NFL Mailbag: Texans, QBs, Steelers, Chiefs
In the week's edition of the PFR Mailbag, questions on the Texans' offensive line and the Steelers' QB situation are touched on. One of the draft's most intriguing prospects as well as a team with multiple Day 1 picks are also addressed.
Reynold asks:
Have the Texans done enough work on their O-line? [C.J.] Stroud should sue them for malpractice.
Well, if legal action is ever taken by Stroud, at least it won’t be for negligence. The Texans have certainly been busy trying to fix the problem up front. Here’s a quick snapshot of Houston’s moves made up front so far this offseason:
CB Mansoor Delane To Visit Cowboys
The Cowboys have made several moves in their secondary so far in 2026. Further changes brought on by the draft would come as no surprise. 
Dallas is looking into the top cornerback prospect in this year’s class. Mansoor Delane is set to take part in a top 30 visit today, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. The LSU product figures to be busy meeting with a long list of interested teams in the lead-up to the draft.
Delane is among the players widely seen as a lock to be selected in the first round of April’s draft. After three years at Virginia Tech, his lone campaign with the Tigers was a strong one. Delane collected a career-high 11 pass deflections along with two interceptions and 45 tackles. He earned first-team All-American honors and solidified his status as one of the most coveted prospects in this year’s class.
The Cowboys’ secondary has seen plenty of turnover in the last few months. It started during the season with the release of Trevon Diggs, and the team let safeties Donovan Wilson and Juanyeh Thomas hit free agency. Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke have come in to replace them on the back end, while former Rams Cobie Durant and Derion Kendrick add depth at corner.
In addition to Delane, the Cowboys hosted Miami cornerback Keionte Scott for a visit, suggesting that they will be targeting a cornerback with a premium pick next month.
The Cowboys also met with defensive tackle Lee Hunter at Texas Tech’s pro day, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. The massive run stuffer amassed 32.0 sacks over the last three years and flashed some upgraded pass rushing chops in 2025, boosting his stock firmly into Day 2.
Nikhil Mehta contributed to this story.
Panthers T Rasheed Walker Enters Pretrial Diversion Program
MARCH 27: Walker said (via ESPN’s David Newton) the gun charge will be dismissed. His attention will be fully aimed at acclimating to his new team and potentially operating as a starter for a portion of the 2026 campaign.
MARCH 21: In January, Rasheed Walker was arrested at LaGuardia Airport after he attempted to check an unloaded handgun without the necessary paperwork. That resulted in charges on two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon along with criminal possession of a firearm. 
After Walker was released on his own recognizance, a court date was set for March 19. A pretrial diversion program in this case has been offered and accepted, Joe Person of The Athletic writes. As a result, Walker’s charges will be cleared provided he avoids any further arrests in the next six months.
At the time of his arrest, the 26-year-old was unaware of the fact he could not travel with his firearm – which is registered in Wisconsin – to New York without the required credentials for inspection at the airport. Walker’s agent declined to comment on the latest development in the case, one which will eliminate the possibility of any potential league discipline stemming from the original arrest. League spokesman Brian McCarthy also declined to comment on the matter.
Despite his age and experience on the blindside (48 starts), Walker’s free agent market did not develop as planned. The former Packer took a one-year Panthers contract with a base value of $4MM. Incentives can push the deal’s maximum value to $10MM, and playing time early in the season is likely with incumbent left tackle Ikem Ekwonu continuing a lengthy recovery from knee surgery.
When speaking to the media earlier this week, Panthers general manager Dan Morgan noted the team did its homework on Walker’s arrest before signing him. That suggested no league discipline would be forthcoming, and this latest update thus comes as no surprise. Barring any further legal issues, Walker will be able to fully focus his attention on training camp in advance of his debut Carolina season.
Bills Re-Sign S Damar Hamlin
Damar Hamlin will be remaining in Buffalo for at least the 2026 season. The veteran safety re-signed with the Bills on Friday, per a team announcement. 
