Cardinals Eyeing QB Jimmy Garoppolo
As we’ve discussed free agent quarterbacks and which teams could target which free agents, we’ve separated things a bit into tiers. Essentially, the thought has been that teams who can afford to go big for a free agent passer will be pursuing Packers quarterback Malik Willis, while those who aren’t looking to spend that much may be looking for a more affordable option like veterans Joe Flacco, Marcus Mariota, or Jimmy Garoppolo. 
Initially, we pegged Arizona as a team willing to spend and tied them to a likely run for Willis, while a team like the Dolphins, with limited cap space, would be pursuing a veteran like Garoppolo. According to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, though, a closer look at the setup in Arizona reveals some connections between the Cardinals and Garoppolo, and he reports that they have their eyes on the 34-year-old as a possible free agent addition.
General manager Monti Ossenfort was director of college scouting in New England when the Patriots drafted Garoppolo out of Eastern Illinois in the second round 12 years ago. Additionally, new head coach Mike LaFleur coached Garoppolo over the past two years in his previous role as the offensive coordinator of the Rams. These connections clearly show familiarity with the veteran passer, giving the Cardinals an easy option outside of the expected top-tier targets on the market.
That’s not to say the Cardinals won’t still pursue Willis. Arizona could pursue and successfully sign Willis and still choose to bring Garoppolo in as a dependable backup. Having watched the veteran back up reigning MVP quarterback Matthew Stafford over the past couple of years, no one has a better idea of his abilities as a QB2 than LaFleur. It could also alter Arizona’s pursuit of Willis, though. Knowing Garoppolo is a connected option, the Cardinals may stop themselves from overspending on Willis if they know they can still fall back to Garoppolo and rely on him.
As the new league year fast approaches, we’ll certainly start to see free agent communications pick up soon. It will be interesting to see if the Cardinals go after Garoppolo because of his connections with team leadership, and if they do, it will be interesting to see how it affects their pursuit of Willis.
5 Key Stories: 2/22/26 – 3/1/26
This past week has seen the annual NFL Combine take place in Indianapolis. The event is always an interesting one to follow based on the developments which take place as teams prepare for the new league year. In case you missed any the top stories from the past seven days, here is a quick recap:
- Cowboys Tag Pickens: Well in advance of the deadline for applying the franchise tag, the Cowboys took the expected route of tagging George Pickens. The fifth-year wideout had long been mentioned as a tag candidate, and the non-exclusive tender was applied. That leaves Pickens free to negotiate with other teams, but he is on course to play for Dallas in 2026. Whether or not a long-term pact – something both sides have expressed an openness for – can be worked out by July 15 will now become a storyline to watch closely. A new deal will very likely cost more on an annual basis than the value of the tag ($27.3MM), adding further to the cost of Dallas’ high-octane offense.
- Jets, Titans Agree To Trade: Once the new league year begins in mid-March, the Jets and Titans will finalize a one-for-one player swap. Edge rusher Jermaine Johnson will head to Tennessee, while New York will acquire defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat in return. Scheme changes brought on by the hires of both teams played a role in the deal being agreed to. Johnson is set to play out his fifth-year option, so his level of play upon reuniting with Robert Saleh in Tennessee will go a long way in determining his value for next offseason. Sweat’s rookie contract runs through 2027, and he will look to carve out a run-stopping role with the Jets as they contemplate further trades this spring.
- Pitts Receives Falcons Tag: The other franchise tag decision made so far concerns Kyle Pitts. The Falcons placed the tag on him and by doing so ensured he will play at least a sixth season in Atlanta. The former No. 4 pick will collect $15.05MM next year in the absence of a long-term pact being agreed to. Pitts has seen his production vary quite a bit from one year to the next, but he is coming off a strong campaign. With a completely new group of decision-makers in place for Atlanta, it will be interesting to see if a strong push is made to keep Pitts, 25, in place beyond 2026 or if he again spends the year as a pending free agent.
