Titans Restructure Calvin Ridley’s Deal
When the Titans’ offseason began in early January, it looked like a question of when – not if – they would release wide receiver Calvin Ridley. That is no longer the case. After agreeing to restructure his contract, Ridley will remain in Tennessee next season, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
The 31-year-old Ridley was due a $2MM roster bonus by 3 p.m. CT on Saturday, per Pelissero. The sides were able to work something out before the deadline. Ridley will stick around a Tennessee receiving corps that will also include the newly acquired Wan’Dale Robinson, one of several big-ticket free agent pickups for the club. The Titans added the ex-Giants slot target on a four-year, $70MM pact this week.
Ridley, a former Falcon and Jaguar, joined the Titans on a four-year, $92MM agreement with $50MM in guarantees in March 2024. Although Ridley missed all of 2022 as a result of a gambling suspension, he earned his massive contract after a 76-catch, 1,016-yard, eight-touchdown rebound in 2023.
Ridley was productive again in his first season with the Titans. On a team that did not have any other 500-yard receivers, Ridley finished with 1,017 on 64 grabs. He also added four scores. Tennessee likely expected a similar performance from Ridley last season, but he did not provide much help for rookie quarterback Cam Ward. Ridley caught just 17 of 36 targets for 303 yards and no TDs over seven games. His season ended when he broke his fibula in a Week 11 loss to the Texans.
Ridley worked with two different play callers, former head coach Brian Callahan and ex-QBs coach Bo Hardegree, in 2025. The Titans are now led by new head coach Robert Saleh, who hired the established Brian Daboll as his offensive coordinator. Daboll will attempt to guide Ridley to a bounce-back campaign next season.
Broncos Showed Interest In Travis Etienne, Romeo Doubs
Denver is the only NFL team that has not signed an outside free agent this year, but it did target at least a couple of high-profile names earlier this week. The Broncos were in on newly signed Saints running back Travis Etienne, the former Jaguar told Jeff Nowak of WWL Radio. They also inquired about wide receiver Romeo Doubs before he joined the Patriots, per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette.
After the Jets placed the franchise tag on Breece Hall, Etienne and ex-Seahawk Kenneth Walker entered free agency as the best backs available. The Broncos eyed Hall before the Jets kept him off the market. They pivoted to Etienne as a result, but the Louisiana native took the Saints’ four-year, $52MM deal. Etienne said that it was an easy decision to return to his home state.
It is unclear if the Broncos made Etienne an offer, but his desire to go back to Louisiana suggests the odds were stacked against them. AFC West rival Kansas City also vied for Etienne before it inked Walker to a three-year, $43.05MM pact.
Once Etienne and Walker found new homes, the Broncos addressed the position by re-signing J.K. Dobbins to a two-year, $16MM arrangement and retaining Jaleel McLaughlin on a cheap agreement. Despite missing seven games with a ligament tear in his foot, the oft-injured Dobbins secured a raise over last year’s $5.25MM accord.
Production has never been an issue for Dobbins, who has averaged 5.2 yards on 582 carries during his six-year career. He added 772 yards and four touchdowns on 153 attempts (5.0 YPC) in 10 games last year. The problem is that the former Raven and Charger has missed 57 regular-season games with a laundry list of injuries.
Dobbins was not around past Nov. 6 last year, leaving the No. 1-seeded Broncos to finish the season with rookie second-rounder RJ Harvey as their lead back. Harvey scored an eye-opening 12 touchdowns (seven rushing, five receiving) and caught 47 passes, but he averaged a meager 3.7 yards on 146 carries. He managed just 37 yards on 13 attempts in the Broncos’ 10-7 loss to the Patriots in the AFC title game.
Barring further acquisitions, the Broncos will continue with Dobbins and Harvey as their one-two punch in the backfield next season. They also have all of their main receivers from 2025 – Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant, Marvin Mims and Lil’Jordan Humphrey – under contract. Having averaged around 51 catches, 606 yards and five scores per season over his first four years, Doubs would have been a noteworthy addition to the group. But the Patriots, who had a greater need at receiver after releasing Stefon Diggs, pulled in the ex-Packer on a four-year contract worth up to $80MM.
Chargers To Re-Sign QB Trey Lance
The Chargers are re-signing backup QB Trey Lance, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. It’s a one-year deal worth up to $6.75MM.
Lance signed a similar contract last spring, when the Chargers added him on an agreement worth up to $6.2MM. The former 49er and Cowboy went on to appear in four games with the playoff-bound Bolts last season. His lone start came in a low-stakes Week 18 game against the Broncos. With Justin Herbert getting a breather, Lance completed 20 of 44 passes for 136 yards and an interception in a 19-3 loss. While his passing numbers were unimpressive, Lance rushed for 69 yards on nine attempts.
