Spencer Burford Could Have Inside Track To Raiders Starting Guard Job
The Raider have most of their starting offensive line set with left tackle Kolton Miller, right guard Jackson Powers-Johnson, and right tackle Delmar Glaze all returning from last year’s squad.
Las Vegas also signed Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum in free agency, leaving left guard as the only uncertain spot. Among the top candidates for the job is offseason signing Spencer Burford, per Vincent Bongisnore of the California Post. The 25-year-old brings familiarity not only with Klint Kubiak‘s scheme, but with the new head coach himself. He also has more playing experience than any other guard on the Raiders’ roster.
Originally, a fourth-round pick by the 49ers in 2022, Burford started 16 games at right guard as a rookie. In 2023, while Kubiak was San Francisco’s passing game coordinator, he made another 13 starts at right guard with a handful of snaps at right tackle. Burford did not start any games the following year, but saw time at left guard and tackle.
In 2025, Burford landed on injured reserve after Week 2 and took over the starting left guard job upon his return in Week 9. He started every game for the rest of the year, though several of them featured a timeshare with Ben Bartch until he suffered a season-ending injury.
Burford’s main competition is likely veteran Jordan Meredith, who has primarily played left guard during his four seasons in Las Vegas but did not line up there at all last year. Also in the mix is Atonio Mafi, a Patriots 2023 fifth-round pick who started two games at left guard for the Raiders in 2025.
Glaze, it’s worth noting, gave up 10 sacks last year, per Pro Football Focus, the second-most of any tackle, so Las Vegas could consider a change at right tackle, too. Charles Grant and Caleb Rogers, third-round Raiders tackle draftees in 2024 and 2025, would likely have a better shot at displacing Glaze than Burford, but he does have some experience at the position in a system similar to Kubiak’s.
Ravens S Jaylinn Hawkins Considered Patriots, Three Others In Free Agency
After a relatively unheralded first five years of his career, safety Jaylinn Hawkins broke out in 2025 as a key part of the Patriots’ elite defense. He started 15 games and led the unit with four interceptions to go along with 71 total tackles and six passes defended, also top-five marks team-wide.
That performance helped Hawkins draw significant interest in free agency before ultimately signing a two-year, $10MM with the Ravens. In Baltimore, the 28-year-old will operate as the No. 3 safety in Jesse Minter‘s new defense behind All-Pro Kyle Hamilton and 2025 first-rounder Malaki Starks.
Hawkins did consider staying in New England, he revealed on The Lounge podcast (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss), hinting that the Patriots opted to sign All-Pro and reigning NFL interceptions leader Kevin Byard instead. He also indicated that the Cowboys, Texans, and Panthers all expressed interest before his decision to sign in Baltimore.
All three of those teams made changes to their safety room this offseason, but it is unclear if they could have offered a bigger role for Hawkins. The Ravens had a clear need for a third safety in 2025, resulting in the Odafe Oweh–Alohi Gilman swap with the Chargers, but Gilman and Ar’Darius Washington left in free agency. Gilman played 749 snaps in Baltimore, representing a 98% snap share across his 12 games as a Raven, so Hawkins is in line for a substantial role in his new defense.
The Cowboys re-signed Malik Hooker for his sixth year in Dallas this offseason, and signed longtime Cardinals starter Jalen Thompson to replace Donovan Wilson. They also added P.J. Locke and used a first-round pick on Ohio State All-American Caleb Downs, giving new defensive coordinator Christian Parker multiple options for this season. Dallas might have been a good destination for Hawkins to operate as a versatile No. 3 behind Hooker and Thompson, but Downs would have complicated his path to playing time.
