Raymond Berry Passes Away At 93
Hall of Fame player and coach Raymond Berry passed away two weekends ago at the age of 93, according to a statement from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The wide receiver (or “split end”) entered the NFL with little fanfare when he was selected by the Baltimore Colts in the 20th round of the 1954 draft. He overcame the odds to make the team’s roster as a rookie, when he was limited to only 13 catches. However, he quickly emerged as a preferred target of Johnny Unitas over the following 12 years.
Berry earned four-straight All-Pro nods between 1957 and 1960, a stretch in which he averaged 60 catches for 963 yards and 10 touchdowns per season. He finished fifth in MVP voting in 1959 after hauling in a league-leading 14 touchdowns, and he followed that up with a 1960 campaign where he established career-highs in receptions (74) and receiving yards (1,298).
He won championships with the Colts in both 1958 and 1959, and his participation in the “The Greatest Game Ever Played” in that 1958 championship contest established his spot in NFL lore. Berry hauled in 12 catches for 178 yards and a score in that game.
Berry ended up playing his entire 13-year career in Baltimore, finishing with 631 catches for 9,275 yards and 68 touchdowns. When he retired at the end of the 1967 season, he was the NFL’s all-time leader in both receptions and receiving yards.
Following his playing career, Berry entered the coaching ranks. He had stints as the WRs coach with the Cowboys, Lions, Browns, and Patriots, plus a three-year stretch coaching wideouts at Arkansas. He got his only head coaching gig with the Patriots in 1984, and he helped guide the organization to their first Super Bowl appearance during his first full season at the helm in 1985. He finished his head coaching career with a record of 48-39. He coached quarterbacks with the Lions (1991) and Broncos (1992) before calling it a career.
Berry was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973, and he was later a member of the NFL’s 75th Anniversary All-Time Team and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. His number 82 was retired by the Colts, and he was named a member of the Patriots 1980s All-Decade Team.
“People said Raymond Berry was not blessed with the size or speed of other receivers in the National Football League, but no one worked harder to refine his skills and master his craft. The chemistry he developed with quarterback Johnny Unitas through hours of route-running thousands of repetitions in practice created a dynamic tandem that thought with one mind on game days,” said Jim Porter, the Hall of Fame’s president and CEO. “Together they helped the Colts win consecutive titles in the late 1950s, including the classic 1958 NFL Championship Game that served as a springboard for professional football becoming this country’s most popular sport.
“On top of that, there was no finer gentleman – a person who remained humble and grounded when others sought to thrust stardom upon him.”
We at PFR extend our condolences to Berry’s family and friends.
Steelers, LB Patrick Queen Discussed Extension
MAY 30: When reflecting on his current status, Queen also said (via Christopher Carter of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) there was some truth to speculation regarding a potential trade this offseason. Nothing was ever imminent on that front, however. Uncertainty will continue to loom over Queen’s future beyond 2026, but he is set to spend a third year as a key member of Pittsburgh’s defense.
MAY 28: Patrick Queen has struggled to live up to expectations through his first two seasons in Pittsburgh. That apparently hasn’t stopped the Steelers from engaging in extension talks with the veteran linebacker.
When asked about his contract status, Queen acknowledged that the two sides have had some initial discussions about a new deal.
“It was talks here and there,” Queen told the Steelers beat (including ESPN’s Brooke Pryor). “Nothing crazy. … Obviously no movement either way. At the end of the day, they got a business to handle. I got a business to handle.”
Following a standout 2023 campaign with the Ravens, Queen joined their AFC North rivals via a three-year, $41MM contract. His grades from PFF have slipped in each of the first two years of that pact, culminating in a 2025 campaign where he ranked 79th among 88 qualifying linebackers. The website also credited Queen with a career-worst 20.4% missed tackle rate. Despite his struggles, the 26-year-old reportedly generated some trade interest from the Cowboys this offseason, although a swap obviously never came to fruition.
