Rams, Matthew Stafford Agree To Extension
The Rams have officially committed to Matthew Stafford through at least the 2027 campaign. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the two sides have agreed to a one-year, $55MM extension. The deal could reach $60MM with incentives. The Rams have officially announced the deal.
After reworking the QB’s contract in both 2024 and 2025, there was one year remaining on the reigning MVP’s pact. With today’s extension, Stafford will now be attached to a two-year deal worth up to $105MM. The true $50MM average annual value would only rank 11th at his position, but a $55MM AAV would be tied for second behind Dak Prescott‘s record-breaking $60MM in annual earnings.
We heard last month that the Rams were progressing on a deal with Stafford. However, the team later stunned the NFL world when they used their 13th-overall selection in the draft on QB Ty Simpson. While the team is counting on the Alabama star to eventually guide their offense, Rams leadership also made it clear that the selection wasn’t an indictment on Stafford nor his standing on the team. Today’s agreement all but assures that Simpson will now warm the bench for at least his first two professional seasons.
The Rams have had to navigate a handful of contractual issues with Stafford. A year after acquiring the former first-overall pick from the Lions, the Rams signed the QB to a four-year, $160MM extension. As the veteran fell down the AAV leaderboard, he came to the table with restructuring requests in 2024 and 2025.
That latter negotiation led to the Rams letting Stafford speak with other teams about a potential trade. While the Giants and Raiders lined up guarantee packages covering north of $90MM, Stafford ultimately stuck with the Rams, agreeing to a revised two-year, $80MM deal that included a $40MM guarantee at signing. Another $40MM guarantee vested on Day 5 of the current league year. A $24MM 2026 option bonus was also split into four parts.
Stafford won MVP following an age-37 season that saw him pace the NFL in passing yards (4,707) and touchdowns (46). The veteran has seen a career renaissance while playing under Sean McVay in Los Angeles. After going 74-90-1 in 12 seasons with the Lions, Stafford has gone 46-28 through his first five years with the Rams. The QB has also added 10 playoff appearances to his resume, including four during his team’s 2021 run to a Super Bowl championship.
The team’s pursuit of another championship has fallen short in recent years. However, the organization can rest easy knowing that the McVay/Stafford tandem will remain in place for at least the next few seasons.
Giants, GM Joe Schoen Agree To Multiyear Extension
Once believed to be on the hot seat, Joe Schoen is now sticking in New York for the foreseeable future. The Giants have agreed to a multiyear extension with their general manager, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. The team has since announced the move.
Following last season’s ouster of Brian Daboll, it became apparent that Schoen had a relatively short leash in his role. The organization’s offseason additions only seemed to reinforce that notion. First, the team landed John Harbaugh to be their next head coach. While Schoen was notably involved in that search, the new head coach insisted on reporting to ownership instead of the GM. Before the higher-ups ultimately greenlit that arrangement, it was rumored that Schoen represented an impediment to that potential change.
Later in the offseason, we heard the Giants’ Dawn Aponte hire (as senior VP of football operations and strategy) stripped power from Schoen. That report hinted that Schoen had essentially been “relegated to handling scouting” while the “rest of the building reports to Dawn.” Since franchise’s tend to prefer some continuity before the draft, there were even whispers that Schoen could be a post-draft casualty.
At the same time, a report during the Giants’ Harbaugh pursuit indicated the coach’s likely willingness to work with the GM. After navigating both free agency and the draft, it sounds like leadership (including the new HC) was satisfied with their current hierarchy, leading to today’s unexpected extension.
Schoen has spent more than two decades in NFL front offices, including initial stops with the Panthers and Dolphins. During that latter stint in Miami, the executive worked his way up to director of player personnel, and he parlayed that gig into the assistant general manager role in Buffalo under Brandon Beane.
The Giants hired Schoen to lead their front office in 2022, and the GM quickly recruited Daboll to join him in New York. The organization saw some immediate success under the new regime, as the team won their first playoff game since their Super Bowl-winning run in 2011. However, that success didn’t last. Following a nine-win showing in 2022, the Giants dropped to six wins in 2023 before bottoming out with three wins in 2024 and four wins in 2025.
