Cardinals Expected To Pursue QB Malik Willis; Latest On Dolphins’ QB Plans
In a year featuring a quarterback draft class that is perceived to be a weak one outside of presumptive No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza, soon-to-be free agent Malik Willis is becoming a hot commodity. We have already heard that the Browns, Dolphins, and Steelers could be involved in Willis’ market, and Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports hears the Cardinals will be in on Willis as well.
In fact, Pauline’s sources predict Willis ultimately will land in Arizona. The most recent reporting on the Cards’ incumbent QB1, Kyler Murray, indicated the club is undecided as to how it will proceed with the former No. 1 overall pick, who is already guaranteed $36.8MM in compensation for the upcoming season. That said, it would come as no surprise if the Cardinals move on, with a trade the preferred option but a release looking like the more realistic outcome.
Assuming Murray is done in the desert, as Pauline believes, the Cardinals will need to add to their QB room. While Jacoby Brissett played well in relief of Murray last season and could serve as a stopgap solution – he is under contract through 2026 – the 33-year-old journeyman does not profile as a long-term option.
Willis, who will turn 27 in May, could fit that description. The former third-round pick of the Titans has spent the past two years as a backup to Jordan Love in Green Bay, and though his playing time has been limited, he has flashed enough potential to generate notable interest. In his Packers tenure, which includes a 2-1 record as a starter, Willis has completed 70 of 89 passes (78.7%) for 972 yards and six touchdowns without throwing a pick. He has added 42 carries for 261 yards and three TDs.
Like the Cardinals, the Dolphins would prefer to trade their own former first-round signal-caller, Tua Tagovailoa, but are likely to be forced to release him. Pauline confirms that Tagovailoa is not expected to be back with the ‘Fins in 2026, and he says there is an “overwhelming belief” that Miami’s new head coach, Jeff Hafley, wants to bring Willis to South Beach.
Hafley spent the past two seasons as Green Bay’s defensive coordinator, and the Dolphins’ new GM, Jon-Eric Sullivan, was a Packers staffer for 22 years before Miami brought him aboard last month. Their connection to Willis is therefore understandable, though the club’s unenviable salary cap situation could make it difficult for them to compete for his services.
At present, the ‘Fins have just $3.18MM of cap room, and even after more cost-shedding moves, they may not be in a position to win a bidding war. That could point them to a cheaper option like Jimmy Garoppolo.
In that scenario, Garoppolo would not necessarily be handed the QB1 mantle. After all, Bobby Slowik, who was recently promoted from passing game coordinator to offensive coordinator, is said to be a “big fan” of 2025 seventh-rounder Quinn Ewers.
Ewers held his own over the final three games of the ‘25 campaign, his first taste of regular season action in the pros. Pauline’s sources believe the Texas product deserves a chance at a longer audition, particularly since he was seen as a Day 2 prospect who surprisingly fell to the seventh round. If the Dolphins cannot land Willis, Pauline hears the team plans to give Ewers a chance to start while bringing in an inexpensive veteran like Garoppolo to function as the backup.
Rams Will Seek To Improve At CB; Darious Williams A Release Candidate?
On the strength of an excellent performance from Sam Darnold, the Seahawks eliminated the Rams in the 2025 NFC Championship Game and ultimately captured the second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. Disgruntled by that showing, the Rams have been candid about the need to improve their cornerback room this offseason, as Nate Atkins of The Athletic (subscription required) relays.
Los Angeles finished 19th in the league in terms of passing yards allowed in 2025, and none of their primary boundary corners with enough snaps to qualify – Darious Williams, Emmanuel Forbes, and Cobie Durant – earned a notable grade from Pro Football Focus. Williams is under contract through 2026 and is due a reasonable $7MM salary next year, but Atkins views the soon-to-be 33-year-old as a cut candidate.
Now in his second stint with the Rams, the former UDFA of the Ravens proved to be quite a find for Los Angeles, who claimed him off waivers from Baltimore in October 2018. He eventually became a fixture in the Rams’ secondary and earned a three-year, $30MM contract from the Jaguars in March 2022. Jacksonville released him after the second season of that pact, and he rejoined LA on a three-year, $22.5MM accord in March 2024.
