhile, the Raiders could be in the market for an experienced option as insurance for Mendoza’s rookie campaign.
Improved play on offense will be key in 2026 for the Jets, a team which made a number of defensive splashes yesterday. It will be interesting to see how Smith fares in his New York return and what kind of QB room he will be in by the time the season begins.
Patriots To Sign WR Romeo Doubs
Wide receiver Romeo Doubs is leaving Green Bay for New England. The Patriots are signing Doubs to a four-year, $80MM contract, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports. The deal comes with a base value of $68MM, Albert Breer of SI.com relays.
The Commanders were among the teams the Patriots beat out for the 6-foot-2, 204-pound Doubs, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. It was a “very close” race between the two, per Schultz, but the Commanders will have to look elsewhere for a complement to No. 1 receiver Terry McLaurin.
The Patriots have come up most frequently in trade rumors centering on Eagles receiver A.J. Brown. The Doubs signing does not rule out a Brown acquisition, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. But the Patriots may now be “less inclined” to meet the Eagles’ asking price, writes McLane, who adds there has been a “gulf” in negotiations.
Doubs is not on Brown’s level, but the four-year veteran has nonetheless put together a solid career. The 2022 fourth-rounder from Nevada started in 50 of 59 games in Green Bay. Doubs has averaged roughly 15 games, 51 catches, 80 targets, 606 yards and five touchdowns per season. He started in 15 of 16 games in 2025 and hauled in 55 of 85 targets for a career-best 724 yards and six scores.
Only two members of last season’s AFC champion Patriots, receiver Stefon Diggs and tight end Hunter Henry, caught more passes and totaled more yards than Doubs. The Patriots informed Diggs of his release last week, making it all the more obvious they would target receiving help for quarterback Drake Maye this spring. The team was in on Alec Pierce before he re-signed with the Colts on a four-year, $116MM contract on Monday. It pivoted to Doubs, PFR’s 11th-ranked free agent, on a less lucrative agreement a day later.
Further acquisitions could be in store for the Patriots’ receiving corps between today and the draft. As of now, though, Doubs will join Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, DeMario Douglas and Efton Chism to comprise the group.
As for the Packers, they are losing the receiver they relied on most in 2025. Doubs easily paced their wideouts in snap share (74.22%) and led the team in most major pass-catching categories.
The Doubs-less Packers still have a number of in-house options, including a pair of high 2025 picks in first-rounder Matthew Golden and third-rounder Savion Williams. Although their rookie production fell flat, they are in line to rejoin veterans Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks in 2026. The Packers will also count on a healthier season for tight end Tucker Kraft, who thrived before tearing his ACL in Week 9.
Texans To Sign RT Braden Smith
After eight years with the Colts, right tackle Braden Smith is signing with the AFC South rival Texans, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports. It’s a two-year, $25MM agreement with $13.5MM in fully guaranteed money, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Once the highest-paid right tackle in the NFL, Smith wrapped up a four-year, $72MM contract in 2025. Until now, the 6-foot-6, 312-pound Smith spent his entire career with the Colts.
As the 37th overall pick in 2018, the ex-Auburn Tiger became a full-time starter in his rookie season. He came off the bench twice that year, but Smith has started in the rest of his 105 appearances in the league. However, availability has been an issue throughout Smith’s career. Smith has missed a total of 26 games, and he put together his lone full season back in 2019.
Five of Smith’s absences came while he left the Colts to seek treament for obsessive compulsive disorder in 2024. Smith told his wife he would have retired had the issue persisted. Fortunately, Smith was able to continue his career last season. He played in 13 games, his most since 2022, but his year ended with a stint on IR. The Colts shut Smith down in mid-December as a result of a concussion and neck injury. He finished as Pro Football Focus’ 48th-ranked tackle out of 84 qualifiers.
The Smith pickup is the first outside O-line acquisition this offseason for the Texans. The team traded guard/tackle Tytus Howard to Cleveland and shipped interior lineman Juice Scruggs to Detroit last week. The Texans have since re-signed tackle Trent Brown and brought back right guard Ed Ingram. The bulk of Howard’s work came at right tackle last season, but Smith could slide in as his replacement next to Ingram.
Panthers Release DT A’Shawn Robinson
As expected, A’Shawn Robinson‘s tenure with the Panthers has come to an end. The veteran defensive tackle was released on Tuesday, per a team announcement. 
Robinson’s time in Carolina was in doubt leading up to the new league year. The Panthers granted him permission to seek a trade, a typical sign a release will be coming. No suitors were willing to take on the remaining year of Robinson’s contract. As such, he will now hit the open market.
