Chiefs Do Not Have Rashee Rice Extension On Horizon; Latest On WR’s Knee Surgery
Under normal circumstances, Rashee Rice would be a clear extension candidate in Kansas City. But the combination of his injury history and off-field trouble has moved talk of a second Chiefs contract off the radar for the talented wide receiver.
Rice is currently in a Dallas prison for violating his probation terms. A pretrial diversion agreement — reached to resolve eight felony charges stemming from a 2024 hit-and-run incident — had previously set up Rice to choose when he served a 30-day prison term over a five-year period, but a positive THC test scrapped that plan. Rice will not be released until June 16, and a recent knee surgery offers an interesting complication to an already-difficult offseason for the fourth-year pass catcher.
Rice underwent surgery last week, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter confirmed during a Pat McAfee Show appearance, indicating there is “no way” Kansas City’s top wideout would have gone through with the procedure had he known a prison stint was upcoming. Rice was facing a two-month rehab process under normal circumstances, but being in jail to start that period brings a highly unusual complication. Rice, 26, will now be likely to need more rehab time due to this jail stay.
The Chiefs certainly have a history under Andy Reid of showing extreme tolerance for off-field issues, but Rice’s situation does bring new territory. Kansas City’s most notable Reid-era receiver contract did involve a problematic player. Tyreek Hill arrived in Missouri with ugly off-field baggage and ran into more trouble in 2019. After more domestic violence allegations surfaced, the Chiefs barred Hill from their facility. Shortly after the NFL elected not to suspend the star receiver, his off-field trouble allowed for a team-friendly extension to commence. Hill signed a three-year, $54MM agreement before his 2019 contract year.
The Chiefs then traded Hill to the Dolphins in 2022, using the picks package — headlined by Trent McDuffie — to help secure back-to-back Super Bowl wins. The receiver position has been a long-running issue for K.C., post-Hill, however.
Patrick Mahomes won a second MVP award in 2022, but that season required an elite Travis Kelce showing to prop up a Hill-less passing attack. The Chiefs have seen their offense fall well short of their early-Mahomes-years heights in the years since, ranking 15th in scoring in 2023 and ’24 and 21st last season. The team missed on Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore bets following the Hill trade. Rice brought a ray of hope, though, making key contributions down the stretch during his 2023 rookie season.
The second-round pick also showed promise early in 2024 and after a 2025 six-game suspension, but he has proven highly unreliable. Multiple off-field incidents unrelated to the hit-and-run development have taken place as well. Though, Rice only faced charges for the hit-and-run accident.
Missing 13 games in 2024 due to an LCL tear, Rice played just eight games last season. He landed on IR with a concussion after the Chiefs were mathematically eliminated from the playoff race. Rice was then accused of domestic violence via civil suit by the mother of his two children, but the NFL ruled the SMU alum did not violate the personal conduct policy.
That allowed Rice to avoid another suspension, and the NFL does not suspend for positive marijuana tests any longer. But CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes Rice may not be in the clear due to this THC finding violating his probation. It is not certain the league will punish Rice further, but his NFL future is much foggier because of this week’s headlines.
The Chiefs are not planning a Rice extension anytime soon, per Schefter, who adds nothing is on the horizon here. This clouds the Chiefs’ receiver outlook, as Xavier Worthy looks to be the only pass-catching regular with a great chance of being on the 2027 roster. The team re-signed Tyquan Thornton to a two-year, $11MM pact, and while that deal’s $7.4MM guaranteed includes a $2MM 2027 figure, more WR uncertainty is present because of the Rice situation.
Rice does have a chance to reestablish value. Unless the ongoing prison term complicates his surgery rehab to a concerning degree, Rice’s timetable puts him on track to start the season on time. Sustained availability would probably put Rice in play to be a Chiefs re-signing consideration in 2027, with a franchise tag probably in the realm of possibility as well. That would buy the organization more time, but the 204-pound target has a rather significant “prove it” season ahead.
