Former NFL QB Craig Morton Passes Away
Longtime NFL quarterback Craig Morton died at the age of 83 on Saturday. Morton divided his 18-year career among the Cowboys, Broncos and Giants.
Morton spent his college days at California, where he enjoyed a prolific run from 1962-64. He played his first two years under future Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Marv Levy. Bill Walsh, another future Hall of Fame head coach, was on Levy’s staff as a receivers coach during Morton’s first season. A three-year starter who broke numerous school records, the strong-armed Morton was inducted into both the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1992.
After Morton threw for over 4,500 yards and 36 touchdowns in 30 games at Cal, the Cowboys chose him fifth overall in the 1965 NFL Draft. The Raiders selected Morton in the 10th round of the AFL draft in the same year, but he chose to sign with Dallas. Morton spent his first four years backing up Don Meredith before finally becoming Dallas’ starter in 1969. He helped the Cowboys to Super Bowl V in his second year at the helm, but they fell to the Baltimore Colts on a late field goal. Kicker Jim O’Brien hit a 32-yarder to clinch a 16-13 win for the Colts with five seconds left.
While the Cowboys made their second straight Super Bowl trip to cap off the 1971 season, Morton no longer held the reins. Head coach Tom Landry named Roger Staubach the starter in Week 8, and the Cowboys went on to win their first Super Bowl in a 24-3 romp over the Dolphins. Staubach suffered a separated shoulder the next season, which led to Morton making 14 starts and leading the Cowboys to a 10-4 record. However, Landry pulled Morton for Staubach in a divisional round matchup against the 49ers. Staubach never relinquished the job after sparking a 15-point fourth-quarter comeback and a 30-28 victory.
With Morton still stuck behind Staubach a couple of years later, he asked out of Dallas in 1974. A frustrated Morton signed with the Houston Texans of the World Football League, but he never played a down for them. The Cowboys granted Morton’s wish when they traded him to the Giants six games into the ’74 campaign. They received a 1975 first-rounder (No. 2 overall) and a ’76 second-rounder in return. Dallas used the first of those picks on future Hall of Fame defensive lineman Randy White, who became one of the greatest players in franchise history.
While the Morton trade worked out for the Cowboys, the same was not true for the Giants. They struggled over two-plus years with Morton, who went just 8-25 and threw 29 touchdowns and 49 interception as their starter. The Giants ended the Morton era with a 1977 trade in which they dealt him to the Broncos for quarterback Steve Ramsey and a fifth-rounder.
Morton’s stock was down when he arrived in Denver, but the change of scenery yielded a career renaissance. Playing his age-34 season in 1978, Morton tossed 14 touchdowns against eight interceptions, finished fourth in the NFL in passer rating (82.0), guided the Broncos to a 12-2 record, and won a pair of awards: AFC Offensive Player of the Year and NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
The Broncos wound up meeting Morton’s first team, Dallas, in Super Bowl XII. While Morton became the first player to start at quarterback for two different teams in the Super Bowl, the Cowboys proved too strong in a 27-10 rout. White and fellow D-lineman Harvey Martin took home co-MVP honors after a stifling defensive performance.
Morton made 50 more starts as a Bronco through the strike-shortened 1982 season, his last, and earned two more playoff berths. Although the Broncos never returned to the Super Bowl with Morton at the controls, he still stands as one of the best quarterbacks in franchise history.
Wearing No. 7 before his successor, John Elway, Morton retired as the Broncos’ all-time leader in passing yards (11,895), touchdowns (74) and yards per attempt (7.5). Despite playing in a much tougher era for QBs, Morton still ranks second in team history in YPA and third in both passing yards and TDs 44 years since he last took the field. Peyton Manning became the franchise leader in YPA. He and Elway are the only passers above Morton in yards and TDs.
Inducted into Broncos’ Ring of Fame in 1988, Morton made 144 starts in the NFL. Along with posting a 81-62-1 record as a starter, Morton threw for 27,908 yards and 183 touchdowns.
Lions Sign First-Round T Blake Miller
The Lions announced that they have signed their first-round pick, former Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller. As the 17th overall selection, Miller inked a fully guaranteed deal worth about $21.87MM over four years.