This cut will free up $10.5MM in cap space for Carolina. The team will take on just $2.06MM in dead money charges along the way. Robinson, 31 later this month, lasted through two seasons after arriving on a three-year free agent deal. The former Lion, Giant and Ram served as a full-time starter during that time.
Robinson set a new career high with 5.5 sacks in 2024; he also reached a new personal mark with 80 tackles that season. In 2025, the Super Bowl winner’s snap share remained steady but his production dipped. Derrick Brown returning to health played a role in that, along with the arrival of free agent signing Bobby Brown. Those two, plus 2025 fifth-rounder Cam Jackson, will remain in place while Robinson heads elsewhere.
Teams in need of help against the run will likely be interested in this case. Robinson has topped two sacks in a season only twice, but he is a consistent producer on early downs. The Alabama product is not in competition with a particularly long list of free agents at the D-tackle spot, and the coming draft is not held in the same regard as last year’s at that position.
Carolina has already lined up a pair of major front seven additions (edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, linebacker Devin Lloyd). With this Robinson release freeing up additional space, it will be interesting to see if the Panthers pursue another big-ticket signing in free agency.
Texans To Extend K Kaʻimi Fairbairn
Tuesday afternoon has brought about more in the way of kicker news. The Texans have worked out a new deal with Kaʻimi Fairbairn. 
Fairbairn has agreed to two-year, $13MM extension, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. As a result, he is now on the books through 2028. The $6.5MM average annual value of this extension is the highest in league history for kickers.
In 2024, Fairbairn inked a Houston deal worth an average of $5.3MM per year. A healthy raise has now been worked out in the wake of his continued strong play. The nine-year veteran led the NFL in made field goals this past season, connecting on 44 of 48 attempts. Each of his four misses came from beyond 50 yards, and Fairbairn topped 90% in terms of accuracy for the third time in the past four seasons.
The 32-year-old also connected on each of his extra point attempts in 2025, doing so for the second time in his career. High-level play will be counted on for years to come in Fairbairn’s case. This marks the latest in-house player for Houston to receive a new deal on the eve of the new league year. The likes of Danielle Hunter, Sheldon Rankins and Dalton Schultz have worked out new Texans contracts in recent days. Fairbairn now joins them in that respect.
Harrison Butker‘s $6.4MM-per-year-pact led the way in terms of kicker deals entering Tuesday. The market has now seen a small upward move. It will be interesting to see how this affects future contracts at the position. In any case, Fairbairn’s Houston future has been assured beyond 2026.
Giants To Re-Sign LB Micah McFadden
Linebacker Micah McFadden will return to the Giants for a fifth season. McFadden is re-signing on a one-year pact, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. It’s a $3.75MM deal that carries a max value of $5.75MM, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.
The Giants lost four members of their 2022 draft class – receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, cornerback Cor’Dale Flott, tight end Daniel Bellinger and safety Dane Belton – to free agency on Monday. McFadden, a fifth-rounder that year, will stick around in hopes of bouncing back from an injury-wrecked 2025.
The 26-year-old McFadden played just 11 defensive snaps last season. He was carted off the field in Week 1 after suffering a foot injury while tackling Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. McFadden underwent surgery a few days later.
A former Indiana Hoosier, McFadden amassed 35 starts in 47 games over his first three seasons. He exceeded 100 tackles as a full-time starter in both 2023 and ’24. In the second of those seasons, McFadden posted a career-high three sacks. He was unable to build on it last year, which no doubt hindered his earning power going into free agency.
McFadden spent his two seasons as a starter playing alongside Bobby Okereke, but that will change in 2026. The Giants released Okereke last week and brought in Tremaine Edmunds as a replacement on Monday.
Dolphins, K Zane Gonzalez Agree To Deal
The Dolphins are signing kicker Zane Gonzalez to a one-year deal, agent Mike McCartney announced on X.
A veteran of seven NFL teams and seasons, the 30-year-old Gonzalez will replace the long-tenured Jason Sanders in Miami. Sanders had been a Dolphin since 2018, but they released him last week after he missed all of last season with a hip injury. Riley Patterson, now a free agent, filled in for Sanders last year.
In moving to South Florida, Gonzalez will reunite with new Dolphins special teams coordinator Chris Tabor. When Gonzalez was a rookie in Cleveland in 2017, Tabor was in charge of the Browns’ special teams unit. Tabor held the same position in Carolina in 2022. Gonzalez was on the Panthers’ roster then, but he missed the entire season with a quad injury.
