No Progress In Cowboys’ Talks With George Pickens, Brandon Aubrey
Having placed the $27.3MM franchise tag on wide receiver George Pickens and the second-round restricted free agent tender on kicker Brandon Aubrey, the Cowboys are positioned to keep the pair for at least another season. A multiyear arrangement may be optimal in both cases, but there has not been any progress on either front, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports.
A productive Steeler during his first three NFL seasons, Pickens performed like a star in 2025 after joining the Cowboys via trade. The 25-year-old finished top 10 in the league in receptions (93; eighth), yards (1,429; third) and touchdowns (nine; eighth). With that in mind, it came as no surprise when the Cowboys tagged Pickens to stop him from hitting the open market unfettered. While losing Pickens to an offer sheet would entitle the Cowboys to two first-round picks, odds are heavily against a team presenting one.
The Cowboys have until July 15 to reach a multiyear deal with Pickens. Barring that, it seems likely the former second-rounder will play under the tag next season. He would become the first player to do since Bengals receiver Tee Higgins in 2024. Higgins went on to secure a four-year, $115MM extension with the Bengals last March.
Pickens has a strong argument to sign for more than Higgins, especially with the cap continuing to rise. He may eventually end up with a payday similar to teammate and fellow receiver CeeDee Lamb, who landed his own four-year pact in August 2024. Lamb sits third among receivers in total value ($136MM), guarantees ($100MM) and average annual salary ($34MM).
The 31-year-old Aubrey, meanwhile, is on track to earn $5.76MM in 2026 without a new contract. The Cowboys have tried to extend Aubrey since last summer, but they resorted to tendering him after coming up short. As Watkins notes, Aubrey’s $10MM annual asking price blows past what the Cowboys are willing to pay (a little under $7MM). However, Dallas has not lost interest in extending Aubrey, per Watkins.
Although the big-legged Aubrey has only been in the league for three years, he already has a stacked resume. The ex-soccer player has earned a Pro Bowl nod and picked up All-Pro honors in each season. Both team and player agree Aubrey deserves to surpass the Chiefs’ Harrison Butker as the league’s highest-paid kicker, but there is a clear gap in negotiations. Butker is on a four-year, $25.6MM accord with a $6.4MM average salary.
If the sides don’t find common ground, odds are still high that Aubrey will stay in Dallas next season. There is little chance another team will sign Aubrey to a record-setting contract and give up a second-rounder for a kicker.
Former Colts WR T.Y. Hilton Announces Retirement
Longtime Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton has not played in the NFL since 2022, and he has now made his retirement official with an announcement on social media.
Hilton, 36, was one of the NFL’s most consistently-productive receivers in the 2010s with five seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards and four Pro Bowls from 2013 to 2018.
Originally a third-round pick out of Florida International, Hilton was drafted by the Colts in the same year as Andrew Luck and quickly emerged as one of the young quarterback’s most reliable targets. After a productive rookie year, Hilton took the torch from Reggie Wayne in 2013 with a team-high 1,083 yards and five touchdowns through the air. He led Indianapolis in receiving for six years in a row with a career- and league-high of 1,448 yards in 2016.
Luck’s sudden retirement in 2019 predictably led into a huge statistical drop for Hilton. Over the next three years, he appeared in just 35 games and averaged just 531 yards per season. Hilton hit free agency in 2022 and signed with the Cowboys late in the season. He appeared in five games in Dallas (including the playoffs).
Hilton will retire with 146 appearances (121 starts), 638 receptions, 9,812 receiving yards, and 53 touchdowns to his name. He also has just over $77MM in career earnings, per OverTheCap.
Jaguars Made Offer To LB Devin Lloyd
The Jaguars declined linebacker Devin Lloyd‘s fifth-year option last spring, setting him up for a trip to the open market this offseason. While Lloyd entered the process hoping to re-sign with the Jaguars, the former first-round pick left Duval County for the Panthers’ three-year, $42MM proposal. The Jaguars at least had interest in retaining Lloyd, he confirmed (via David Newton of ESPN).
“It was offered,” said Lloyd, though he did not detail how close the Jaguars came to keeping him.