The Steelers haven’t done a whole lot to reinforce the position this offseason. The team did re-sign key depth piece Cole Holcomb, and Payton Wilson is entrenched at the other linebacker spot. Still, the team will continue to be reliant on Queen in 2026. After being handed the “green dot” responsibility through his first two years with the organization, perhaps the Steelers value Queen’s veteran leadership, especially as they look to install Patrick Graham‘s new defense.
While Queen’s performance doesn’t necessarily warrant a contract standoff, he was notably absent from the first week of OTAs before recently showing up for this week’s practices. Unless the Steelers are able to extend Queen for a below-market price, there’s a good chance they’ll let the 2026 campaign play out before committing to another contract.
Patrick Mahomes Participated In Chiefs OTAs Practice
MAY 29: Mahomes continues to progress in early offseason activities. According to ESPN’s Nate Taylor, the star passer saw time on the field doing competitive 7-on-7 drills on his third day of practice in a row and displayed “excellent accuracy.” Mahomes was not scheduled to participate in full 11-on-11 team periods, though — a precautionary decision made by Reid at the start of the week.
Per Pete Sweeney of The Kansas City Star, Mahomes is “driving to be able to fully participate” by training camp, though it’s still unclear if that will be possible. The team is conducting medical checkpoints every one to two weeks, and his current goals are running, cutting, and proving that he can protect himself.
MAY 26: After tearing his ACL last December, Patrick Mahomes is already back on the practice field. The Chiefs quarterback participated in his team’s first OTA practice today, per ESPN’s Nate Taylor.
Since the session was closed to reporters, it’s unclear how much Mahomes participated in the practice. But as Taylor notes, the team’s social media accounts posted clips of the QB throwing on the practice field. In the video, Mahomes was spotted wearing a knee brace. Reporters will get a better idea of the 30-year-old’s recovery when practice is open on Thursday.
While Andy Reid previously cautioned that this portion of the offseason program features “no contact and there’s no offense versus defense,” it’s still notable that Mahomes was even on the field. The quarterback has continually made it his goal to be active for Week 1, and Taylor notes that the franchise is increasingly confident in the player’s ability to complete that mission. GM Brett Veach also recently admitted that Mahomes was “way ahead of schedule” in his recovery.
Of course, we wouldn’t expect the organization to say otherwise at this point. We’ll truly get clarity on Mahomes’ timeline when contact practices commence during July’s training camp. During the current OTAs and upcoming mandatory minicamp, Mahomes will be participating in low-risk drills. The QB has been a mainstay in the Chiefs’ facility throughout his rehab, where he’s often worked with trainer Julie Frymyer, who helped him recover from previous injuries (per Taylor).
While the recovery timeline from a torn ACL has been shortened in recent years, it will still be a feat for Mahomes to return to the field in only nine months. The Chiefs have the luxury of rostering a capable backup in case Mahomes does have to miss any time, as the front office added Justin Fields in a trade with the Jets earlier this offseason.
When Mahomes does inevitably take a regular season snap, he won’t only be looking to prove that the knee isn’t impacting his play. He’ll also be looking to avenge an underwhelming on-field performance in 2025. The Chiefs went 6-8 in Mahomes’ 14 starts, with the former MVP tossing only 22 touchdowns (a career-low other than his one-game showing as a rookie).
Seahawks Sale Could Be Completed By August, Could Eclipse $10B
Roger Goodell recently pushed back on the narrative that there’s a “soft” market for the Seahawks franchise, with the commissioner stating that there was in fact “tremendous interest” among prospective buyers. Days later, there are rumblings that a record-breaking sale could actually be completed by the end of the summer.
[RELATED: Roger Goodell Claims ‘Tremendous Interest’ In Seattle Franchise]
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport revealed that if “all goes well,” there could be a special league meeting in August to approve a new Seahawks owner. Rapoport also said that a sale could eclipse $10 billion, with the reporter describing the market as “robust.”