This is a one-year contract, which comes as little surprise. Hamlin agreed to a deal of the same length last offseason after playing out his rookie pact. Outside interest was shown, but Hamlin remaining in place allowed him to continue a Bills tenure which has seen him alternate between starter and backup duties.
That trend continued in 2025, a year in which Hamlin primarily saw his playing time on special teams. A pectoral injury limited him to just five games during the regular season. The 28-year-old returned to practice leading up to the start of the playoffs, but he did not wind up being activated in time for a return to action.
As a result, this latest Buffalo contract will surely not be a lucrative one. Hamlin took a $2MM deal last time around, with that figure guaranteed in full. Given his missed time in 2025 and projected status as a backup, a similar contract – if not one worth slightly less – can be expected this time around. In any case, Hamlin will represent a familiar face to a safety group which has seen a number of changes this offseason.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone have been added in free agency, while Darnell Savage departed by joining the Steelers. Taylor Rapp was released shortly before the start of the new league year, while Jordan Poyer is unsigned. A retirement decision in his case is expected. Especially if Poyer does not continue his career, Hamlin could be counted on as an experienced presence.
The former sixth-rounder has made a total of 27 starts over the course of his career. Gardner-Johnson and Stone are both veteran first-team defensive presences, however, while Cole Bishop is on course to remain a key figure in the secondary. That could leave Hamlin to focus on special teams work once more in 2026, although he could fill in defensively if needed provided he can avoid another major injury.
Commanders Pursued Trey Hendrickson
The Commanders were among the teams to make a notable splash early in free agency with respect to the pass rush market. A big-ticket deal was quickly worked out with Odafe Oweh. 
The former Raven and Charger landed a four-year, $96MM pact with Washington. Oweh secured just over $50MM guaranteed at signing, and he will be counted to help bring about an uptick in production off the edge in 2026 and beyond. Oweh was not Washington’s only notable pass rush target on the open market, however.
The Commanders were in the mix for Trey Hendrickson, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic writes. She notes the team was “very aggressive” in pursuing Hendrickson even after the Oweh deal had been worked out. That adds Washington to the list of known suitors in Hendrickson’s case, with Indianapolis having submitted an offer. Instead of reuniting with Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, the four-time Pro Bowler joined the Ravens on a four-year, $112MM pact.
Hendrickson secured $28MM in terms of average annual value, surpassing Oweh’s $24MM. His Baltimore deal also contained $60MM in full guarantees, edging Oweh in that regard. Hendrickson, who reached 17.5 sacks in the 2023 and ’24 seasons, has a much more robust track record with respect to production. He is four years older, on the other hand, and the former Bengal is coming off core muscle surgery. Those factors led to Hendrickson’s market not reaching the level he thought it would.
Joe Whitt‘s second (and final) season as the Commanders’ defensive coordinator to not go as planned, to say the least. His unit ranked last in the NFL in total defense in 2025, and pass rush production was an issue. It comes as no surprise Washington – armed with significant cap space – was prepared to make not one but two high-profile EDGE additions on the open market while attempting to bring about a rebound moving forward. Oweh thrived upon arrival via trade with the Chargers midway through the 2025 campaign, but it will be interesting to see if he can maintain his strong level of play on his third career team. Charles Omenihu and K’Lavon Chaisson are also in the fold thanks to less lucrative free agent deals.
The Commanders still have nearly $50MM in cap space. That could leave room for another signing, albeit one not nearly as expensive as Hendrickson would have been. Washington could also wait until the draft – in which the team currently has six selections, including No. 7 overall – to bring in another edge rush presence.
Eagles C Cam Jurgens Addresses Recovery From Back Surgery
Cam Jurgens played a key role in the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX victory, but he did so while playing through a major back injury. Surgery soon followed, but the ailment still proved to be a nagging issue for Philadelphia’s starting center in 2025. 
During an appearance on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast, Jurgens detailed the nature of his injury and the progress of his recovery process. He noted a disc in his back “broke off,” leading it to “wrap around” his sciatic nerve. Surgery was delayed until after the Super Bowl, making Philadelphia’s playoff run a painful process for Jurgens.