It’s worth pointing out that exercising Lloyd’s fifth-year option would have cost Jacksonville $14.75MM – a bit north of his current $14MM average annual value. The Jaguars deemed that too rich, though it was not a surprise they turned it down. A team has not picked up an off-ball linebacker’s fifth-year option since the Buccaneers did so for Devin White in 2022. Nevertheless, the NFL continues to group inside and outside linebackers together for valuation purposes.
The Jaguars stumbled to a 4-13 record in 2024, but they surprisingly orchestrated a major turnaround in the first year of the general manager James Gladstone-head coach Liam Coen reign last season. Thanks in part to a terrific season from Lloyd, the Jaguars reeled off 13 wins and took home an AFC South title. Lloyd made his first Pro Bowl and earned second-team All-Pro honors after totaling 81 tackles, 25 pressures and a career-high five interceptions over 15 games. Pro Football Focus gave Lloyd an elite ranking (third) among 88 off-ball linebackers.
During his four-year run in Jacksonville, Lloyd averaged approximately 16 games, 109 tackles, seven passes defensed and two interceptions per season. That will not be easy production to replace, but Gladstone has pointed to the relatively inexperienced Ventrell Miller and Branson Combs as potential in-house successors (via Mia O’Brien of ESPN Radio). Miller, a 2023 third-rounder, missed his rookie year with a torn Achilles and then started 11 of 32 games over the past two seasons. Combs was a 2025 undrafted free agent who came off the bench in all 10 appearances last year. The vast majority of his snaps (177 of 205) came on special teams.
While Lloyd walked out the door, the Jaguars were able to retain outside linebacker Dennis Gardeck on a new contract. Details were not immediately available, but it is a two-year, $6.5MM pact with $3.15MM in guarantees and three void years, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2.
Eagles Sign RB Dameon Pierce
The Eagles signed running back Dameon Pierce, per a team announcement, adding depth to a backfield that lost AJ Dillon in free agency earlier this week.
Pierce, 26, appeared in four games for the Texans and one for the Chiefs in 2025 with just 28 total snaps on offense. Originally a fourth-round pick in 2022, the Florida product emerged as Houston’s lead back and ranked eighth in the NFL with 72.2 rushing yards per game.
Pierce’s rookie season ended in Week 13 due to an ankle injury, and he lost his starting job after a rough start to his sophomore campaign. He finished the year with just 2.9 yards per carry and was seen as an afterthought in 2024 after the Texans’ acquisition of Joe Mixon. But Pierce bounced back in a rotational role in the backfield. Even taking out his season-long rush of 92 yards, he averaged 5.2 yards per carry, but injuries again limited him to 11 games.
It was clear in 2025 that the Texans were finished with Pierce. Even with Mixon sidelined, he had virtually no role in the offense. He was active for four games with all 23 of his offensive snaps and 10 of his carries in Weeks 1 and 5. He later had kick return duties in Weeks 8 and 10 before being waived.
The Chiefs added Pierce to their practice squad and played him in Week 18. He will now look to carve out a role in Philadelphia behind Saquon Barkley. Tank Bigsby ran well when called upon in 2025, so he is likely the favorite for the No. 2 role, but 2024 fourth-rounder Will Shipley has yet to distinguish himself in the NFL. All three also have experience returning kicks, which will likely factor into the competition for roster spots and playing time.
The Eagles are also signing tight end Stone Smartt, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The former college quarterback appeared in 15 games for the Jets last season after three years with the Chargers. Smartt flashed some pass-catching ability in Los Angeles, but has primarily been a special teams contributor in his career and will likely continue in a similar role in Philadelphia.
Jason Licht: Bucs Made ‘Significantly Higher’ Mike Evans Offer Than 49ers
Mike Evans‘ decorated Buccaneers tenure came to an end last week when he agreed to join the 49ers. His departure was not the result of Tampa Bay losing a bidding war, though. 
During his first public comments since losing Evans, general manager Jason Licht spoke about the negotiating process in this case. He said (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times) the Buccaneers made a “significantly higher” offer than the one Evans ultimately took with San Francisco. He noted that was applicable to Tampa Bay’s “first offer,” meaning further negotiations were something Licht and Co. were willing to pursue.
Instead, Evans had his 49ers agreement in place shortly after the legal tampering window opened. The six-time Pro Bowler took a three-year, $42.5MM deal to head to the Bay Area. In practice, though, his contract is for one year and $14.3MM with team options to follow. It is certainly not difficult to imagine the Buccaneers managing to submit a more competitive bid, especially in the case of a short-term offer.
