Eagles To Add CB Riq Woolen
Riq Woolen‘s role on a Super Bowl-winning Seahawks defense will not result in a big-ticket multiyear deal, but the free agent cornerback is receiving a notable opportunity. The Eagles are signing him, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets.
It is a one-year deal worth up to $15MM for the four-year Seattle regular. Philadelphia pursued Alontae Taylor, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, but that market settled with a three-year, $60MM Tennessee deal. A lower-cost commitment will commence with Woolen, who is being given a higher-end “prove it” deal.
The Seahawks discussed Woolen at the trade deadline and preferred to retain Josh Jobe, who arrived under Mike Macdonald. Woolen was a Pete Carroll-era fifth-rounder who played better under the previous Seattle HC. The 6-foot-4 corner blazed to a 4.26-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, boosting his draft stock ahead of a six-INT rookie season — one that lost out to Sauce Gardner‘s debut for Defensive Rookie of the Year acclaim.
Woolen intercepted 12 passes on his rookie deal and broke up 53, ranking in the 93rd percentile in forced incompletions (per Pro Football Focus). Still, Macdonald used Jobe in front of Woolen during the season’s second half, when the taller CB only topped 70% usage in one of the team’s final eight regular-season games. He still allowed a passer rating of 78.5, ranking 25th among 200-plus-snap CBs in 2025.
Woolen did clear the 70% snap barrier in both Seattle NFC playoff games, notably being whistled for a costly taunting penalty before allowing a third-quarter Rams touchdown. Woolen also defensed two passes against the 49ers and Rams in the postseason. This is a bit of a disappointment for Woolen, market-wise, but the Eagles will land a talented player going into an age-27 season.
Howie Roseman was not running the Eagles when they signed ex-Legion of Boom Seahawk CB Byron Maxwell in 2015 — that was the Chip Kelly-in-charge year — but this Roseman addition will supply an interesting former Super Bowl-winning Seahawk to join first-team All-Pros Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. The Woolen addition should allow DeJean to focus on his slot post, though The Athletic’s Zach Berman envisions more safety time for the standout cover man in base sets.
Philly tried a few measures to fill its No. 2 outside cornerback post last season. Neither Adoree’ Jackson nor Kelee Ringo was a strong option opposite Mitchell, and a midseason trade for Jaire Alexander preceded the former first-rounder stepping away from football. The Eagles are retaining ex-Jets slot Michael Carter II, but it looks like he has accepted a pay cut (Jackson is unsigned for 2026). It would now surprise if Woolen were not the starter alongside Mitchell and DeJean. Sliding the Iowa alum to safety in base formations would be a way to keep all three CBs on the field more often.
The Seahawks have now lost Woolen, Coby Bryant, Boye Mafe and Kenneth Walker from their Super Bowl LX roster. Seattle did re-sign Rashid Shaheed, however. Extensions will be on tap for Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon, and the defending champions’ free agency effort will be cognizant of those upcoming megadeals.
Saints To Bring Back LB Kaden Elliss
After three Falcons seasons, Kaden Elliss is returning to his original side in this NFC South rivalry. The Saints are bringing back the 2019 draftee.
Elliss is headed back to New Orleans on a three-year deal worth $33MM, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. The veteran linebacker will receive $23MM guaranteed, joining a Saints team that just lost cornerstone defender Demario Davis (to the Jets).
The 2019 seventh-round pick out of Idaho spent the first four seasons of his career in New Orleans. He mostly served as a special teamer through his first three campaigns, but he took on a larger defensive role in 2022. That season, he compiled 78 tackles and seven sacks, a number that still represents a career-high.
That performance ended up earning him a three-year, $21.5MM deal from the Falcons in 2023, and Elliss ended up playing out that deal in Atlanta. He turned into a true three-down linebacker during his stint with the Falcons, averaging more than 125 tackles and four sacks per season. This past year, he collected 107 stops and 3.5 sacks, with Pro Football Focus grading him 31st among 88 qualifying linebackers.