Following years of rumors regarding a potential sale of the team and only days after winning February’s Super Bowl, Paul Allen‘s estate announced the commencement of a formal sale process of the Seahawks franchise. So far, only former Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck has emerged as a definitive potential buyer, while 49ers investor Vinod Khosia was reportedly on track to prepare a bid. The likeliest path still sees several limited partners subsidize a majority owner’s bid (similar to Josh Harris‘s purchase in Washington).
While there were whispers that the next NFL sale could reach 11-figures, a $10 billion total would still be staggering. The Commanders still represent the largest NFL deal after they were sold for $6.05 billion in 2023, followed by the Broncos $4.65 billion sale from the year before. The Browns also recently sold a three-percent ownership share in their franchise, with that transaction being established on a $9 billion valuation. The Los Angeles Lakers became the first United States sports franchise to top a $10 billion price tag when they were sold from the Buss family to Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter in 2025.
When the sale is ultimately complete, estate executor (and sister of Paul Allen) Jody Allen intends to honor her brother’s wishes of dedicating proceeds of the sale to philanthropic purposes.
Packers Not Considering RB Addition
Josh Jacobs was arrested Tuesday and booked on five charges before being released the next day. The player continues to deny the allegations as the District Attorney’s Office considers formal charges. Regardless of that outcome, Jacobs will still be subject to the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
[RELATED: Packers RB Josh Jacobs Arrested]
In other words, Jacobs’ status remains in doubt, even if he’s only forced to sit out a handful of games during the 2026 season. When asked about the matter yesterday, coach Matt LaFleur told reporters that “a lot’s going to happen between now and” the start of the season. Meanwhile, a league source told Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom.com that the Packers are not expected to pursue RB depth in the wake of the Jacobs news.
Jacobs has dominated the carries for the Packers over the past two seasons, and the team watched as primary backup Emanuel Wilson left for the Seahawks this offseason. That departure already left Green Bay with questionable depth behind their starter, and a potential Jacobs absence would only exasperate their issues.
Former RB3 Chris Brooks is the top candidate to soak up backup snaps for the Packers. The former UDFA has spent the past two years in Green Bay, where he’s compiled 449 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 87 touches. MarShawn Lloyd is also still around, although the former third-round pick has been limited to a single appearance through two professional seasons. The rest of the team’s depth consists of Pierre Strong, who has collected 692 offensive yards in stints with the Patriots and Browns, and former UDFAs Damien Martinez (2025) and Jaden Nixon (2026).
Even if the Packers do anticipate a Jacobs absence, the team would surely want to evaluate all of their in-house options before considering some reinforcement. Multiple executives cited a handful of potential targets when talking with La Canfora, including free agent Joe Mixon, Saints veteran Alvin Kamara, and Cardinals RB James Conner.
Dolphins Worked Out RB Zamir White
It’s been a quiet offseason for Zamir White, but it sounds like that could soon change. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the free agent running back recently met with the Dolphins, and he’s expected to work out for other organizations in the coming weeks.
The 2022 fourth-round pick didn’t get much run on offense as a rookie, but he saw an increased role with the Raiders in 2023. With Josh Jacobs missing a handful of games, White ended up starting four of his 17 appearances, finishing with 549 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown on 119 touches.
When Jacobs left for Green Bay ahead of the 2024 campaign, there was some thought that White would step up as the definitive RB1. He never ended up running away with the job, and thanks in part to injury, he finished third on the Raiders in carries behind Alexander Mattison and Ameer Abdullah. White ultimately completed that season with only 213 yards from scrimmage. He was knocked further down the depth chart following the additions of Ashton Jeanty and Raheem Mostert in 2025, with White finishing last season with a career-low 12 rushing attempts.