For now, the Chiefs figure to be connected to some of the veteran wideouts available. Hill is among them, though Reid downplayed the prospect of a reunion earlier this offseason. That said, the Chiefs did not draft a receiver until Round 5 (Cyrus Allen). But Rice’s long-term status is on the back burner; how this now-unusual rehab process goes will be part of his route back toward a possible upper-crust second contract — from either the Chiefs or another team.
Vikings Request Second Interviews With Five GM Candidates
The Vikings are making progress in their search for a general manager. The team has requested in-person, second-round interviews with interim GM Rob Brzezinski and four assistant GMs from other teams, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports. The list includes Reed Burckhardt (Broncos), Terrance Gray (Bills), John McKay (Rams) and Nolan Teasley (Seahawks).
The Vikings have been without a full-time GM since they fired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in late January, which occurred three weeks after the end of a disappointing 9-8 season. Brzezinski, who has been with the Vikings in various roles dating back to 1999, has since guided them through the heart of the offseason. As the Vikings’ executive vice president of football operations since 2014, Brzezinski is a serious candidate for a full-time promotion. Perhaps Brzezinski’s familiarity with Vikings ownership and head coach Kevin O’Connell will tip the scale in his favor.
With help from search firm TurnKeyZRG, the Vikings began looking for Adofo-Mensah’s replacement after last month’s draft. In addition to the names mentioned above, they requested initial interviews with Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew, Dolphins AGM Kyle Smith, Titans AGM Dave Ziegler, 49ers AGM R.J. Gillen and Chargers AGM Chad Alexander. After Alexander withdrew from the race on his own last week, it appears the Vikings have now crossed off Agnew, Smith, Ziegler and Gillen as possibilities.
As for the contenders still competing with Brzezinski, a couple have notable Vikings connections. Before becoming the Broncos’ director of player personnel in 2022, Burckhardt worked in various scouting and personnel roles with the Vikings for 13 years. Gray, who has been with the Bills since 2017, was a college scout for the Vikings from 2006-16.
While McKay and Teasley do not carry past Vikings experience, both are important members of two of the NFL’s best front offices. McKay, now in his 10th year with the Rams, has worked with the Super Bowl-winning tandem of GM Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay. He is also familiar with O’Connell, who was the Rams’ offensive coordinator from 2020-21. Teasley has served under Seahawks GM John Schneider, a two-time Super Bowl champion, since 2013.
Texans Try Out 5 Wide Receivers
The Texans currently have 12 wideouts under contract, but they are still exploring additional options at the position. Houston hosted five receivers for workouts, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, including River Cracraft, D’Wayne Eskridge, and Samori Toure.
Cracraft, 31, has spent time with four teams in his eight-year career. After a year on the Broncos’ practice squad, the former Washington State Cougar made his first eight regular-season appearances in 2018 but only played 19 snaps the following season. He spent the next two years in San Francisco with more time on offense but just nine targets in as many games. Cracraft was relegated to special teams duties in 2021 and signed with Mike McDaniel‘s Dolphins the following offseason. He saw more offensive involvement in Miami with 29 appearances and 464 snaps over the next three years, but still remained a tertiary target with just 289 receiving yards. He spent last year on Washington’s practice squad with just 11 snaps in his two elevations.
The Seahawks selected Eskridge with the No. 59 pick in the 2021 draft, but the 29-year-old only appeared in 24 games across his first three seasons due to injuries and a suspension of the league’s personal conduct policy. His contributions when healthy amounted to just 302 total yards on 32 touches. Eskridge spent the last two years in Miami but remained on the periphery of the offense with a lead kick return role in 2025.
Toure, 28, was a Packers seventh-round pick in 2022 who appeared in 22 games over his first two seasons with 251 snaps on offense. He only caught 13 of his 28 targets for 160 yards with just three snaps on special teams. He spent the 2024 season on the Bears practice squad and appeared in one game for the Saints last year.
Houston also hosted undrafted rookie Demarcus Lacey and Titans 2024 sixth-round pick Jha’Quan Jackson for workouts. Lacey racked up 769 yards through the air and 157 on the ground at Marshall in 2025 with an average of 12.2 yards on 17 punt returns. Jackson was Tennessee’s primary punt returner for 12 games as a rookie, but he lost the job after committing five fumbles. He was waived during final roster cuts in 2025 and spent a week on the Saints’ practice squad in November.