“It takes a good year to come back from that,” the 26-year-old said when reflecting on the 2025 season, one in which he played 15 total games but was never operating at full health. “I’m starting to feel really good.”
That will of course be a welcomed development for the Eagles. Jurgens inked a four-year, $68MM extension last April, and he will be counted on as an anchor up front for years to come. Philadelphia will be without offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland in 2026 after his lengthy stint with the team, and changes up front are anticipated in the near future. Right tackle Lane Johnson and left guard Landon Dickerson each contemplated retirement this offseason, but they will both suit up for at least one more year.
Jurgens admitted he thought about his own career from a health perspective “a little bit” while rehabbing his back. The two-time Pro Bowler added, however, that he is not considering retirement at this time. A long run after being fully healed from this back ailment would obviously help in that regard.
“I love football, and I want to play as long as I can and hopefully just keep playing in Philly,” Jurgens added. “There aren’t too many better places to play football than with the Eagles… Right now, I’m playing, and I’m going to play as long as I can.”
Browns Modify Myles Garrett’s Contract
A slight change has been made to Myles Garrett‘s Browns contract. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year has agreed to push back the payment dates on his option bonuses, ESPN’s Field Yates reports. 
Garrett was originally owed those payments on the 15th day of the league year each season from 2026-28. In the case of this year, that fell on Wednesday, with Yates noting this revision was finalized one day earlier. Now, Garrett is in line to collect the money one week before the start of the regular season in each year (bringing his contract in line with other Cleveland pacts in that respect).
[RELATED: Browns Propose Trading Picks Five Years Into Future]
As detailed by Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap, this move will not yield any cap savings for the Browns unless the value of the option bonuses ($10MM in 2026, $13MM in 2027 and $7MM in 2028) have been changed. It would certainly come as a surprise if that were to be the case. Per Yates, the changes have nevertheless taken place in a way “that has benefit” to Garrett, who inked a four-year, $160MM extension last offseason. Yates adds that $8MM in base salary has been converted to roster bonuses for 2029 and ’30; they are scheduled to be paid out early in those league years.
Some observers have noted this tweak to Garrett’s deal would make a hypothetical trade more viable. Delaying option payments until just before the start of the season would indeed widen Cleveland’s window of opportunity to work out a trade with interested teams. The 30-year-old’s 2025 extension contains a no-trade clause, however, so he would need to approve of any potential swap. Garrett’s current focus will remain on helping lead the Browns to a rebound in 2026. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com confirms no thought is currently being given to a trade.
The five-time All-Pro broke the single-season sack record (23) in 2025, leading to his second career Defensive Player of the Year nod. Strong defensive showings will be expected once again for the Browns moving forward, and Garrett will of course be counted on the lead the way for years to come. In the event of continued struggles on the team’s part, though, trade speculation will no doubt pick up once more.
Robert Griffin III Named To American Flag Football Roster
Several active NFL players have publicly expressed a desire to play in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. That will mark the first time in which flag football will be played as an Olympic event. 
The NFL will allow active players to compete in the Los Angeles games, although there a number of logistical issues still to be worked out on that front. There is also the question of whether or not professionals would be better equipped for success than full-time flag players given the differences which exist in the two versions of the games. At least one ex-NFL player will receive a look in advance of the Olympics.
Robert Griffin III is on Team USA’s 24-man national flag football roster. The former Heisman winner will thus take part in a training camp which will be staged before a 12-man team will be selected for this year’s IFAF Flag Football World Championship. That event will take place in August.
The recent Fanatics Flag Football Classic brought renewed attention to the matter of NFL players potentially taking the place of long-time flag veterans. Questions about that were raised when Team USA handily won the event, however, beating out two teams largely comprised of active and recently retired NFL players along the way. Griffin did not participate in the event, but he will look to acclimate himself to the flag game in short order.