In 12 games (11 starts) for the Rams in ‘24, Williams surrendered a 64.4% completion percentage and 101.7 quarterback rating, and his 59.0 PFF grade placed him 82nd among 118 qualified CBs. His numbers actually improved in 2025 (87.6 QB rating, 64.7 PFF grade), but he played considerably fewer snaps and was a healthy scratch in several games.
It is therefore not surprising that Los Angeles will consider parting ways, especially since a cut would generate $7.5MM in cap savings with a minimal dead money charge of $1.17MM. Williams’ age and contract situation, together with the Rams’ stated desire to remake their CB depth chart, make a release a logical outcome.
Forbes, a former first-round pick of the Commanders, is under club control through 2026 via his original rookie contract with Washington (the Rams claimed him off waivers in December 2024). He is due a modest $1.95MM salary next year.
Durant, whom the Rams selected in the fourth round of the 2022 draft, is eligible for free agency next month (ditto trade deadline acquisition Roger McCreary, who played just 38 defensive snaps for LA). The team recently extended versatile slot defender Quentin Lake through 2028.
Williams, who has earned over $50MM to date, will likely have to settle for a one-year contract if the Rams do move on. Still, given the league-wide need for experienced corners, he should be able to find another employer.
Micah Parsons: “I Was Really About To” Join Eagles
As the relationship between the Cowboys and Micah Parsons publicly unraveled last offseason, the Eagles reportedly put forth the best trade package for the star edge rusher. Dallas naturally did not want to deal Parsons to a division rival and ultimately shipped him to the Packers (that swap included a poison-pill provision to guard against the possibility of Green Bay sending Parsons to Philadelphia down the road).
Nonetheless, Parsons himself recently stated he very nearly became an Eagle. On a recent episode of his The Edge With Micah Parsons podcast, the five-time Pro Bowler covered a number of topics with Eagles WR A.J. Brown and Panthers QB Bryce Young, including the fact that he and Brown were almost teammates in 2025.
“To be honest with you, bro, it was very close,” Parsons said (via Geoff Mosher of Philly Voice). “Eagles – before [trade deadline acquisition] Jaelan Phillips, before all of them, it was me.”
Of course, any team that acquired Parsons was going to need to authorize a record-setting extension for him, and the Packers did just that with a four-year, $188MM deal. If he were to sign a new contract with the Eagles, though, Parsons wanted to play alongside Philadelphia defensive tackle Jalen Carter. The Cowboys were known to be targeting DT reinforcements in any Parsons swap – they landed Kenny Clark from Green Bay – and it sounds as if Dallas wanted Carter to be part of a would-be trade with the Eagles.
“I was really about to come [to Philadelphia], but there was one person that I had to play with that if he was gone I did not want to be there, and that was Jalen Carter,” Parsons added. “[The Cowboys] wanted a d-tackle and they wanted to trade me plus some picks. I’m coming to play next to JC. Sorry, Cowboys fans … It really almost happened.”
Prior reporting indicated the Eagles’ offer was comprised of two first-round picks, a third-rounder, a fifth-rounder, and other unspecified assets. Assuming Parsons’ remarks are accurate, Carter was either one of the “unspecified assets,” or Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was not entirely forthright when he said he did not make a counter to Philadelphia’s proposal.
Parsons turned in a stellar first season in Green Bay, compiling 12.5 sacks in just 14 games en route to a third First-Team All-Pro selection. Unfortunately, a Week 15 ACL tear ended his campaign prematurely and kept him sidelined for the Packers’ lone playoff contest. He hopes to return no later than Week 3 of the 2026 slate.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys’ defense was among the league’s worst in 2025, which undermined a strong effort from the Dallas offense. While Parsons’ presence will improve any front seven, the Eagles finished the 2025 regular season 13th in sacks and fifth in points allowed. It was their offense that proved to be more problematic.
