Russell Wilson Finalizing CBS Deal
Russell Wilson drew free agent interest from at least one NFL team this spring, but he will not continue his playing career in 2026. The veteran quarterback is instead set to try his hand at broadcasting.
Wilson is finalizing an agreement with CBS to work as an analyst, as first reported by Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports. Wilson was linked one month ago to CBS, so today’s news comes as little surprise. It does, of course, also represent an indication his NFL career has come to an end.
In May, the Jets made an offer to the 37-year-old. No deal was reached, however, and no arrangements with other teams seemed imminent this spring. Wilson made clear his intention of continuing to play in 2026, and he expressed a desire to remain in New York after spending 2025 with the Giants. For at least one season, though, his attention will turn to a TV gig. Wilson will likely serve as Matt Ryan‘s replacement on CBS’ The NFL Today this fall.
Ryan had a short tenure in that capacity before choosing to take charge of the Falcons’ front office this offseason. That vacancy is now set to be filled by another quarterback with a decorated resume. Wilson has a Super Bowl championship to his name along with an appearance in another title game. The 10-time Pro Bowler enjoyed a highly successful run in Seattle which lasted from 2012-21; over that span, Wilson was widely viewed as being on a Hall of Fame track.
Things have taken a turn for the worse since that time. Wilson was dealt to the Broncos in a blockbuster trade, a swap which did not produce the desired result for Denver. After serving as QB1 during Nathaniel Hackett‘s disastrous campaign as head coach, Wilson clashed early and often with Sean Payton. His statistical output rebounded to an extent, but before the 2023 season ended it was clear the organization would be moving on. The Broncos proceeded with a release, allowing Wilson to take a low-cost deal with the Steelers.
Upon returning to the lineup following a calf injury, Wilson remained atop Pittsburgh’s depth chart. He led the team to a wild-card appearance, but team and player parted ways last spring. That resulted in the Giants lining up a deal as part of their QB changes. New York added Wilson and Jameis Winston along with the first-round selection of Jaxson Dart. Wilson opened the campaign as the Giants’ QB1, but he was benched after making three starts. Dart took over starting duties, while Winston is still in the fold as his backup.
A Wilson-Jets agreement would have given the team another experienced signal-caller to pair with Geno Smith, who was acquired via trade this spring. With no signing having taken place, though, a Jets backup competition is now set to take place. It will be interesting to see if injuries during training camp result in the Jets – or any other team – circling back to Wilson as an insurance option.
Failing that, attention will turn to how things play out on the analyst front. Wilson has played 222 combined regular and postseason games in the NFL, starting all but three of them. He has amassed over $315MM in career earnings, a figure which ranks fifth all time. Adding to either of those totals will not be possible provided Wilson spends the coming year with CBS, and doing so will increase the chances of him electing to hang up his cleats.
Wisconsin Hires Former Colts Exec Morocco Brown As GM
The University of Wisconsin is hiring former Colts executive Morocco Brown as the general manager of their football program, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Brown arrived in Indianapolis in 2017 as the director of college scouting in GM Chris Ballard’s inaugural front office. He was promoted to chief personnel executive in 2022 and played a key role in the Colts’ scouting and selection of quarterback Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft. He and the team parted ways in June 2025. That was his second stint in Indianapolis; he first broke into the NFL as a Colts scouting intern in the 2000 offseason.
Brown then held a similar position with the Commanders for the 2000 season before landing the Bears’ assistant director of player personnel job. After seven years in Chicago, he returned to the Commanders as their director of pro personnel. In 2014, he moved to Cleveland as the Browns’ vice president of player personnel, the team’s No. 2 front office role under GM Andrew Berry.
A number of teams have considered Brown for a general manager position. He interviewed with the Falcons in 2021 and the Bears and Steelers in 2022. He was also connected to the Eagles’ job that eventually went to Howie Roseman.
Since leaving the Colts, Brown has worked as a consultant, per his website, with former NFL receiver Brandon Marshall‘s House of Athletes gym listed among his clients.
