Lions Could Extend RB Jahmyr Gibbs Soon; Team Still Interested In New Deal For TE Sam LaPorta
One year ago (almost to the day), we noted the Lions were already looking ahead to an extension for running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who was entering his third professional season. After a standout 2025 campaign, the time for Gibbs’ second contract could be approaching.
Detroit recently extended linebacker Jack Campbell, who was selected six picks after Gibbs in the first round of the 2023 draft. Given that the NFL continues to group off-ball LBs and pass-rushing LBs together for valuation purposes, the Lions had no choice but to decline Campbell’s fifth-year option, which would have made 2026 a platform year if not for the new deal.
In terms of club control, there is not as much urgency for the Lions to extend Gibbs. Because they did exercise the RB’s fifth-year option, he is locked in through the 2027 slate, and Detroit theoretically could utilize some sort of tag after that. However, with Campbell’s future now addressed, ESPN’s Adam Schefter thinks Gibbs is next in line. In a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show (video link), Schefter expressed his belief that an agreement will be coming this summer.
Even though Falcons RB Bijan Robinson is expected to land a more lucrative contract than Gibbs, the Lions may want to beat Atlanta to the punch and finalize a Gibbs extension before Robinson adds another data point to the top of the RB market. Irrespective of Robinson’s status, Detroit’s three–time Pro Bowler is in line to score a deal paying him in excess of $15MM per year, which would place him no lower than third in the NFL’s running back hierarchy. At present, Saquon Barkley ($20.6MM/year), Christian McCaffrey ($19MM), and Derrick Henry ($15MM) lead the way in terms of average annual value.
And Gibbs has certainly earned a big payday. The dual-threat has found the end zone a whopping 49 times (39 rushing, 10 receiving) in as many games. A two-time 1,200-yard rusher, Gibbs has averaged a robust 5.3 YPC on 675 career attempts. The 24-year-old is also fresh off a 77-catch season, easily surpassing the respectable 52 he totaled in each of his first two years.
In addition to Gibbs and Campbell, the 2023 draft also produced tight end Sam LaPorta and defensive back Brian Branch. In January, GM Brad Holmes identified all four members of that high-impact quartet as priorities. Holmes has checked Campbell’s extension off his to-do list, and it sounds as if Gibbs’ deal could be done in fairly short order. Similarly, Schefter says Detroit still wants to work out a long-term pact with LaPorta.
Because LaPorta and Branch were not first-round picks, they were not eligible for a fifth-year option. As such, they will be out of contract at the end of the ‘26 season unless a new pact is worked out before then.
While it may not mean anything, Schefter does not reference Branch in his report. Holmes’ January remarks notwithstanding, we heard the versatile defender probably would not receive an extension this offseason, so he could be on track to hit free agency in 2027.
Titans’ Jackson Slater To Compete At RG
The Titans are returning three-fifths of their starting offensive line with left tackle Dan Moore Jr., left guard Peter Skoronski, and right tackle JC Latham returning to their 2025 posts.
Gone are center Lloyd Cushenberry and right guard Kevin Zeitler, leaving two major holes in front of second-year quarterback Cam Ward.
Austin Schlottmann is likely atop the depth chart at center. He signed a two-year, $7MM deal to come to Tennessee this offseason from New York, where he played under Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll for the past two years.
Right guard is less clear. The Titans signed former Bengals starter Cordell Volson in free agency, but all 48 of his career starts came at left guard. He also did not play in 2025 due to season-ending shoulder surgery.
The only returning Titan who took any right guard snaps last year is Jackson Slater, a 2025 fourth-round pick. The 22-year-old played more than 95% of his college snaps at Sacramento State at left guard, but he played on both sides in the preseason and right guard for his lone regular season appearance.
Head coach Robert Saleh said (via veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky) that Slater would be competing at right guard this year as well, indicating the second-year lineman has a path to the starting job opposite Skoronski.
Steelers’ Rico Dowdle, Jaylen Warren Both RB1 Options
In an uncommon series of events, the Steelers have two running backs on similar multiyear deals each coming off career-best seasons. With both Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle having similar contracts and similar recent production, there doesn’t appear to be a clear RB1 in Pittsburgh at the moment.