The 36-year-old last played in 2020. Since then, Griffin has shown interest on multiple occasions, attempting to return to an NFL roster as recently as 2023. A resumption of his career would certainly come as a surprise at this point for the Fox Sports analyst, but flag football could present a unique opportunity.
Expanding the reach of flag football has long been a major NFL priority, and funding was recently approved for the launch of a professional league. Having active (or at least former) NFL players taking part in the Olympics would be welcomed on the league’s part, and it will be interesting to see if more opportunities arise for players in a position similar to Griffin’s.
Commanders To Sign CB Ahkello Witherspoon
3:40pm: Witherspoon’s visit has indeed produced an agreement, Garafolo reports. Washington’s secondary will have another veteran in place leading up to the draft.
9:ooam: The Commanders have undergone a number of changes at the cornerback position so far in free agency. Another addition at that spot could be coming soon. 
Ahkello Witherspoon is set to visit Washington today, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports. The 10th-year veteran has never played for the Commanders, but he would be a familiar face to general manager Adam Peters. Peters was in the 49ers’ organization when Witherspoon was drafted by San Francisco in 2017.
After playing out his rookie contract in the Bay Area, the former third-rounder spent a pair of seasons with the Steelers. Witherspoon was limited to just 13 games during his Pittsburgh tenure, leading to his release halfway through a two-year contract in 2023. As a free agent for the second time, Witherspoon joined the Rams on what would prove to be the first of three consecutive one-year deals.
Over the course of his time in Los Angeles, Witherspoon saw his playing time decline. The Colorado product logged a career-high 1,060 defensive snaps in 2023 but saw that figure drop considerably in each of the following two years. In all, Witherspoon has made 64 starts and 96 appearances during the regular season. He is among the most experienced options still on the market at this point of free agency.
Changes in the secondary were seen as a key area for improvement entering the offseason in Washington’s case. The Commanders replaced Joe Whitt with Daronte Jones as defensive coordinator, and he will have a new-look cornerback room to work with in 2026. Jonathan Jones and Noah Igbinoghene have departed in free agency, while Marshon Lattimore and Antonio Hamilton remain unsigned. One addition (Amik Robertson) has already been made, and more are no doubt coming through free agency and/or the draft.
Washington has over $49MM in cap space as things stand. The Commanders could easily afford a number of new arrivals despite the money already spent on the open market as a result. If a deal is worked out in Witherspoon’s case, it will no doubt be an inexpensive one.
Commanders Arrange Visits With LB Sonny Styles, WR Denzel Boston
Set to select seventh overall in next month’s draft, the Commanders find themselves in an interesting position. A wide range of options could present itself by the time Washington is on the clock. 
The team has already been linked to a number of prospects as top 30 visits take place around the league. USC receiver Makai Lemon, Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, Miami cornerback Keionte Scott and Buckeyes wideout Carnell Tate have each been linked to the Commanders so far. Two more Day 1 candidates are on Washington’s radar.
Per veteran Commanders reporter Ben Standig, top 30 visits with Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and Washington receiver Denzel Boston have been arranged. This marks the first known link between Styles and an interested NFL team in terms of a formal visit. It will certainly not be the last.
Styles is one of several Buckeyes who are considered a lock to hear their names called in the first round. He transitioned from safety to linebacker midway through his Ohio State career, a move which proved fruitful. Styles racked up 182 tackles, seven sacks and 17 tackles for loss across the 2024 and ’25 seasons. He sits third overall in the latest rankings from NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah. A selection somewhere in the opening half of the first round is expected in this case.
Lemon and Tate are likewise in position to come off the board early on Day 1. Boston, on the other hand, is expected to be available toward the end of the round. A trade down the order would thus be feasible if the Commanders were to target the red zone target. Boston has been linked to the Browns, 49ers and Steelers in recent days and his list of suitors will no doubt continue to grow over the coming weeks.
Washington owns pick No. 7 but the team is not scheduled to select again until the third round. Both Styles and Boston will no doubt be well off the board by the Commanders’ second selection, but each will receive a look as they consider their options near the top of the order.