At Wisconsin, Brown will take on a college football landscape that has radically changed in the last few years with the introduce of NIL money for student athletes. He will be tasked with turning around a Badgers team that has a 9-15 record across the last two years with a 5-13 mark in Big Ten play. They have not won the conference since 2012, the last of a three-year streak including Russell Wilson‘s final college season in 2011.
Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett Continues Holdout
Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett has made it abundantly clear that he wants an adjusted contract to reflect his status as the team’s starter for the 2026 season.
He skipped Arizona’s first two weeks of OTAs hoping to spur some movement in negotiations, but the team has been unwilling to play ball thus far. Brissett is not at the Cardinals’ final week of OTAs, either, per ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss, with just one week to go until mandatory minicamp.
Brissett is set to earn just $4.88MM in base salary this season with an additional $510k in per-game roster bonuses. He can also earn $1MM for playing 50% of the Cardinal’s offensive snaps and another $1MM for hitting 65%. That is the lowest compensation of any starting quarterback not on a rookie contract. Geno Smith, Kyler Murray, and Tua Tagovailoa are earning less from their current teams, but they are also receiving significant sums from their former clubs.
The Cardinals may have misplayed their hand by making Brissett their presumed starter so early in the year. His grievance may be further compounded by the fact that Arizona signed Gardner Minshew to a $5.75MM deal this offseason to be his backup. The team drafted Carson Beck in the third round of April’s draft, giving them a third option, but new head coach Mike LaFleur prefers the incumbent. However, Brissett now clearly believes he has enough leverage to squeeze a raise out of general manager Monti Ossenfort.
Arizona has over $35MM in cap space, per OverTheCap, so they have the funds to bump Brissett’s pay. But agreeing on a dollar figure may be difficult. The 33-year-old does not profile as the Cardinals’ long-term signal-caller and seems closer to a stopgap option as the team figures out their future at the position – which could include Beck. Kirk Cousins and Justin Fields are on one-year placeholder deals worth roughly $11MM, which would seem like an appropriate raise for Brissett.
But the Cardinals could simply call his bluff and move forward with Minshew and Beck taking most of the practice reps – as they have been this spring – and competing for the starting job. Brissett could continue holding out into next week’s minicamp, which would result in just under $108k in fines if he misses all three days.
Given Arizona’s financial resources, it should be easy enough to come to a resolution. No other team is offering Brissett a starting job, either, and a decade into his career, he is unlikely to receive many similar chances in the future. Staying away from the team until training camp also runs the risk that Minshew or Beck can impress LaFleur enough to unseat Brissett, in which case he would certainly not get a raise.
It is worth noting that OTAs are purely voluntary, and a 10-year veteran like Brissett may prefer to manage his own offseason – though the ongoing installation of LaFleur’s new offense is a major reason to show up. He has never played in an offense orchestrated by a former Kyle Shanahan or Sean McVay lieutenant, so there will still be plenty to learn in the new scheme.
In the past, showing up at mandatory minicamp after skipping OTAs has been seen as a good-faith gesture on the player’s part and a sign of progress in contract talks. Brissett’s presence next week will therefore be a key indicator of how things stand between him and the Cardinals.
Colts Sign QB Easton Stick
The Colts swapped quarterbacks today. The team announced that they’ve added free agent QB Easton Stick. In a corresponding move, the Colts waived QB Seth Henigan.
Stick is coming off a 2025 campaign with the Falcons. He spent most of the year on the active roster but didn’t get into a game. Before that, the 2019 fifth-round pick spent six years with the Chargers organization, where he eventually worked his way up to the role of Justin Herbert‘s primary backup.
He got an extended look in 2023. Stick completed 63.8 percent of his passes that season, throwing for 1,129 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. The Chargers were winless in his four starts.
Stick will now be joining an unsettled depth chart in Indy. Daniel Jones continues to work his way back from an Achilles injury, although there’s optimism that he’ll be ready to go for Week 1. Meanwhile, the Colts were unsuccessful in their attempt to trade Anthony Richardson, and it’s uncertain how the former fourth-overall pick will factor into the team’s 2026 plans. Stick could be called upon depending Jones’ and Richardson’s roster status. At the very least, the newest addition will compete for backup reps with 2025 sixth-round pick Riley Leonard.
