Dolphins Sign OLB David Ojabo
The Dolphins continue to shape their roster under a new decision-making tandem. David Ojabo is Miami’s latest arrival. 
Ojabo was signed on Monday, per a team announcement. The fifth-year edge rusher hit the market once his Ravens rookie contract expired. A change of scenery may prove to be a welcomed development in this case, given how Ojabo’s Baltimore tenure played out.
The Michigan product suffered an Achilles tear during his Pro Day leading up to the 2022 draft. His stock fell as a result, and Ojabo remained on the board until the second round. His rookie season was limited to just two games, and a rebound from a health perspective did not prove to be possible the following year.
Knee and ankle ailments led to Ojabo being shut down after only three games in 2023. Through his first two NFL campaigns, therefore, he had only managed a pair of sacks in very limited action. Ojabo managed to turn a corner with respect to injuries afterwards, logging 13 games in 2024 and another 14 this past season. Over that span, however, he was unable to emerge as a full-time defensive presence. Ahead of roster cuts in the summer, his Ravens future was far from certain.
Ojabo totaled 2.5 sacks across the past two years. He will look to improve in that department on a new team. Miami’s edge rush depth chart was topped by Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips entering 2025, but it will look much different next season. Phillips was traded away at the deadline, while Chubb was one of many veterans cut by new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. He and first-year head coach Jeff Hafley have been busy adding new roster pieces since free agency began.
Miami’s new-look pass rush will no doubt include a notable workload for 2024 first-rounder Chop Robinson. The team has also added Josh Uche and Robert Beal in free agency while retaining Cameron Goode. At least one notable draft investment next month would certainly not come as a surprise. Ojabo will spend training camp looking to carve out a role with the Dolphins once their EDGE setup becomes clearer.
Entering Monday, Miami was near the bottom of the NFL in terms of cap space. Like the Charlie Heck signing from earlier today, though, this Ojabo deal will not be an expensive one. The Dolphins should still have a degree of financial flexibility moving forward as a result.
Troy Aikman To Stay With Dolphins In ‘Some Capacity’
Two months after parting with general manager Chris Grier, the Dolphins brought in Hall of Fame quarterback and career-long Cowboy Troy Aikman to consult in their GM search. Former Cowboys and Dolphins head coach Jimmy Johnson, who won two Super Bowls with Aikman in Dallas, recommended him to Miami.
A little over a week after Aikman joined the Dolphins, they tabbed former Packers executive Jon-Eric Sullivan as their GM. With the team still in need of a head coach to replace the fired Mike McDaniel, Aikman remained on board in an advisory role. The Dolphins went on to hire ex-Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to replace McDaniel.
Miami’s new leadership has been in place for approximately two months, but Aikman has not gone anywhere. The 59-year-old told the Rodeo Time podcast that he will stay with the franchise in “some capacity” (via Jayna Bardahl of The Athletic).
It is unclear how involved Aikman will be with the Dolphins, but continuing to work with them will not affect his status as the color commentator on “Monday Night Football.” Aikman and play-by-play man Joe Buck are set to announce their seventh Super Bowl as a duo next February.
“It’s been awesome,” Aikman said of his 22-year run as a broadcaster. “I don’t know how much longer that will go — hopefully, a long time — but yeah, life’s good right now.”
Aikman and fellow Hall of Fame QB Tom Brady are in the unique positions of assisting with teams while also serving as broadcasters. As the highly influential part-owner of the Raiders, Brady has more responsibilities than Aikman. Although there have been conflict-of-interest concerns with Brady, he is on track to return as Fox’s lead color commentator for a third season in 2026.
Dolphins Sign OT Charlie Heck
After playing for the Buccaneers in 2025, offensive tackle Charlie Heck is moving to one of Florida’s other franchises. The Dolphins have signed Heck, per a team announcement.
A 2020 fourth-round pick from North Carolina, Heck spent the first four years of his career in Houston. He totaled a career-high 13 starts in his second season. Since the Texans released him in August 2024, Heck has gone through short stints with the Cardinals, 49ers and Bucs. The 29-year-old has started in 29 of 67 games, including six during a full campaign in Tampa Bay.
Heck lined up for 458 snaps at right tackle in 2025 while subbing for the injured Luke Goedeke. Pro Football Focus was unimpressed with Heck, whom it ranked 82nd among 84 qualified tackles.
Almost all of Heck’s work in the NFL has come at right tackle, where he will back up the oft-injured Austin Jackson in Miami. Jackson dealt with a toe issue that limited him to six games last season, the second straight year in which he missed significant time. The Dolphins relied on Larry Borom to fill in for 11 starts and 664 snaps in Jackson’s place in 2025, but he left for the Lions’ one-year offer last Monday.
