Cowboys Interested In Trey Hendrickson, Jaelan Phillips, Odafe Oweh, Boye Mafe
The Cowboys were among the teams which made a major push to acquire Maxx Crosby. With him no longer on the market, however, Dallas’ attention will now shift to free agency. 
A number of options will be available on the open market. A big-ticket addition would go a long way in helping aid the Cowboys’ pass rush, and depth signings may prove necessary as well. Each of Jadeveon Clowney, Sam Williams, Dante Fowler and Payton Turner are currently on track to reach free agency.
With respect to potential Dallas targets, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Trey Hendrickson remains a pass rusher receiving considerable attention. The Bengals opted to avoid using the franchise tag on Hendrickson, setting him up for a Cincinnati departure. The Cowboys have been mentioned as a logical landing spot in his case, although the 2024 sack champion’s preference may be to sign with the Buccaneers and by doing so remain in Florida.
According to Fowler, the Cowboys also have Jaelan Phillips, Odafe Oweh and Boye Mafe on their radar. Phillips is the only pass rusher ranked ahead of Hendrickson on PFR’s Top 50 Free Agent list. He is a candidate to remain in place with the Eagles after being acquired from Miami at the trade deadline. Otherwise, a strong market will be in store for the former first-rounder. Phillips only played 12 games between the 2023 and ’24 seasons, but a full slate this past campaign will help ease durability concerns in his case.
Oweh was also dealt in the middle of the 2025 season. He thrived upon arrival with the Chargers, racking up 7.5 sacks in 12 games. Los Angeles is interested in keeping the 27-year-old on a new deal, although fellow edge rusher Khalil Mack was re-signed yesterday. That certainly suggests Oweh will at least explore his options once the negotiating window opens tomorrow.
Mafe saw his Seahawks workload reduced during their Super Bowl campaign. That points to a departure, although coming off a season with just two sacks his market will likely not be as strong as some of the other pass rushers in position to land a new contract. Mafe would be a strong scheme fit for Dallas, with the team changing to a 3-4 base under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
The Cowboys recently took the expected route of restructuring several contracts. That moved Dallas into cap compliance but there is still work to be done to generate the funds needed for an active free agent period. If a major splash is to be made on the open market, one of the top edge rushers will likely be the target.
Commanders Preparing Aggressive Tyler Linderbaum Run; Giants, Raiders, Titans In Mix
The Tyler Linderbaum market is expected to produce a center-record contract — probably by a decent margin. Ranked No. 1 on PFR’s top 50 free agents list, the three-time Pro Bowler is less than 24 hours from reaching free agency. Teams will be preparing big offers to lock down their snapper posts.
Should the Ravens not come in with an 11th-hour deal to keep Linderbaum off the market, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports the Commanders are preparing an aggressive run. They will not be the only ones. The Giants, Raiders and Titans are teams to monitor here as well, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler.
As expected, Fowler points to this market easily exceeding $20MM per year. Creed Humphrey has held the top center contract (four years, $72MM) since August 2024, but with Baltimore being thus far unable to complete a deal with Linderbaum, the open market will help do the work to raise the bar and provide the NFL its first $20MM-AAV center accord.
The Ravens have offered market-topping money, but Linderbaum likely knows multiple big offers will come his way once the legal tampering period opens at 11am CT Monday. A $25MM-per-year target — which would top both the center and guard markets — has been floated as a goal for the acclaimed blocker here.
Washington just released two-year center starter Tyler Biadasz, who since duplicated his three-year, $30MM deal with the Chargers. Street free agency rarely brings such occurrences, pointing to reasonable Commanders confidence they can upgrade on Biadasz. The Bills took Connor McGovern off the market Saturday, raising the stakes a bit for Washington to bring in this market’s biggest fish.
The Giants were connected to Linderbaum not long after hiring John Harbaugh. Even though Todd Monken did not head to New York as Harbaugh preferred, the team has not seen former second-rounder John Michael Schmitz become an upper-crust center through three years. A roster-reshaping effort is coming from Big Blue’s new honcho. Holding barely $14MM in cap space, though, the Giants are well behind the other three known members in this market. New York will need to make more moves to free up funds to compete for Linderbaum.