Four of the five wideouts have experience as a returner, indicating the Texans may also be looking for special teams help as they progress through OTAs. However, their roster is still well-stocked at the receiver position, so the team could be getting an idea of their options should they need more depth by training camp.
Chargers DL Coach Mike Elston Turned Down DC Interview
The Chargers interviewed several internal candidates to replace former defensive coordinator (and now Ravens head coach) Jesse Minter, but defensive line coach Mike Elston‘s name was not on the list.
That was not for a lack of interest on the team’s part. Elston revealed this week (via The Athletic’s Daniel Popper) that head coach Jim Harbaugh approached him about a promotion to DC, but he declined to interview for the job.
Elston, 51, has been Harbaugh’s defensive line coach for the last four years. At Michigan, he coached future first-rounders Mazi Smith, Mason Graham, and Kenneth Grant. In Los Angeles, his line anchored the Chargers’ top-10 defense in each of the last two years despite the team’s relative lack of investment in the unit.
That success naturally piqued Harbaugh’s interest when searching for Minter’s replacement, but Elston no longer has “aspirations of running a defense” and remains committed to working with the Chargers’ defensive line.
An unambitious coach is an underrated advantage in the NFL. If Elston turned down an interview for the Chargers’ DC job, he is probably not interested in moving to another team. As long as he remains in Los Angeles, the Chargers should have a solid defensive line without worry of their veteran coach being poached by another club.
Jaguars Sign TE Nate Boerkircher, Complete Rookie Class Signings
The Jaguars announced today that they have concluded the process of signing their picks from the 2026 NFL Draft. They saved the best of their 10-man draft class for last, finishing with second-round Texas A&M tight end Nate Boerkircher.
Boerkircher took a longer road to the NFL, turning down a number of Division II offers to walk on at his home-state dream school. After failing to see the field as a true freshman and only playing in three games in Year 2, Boerkircher finally began to find a role as a redshirt sophomore. By the end of his redshirt senior season in Lincoln, he had started 17 of 39 game appearances but only recorded 19 receptions for 219 yards and one touchdown.
Buried on the Cornhuskers’ depth chart with one remaining year of eligibility, thanks to the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Boerkircher transferred to Texas A&M, teaming up with Theo Melin Öhrström to form an intriguing tight end duo in College Station. While most of the Aggies’ passing attack ran through three main options at receiver in KC Concepcion, Mario Craver, and Ashton Bethel-Roman, Boerkircher and Öhrström supplemented the offense as a pair of athletic targets.
Still, Boerkircher’s receiving totals didn’t blow away. He finished his sixth year of school with 19 catches for 198 yards and three touchdowns, but in that short sample, he demonstrated strong hands capable of reeling contested catches with as much consistency as can be determined in a 19-catch sample. With good size and effort, he showed plus abilities as a blocker, as well. He should have an opportunity to compete for the TE2 role in Jacksonville.
After a six-year preamble to the NFL, Boerkircher will be a 25-year-old rookie. He was projected to be a likely fourth-rounder, but coming off the board as TE3, two picks after Eli Stowers, Boerkircher kicked off what would end up being an unprecedented Day 2 run of eight tight ends taken in the second and third rounds.
With all 10 picks signed, here’s a final look at Jacksonville’s rookie draft class:
- Round 2, No. 56: Nate Boerkircher (TE, Texas A&M) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 81 (from Lions): Albert Regis (DT, Texas A&M) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 88: Emmanuel Pregnon (G, Oregon) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 100 (from Lions)*: Jalen Huskey (S, Maryland) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 119 (from Panthers): Wesley Williams (EDGE, Duke) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 164: Tanner Koziol (TE, Houston) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 191 (from Chiefs via Patriots): Josh Cameron (WR, Baylor) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 203 (from Eagles via Texans and Eagles): CJ Williams (WR, Stanford) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 233 (from Lions): Zach Durfee (EDGE, Washington) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 240: Parker Hughes (LB, Middle Tennessee State) (signed)
Bears To Sign RB Salvon Ahmed, S Anthony Johnson Jr.