- Browns Planning QB Competition: New head coach Todd Monken will oversee a quarterback competition during his first year leading the Browns. Cleveland still has Deshaun Watson under contract, and 2025 draftees Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel remain in the fold as well. Outside options (via free agency and/or the draft) will receive consideration as well, though, while Gabriel has been mentioned as a trade candidate. The Watson trade has proven to be a disaster for Cleveland, while Sanders’ NFL ceiling remains to be seen. Major improvement will be needed on offense in 2026, but that could include a signal-caller not currently on the roster.
- NFLPA Exec. Director Finalists Emerge: Since Lloyd Howell‘s resignation, the NFL Players Association has operated with David White as its interim executive director. White is one of three finalists for the full-time position. The list also contains J.C. Tretter – who previously worked as the union’s president and chief strategy officer before himself resigning under controversial circumstances – and American Conference commissioner Tim Pernetti. March will see the NFLPA’s annual meeting for its 32 player reps take place. At that point, further clarity will emerge regarding who has the best odds of leading the embattled organization and when a final vote will take place.
Bucs To Pursue Pass Rush Additions
The Buccaneers ranked mid-pack in the league with respect to pass rush production in 2025. Improving in that regard will be a logical goal this spring. 
Tampa Bay brought in Haason Reddick via free agency last year in a move which ended his bizarre Jets tenure. The two-time Pro Bowler made 13 appearances with the Bucs, but in that time he managed only 2.5 sacks. ESPN’s Dan Graziano writes Reddick is unlikely to be retained for 2026.
Finding a replacement starter along the edge will be key as a result. After Tampa Bay finished in a tie for 18th in sacks last season, there will be plenty of room for improvement during free agency and the draft. The open market in particular will offer numerous options, and Graziano notes the Buccaneers can be expected to actively pursue one or more additions this spring.
YaYa Diaby operated as a full-time starter in 2025, doing so for the second campaign in a row. The 26-year-old can be expected to remain a staple on defense through the final season of his rookie contract. David Walker‘s debut season was wiped out due to an ACL tear suffered in training camp, but upon returning to full health he could take on a depth role for 2026. Veteran Anthony Nelson and former second-round pick Chris Braswell are also in the fold.
The list of pending free agent edge rushers contains older options like Khalil Mack, Trey Hendrickson and Bradley Chubb. Others, such as Jaelan Phillips, Odafe Oweh and Kwity Paye are on course to test the market for the first time in their careers. With nearly $21MM in cap space as things stand, Tampa Bay should be able to afford at least a modest free agent EDGE investment. The Bucs also have seven picks in April’s draft, so adding a rookie will be feasible as well.
Mutual interest exists for another Mike Evans pact to be worked out. Tampa Bay’s receiver outlook will depend on how contract talks go on that front, but the pursuit of pass rush help will be something to monitor as well.
Ravens Have Submitted Market-Topping Offer To C Tyler Linderbaum
MARCH 1: As ESPN’s Dan Graziano notes, many observers believe Linderbaum will manage to surpass $20MM per year on his next contract. Whether or not the Ravens’ top offer is that valuable remains to be seen, and in any case it could be surpassed by outside bids soon provided Linderbaum reaches free agency.
FEBRUARY 24: Aside from lowering Lamar Jackson‘s cap charge for 2026, the Ravens’ No. 1 priority is retaining Tyler Linderbaum. The top pending free agent at the center position (and many others) is in line for a massive raise regardless of where it comes from. 
Baltimore made the expected move of declining Linderbaum’s fifth-year option last spring, setting up the need for a long-term pact to be worked out ahead of free agency. When speaking to reporters at the Combine on Tuesday, general manager Eric DeCosta made another unsurprising announcement by stating (via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic) the transition and franchise tags will not be in play in this case. Tags group all O-linemen together for valuation purposes, making them feasible for tackles but rare in the case of interior blockers.