The Texans are returning their 2025 starters, Jalen Pitre and Calen Bullock, as well as veteran No. 3 M.J. Stewart and 2025 sixth-rounder Jaylen Reed. Rather than signing Hawkins, they signed former Eagles Reed Blankenship to a three-year, $24.75MM deal and drafted USC’s Kamari Ramsey in the fifth round of April’s draft. DeMeco Ryans‘ defense does not frequently use three-safety packages, but Houston’s $8.25MM per year investment in Blankenship and Pitre’s slot flexibility could lead to some changes in 2026.
The Panthers entered the new league year with just three safeties on their roster: veteran starter Tre’von Moehrig, 2025 fourth-rounder Lathan Ransom, and 2024 UDFA Demani Richardson. Nick Scott was retained for the other starting job, but the unit could have used another veteran like Hawkins in a tertiary role. Carolina later added Penn State’s Zakee Wheatley with a fifth-round pick, but they may remain a team to watch for a safety acquisition in the coming months.
PFR Originals: Bengals, RBs, Mayfield, Steelers, Fifth-Year Options
Here is a quick rundown of PFR’s recent original content:
- Connor Byrne polled readers on the outlook for the Bengals in 2026. This offseason has been marked by a number of defensive additions, and improved play on that side of the ball is expected. On the other hand, Zac Taylor‘s team has missed the playoffs for three straight years and Joe Burrow‘s health is always a question mark. Cincinnati went 9-8 for two straight years before dropping to 6-11 last year. PFR’s readers are essentially in an even split on the question of whether or not the Bengals can reach double-digit wins in 2026.
- The running back position has long seen a stagnant financial market compared to several others. In an illustration of that reality, Sam Robinson listed the most lucrative non-rookie pacts in each franchise’s history at the RB spot. The group covered in that breakdown spans four different decades, indicating how many teams have avoided big-money free agent deals over an extended period. The financial landscape at other positions (such as quarterback, receiver, edge rusher and defensive tackle) have continued to surge with the NFL’s salary cap consistently rising. Running backs, by contrast, have faced a much different reality. That is likely to remain the case moving forward.
- Over the course of his three years with the Buccaneers, Baker Mayfield has established himself as a QB1 the team aims to keep in the fold for years to come. With an extension widely expected to be finalized in the near future, I asked readers whether or not they agree that Tampa Bay should make another big-money commitment to the two-time Pro Bowler. Most of Mayfield’s best performances have come with the Bucs, but he is 31 and the team has managed only one playoff victory with him leading the way. One season remains on Mayfield’s current deal, and a new one will require a raise. The Buccaneers are faced with the possibility of having the former No. 1 pick play out the 2026 campaign and explore successions options next spring or making a lucrative commitment (presumably) before training camp begins.
- Aaron Rodgers is back in place with the Steelers, and shortly after finalizing his new contract he stated the coming season will be his last. Pittsburgh is in an interesting position, and Connor polled readers about the team’s ceiling during Year 2 of its Rodgers partnership. A small minority believe improvement from 2025’s 10-7 showing will be in store. A larger group predicts another campaign featuring nine or 10 wins is likely, while 47% of voters see the Steeler regressing to eight wins or fewer. That would break the team’s streak of non-losing seasons which ran throughout former head coach Mike Tomlin‘s 19-year tenure.
- The beginning of May marked the deadline for teams around the league to decide on the fifth-year options of 2023 draftees, and Sam kept track of each call made. Of the 32 first-rounders from that year, 22 had their options exercised; they are on the books through at least 2027 as a result. The remaining players are now on course for free agency next spring, largely speaking. An exception has already emerged in the form of Jack Campbell and the Lions. Detroit declined Campbell’s option but has since signed him to a four-year extension.
Roger Goodell Claims ‘Tremendous Interest’ In Seattle Franchise
MAY 25: The expectation exists that the Seahawks’ new owner(s) will not immediately show interest in a stadium project, as detailed by Paul Roberts of the Seattle Times. The finances required for a stadium are of course a major consideration for prospective buyers and they will be a key factor in determining whether or not the franchise stays in Seattle. Six years remain on Lumen Field’s current lease agreement, and it could be extended for as many as 30 more. It will be interesting to see if the absence of any major investments on the stadium front being required will broaden the pool of suitors in this case.