While Schoen has had some hits in the draft, he’s also earned his fair share of criticism. His willingness to let Saquon Barkley and fellow first-team All-Pro Xavier McKinney walk in free agency left both fans and players (including Dexter Lawrence) disillusioned with the franchise’s direction. Schoen also spearheaded the regrettable Daniel Jones extension, a deal the Giants will continue paying in 2026.
Harbaugh undoubtedly has the final say from a roster-building perspective, and the coach could have easily pushed for a change to the front office hierarchy. Despite Schoen’s warts, today’s extension indicates a vote of confidence from both ownership and (perhaps most importantly) Harbaugh.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/21/26
Today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Waived: RB Deion Hankins
- Placed on exempt/international player list: P Tory Taylor
Houston Texans
- Waived/injured: CB Ajani Carter
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: OT Marques Cox, RB Carlos Washington
- Waived: TE Jalin Conyers, OL Braeden Daniels
Tepid Trade Market For Jacoby Brissett?
Jacoby Brissett continues to sit out OTAs as he pursues a new contract. The quarterback’s apparent dissatisfaction with his deal (along with the Cardinals’ selection of Carson Beck) has led some pundits to assume that a trade is inevitable.
[RELATED: Jacoby Brissett Absent For Start Of Cardinals’ OTAs]
That hypothetical trade probably won’t come to fruition, at least for the time being. Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom.com writes that “there isn’t much of a trade market” for Brissett.
Further, one anonymous GM who was shopping for QB reinforcement was skeptical that the veteran was ever on the trade block. If anything, that executive believes the Cardinals are willing to keep Brissett into the regular season and wait until a QB-needy team is willing to make a desperate trade. La Canfora also notes that some league executives are skeptical that Brissett can continue his play into the 2026 campaign. So even when the inevitable crop of injuries do pop up, the market may not be as robust as the Cardinals are hoping.
If that’s truly the Cardinals plan, then the front office will still have to navigate Brissett’s current discontent. The 33-year-old inked a two-year, $12.5MM contract with Arizona last offseason, and he’s currently attached to $5.4MM in earnings for the 2026 campaign.
That’s obviously an affordable arrangement for the franchise, especially since they plan for Brissett to be their QB1 entering the season. Initially signed to serve as Kyler Murray‘s backup, Brissett ended up starting 12 games for the Cardinals in 2025. While the team only went 1-11 in those appearances, the journeyman put up some of the best numbers of his career. He finished the campaign having completed 64.9 percent of his passes while establishing career-highs in passing yards (3,366) and passing touchdowns (23).
Despite his production last season, it’s not like the rebuilding Cardinals have a desperate need to keep Brissett around. As mentioned, the team used a third-round selection on Beck, and there’s a good chance the Miami product sees the field at some point during his rookie season. The Cardinals also brought in Gardner Minshew following their failed pursuit of Jimmy Garoppolo, so there’s another QB who can keep the seat warm until Beck is deemed ready to play.
Buccaneers Sign Josiah Trotter, Complete Draft Class Signings
The Buccaneers have wrapped up their draft pick signings. The team announced that they’ve inked second-round linebacker Josiah Trotter to his rookie deal.
Trotter, the son of former Pro Bowl LB Jeremiah Trotter, earned Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year following a standout season at West Virginia in 2024, and he continued his NFL trajectory after transferring to Missouri. The linebacker earned First-team All-SEC honors this past year after finishing with 84 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and two sacks.
That performance established Trotter as one of the top linebacker prospects in the nation, and he was ultimately the fourth player selected at his position when Tampa Bay used the 46th-overall pick on him. With Alex Anzalone switching over to the weakside linebacker role, the rookie will immediately have an opportunity to contribute at the Mike linebacker spot.
