49ers Sign DE Cameron Sample
The 49ers have added some depth to their defensive line. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the team has signed Cameron Sample. It will be a one-year deal for the defensive end.
A 2021 fourth-round pick out of Tulane, Sample saw a consistent defensive role during his time with the Bengals. He missed only four games through his first three seasons in Cincinnati, where he got into more than one third of his team’s defensive snaps while compiling five total sacks and 20 total QB hits.
His 2024 campaign was completely wiped out by a torn Achilles tendon. He re-signed with the Bengals last offseason and managed to make 14 appearances in his comeback season, tallying 17 tackles, a pair of sacks, and one forced fumble. However, he got into a career-low 26 percent of his team’s defensive snaps, and had he earned enough reps to qualify, he would have ranked in the bottom-20 of Pro Football Focus’ ranking of the league’s edge defenders.
The 49ers needed some extra DE depth last season, as both Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams were lost with torn ACLs. That duo should be back in the lineup at some point early in the 2026 campaign, but Sample will be among the grouping to soak up any leftover snaps. At the moment, the free agent addition will be competing with the likes of Sam Okuayinonu (who led the position grouping in snaps in 2025), Keion White, William Bradley-King, and Andrew Farmer.
LSU CB Mansoor Delane Visiting Dolphins, Giants
Mansoor Delane is becoming an increasingly popular name in the workout circuit. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the LSU cornerback is visiting with the Dolphins tonight and tomorrow before meeting with the Giants on Wednesday and Thursday.
Delane has established himself as one of the (if not the) best cornerback prospect in this year’s draft. The defensive back had a breakout campaign at Virginia Tech in 2024, when he finished with four interceptions and seven passes defended. He was a popular name in the transfer portal ahead of the 2025 campaign, and he ultimately landed with LSU.
After being responsible for seven touchdowns allowed in 2024, Delane significantly improved on that number during his lone season with the Tigers. Pro Football Focus didn’t credit him with a single touchdown allowed in 2025, and the prospect finished his senior year with a pair of interceptions and 11 passes defended. Delane’s 4.38 40-yard dash time at his Pro Day cemented him as a premier cornerback prospect in this year’s draft, and he’ll likely be competing with Jermod McCoy to be the first player selected at the position.
After being connected to the Cowboys last month, Delane is now adding two more definitive suitors to his list. The Giants will have the first crack at the cornerback with their number-five selection, and with most pundits placing the LSU prospect in the top-10 of mock drafts, it wouldn’t be much of a reach. The team lost recent starter Cor’Dale Flott via free agency, but they brought in Greg Newsome to a grouping that includes holdovers like Paulson Adebo, Dru Phillips, and Deonte Banks. Delane would add a major influx of talent to that CBs room.
Plus, John Harbaugh has never been afraid to use a first-round pick on defensive backs, although he never picked this high during his Baltimore tenure. Still, during the coach’s 18 seasons with the Ravens, the organization used six first-round selections on cornerbacks or safeties.
There’s a chance Delane could fall to the Dolphins at No. 11, and the team may be doing their due diligence in case that scenario comes to fruition. Miami has put in some work to remake their cornerbacks corps this offseason. Jack Jones and Rasul Douglas remain unsigned, leaving Jason Marshall, JuJu Brents, and Storm Duck as the most notable returning players from last year’s squad.
Meanwhile, the front office has brought in the likes of Darrell Baker, Marco Wilson, and Alex Austin to soak up some of the snaps. Delane would instantly leap to the top of the depth chart in Miami, and in a clear rebuilding year, the team may ultimately opt for the best player available with the first of their two first-round selections.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/6/26
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Re-signed: TE Brenden Bates, WR Malachi Corley, LB Winston Reid, LS Rex Sunahara, K Andre Szmyt, WR Jamari Thrash
Las Vegas Raiders
- Re-signed: C Will Putnam
New York Giants
- Waived: WR Da’Quan Felton, S Patrick McMorris, CB TJ Moore, CB Myles Purchase
A handful of exclusive rights free agents re-upped with their respective teams today, as the Browns and Raiders transactions exclusively featured these types of contracts.