The Bears are signing running back Salvon Ahmed and safety Anthony Johnson Jr., per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, adding depth to position groups that were quietly low on experience.
Ahmed, 27, signed with the Dolphins as an undrafted rookie in 2020 and amassed 646 yards on 152 touches across 18 games in his first two seasons. He only saw 51 touches for 221 yards in 2022 and 2023. Ahmed was waived by the Dolphins during the 2024 preseason and spent time with the Broncos and Colts during the regular season, though he did not appear in a game. He then signed a reserve/futures contract in Indianapolis for the 2025 season, but went down with a season-ending ankle injury during training camp.
The Bears’ running back room is headlined by six-year veteran D’Andre Swift and 2025 seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai, who took all but seven of Chicago’s backfield touches last year. Travis Homer, who is now in Pittsburgh, appeared in 10 games with all but six snaps coming on special teams, and Roschon Johnson and Brittain Brown combined for 10 games and 19 offensive snaps. Further down the depth chart, the Bears also have 2025 UDFA Deion Hankins and undrafted rookie Coleman Bennett.
Ahmed has more experience than all of Chicago’s current running backs other than Swift, giving him somewhat of an advantage over his competition for a roster spot. However, he will still need to show he is recovered from last year’s injury and can still contribute either on offense or special teams to make the team.
Johnson, 26, was a Packers seventh-round pick in 2023 who appeared in 12 games with a 40% snap share as a rookie. He was waived during final roster cuts in 2024 and made his way to the Giants. He played nine games in New York with 113 of his 135 snaps coming on special teams and spent the following year on injured reserve.
In Chicago, Johnson will join a revamped Bears safety room that is without last year’s starters, Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker. The team let both walk in free agency and signed former Seahawks fourth-round pick Coby Bryant to a three-year, $40MM deal. They also retained 2022 seventh-rounder Elijah Hicks, drafted Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman with the No. 25 overall pick in April’s draft, and signed Oregon State’s Skyler Thomas as an undrafted rookie. Also returning from last year’s practice squad are Gervarrius Owens and Dominique Hampton.
Similar to Ahmed, Johnson will immediately become one of the Bears’ most experienced players at his position, though all of his playing time came in 2024 or earlier. His health will also be crucial to his ability to earn a roster spot this summer.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/20/26
Wednesday’s mid- to late-round signings from the 2026 NFL Draft:
Denver Broncos
- RB Jonah Coleman (fourth round, Washington)
- OL Kage Casey (fourth round, Boise State)
Kansas City Chiefs
- S Jadon Canady (fourth round, Oregon)
After combining for 1,811 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns over the past two seasons, Coleman is seen as a potential steal for Denver. He reportedly fell to the fourth round due to concerns about the durability of his knee, but there’s a chance that the Washington product could challenge for snaps in a backfield that currently features J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey. By inking Coleman and Casey, the Broncos only remaining unsigned pick is third-round Texas A&M defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim.
Canady brings versatile experience to the secondary in Kansas City. Starting his collegiate career as an outside cornerback at Tulane, Canady worked more in the slot in order to find the field after transferring to Ole Miss. In his final year of eligibility, Canady found himself in a roaming safety role with the Ducks, spending most of his time in the slot with a good chunk at deep safety, as well.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/20/26
Today’s midweek minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: TE Heinrich Haarberg
- Waived (with injury settlement): RB Montrell Johnson
- Waived: OLB Jamil Muhammad
Las Vegas Raiders
- Waived (with injury settlement): DT Brodric Martin
New England Patriots
- Signed: DT Travis Shaw
- Released: LS Niko Lalos
The Panthers are adding some tight end help in the form Haarberg, a converted quarterback during his time at Nebraska. Starting as an in-state, three-star passing prospect, Haarberg first found the field as a redshirt sophomore, after the Cornhuskers began his transition to tight end. In his second game, though, the team’s starter went down with injury, and Haarberg started 8 games under center, going 5-3. He returned to his tight end role the next two seasons but saw more action rushing than receiving, serving as a bit of a Taysom Hill-type of weapon.
