Steelers Release T Calvin Anderson
Calvin Anderson‘s time in Pittsburgh has come to an end. The veteran offensive lineman has been released, per the transactions wire (h/t KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson). 
A recent report from Mike DeFabo of The Athletic indicated this move was coming. Anderson had one year remaining on his contract, but he is now headed to free agency early. This cut will create $2MM in cap savings while generating a dead money charge of only $415K.
Anderson played in Denver from 2020-22 before a one-year stint with New England. The former UDFA then joined the Steelers on a veteran minimum contract and made four appearances in 2024. Anderson remained on the market well past the start of free agency, but last April he signed a two-year pact to stay in Pittsburgh. Halfway through that contract, though, the Steelers have elected to move on.
This decision comes as little surprise. Anderson missed time early in the 2025 after recovering from an injury suffered in training camp and he landed on IR in mid-December. The Texas product was limited to just 73 combined snaps between offense and special teams as a result. Dylan Cook – who made four starts and five appearances in 2025 – was already ahead of Anderson on the depth chart prior to this move.
Cook is under contract for next year, and he figures to remain in Pittsburgh’s plans up front. The team currently has roughly $40MM in cap space, and some of that figure could be applied to additions along the offensive line. In any case, Anderson will be playing elsewhere in 2026.
Jets, Breece Hall Not Close To Long-Term Agreement; Franchise Tag Looming?
Contract talks between Breece Hall and the Jets are ongoing. The sides still have work to do to strike an agreement prior to today’s tag deadline, however. 
Connor Hughes of SNY reports dialogue is ongoing in this case. He cautions that there does not appear to be much in the way of optimism regarding a deal being struck. If that remains the case by 3:00pm central today, the Jets will tag Hall and in doing so prevent a free agent departure.
The franchise tag is the most common route taken by teams in these situations, but Hall has been mentioned as a candidate for the less expensive transition tag. A franchise tag would cost $14.29MM, while the transition tag route would check in at a price of $11.32MM. According to Hughes, the likely outcome in the absence of a Hall extension agreement would be the franchise tag.
The Jets currently have nearly $88MM in cap space, so affording either tag would not be an issue. The cost of each one-year tender is fully guaranteed and carries a matching cap charge for 2026. New York would receive two first-round picks for an unmatched Hall offer sheet in the event the franchise tag were applied; the team would not receive any compensation in that scenario with respect to the transition tag. Offer sheets are rare in the NFL anyway, but teams often take the safer route by using the more expensive tag.
Once the Vikings proceed with their Aaron Jones release, only eight running backs in the NFL will be attached to a deal averaging $11MM or more per season. That list will grow once Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs sign extensions, and De’Von Achane is another candidate for a lucrative second contract. Hall is likewise in line for a raise, but it could easily wind up coming in the form of a tag. The 24-year-old’s earning power for 2027 and beyond in that case would depend in large part on his level of play next season.
Hall topped 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career in 2025. The former second-rounder has remained a workhorse back since returning from the ACL tear he suffered as a rookie, and a heavy workload should be expected moving forward on a Jets offense which could undergo a number of changes this spring. Hall is in line to play at least a fifth campaign in New York, but whether that comes about via the tag or a long-term agreement remains to be seen.
Lions To Trade RB David Montgomery To Texans
The Texans are not finished on the trade front. A much-anticipated running back addition is now being lined up, with another member of their offensive line set to play elsewhere. 
David Montgomery is heading from Detroit to Houston, as first reported by Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. In return, the Lions will acquire offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, along with fourth- and seventh-round picks (h/t Pelissero). The seventh-round selection is for the 2027 draft, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes.
Houston was Montgomery’s preferred destination, Garafolo adds. He will now take on a prominent role in the backfield as the Texans look for improvements on the ground in 2026. Schefter’s colleague Dan Graziano recently named Houston as one of the teams likely to be active in March with respect to running back additions, so today’s news comes as no surprise. Montgomery in particular is a logical target in the Texans’ case given the fact he was seeking a fresh start.
Since the end of the 2025 campaign, a Montgomery trade has been a distinct possibility. Detroit has Jahmyr Gibbs in place, and his fifth-year option is likely to be exercised. That would ensure at least two more years in the Motor City, but a long-term extension at or near the top of the RB market is expected to be pursued. Keeping Gibbs and Montgomery on lucrative deals would not have been feasible given the Lions’ other financial commitments.
Instead, Montgomery will prepare to play for a third career team in anticipation of a heavy workload. The former third-rounder averaged fewer than 12 attempts per game for the first time in his career last season. 2025 was also the first season in which he fell short of 1,000 scrimmage yards. That could soon change with the Texans set to see Nick Chubb reach free agency next week. Fellow veteran Joe Mixon missed all of 2025 through injury and has since undergone surgery. A release in his case should be expected as a result.