Detroit entered the draft in dire need of help at tackle after it released 10-year veteran Taylor Decker, its starter on the left side since 2016. The Lions attempted to move up in a trade with the Rams, who held the 13th pick, but were rebuffed. It is unknown if the Lions would have taken Miller at 13, but regardless, they landed on him four choices later.
Whether the 6-foot-7, 317-pound Miller takes over for Decker will depend on how the Lions handle all-world right tackle Penei Sewell, who could shift to the left. Either way, the Lions are expecting Miller to emerge as a long-term starter.
If Miller is going to step into the lineup immediately, he will have to beat out Larry Borom, a former Bear and Dolphin who arrived in free agency. Borom has never been a full-time NFL starter during his five-year career, which bodes well for Miller. A two-time second-team All-ACC blocker, Miller started in all 54 games (52 at right tackle) with the Tigers from 2022-25. He broke the school record in offensive snaps (3,778) along the way.
With Miller under contract, the Lions have now signed all of their 2026 draft picks. Here is a refresher on their seven-player class:
- Round 1, No. 17: Blake Miller (T, Clemson)
- Round 2, No. 44 (from Cowboys): Derrick Moore (EDGE, Michigan)
- Round 4, No. 118: Jimmy Rolder (LB, Michigan)
- Round 5, No. 157: Keith Abney II (CB, Arizona State)
- Round 5, No. 168 (from Bills): Kendrick Law (WR, Kentucky)
- Round 6, No. 205 (from Jaguars): Skyler Gill-Howard (DT, Texas Tech)
- Round 7, No. 222 (from Browns): Tyre West (DT, Tennessee)
Vikings Could Make EDGE Addition
Jonathan Greenard was productive during his first Vikings season and remained a full-time starter in 2025. His Minnesota tenure came to an expected end during the draft, however, with a trade to the Eagles (and subsequent extension) being worked out.
Finances were a key factor in the decision by interim general manager Rob Brzezinski to execute the trade. Any big-money move taking place now would thus represent a surprise. Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner are still in the fold as edge rushers, but the Vikings could be among the teams which make an addition late in the offseason.
Alec Lewis of The Athletic notes Brzezinski has managed to fill a number of roster holes through free agency and the draft. The team’s pass rush depth chart, however, faces questions in the wake of the Greenard trade. As a result, Lewis notes at least one addition would be viable through trade or – much more likely – free agency leading up to training camp.
Van Ginkel has thrived during his time with defensive coordinator Brian Flores, racking up 18.5 sacks and 29 tackles for loss over the past two years. He missed five games in 2025 and is entering his age-31 season, though. Turner, meanwhile, saw his playing time limited as a rookie before taking on a larger workload last year. The former first-rounder made strides in 2025, posting eight sacks. A return to health from Van Ginkel and continued development on Turner’s part would of course be welcomed, but improved depth would represent a logical target for the front office.
Former undrafted free agents Bo Richter, Chaz Chambliss and Tyler Batty are still in the fold as things stand, although it would come as no surprise if Brzezinski (or his eventual replacement) sought out a more established option. The likes of Cameron Jordan, Joey Bosa, Jadeveon Clowney and Leonard Floyd are still on the market at this time. Any could be available on a short-term pact this deep into the offseason.
Minnesota currently has roughly $12MM in cap space. A portion of that figure will be needed to sign second-rounder Jake Golday to his rookie contract, but a low-cost free agent signing should still be feasible. With the division-rival Bears representing another potential EDGE suitor, it will be interesting to see how the Vikings operate on this front.
Saints Restructure LB Pete Werner’s Deal
The 2026 offseason required far less in the way of salary cap gymnastics than previous years for the Saints. The team has still tweaked a few contracts, though.
The latest example on that front is linebacker Pete Werner. His pact was recently restructured, as noted by ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. As a result of the move, Werner’s 2026 cap charge has been lowered from just under $8MM to $3.94MM.
Werner was one of many veteran Saints who drew trade interest in 2025. New Orleans elected to keep him in the fold, though, and two years remain on his contract. The five-year veteran is due to collect $6.25MM this season and $6.5MM in 2027, although none of the latter figure is guaranteed.