Texans Not Eyeing Offseason C.J. Stroud Extension?
It is a foregone conclusion that the Texans will exercise quarterback C.J. Stroud’s fifth-year option, thereby assuring him of a $26.53MM salary for 2027. It is less certain that Houston will discuss a long-term contract with Stroud’s camp this offseason, and Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 unequivocally asserts those talks will not commence until next year.
In a lengthy video report addressing recent speculation that Houston could consider trading Stroud – whose middling 2025 regular season culminated in two turnover-riddled playoff contests and another divisional-round exit – Wilson says contract talks are not in the team’s immediate plans. Instead, he believes the club and Stroud will reach an understanding in which the Texans tell the former No. 2 overall pick they will be happy to pay him like a franchise passer a year from now, after a strong 2026 performance.
Although he does not explicitly say so, one of the reports Wilson appears to be referencing is one recently published by Albert Breer of SI.com. Per Breer, it may be difficult to get Stroud to accept anything less than the $60MM-per-year payout that Cowboys’ QB Dak Prescott presently enjoys, which Breer suggests will soon become the new benchmark for high-end quarterback contracts.
Of course, given that Stroud followed up his Offensive Rookie of the Year showing in 2023 with two less inspiring seasons, and given that his two most recent playoff games featured a combined five fumbles (two lost) and five interceptions, it is fair to wonder if his track record and upside merit a top-shelf deal. While not as adamant as Wilson, Breer indicates the Texans could delay contract talks until the 2027 offseason.
If Houston does elect to negotiate, its perception of Stroud’s value may be starkly different than the player’s self-evaluation, which could cause the talks to get “sticky.” Breer echoes prior reports that the Texans may be aggressive in seeking an extension for edge rusher Will Anderson, and if they authorize a top-of-the-market pact for the defensive star but not for their QB1, the relationship between Stroud and the club may become strained.
Either development – contentious negotiations or an outright postponement of negotiations – could pique the interest of QB-needy teams, which could then try to pry Stroud away from Houston. Breer does not say the Texans have received calls on Stroud, nor does he indicate they would even entertain such calls if they came in, but it makes sense that other clubs would be monitoring the situation just in case.
But even if they do not believe he is presently deserving of a $60MM/year contract, the Texans have no intention of trading Stroud, per Wilson (who says it would cost at least two first-round picks for an interested team to acquire him). Wilson goes on to say Houston’s plan is to bolster the O-line, upgrade the tight end room, and add another starting-caliber running back. Those moves, in conjunction with a second year under offensive coordinator Nick Caley, are expected to allow Stroud to thrive in 2026 and improve his earning power in 2027.
Cowboys, Javonte Williams Agree To Deal
The Cowboys will keep pending free agent running back Javonte Williams from hitting the open market. The two sides have agreed to a three-year, $24MM contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. The deal includes $16MM in guarantees, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Williams will also receive a $6MM signing bonus, Todd Archer of ESPN relays.
Williams’ new pact easily trumps the one-year, $3MM agreement he reached with the Cowboys in free agency last March. The former Bronco settled for a prove-it deal after a dip in rushing production over the previous couple of seasons.
As a 2021 second-round pick from North Carolina, Williams made a quick impact with 1,219 total yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie. He rushed for 903 yards on 4.4 per carry that year, but suffering ACL and LCL tears in Week 4 of his second season temporarily threw his career off course. While the 5-foot-10, 220-pounder returned to play in 33 of of 34 games from 2023-24, he averaged a lackluster 3.7 yards per carry on a combined 356 attempts.
The move to Dallas led to a renaissance for Williams, who emerged as a key cog in the NFL’s second-ranked scoring offense. Playing his age-25 season, Williams started in all 16 appearances and logged career highs in carries (252), yards (1,201), YPC (4.8) and touchdowns (13; 11 rushing, two receiving). A three-time 40-catch back in Denver, Williams chipped in 35 more last season, though he averaged just 3.9 yards per grab.