Commanders To Re-Sign RB Jeremy McNichols
Jeremy McNichols will remain in place with the Commanders for 2026. The veteran running back is re-signing on a one-year deal, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
McNichols has been with Washington since 2024, head coach Dan Quinn‘s first season at the helm. Kliff Kingsbury guided the Commanders’ offense for each of the past two years, but David Blough will handle OC duties in 2026. His unit will once again include McNichols as a depth option.
The 30-year-old handled 55 carries during his first Washington campaign; that figure fell to 44 this past season. McNichols has totaled five rushing touchdowns while averaging 4.9 yards per attempt during his limited offensive opportunities in the nation’s capital. A split between offensive and special teams usage can be expected moving forward.
Washington lost Chris Rodriguez during the opening stages of free agency last week. The team lined up the addition of former Buccaneer Rachaad White during that same period, however. Jerome Ford is also set to play for the Commanders in 2026. Those two, along with incumbent Jacory Croskey-Merritt, will be tasked with handling much of the offensive workload in the backfield this season. McNichols could chip in if needed while offering depth at the running back spot.
Austin Ekeler remains unsigned at this point. The Commanders’ outside additions along with this re-signing point to a departure in his case. Washington, meanwhile, entered Monday with over $61MM in cap space. This latest McNichols pact will not affect that figure to a large extent, of course. Another deal at or near the veteran minimum can be expected in this case, one which will offer the Commanders with a familiar depth contributor on offense.
CB Darius Slay Will Only Play In 2026 For Eagles
Darius Slay played 10 games in 2025, doing so as a member of the Steelers. An intra-state move back to the Eagles was his intention upon being waived, but the Bills put in a claim. 
Slay declined to report to Buffalo, and as such he finished the campaign on the reserve/retired list. A return to the NFL could be in store for the veteran cornerback. To little surprise, though, Slay will only resume his career if he returns to Philadelphia.
“No team can call me but [the] Eagles,” the 35-year-old said in a clip posted to X. “No team can call me, everybody knows.”
After a seven-year run with the Lions, Slay enjoyed a productive run in Philadelphia. The six-time Pro Bowler was a full-time starter through his five Eagles seasons. He took a one-year, $10MM pact with the Steelers last spring as part of Pittsburgh’s decision to make a number of veteran moves in the secondary. Slay made 10 appearances and nine starts, being held without an interception during that span and allowing a passer rating of 108.0 in coverage (the second-worst figure of his career).
As such, the former All-Pro would likely face a weak market in the event he intended to gauge his suitors across the league. Nevertheless, Slay will focus on either a return to Vic Fangio‘s unit – one which still includes Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean – or his post-playing days. The Eagles also added Riq Woolen in free agency, shoring up the cornerback position. Philadelphia did, on the other hand, lose safety Reed Blankenship on the open market.
If Slay were willing to handle safety duties upon returning to Philadelphia, a 2026 deal may become more feasible. The team currently has $40MM in cap space, so finances would not be an issue if interest on this front proved to be mutual.
Cowboys’ Rashan Gary Accepts Pay Cut
One of the many defensive additions made by the Cowboys last week was the trade for Packers edge rusher Rashan Gary. The veteran agreed to a pay cut to help facilitate the deal. 
Gary reduced his compensation for 2026 and ’27 to $16MM, as detailed by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. He was originally owed $19.5MM this season and $22.5MM for the final year of his contract, but none of that was guaranteed. Gary received a signing bonus of $13.2MM, per Pelissero, locking in most of his pay for his debut Cowboys campaign.
$1MM in active roster bonuses are present in both years of this new pact, ESPN’s Todd Archer adds. Gary’s 2026 cap charge has dropped to $5.4MM as a result of the restructure, which includes the addition of void years. The 28-year-old is on course to receive a $15MM base salary in 2027, but without any of that figure guaranteed at signing Gary’s future in Dallas will depend solely on how he performs next season.
Adding in the pass rush department was seen as a key priority for the Cowboys as part of their overall renovations on defense. Gary was acquired for a fourth-round pick, a sign of Green Bay’s willingness to move on from the remainder of his contract but also the former first-rounder’s poor finish to the 2025 campaign. A rebound would help Dallas’ production along the edge while also increasing the chances of Gary’s Cowboys stint lasting more than one season.
The team heavily pursued a Maxx Crosby trade leading up to free agency, and the Raiders All-Pro is still available at this point. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has not closed the door to renewed Crosby interest, but Dallas has been busy on multiple fronts with respect to defensive contracts. That includes the re-signing of Sam Williams, one of the team’s many edge rushers whose contracts recently expired. Jadeveon Clowney, Dante Fowler and Payton Turner remain unsigned at this point.