MAY 23: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is pushing back against the recent narrative of a “soft” market for the league’s most recent franchise for sale. After recent reports claimed that there has been less interest in the purchase opportunity for the Seahawks, Goodell has refuted that notion, telling the media that “there has been ‘tremendous interest‘ among prospective buyers,” per NFL insider Mark Maske.
Days before Seattle was set to play in — and ultimately win — Super Bowl LX, rumors emerged that, about four years after the death of former Seahawks owner and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, his sister, Jody Allen, was finally ready to sell the franchise. With the ownership shares kept in the late-Allen’s trust, his sister was tasked as the executor of his estate. After initially refusing to grant any veracity to the rumors as they focused on the big game ahead, the Estate announced the commencement of a formal sale process 10 days after the team won its second championship.
Early speculation on the sale focused on projected valuations that some tried to push even into 11-digit figures. With the Broncos selling for $4.65 billion in 2022 and the Commanders selling for $6.05 billion in 2023, consistent appreciation on par with that increase — ignoring any additional factors — would put the franchise’s potential value around $10.25 billion, well in range of the $9-11 billion initially speculated. The Browns also recently sold a three-percent ownership share in their franchise, and according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the transaction was established on a $9 billion valuation, far higher than projected valuations, which put Cleveland closer to $6-7 billion.
In order to reach the record dollar values the NFL is hoping Seattle can reach, there will likely need to be “tremendous interest” to spark a competitive market. Per Jones, though, only one bidder, former Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck, has emerged as a potential buyer., though 49ers investor Vinod Khosia is reportedly on track to prepare a bid, as well. Early into the process, Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was also reported to be a name to look out for as a potential buyer. The longtime Microsoft CEO owns property in Seattle and a network of approximately $120 billion, but there were concerns that Ballmer was “really a hoops guy” that ultimately wouldn’t be interested in adding a football team to his portfolio.
At this point, it’s not expected that an individual buyer will emerge. More likely, it’s believed that the sale could function in a similar manner as did the sale in Washington. Commanders majority owner Josh Harris put together several limited partners to subsidize his bid. Jones adds that Harris’ purchase of the Commanders wasn’t even really for $6.05 billion, it was for up to $6.05 billion in a complex agreement that “included deferred payments vis ‘earnouts.'” The “earnouts” could end up holding about $200MM of value, which means that the ultimate sale value could end up truly being $5.85 billion, if the “earnouts” aren’t earned.
Goodell could be providing some new information, breaking an update on the changed nature of the sale, or he could just be trying to create the illusion of a crowded market where there is none. Regardless, as the NFL continues its efforts for record valuations and sales, the deal in Washington shows how creative bids can get in an effort to push the apparent value of a bid as high as the league may want it to go.
Texans TE Cade Stover Fully Recovered From Hernia Surgery
Cade Stover was largely healthy during his rookie campaign but he was limited to nine games during the regular season last year. He has returned to full health in time for spring practices with the Texans, though.
Stover suffered a knee injury during Houston’s divisional round loss. As Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports, the injury did not require surgery. A procedure did wind up being necessary for a hernia, however. Wilson adds Stover managed to recover from that surgery in time to participate in full during the Texans’ conditioning program.
[RELATED: E.J. Speed Suffers Quadriceps Tear]
As a rookie, Stover logged a 40% snap share on offense. That figure grew slightly in 2025 despite the fact he broke his foot in Week 1. A notable workload may not be in store with respect to the passing game, seeing as the 25-year-old has only been targeted 38 times to date in his career. Nevertheless, Stover will be expected to be a regular run-blocking figure on offense provided he can remain healthy for the start of the 2026 season.