The Cowboys, who identified Williams as a priority free agent early in the offseason, now have him under wraps for reasonable money. Williams’ new contract places him 13th among running backs in total money, 14th in guarantees and 16th in average annual value. Had Williams become a free agent for the second straight year, he could have joined Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker III and Travis Etienne among the top RBs available. With Williams off the board, teams in need of an upgrade in the backfield now have one fewer starting-caliber option to consider.
Locking up Williams checks off one important offseason task for the Cowboys, who feature arguably the game’s best soon-to-be free agent in wide receiver George Pickens. The Cowboys are expected to place the franchise tag on Pickens by March 3. The question is whether he’ll follow Williams in landing a multiyear deal this offseason.
Offseason Outlook: Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks entered the 2025 season having not won a playoff game in six years. They had lost steam from the prime Russell Wilson period. Bobby Wagner's 2024 move to the Commanders severed roster ties to the Legion of Boom Super Bowl years, with Pete Carroll being fired shortly before that defection. John Schneider, however, remained and was in the process of transforming the roster.
Schneider and Mike Macdonald -- the NFL's youngest head coach in 2025 -- completed a level jump last season, revitalizing Seattle's defense and making key changes on offense. Shipping out Geno Smith and D.K. Metcalf, the Seahawks built a championship roster on the backs of those swaps and the seminal 2022 Wilson trade. After winning the Rams rubber match, the Seahawks demolished the overmatched Patriots in Super Bowl LX. They now have several starters from that roster unsigned, as a title defense mission commences.
Coaching/front office:
- Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak became Raiders' head coach
- Hired Brian Fleury as OC replacement
- Quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko became Raiders' OC
- Run-game coordinator Rick Dennison joined Kubiak's Raiders staff
- Hired Zach Orr as inside linebackers coach
- Blocked Justin Outten from Raiders interview, promoted Outten to run-game coordinator
- DC Aden Durde interviewed for Browns, Falcons' HC jobs
- DBs coach Karl Scott interviewed for Cardinals, Commanders' DC jobs
- WRs coach Frisman Jackson interviewed for Raiders' OC job
- Pass-game coordinator Jake Peetz interviewed for Lions' OC job
Just as the Legion of Boom-era team lost coordinators (Gus Bradley, Dan Quinn) to HC jobs, Macdonald's staff saw Kubiak draw extensive interest. It became known before Super Bowl LX the first-year Seattle OC was bound for Las Vegas. Despite a spree of coach and GM turnover this decade, the Raiders convinced Kubiak to take his HC shot in a loaded AFC West.
Vikings WR Rondale Moore Dies At 25
10:05pm: As noted by Jay Skeeba of WHAS11, the Coroner’s Office in Floyd County, Indiana has autopsy has been scheduled for tomorrow. New Albany Police Chief Todd Bailey said Moore was found dead in a garage of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound.
8:07pm: Rondale Moore passed away on Saturday, a Vikings source confirmed to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The receiver was 25 years old. At this time, the team is in the process of gathering details surrounding Moore’s death. 
A second-round pick of the Cardinals in 2021, Moore entered the league coming off a college career which showcased plenty of potential. As a freshman at Purdue, he earned All-American honors while delivering strong production as a receiver and a returner. Moore only played another seven games in college, but his draft stock remained high.
Across three seasons in Arizona, Moore saw his playing time fluctuate. His production remained relatively consistent as he operated as a secondary option in the passing game while also seeing time as a runner. In March of 2024, Moore was traded to the Falcons in a straight swap for quarterback Desmond Ridder.
That set him up for a new chapter in his NFL career, but it did not prove to be possible. Moore suffered a season-ending knee injury mere months after being dealt to the Falcons. His rookie contract expired before having the opportunity to play for the team. Moore’s first trip to free agency generated interest and resulted in a one-year Vikings agreement.
While making his preseason debut for Minnesota, however, Moore suffered another major knee injury. That one also resulted in a season-long absence. After rehabbing the latest ailment, Moore was on track to test the market once again in March. In total, Moore played 40 combined regular and postseason games.