Looking solely at the money, Dowdle’s two-year, $12.25MM free agent contract just outweighs the incumbent starter’s two-year, $11.9MM extension. Looking solely at production, Dowdle’s 1,373 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns once again just outshine Warren’s totals of 1,291 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns. Both comparisons are close enough, though, that it’s hard to come to any hard conclusions either way. Plus, the two are quite different in their styles of play.
An undrafted player out of Oklahoma State, Warren spent his first three years in Pittsburgh as a change-of-pace and third-down back behind starter Najee Harris. He displayed promising abilities catching passes out of the backfield early and often, and his 784 yards and four touchdowns while sharing touches with Harris in Year 2 showed he can handle a higher volume of rushing touches as an RB2.
Also an undrafted player to start his career, Dowdle saw very little time on the Cowboys offense in his first three years in the league as he sat behind Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard. In 2023, Dowdle stepped into the Cowboys’ RB2 role behind Pollard with Elliott no longer in the picture. Dowdle showed enough in his first look at extended time that Dallas tabbed him as RB1 after Pollard moved on in free agency. After recording a 1,000-yard season in his first starting opportunity, Dowdle landed in Carolina in free agency and started as RB2 behind Hubbard before taking over and completing a second straight 1,000-yard campaign.
One thing working in Dowdle’s favor is his history with the Steelers’ new head coach, Mike McCarthy. The two worked together when McCarthy was the head coach in Dallas, so Dowdle will have some familiarity with the offensive play-caller’s system. Having spent his entire career in Pittsburgh, though, Warren has existing chemistry with the returning players of the offense, including veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
In an appearance yesterday on the Steelers Collective, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette argued that he was looking forward to the possibility of Warren returning to a third-down, receiving back role as a change of pace to Dowdle. Fans have mourned the loss of Kenneth Gainwell to Tampa Bay in free agency after he filled that role last year, but Fittipaldo believes the combination of Dowdle and Warren could improve on the production of Warren and Gainwell last year.
The Steelers have two capable producers populating the backfield in Pittsburgh, and the coaches will have to figure out the ideal mixture for success by the time the regular season comes around. Both players have shown they have starting ability, but the potential that their skills may work in tandem could mean one former starter may be forced to embrace a lesser role on the offense.
Jets Evaluating Cade Klubnik Before Signing Veteran Backup QB
The Jets are entering OTAs without a clear backup for starting quarterback Geno Smith. In the coming weeks, they plan to evaluate their current trio of young passers before adding another veteran.
Leading that group is rookie Cade Klubnik who they traded up to select in the fourth round of April’s draft. The 22-year-old started for three years at Clemson with 241.7 passing yards per game and 71 touchdowns to 21 interceptions. A notable step back from 2024 to 2025 limited his draft stock, but his NFL-ready tools and experience (39 starts in the ACC) give him clear backup potential.
Klubnik performed well at rookie minicamp, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini. but the pace and level of competition will increase drastically at OTAs. Proving himself could persuade the coaching staff they do not need another veteran quarterback, at least for now. The Jets are thought to be targeting a long-term franchise quarterback at the top of the 2027 draft, so giving Klubnik (or another young passer) some regular-season reps should Smith miss time might be more worthwhile than a stopgap veteran.
The Jets also have Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe in their quarterback room. Cook, 24, started four games as an undrafted rookie in 2025 amid New York’s quarterback injuries. He completed just 57.5% of his passes for just 4.8 yards per attempt, two touchdowns and seven interceptions. Cook’s with the organization is a plus, but his incumbency is less of an advantage with a new offensive system.
Zappe, a Patriots fourth-round pick in 2022, won both of his starts as a rookie but averaged just 127.2 yards per game and 6.0 yards per attempt in 2023. He started one game for the Browns in 2024 – a Week 18 drubbing by the Ravens – and spent last year on Cleveland’s practice squad.
The Jets could still elect to add a free agent quarterback. The team has been in contact with multiple veterans, including Russell Wilson, and others could come free as teams adjusting their rosters in the coming months.