Meanwhile, the Giants cleared some room off their offseason roster today. Patrick McMorris is the only player with any NFL experience, as the safety got into six games with the Dolphins in 2024, with 97 of his 105 snaps coming on special teams.
Texans Host CB Martin Emerson Jr.
After missing the entire 2025 campaign, Martin Emerson Jr. is eyeing a new team for his comeback season. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the free agent cornerback visited the Texans today.
Emerson emerged as a key defender during his time with the Browns. The 2022 third-round pick got into at least 70 percent of his team’s defensive snaps in each of his three healthy seasons. This culminated in a 2024 campaign where he started 15 of his 17 appearances.
His best statistical season came in 2023, when he finished with four interceptions and 14 passes defended, with PFF grading him 61st among 128 qualifying cornerbacks. While he was basically a full-time starter in 2024, PFF only ranked him 113th among 117 qualifiers.
Emerson was heading into the final season of his rookie contract in 2025. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn Achilles during training camp that ended his season before it began.
The 25-year-old could have a chance to revive his career in Houston. The Texans could use some depth behind Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter. 2025 third-round pick Jaylin Smith is currently penciled in for that key backup role, although he’s coming off a rookie campaign that ended early thanks to a torn meniscus.
Buccaneers Sign OT Justin Skule
Following a one-year stop in Minnesota, Justin Skule is heading back to Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers announced today that they’ve signed the veteran offensive tackle. Greg Auman of FOX Sports passes along that it’s a one-year deal for Skule.
The 2019 sixth-round pick out of Vanderbilt spent the first chunk of his career in San Francisco. He got occasional looks in the starting lineup, starting 12 of his 31 appearances through his first two NFL seasons. His 2021 campaign was wiped out due to a torn ACL, and he was cut by the 49ers at the end of the 2022 preseason.
He caught on with the Buccaneers and proceeded to spend the next three seasons with the organization. He only got into one game during his first year in Tampa Bay, and he mostly played special teams in 2023. However, he saw a more significant role in 2024, starting five of his 17 appearances while getting into about one third of his team’s offensive snaps.
The Vikings brought him on last offseason, and the veteran proceeded to start a career-high nine games in Minnesota. Pro Football Focus graded him 45th among 84 qualifying offensive tackles, with the site preferring his pass-blocking ability to his run-blocking prowess.
Skule would have come in handy last year in Tampa Bay, as starting OTs Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke both missed time with injuries, forcing Charlie Heck to start six games. Skule will once again serve as a key backup to those two starters, although he’ll face some competition from 2025 UDFA Ben Chukwuma, who started two games as a rookie.
Browns Sign DB Myles Bryant
The Browns have added a veteran piece to their secondary. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston reports that Cleveland has agreed to a deal with defensive back Myles Bryant.
The 2020 undrafted free agent out of Washington spent the first four seasons of his career in New England. His role progressively got bigger during his time with the Patriots, culminating in a 2023 campaign where he started nine of his 17 appearances. He finished that season with 77 tackles, seven passes defended, an interception, and a pair of forced fumbles. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus ranked him 54th among 127 qualifying cornerbacks.
He left for the Texans in 2024 but mostly played special teams during his first season in Houston. He saw a more significant role this past season, starting three of his 11 appearances. He finished the year with 40 stops while getting into 343 defensive snaps.
Bryant has shown an ability to play multiple roles in the secondary. Just this past season, he spent time as a free safety, slot cornerback, wide cornerback, and in the box. That should afford him a role on any team, although he may still have to fight for reps in Cleveland.
The Browns will return their same secondary as 2024, including their cornerbacks (Denzel Ward, Tyson Campbell, Myles Harden) and safeties (Ronnie Hickman, Grant Delpit). The team has also already acquired some depth in safety Daniel Thomas, who was added via free agency. At CB, Bryant will be competing with the likes of Dom Jones, D’Angelo Ross, and Tre Avery for reps, while Thomas and Donovan McMillon represent the acquisition’s main competition at safety.