The Texans’ tight end position also includes returnee Dalton Schultz, free agent signing Foster Moreau and second-round rookie Marlin Klein. Brevin Jordan is in the fold as well, something which could create a logjam at the TE spot. Wilson adds Stover has been taking reps at fullback this spring. A part-time role in that capacity could of course increase his playing time for Year 3 in the NFL.
Jordan missed all of last season due to a torn patellar tendon but agreed to an extension in December. Per Wilson, the five-year veteran is “making a sound recovery” from that injury, his latest notable one. A clean bill of health in Jordan’s case would be key as the Texans weigh their tight end options leading up to roster cuts at the end of the summer. That process will include Stover aiming to carve out a role while looking to join Jordan as a full training camp participant.
Bills TE Dalton Kincaid Addresses Decision To Avoid Offseason Knee Surgery
Injuries have hampered Dalton Kincaid over each of the past two seasons. He opted not to undergo surgery to repair an injured PCL during the 2025 offseason, a decision which was repeated this past winter.
“After the season ended, I talked to a lot of doctors who know a lot more than I do regarding the PCL and everything that has to do with health, and they advised against it,” Kincaid said when reflecting on his choice (via The Athletic’s Tim Graham). “So I believe them, and that kind of went into setting a good foundation for strength around the knee to support it.”
Kincaid entered the league with high expectations, and he enjoyed a productive rookie season with the Bills (73-673-2 statline). Issues with his knee have led to missed time and a reduced workload since then, however. In 2025, he only logged a snap share of 38% and was targeted a career-low 49 times. That did not prevent the Bills from exercising Kincaid’s fifth-year option. He is due $8.16MM in 2027 as a result.
Upgrading at the receiver position was seen as a priority entering the 2026 offseason. Buffalo swung a trade for D.J. Moore before selecting Skylar Bell in the fourth round of last month’s draft. Curtis Samuel was cut in March, while Brandin Cooks remains unsigned at this time despite having spoken with Buffalo about a new deal. While the team will be counting on a step forward from Keon Coleman, the WR spot will face a number of questions entering 2026. A strong showing from Kincaid would of course alleviate concerns in the passing game.
“I’d say it’s probably the best I’ve felt in my career at this point in the year,” the 26-year-old said of his overall health situation at this time. “Just not having those thoughts of the knee, especially last year. At this point, I feel really good. I’m not even thinking about it out there.”
Dawson Knox is still in the fold thanks to the new deal he agreed to earlier this offseason. That will offer stability at the tight end spot, but a productive campaign from Kincaid would offer a welcomed boost to the Bills’ offense. It would also, of course, help his chances of landing an extension next offseason. 2026 will again represent a test case of whether or not he made the right decision to have his knee recover without undergoing a procedure, but he is positioned to at least begin the campaign with a clean bill of health.
Chargers GM Joe Hortiz: Derwin James Extension Remains High Priority
As things stand, Derwin James is a pending 2027 free agent. Discussions on another extension have taken place, however, and there is plenty of time to finalize an agreement.
James has spent his entire eight-year career as a member of the Chargers, playing seven seasons with the team. He has shown an ability to remain one of the league’s best safeties while playing out his current $19MM-per-year pact. Another commitment from the Bolts could soon be in store as a result. During a recent appearance on Up & Adams, general manager Joe Hortiz was asked where a James extension sits on the priority list.
“It’s high. It’s high,” Hortiz confirmed (video link). “I’ve told the story, in Baltimore we had Derwin up there as the number one player on our board in that draft, you know, the number one player available when we were picking. And we took a trade back and he got picked. I said to him when I first met him, I’m like, ‘Gosh, you should’ve been a Raven. We traded away from you, but I’m glad you’re not because I’m here now.'”
2026 marks Hortiz’s third year leading the Chargers’ front office. He and head coach Jim Harbaugh oversaw a playoff appearance in 2024 and again last year. Los Angeles lost in the wild-card round both times, though, and plenty of changes on the roster and along the sidelines have taken place in recent months. James, who will be 30 by the start of the 2026 campaign, will be counted on to remain a cornerstone figure on defense for at least one more season.