With nearly $19MM in cap space, the Cowboys have the ability to make more defensive additions during the second wave of free agency. Regardless of what happens on that front, though, Gary will be counted on to serve as a key EDGE presence. It will be interesting to see if he can play his way into an extended Dallas tenure.
Rams Considered Trading Davante Adams
The Rams have been one of two teams showing considerable interest in A.J. Brown this offseason. Had Los Angeles managed to swing a deal for the Eagles All-Pro, another wideout trade likely would have taken place. 
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that during discussions about a Brown acquisition, the Rams were “pursuing the possibility” of a Davante Adams swap. Dealing Adams to another team would have helped make a Brown trade more feasible from a financial standpoint, similar to how the Colts’ decision to deal away Michael Pittman Jr. eased the cap implications for Alec Pierce‘s new contract. Nevertheless, Adams remains on course for a second Los Angeles campaign.
As detailed in Sam Robinson’s Rams Offseason Outlook, Adams is due a $6MM roster bonus today. Any trade in his case obviously would have been more attractive for the team prior to that payment being made. The 33-year-old is also owed a base salary of $18MM in 2026. That represents the final year of his contract. A trade would create $20MM in cap savings against $8MM in dead money, but head coach Sean McVay said last month he expected Adams to be retained for next season.
Added in free agency last spring as a Cooper Kupp replacement, the six-time Pro Bowler proved to be an effective signing for the Rams. Adams caught a league-leading 14 touchdown passes in 2025 and played a key role in helping Los Angeles reach the NFC title game. Expectations will be high in his case provided no trade winds up being worked out later in the offseason.
The Rams have Puka Nacua eligible for an extension, one which will presumably move him near the top of the receiver market. A new deal in that case, not to mention the latest adjustment to quarterback Matthew Stafford‘s pact, will add to the team’s costs on offense. Adams is set to carry a cap charge of $28MM in 2026. Especially if no Brown acquisition is made, though, keeping him could be worthwhile.
Los Angeles sent a package including the No. 29 pick in April’s draft to Kansas City for cornerback Trent McDuffie. The Rams still have a first-rounder (No. 13), but no team has been willing to meet Philadelphia’s asking price (a Day 1 selection and more) for Brown yet. With a key checkpoint on Adams’ pact now having been reached, he is increasingly likely to remain in place regardless of what happens on the Brown front.
Eagles Re-Sign TE Dallas Goedert
11:31pm: According to ESPN’s Tim McManus, Goedert’s new one-year deal in Philly will be for $7MM. McManus adds that at least $4.25MM of that figure will be guaranteed as he receives that amount as a signing bonus.
3:05pm: Efforts between Dallas Goedert and the Eagles to work out a new arrangement have proven successful. Team and player are in agreement on a one-year deal, as first reported by Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The move is now official. 
The Eagles pushed back Goedert’s void date multiple times recently to keep buying time for negotiations. Monday afternoon represented the latest deadline on that front. With time to spare, a one-year contract agreement has now been reached.
Instead of reaching free agency for the first time in his career, Goedert will play a ninth season for the Eagles. GM Howie Roseman said at the Combine his desire was to finalize a re-signing in this case. With that having been accomplished, Philadelphia will avoid taking on $20.49MM in dead money for 2026.
Goedert has yet to play a full season in his career, but in 2025 he managed 15 appearances. During that time, the 31-year-old set a new personal mark with 60 catches and 11 touchdowns. A notable offensive role will no doubt await him once again with this new pact in hand. Goedert agreed to a pay cut last year, one in which he received $10MM. It will be interesting to see how this pact shakes out from a financial standpoint.
Garafolo notes Goedert had an outside market, which comes as no surprise given his strong 2025 showing. The former second-rounder would have represented a notable addition for any number of teams, but he will still be counted on as a key pass-catching presence for the Eagles at least one more time. Philadelphia will have a new offensive coordinator (Sean Mannion) for 2026 although plenty of stability on the roster is currently in place.
Of course, any potential A.J. Brown trade could change that. The Eagles’ situation with respect to Brown has not changed based on this Goedert news, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. A swap ending Brown’s Philadelphia tenure prior to June 1 would lead to major cap implications for the team, so Roseman could remain patient since the opening wave of free agency is in the books. Nevertheless, a trade involving the All-Pro wideout is viewed as inevitable at some point.