Mutual Interest Between WR Odell Beckham Jr., Giants?
Odell Beckham Jr.‘s recent showing at the Fanatics Flag Football Classic led to some speculation that he could make an NFL comeback. The WR’s apparent interest in returning to the NFL was reciprocated by some anonymous suitors, as OBJ’s performance generated some “renewed interest.”
[RELATED: Beckham Interested In Resuming NFL Career]
One of those potential suitors could be one of Beckham’s former teams. While John Harbaugh wouldn’t definitively say if the Giants have interest in the veteran wideout, the new head coach did admit he’d at least consider the possibility.
“The obvious answer would be you look at every option,” Harbaugh said (via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan). “And if Odell is an option, we’ll be looking at him for sure.”
In addition to OBJ’s standout stint with the Giants, he also has familiarity with the franchise’s new decision maker. The WR played under Harbaugh in Baltimore during the 2023 campaign, when he hauled in 35 catches for 565 yards. Harbaugh acknowledged that he remains in contact with the free agent wideout.
“He and I do talk. We do text,” Harbaugh said. “We’ve maintained a really great relationship. He’s one of my very favorite people in the world. It’s not like you don’t talk to guys on things like that. And certainly we have.”
To add fuel to the fire, Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports that the receiver was spotted chatting with Harbaugh at the hotel that’s hosting the ongoing owners meetings. Raanan notes that the two sides were indeed discussing a potential role in New York.
While OBJ’s performance in a flag football game may have raised some eyebrows, it’s uncertain if that showing would translate to the NFL. After all, the 33-year-old has been limited to only nine games over the past two years, with his stint in Miami in 2024 ending with him hauling in only nine catches for 55 yards. He was hit with a six-game ban in 2025 for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, and he didn’t end up finding a new home for the rest of the season.
If OBJ was to return to the NFL, the Giants would clearly be a logical landing spot. Besides his history with the franchise and Harbaugh, the Giants could have an opening for a player like Beckham. The team lost Wan’Dale Robinson in free agency, and with Malik Nabers working his way back from a torn ACL, the Giants are eyeing an early-season depth chart consisting of Darius Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins, and newcomers Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin.
Duggan cautions that a move is not imminent, and the Giants would obviously only consider a move after hosting the receiver for a workout. General manager Joe Schoen said as much earlier today.
“Typically, if it’s not one of these higher-paid guys, coming off a season where — we’re not going to work out [newly signed tight end] Isaiah Likely or somebody — but somebody that hasn’t played, in this instance you’re talking about Odell hasn’t played in a year, you’d certainly want to see him work out,” Schoen said.
Falcons Would Consider Kyle Pitts Trade
The Falcons slapped Kyle Pitts with the franchise tag back in February, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the tight end will stick in Atlanta for the 2026 season. Falcons GM Ian Cunningham admitted to reporters today that he’d listen to trade offers on the former first-round pick
[RELATED: Falcons Place Franchise Tag On TE Kyle Pitts]
“It’s my job as the general manager to do what’s best for the organization,” Cunningham said (via Josh Kendall of The Athletic). “Kyle is a great player. We’ve seen his skill set. Also, it’s my job to listen. We’re excited to have Kyle. We’re excited for his future.”
Pitts has struggled to live up to his first-round billing through five years in the NFL, although his performance in 2025 was enough for the new regime to commit to 2026. The tight end had his most productive campaign since his rookie year, and he ultimately finished the season with a career-high 88 receptions for 928 yards and five touchdowns. After being hit with the franchise tag, Pitts will now be attached to a $15MM salary in 2026.
Even before Cunningham acknowledge that a trade could be a possibility, it was uncertain if Pitts had a long-term future in Atlanta. We heard earlier this month that the tight end was expected to play out the 2026 campaign on the franchise tag, and the organization’s new leadership would use their in-person evaluation to determine any future contracts for the veteran.