Latest On Dolphins’ Position Battles
After moving on from Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle in the offseason, the Dolphins have essentially initiated a bit of a rebuild. A big part of that process is identifying which pieces are worth building around, so Miami will be keeping an eye on the outcome of a few key position battles this summer.
A year ago, the Dolphins exchanged third- and fourth-round picks for a fifth-rounder in order to move up 11 slots in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft to select Arizona offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea. As a rookie, Savaiinaea started every game of the season for the Dolphins at left guard, grading out as the worst of 79 players graded at the position last year, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Miami drafted Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor with its first of two first-round picks, but the college tackle will start his NFL career at Savaiinaea’s left guard spot. With starting right guard Cole Strange departing in free agency, the Dolphins have opted to move Savaiinaea over the right side of the line in the hope that he might play better on the side he played on in college. The team isn’t banking on that possibility, though.
According to Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald, if Savaiinaea continues to struggle through Year 2, the new front office/coaching regime will be perfectly willing to give an opportunity to their own roster additions in the sixth-round rookie out of Texas, DJ Campbell, or free agent addition Jamaree Salyer.
At running back, the Dolphins already worked this offseason to secure star rusher De’Von Achane to a four-year deal, but in order for him to be effective all four years, Miami needs him to have some help at the position. Last year, second-year back Jaylen Wright and rookie rusher Ollie Gordon both finished the season with 70 carries apiece. Wright didn’t get on the field until Week 7 due to injury but proved to be efficiently productive when he did play, averaging 4.1 yards per carry to the tune of 288 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Gordon was viewed as a fantasy sleeper early on in the season due to concerns about Achane’s durability, but the Oklahoma State product saw a difficult transition to the pro-level, averaging only 2.8 yards per carry to finish Year 1 with 199 yards and three touchdowns. Miami will hope that coming into the season healthy will help Wright make a bigger impact early in his third season of play or that Gordon will be able to recapture the big-play ability he displayed as the NCAA’s 2023 rushing yards leader as a sophomore with the Cowboys. They’ll rely, of course, on Achane first, but they’ll need change of pace to keep him effective.
Lastly, the Dolphins saw their top three cornerbacks depart in free agency this offseason, and the team will have to find new starters this summer. Miami spent their second first-round pick this year on San Diego State’s Chris Johnson, and the team expects the rookie corner to slot into one of the starting boundary positions. According to Kelly, the opposite boundary spot will see JuJu Brents, Storm Duck, and Ethan Bonner as the main contenders for a starting spot.
Brents and Duck have started a few games as part of the defensive rotation in recent years, and Bonner saw increased responsibility off the bench last year, as well. Kelly calls this “an open competition,” though, granting that any defensive back will have an opportunity to land starting honors. Recent free agent additions Darrell Baker Jr. and Marco Wilson are two names that stand an outside shot of earning a bigger role.
NFC Staff Updates: Falcons, Cardinals, Panthers, 49ers, Cowboys
With the draft in the rearview, new Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham has gotten to work reshaping the front office staff to his liking. To that effect, Atlanta has hired Keith Earle as a mid-Atlantic area scout, per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. Earle’s first taste of NFL work came as a camp intern in player personnel for the Eagles in 2021. After a similar internship in Chicago the next year, Earle was hired on as a scouting assistant in the first year of Ryan Poles‘ tenure as GM. He spent the past two seasons as the midlands area scout for the Bears but has now followed Cunningham to Atlanta for his new gig.
Thanks to Neil Stratton of SucceedInFootball.com, we also learn that the new title in Atlanta for Justin Hickman will be national scout. After the conclusion of a playing career that took him through the NFL and CFL, Hickman has gained some uniquely vast experience working as an XFL executive, an analyst at Pro Football Focus, a coach, and until recently, an area scout with the Patriots. Earle and Hickman could just be the start as the front office begins to reflect the new GM.