That leaves a long-term commitment as the path forward with respect to Linderbaum, who is open to re-signing. DeCosta has been clear about a mutual desire existing for a new pact, and on Tuesday he made a notable but not unexpected revelation. The Ravens have submitted a “market-setting” offer to Linderbaum’s camp, DeCosta said (h/t Zrebiec). The top of the center market reached $18MM per year when Creed Humphrey signed his Chiefs extension in 2024.
The NFL’s salary cap saw another jump after that pact was signed, and a surge past $300MM is expected when the 2026 figure is finalized. That leaves Linderbaum as an obvious candidate to surpass Humphrey in terms of AAV. The Chiefs Pro Bowler secured over $50MM in new guarantees on his extension, with $35MM of that figure fully guaranteed at signing. It would stand to reason Baltimore’s latest offer surpasses each of those figures, but further details on the Linderbaum negotiations will be worth watching for in any event.
Daniel Faalele has operated as the Ravens’ starting right guard for each of the past two years, but he is a pending free agent. The team could also look to upgrade from left guard Andrew Vorhees as a starter, so losing Linderbaum on the open market would leave open the possibility of three replacements being sought out this spring. Baltimore will look to avoid such a scenario, but it remains to be seen if the ongoing efforts to work out a deal will be sufficient to reach an agreement.
Eagles Seeking First- And Second-Round Picks For A.J. Brown?
MARCH 1: While rival clubs believe a package headlined by a second-round pick represents Brown’s “true” trade value, ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler do not believe that will be enough to get a deal done. The duo confirms a first-round pick is a requirement, as Roseman is willing to move Brown but does not want to do so unless the offer is too good to pass up.
Fowler still sees the Patriots as a logical destination, despite a separate ESPN report suggesting New England may not be inclined to swing a trade featuring high-end draft compensation.
FEBRUARY 27: With wide receiver A.J. Brown regularly sharing his frustration over the Eagles’ offense last season, they reportedly listened to trade offers ahead of the Nov. 4 deadline. Brown is still an Eagle almost four months later, but questions regarding his future have not subsided. As the offseason gets underway across the NFL, Brown continues to look like a legitimate trade candidate.
A late-December report indicated the Eagles could look to move Brown this offseason. Around two weeks later, the Eagles’ season ended with an uninspired offensive showing in a 23-19 wild-card round loss to the 49ers. Brown and head coach Nick Sirianni got into a memorable sideline dust-up in the first half, though the coach downplayed it afterward.
[RELATED: Patriots Interested In Brown Trade]
It was also a rough evening on the field for the 28-year-old Brown. On the heels of his fourth straight 1,000-yard season, he caught just three of seven targets against the 49ers. Brown dropped two passes and accounted for a meager 25 yards.
When meeting with media on Tuesday, Sirianni did not “guarantee” Brown would return to Philadelphia for a fifth season. General manager Howie Roseman acknowledged that “you go into the league year listening to offers for everything and anything.”
Although Brown had his problems with the Eagles last season, Roseman is not inclined to ship out the three-time Pro Bowler/second-team All-Pro for cheap. One NFL executive told Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer he heard that Roseman is seeking a first- and second-round pick in return. Whether that is realistic remains to be seen, but the Eagles are expected to make a decision by March 9, sources told McLane. That would give Roseman clarity on Brown’s future heading into the new league year.
Although there is plenty of smoke around a potential Brown trade, Roseman will keep him if he doesn’t receive a tempting enough offer, according to McLane. If Brown is still an Eagle next season, he will count an affordable $23.39MM against their salary cap. On the other hand, trading Brown before June 1 would level the Eagles with a 43.45MM dead cap charge, a record for his position. They would also lose $20.12MM in spending room. Meanwhile, an acquiring team would have to take on what’s left of the three-year, $96MM extension Brown signed before the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning 2024 campaign.