Now, he’ll return to a familiar spot in New Orleans, but it doesn’t sound like the Saints were his only suitor. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Elliss was a popular target for many of his former coaches in spots like San Francisco and Cleveland. With the Saints, Elliss could slide into Davis’s spot atop the Saints LB depth chart, although the team is currently retaining the rest of their 2025 depth. This includes the likes of Pete Werner, Danny Stutsman, and Isaiah Stalbird.
Packers, WR Skyy Moore Agree To Deal
For a second straight year, Skyy Moore will relocate. Traded from the Chiefs to the 49ers in 2025, Moore is now headed to Wisconsin.
The Packers have a deal in place with the former second-round wide receiver, NFL insider Jordan Schultz tweets.
There were some high hopes for Moore when the Chiefs selected the Western Michigan product in the second round of the 2022 draft. The Chiefs had just moved on from Tyreek Hill, and there was a major open spot atop their depth chart. However, the wideout struggled to click in Kansas City. While he got into 30 games (11 starts) through his first two years, he only hauled in 43 catches for 496 yards and one touchdown. To his credit, he did catch a touchdown during the Chiefs Super Bowl victory over the Eagles.
Moore was limited to only six games in 2024 thanks to a core muscle injury, and the Chiefs sent him packing last August. Towards the end of the preseason, the wideout was traded to the 49ers for a late-round pick swap. Moore also struggled to carve out an offensive role in San Francisco, finishing with only five catches for 87 yards. However, he did find a gig on special teams, where he returned 33 kickoffs for 907 yards and 25 punts for 291 yards.
He’ll likely be penciled in for a similar role with the Packers, although there’s a chance he could earn some reps on offense. The team lost Romeo Doubs to the Patriots today, although they’re still rostering the likes of Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, Jayden Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks.
Texans To Acquire P Kai Kroeger From Saints
Punter action has been plentiful during the first two days of free agency. Now, we have a punter trade to process. The Saints are sending their punter — Kai Kroeger — to the Texans, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.
[RELATED: Saints, P Ryan Wright Agree To Deal]
Kroeger and a 2028 seventh-round pick are headed to Houston, while New Orleans will receive a 2028 sixth-rounder. As a former UDFA, Kroeger is extension-eligible. Two years remain on Kroeger’s rookie contract; he punted in 17 games for the Saints as a rookie.
The South Carolina product initially joined the Jets as a UDFA but he was waived in late July. He was subsequently scooped up by the Saints, who were quick to make him their starting punter. The rookie was relatively productive in 2025, averaging 44.8 yards on his 56 punts, 18 of which landed inside the 20. While it wasn’t entirely his fault, Kroeger finished tied for the league-lead with two blocked punts.
However, the Saints pivoted at the position yesterday when they signed former Vikings punter Ryan Wright. That made Kroeger expendable, and now the sophomore is on his way to Houston. The Texans leaned on Tommy Townsend over the past two seasons, but the free agent apparently won’t be back in Houston for a third year.
Giants To Sign K Jason Sanders
Missing all of last season due to injury, Jason Sanders will have another chance. The Dolphins cut the veteran kicker, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports a Giants signing is coming to pass.
Sanders agreed to a one-year deal with the Giants, who are overhauling their special teams under John Harbaugh. He already brought Jordan Stout, his hand-picked punter in Baltimore, to New York, for a record-breaking sum on Monday. Stout will hold Sanders’ kicks, and Harbaugh will surely land his preferred long-snapper, too. He declined to retain longtime Giant Casey Kreiter and could pursue a reunion with Morgan Cox, who he coached in Baltimore for eight seasons.