Evans noted finances were not the main factor in his decision to leave. The 33-year-old will be counted on to handle a key role in San Francisco, something which may not have been as much of an assurance with Tampa Bay. The Bucs re-signed Chris Godwin last offseason, a move which was followed by the draft additions of Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson. Those three, along with Jalen McMillan, will form the bulk of the team’s WR room for 2026.
“[Evans] means everything to me,” Licht said (via Stroud). “But he means everything to the entire organization. Obviously, he’s the best offensive player we’ve ever had and an even better person than he is a player. So, it’s always tough… It became pretty clear that him and his family were just ready, like he said publicly, for another chapter.”
As the Bucs move on without Evans for the first time since his arrival in 2014, they will attempt to avoid the late-season struggles which kept them out of the playoffs. Tampa Bay went 2-7 after the bye in 2025, something Licht and Evans spoke about leading up to free agency. Both parties will look to enjoy a stronger showing down the stretch after going their separate ways.
Dolphins Sign LS Taybor Pepper
The Dolphins continue to add options as they sort out their special teams battery. The team announced on Thursday that long snapper Taybor Pepper has been signed. 
Pepper has seen time with three different NFL franchises, including Miami in 2019. His lone Dolphins campaign was followed by a five-year stretch with the 49ers. Pepper was cut last March, and he did not catch on with a team. He will now spend the summer aiming to return to NFL game action.
Pepper is joined on Miami’s roster by Tucker Addington at the long snapper position. Addington split his time between the Patriots and Dolphins in 2025, making three appearances for his current team. He has played 10 games in the NFL, a stark contrast to Pepper’s 100.
Pepper, 32 in May, has played on a pair of deals carrying a seven-figure AAV in his career. His 49ers contracts from 2021 and ’23 checked in at $1.04MM and $1.32MM, respectively, in that regard. A similar value would come as no surprise in this case. On the other hand, Pepper’s missed time from last year and the Dolphins’ tight cap situation could result in a slightly less lucrative agreement.
This signing comes shortly after Miami agreed to terms with punter Bradley Pinion. Once it becomes official, the team will have two players at each of the kicker, punter and long snapper positions. Needless to say, special teams competition will be a common theme throughout training camp.
Eagles, K Jake Elliott Agree To Revised Contract
Eagles kicker Jake Elliott accepted a revised contract, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, which reduces his 2026 pay by $1MM but ensures he will remain on the roster this season.
Elliott, 31, signed a four-year extension with the Eagles in 2024 worth $6MM per year with $9.7MM in guaranteed money. This year he was set to earn $6MM, but none of it was guaranteed.
The reworked contract includes a $1.3MM veteran-minimum salary and a $3.65MM signing bonus, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson – all guaranteed money. The Eagles also added three void years to the deal to fully prorate Elliott’s signing bonus (and option bonuses in 2027 and 2028).
As a result, Elliott’s cap hit was reduced by about $240k, and he can be safely removed from Philadelphia’s list of potential cut candidates.
Elliott’s pay cut comes after two down seasons for the veteran kicker. Originally a Bengals fifth-round pick in 2017, he signed with the Eagles early in his rookie year after not making the roster in Cincinnati. He quickly proved himself to be a reliable kicker and converted 86.2% of his field goal attempts in the first seven years of his career with just one season below 80%. Elliott also made 26 of his 37 attempts from over 50 yards, good for a 70% conversion rate from distance, and received a Pro Bowl nod in 2021 and a second-team All-Pro selection in 2023. He also won a Super Bowl in his rookie year and in 2024.
But in the last two years, Elliott has made just 76.2% of his field goals and just five of 15 from beyond 50 yards. The Eagles understandably did not want to pay him at the very top of the kicker market, but they felt that his history of consistency and reliability was still worth keeping in Philadelphia.
Commanders Extend S Jeremy Reaves
Jeremy Reaves was on course to spend 2026 as a pending free agent. That will no longer be the case, however. 
The veteran safety signed an extension on Thursday, per a team announcement. Terms of the deal were not announced. At a minimum, today’s news ensures Reaves will remain on the books through 2027. Every game in his eight-year career has been spent in Washington.