Holding off until after June 1, as the Falcons did when they traded Julio Jones in 2021, would point to a more favorable financial situation for the Eagles next season. They would still have to spread his dead money over two years ($16.35MM in 2026 and $27.1MM in ’27), but they would free up $7MM in breathing room in 2026. Despite that, it does not appear the Eagles will wait that long to map out Brown’s future. By the sounds of it, Roseman will either get rid of Brown in the next 10 days or the wideout will stay put.
Vikings To Release RB Aaron Jones, DT Javon Hargrave Barring Trade
If the Vikings are unable to trade running back Aaron Jones or defensive tackle Javon Hargrave by the start of the 2026 league year on March 11, they will release those players, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Jones’ release would generate $7.75MM of cap space, and cutting Hargrave would free up an additional $10.9MM.
We heard last week that Minnesota is shopping Hargrave in the hopes of shedding his salary and earning some form of draft compensation. The 33-year-old signed a two-year, $30MM contract last March, and $4MM of his $14.2MM base salary for 2026 is guaranteed. While a release would generate notable cap savings, it would also create $10.5MM of dead money, so it is easy to see why the Vikes prefer a trade.
In his first (and apparently only) season in Minnesota, Hargrave started 15 games and registered 3.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. Since the rest of his 2026 salary does not lock in until September, the club does have some time to work out a deal, but it sounds as if it wants to act quickly here. After all, as of the time of this writing, the Vikes are roughly $45.5MM over the cap, per OverTheCap.com.
Jones, 31, just finished his second Vikings campaign. After enjoying perfect attendance in 2024, the longtime Packer played in just 12 games in 2025 due to a hamstring injury, and his performance dipped across the board. He ended the year with 132 carries for 548 yards and two touchdowns, adding 28 catches for 199 yards and a score. His 4.2 yards-per-carry rate was the lowest of his career.
Still, teams with an RB need will surely be interested in Jones’ services, particularly since he has a track record of significant contributions on the ground and through the air (though it is unclear whether a trade market will form). After parting ways with Jones, the only running back under Vikings control for 2026 will be Jordan Mason.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert views defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and center Ryan Kelly as other potential cap casualties.
Jets Prepared To Tag RB Breece Hall
MARCH 1: The Jets are continuing to negotiate with Hall’s camp, per Hughes. The team prefers a new contract to a tag.
FEBRUARY 24: Breece Hall does not have a new Jets deal in hand at this point. Nevertheless, a departure should not be expected in his case. 
When speaking to reporters at the Combine on Tuesday, general manager Darren Mougey reiterated his desire for a Hall agreement to be reached in time for free agency. Failing that, Mougey said (via Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano) a tag will be used to ensure no departure will take place.
The franchise tag for running backs is projected to cost $14.54MM in 2026, while the transition tag is set to carry a value of $11.73MM. The latter option has been mentioned as a strong possibility in Hall’s case, so Mougey’s comments come as little surprise. Coming off a career-high 1,065 rushing yards, Hall would have been one of the top RB options on the open market had the Jets opted to go in a different direction.
Instead, the 24-year-old will remain in the fold for at least one season. Hall was not the subject of extension talks when Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn arrived last year, and uncertainty has loomed over his future ever since. During his latest public comments on the matter, Hall indicated an ambivalence toward remaining in New York or landing a notable pact elsewhere.
“You know, I don’t know,” the former second-rounder said during an interview with the New York Post. “I’ve addressed this for the last six, seven months now. But now I’m just kind of like whatever happens, happens.”
Hall added a level confidence that he will ultimately “get everything that’s coming” to him from a compensation standpoint. That could take the form of a long-term deal, but there have been no indications an agreement is imminent on this front. The running back market includes nine deals averaging at least $10MM per year, but that figure outpaces what Javonte Williams landed on his new Cowboys contract.
Connor Hughes of SNY notes Hall would likely not be willing to accept a three-year, $24MM offer like the one Williams took. The Jets could nonetheless remain close to those terms during negotiations knowing the one-year tag is still a fallback option. With nearly $80MM in cap space, the team will easily be able to afford either tag figure if applying one becomes necessary.