Sanders, 30, was drafted by the Dolphins in 2019. He won Miami’s kicking job over undrafted rookie Greg Joseph in training camp and held onto it for the next seven years. His first four alternated between elite and below-average, a period which included a first-team All-Pro nod in 2020. But in the following three years, Sanders was one of the most consistent kickers in the league, peaking with another excellent season in 2024. He ranked ninth in the NFL with a 90.2% make rate and buried 12 of his 14 attempts from beyond 50 yards.
Sanders suffered a hip injury during the 2025 preseason that landed him on the shelf. There was initial optimism for his return, but the kicker ended up missing the entire season. The Dolphins turned to Riley Patterson as a fill-in in 2025 and landed free agent Zane Gonzalez for 2026.
Sanders will now have an opportunity to revive his career with a new-look Giants squad. He was among the notable free agent kickers, a list that also includes the likes of Daniel Carlson, Matt Prater, and Nick Folk (who has already joined the Falcons).
Teams Eyeing Cowboys DT Osa Odighizuwa
Only one season after inking a lucrative four-year contract, Osa Odighizuwa could be on the move. According to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, “teams are keeping an eye” on the Cowboys defensive tackle.
The Cowboys retained the former third-round pick last offseason, signing him to a four-year, $80MM extension. Since then, the team has added plenty of additional depth at the position. Kenny Clark was acquired as part of the Micah Parsons blockbuster, and the Cowboys later traded for Quinnen Williams. Then today, the organization added a key depth piece in Otito Ogbonnia.
Outside of Ogbonnia, Odighizuwa is the youngest of the bunch and possesses the most upside of the grouping. However, considering his contract and the increasingly crowded DT depth chart, Jones notes that rival teams believe the player “can now be traded for.”
Odighizuwa has established himself as a mainstay on the Cowboys defense. The 27-year-old has only missed a single regular season game through his five seasons in Dallas, and he’s collected at least three sacks in each of the past four years. This includes a 2025 campaign where he tallied 3.5 sacks to go along with 44 tackles and a career-high 23 QB hits. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus graded him 42nd among 127 qualifying interior defenders.
On the flip side, Odighizuwa came off the bench for four of the team’s final six games, an indication that the organization may view him as an equal to the likes of Clark and Williams. Further, there are some questions if the DT fits in Christian Parker‘s scheme, as the new DC tends to utilize longer defensive ends on the interior defensive line.
Ultimately, it’d be a surprise if the Cowboys are willing to bail on their former draft pick so soon after extending him. However, if the team is comfortable with the rest of their current grouping (and wants to open up some extra financial wiggle room), a trade could ultimately make sense.
Browns To Sign OL Elgton Jenkins
Despite coming off a major injury and being a Monday Packers cap casualty, Elgton Jenkins had interested suitors waiting. The Browns will win that pursuit, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.
Jenkins was released with a failed physical designation, but the Browns will work with the rehabbing blocker. Jenkins agreed to a two-year deal worth $24MM, per NFL.com. Illustrating the interest coming in for the former Pro Bowler, $20MM of that deal is guaranteed.
The Browns explored trading for Jenkins, whom the Packers had dangled before his eventual release. The Ravens were also involved, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Baltimore lost Tyler Linderbaum to Las Vegas (and a record-obliterating center contract) on Monday.
A two-time Pro Bowler as a guard, Jenkins has played both tackle positions and most recently stepped in at center for the 2025 Packers. Green Bay extended Jenkins (four years, $68MM) during his second Pro Bowl campaign, but with one year remaining on that contract, the former second-round pick was deemed expendable. As the Packers have pivoted to other expenses on their O-line, they moved on. The Browns continue to reshape their front with outside vets.
The Browns’ offensive line, which featured five starters and its 2025 sixth man unsigned entering free agency, is taking shape. Cleveland traded for Tytus Howard and gave the ex-Texans starter an extension. The Browns then signed former Chargers first-rounder Zion Johnson. Spot starter Teven Jenkins re-signed with the team today, and Elgton Jenkins is coming in as well. With both Johnson and Teven Jenkins entrenched as guards, it would seem the Browns will ask Elgton Jenkins to play center.