Lance connected on just 27 of 57 throws for 226 yards and an INT in 2025, continuing a disappointing career for the former third overall pick. The 49ers took a massive gamble on the North Dakota State product in the 2021 draft. A month after trading the No. 12 pick, a third-rounder, and first-rounders in 2022 and ’23 to the Dolphins for No. 3, they grabbed Lance. He ended up among a handful of underwhelming 2021 first-round QBs beyond No. 1 choice Trevor Lawrence. Lance, Zach Wilson (No. 2), Justin Fields (No. 11) and Mac Jones (No. 15) have all fallen short of expectations. Lawrence is the only member of the group who is still with the team that selected him.
Lance started just four games in San Francisco, which somewhat made up for the gaffe in drafting him when it used the last pick in 2022 on Brock Purdy. After Purdy emerged as the 49ers’ answer late in his rookie year, they shipped Lance to the Cowboys for a 2024 fourth-rounder. He started one game in Dallas (in 2024) before leaving for the Chargers. Lance, Herbert and DJ Uiagalelei are the only QBs in the organization as of now.
Over 16 NFL appearances and six starts, Lance has completed 54% of passes, averaged 6.4 yards per attempt, and tossed five TDs and INTs apiece. He owns a 71.9 passer rating.
Colts Made Offer To Trey Hendrickson
In re-signing quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce for up to $204MM this week, the Colts made a pair of major investments at the outset of free agency. The Colts were also involved in the derby for defensive end Trey Hendrickson, per ESPN’s Stephen Holder of ESPN, who reports they offered a deal worth around $25MM per year. That was not enough to match the Ravens’ winning proposal of four years and $112MM.
The Ravens reeled in Hendrickson the day after a blockbuster Maxx Crosby trade with the Raiders fell apart. Had Crosby passed his physical and ended up in Baltimore, perhaps Indianapolis would have stood a better chance to sign Hendrickson (Ravens GM Eric DeCosta wanted to acquire both players, though).
In moving to Indianapolis, Hendrickson would have reunited with Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. While playing for Anarumo in Cincinnati from 2021-24, Hendrickson racked up a whopping 57 sacks and earned all four of his Pro Bowl nods.
The Colts had been interested in the 31-year-old Hendrickson since his preseason holdout last summer, Holder relays. They were also in on Hendrickson leading up to the Nov. 4 trade deadline, but the Bengals elected to keep him for the rest of the year. However, a nagging hip injury prevented Hendrickson from taking the field after Oct. 26. Hendrickson ended the season with four sacks in seven games, but he nevertheless earned a massive payday thanks to an elite track record as a pass rusher.
The Colts’ defense ranked a decent 15th in sacks last year, but it was a bottom-feeding 30th in pass rush win rate. They have since lost edge rushers Kwity Paye and Samson Ebukam to free agency. Paye signed a three-year, $48MM contract with the Raiders, while Ebukam inked an undisclosed deal with the Falcons. To replace those two, the Colts brought in Arden Key for up to $20MM over two years and Micheal Clemons on a three-year, $17.5MM pact. Key and Clemons are not close to Hendrickson’s level, but the Colts will rely on the pair to provide useful complements to their top edge rusher, Laiatu Latu.
Eagles Trading WR A.J. Brown Seen As ‘Inevitable’
MARCH 14: While the trade to offload Brown didn’t happen in the often-active first week of free agency, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, his exit via trade is still seen “as inevitable.” Florio’s source claims the team could be “careening toward a potential cap mess in 2027,” if Brown stays with the team for the 2026 season. It only seems to be a question of when it will happen (before or after June 1), not if.
The aforementioned concerns of dead money still exist, but thanks to the Panthers keeping a massive Jaelan Phillips charge off Philly’s books, there’s some idea in the building that the Eagles are more equipped to carry the dead money now, if they do choose to ship him out before June 1. The advantage of doing so would be to give the personnel department a better idea of what the roster will look like in 2026 and, potentially, to acquire some draft capital in the trade that they may be able to utilize to fill the hole left by his departure as soon as the end of next month. It’s a waiting game at the moment, but just how long we’ll be waiting appears to be in the hands of the Eagles front office.
MARCH 13: The Eagles’ A.J. Brown trade talks are on hold for the time being. After engaging in “serious conversations” with the Rams and Patriots, the Eagles have decided to retain Brown for now, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. If a trade materializes, it won’t happen until around June, Russini adds.
Dealing Brown before June would come at a severe cost to Philadelphia. The Eagles would absorb a $43.45MM dead cap charge, a record for a receiver. They would also lose $20.12MM in cap room.
A post-June 1 deal would be reminiscent of the Falcons trading star wideout Julio Jones to the Titans in 2021. With Jones then entering his age-32 season, the Falcons dealt him and a sixth-rounder for a second- and a fourth-rounder.
In the event general manager Howie Roseman pulls the trigger then, the Eagles would spread Brown’s dead money over two years. While the Eagles would face a $16.35MM charge in 2026 and a $27.1MM fee in ’27, they would save $7MM on their cap next season.
