49ers Unlikely To Tender RFA Kalia Davis
Kalia Davis has seen notable year-over-year jumps in playing time during his 49ers tenure. A change of scenery may soon be taking place, though. 
The 49ers are not expected to place an RFA tender on Davis, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. A second-round tender would cost $6.26MM, a price San Francisco is not prepared to pay. Alternatively, the team could use the original-round tender at a cost of $3.82MM.
Taking that route would have left the 49ers in line to receive a sixth-round pick (since that is when Davis was drafted in 2022) in the event of an unmatched offer sheet. Instead, if the team declines to apply a tender, Davis will test free agency. Losing him would deal a blow to San Francisco’s defensive line.
Davis started all 17 games in 2025, logging a defensive snap share of 45% along the way. The 27-year-old was not an impactful presence against the pass, but he managed a new career high with 28 stops and four tackles for loss. Continued strong play in the run game will be expected moving forward, whether Davis winds up re-signing in San Francisco or joining a new team.
Jordan Elliott and Kevin Givens are already pending free agents, so non-tendering Davis would leave the door open to considerable changes at the defensive tackle spot this offseason. San Francisco has a number of young options at the position already, such as Alfred Collins, C.J. West and Sebastian Valdez. They will be in the fold for 2026, but it remains to be seen if Davis will join them for a fourth 49ers season.
Commanders To Release CB Marshon Lattimore
To no surprise, Marshon Lattimore will not return to the Commanders in 2026. The veteran cornerback is set to reach free agency early. 
Lattimore will be released, the expectation of which was first reported by CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. Multiple reports have since confirmed that Washington has informed Lattimore of the decision to cut him. His tenure in the nation’s capital is coming to an end after only 14 combined regular and postseason games played.
An ACL tear brought Lattimore’s 2025 season to an abrupt end. Since then, many have expected a parting of ways to take place, with the former Saint having failed to meet expectations when healthy. This move will no doubt be finalized before March 15, the point at which Lattimore was due to collect a $2MM roster bonus. In the absence of guaranteed money to account for, this decision will clear $18.5MM in cap space without generating any dead money.
Ahead of the 2024 deadline, Lattimore was traded by the Saints to the Commanders. New Orleans added multiple draft picks as a result of the swap, aiding in the team’s ongoing effort to develop a new core. Washington, meanwhile, used Lattimore as a starter during the run to the NFC title game. Things did not go according to plan, though, and the four-time Pro Bowler surrendered a 93 passer rating and two touchdowns as the nearest defender this past season prior to his injury.
That regression in coverage, coupled with the fact he is recovering from the ACL tear, will no doubt hinder Lattimore’s market. He will get a head start on free agency and begin to gauge his options, but a far less lucrative pact than his 2021 extension (five years, $97MM) will be in store. Lattimore has 108 appearances – all of them starts – to his name in the NFL, so he will offer plenty of experience to his next team. Josina Anderson of The Exhibit notes the former Defensive Rookie of the Year intends to continue his career in 2026.
Washington worked out an extension agreement with guard Nick Allegretti earlier today. The team already had more 2026 cap space to work with than most others entering Monday, but moving on from Lattimore will add even further to the Commanders’ spending power. After ranking 28th against the pass last season, Washington will no doubt look to contribute free agent and draft resources to additions at the cornerback spot.
Cowboys’ Donovan Ezeiruaku To Miss Offseason Time Following Hip Surgery
Donovan Ezeiruaku managed to play all 17 games during his rookie season. He will not be available at the start of the Cowboys’ 2026 offseason program, however. 
Ezeiruaku is recovering from hip labrum surgery, the team announced on Monday. As a result, he is expected to miss at least most of Dallas’ spring workouts, meaning an absence through OTAs and minicamp can be expected. The procedure took place five weeks ago, ESPN’s Todd Archer reports.
Both the team announcement and Archer’s report indicate Ezeiruaku is expected to be fully recovered in time for training camp. That would of course be critical given his importance to Dallas’ defense and the arrival of new DC Christian Parker. Missed time during the installation of Parker’s scheme – and a switch to a 3-4 base defense – will nevertheless be a detriment to Ezeiruaku as he prepares for Year 2 in the NFL.
The second-round pick handled a 55% snap share in 2025, recording a pair of sacks and 26 QB pressures along the way. Ezeiruaku is in line to once again operate as one of the Cowboys’ top outside linebackers moving forward as the team evaluates its options at that position. Considerable turnover in the pass rush department could be taking place soon with Jadeveon Clowney, Dante Fowler and Sam Williams all on track for free agency.
Dallas is one of the teams still well over the cap as things stand, but several restructures are expected to take place to free up funds. Based on comments made by owner Jerry Jones during the Combine, an unusually active period on the open market could be coming. If the Cowboys are to pursue big-money additions in free agency, it would certainly stand to reason defensive upgrades would be the target. Bringing in at least one edge rusher could especially prove to beneficial.
Ezeiruaku’s rookie contract runs through 2028. The Boston College product will spend the coming months continuing his rehab, and his progress leading up to the summer will be worth monitoring.