Both the Raiders and Titans are flush with cap space and could flex their muscles soon. The Raiders’ Maxx Crosby trade moved them past $121MM in cap room, and they will be spenders soon. Las Vegas cut part-time 2025 center Alex Cappa and did not see RFA Jordan Meredith play especially well in that role either. The Titans just released two-year center Lloyd Cushenberry. While Cushenberry disappointed on a $12.5MM-per-year deal, Linderbaum brings far more consistency than the former Broncos draftee here. Fireworks will be expected soon, as a Linderbaum accord will be one of Monday’s headliners.
Seahawks WR Rashid Shaheed Expected To Hit Open Market
There has been no shortage of reports regarding A.J. Brown and Alec Pierce, two of the top wide receivers who could be changing teams in short order (Brown via trade, Pierce via free agency). But there are a number of other trade and FA options for WR-needy outfits, including Rashid Shaheed.
The Seahawks acquired Shaheed, 27, from the Saints at the 2025 trade deadline. Over 12 regular season and playoff contests for his new club, the speedster caught 18 balls for 206 scoreless yards, though he added a punt return touchdown and two scores on kickoff returns.
He was more of a factor on offense for the Saints, as he tallied 44 receptions for 499 yards and two TDs before the trade. His blend of offensive and special teams skills has positioned him well for a raise, and though he previously stated he would like to remain with the defending Super Bowl champions, the two sides are not close to an agreement, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Therefore, Shaheed is likely to test the open market. Seahawks GM John Schneider essentially confirmed as much when asked about the Schefter report.
“I saw the report yesterday and I was like, ‘He and his representatives, I think they’ve been testing free agency for over a week now.’ I’m not sure why that was news yesterday,” Schneider said (via Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic).
The legal tampering period opens on Monday, and Shaheed has already been connected to the Bills – who were also rumored as a possible landing spot prior to the trade deadline – and the Raiders. Buffalo recently added D.J. Moore via trade but are still in the Romeo Doubs market, so a Shaheed pursuit cannot be ruled out.
The Raiders, meanwhile, have the most cap space in the league (over $120MM) and plenty of flexibility to add weapons for soon-to-be Raider Fernando Mendoza (and perhaps a veteran bridge passer). Las Vegas does have a number of other needs, including OL help, but new head coach Klint Kubiak – who has worked with Shaheed in New Orleans and Seattle – is fond of the Weber State alum.
Cardinals Revise Contracts Of RB James Conner, CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
James Conner‘s immediate future is no longer in question. The veteran running back will remain in place for the Cardinals for 2026. 
Team and player have agreed to a revised contract, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports. Conner is on the books for one more year, and he was originally scheduled to carry a cap charge of $9.83MM while earning a base salary of $6.39MM. One or both figures will presumably be lowered as a result of today’s move.
[RELATED: Previewing Cardinals’ Offseason]
Conner, 31 in May, was limited to just three games in 2025 due to an ankle injury. That led to questions about a potential trade or release ahead of the final year of his contract, but instead the two-time Pro Bowler will play a sixth season in Arizona. Conner has been a key figure on offense throughout his Cardinals tenure, and while the team will likely explore running back investments this spring he will once again be counted on to handle a heavy workload if healthy.
Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting has also worked out a restructured contract, per Pelissero’s colleague Mike Garafolo. A knee injury suffered in the spring led to surgery and landed him on the reserve/NFI list. That ensured Murphy-Bunting would miss the entire 2025 campaign. He too will enter the coming season as a pending free agent.
Murphy-Bunting was due $7.5MM for next year prior to his revision; a pay cut could also be in store in this case, something which would lower his cap hit from its scheduled $9.25MM figure. A release would have yielded notable cap savings, but instead Arizona will bank on Murphy-Bunting returning to full health. In that event, the former Buccaneer and Titan will likely be counted on to handle a starting role.
The Cardinals entered Sunday with roughly $48MM in cap space, putting them in much better financial shape than many other teams at this time of year. Nevertheless, Arizona will likely generate even more flexibility with these restructures. Given their respective health and contract statuses, it will be interesting to see how both Conner and Murphy-Bunting fare in 2026.
Broncos To Re-Sign LB Justin Strnad
The Broncos are keeping linebacker Justin Strnad off the open market. On the eve of the legal tampering period, Denver and Strnad have come to terms on a three-year, $18MM extension, as Scoop City‘s James Palmer reports. Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network says the deal can max out at $19.5MM and includes $10MM guaranteed at signing.