Here are a few other staff updates from around the NFL:
- In Arizona, the Cardinals have promoted one new staffer and said goodbye to another. According to Stratton, Alfonza Knight has been promoted to assistant director, college scouting. After initial NFL jobs as an equipment intern for the Titans and a staffer with the Senior Bowl, Knight first joined the Cardinals as a scouting assistant in 2014, getting promoted to NFS scout in 2017 and spending the last eight years as an area scout. Leaving the front office, per Stratton, is veteran scout Chris Culmer. Starting as a scouting intern for the Seahawks in 2000, Culmer worked his way up to scouting assistant and pro scout over nearly nine years in Seattle. He stayed within the division with his next job, joining the Cardinals as a west area scout. He was promoted to director college scouting for a couple years but has spent the last 12 seasons as a western regional scout.
- On the coaching side of things, the Panthers awarded a promotion this week to a member of their defensive staff, per Joe Person of The Athletic. Linebackers coach Pete Hansen has had the moniker of assistant defensive coordinator added to his title. After going from strength and conditioning coach to defensive assistant at Stanford in 2009, Hansen first dipped his toe in the NFL waters as a defensive assistant/quality control coach with the nearby 49ers. After rejoining the Cardinal as an inside linebackers coach for six years and working as defensive coordinator at UNLV for two, Hansen got his first NFL position coaching gig as a linebackers coach for the Broncos in 2022. The fast-rising assistant has earned his new title after three seasons in Carolina.
- Moving towards analytics, ESPN’s Seth Walder reported this week that the 49ers will no longer employ R&D analyst Meredith Manley after she opted to leave following the conclusion of her contract with the team. Manley worked in the role for the past four years following a three-year stint as a football analytics assistant in Arizona.
- Lastly, the Cowboys have hired a new pair of strategic football fellows, per Walder. Nick Fullerton is taking the fellowship after previously working as a research analyst at NFL Next Gen Stats. Vincent Etherton will be the other new fellow following his time as a data analytics student assistant with the Princeton football team.
5 Key Stories: 5/17/26 – 5/24/26
Organized Team Activities are underway around the NFL. Voluntary spring workouts are often a sign of the less impactful period of the league’s calendar, but plenty of noteworthy developments have taken place in recent days. In case you missed any of this week’s top stories, here is a quick recap:
- Stafford Lands Latest Rams Extension: Matthew Stafford was already on the books with guaranteed money for 2026, but the reigning MVP has lined up his newest commitment from the Rams. A one-year extension has been worked out in this case. As such, Stafford is due to collect between $55MM and $60MM in 2027. That total will be combined with the money already set to be paid out to result in up to $105MM being paid out across the next two seasons. Stafford, 38, will continue to face retirement questions over that span. Los Angeles’ succession plan at the quarterback spot will also be a talking point with No. 13 pick Ty Simpson in the fold. Nevertheless, the Rams remain committed to Stafford over the short term, and his immense career earnings figure is set to grow considerably.
- Giants Keeping Schoen Past 2026: With the Giants undergoing a number of organizational changes this offseason, general manager Joe Schoen‘s job security increasingly became a question mark. Instead of having Schoen finish out the final year of his pact, though, New York has authorized an extension. Schoen – who has been in place since 2022 – has overseen just one winning season so far as an NFL GM. The arrival of new head coach John Harbaugh is widely thought to have limited Schoen’s power in the front office, but the two have expressed a willingness to work alongside one another. That will be put to the test over the coming years with the Giants aiming to rebuild around Harbaugh and a number of new core players. Schoen’s status past 2026 will no doubt be tied in large part to the success seen during the upcoming campaign.
- Lions Extend Campbell: The Lions recently chose to decline linebacker Jack Campbell‘s fifth-year option. The decision did not close the door to a long-term pact, though, and one has indeed been finalized. Campbell signed a four-year, $81MM extension which will keep him under team control through 2030. Coming off an All-Pro season, Campbell has moved into second place in terms of average annual compensation at the LB position. The 25-year-old also managed to secure $51.5MM in guarantees, a figure which illustrates Detroit’s level of commitment in this case. Of course, the presence of this pact will lead to questions about whether or not the Lions will be able to also work out long-term extensions with other 2023 draftees Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch. In any case, Campbell will be counted on to anchor the second level of the team’s defense for the foreseeable future.