Henigan, a 2025 UDFA out of Memphis, had a stint on the Jaguars practice squad before catching on with the Colts in late December. The organization retained him this offseason via a reserve/futures contract.
The Colts made a handful of additional moves today, including the signings of center Josh Kreutz and cornerback Jai’Onte’ McMillan. To make room on the roster, the Colts waived guard LaDarius Henderson and cornerback Wyett Ekeler.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/1/26
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Mac Dalena
- Waived: CB Daryl Porter Jr.
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: WR Romello Brinson
Houston Texans
- Signed: OL Derrick Graham
- Waived: G Sidy Sow
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: DT Quinton Bohanna
New York Giants
- Signed: OT Jarrod Gray
- Placed on IR: WR Gunner Olszewski
- Released: LS Zach Triner
New York Jets
- Signed: WR Da’Quan Felton, LB Chase Wilson
- Waived: K Lenny Krieg
- Waived/injured: LB Kobe King
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: LB Chandler Martin
Myles Garrett Fallout: Schwartz, Eagles, Quotes
Following this afternoon’s stunning Myles Garrett trade, we’re learning new details about what ultimately led to the Browns deal with the Rams. Unlike last year, Garrett did not request a trade, per ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi.
[RELATED: Browns Trade Myles Garrett To Rams]
However, the reporter notes that “an air of uncertainty lingered over the relationship” between the player and the Browns, and Garrett remained open to “new scenery.” The player continued to make it clear that his commitment to the organization was contingent on them being competitive.
That obviously didn’t come to fruition in 2025, as the Browns finished with only five victories. However, Garrett did have a prolific season that saw him break the NFL sack record. The pass rusher also earned his second Defensive Player of the Year award, with both of his accolades coming while playing in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz‘s system. So, it’s not a surprise that the Browns’ decision to pass over Schwartz for their head coaching gig “didn’t help matters” when it came to Garrett sticking in Cleveland, per Oyefusi.
We heard earlier that the Rams were persistent in their pursuit of the defender, but the Browns did make their star edge rusher available to other potential suitors. However, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes that the list of landing spots ultimately proved to be limited since Cleveland was focused on acquiring a “young, ascending pass rusher” in exchange for Garrett. The team specifically had eyes on Jared Verse, so the Rams were seemingly in the driver seat throughout the unofficial sweepstakes.
One team that also expressed interest in acquiring Garrett was the Eagles, although NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Ryan Fowler describes their pursuit as more “exploratory.” Fowler believes Philly would have had to surrender someone like Nolan Smith or Jalyx Hunt plus a combination of picks to pull off the blockbuster trade, and the Eagles front office determined that asking price was the “tipping point.” Jalen Carter was also mentioned as a potential trade target of the Browns, but Fowler says there was “zero potential” of that swap coming to fruition.
The Browns continually stated that they wanted Garrett to play his entire career in Cleveland, and their four-year, $160MM reinforced that point. Browns GM Andrew Berry provided some insight into what changed the front office’s mind about dealing their star player.
“We have long taken the stance that our goal was for Myles Garrett to be a one-helmet player for his entire career,” Berry said (via Bleacher Report’s James Palmer). “After rewriting the record books and representing our organization with excellence, we were sincere in that desire as we entered this offseason and did not envision a world where Myles was not a Cleveland Brown.
Raymond Berry Passes Away At 93
Hall of Fame player and coach Raymond Berry passed away two weekends ago at the age of 93, according to a statement from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The wide receiver (or “split end”) entered the NFL with little fanfare when he was selected by the Baltimore Colts in the 20th round of the 1954 draft. He overcame the odds to make the team’s roster as a rookie, when he was limited to only 13 catches. However, he quickly emerged as a preferred target of Johnny Unitas over the following 12 years.
Berry earned four-straight All-Pro nods between 1957 and 1960, a stretch in which he averaged 60 catches for 963 yards and 10 touchdowns per season. He finished fifth in MVP voting in 1959 after hauling in a league-leading 14 touchdowns, and he followed that up with a 1960 campaign where he established career-highs in receptions (74) and receiving yards (1,298).