Jenkins, 30, is coming off a season shortened by a lower leg fracture and ligament damage. That injury occurred in mid-November. While Jenkins had initially hoped to return late in the season, his failed physical designation points to the injury taking longer than expected to heal. But the Browns appear unconcerned with the accomplished veteran’s 2026 status. Jenkins has only played one season of center in the pros, but Cleveland looks likely to ask for an encore.
The Browns lost four-year center Ethan Pocic to an Achilles tear in December; the veteran is going into an age-31 season. Jenkins will turn 31 in December but has been a better player. A linchpin of the Packers’ O-line to close the Aaron Rodgers era, Jenkins earned Pro Bowl acclaim in 2020 and ’22 at guard. Green Bay used him at right tackle in between those seasons before deciding guard would be the best spot for the former second-rounder. When the Pack signed Aaron Banks last year, however, they slid Jenkins to center. A raise request was then met with silence from the team, but Jenkins has landed on his feet despite the 2025 injury.
It is possible the Browns have rounded out their O-line. The Jenkinses will join Johnson along the interior as Howard — frequently used at LG — will return to his natural RT post. Dawand Jones may be given a shot to win the LT job, but he has suffered two season-ending injuries in three years. The Browns could certainly go tackle at No. 6 overall.
NFL Restructures: Clark, Packers, Meinerz, Falcons, Saints, Eagles
As the Cowboys made another trade to acquire a higher-end Packers defender salary (Rashan Gary‘s four-year, $96MM deal), they are restructuring the one they added last summer. Dallas is reducing Kenny Clark‘s 2026 cap number with a restructure, per ESPN.com’s Todd Archer. As Connor Byrne’s Cowboys Offseason Outlook detailed, Clark was due an $11MM roster bonus Friday; Dallas is moving that into a signing bonus to open up $8.8MM in cap space. This will drop Clark’s cap number well south of its $21.5MM place, though it would create more dead money if he is not extended by the 2027 league year. An extension is on the Cowboys’ radar, even as the former first-round pick goes into an age-31 season. With Clark signed through 2027, however, it is possible this restructure will table any extension talks.
With the cap-compliance deadline less than 24 hours away, here are more restructure decisions:
- Trading Gary to the Cowboys and cutting Elgton Jenkins, the Packers are busy at work with cost-shedding moves. They also completed an Xavier McKinney restructure, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. The move will save more than $9MM in space for Green Bay. McKinney will also secure an additional $11.54MM guaranteed — on top of his $23MM guarantee from March 2024 — according to Wilson, who adds the Pack included three void years to defray the bonus money. McKinney’s cap hit is down to $9.86MM.
- The Broncos have mostly used free agency to retain their own talent thus far, but the team is adding eight figures of cap space as of Tuesday. Denver is restructuring Quinn Meinerz‘s deal, according to the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson, who notes this is a simple restructure of the All-Pro guard’s 2026 base salary. Moving it to a signing bonus, the Broncos will free up around $11MM. The Broncos sit mid-pack in cap space, holding more than $23MM.
- Troy Andersen will be part of the 2026 Falcons. At least, he will have an opportunity to contribute, with SI.com’s Garrett Chapman reporting the linebacker agreed to a restructure to avoid his contract tolling from 2025. Andersen missed all of last season, spending it on the reserve/PUP list. A player who spends the season on the PUP can see his contract toll in the final year of a deal; a knee injury sidelined the former second-round pick last season. This amounts to a de facto re-signing, since Andersen’s four-year rookie deal was set to expire Wednesday. The team confirmed the restructure, per Falcons.com’s Tori McElhaney and Will McFadden.
- One of the NFL’s long-running restructure hubs, the Saints are adding another before the league year begins. New Orleans is saving $7.36MM in cap space by restructuring Erik McCoy‘s deal, ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell tweets. One void year is being added to the center’s contract. McCoy’s deal runs through 2027; three void years are now included.