Patriots Brass Discusses Key FAs; Team Not Inclined To Make Blockbuster Trade?
The Patriots have a small free agent class, but that class includes a number of players who held key roles in the team’s surprise run to Super Bowl LX, such as defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson and defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga. As Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald relays, New England HC Mike Vrabel said he would love to retain Chaisson and Tonga, as well as offensive tackle Vederian Lowe.
Chaisson, 26, will come with a notable price tag. The former first-round pick of the Jaguars never reached his ceiling in Jacksonville and, after a stopover with the Raiders in 2024, joined the Pats via a modest one-year pact last offseason. Chaisson posted a career-high 7.5 sacks for New England in the regular season and then added three more during the club’s postseason march. Two front office executives from other teams tell ESPN’s Mike Reiss they expect Chaisson to land a contract paying him between $8MM-$11MM annually.
Like Chaisson, Tonga signed a one-year accord with the Patriots last March. After appearing in 14 games (eight starts) and enjoying a career-best 40% snap share in 2025, Tonga is due for a raise, with Mark Daniels and Karen Guregian of MassLive.com reporting that the 29-year-old is expected to have multiple suitors if he hits the open market. Daniels and Guregian say Tonga and the Pats were close on an extension before the 2025 playoffs got underway but were unable to strike an agreement. Tonga enjoyed a strong postseason – which included the first sack of his career – and his price tag has gone up as a result. It seems New England’s most recent proposal will not be enough to keep the BYU product in Foxborough.
While Lowe’s run as the Pats’ full-time starter at left tackle in 2024 did not go well, he showed improvement filling in for an injured Will Campbell last season. It stands to reason Vrabel would want a known commodity to remain on the roster in a swing tackle capacity.
We previously heard safety Jaylinn Hawkins, another out-of-contract contributor, wants to return to the Patriots, and Kyed confirms the interest is mutual. EVP of player personnel Eliot Wolf, who announced last week that the team had commenced contract discussions with its pending FAs, also said he would welcome Hawkins back to the fold (though he did add that Hawkins has earned the right to see what the market could have in store for him).
Hawkins spent the past two seasons in New England, but the team’s Vrabel-led staff was willing to give him a larger role than the former regime. Hawkins ended up leaping both Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers on the depth chart en route to a strong season. The 28-year-old started all 15 of his appearances, finishing with 71 tackles, six passes defensed, and 1.5 sacks.
Since they just won the AFC and have starting quarterback and MVP runner-up Drake Maye on a rookie deal, it is fair to wonder whether the Patriots will take some big swings in the free agent and/or trade markets. However, Reiss says Wolf, Vrabel & Co. do not see themselves as being one player away from a return to the Super Bowl, meaning they are not necessarily inclined to pony up a massive trade package for an established star.
New England has been connected to Raiders DE Maxx Crosby and Eagles WR A.J. Brown, who both profile as trade candidates, in recent weeks. Vrabel and Wolf, though, have reiterated the team’s commitment to the draft and supplementing their existing core, thereby suggesting they may not have the appetite for a Crosby or Brown blockbuster.
QB-Needy Teams Have Options Through Draft, Free Agency
It’s really not a surprise at this point in time, but reports indicate that Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza getting drafted No. 1 overall by the Raiders is all but a sure thing. Mendoza cemented himself as the likely first overall pick even before the Hoosiers’ championship run through the College Football Playoff secured his Heisman win, and as soon as Las Vegas secured the top pick in the draft, Mendoza’s move to Nevada became a near certainty. 
Nothing is ever 100% sure, though, and there is always a possibility that the Raiders look at next year’s wide crop of quarterback prospects and an historic trade offer for the No. 1 overall pick and choose that route.
Overwhelmingly, though, pundits across the media spectrum believe that Vegas will retain their top overall pick and make things official with Mendoza. During an appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer dropped a number of quotes, saying, “I would be stunned if (Mendoza) didn’t go No. 1, right? I think it’s highly unlikely he goes anywhere but Vegas.”