He won championships with the Colts in both 1958 and 1959, and his participation in the “The Greatest Game Ever Played” in that 1958 championship contest established his spot in NFL lore. Berry hauled in 12 catches for 178 yards and a score in that game.
Berry ended up playing his entire 13-year career in Baltimore, finishing with 631 catches for 9,275 yards and 68 touchdowns. When he retired at the end of the 1967 season, he was the NFL’s all-time leader in both receptions and receiving yards.
Following his playing career, Berry entered the coaching ranks. He had stints as the WRs coach with the Cowboys, Lions, Browns, and Patriots, plus a three-year stretch coaching wideouts at Arkansas. He got his only head coaching gig with the Patriots in 1984, and he helped guide the organization to their first Super Bowl appearance during his first full season at the helm in 1985. He finished his head coaching career with a record of 48-39. He coached quarterbacks with the Lions (1991) and Broncos (1992) before calling it a career.
Berry was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973, and he was later a member of the NFL’s 75th Anniversary All-Time Team and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. His number 82 was retired by the Colts, and he was named a member of the Patriots 1980s All-Decade Team.
“People said Raymond Berry was not blessed with the size or speed of other receivers in the National Football League, but no one worked harder to refine his skills and master his craft. The chemistry he developed with quarterback Johnny Unitas through hours of route-running thousands of repetitions in practice created a dynamic tandem that thought with one mind on game days,” said Jim Porter, the Hall of Fame’s president and CEO. “Together they helped the Colts win consecutive titles in the late 1950s, including the classic 1958 NFL Championship Game that served as a springboard for professional football becoming this country’s most popular sport.
“On top of that, there was no finer gentleman – a person who remained humble and grounded when others sought to thrust stardom upon him.”
We at PFR extend our condolences to Berry’s family and friends.
Patriots Place TE Julian Hill On IR
Just as the Patriots added wide receiver A.J. Brown in a trade with the Eagles on Monday, they lost tight end Julian Hill for the 2026 season. The Pats have placed Hill on injured reserve, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald relays.
It is unclear why Hill is going on IR, but it will prevent him from playing in the first season of the three-year, $15MM contract the Patriots gave him in free agency. New England guaranteed $7.5MM to Hill, who turned down an offer to stay with AFC East rival Miami before hitting the open market. The Dolphins’ proposal was reportedly worth far less than the Patriots’.
After playing his college football at Campbell, an FCS school, Hill joined the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He was never much of a receiving threat in Miami, where he caught 33 passes for 288 yards and went without a touchdown in 45 games. But the blocking specialist was a 26-game starter for the Dolphins, who deployed him regularly on both offense and special teams. Hill logged a career-high 55% offensive snap share last year, and he also took the field for 48% of special teams plays. It was the reverse in 2024 (48% offensive snaps, 55% special teams).
A healthy Hill could have helped New England replace Austin Hooper, who joined the Falcons on a one-year, $3.25MM deal in free agency. Now, with the 25-year-old Hill out of commission, the Patriots will have to count on other options behind No. 1 tight end Hunter Henry. Third-round rookie Eli Raridon could log more playing time than expected in Hill’s absence. Jack Westover, CJ Dippre and undrafted rookie Tanner Arkin are the only other tight ends on the roster.
Browns Expected To Retain Denzel Ward
The Browns agreed to trade longtime face of the franchise Myles Garrett in a stunning blockbuster with the Rams on Monday. It is unlikely the Garrett trade will start a fire sale in Cleveland, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Veteran cornerback Denzel Ward is one player who is expected to stay put, Fowler reports.
Considering Ward’s relationship with Garrett, it will be interesting to hear his opinion on the trade (if he offers one publicly). Back when Garrett asked out of Cleveland in February 2025, Ward said: “[The request] has a huge impact, honestly. I want to play with Myles Garrett.”
Ward got his wish for 2025 after Garrett quickly backed off his trade request to sign a contract extension. The pact could have kept Garrett in a Browns uniform through 2030, but the rebuilding club will now replace the future Hall of Famer with Jared Verse and add significant draft capital in the process.