- The Jaguars completed a simple restructure of center Robert Hainsey‘s deal, according to Spotrac, with the move saving the team $4MM in cap space. Three void years are now on Hainsey’s deal, Wilson adds.
- Michael Carter II will stay with the Eagles in 2026, but it sounds like he has agreed to a pay cut. Carter’s deal is being restructured in order for the 2025 trade acquisition to remain on the roster, The Athletic’s Zach Berman tweets.
Steelers Sign P Cameron Johnston
Cameron Johnston is back in Pittsburgh. The veteran punter has signed a one-year deal, the team announced on Tuesday. 
Johnston was with the Steelers in 2024, but he was limited to just one game that season due to injury. The 34-year-old Australian split his time between the Bills and Giants last season, making four total appearances. He will now look to reclaim the punting gig in Pittsburgh.
Corliss Waitman has served as the Steelers’ punter since Johnston went down. That could continue moving forward, although Waitman is a pending restricted free agent. It will be interesting to see if today’s move has any impact on Pittsburgh retaining Waitman on a new deal.
Johnston is a veteran of 105 combined regular and postseason games. He had a busy stretch with the Eagles and Texans spanning 2018-23, including one year (2021) in which he led the NFL in punts (88). The former UDFA has averaged 47.7 gross yards per punt with a net of 42.0 over the course of his career.
The Steelers lined up a pair of key moves on offense Monday, agreeing to a trade for wideout Michael Pittman Jr. and a signing of running back Rico Dowdle. The team’s quarterback position is still unsettled, and arriving at a final decision on that front will of course be a key priority in the near future. In any case, the punter spot has been addressed regardless of what happens with Waitman.
49ers Setting ‘Astronomical’ Price On QB Mac Jones
With Malik Willis just scoring a three-year, $67.5MM deal with full guarantees through 2027, the 49ers are sitting on a valuable asset. Their two-year, $7MM contract for Mac Jones includes one more season, and San Francisco saw how capable the former New England first-rounder was during his debut Bay Area slate.
Although the Dolphins filled their quarterback need, a few bridge-type jobs remain available. Teams are still calling the 49ers on Jones, but The Athletic’s Dianna Russini describes a price clubs are deeming “astronomical.” This is not the first time we’ve heard the 49ers setting a high price on their backup, and considering Brock Purdy‘s 2025 injury trouble, it makes sense for the team to stand firm here.
Last week, a report emerged indicating the 49ers are targeting more than a second-rounder in a return. And we have heard for weeks the 49ers will not part with Jones without a big asset coming back. This illustrates how high Jones’ trade value has climbed — and highlights the supply-and-demand ratio at this position — after the once-demoted Patriots starter was dealt to the Jaguars for a sixth-rounder in 2024. After making eight starts in 2025 — to the point the skill gap between he and Purdy was being debated — Jones is a hot commodity.
Debating Jones’ effectiveness outside Kyle Shanahan‘s system is worthwhile; after all, Jimmy Garoppolo fizzled in Las Vegas. But Sam Darnold‘s recent success, after a year as Purdy’s backup, will do nothing to cool Jones’ market. The 49ers could also determine they can groom a similar backup behind Purdy, possibly opening the door to the team ultimately taking the best offer this offseason and using the asset in the draft. The 49ers could lose this opportunity soon, as Jones will be a 2027 free agent. But he also represents valuable injury insurance for one of the NFL’s most injury-prone teams.
The Jets are trading for Geno Smith, and the Falcons are signing Tua Tagovailoa. But a handful of teams — the Browns, Steelers and Vikings among them — are still looking for options. The Cardinals agreed to sign Gardner Minshew, pairing him with Jacoby Brissett. That might not be Arizona’s last QB move, but after being connected to Willis, the team may stand down and wage a stopgap-type battle. Meanwhile, the 49ers are waiting for a monster offer for a player who held little trade value not too long ago.