As mentioned, the Bucs have now signed their seven draft picks to rookie deals. The group includes:
- Round 1, No. 15: Rueben Bain Jr. (EDGE, Miami)
- Round 2, No. 46: Josiah Trotter (LB, Missouri)
- Round 3, No. 84 (from Packers): Ted Hurst (WR, Georgia State)
- Round 4, No. 116: Keionte Scott (CB, Miami)
- Round 5, No. 155: Demonte Capehart (DT, Clemson)
- Round 5, No. 160 (from Packers): Billy Schrauth (G, Notre Dame)
- Round 6, No. 185 (from Raiders): Bauer Sharp (TE, LSU)
Dolphins LB Jordyn Brooks Uncertain If He’ll Receive Extension
The Dolphins handed running back De’Von Achane a lucrative four-year extension last week, leaving linebacker Jordyn Brooks as the clear next candidate to get a new deal. While the veteran is reportedly seeking a raise, he’s uncertain if Miami will dish out the money to keep him around for the long haul.
[RELATED: Dolphins LB Jordyn Brooks Seeking Raise]
While speaking with reporters today, Brooks admitted that he’s unsure if he’ll receive an extension offer from the organization.
“I don’t know,” Brooks said when asked about his extension candidacy (via C. Isaiah Smalls II of the Miami Herald). “It could go either way, obviously. I’m just controlling what I can control — play football. I’m blessed to do it. So I’m just going to keep approaching it that way.”
The former Seahawks first-round pick joined the Dolphins via a three-year deal in 2024. He’s emerged as one of Miami’s defensive leaders over the past two years, culminating in a 2025 campaign when he earned a first-team All-Pro nod after finishing with a league-leading 183 tackles. Pro Football Focus ranked Brooks 11th among 88 qualifying linebackers, including the third-best positional grade for his run defense.
Brooks is now entering the final season of his contract and has no guaranteed money left on his deal. While there was some skepticism that he’d show up for OTAs as he pursued a new deal, Brooks made it clear that a holdout was never under consideration.
“I need to get better as a player so that’s why I show up,” Brooks said. “Obviously, I never want to send the wrong message to the team or to my teammates. I play with these guys. Go to battle with them. I want them to know that I’m here no matter what [and that I’m] playing the game for the right reasons.”
For what it’s worth, the Dolphins haven’t given any indication that they’re against extending the linebacker. Back in March, GM Jon-Eric Sullivan said he wants Brooks “to be part of this” and “to be a pillar on the defensive side.” Coach Jeff Hafley was equally complimentary of his defensive leader today.
“Great leader, loves football, works really, really hard,” Hafley said (via Smalls). “He’s made the right way. I’ve really enjoyed him. You see the film, you see the type of player that he is; but once you get to know him you kind of understand why. I think his work ethic is elite and he loves football. He absolutely loves the game and he wants to meet. He wants to go over stuff. He wants to learn. He’s a fun guy to coach.”
As Smalls notes, Azeez Al-Shaair‘s recent extension could provide a basis for a future Brooks contract. The Texans linebacker got a three-year, $54MM extension, and that $18MM average annual value would represent a significant leap from Brooks’ current $8.76MM AAV. As the Dolphins navigate a significant rebuild, the team may decide it’s worth it to retain one of their few veteran leaders.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/19/26
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Reverted to IR: RB Montrell Johnson, TE Bryce Pierre
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Aaron Anderson, LB Reid Carrico, LB Markees Watts
- Waived: TE Caden Prieskorn, WR Isaiah Wooden
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: WR Michael Briscoe, LB Devean Deal
Ravens Sign Zion Young, Complete Draft Class Signings
The Ravens have completed their draft class signings. The team announced that they’ve inked second-round linebacker Zion Young to his rookie contract.
Young put himself on the NFL map with strong showings at Michigan State in 2023 and Missouri in 2024, but he established himself as one of the top prospects at his position with a dominant 2025 campaign. The pass rusher got into 13 games for the Tigers, tallying 42 stops, 6.5 sacks, and 16.5 tackles for loss. That performance earned him a first-team All-SEC nod.
The Ravens selected Young with the 45th-overall pick in this year’s draft. Baltimore ranked 28th in pass-rush win rate in 2025, so some young talent on the edge should certainly help the defense. The Ravens, of course, added Trey Hendrickson to help in that regard, but the team should have some open snaps opposite the All-Pro pass rusher. Young will be competing with Tavius Robinson and 2025 second-round pick Mike Green for reps.
