Cardinals To Sign OL Elijah Wilkinson
After emerging as a full-time starter with the Falcons in 2025, Elijah Wilkinson is heading to Arizona. The free agent offensive lineman is signing with the Cardinals, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston.
The former UDFA has held steady gigs throughout his career, but injuries were recently disrupting recent seasons. Wilkinson landed on injured reserve three times between 2020 and 2023, forcing him to miss 24 games over that span. That stretch included a brief stint with the Falcons, where he started nine games.
After getting into only two games in 2024, the lineman rebounded by starting a career-high 17 games in Atlanta this past season. Pro Football Focus graded him 54th among 84 qualifying OTs, with the site favoring his run blocking over his pass blocking.
This move will be a reunion for the 31-year-old, who started nine of his 10 appearances with the Cardinals in 2023. He mostly played guard during that first stint, but he could be an option for Arizona opposite Paris Johnson at offensive tackle. The team moved on from versatile lineman Evan Brown earlier today, so there will surely be some kind of role for Wilkinson in 2026 either way.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/12/26
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Re-signed: CB Starling Thomas
- Signed: DE Jonah Williams
Chicago Bears
- Re-signed: S Elijah Hicks, G Jordan McFadden
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: OL Matt Hennessy
Detroit Lions
- Re-signed: WR Tom Kennedy, LB Trevor Nowaske
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Dareke Young
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LB Grant Stuard
New York Jets
- Re-signed: OL Xavier Newman-Johnson
Seattle Seahawks
- Re-signed: FB Brady Russell
- Released: CB Tyler Hall
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: S Miles Killebrew
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: S Jerrick Reed
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/12/26
One exclusive rights free agent decision to pass along:
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Broncos: DL Jordan Jackson
Jackson is all but assured to return to Denver next season via his one-year, $1.075MM tender. The former Saints sixth-round pick has been with the Broncos since 2023. He had 17 tackles and one sack with Denver in 2024, but he was limited to only five games this past year.
Chiefs To Sign RB Emari Demercado
The Chiefs continue to revamp their running backs room. After agreeing to a deal with Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, the team is now adding Emari Demercado to the mix, per Jordan Schultz.
The former Cardinals running back is joining Kansas City via a one-year deal. The signing comes following a tumultuous final season in Arizona for Demercado.
The third-year RB entered the season as the RB3 behind James Conner and Trey Benson, but he mostly stuck in the role even after each of his teammates suffered season-ending injuries. He got a look alongside replacements Michael Carter and Bam Knight in Week 5 prior to a headline-grabbing gaffe.
Demercado was set to score on a 72-yard touchdown run but let go of the ball for a touchback right before he crossed the goal line. The Cardinals led 21-6 at the time and proceeded to lose the game. Now-fired coach Jonathan Gannon was seen yelling at his RB after the play, and the coach eventually incurred a $100K fine after appearing to shove Demercado.
The 27-year-old rebounded temporarily with a 79 rushing yards in Week 9 and 104 yards from scrimmage in Week 10. A high-ankle sprain later knocked him out for three weeks, and he tallied only 108 total yards in four games following his return.
The former UDFA has shown some occasional flashes throughout his career, and he’s showcased some ability as both a rusher and a pass-catcher. The Chiefs made Walker their biggest splash of this week, giving the RB close to $29MM in guaranteed money to replace Isiah Pacheco. With Kareem Hunt also unsigned, Demercado could easily slide into the RB2 role in Kansas City, although he may see some competition from 2025 seventh-round pick Brashard Smith.
Eagles To Sign CB Jonathan Jones
Following a one-year stop in Washington, Jonathan Jones is sticking in the NFC East. The veteran cornerback is signing a one-year deal with the Eagles, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Jones joined the Commanders last offseason following nearly a decade-long stint in New England. He started seven of his 12 appearances in Washington, compiling 41 tackles and five passes defended. Pro Football Focus ultimately graded him 100th among 112 qualifying cornerbacks. Jones spent an early chunk of the season on IR while nursing a hamstring injury.
Prior to his stop in Washington, Jones made 132 appearances in nine seasons with the Patriots. A 2016 undrafted free agent, Jones evolved from a special teamer into a key defender in New England. He earned the bulk of his 71 Patriots starts during his final three years with the organization, including a 2023 campaign where he ranked 21st among 127 qualifiers on Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings.
Jones also got into eight playoff games with the Patriots, earning a pair of Super Bowl rings along the way. When all was said and done, his tenure with the organization ended with him having compiled 477 stops, 11 interceptions, and 10 forced fumbles.
After primarily playing in the slot early in his career, Jones has transitioned to the outside over the past few seasons. He could serve in either role in Philly, although he’ll likely find himself on the bench to start games. Quinyon Mitchell and new addition Riq Woolen will be penciled in for the outside while Cooper DeJean soaks up most of the snaps out of the slot.
Raiders To Sign FB Connor Heyward
While Cameron Heyward inked an extension with the Steelers earlier this week, his brother is heading elsewhere. Fullback Connor Heyward is signing with the Raiders, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
[RELATED: Steelers Extend DT Cameron Heyward]
It’s a two-year deal for Heyward. The contract offers a max value of $5.5MM with $2MM fully guaranteed.
The 2022 sixth-round pick has spent his entire career in Pittsburgh, and he hasn’t missed a game through his four professional seasons. He actually showed some pass-catching prowess early in his career, including a 2023 campaign where he hauled in 23 catches. Since then, he’s been limited to nine total catches.