Reaves entered the league as an undrafted free agent of the Eagles, but he soon found himself in the nation’s capital. Over time, he has established himself as a useful contributor on defense and special teams. Reaves’ playing time has fluctuated over the years, with a notable safety snap share in place for 2020 and ’21. The following season, Reaves was used sparingly on defense but he earned first-team All-Pro acclaim and a Pro Bowl nod for his work on special teams.
The South Alabama product has played on a string of short-term deals over the course of his career. Reaves inked a two-year, $6MM contract in 2024; a one-year extension came about the following offseason. This latest accord will presumably carry a value similar to his recent ones without tying the Commanders to a lengthy commitment. Prior to today’s news, Reaves was set to collect $2.65MM in 2026, with a portion of that already guaranteed. A modest top-up in terms of locked-in compensation could be coming.
During Dan Quinn‘s first season leading the Commanders, Reaves was used almost exclusively on special teams. Things changed dramatically in 2025, though, as the 29-year-old logged 708 defensive snaps. That represented by far the most of his career in that regard. It will be interesting to see how Reaves is used moving forward.
Washington’s secondary has seen several changes early in free agency. The team has added Nick Cross at the safety spot, something which should put him in line for a first-team gig. If so, Reaves could return to third phase duties while offering the Commanders an experienced backup option.
Dolphins, P Bradley Pinion Agree To Deal
Punter Jake Bailey was among the players who lined up a deal during the opening day of the negotiating period, agreeing to terms with the Falcons. The Dolphins have found another candidate to replace him. 
Miami has a deal in place with Bradley Pinion, Mike Garafolo, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report. This will be a one-year contract, keeping in line with several of the team’s additions so far. With the Dolphins in the early stages of a full-scale rebuild, this is the latest short-term accord which will no doubt be an inexpensive one as well.
Bailey spent each of the past three seasons with the Dolphins. He is now headed to Atlanta, where Pinion was from 2022-25. The two veterans were nearly identical in terms of gross yards per punt average in 2024, but Bailey had an edge last season; that was also the case for net average. Pinion has a long track record of handling kickoff duties, and he could continue in that regard in the event he wins the full-time job with Miami.
The Dolphins also have former undrafted free agent Seth Vernon in the fold. He and Pinion are now in position for a training camp competition to determine the punting gig. The kicker position is in a similar situation. Having released Jason Sanders, Miami has Riley Patterson and Zane Gonzalez in place. If Gonzalez unseats Patterson, the Dolphins will have multiple new faces with respect to their special teams battery in 2026.
Finances remain a major factor in each of Miami’s roster moves given the team’s massive dead money charges stemming from the likes of Tua Tagovailoa‘s release and the decision to trade away Jaylen Waddle. Pinion’s second and final Falcons contract was a three-year pact averaging $2.88MM per season. This Dolphins accord will likely check in at a lower rate.
Patriots To Sign CB Kindle Vildor
Kindle Vildor has lined up his next NFL gig. The veteran cornerback has agreed to terms with the Patriots, per his agents (h/t ESPN’s Adam Schefter). 
New England will be the fifth team Vildor plays for provided he makes the team’s roster. The 28-year-old began his career with the Bears, and it was during that span that he earned most of his 27 career starts. Since then, Vildor has seen time with the Titans, Lions and Buccaneers.
During his brief 2023 spell in Detroit, the former fifth-rounder saw a notable workload with the team managing a slew of injuries in the secondary. The Lions re-signed Vildor, who made 17 appearances the following year. He saw much more time on special teams than on defense that year, however. The same was true this past season during his time with Tampa Bay.
Vildor will now join a Patriots secondary which has undergone plenty of changes early in the new league year. Jaylinn Hawkins and Alex Austin have departed in free agency, while New England has brought in Kevin Byard and Mike Brown on one-year contracts. Vildor will look to provide depth to a CB group led by Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis and Marcus Jones.
A heavy special teams role will likely be in store provided New England’s top options at the cornerback spot remain healthy. If needed, though, Vildor will be able to fill in as a defensive presence. His last three contracts have ranged from $1.01MM to $1.34MM, and this Pats agreement will no doubt be similar in value. That will leave the team with plenty of cap space to make other offseason additions.