Chargers Unlikely To Be Active In Free Agency
The Chargers are currently projected to have nearly $83MM in cap space for the 2026 offseason. That could lead to a spending spree, but such an approach should not be expected. 
Joe Hortiz is entering his third offseason as the Bolts’ general manager. The veteran executive’s time in Los Angeles was preceded by a lengthy stint with the Ravens, a team known for emphasizing the draft in its roster-building philosophy. Hortiz has maintained a similar approach to that of the Ravens so far in his GM tenure, and that can be expected to continue this year.
“I don’t want to spend recklessly,” Hortiz recently said (via ESPN’s Kris Rhim). “If you chase perceived needs in free agency, in the draft and more often than not overpaying or making a mistake. So, we do have to be calculated. We have to be smarter.”
The Chargers find themselves in need of additions along the interior of the offensive and defensive lines this spring. The team’s pass rush setup could also be much different relatively soon, as both Odafe Oweh and Khalil Mack are pending free agents. Hortiz will have a number of key decisions to make over the coming months. Los Angeles currently has six draft picks, including one in each of the first four rounds.
Some of the team’s positional needs will no doubt remain largely unfilled until April, as is common practice around the league. Nevertheless, the Chargers could manage to win at least one notable bidding war on the open market given their financial flexibility. A continued emphasis will no doubt continue to be placed on retaining in-house players, of course. The new pact for Teair Tart is a recent example of strong Los Angeles performers landing notable commitments from Hortiz and the front office.
There are other candidates to be re-signed in short order, and the Bolts also obviously have a list of extension candidates to work on leading up to Week 1. There could still be room for a splashy outside addition or two, but much of the team’s resources will likely be aimed elsewhere.
Jets Undecided On RB Breece Hall; Transition Tag Could Be In Play?
Breece Hall looms as one of the top franchise tag candidates for 2026. That option has not been taken off the table by the Jets so far, but others are being weighed as well. 
New York remains undecided on the Hall front at this time, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. As expected, an extension was not worked out during the regular season, although the team is still interested in retaining its lead running back. A new Hall deal keeping Hall in the fold is one possibility in this case, Fowler confirms.
He adds, however, that the transition tag is seen by some around the league as an expected move on the Jets’ part. Applying the franchise tag to running backs this offseason is projected to cost roughly $14.5MM. The transition tag will check in at a rate of approximately $11.73MM, by contrast. Players who receive the transition tag are free to speak with outside teams and sign an offer sheet; unmatched offer sheets do not result in draft compensation.
As a result, the transition tag is rarely used in the NFL. Whether or not the Jets give serious thought to applying it in Hall’s case will be interesting to monitor. The 24-year-old has managed to remain durable and consistent since suffering an ACL tear during his rookie season. Hall topped 1,300 scrimmage yards for the third consecutive season in 2025, and he surpassed 1,000 on the ground for the first time despite playing on one of the league’s worst offenses.
A payday (relatively speaking, considering the nature of the running back market) should be coming shortly. Hall could wind up being the top back in free agency if the decision-making tandem of general manager Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn – which was not in place when he was drafted – opts to move in a different direction. A long-term agreement could result in pact averaging $12MM or so per year, but it would give the Jets flexibility with respect to Hall’s cap charges while keeping him at a rate similar to that of the transition tag.
New York is currently fourth in the NFL in projected cap space, so absorbing the one-year cost of a franchise or transition tag would be more feasible for that team than most others. Finding a replacement in the backfield could become a priority for the Jets through either free agency or the draft, but that may not prove necessary depending on how they operate leading up to the tag deadline.
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/21/26
Saturday brought about one minor move in the NFL:
Houston Texans
- Signed: OL Jarrett Kingston
Kingston was on track to be one of Houston’s exclusive rights restricted free agents this spring. Instead, a new Texans deal has been worked out. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports this is a one-year, $1.1MM pact with a $15K signing bonus representing the only guaranteed money. A $10K workout bonus is also present in the deal, and Kingston can earn it during the offseason program. The 26-year-old made a pair of appearances with Houston in 2025.