This past year, Heyward added some wildcat QB formations to his resume. He finished the year with 15 carries for 43 yards and two touchdowns. At the same time, he’s continued to be a solid blocker, with Pro Football Focus giving him some elite grades for his pass-blocking ability.
Per Rapoport, the Steelers were interested in bringing back the FB for another season. Ultimately, new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak wanted Heyward as part of his offense, where he’ll be tasked with protecting RB Ashton Jeanty and expected first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
Titans To Sign TE Kylen Granson
Following a disappointing one-year stint in Philly, Kylen Granson is heading to Tennessee. The tight end is signing a one-year deal with the Titans, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The 2021 fourth-round pick showed some flashes throughout his rookie contract in Indy. He only missed six games during his four years with the Colts, hauling in 86 catches. He had his best showing between 2022 and 2023, when he hauled in 61 total catches for 670 yards and one touchdown.
Granson saw his targets drop in 2024 before hitting free agency. He caught on with the Eagles but served as the team’s third tight end behind Dallas Goedert and Grant Calcaterra. He finished the campaign with a career-low seven catches for 40 yards. While his offensive numbers suffered, Pro Football Focus was still pretty fond of his pass-blocking ability in 2025.
Now, he’ll look to revive his career in Tennessee. The Titans will see some significant change to their TEs room in 2026, as starter Chigoziem Okonkwo left via free agency for the Commanders. The team has since added Daniel Bellinger to a grouping that includes holdover Gunnar Helm.
Cardinals Release OL Evan Brown
Evan Brown is hitting free agency. The Cardinals are releasing the veteran offensive lineman, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Brown was attached to a cap hit of $6.41MM in 2026, and the Cardinals will now be left with only $1.5MM in dead money. Brown was set to enter the final season of the two-year, $11.5MM deal he inked with Arizona last offseason.
The lineman bounced around the NFL as a reserve offensive lineman to begin his career, but he found a starting gig with the Lions in 2021. He started 24 games for Detroit between 2021 and 2022 before catching on with the Seahawks during the 2023 offseason. He proceeded to start 16 games at center in Seattle.
He joined the Cardinals ahead of the 2024 season and started a career-high 17 games during his first year in Arizona. That prompted the Cardinals to hand him a two-year contract last offseason, and Brown added another 11 starts to his resume in 2025. While Pro Football Focus generally ranked Brown as a middle-of-the-road lineman throughout his career as a starter, he bottomed out with a 60th-place showing among 79 qualifying guards in 2025.
Still, Brown’s ability to play both guard and center should make him a commodity in free agency. He may be hard pressed to garner a definitive starting gig, but he’ll surely be attractive as a key backup.
Bills To Sign DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson
After spending time with three different squads in 2025, C.J. Gardner-Johnson has found a new home. The veteran defensive back is signing with the Bills, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
It’s a one-year deal for Gardner-Johnson. The deal will be worth up to $6MM, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The veteran was dealt from the Eagles to the Texans last offseason for a late-round pick swap. He started the first three games of the season for his new squad, but he quickly fell out of favor in Houston following a disagreement over his defensive role. He was cut by the Texans before September was through, and he subsequently landed on the Ravens practice squad.
He only lasted a week in Baltimore before earning his walking papers, but he quickly caught on with the Bears, where he was reunited with his former Saints coach Dennis Allen. Gardner-Johnson started seven of his 10 appearances for Chicago, tallying 51 tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions. He suffered a concussion during the regular season finale that forced him to miss the Bears first playoff game, but he returned for the team’s eventual loss to the Rams.
Ceedy Duce has generally been a starter throughout his NFL career, but he’s struggled to stick with any single team. His longest stint came with the Saints to begin his career, but he was traded to the Eagles before his rookie contract was done. A torn pectoral muscle basically erased his lone season with the Lions in 2023, and he returned to Philly and won a Super Bowl in 2024.
Gardner-Johnson’s ability to play around the secondary will keep affording him NFL gigs. He’ll now be joining a Bills squad that may see some significant change to their cornerbacks and safeties corps in 2026. They’ve already dealt Taron Johnson to the Raiders, and Cam Lewis left for Chicago. Meanwhile, the likes of Tre’Davious White and Jordan Poyer are currently free agents. The Bills added Dee Alford to likely serve as their slot CB, but Gardner-Johnson should still have an opportunity to carve out his own role considering the uncertainty.
Chargers To Re-Sign LB Denzel Perryman
Denzel Perryman will be back in Los Angeles next season. The veteran linebacker is re-signing with the Chargers, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. It will be a one-year deal for the veteran.
Perryman spent the first six seasons of his career with the organization, and he rejoined the Chargers ahead of the 2024 campaign. This will be the third-straight offseason that Perryman’s inked a one-year deal with the franchise. He earned around $3MM on each of his last two deals, and we can assume he’ll be earning a similar sum in 2026.
The linebacker has started all 21 of his appearances with the Chargers over the past two seasons, appearing in about half of his team’s defensive snaps. A groin injury forced him to miss a chunk of games during his first year back with the organization, and a high ankle sprain sidelined him for much of the first two months of the 2025 campaign. He was also inactive for the final two games of last season after being hit with a suspension for his repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players.
That was the player’s second career suspension, as he was also served a two-game ban during his lone season in Houston in 2023. Before that Texans stint, he spent two seasons with the Raiders, including a 2021 campaign where he tallied a career-high 154 tackles. A 2015 second-round pick, Perryman spent the first six seasons of his career with the Chargers, where he compiled 349 stops and five sacks in 69 games.
Perryman will likely play a similar role in Los Angeles next season. The team is set to return their primary linebackers corps, which also includes Daiyan Henley and Troy Dye.