Since entering the league as a UDFA from Arizona State nine years ago, the oft-waived, oft-injured Gonzalez has put together just two full seasons. He did not kick for anyone from 2022-23, though he resurfaced with the Commanders in ’24 for a nine-game stint (including three in the playoffs). Washington re-signed and then released Gonzalez last spring.
After the Commanders cut him, Gonzalez had to wait until last November for another contract. Two days after John Parker Romo missed an extra point in a 24-23 loss to the Patriots, the Falcons waived him and brought in Gonzalez. The move worked out for both sides. Gonzalez made 19 of 22 field goals (86.4%) and 17 of 18 extra points (94.4%).
Although he kicked in just nine games, 2025 was one of Gonzalez’s best seasons. During his 78-game career, Gonzalez has hit 81% of field goals (115 of 142) and 163 of 171 extra points (95.3%).
Lions To Sign RB Isiah Pacheco
The Lions have identified their David Montgomery replacement. Isiah Pacheco has agreed to terms with Detroit, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. This is a one-year pact, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press adds.
Montgomery was recently traded to the Texans in a move which gave Houston a new lead back. He will serve as Joe Mixon‘s replacement with the Texans. Meanwhile, Kansas City made one of the most impactful RB additions of free agency yesterday by agreeing to terms with Kenneth Walker. That news confirmed Pacheco would be departing after playing out his rookie contract with the Chiefs.
The Montgomery trade left Detroit with Jahmyr Gibbs atop the running back depth chart. He is eligible for an extension this offseason, and a pact at or near the top of the position’s market can be expected. The Lions entered this week in need of inexpensive backfield depth, and Pacheco will be counted on to serve as Gibbs’ new partner.
Entering the NFL as a seventh-round pick, Pacheco made an immediate impact and became Kansas’s City’s starter as a rookie. He then took on an increased workload (205 carries) in 2023 and set new career highs across the board. Pacheco posted 935 yards and seven touchdowns that season, one which led to increased expectations. The Rutgers product was limited to just seven games in 2024, however.
Pacheco missed four contests this past campaign as well, one in which he averaged only 3.9 yards per attempt on a struggling Chiefs offense. The 27-year-old will look to bounce back with Detroit. The Lions lined up a few offensive line additions on Monday, including center Cade Mays. He and the team’s eventual Taylor Decker replacement at left tackle will make up a renovated unit along the O-line in 2026. Stronger play in that regard will of course help the Lions’ rushing attack.
Leading up to free agency, a report from SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora named the Lions as a potential Mixon suitor. The veteran would have been a viable option to serve as Montgomery’s replacement. Instead, Detroit will use Pacheco in that capacity.
Bears To Sign WR Kalif Raymond
Wide receiver/return man Kalif Raymond is moving from Detroit to NFC North rival Chicago. The Bears are signing Raymond, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. It’s a one-year, $5.1MM pact, per Rapaport and colleague Mike Garafolo.
This deal will reunite Raymond with Bears head coach Ben Johnson, who was on the Lions’ staff during the wideout’s first four years in the Motor City. Johnson worked as the Lions’ offensive coordinator from 2022-24.
Raymond recorded a career-high 616 receiving yards in Johnson’s first season calling plays. He also accrued his second-most catches (47) that year, though his impact in Detroit’s offense diminished after that. Raymond amassed 35 catches for 489 yards and a touchdown in 2023, his second straight 17-game campaign. He dipped to 17-215-2 over 12 contests in Johnson’s last season with the Lions.
With Johnson moving to Chicago for a promotion in 2025, Raymond experienced a mild uptick in production under the play-calling duo of now-former O-coordinator John Morton and head coach Dan Campbell. In 15 games, Raymond secured 24 of 30 targets for 289 yards and a score.
As a receiver, Raymond wrapped up his five-year Detroit tenure with 171 catches, 2,185 yards (12.8 YPC) and eight TDs. He also made an impact as a return man, twice earning second-team All-Pro honors. He took back three punts for touchdowns as a Lion and led the league in return yards in 2024.
Also a former Bronco, Jet, Giant and Titan, the 31-year-old Raymond will again serve as an auxiliary receiver with his new team. Having traded D.J. Moore to the Bills, the Bears will go forward with Rome Odunze and Luther Burden atop their depth chart. Chicago lost Olamide Zaccheaus to Atlanta on Monday, which created an opening for Raymond.