Werner’s future will thus depend in large part on how he fares in 2026. The former second-rounder has amassed 63 starts during his New Orleans tenure, and he will be expected to remain a key defensive figure for at least one more season. Werner has recorded at least 80 tackles in each of the past four year; he added career-high totals in sacks (two), pass deflections (five) and fumble recoveries (three) in 2025.
The Saints brought back Kaden Elliss this spring. The former Falcon inked a three-year, $33MM deal in free agency and he will be counted on to produce alongside Werner. Replacing Demario Davis will be no small feat in 2026, but managing to do so could help team build off its momentum from late last season and contend for a playoff berth.
With the financial wiggle room brought on by the Werner restructure, the Saints now have roughly $8MM in cap space. No major additions should be expected, but low-cost roster moves will be more viable moving forward.
Browns Add LaRoy Reynolds, Demetric Felton To Coaching Staff
The post-draft period of the offseason always features plenty of staffing changes around the NFL. In the case of the Browns, a pair of ex-players are now in the fold.
Former linebacker LaRoy Reynolds and ex-running back Demetric Felton have joined Cleveland’s staff, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reports. Felton will hold the title of offensive skill development analyst, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. No retirement announcement had previously been made in Felton’s case, but this news confirms his playing days are over.
A former undrafted free agent, Reynolds managed a nine-year playing career in the NFL. He totaled 123 combined regular and postseason appearances while playing for the Jaguars, Bears, Falcons, Eagles, Bengals and Jets. Prior to this Cleveland hire, the 35-year-old’s only coaching experience was a single season (2025) as the linebackers coach at Norfolk State.
Felton entered the league as a sixth-round pick of the Browns in 2021. He saw playing time for two seasons with Cleveland, taking on a part-time workload on offense and special teams along the way. Felton 27, bounced around to several teams across the past three years but was not used in the regular season over that span. Instead of attempting once more to carve out a roster spot this summer, he will try his hand at coaching.
A new-look staff is in place for the Browns with Kevin Stefanski having being dismissed and replaced by Tood Monken this winter. Former defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will not be back after he did not land the head coaching gig. Improved play on offense in particular will be sought out in 2026, Monken’s first year as an NFL head coach. It will be interesting to see how Felton fares during his initial foray into coaching, while Reynolds makes the move to a pro staff for the first time.
Chargers, TE David Njoku Agree To Deal
David Njoku recently visited the Chargers. That summit clearly went well, as a contract agreement is now in place between Los Angeles and the veteran tight end.
Team and player have finalized a one-year deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. He adds this pact has a maximum value of $8MM. After nine years in Cleveland, Njoku’s next career phase has been lined up.
The tight end position has seen plenty of turnover this spring in the case of the Chargers. Will Dissly and Tucker Fisk are still on the market deep into the offseason. Tyler Conklin, meanwhile, left via free agency. Los Angeles added Charlie Kolar in March, but the team did not select any tight ends during the draft. That left the door open to a deal for Njoku, and one is now in place.
Over the course of his Browns tenure, Njoku regularly found himself atop the tight end depth chart. The former first-rounder battled injuries and inconsistencies along the way, but he secured a big-money deal in 2022. Njoku’s best season came one year later (81-882-6 statline) and resulted in a Pro Bowl nod. His playing time dropped in 2024 and again in 2025, however, and the Browns have Harold Fannin Jr. in place as their starting tight end for the foreseeable future after a standout rookie campaign. It has been clear since February Njoku would not be coming back to Cleveland.
Jim Harbaugh remains in place as the Chargers’ head coach, but 2026 will mark the first year of his NFL coaching career in which Greg Roman is not his offensive coordinator. Mike McDaniel is in place as the Bolts’ new OC, his first gig since being dismissed as head coach of the Dolphins. It will be interesting to see how McDaniel uses Njoku and Kolar as Los Angeles looks to find improved efficiency in the passing game this season.
The Chargers entered Monday with over $45MM in cap space. That figure will be lowered once the Njoku deal is officially in place, but it will leave plenty of available funds for further late-offseason additions.
Steelers Prepared For Will Howard-Mason Rudolph QB Competition; Latest On Aaron Rodgers
This past weekend came and went without any deal being finalized between Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers. The future Hall of Famer was indeed in Pittsburgh, but contact was not made with the team.
SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora confirms as much, adding there has yet to be a firm commitment provided by the player to the team in this long-running (but familiar) saga. Rodgers remained unsigned until June 5 in 2025, and with spring practices approaching for this year it is still unclear if a second Steelers campaign will be in store. New head coach Mike McCarthy has begun installing his offense with Pittsburgh’s three current passers, a group which includes rookie Drew Allar but two quarterbacks he inherited.
The two of them – 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard along with veteran Mason Rudolph – loom as QB1 options as things stand. La Canfora reports the Steelers have not been in contact with non-Rodgers free agents or with outside teams regarding a trade for a passer. The team has kept the door open to a Rodgers reunion, but clarity was expected well before this point of the spring. In event no deal is worked out, a competition among the incumbent quarterbacks will take place.
On that note, La Canfora adds Howard continues to be a player whose development the team remains “very excited about.” McCarthy praised the Ohio State product earlier this offseason, but it still came as little surprise when Pittsburgh made a second straight draft investment in the form of Allar. Howard will nevertheless have a “very real chance” to land the QB1 gig over Rudolph if Rodgers retires or the decision is made to move forward without him.
The Steelers recently placed the rarely-used UFA tender on Rodgers to provide insurance against the unlikely possibility of him signing elsewhere. The 42-year-old was originally on course to have Pittsburgh tenure last only one season, but over time all parties warmed to the idea of a 2026 agreement. The decision by Mike Tomlin to resign as head coach left Rodgers without a staffer he enjoyed working with, although McCarthy is a familiar face given their previous time in Green Bay. McCarthy has consistently said he would welcome a Rodgers reunion.
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor notes (video link) May 18 is still a date to watch closely in this situation. That marks the beginning of the Steelers’ OTAs. Pittsburgh’s preference would no doubt be to have Rodgers under contract before that point, and finances are not believed to be an issue as it pertains to the four-time MVP. It will be interesting to see if recent talks involving his agent have laid the groundwork for a contract.
If Rodgers does not wind up joining the team relatively soon, attention will turn to a potential Howard-Rudolph training camp competition. Howard, 24, did not seen any action during the regular season as a rookie, while Rudolph has 19 starts to his name. The 30-year-old returned to Pittsburgh last offseason, and he is on the books for one more year. With the Steelers aiming to contend for the playoffs once again in 2026, expectations would likely be tempered in the event their quarterback setup arrived at such a situation. That would of course be avoided with a Rodgers signing, but uncertainty still looms over his immediate future.
Steelers, Chris Boswell Agree To Extension
Last summer, it became clear Chris Boswell was among the members of the Steelers who were seeking a raise. No new deal was worked out with Pittsburgh’s longtime kicker in 2025, but an agreement is now in place.
Team and player have agreed to an extension, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. This is a four-year, $28MM deal, he adds. Boswell was set to enter the 2026 season as a pending free agent, but that will no longer be the case. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette adds the deal contains $14.7MM guaranteed.
Schefter notes Boswell is under contract through 2030, meaning today’s news consists of four new years being added to the final one of the two-time Pro Bowler’s existing pact. A raise is indeed forthcoming as a result of this extension as well. Boswell was previously attached to an average annual value of $5MM, but this new pact checks in at $7MM per year. That AAV mark matches the price point Brandon Aubrey recently reached with the Cowboys on his own 4/28 deal.
Boswell has handled kicking duties for the Steelers over the past 11 years, and that lengthy run will continue well into the future. The 35-year-old posted a field goal accuracy rate of just 65% in 2018 and 71.4% in 2022. Otherwise, Boswell has enjoyed consistent high-end production and given Pittsburgh stability at the position. The team is clearly comfortable with a long-term commitment in this case despite Boswell’s age.
In 2024, the former UDFA led the NFL with 41 made field goals. Boswell reached that mark on 44 attempts while going 35-for-35 on extra point kicks. That success resulted in a Pro Bowl nod along with first-team All-Pro honors. Boswell delivered another strong season this past year, including success on nine of 11 field goal tries from 50 yards and beyond. Sustained accuracy from long distance will be expected given the term and finances of this extension.