Woody Marks has three years remaining on his rookie contract, but bringing in a veteran to split carries with him has long been expected. Montgomery, who turns 29 in June, will be tasked with doing so. He is owed a base salary of $5.49MM in 2026 with a scheduled cap hit of $6MM. Montgomery’s pact runs through 2027, but whether or not he lands a new commitment by that point will of course depend on his performance in Houston.
The Texans’ offensive line will certainly look much different next season. Houston agreed to trade Tytus Howard to the Browns earlier today, creating a vacancy in the starting lineup. Scruggs was not a first-team presence in 2025, but losing him will ensure Houston’s depth along the interior will be altered when next season begins. One year remains on Scruggs’ rookie contract.
The former second-rounder will now look to compete for playing time in Detroit. The Lions were known to be in the market for additions at the left tackle spot but also on the inside. Scruggs, 26, has primarily played at left guard during his career but he saw notable time at center as well in 2024. The future of Graham Glasgow is uncertain at this point, and a release or retirement in his case could open to door to playing time for Scruggs ahead of free agency.
The Lions will look to improve up front in 2026 knowing a stronger O-line will go a long way in helping their offense (a unit which finished fourth in scoring this past year) become even more effective. A running back addition of some kind will be required as well, though, with Gibbs now in need of a new backfield partner.
Browns To Acquire Tytus Howard From Texans; OL Agrees To Cleveland Extension
The Browns are taking the first of what will be many steps aimed at improving their offensive line this offseason. A trade agreement with the Texans has been reached. 
Houston is sending Tytus Howard to Cleveland, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. A fifth-round pick is heading the other way. This is the selection the Browns acquired from the Raiders in the Kenny Pickett trade in August, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer adds. Howard was set to enter the final year of his contract, but this trade is bringing with it a new deal.
Per Rapoport, a $63MM extension has been agreed to by Howard and the Browns with $45MM in new money being committed. As a result, the seven-year veteran will now be on the books through 2028. It remains to be seen if he will be used as a guard or tackle in Cleveland, but in any case Howard will aim to offer the Browns with stability somewhere up front as they renovate their offensive line.
“I wasn’t surprised,” the former first-rounder said in an interview with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson following the news. “They’re trying to get younger and pay some guys. I ain’t mad. I kind of knew it was going to happen.”
Houston’s financial planning needs to take into account a pending extension for edge rusher Will Anderson. A long-term pact for C.J. Stroud may not be coming this offseason, but his 2027 fifth-year option is set to be exercised. A reset along the offensive line will be a key priority, Wilson notes, after the Texans struggled to protect Stroud once again during the 2025 campaign.
Last offseason, Houston traded away left tackle Laremy Tunsil. This Howard move is another one aimed at bringing about a notable change up front as the team seeks out improved play from its O-line. Howard, 30 in May, spent each of his first seven NFL seasons with the Texans. He started all 93 of his regular-season appearances and each of his four playoff contests over that span.
The Browns will thus be adding plenty of experience with this move. Wyatt Teller has made it clear he will not be retuning, while fellow longtime guard Joel Bitonio is once again a strong candidate to retire. Howard could step into either guard spot, something which would be familiar based on his extensive LG experience in Houston. Alternatively, the right tackle position could be his landing spot in Cleveland depending on how Dawand Jones is used in 2026.
Howard secured an $18.67MM AAV on his first extension, signed in 2023. This two-year Browns top-up is worth $22.5MM per season, and expectations will be high upon arrival. Once the trade is finalized, Cleveland will still have nine selection in April’s draft (including its own fifth-rounder). The Texans, meanwhile, will increase their total to 10 draft picks in 2026. At least some of that capital will no doubt be used on offensive line additions, with the same also being true of the team’s free agent resources.
Lions Release OL Graham Glasgow
Graham Glasgow will not remain in place with the Lions for 2026. The veteran offensive lineman was released on Monday, per a team announcement. 
Glasgow had been mentioned as a likely cut candidate dating back to January, so today’s news comes as little surprise. He was due to collect a $500K roster bonus next week and then a base salary of $6.5MM next season. Instead of keeping Glasgow in the fold at a cap hit of $8.44MM, the Lions will free up $5.56MM with a release.
“I’m grateful for the seven years I’ve spent as a Detroit Lion,” Glasgow said in part during a statement posted on X in the wake of today’s news. “I’m thankful for the great teammates, coaches, and friends I had along the way. I love this city and the fans that have supported me for the better part of a decade. There truly was no place I would have rather been.”