The five-time Pro Bowler is owed $17.5MM for 2026 with a scheduled cap hit of $24.61MM. A third contract for James could move him closer to the top of the safety market (which is now $25.1MM per year) or at least provide him with a new round of guarantees. It would also no doubt lower the Florida State product’s immediate cap charge, although creating financial flexibility is not a pressing need given Los Angeles’ available spending power.
2026 will also the final year of edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu‘s rookie contract. He is another player Hortiz mentioned as a candidate for an extension once talks ramped up following the draft. By the time training camp starts, Tuipulotu and James could very well be attached to lucrative new deals.
Raiders Optimistic CB Jermod McCoy Can Play In 2026, Avoid Immediate Surgery
MAY 25: McCoy worked off to the side during rookie minicamp, but The Athletic’s Sam Warren notes he participated in all aspects of the Raiders’ early OTA work. That is of course an encouraging sign regarding his health leading up to training camp and his debut season in the NFL.
MAY 3: As the 2026 draft rolled along, cornerback Jermod McCoy‘s continued slide down the board became one of the event’s biggest storylines. That was not a surprising development; an obvious first-round talent, predraft reports indicated McCoy’s stock could be undermined by the long-term prognosis for his medically-repaired knee.
Eventually, the Raiders put an end to McCoy’s free fall by selecting the Oregon State and Tennessee product with the first pick of Round 4 (No. 101 overall). Naturally, Las Vegas did plenty of research on the knee, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes. Fowler says the club is optimistic about McCoy’s chances to suit up in 2026 and to avoid immediate surgery, even if he will need some sort of operation in the future.
But it was not McCoy’s short-term availability that gave teams pause. Despite missing the entirety of the 2025 slate due to an ACL tear, McCoy performed well at Tennessee’s pro day in March. He ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash, logged a 38-inch vertical jump, and registered a 10-foot, 7-inch broad jump. His ACL is reportedly a non-issue; the bigger concern is a bone plug that was used to repair a cartilage defect in his knee, a plug that may need to be replaced down the road. Such a procedure could sideline McCoy for an entire season, and an unsuccessful surgery could end his career.
Fowler polled eight teams after Day 2 of the draft, and five of them said they had removed McCoy from their draft boards entirely. The Raiders clearly believed McCoy’s upside was worth a Day 3 gamble, and if his knee holds up, Las Vegas may have gotten a steal.
McCoy solidified his status as one of the most talented CBs in the country with a tremendous 2024 campaign in which he had more interceptions (four) than touchdowns allowed (two). He also limited opposing passers to a miniscule 53.6 passer rating, and his performance led to second-team All-American and second-team All-SEC honors.
The rebuilding Raiders also acquired Taron Johnson to bolster their secondary this offseason, although Johnson is ticketed for the slot. If healthy, McCoy will join Eric Stokes and Darien Porter as Vegas’ top boundary options.
In his report on McCoy, Fowler quoted a rival executive who said, “this felt like [general manager] John Spytek’s draft.” Given that Spytek’s first draft in the GM chair was heavily influenced by one-and-done head coach Pete Carroll, that is considered positive news.
Browns HC Todd Monken Addresses Team’s QB1 Battle
The Browns’ next franchise passer does not appear to be on the roster yet, but for now, Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are competing for the starting quarterback job. While Sanders appeared to have the leg up on his veteran teammate earlier this spring, more recent reporting has suggested Watson will be under center in Week 1.
Watson and Sanders were still splitting first-team reps when OTAs opened last week, as ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi observes. Head coach Todd Monken previously expressed his preference to have a QB1 in place by the start of training camp, though he acknowledged that the depth chart could change throughout the course of the preseason slate.