Strnad, a 2020 draftee who missed his entire rookie season due to a wrist injury, saw some action as a rotational defender in 2021 and even earned five starts. Over the 2022-23 seasons, however, he played exclusively on special teams.
That limited usage appeared as if it would lead him out of Denver in the 2024 offseason, but Strnad elected to return to the Broncos in a decision that paid dividends for both parties. As an injury replacement for Alex Singleton in ‘24, Strnad appeared in over half of the club’s defensive snaps and recorded 73 tackles, including eight TFLs and three sacks.
After another one-year deal kept him in place for 2025, Strnad was called upon to fill in for a different injured player, Dre Greenlaw. Strnad again played well, recording 58 tackles, five TFLs, 4.5 sacks, and the first interception of his career. Pro Football Focus considered him the league’s 24th-best ‘backer out of 74 qualified players.
That performance convinced Strnad he is a starting-caliber linebacker in the NFL, and as such, he was said to be seeking a multiyear deal and a starting opportunity. He acknowledged that such an opportunity may need to come from a team other than the Broncos if Denver were to re-sign Singleton, who is also out of contract.
The Strnad deal would therefore seem to suggest the club has made the choice to keep Strnad, 29, over the 32-year-old Singleton. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, that is not the case, as the Broncos are still working to retain Singleton. Greenlaw, who was recently named as a potential cap casualty, is not explicitly mentioned in Fowler’s report, but the ESPN scribe suggests Denver wants to keep all of its LBs together.
Whether that is a realistic outcome remains to be seen, but it is at least understandable. The Broncos, who have been active in extending their core players over the past several years, boasted one of the league’s top defenses in 2025 and nearly advanced to the Super Bowl. Although John Franklin-Myers appears to be on his way out, Denver has managed to keep an underrated cog in its front seven.
Saints Rumors: Taylor, Jordan, Davis, Rattler, Carr, Kamara
Although Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor drew considerable interest in the run-up to last season’s trade deadline, New Orleans kept the 2022 second-rounder in the fold, which suggested he may be a candidate for a second contract with the club. However, it appears Taylor will be playing elsewhere next season.
ESPN’s Katherine Terrell recently reported that the Saints expect Taylor, who just finished his rookie deal, to test the open market. Several days later, the player himself published a post on X that reads, “New Orleans – thank you for letting me shine in ‘The Big Easy.’”
That certainly sounds like Taylor has played his last snap for the Saints, who will need to address the nickel corner position in free agency or the draft. Terrell expects the 27-year-old to have a strong market thanks to an impressive platform campaign in which he boasted 1.0 yards per coverage snap and -1.4 EPA allowed. Terrell wonders if that performance is sustainable in light of Taylor’s less impressive prior body of work, but it appears as if that will be another team’s concern.
New Orleans did meet with Taylor’s camp at the combine, along with reps for fellow pending free agents Demario Davis and Cameron Jordan. Like Taylor, Jordan will hit the open market for the first time in his career, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Now entering his age-37 season, Jordan is the Saints’ franchise leader in games played (243). The New Orleans stalwart and 2010s All-Decade Team member turned back the clock in 2025 by posting 10.5 sacks, reaching double-digits for the first time in that department since 2021. The defensive end is therefore sure to draw outside interest, and he is reportedly open to leaving Louisiana. With nearly $150MM in career earnings but no Super Bowl ring to his name, it would be fair to expect a club that profiles as a more obvious championship contender than the Saints to pique Jordan’s interest (although it does not sound as if the door to a 16th season with New Orleans is entirely closed).
Davis is also going into his age-37 season, and as Terrell notes, he has not offered any public remarks as to whether he would like to stay with the Saints or sign with another team. New Orleans wants to retain the two-time Pro Bowler, who just set a career-high with 143 tackles in 2025 (which marked the ninth straight season in which the durable linebacker recorded over 100 stops). The Jets are said to be interested in a reunion with their 2012 draftee.
Second-year quarterback Tyler Shough flashed enough in his rookie year to make the Saints believe he can be the long-awaited heir to Drew Brees, and that makes 2024 fifth-rounder Spencer Rattler a trade candidate. The Jets were also mentioned as a possible Rattler suitor, but Terrell says New Orleans has not yet received any calls on the 14-game starter. Ditto Derek Carr, who is amenable to coming out of retirement if the right opportunity presents itself.