Colts QB Anthony Richardson Requests Trade; Mutual Vikings Interest?
MARCH 2: Richardson does not have a strong trade market at this point, SportsBoom’s Jason LaCanfora reports to no surprise. NFL general managers and evaluators predicted Richardson’s value would be a Day 3 pick, with a fifth-rounder mentioned as the potential best-case scenario from the Colts’ perspective.
FEBRUARY 26: Signs continue to point to Anthony Richardson playing elsewhere in 2026. The embattled quarterback has requested a trade, James Boyd of The Athletic reports. 
To little surprise, ESPN’s Stephen Holder adds the Colts have given Richardson’s camp permission to seek a trade. The former No. 4 pick’s value will not be particularly high given how his NFL career has played out so far. Nevertheless, the lack of established QBs on the market this offseason could lead to at least some interest.
When speaking at the Combine yesterday, Colts GM Chris Ballard offered praise for Richardson. The 23-year-old has only made 15 starts and 17 appearances during the regular season so far. An orbital bone fracture kept Richardson sidelined through the end of the 2025 campaign, although Ballard said he has now been cleared for football activities. Boyd confirms Richardson has regained full vision in his right eye.
That will be a welcomed development for all involved, but it remains to be seen how many teams will be willing to proceed with a trade acquisition in this case. In December, a trio of NFL staffers pegged Richardson’s value at a fourth-round pick (the cost paid by the Cowboys when they acquired Trey Lance). A deal along those lines would obviously represent a massive disappointment for Indianapolis, but it would pave the way for Riley Leonard to handle backup duties in 2026. Of course, the Colts are in the midst of negotiations on a new Daniel Jones contract to ensure he remains atop the depth chart moving forward.
As for potential Richardson landing spots, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network points to Minnesota as one to watch. He reports there is a mutual interest between the Vikings and Richardson. Kevin O’Connell has established a track record of quarterback development during his time as Minnesota’s head coach, and taking on another reclamation project would make plenty of sense. Given J.J. McCarthy‘s struggles so far, the Vikings are expected to bring in competition under center this spring.
That could entail pursuing a more experienced option on the open market like Kirk Cousins or Derek Carr. Alternatively, the Vikings could look at Richardson as a buy-low candidate capable of winning the QB1 gig for 2026 while McCarthy develops. Richardson has one year remaining on his rookie contract and he is set to carry a cap charge of $10.82MM in 2026. A trade would essentially create an even split of that figure between cap savings and dead money for the Colts.
Commanders To Extend G Nick Allegretti
Monday continues to be busy with respect to offensive line news around the NFL. The Commanders are among the teams making a move on that front. 
Guard Nick Allegretti has agreed to a new two-year deal with Washington, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. He was set to enter 2026 as a pending free agent, but that will no longer be the case. Allegretti has been in place with the Commanders for the past two seasons, and his tenure will continue.
After playing out his rookie contract with the Chiefs, Allegretti re-signed on a one-year pact. That was followed by a multi-year commitment on Washington’s part. The former seventh-round pick secured $16MM on a three-year Commanders accord. Terms on this new deal have not yet emerged, but Allegretti’s time in the nation’s capital will stretch beyond next season thanks to it.
Chris Paul is among the guards who are set to reach free agency next month. He could price himself out of Washington with a strong market, something which would increase the value in keeping Allegretti in the fold. After operating as a full-time starter in 2024, Allegretti was relegated to backup duties for much of this past season. The Illinois product has seen plenty of time at guard in his career, but he filled in at center for the final two games of the 2025 campaign in place of Tyler Biadasz.
Biadasz was recently released, creating an opening at the center spot. Allegretti – who will turn 30 in April – could be a candidate to fill in at that position. Otherwise, he will look to earn playing time at guard. He and Andrew Wylie have both landed new Commanders deals in advance of the new league year beginning next week. Washington’s attention up front may now increasingly turn to an extension for left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
Washington entered Monday near the league lead in terms of 2026 cap space. Nevertheless, this Allegretti extension could lower his scheduled cap charge ($7.18MM) for next season.
Bengals Re-Sign G Dalton Risner
Dalton Risner‘s time in Cincinnati will continue in 2026. The veteran guard has been re-signed, the team announced on Monday. 
This is a one-year pact, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports it has a maximum value of $5MM. Risner will be in line for a considerable raise depending on the incentives present in this new contract. Signing with Cincinnati shortly before the start of this past season, Risner secured just $1.34MM after playing out a pair of one-year Vikings deals each worth less than $3MM.
Not long after the 2025 campaign ended, it became clear a mutual interest existed between Risner and the Bengals to work out another pact. As such, today’s news comes as little surprise. Critically, this agreement also ensures stability along the offensive line for the Bengals.
As noted by The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr., this coming season will be the first in the Zac Taylor era (2019-present) in which Cincinnati returns all five primary offensive line starters from the previous year. Risner made 14 appearances and 11 starts in 2025, and he can now be expected to remain a staple at right guard next season. Continuity up front will be key for the Bengals, a team which has faced questions about its Joe Burrow protection for several years.