- Rodgers Plans To Retire After Second Steelers Season: The lengthy wait for Aaron Rodgers to officially re-join the Steelers came to an end in time for OTAs. To no surprise, his new Pittsburgh deal is one year in length. That will set Rodgers up to end his career after the 2026 campaign. During his first media availability since coming back, the future Hall of Famer confirmed he plans to make this season his last. Rodgers will turn 43 late in the 2026 slate, and retirement has been a talking point through the latter stages of his career. His first Steelers season produced a playoff appearance, and expectations for a similar showing will be in place this time around. Pittsburgh has Drew Allar and Will Howard in place as potential successors, but for one more year Rodgers will look to add to his career accolades.
- Chiefs’ Rice Facing Jail Time: Rashee Rice‘s probationary period was recently violated when he tested positive for THC. As a result, the Chiefs wideout has been ordered to serve 30 days in prison. That sentence was originally due to take place at a time of Rice’s choosing, but he is now set to serve it right away. As such, he will miss out on Kansas City’s OTA practices and the team’s mandatory minicamp in June. 2026 represents the final year of Rice’s rookie contract, and he is currently recovering from knee surgery. The Chiefs are not considering an extension at this time, so plenty will be on the line when Rice returns to action following his latest legal matter.
Jets S Andre Cisco On Roster Bubble?
Andre Cisco joined the Jets during his first trip to free agency. The veteran safety elected to remain in place with New York this past March, but he may not be assured of a second season with the team.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini names Cisco as one of the players “who could be in trouble” with respect to a roster spot ahead of the 2026 campaign. Following a four-year run in Jacksonville, Cisco took a deal worth $8.5MM to join the Jets. As expected, the Syracuse product handled a starting role in 2025. Cisco was limited to just eight games, however, due to a pectoral tear.
That limited the 26-year-old’s market value, and it came as no surprise when he accepted a less lucrative offer to re-sign with the Jets. Team and player agreed to another one-year pact, this time worth $2.5MM. Of that figure, $500K has already been paid out as a signing bonus. Cutting Cisco before or after June 1 would result in a dead cap charge of $1.25MM and $980K in savings.
The safety position has seen plenty of turnover in the case of the Jets this offseason. Minkah Fitzpatrick was acquired via trade, and the five-time Pro Bowler will be counted on to operate as a full-time starter. Free agency also brought about the arrival of Dane Belton. He too signed a low-cost deal for 2026, but a strong showing during training camp in his case could result in Cisco being knocked down the depth chart.
Defensive tackle Mazi Smith is another player Cimini writes may be in danger during roster cuts. The former Cowboys first-rounder was included in part of the trade which sent Quinnen Williams to Dallas at the 2025 deadline. Smith is a pending free agent, although the final year of his rookie contract (which will pay out $2.56MM) is already guaranteed in full. It will be interesting to see if Cisco and Smith help their respective stocks during training camp or if the Jets show a willingness to move on at the end of the summer.
Michael Penix Jr. Limited In OTAs; HC Kevin Stefanski Addresses Falcons’ Pending QB Competition
Michael Penix Jr. has resumed throwing in time to take part in the Falcons’ early OTA practices. Full participation is the next checkpoint in his case, but that may not be reached until the summer.
Penix has been cleared for individual drills along with seven-on-seven work for the spring. He has not yet participated in 11-on-11 practices so far, however. It remains to seen if the third-year quarterback will be fully available during minicamp next month as Atlanta continues to proceed with caution. If not, Penix will aim to avoid any setbacks in time for a complete workload during training camp.
“But that time is coming,” Stefanski said (via The Athletic’s Josh Kendall) when speaking about Penix being cleared for team drills. “His main focus is getting healthy, and he’s doing that. As a staff and definitely for Mike, we kind of have the blinders on and are really just looking at what’s in front of us.”