The Patriots add another undrafted rookie to their class in Shaw. The North Carolina-transfer played for the Longhorns in his final year of eligibility but didn’t see much improvement in playing time after three years as a rotational piece for the Tar Heels.
Titans Hire Dave Gardi As Executive VP Of Football Operations
Weeks after Chad Brinker‘s decision to step away from his high-ranking role in the Titans’ front office, the team has made a significant hire to join its Mike Borgonzi-fronted operation. Dave Gardi will join the team as its executive vice president of football operations.
The Titans announced the hire, indicating Gardi will report directly to Borgonzi. Gardi most recently was with the Commanders, serving as their senior VP of football initiatives.
Tennessee has seen many changes to its power structure commence since Amy Adams Strunk fired GM Jon Robinson in December 2022. The team hired Ran Carthon (against then-HC Mike Vrabel‘s wishes) as GM in 2023 but promoted Brinker — hired to be one of Carthon’s assistant GMs — to their top decision-making presence during Carthon’s stay. Carthon was then fired in January 2025, as Brinker officially saw his title change to president of football ops. Borgonzi worked under Brinker in 2025, but the Titans announced the GM would take control of the 53-man roster in January. Brinker stepped down after the draft.
Gardi is set to “oversee football administration, football strategy and analytics, research, football information systems, team operations and security,” according to the Titans. He joins assistant GM Dave Ziegler as a top Borgonzi lieutenant. Ziegler is in his second year working in that capacity.
Spending two years with the Commanders, Gardi enjoyed a much longer tenure in the NFL office. Gardi spent 21 years in the league office, serving as senior VP of football operations for his final 10 years under Roger Goodell. This hire reminds of the Giants’ offseason decision to add longtime league employee Dawn Aponte to a key front office role.
In-game management duties and officiating trends were part of Gardi’s Washington responsibilities, with salary cap and contract matters falling in his purview with the league office. The Titans have Borgonzi in a much more powerful spot compared to his first year with the team, and he led the search that brought Robert Saleh to Nashville. Gardi will step in as a key member of this hierarchy moving forward.
Lions Sign WR Cedrick Wilson Jr.
The Lions addressed their wide receiver position with a Day 3 draft choice while reuniting new OC Drew Petzing with ex-Cardinal Greg Dortch. The team is making another move for potential depth, however.
Cedrick Wilson Jr. signed with the Lions on Wednesday, per a team announcement. Wilson spent last season with the Dolphins, returning to Miami after playing the 2024 campaign in New Orleans.
Wilson, 30, did not live up to a three-year, $22.1MM Dolphins accord signed back in 2022 and was released in 2024. The second-generation NFL wideout totaled 602 receiving yards and six touchdowns with the 2021 Cowboys but has not eclipsed 300 yards in any other season. Working as a tertiary Miami option alongside Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in 2023, Wilson did tally 296 yards and three TDs. But the Dolphins moved on rather than keep him on that contract in 2024.
The Saints gave Wilson a two-year, $5.75MM to play in Klint Kubiak‘s system in 2024. With the Saints losing Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed to injury that season, Wilson provided modest assistance in 15 games (20 catches, 211 yards) and landed on New Orleans’ practice squad to open 2025. The Dolphins signed Wilson off the Saints’ P-squad last September following Hill’s season-ending knee injury; Wilson saw minimal action in 10 contests, catching just five passes for 44 yards.
Detroit returns Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams to go with second-year cog Isaac TeSlaa at receiver. A former Cardinals slot receiver, Dortch signed a one-year, $1.4MM deal that included a $1.1MM guarantee. Detroit then drafted Kentucky’s Kendrick Law in Round 5 last month. This situation will certainly not guarantee Wilson a roster spot, and it would surprise if his guarantee matched Dortch’s at this offseason juncture.
Wilson has never cleared the 35% snap barrier on special teams, though he does have 36 career punt returns on his resume. The Lions lost longtime returner Kalif Raymond in free agency; Raymond is now with the Bears. The Lions also have longtime backup/P-squad presence Tom Kennedy among their cadre of second-string candidates at receiver. Wilson will join the fray as a potential option for the 53-man roster or practice squad.