The top of the kicker market sat at $6.4MM at the onset of the 2026 offseason. Since then, Ka’imi Fairbairn has worked out a $6.5MM-per-year deal with the Texans, something which was followed by Aubrey’s Cowboys extension. There are now two kickers at the $7MM AAV mark, with seven others earning over $5MM annually.
Boswell has totaled 178 regular and postseason appearances during his Steelers tenure. That figure is set to increase substantially over the coming years while he plays out his third consecutive four-year pact. Pittsburgh will have a new punter for 2026 after Corliss Waitman departed in free agency. Cameron Johnston will be back in the fold for next season, while Christian Kuntz is in position to remain the team’s long snapper. That special teams familiarity will include a continued runway for Boswell in 2026 and beyond.
Jets Sign 12 UDFAs
The Jets will be counting on their rookies in 2026, especially their three first-round picks. The team added some more youth to their roster via the addition of 12 undrafted free agents:
- Mory Bamba, CB (BYU)
- Kendrick Blackshire, LB (UTSA)
- Chase Curtis, TE (TCU)
- Will Ferrin, K (BYU)
- Garrison Grimes, LS (BYU)
- Xavier Hill, OL (Colorado)
- Caullin Lacy, WR (Louisville)
- Malik McClain, WR (Arizona State)
- Sam Scott, RB (Wyoming)
- DT Sheffield, WR (Rutgers)
- Chip Trayanum, RB (Toledo)
- Nathan Voorhis, EDGE (Ball State)
Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, Caullin Lacy got a chunk of money to join New York, as the wideout earned a $15K signing bonus and had $247.5K of his base salary guaranteed. Lacy had a standout stint at South Alabama, including a 2023 campaign where he collected 1,316 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns. He took his talents to Louisville in 2024, and after playing a small offensive role during his first year at the school, he saw more work in 2025. He finished this past year with 75 touches for 688 yards and two touchdowns.
Lacy wasn’t the only undrafted WR to join the Jets. The team also signed Arizona State’s Malik McClain and Rutgers’ DT Sheffield. McClain had his best collegiate showing in 2025, finishing with 31 catches for 441 yards. Sheffield was a standout in 2024 when he finished with 908 yards and 12 touchdowns, but those numbers fell to 577 yards and five touchdowns in 2025.
Interestingly, the team added BYU’s kicker and long snapper. Will Ferrin is coming off a productive college career where he connected on 81.7 percent of his field goal tries and 99.2 percent of his XP tries. The UDFA will certainly be in the mix at kicker, where the Jets are also rostering Cade York. Ferrin will be joined on the offseason roster by BYU long snapper Garrison Grimes.
Dolphins Announce 11-Man UDFA Class
The Dolphins can tout the largest draft class, as the team selected 13 players. The organization wasn’t done adding rookies, however, as Miami announced the signing of 11 undrafted free agents:
- Jim Bonifas, C (Iowa State)
- Kevin Cline, OT (Boston College)
- Mark Gronowski, QB (Iowa)
- Anthony Hankerson, RB (Oregon State)
- Rene Konga, DL (Louisville)
- Donaven McCulley, WR (Michigan)
- Rodney McGraw, EDGE (Western Michigan)
- Louis Moore, S (Indiana)
- Le’Veon Moss, RB (Texas A&M)
- Mason Reiger, EDGE (Wisconsin)
- Kahlil Saunders, DL (Kentucky)
Mason Reiger was among the players to earn some notable guarantees from the Dolphins. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the rookie edge defender got a $25K signing bonus along with $150K of his base salary guaranteed. Reiger spent three seasons at Louisville to begin his college career. He sat out the 2024 campaign due to injury before transferring to Wisconsin for his senior season. He finished this past year with five sacks and six tackles for loss.
Mark Gronowski was one of the best QBs in the FCS during his time at South Dakota State, where he won a pair of National Championships and earned a pair of Offensive Player of the Year awards. He transferred to Iowa for the 2025 campaign and got the starting spot, and he held his own against better competition. Gronowski finished this past year having completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 1,741 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also compiled 545 yards and a conference-leading 16 touchdowns on the ground.