White’s experience and his special teams ability (he returned 11 kickoffs last season) still make him worthy of a flyer. He could find that opportunity in Miami, as the Dolphins have an unsettled depth chart behind De’Von Achane. The team is still rostering former draft picks Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon, and White could provide that duo with some competition for backup reps.
Bolts, Derwin James Agree To Extension
MAY 27: Of James’ $57.5MM guarantee, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes $44MM is guaranteed at signing. That covers the deal’s first two years. James received early protection on 2028, however, with Florio adding $13.5MM of James’ $24.6MM salary is guaranteed for injury at signing. That will shift to a full guarantee in March 2027.
The early guarantee date virtually ensures James will remain with the Chargers through at least the 2028 season. His 2029 salary ($21.5MM) is nonguaranteed, but a 90-man roster bonus of $3MM will be due that year.
MAY 26: Derwin James has once again reset the safeties market. The Chargers star defender has agreed to an extension that will make him the highest-paid player at his position, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
James is getting a three-year, $75.6MM deal, per Rapoport. The contract includes $57.5MM in guaranteed money, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton set the positional market last offseason when he inked a deal worth $25.1MM per season. James just topped that mark, with his new deal coming in at a $25.2MM AAV. James was set to enter the final season of the four-year, $76.5MM extension he signed with the Chargers back in 2022, and he was scheduled to earn $17.5MM for 2026 with a cap hit of $24.61MM. That previous contract once made James the highest-paid safety in NFL history. The veteran has once again set a new benchmark at the position.
The 17th-overall pick in the 2018 draft, James has emerged as one of the best defenders in Chargers history. He’s earned five All-Pro nods through his first eight seasons. That includes a 2025 campaign where he earned a second-team spot after finishing with 94 tackles, two sacks, seven passes defended, and three interceptions. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus ranked James ninth among 91 qualifying safeties.
We heard just yesterday that the Chargers were prioritizing an extension for their defensive cornerstone, with general manager Joe Hortiz making it clear that they wanted James in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future. The 29-year-old also drew praise from his head coach, with Jim Harbaugh describing James as “the best safety I’ve ever seen in the history of the National Football League” (per Schefter).
The extension for Jim Harbaugh’s top DB comes several months after John Harbaugh‘s then-charge (Kyle Hamilton) raised the bar for the safety market. The Ravens gave Hamilton a four-year, $100.4MM extension in August. Prior to that point, no safety had ever seen an AAV north of $21.5MM. Hamilton’s windfall set the table for James, who will benefit from the latest NFL cap spike. Hortiz was in the Ravens’ front office when Hamilton was drafted, making it not especially surprising to see his new team prioritize the safety position to this degree.
James’ deal towers over the rest of the Bolts’ secondary contracts. No other Charger DB is tied to a contract worth $7MM per year, with its longtime anchor now tied to an accord worth more than quadruple per annum than any of his secondary mates. The Chargers also carried more than $43MM in cap space entering Tuesday, opening a window for James’ second extension.
James is now several years removed from his injury issues, having played 16 games in each of the past three seasons. The Chargers will bet on the Florida State alum, whose standout play certainly boosted now-Ravens HC Jesse Minter‘s stock over the past two years, going into his 30s.
With James now locked in for the next few seasons, the Chargers can turn their attention to other extension-eligible players. That includes edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu, who Hortiz also mentioned as a candidate for a new deal.
Packers RB Josh Jacobs Arrested
MAY 27: Jacobs will be released from jail on Wednesday, Schneidman reports. No formal charges have been filed yet, but that could change. In its official statement, the Brown County District Attorney’s Office announced: “After reviewing the available evidence in this case, the Brown County District Attorney’s Office is not yet prepared to make a formal charging decision. Our office has requested additional investigation, as there is reason to believe that additional evidence may exist that would impact whether criminal charges are appropriate, and what charges would be issued.”
MAY 26: Packers running back Josh Jacobs was arrested today and booked on five charges, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic.