After Burrow missed considerable time in 2025, a rare season without any notable injuries will be sought out in his case. Managing to keep the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback upright would go a long way in ensuring the Bengals manage to reach the playoffs in 2026, something the team has failed to do for the past three years. Playing a key role in that effort would help Risner, 30, secure another Cincinnati commitment or a longer one from an outside team.
The Bengals entered Monday with roughly $50MM in cap space. That figure will allow for a number of free agent signings if Cincinnati wishes to make several additions from outside the organization. In any case, an important re-signing has been taken care of before the start of free agency.
Chiefs To Move On From T Jawaan Taylor
As expected, Jawaan Taylor will be playing elsewhere in 2026. The veteran tackle will be released unless a trade partner can be found, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
During his three years in Kansas City, Taylor has not lived up to expectations. Signed to a four-year, $80MM free agent pact in 2023, the former Jaguar has operated as a full-time right tackle starter but continually struggled with penalties. Taylor loomed as a logical cut candidate entering this offseason, and a recent report indicated a release was likely in this case. It would certainly come as a surprise if a team were to take on the final year of his contract, so a cut should take place soon.
Taylor was due to collect a base salary of $19.5MM in 2026 while carrying a cap hit of $27.39MM. Instead, the Chiefs will free up $20MM in cap space with a release; doing so will generate a dead money charge of $7.39MM. Jaylon Moore represents an in-house replacement for Taylor in the starting lineup. Meanwhile, this Taylor cut will move Kansas City into cap compliance (although more cost-shedding move could of course be coming).
Entering his age-28 season, Taylor will offer considerable experience to his next team. With 111 appearances and starts in the NFL, he will look to remain a first-team presence when weighing his free agent options. Given the way things played out in Kansas City, however, the former second-round pick will no doubt receive a much less lucrative deal than he did during his first trip to free agency. Still, tackles at his age do not often become available, so it will be interesting to see how his market develops.
Taylor has remained consistent in terms of his PFF evaluations over the course of his career. The Florida product has has finished no better than 49th among qualifying tackles for overall grade in a season, something which took place during his rookie campaign. Significant improvement would come as a surprise at this point, but Taylor could still be viewed as a veteran capable of handling starting right tackle duties by teams in need of additions up front. A short-term agreement could allow him to line up a new gig in relatively short order.
Moore, 28, has only totaled 18 starts so far in his career. The former 49er will collect $15MM in 2026, the final year of his contract. A full-time role in the starting lineup will of course go a long way in establishing his value for next spring. After left tackle Josh Simmons was limited to eight games as a rookie, Kansas City could be in the market for depth at the position this month. In any case, the team’s setup will not include Taylor for 2026.
Jets, Falcons Showing Interest In Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett
The Cardinals remain one of the teams to watch closely with respect to the quarterback market taking shape. Much of the attention in that regard is focused on Kyler Murray, who could wind up with any number of teams in the near future. 
Arizona also has to weigh the possibility of moving on from Jacoby Brissett as well, though. With a new coaching staff in place led by Mike LaFleur, widespread changes under center would come as no surprise. One year remains on Brissett’s contract, and he is owed a base salary of only $4.88MM for 2026.
[RELATED: Cardinals Interested In Jimmy Garoppolo]
Taking on that figure will be feasible for plenty of teams, and a pair of suitors in particular will be worth monitoring. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reports the Jets and Falcons have shown interest in Brissett. That comes as no surprise, of course. New York hired Frank Reich – who previously coached Brissett during their time with the Colts – as offensive coordinator this year. Atlanta, meanwhile, brought in Kevin Stefanski as head coach; he previously worked with Brissett in Cleveland.
For that reason, both the Jets and Falcons have previously been floated as logical landing spots for Brissett. Justin Fields is not expected to be back with New York in 2026, while Tyrod Taylor is a pending free agent. Brissett could serve as a bridge starter as the Jets seek out a long-term answer in April’s draft (or perhaps wait until 2027 to select a high-profile rookie).
As expected, the Falcons will release Kirk Cousins and not attempt to re-sign him at a reduced rate. Starter Michael Penix Jr.‘s ACL recovery is ongoing, and his availability for Week 1 of the 2026 campaign is unclear. That illustrates the need for a short-term addition in Atlanta’s case. Brissett could offer the Falcons with a high floor for at least one season regardless of Penix’s health situation or his level of play once he is back to 100%.
Filling in for an injured Murray – and then remaining atop the depth chart to finish the season – Brissett posted career highs in a number of categories in 2025. The 33-year-old completed just under 65% of his attempts, totaling 3,366 yards and posting a 23:8 touchdown to interception ratio. A similar showing in New York or Atlanta would be welcomed given those teams’ current situations under center. Volin unsurprisingly notes the Cardinals will have a much easier time trading Brissett than Murray, and it will be interesting to see if more suitors emerge shortly.
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.