Carr, who will turn 35 later this month, is still under Saints control, so a trade would need to be worked out if he is to continue his playing career. We recently heard there is a tepid market for his services, though, and Terrell confirms that – at least as of the end of this year’s scouting combine – the Saints had not heard from other teams or even from Carr’s own representation. Terrell says it would cost somewhere in the range of a third- to fifth-round pick to acquire Carr.
Now that they have their starting QB in place, Terrell says the Saints hope to focus on a rushing attack that was among the league’s least productive in 2025. New Orleans finished with the fifth-fewest rushing yards in the league last year, as RB1 Alvin Kamara generally underwhelmed over the first 11 games of the season and then missed the final six contests due to an MCL sprain. As we get closer to the draft, Terrell expects to see increased speculation connecting Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love to New Orleans and its No. 8 overall pick.
Known for their bloated salary cap figures that require offseason gymnastics to get into cap compliance, the Saints did not have nearly as much work to do this year. As Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reported, the Saints restructured the contracts of DE Chase Young, S Justin Reid, and TE Juwan Johnson. OverTheCap.com indicates the club presently has about $20MM of cap room, some of which could be earmarked for the offensive line. Terrell expects the Saints to prioritize their front five along with a running back addition, and head coach Kellen Moore specifically highlighted the left guard spot as an area of need. There are a number of free agent options (Isaac Seumalo and Zion Johnson, for instance) who could fit the bill.
The Saints also restructured Kamara’s deal, per Underhill, but it was not the standard salary-to-signing bonus restructure they employed for Young, Reid, and Johnson. Instead, as Underhill details, New Orleans used the collective bargaining agreement’s so-called “50% rule” to their advantage.
When the salary a player is due to earn a year from now is less than 50% of what he is due to earn in the present season, his team can convert his salary into a non-guaranteed signing bonus that can be prorated over future years for cap relief purposes. In other words, if Kamara is released, the Saints would still realize the benefits of the restructure, which would not be the case in a standard reworking whereby salary is converted into a guaranteed signing bonus. Because of that, Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network suggested the Kamara situation is one to monitor (implying, presumably, that a release is on the table, although such a move would obviously leave the club even more shorthanded at the running back position).
We finish this lengthy roundup of Saints news by passing along a team announcement that Will Clapp has been added to the coaching staff as an offensive assistant. New Orleans selected Clapp in the seventh round of the 2018 draft, and he suited up for 66 games (22 starts) over a seven-year playing career that also included stops with the Chargers and Bills. He announced his retirement last month, and it was speculated at the time that he could be joining the New Orleans staff.
Packers, OL Sean Rhyan Agree To Three-Year Deal
The Packers have agreed to a three-year extension with offensive lineman Sean Rhyan, as Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network were first to report. The deal is worth $33MM and can max out at $39MM. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Rhyan will get an $11MM signing bonus.
The Packers selected Rhyan in the third round of the 2022 draft, and after appearing in just one special teams snap in his rookie season, he saw action in 12 games in 2023. Almost all of that work came at right guard, and in 2024, Rhyan became the full-time starter at RG.
In the eyes of Pro Football Focus, Rhyan performed adequately in 2024. His overall PFF grade of 62.0 was roughly league-average, but he lost his grip on the starting job after the first few games of the 2025 slate. 2024 first-rounder Jordan Morgan displaced him, and as ESPN’s Rob Demovsky observes, Rhyan appeared unlikely to remain in Green Bay as of the midway point of last season.
But in Week 10, starting center Elgton Jenkins sustained a lower leg fracture, and Rhyan was thrust into the pivot for the remainder of the season. His overall PFF mark for his 2025 efforts (59.0) was below average, and his 38.5 pass-block grade was abysmal. However, GM Brian Gutekunst viewed the situation differently, saying at this year’s scouting combine that Rhyan played the center position at a “very high level” once he got his feet wet (via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic).
Gutekunst backed up his comments with this deal, which makes Rhyan one of the league’s highest-paid centers despite just nine career starts at the position. The move also means that Jenkins will be released or traded, as Demovsky and Schneidman note (ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler had previously mentioned Jenkins as a trade candidate).
Morgan, who played at left tackle in college, did not keep the right guard gig for very long, as Anthony Belton took over there in Week 13. Nonetheless, with Rasheed Walker likely to depart in free agency, Morgan is in line to move back to the blindside for his pivotal third year in the pros.