Over at ESPN, a crew of reporters polled several NFL executives on the topic at the Senior Bowl, Shrine Bowl, and Super Bowl, and eight executives believed the Raiders would keep the pick, while no votes were tallied against that possibility. Separately, ESPN’s Rich Cimini asked Jets general manager Darren Mougey about the possibility of reaching out to Vegas to inquire about moving up, and he stated pretty plainly, “I don’t think that’s happening.” Courtney Cronin, another ESPN contributor, added to the crowd yesterday with a piece on Mendoza’s meeting with the Raiders and his excitement at the prospect of potentially being mentored by minority team owner Tom Brady.
Now, for teams with a need at quarterback not located in Sin City, the other obvious solutions are to go after one of the top free agent quarterbacks available — namely, Green Bay’s Malik Willis or Indianapolis’ Daniel Jones — or attempt to trade for San Francisco’s Mac Jones. After impressive 2025 contributions, both Joneses are expected to stay home, though, and only one team will get to claim Willis as a solution, but there is still a solvable equation for the teams that remain.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the teams that are still looking to acquire a passer after the above dust settles will be able to look toward either the litany of veteran quarterbacks with starting experience available for cheap or the numerous rookie passers who may be worth taking a flyer on or some combination of both.
Rapoport points to several veteran former starters who are thought to be release candidates and who may, in the same vein as Russell Wilson, be able to play for the veteran minimum, thanks to the added security of guaranteed money from the teams who may let them go. This situation would apply to players like Kirk Cousins, Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Fields, and Geno Smith.
Teams can sign one of these quarterbacks to audition for a Jones-like comeback opportunity then pair them with a young, rookie option that may be available later on in the 2026 NFL Draft. After Mendoza, Alabama’s Ty Simpson has drawn some first-round interest, but there is a perceived drop off in the arms that follow. The next names on the list — LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Miami’s Carson Beck, Penn State’s Drew Allar, etc. — could fall anywhere in the draft.
Some see 2026 much like the 2022 NFL Draft, in which Kenny Pickett was the only Day 1 quarterback, and the next passer was taken in the third round. Others believe 2026 could be more like 2018 or 2024, when two passers were widely viewed as first-round talents but several others drifted into the first round based on the number of teams looking for answers at the position.
With many already looking forward to the quarterback prospects of the 2027 NFL Draft, we may see multiple teams opt to employ the services of a veteran starter alone or combined with a promising rookie. These decisions will play out over the next few weeks as the veterans hit free agency after release and draft grades are determined for rookies, but there are several options available to teams looking for quarterback help for 2026.
Offseason Outlook: Chicago Bears
Last offseason, the Bears underwent a major overhaul on the sidelines and in various parts of the roster. Expectations increased considerably for Year 2 of the Caleb Williams era, and it is certainly fair to say they were met.
The 2025 Bears made a habit of winding up on the right side of games decided in the closing moments through a run to the divisional round of the playoffs. The connection between Williams and new head coach Ben Johnson developed over time, and a much-improved offensive line yielded needed upgrades. There is nevertheless work to be done this spring if Chicago is to become a consistent postseason contender.
Coaching/front office:
- Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle accepted Ravens' OC position
- Press Taylor promoted as OC replacement
- Assistant general manger Ian Cunningham hired as Falcons' GM
- Jeff King promoted as assistant GM replacement
- Running backs coach Eric Bieniemy hired as Chiefs' offensive coordinator
- Eric Studesville hired as RBs coach
- DBs coach Al Harris interviewed for Commanders, Packers, Titans' DC vacancies
Doyle was an important member of Johnson’s initial staff, taking on the OC gig as part of his ongoing career ascension. The former Saints and Broncos staffer did not call plays during his one-and-done stint in Chicago, though. That proved to be a critical factor as the 2026 hiring cycle played out.