There is an obvious drop-off from Garrett to Verse, which is certainly not a knock on the latter. In his two seasons in the NFL, Verse has collected Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and a pair of Pro Bowl nods. The budding star should give the Browns a productive defender who is five years younger than Garrett and much less expensive. So, while Ward may prefer to play with Garrett, Verse is no slouch.
Like Garrett and Verse, Ward has enjoyed a decorated career. Since the Browns took Ward fourth overall in 2018,, the Ohio native and former Ohio State Buckeye has gone to five Pro Bowls. Despite intercepting a career-low one pass over 15 games in 2025, he earned Pro Bowl honors for the third straight season. The 29-year-old has started 107 of 110 games as a Brown, deflected 104 passes and picked off 18. If he remains in Cleveland for a ninth year in 2026, Ward will continue to start opposite Tyson Campbell.
Contractually, Ward is under wraps through 2027 on the five-year, $100.5MM extension he signed in 2022. The Browns restructured it earlier in the offseason to reduce Ward’s cap hit by $2MM, but he is still due to count $30.89MM this year. While dealing Ward would save the Browns $17.43MM in spending space this season, they would take on $13.46MM in dead money and another $18.69MM in ’27. The Browns are already set to spread $40MM-plus in dead cap from the Garrett trade over the next two years. They will also incur a combined $86.2MM charge from 2027-28 if they designate quarterback Deshaun Watson a post-June 1 release next offseason.
Jets Sign First-Round WR Omar Cooper Jr.
The Jets added three players during the opening round of April’s draft. Every member of that trio is now on the books.
New York agreed to terms with receiver Omar Cooper Jr. on Monday, ESPN’s Rich Cimini reports. This is a four-year deal worth a fully guaranteed $17.5MM. The Jets will be able to keep Cooper under team control through 2030 via the fifth-year option.
As expected, New York addressed the pass rush with pick No. 2 by drafting edge defender David Bailey. That was followed by the selection of tight end Kenyon Sadiq at No. 16. The Jets entered Day 1 of the draft with a pair of picks, but they swung a trade with the 49ers to move up to No. 30. That deal allowed them to select Cooper, who capped off a four-year run at Indiana with a national championship last season.
Cooper redshirted as a freshman and then totaled a modest 18 catches in nine games as a sophomore. He added another 28 catches for 594 yards – good for a whopping 21.2 average – and seven touchdowns in 2024. After that impressive showing, his production skyrocketed with the Hoosiers’ addition of quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who transferred from California. While mostly working from the slot in 2025, Cooper amassed 69 grabs for 937 yards and 13 TDs to earn second-team All-Big Ten honors. He also forced 27 missed tackles, most among any receiver in this year’s draft class.
The belief is Cooper has the versatility to line up in the slot and on the outside in the pros. Either way, he will add some much-needed talent to a Jets receiving corps that was sorely lacking in that area in 2025. No. 1 receiver Garrett Wilson will return after missing 10 games with a shoulder injury. The Jets will also get a full season from Adonai Mitchell, who showed flashes after they acquired him from the Colts in November’s Sauce Gardner blockbuster. Cooper, Sadiq, Wilson, Mitchell, running back Breece Hall and tight end Mason Taylor should be new quarterback Geno Smith‘s top options in the passing game in 2026, and they could form a strong core of weapons for the foreseeable future.
With Cooper now under contract, fourth-round defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr. is the Jets’ last unsigned pick. Here is their full eight-player class:
- Round 1, No. 2: David Bailey (EDGE, Texas Tech) (signed)
- Round 1, No. 16 (from Colts): Kenyon Sadiq (TE, Oregon) (signed)
- Round 1, No. 30 (from Broncos via Dolphins and 49ers): Omar Cooper Jr. (WR, Indiana) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 50 (from Lions): D’Angelo Ponds (CB, Indiana) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 103: Darrell Jackson Jr. (DT, Florida State)
- Round 4, No. 110 (from Bengals): Cade Klubnik (QB, Clemson) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 188 (from Browns via Seahawks): Anez Cooper (G, Miami) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 228 (from Cowboys via Bills and Raiders): VJ Payne (S, Kansas State) (signed)
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.