As mentioned, the Ravens have now signed all of their 11 draft picks to contracts. The draft class includes:
- Round 1, No. 14: Vega Ioane (G, Penn State)
- Round 2, No. 45: Zion Young (EDGE, Missouri)
- Round 3, No. 80: Ja’Kobi Lane (WR, USC)
- Round 4, No. 115: Elijah Sarratt (WR, Indiana)
- Round 4, No. 133 (from 49ers)*: Matthew Hibner (TE, SMU)
- Round 5, No. 162 (from Chargers): Chandler Rivers (CB, Duke)
- Round 5, No. 173*: Josh Cuevas (TE, Alabama)
- Round 5, No. 174*: Adam Randall (RB, Clemson)
- Round 6, No. 211 (from Broncos via Jets, Vikings and Eagles): Ryan Eckley (P, Michigan State)
- Round 7, No. 250: Rayshaun Benny (DT, Michigan)
- Round 7, No. 253: Evan Beerntsen (G, Northwestern)
Chiefs WR Rashee Rice Recently Underwent Knee Surgery, Expected To Be Sidelined For Two Months
The Rashee Rice saga has taken yet another turn. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Chiefs wide receiver recently underwent a clean-up surgery on his right knee. This will sideline Rice for two months.
[RELATED: Chiefs WR Rashee Rice Ordered To Serve 30 Days In Jail For Violating Probation]
The operation was intended to remove “loose debris” that was causing inflammation in the wideout’s knee. There is no structural damage, and the debridement was solely required to relieve the discomfort. The pain stems from Rice’s knee injury from 2024, when he suffered a torn LCL, a damaged hamstring tendon, and a damaged PCL after colliding with quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The surgery took place last week in Dallas. Schefter notes that Rice went under the knife without the knowledge that he’d soon be sentenced to 30 days in jail for violating the terms of his probation.
Rice is set to be released from jail on June 16th. This means he’ll miss some critical time that could have been spent rehabbing with the Chiefs medical staff. Schefter notes that Rice is still expected to be ready to go for training camp.
Rice is on probation for five years as a result of a 2024 hit-and-run crash that resulted in eight felony charges. His current jail sentence stems from a positive THC test. Rice was previously ordered to serve a 30-day sentence but was granted the ability to choose when he’d spend his time in jail. By violating the terms of his probation, he’s now being forced to serve that sentence immediately.
Rice was already slapped with a six-game suspension for the crash, and when coupled with his recovery from the knee injury and a subsequent concussion, the receiver has been limited to only 12 games over the past two years. He’s still been productive when he’s seen the field, averaging more than 70 yards per game while hauling in seven touchdowns across the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Rice’s legal issues have already put the Chiefs in a difficult position, and his recovery from this knee surgery will continue to stress their WR depth. If Rice’s recovery extends into the regular season, the Chiefs will be eyeing a WR corps that features former first-round pick Xavier Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, and rookie fifth-round pick Cyrus Allen.
CB Nazeeh Johnson To Visit Bears
The market for Nazeeh Johnson is starting to heat up. After being connected to the Cowboys and Giants, the free agent defensive back is set to visit with the Bears, per Jordan Schultz.
[RELATED: CB Nazeeh Johnson Met With Eagles, Arranges Giants Visit]
The 2022 seventh-round pick out of Marshall has spent his entire career in Kansas City, where he’s earned a pair of Super Bowl rings. He played exclusively on special teams as a rookie, and his sophomore season was completely wiped out thanks to a torn ACL.
The cornerback finally got some run on defense during the 2024 season, when he started six of his 16 appearances. He finished that year with 56 tackles, one sack, and three passes defended, with Pro Football Focus ranking him 101st among 117 qualifying corners. Johnson also started two of his three postseason appearances that year.
His 2025 campaign was mostly erased thanks to a shoulder injury suffered during the preseason. He was limited to only two late-season contests, with all of his 27 snaps coming on special teams.
Chicago’s cornerbacks corps will look a bit different in 2026. Nahshon Wright and Nick McCloud are no longer around, leaving Tyrique Stevenson, Jaylon Johnson, and Kyler Gordon to lead the depth chart. If Johnson catches on, he could establish a depth role ahead of the likes of fourth-round rookie Malik Muhammad and former fifth-round pick Terell Smith.