The charges include battery/domestic abuse, criminal damage to property/domestic abuse, disorderly conduct/domestic abuse, strangulation and suffocation, and intimidation of a victim. The strangulation charge is a felony, with the other four charges being misdemeanors. Jacobs has denied the allegations.
According to the release from the Hobart/Lawrence, Wisconsin police department (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport), the arrest stems from a “disturbance complaint” involving Jacobs that took place on Saturday. Jacobs turned himself in today.
“Josh vehemently denies the allegations, and this matter is in the early stages of investigation with important evidence that has not yet been made public,” the player’s attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, said in a statement (via Rapoport). “We ask for fairness and restraint while the judicial process takes its course.”
The Packers also released a statement (via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero):
“We are aware of the matter involving Josh Jacobs. As it is an ongoing legal situation, we will withhold further comment.”
The NFL released a similar statement (via Pelissero):
“We are aware of the report and have been in contact with the club.”
Following a five-year stint with the Raiders to begin his career, Jacobs inked a four-year, $48MM contract with the Packers ahead of the 2024 season. Through his first two years in Green Bay, the veteran has compiled 2,882 yards from scrimmage and 30 total touchdowns.
From a football standpoint, Jacobs will be subject to the league’s personal conduct policy. After losing Emanuel Wilson in free agency, the team’s depth behind their RB1 currently consists of Chris Brooks, MarShawn Lloyd, Pierre Strong, Damien Martinez, and UDFA Jaden Nixon.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/26/26
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Tyron Herring
- Waived/injured: CB DeCarlos Nicholson
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB K.C. Ossai
K.C. Ossai is back with the Texans. The Louisiana product joined Houston as an UDFA last offseason but didn’t make the 53-man roster. He caught on with the Dolphins practice squad late in the year and was retained via a reserve/futures contract, but he was cut by Miami earlier this month. The linebacker had a standout collegiate career with the Ragin’ Cajuns, including a 2024 campaign where he tallied 115 tackles.
Steelers Re-Sign DL Dean Lowry
The Steelers have finally agreed to a new deal with Dean Lowry. The team announced that they’ve signed the free agent defensive lineman to a one-year deal. To make room on the roster, the Steelers have waived defensive tackle Jahvaree Ritzie.
There were reports last month that the two sides had agreed to a new contract. However, that was quickly dismissed, as the Steelers wanted to give the veteran more time to return to playing shape. The 31-year-old is working his way back from a torn ACL suffered last summer.
Lowry joined the Steelers on a two-year, $5MM contract during the 2024 offseason. He mostly served as a backup during his first season in Pittsburgh, getting into about 20 percent of his team’s defensive snaps in his 12 appearances. The veteran suffered a torn ACL during last year’s training camp that erased his entire 2025 campaign. We heard previously that Lowry had been given medical clearance, and the Steelers are apparently happy enough with his recovery to bring him back for another season.
The former fourth-round pick turned into a dependable starter during his long stint in Green Bay, where he started 80 of his 111 appearances. He tallied 15.5 sacks, 23 TFLs, and 34 QB hits during his seven seasons with the Packers. He left for the Vikings on a two-year deal in 2023, but a pectoral injury limited him to only nine games that year. Lowry was cut loose after only one season in Minnesota.
While he’s unlikely to return to his early-career production, Lowry will still provide the Steelers with some veteran continuity on the defensive line. Isaiahh Loudermilk and Daniel Ekuale are both out the door, with Sebastian Joseph-Day representing Pittsburgh’s reinforcement up front. Derrick Harmon, Cameron Heyward, and Keeanu Benton will still command the majority of the snaps on the DL, but Lowry should be a dependable depth piece and special teamer.
Ritzie went undrafted out of North Carolina in 2025 before catching on with the Patriots. He had a brief stint on New England’s practice squad before getting cut in September. He caught on with Pittsburgh in January via a reserve/futures contract.