A Brown trade could elevate Goedert’s target share for 2026. Even if that does not prove to be the case, though, the latter should reprise his role as a productive secondary option in the passing game. The Eagles have already retained Grant Calcaterra while adding fellow tight end Johnny Mundt. Those two will offer depth next season, but Goedert will be counted on to lead the way at that position.
Derek Carr Still Not Drawing Interest
After taking a year off from football, Saints quarterback Derek Carr has expressed interest in returning to the NFL next season. The problem for Carr is that teams have not shown much desire to coax him out of retirement. Five days into the new league year, the Saints have not received any inquiries about Carr’s availability, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.
While New Orleans still holds Carr’s rights, resuming his career there is not on the table. The Saints found a new starter in 2025 second-round pick Tyler Shough, who had an encouraging rookie year. Prying Carr from the Saints may only cost a late-round pick, but job openings have dwindled this week.
The Cardinals (Gardner Minshew), Dolphins (Malik Willis), Falcons (Tua Tagovailoa), Jets (Geno Smith) and Vikings (Kyler Murray) have all added potential new No. 1 signal-callers. Carr has said he wants to play for a team with a chance to contend, which could have ruled out the Cardinals, Dolphins and Jets even if they had interest in the soon-to-be 35-year-old.
Looking around the rest of the league, Las Vegas and Pittsburgh are probably the last teams that do not have their starting passers under contract. The Raiders will address that when they draft Indiana Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall next month. The inevitable Mendoza addition will officially rule out a reunion with Carr, a four-time Pro Bowler with the Raiders from 2014-22.
Meanwhile, the Steelers are continuing to wait for Aaron Rodgers to decide whether he wants to play a 22nd season in 2026. If Rodgers retires, the Steelers may be Carr’s best bet. After going 10-7 and winning the AFC North last year, the Steelers will aim to contend again next season. However, it is unknown if general manager Omar Khan and new head coach Mike McCarthy would even given serious thought to a Carr trade. They may have their sights set on Kirk Cousins as a fallback plan.
Carr might not find a taker in the next few months, but interest could arise if a team loses a starting QB to an injury between training camp and the trade deadline. At least two clubs considered Carr during the season last year, though he was less open to returning at that point.
The Bengals, then dealing with an injury to Joe Burrow, called the Saints about Carr in October. Two months later, the Colts contacted Carr in the wake of Daniel Jones‘ early December Achilles tear. The Nov. 4 trade deadline had passed by then, meaning Indianapolis could not have landed Carr unless New Orleans cut him and nobody ahead of the Colts made a waiver claim. There would be fewer hoops to jump through in acquiring Carr now, but another NFL opportunity does not appear imminent.
Ravens Not Done Adding To OL; Any ‘Huge Moves’ Weeks Away
As the Ravens sat for days under the assumption that defensive end Maxx Crosby was going to be on their books, while simultaneously pursuing free agent pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, the rest of the roster got decimated in free agency. As the team watched key contributors like tight end Isaiah Likely, fullback Pat Ricard, safeties Ar’Darius Washington and Alohi Gilman, and even punter Jordan Stout exit left and right, the biggest hit came in the middle, when the Raiders — whom Baltimore would soon spurn — drew first blood, signing center Tyler Linderbaum to a market-setting deal. 
The Ravens already had work to do along the offensive line as the perception entering the offseason was that improvements were needed at the interior guard spots. Baltimore spent most of the season starting Daniel Faalele and Andrew Vorhees at offensive guard, and by the end of the season, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded them out as the 52nd- and 59th-best guards, respectively, out of 79 players graded at the position. Vorhees is still under contract for another season, but Faalele’s contract expired alongside Linderbaum’s.
So far, the Ravens have responded to the losses by reuniting with veteran guard John Simpson and signing little-used, rotational interior lineman Jovaughn Gwyn. As it stands right now, Simpson could slip into the guard spot opposite Vorhees while Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten man the bookend tackle roles. Per PFF, Simpson is only a slight upgrade over Faalele, grading as the 51st-best guard last year. Second-year third-round pick Emery Jones Jr. could also compete for a starting role along the interior. At center, though, without Linderbaum, the team currently only has Corey Bullock, an undrafted signee from two years ago.
Clearly, more additions are needed to build a full offensive line. Unfortunately, the market for effective interior lineman has risen to a point of stagnation, where no one is making any moves at the current price. According to Jeff Zrebiec, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta relayed plans to bring a few offensive linemen in over the next couple of weeks. He followed up that comment a couple days later by telling the media that the team “won’t make any huge moves in the weeks ahead.” DeCosta felt more opportunities to improve the roster could surface over time, though the team might be slowing down their processes a bit so that any additional free agent signings won’t be attributed to the team’s compensatory draft formula.