From left to right, the Packers’ starting OL at the moment appears to be comprised of Morgan, Aaron Banks, Rhyan, Belton, and Zach Tom.
Colts WR Alec Pierce, Packers WR Romeo Doubs Drawing Extensive Interest; Pierce Prefers To Stay In Indy
Since the Colts have placed the transition tag on QB Daniel Jones, the only way they can keep WR Alec Pierce from speaking to interested teams when the legal tampering period opens tomorrow is by agreeing to terms on a new contract. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler expects negotiations between Pierce and Indianapolis to go down to the wire, and there are a number of clubs waiting to pounce if a deal is not consummated.
Fowler names the Patriots, Commanders, Raiders, and Titans as teams that are in the mix for Pierce. New England’s interest was noted previously, and with the club set to make Stefon Diggs a one-and-done in Foxborough, it makes sense that it wants to bring in another weapon for third-year QB (and 2025 MVP runner-up) Drake Maye.
After advancing to the NFC Championship Game in Jayden Daniels’ rookie year in 2024, the Commanders limped to a 5-12 mark last season. That was due in large part to Daniels’ health woes, which limited him to just seven games, but Washington could stand to bolster its contingent of pass-catchers. Beyond WR1 Terry McLaurin, the club has Luke McCaffrey, Treylon Burks, and 2025 fourth-rounder Jaylin Lane under contract for 2026.
That trio combined for 558 receiving yards and four TDs last year, so a player with Pierce’s abilities would be a welcome addition. Fowler hears this free agency period could be an especially active one for the Commanders, who have roughly $90MM in cap space and who are looking to capitalize on Daniels’ rookie-contract window. In addition to wide receiver, Washington is interested in upgrading at running back, cornerback, edge rusher, and possibly tight end. Fowler names the team as a “sleeper” for Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans, whom the Buccaneers are actively trying to re-sign.
The Raiders will release veteran signal-caller Geno Smith and are poised to select QB Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the draft. Even though Las Vegas reportedly prefers to keep Mendoza on the bench for at least the early stages of his rookie campaign, adding weapons for him will be a key goal. According to Fowler, the Raiders are also interested in Rashid Shaheed, who has a big fan in new head coach Klint Kubiak (Kubiak, of course, has worked with Shaheed in both New Orleans and Seattle). Fowler cautions that the Raiders’ bigger need is the offensive line, but the club has plenty of spending power with over $120MM in cap room.
Like the other teams mentioned in connection with Pierce, the Titans are looking to add receiving help for a young quarterback. Tennessee is hoping Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 draft, will progress quickly under the tutelage of new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, and acquiring proven pass-catchers will be key in achieving that goal (particularly with Calvin Ridley on the chopping block). The team has been connected to the Giants’ Wan’Dale Robinson as well.
Pierce is a big-play threat who has led the NFL in yards-per-catch in each of the past two seasons. However, some evaluators believe the Packers’ Romeo Doubs is the most well-rounded receiver eligible for free agency this year, and in addition to Pierce’s market, the Patriots, Commanders, and Titans are closely monitoring Doubs’ situation.
The 49ers are looking at Doubs as well, per Fowler. The four-year Packer, who is also expected to draw interest from the Bills, has three 600-plus-yard seasons on his resume, including a career-high 724 (on 13.2 yards per catch) in 2025. San Francisco could lose Jauan Jennings to the open market and is set to move on from Brandon Aiyuk, making wide receiver an obvious area of need. Green Bay, though, has not ruled out a Doubs re-up; GM Brian Gutekunst said at this year’s scouting combine that he would love to see the Nevada product return (via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk).
Fowler confirms Pierce, who has a close relationship with Jones, would prefer to stay with the Colts. That said, the Cincinnati product is in line for a deal paying him at least $27MM per year, and if Indianapolis does not pony up that kind of cash, it may not be able to keep Pierce in the fold.
No Trade Interest In Cowboys WR George Pickens Yet; Pickens, Falcons TE Kyle Pitts Likely To Play On Franchise Tender?
Cowboys WR George Pickens and Falcons TE Kyle Pitts were two of the three players to receive the franchise tag this year, along with Jets RB Breece Hall (the Colts also applied the transition tag to QB Daniel Jones). According to Albert Breer of SI.com, there is a good chance that both Pickens and Pitts play out the 2026 season on their franchise tenders rather than on new, long-term deals.