Attention will now turn to the 32-year-old intentions regarding his playing career. In January, Glasgow was named as a candidate to retire in the event his Lions tenure ended. With that having taken place, it will be interesting to see if he aims to land a new opportunity in free agency or elects to hang up his cleats.
A Lions draftee in 2016, Glasgow handled starting roles at guard and center while playing out his rookie contract. The former third-rounder landed a big-ticket free agent deal with Denver, and he remained there for three seasons. Upon being cut by the Broncos, Glasgow returned to Detroit in 2023. Since then, he has continued to serve as a key presence up front.
Glasgow’s most familiar position has been guard during his career, but he was given center duties in 2025 due to the retirement of Frank Ragnow. Things did not go according to plan, and a regression in terms of the Lions’ level of play along the interior of the offensive line was a key factor in their inability to reach the playoffs. Bringing in upgrades this spring will be a major priority.
Efforts on that front have already begun, with the Lions acquiring Juice Scruggs from the Texans in the David Montgomery trade worked out this morning. Scruggs has experience at both center and guard, and it will be interesting to see how the pending 2026 free agent fits into Detroit’s plans for next year. Tate Ratledge, meanwhile, could take over center duties during his second NFL season after operating at guard as a rookie.
Dolphins Release OL Liam Eichenberg
Liam Eichenberg missed all of the 2025 season. If he is to continue his NFL career, it will take place with a new team. 
The Dolphins announced on Monday that Eichenberg has been released. A knee injury landed the veteran offensive lineman on the PUP list during roster cutdowns in August. He remained there throughout the campaign, leaving open the possibility of a move such as this one. Eichenberg intends to play in 2026, but he is now a free agent.
After playing out his rookie contract with Miami, the Notre Dame product re-upped on a one-year deal. Since he was never activated from the PUP list, that contract would have tolled to 2026 had the Dolphins retained him. Instead, the team will move on while Eichenberg will begin the process of finding his next gig. His market will no doubt be tepid given the length of his absence. This move is coming with a failed physical designation, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2.
Eichenberg made 60 appearances and 52 starts during his tenure with the Dolphins. The former second-rounder has seen time at every O-line position, and his versatility could be valued by interested teams. After playing as a tackle during his rookie campaign, Eichenberg has exclusively been used on the interior. He saw time at center in 2023, but otherwise his most common position has been guard.
The 28-year-old will thus likely be targeted as an option for starting guard duties during his time on the open market. That position has already seen changes in Miami’s case, with James Daniels one of the many incumbent players cut by the new decision-making tandem of general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley. With this Eichenberg release now taking place, additions along the interior of the offensive line will clearly be a priority for Miami.
The Dolphins are narrowly under the 2026 cap ceiling as things stand. Further cost-shedding moves will be required as a result, although managing to add financial flexibility through a Tua Tagovailoa trade remains highly unlikely.
Khalil Mack To Play In 2026; Chargers Re-Signing Likely?
Khalil Mack is set to put off retirement for at least one more year. The All-Pro edge rusher will play in 2026, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirms. 
[RELATED: Previewing Chargers’ Offseason]
Mack looms as one of the top edge rushers set to test free agency despite his age. The 35-year-old is joined by Odafe Oweh as a Chargers pass rusher in danger of departing next week. General manager Joe Hortiz has expressed a desire to retain both, and efforts to work out a deal in each case are no doubt ongoing.
With respect to Mack in particular, Daniel Popper of The Athletic writes (subscription required) a re-signing appears to be likely. Among his many accolades, Mack has yet to win a playoff game and it would certainly come as no surprise if he targeted a contender as his next (quite possibly final) NFL team. Having reached the postseason in both of Hortiz and head coach Jim Harbaugh‘s seasons at the helm, the Bolts could fit the bill in that respect, and Popper notes Mack is fond of his current situation in Los Angeles.
As Rapoport notes, however, Mack is set to weigh his options with free agency looming. The 2010s All-Decade Team member was limited to 12 games in 2025, but prior to that he enjoyed a three-year run with only one missed contest. Mack reached double-digit sacks as recently as 2023 when he set a new career high with 17. Since then, he has totaled 11.5 across the past two seasons while adding six forced fumbles.
Free agency is set to include other veterans such as Trey Hendrickson and Bradley Chubb. Oweh, like Jaelan Phillips and Kwity Paye, is on course to test the market for the first time in his career. Popper adds Oweh – who thrived following the midseason trade which sent him from the Ravens to the Chargers – is among the pass rushers in line to have a strong market. Retaining Mack would allow Los Angeles to pair him once more with Tuli Tuipulotu, who is coming off a Pro Bowl season and is now eligible for an extension.
Over the course of his career, Mack has accumulated over $187MM in earnings. That total includes the one-year Chargers contracts he played on in 2024 and ’25. Another one could soon be in store.
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.