Penix’s 2025 campaign ended with the latest ACL tear of his career. The former No. 8 pick has been limited to 12 starts so far, and it is uncertain if he will open the coming season atop the depth chart. Shortly after his Dolphins release, Tua Tagovailoa signed a one-year Falcons deal. A true competition between the two southpaws is set to take place this summer. Stefanski confirmed an even distribution of reps will be forthcoming during training camp.
“I think it’s our job — I think [offensive coordinator] Tommy Rees does an outstanding job of making sure that we’re intentional about how we want this to operate,” Stefanski said during his recent press conference. “One guy will be up first one period and then switch with the next period and rotate every single day and really almost every drill because the truth is we’re trying to get the best version of all of our players, so we want to mix and match guys in different spots.”
Penix’s showing in a number of categories was incrementally better in 2025 than it was during his rookie season. Nevertheless, further improvements will be sought out with the 26-year-old aiming to establish himself as Atlanta’s long-term answer under center. Penix’s performances working with Stefanski and a new coaching staff will be worth watching closely as the summer unfolds. At a minimum, he appears to be on course for a clean bill of health in time for padded practices during training camp.
New Deal For TE Greg Dulcich Was Top Priority For Dolphins; Latest On Miami’s PK Competition
If comments made by Dolphins staffers are any indication, fantasy coaches are going to want to keep an eye on Miami’s Greg Dulcich as they seek to fill the challenging tight end slot. GM Jon-Eric Sullivan recently identified Dulcich as the returning player he is most excited to see take a step forward in 2026, and TEs coach Rob Middleton also praised Dulcich during OTAs last week.
“He’s a talented, talented guy,” Middleton said of Dulcich (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). “The sky is the limit for the kid.”
The Dolphins had a large class (30 players) of their own free agents this offseason. While the club’s cap situation was a challenge in talent retention, Jackson says Dulcich was the one incumbent FA the ‘Fins seemed to prioritize over all the others. They re-upped the 26-year-old on a one-year, $3.25MM pact, most of which is guaranteed.
A former third-round pick of the Broncos, Dulcich joined the Giants via waiver claim in 2024. New York cut him last August, and he subsequently joined Miami’s practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster in late October as the corresponding move when fellow tight end Darren Waller was placed on injured reserve.
In 10 games (three starts) in 2025, Dulcich posted 26 catches for 335 yards and a touchdown, and he continued to have a role in the offense even after Waller returned from IR. The Dolphins did draft two TEs this year, adding Will Kacmarek in the third round and Seydou Traore in the fifth. Given his usage in college, however, Kacmarek is likely to make more of an impact as a blocker than receiver in the early stages of his pro career, while Traore is a talented but raw prospect who began playing football later in life than most of his fellow draftees (as C. Isaiah Smalls II of the Miami Herald details, Traore is the first graduate of the United Kingdom’s iteration of the NFL Academy to be drafted).
As such, Dulcich should have a golden opportunity to establish himself as a starting-caliber TE in 2026. He will represent one of new quarterback Malik Willis’ top options in a passing game that features a number of Day 2 and Day 3 rookies – along with veteran rebound hopefuls Tutu Atwell and Jalen Tolbert – and that is now without the high-profile duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Another player who showed promise for a mostly-disappointing Dolphins team in 2025 was kicker Riley Patterson, who converted 27 of 29 field goals and 34 of 35 extra points. His performance convinced Miami to bring him back, albeit on a veteran salary benefit deal worth just $1.4MM. That modest pact was not a barrier to signing Zane Gonzalez, who will now compete with Patterson for the PK job.
As Jackson writes in the piece linked above, Patterson did not object to the Gonzalez acquisition.
“Riley doesn’t mind,” special teams coach Chris Tabor said. “Obviously he had a great year, and he’s a really good player, as is [Gonzalez]. But if you looked at both of their careers, they’ve competed against a lot of guys all the time, so I think that’s nothing new. Any competitor will say, ‘if I’m in a competition, I play better.'”
Tabor, another new addition to the Dolphins’ coaching staff, worked with Gonzalez in Cleveland. Although Tabor says Gonzalez’s stance and approach have changed since their days with the Browns, it is fair to wonder if that familiarity will give Gonzalez an edge in his battle with Patterson.