Per Breer, the Cowboys and Falcons may want to see that the 2025 performances of Pickens and Pitts, respectively, are sustainable and were not merely a contract-year flash. In Pitts’ case, such an evaluation is purely an on-field one.
As a rookie in 2021, Pitts earned a Pro Bowl nod and topped 1,000 receiving yards. After that, the Florida alum was unable to meet expectations until his 2025 bounce-back campaign, during which he set new career-highs in receptions (88) and touchdowns (five) while amassing 928 yards despite uneven quarterback play.
In 2022, Pitts was limited to 10 games, primarily as a result of an MCL tear. He needed to have his knee drained regularly the following season, and despite playing a full 17-game slate in 2023 and 2024, he appeared in less than two-thirds of Atlanta’s offensive snaps in those years.
His snap share jumped to 88% in 2025, and the increase in playing time coincided with an increase in production. If Pitts can replicate that showing in 2026 under new head coach Kevin Stefanski, a lucrative multiyear deal could be in the offing. His 2025 franchise tender is worth $16.32MM.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, are hoping Pickens can not only be as effective between the lines as he was in 2025 (93/1,493/9), but also if he can stave off the maturity issues that ultimately forced the Steelers to trade him to Dallas in the first place. Although the Cowboys’ approach here will be informed by the fact that they already have fellow wideout CeeDee Lamb on a deal near the top of the receiver market, any reluctance to authorize a similar contract for Pickens could be driven by more than finances.
The contentious negotiations between owner Jerry Jones and Micah Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta, culminated in the blockbuster trade that sent Parsons to the Packers in August. Jones’ presence and the fact that Mulugheta also represents Pickens have led to speculation that Pickens could be traded this offseason despite the franchise tag, and Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports.com confirms a trade remains a possibility.
However, Pauline has not yet heard of any trade interest in Pickens as of yet. The 25-year-old receiver is due to earn $27.3MM on the franchise tender.
Eagles, Jordan Davis Agree On Extension
The Eagles will avoid letting defensive tackle Jordan Davis play out his fifth-year option and hit free agency next offseason. Per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Davis and the Eagles are finalizing a three-year, $78MM extension to keep the 26-year-old interior defender in Philadelphia. He becomes the highest-paid nose tackle in NFL history on a deal which is now official.
Davis’ $26MM AAV is tied with former teammate Milton Williams for the second-highest annual pay of any interior defensive lineman, per OverTheCap. The deal includes $65MM in guaranteed money, which would be the most fully guaranteed money at his position in league history.
Including his fifth-year option, Davis will be under contract through the 2029 season for a total of $91MM, or $22.75MM per year. That is still a sizable amount for a player with just eight career sacks and no Pro Bowl or All-Pro recognition, but Davis still has plenty of untapped potential.
The Eagles leapfrogged the Ravens during the 2022 draft to select Davis with the No. 13 pick after four strong seasons at Georgia and one of the most impressive performances in the history of the Combine. The hulking 6-foot-6, 336-pounder got off to a slow start in the pros, logging just 3.5 sacks and six tackles for loss in his first three seasons. An ankle sprain and a carefully-managed snap count in Davis’ rookie season raised some concerns about his durability and fitness, but he played in every game in 2023 and 2024 with more than 900 total snaps.
In 2025, Davis took his game to another level. His 72 tackles, 4.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, six passes defended, 686 defensive snaps, and 61% snap share were all career-highs. Those are not necessarily eye-popping numbers, but his size and strength consistently demanded double-teams in the trenches, creating better opportunities for his teammates.
Davis’ extension will raise questions about the Eagles’ plans with Jalen Carter, also a former Georgia first-round pick. He was the more productive player in 2023 and 2024, but he missed five games due to injury (and one due to an ejection) in 2025. Philadelphia will have to make a decision on his fifth-year option – worth $27.13MM (via OverTheCap) – by May 1. Carter will also be eligible for a long-term extension and will likely be shooting for the biggest defensive tackle contract of all-time. The market is currently capped by the $31.75MM per-year deal of Chris Jones, though Carter has yet to reach his level of production. Still, he should push close to $30MM per year, if not more, a pricey figure for a team that already has a lot of money committed to the future.
Still, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is known as a salary cap wizard and could certainly find a way to keep Carter even after Davis’ extension. If he cannot, he will at least have Davis anchoring the middle of his defense for at least the next four seasons.
Nikhil Mehta contributed to this post.