Echoing those sentiments during OTAs, Monken said (via Oyefusi), “[y]ou’d love to have [an established depth chart] at every position at the end of spring, but you can’t guarantee that. We’ll have it set for Jacksonville [in Week 1].”
The first-year HC was predictably complimentary of both participants in the starting QB battle. With respect to Sanders, Monken said, “I think Shedeur’s come miles, in terms of his progressions, getting the ball out, his understanding of concepts. I think he’s really, really come a long way.”
Sanders, 24, dealt with plenty of growing pains as a rookie in 2025. He connected on 56.5% of passes, averaged 6.6 yards per attempt, and threw more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (seven). He posted a poor 68.1 traditional passer rating and an even worse 18.9 QBR in the process. On the other hand, it would not have been surprising to see him selected in the first round of last year’s draft, so if there is more than standard coach-speak to Monken’s comments, perhaps the former Colorado standout is on track for a breakthrough season.
Watson, who will turn 31 in September, has largely disappointed when on the field during his much-maligned Cleveland tenure, and a ruptured (and later re-ruptured) Achilles has kept him out of game action since Week 7 of the 2024 campaign. He did return to practice in the latter stages of the ‘25 slate, and he has since received full medical clearance. In addition to praising Sanders’ growth, Monken offered an encouraging update with respect to Watson’s health.
“Deshaun’s athleticism shows up,” Monken said. “Obviously he’s had that, but he’s had injuries that have set him back. I wouldn’t say it’s a surprise, but it’s exciting to see — it’s a weapon for him. It’s one of his superpowers, his athleticism.”
The Browns did select Taylen Green in the sixth round of this year’s draft, but they otherwise have focused on building up the rest of their roster in the hopes that – unless Watson or Sanders surprises in the upcoming season – they can drop a top 2027 draftee or quality veteran acquisition into a competitive lineup next year. Neither Green nor 2025 third-rounder Dillon Gabriel are candidates for the QB1 gig at the moment.
Brian Flores Amends Complaint Against NFL, Subpoenas 31 Teams
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores* recently amended his lawsuit against the NFL and six of its teams to include a Title VII claim, and now he has amended it again. Per Daniel Kaplan of Front Office Sports, Flores has added a new retaliation count.
The nature of the allegation is presently unclear, but based on the NFL’s response, it appears Flores is arguing the league’s effort to enforce the arbitration provisions in its contracts is itself retaliatory. If that’s the case, sports attorney Chris Deubert tells Kaplan it “makes no sense,” and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk concedes it will be difficult to prove.
Nonetheless, Flores has scored a series of key wins in this long-running saga, and he is striking while the iron is hot. The trial court has allowed his claims against all six teams (the Giants, Broncos, Texans, Dolphins, Titans, and Cardinals) to proceed to trial rather than remain in the NFL’s arbitration system, and the trial court has also allowed the case to move forward as normal even as the NFL seeks United States Supreme Court review of that issue.
Allowing the case to move forward includes lifting the stay on discovery, so in addition to the amended complaint, Flores has subpoenaed 31 of the NFL’s 32 teams, as Kaplan details (presumably, only the Vikings have not been subpoenaed). ESPN’s Kris Rhim adds Flores has served more than 1,000 discovery requests, which the league has argued are punishingly overbroad.
“They’re obviously going scorched-earth,” Deubert said. “Presuming he’s asking about their employment hiring practices and policies, and even that can be difficult to just to respond to. … But those teams are probably going to object to the subpoenas, probably collectively through the league-friendly counsel, and say it’s not relevant, and there’ll be an interesting sort of fight there.”
The defendants will file a motion to dismiss in response to the latest amended complaint. As Rhim notes, the deadline for that is June 5. Pretrial briefs are due in late July/early August. A trial date likely will not be set until after the court rules on the motions to dismiss.
*Steve Wilks and Ray Horton are Flores’ co-plaintiffs, but for ease of reading, we will simply use Flores’ name when referring to the plaintiffs’ side of this matter.