Now, there’s a chance that Kevin Stefanski‘s staff might not even have an opportunity to work with the pass-catching TE. Pitts’ franchise tag removed a key player from the free agent pool, and among the six tight ends to earn at least $10MM in guaranteed money, only four switched teams (Isaiah Likely, Charlie Kolar, Chig Okonkwo, Daniel Bellinger). In other words, plenty of teams would surely consider a notable addition to their tight ends room, and while Atlanta’s front office couldn’t command a bounty, they wouldn’t lack for suitors.
If Pitts does stick in Atlanta, there will once again be some uncertainty about his role in 2026. He’ll likely be receiving passes from a new QB in Tua Tagovailoa, and he’ll be playing under a new head coach. While Stefanski has had success with the likes of David Njoku and Harold Fannin, the coach made it sound like he wants to utilize all of the tight ends on his depth chart, a grouping that also includes Austin Hooper and Charlie Woerner.
“We certainly want to be a team that goes in and out of different personnel groupings,” Stefanski said (via Kendall). “The spring and summer will allow us to see what our best group is and what we want to lean into.”
Steelers Expecting Aaron Rodgers Resolution Before Draft
While Aaron Rodgers intends to take his time deciding on his status for the 2026 campaign, the Steelers are anticipating some clarity sooner than later. While speaking with reporters today, owner/president Art Rooney II acknowledged that the organization expects an answer from Rodgers before the NFL draft, per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
While Rodgers seemed destined to join the Steelers last offseason, it took the quarterback until June to finally sign a contract. Rooney said the franchise isn’t expecting to wait around nearly as long this year.
“When I talked to him and Omar [Khan] talked to him, he told us he wasn’t going to take as long this year as he did last year [to make a decision],” Rooney said. “I’m not 100% sure what that means, but I expect something before the draft.”
The Steelers are expecting a quicker resolution this offseason because there aren’t as many (if any) suitors for the veteran QB. While the Raiders were mentioned as a fallback option, it’s always been assumed that Rodgers will either re-sign with Pittsburgh or hang up his cleats. While there was some speculation that the 42-year-old may want his own clarity from the draft, it’s sounding like the team’s first-year additions won’t have any influence on Rodgers’ final decision.
Also working in the Steelers’ favor is the status of Mike McCarthy, who the Steelers hired to replace long-time head coach Mike Tomlin. McCarthy and Rodgers obviously have a relationship dating back from their time in Green Bay, and it’s believed that the addition will ultimately convince the QB to re-up with the franchise. McCarthy spoke with reporters this week and said he’s spoken with Rodgers “every couple of days,” adding that he’s “comfortable with the dialogue that’s occured.”
“Just like they always are, life, football, what’s going on at the facility,” McCarthy said of his conversations with Rodgers (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor). “So he’s really engaged with what’s going on. … I would just say he’s in a very positive space. We’ll just continue to engage in conversations.”
While the Steelers seem to be counting on Rodgers to be under center in 2026, that won’t stop them from pursuing other players at the position. When asked if the organization would consider selecting a QB in the draft, Khan told reporters that “all options are on the table.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/31/26
One minor move to pass along:
Washington Commanders
- Signed: DT D.J. Davidson
A former fifth-round pick out of Arizona State, Davidson played out his rookie contract with the Giants. He showed occasional flashes on defense through his four seasons in New York, including a 2024 campaign where he tallied a pair of sacks and two tackles for loss while getting into a career-high 262 defensive snaps. His counting stats took a step back in 2025, as Davidson finished with only nine tackles while getting into about 25 percent of his team’s defensive reps. His season ended on injured reserve after he suffered a neck injury and concussion.
Davidson may face an uphill battle to carve out a role on Washington’s defense. The team has Daron Payne, Javon Kinlaw, and newcomer Tim Settle penciled in atop the depth chart, with the likes of Johnny Newton, Shy Tuttle, and Ricky Barber around to soak up snaps. Davidson’s ability to play special teams could earn him a roster spot, but he’ll have to overcome at least one of those aforementioned names to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.