Roseman has reportedly held out for a package consisting of at least a first- and second-rounder for Brown, but it does not appear anyone will bite before April’s draft. The Rams already dealt their original first-round pick away in acquiring former Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie last week. Los Angeles still has another first-rounder (No. 13 overall, originally Atlanta’s selection), and GM Les Snead has never been shy to ship out top picks for immediate upgrades. However, that may be too pricey for the soon-to-be 29-year-old Brown.
If the Rams do acquire Brown before the season, it would give them an embarrassment of riches at receiver. Head coach Sean McVay, offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase and MVP-winning quarterback Matthew Stafford would have Brown, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams as a trio for at least one season. While Brown is under contract through 2029, Nacua and Adams are on schedule to become free agents next year. In all likelihood, though, the Rams will work out a massive extension with Nacua before then.
The reigning AFC champion Patriots, meanwhile, are in line to keep the 31st pick. In heading to New England, Brown would reunite with Mike Vrabel, who was his coach in Tennessee from 2019-21. The two still have a strong relationship, but the Patriots have less urgency to meet the Eagles’ demands after adding former Packer Romeo Doubs on a four-year, $80MM contract in free agency.
If the Eagles are shutting down talks until the summer, other teams could enter the race for Brown by then. Aside from the Patriots, the three-time Pro Bowler’s wish list reportedly features the Bills, Chargers and Chiefs. None of those three clubs have pursued Brown with much gusto, but perhaps circumstances will change a few months from now.
Talks Between Cardinals, Jimmy Garoppolo ‘Hit A Snag’
Then preparing to end the Kyler Murray era, the Cardinals reportedly entered free agency eyeing veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. The sides did engage in discussions, but their talks “hit a snag,” according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.
Garoppolo remains unsigned late in the first week of free agency, but the Cardinals moved on to another on-again, off-again starting option. After their pursuit of Garoppolo did not go as planned, the Cardinals picked up journeyman Gardner Minshew on a one-year, $8.25MM deal on Monday. Between Minshew and Jacoby Brissett, the Cardinals have two experienced candidates to win their starting job. They officially released Murray on Wednesday, leading him to Minnesota.
Had the 34-year-old Garoppolo gone to Arizona, he would have reunited with general manager Monti Ossenfort and rookie head coach Mike LaFleur. When the Patriots spent a second-round pick on Garoppolo in 2014, Ossenfort was their director of college scouting. The two overlapped in New England until the team traded Garoppolo to the 49ers for a second-rounder in 2017.
Garoppolo spent six seasons in San Francisco, and LaFleur was its passing-game coordinator for four of those years. The pair worked together again with the Rams over the past two seasons. Garoppolo was the Rams’ backup to Matthew Stafford, while LaFleur served as a non-play-calling offensive coordinator.
Twelve years into his career, it is fair to say Garoppolo enjoyed his greatest success teaming with LaFleur and head coach Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco. Over 55 regular-season starts with the 49ers, Garoppolo helped the team to a 38-17 mark while registering a 99.2 passer rating. In his best season, 2019, Garoppolo completed 69.1% of passes and threw for 3,978 yards, 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The 49ers went 13-3 in the regular season and won the NFC, but the Chiefs upended them, 31-20, in Super Bowl LIV.
Garoppolo remained the 49ers’ starter until he broke his foot in December 2022, paving the way for Brock Purdy to usurp the job. Between the end of his 49ers stint and his time with the Rams, Garoppolo endured a bitterly disappointing year with the Raiders. After signing a three-year, $67.5MM contract with Las Vegas in 2023, Garoppolo made just seven mostly lackluster starts with the team. The Raiders benched Garoppolo, who later incurred a PED suspension, and released him a few months later.
While Garoppolo has attempted just 41 passes since the Raiders cut him, the Rams are interested in re-signing him. For now, the untested Stetson Bennett is the only signal-caller on their roster behind Stafford.
Bengals Sign QB Josh Johnson
Nomadic quarterback Josh Johnson is rejoining the Bengals for a third stint in their uniform. The team announced that it has added Johnson on a one-year deal.
A fifth-round pick of the Buccaneers in 2008, the 39-year-old Johnson has spent time with a record 14 NFL teams and seen regular-season action with seven. Johnson has also played in the UFL, the AAF and the second version of the XFL. His previous runs with the Bengals came in 2013 and ’15, though he has never attempted a pass with the team.
The Bengals considered trading for Johnson, then with the Commanders, last October. Starter Joe Burrow was on the shelf with a foot injury at the time, and backup Jake Browning struggled mightily filling in for him. Cincinnati ultimately replaced Browning with Joe Flacco, whom it acquired from Cleveland.
Johnson wound up playing all of last season in Washington, where he made two starts while Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota dealt with injuries. Over a total of five appearances, Johnson completed 34 of 54 passes (63%) with 372 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Fifty games and 11 starts into his career, Johnson has connected on 58.7% of throws, tossed 14 TDs against 18 picks, and recorded a 71.1 rating.
Flacco is now a free agent, but he has interest in re-signing in Cincinnati to back up Burrow. For now, Johnson and Sean Clifford are the team’s reserve options.
Jets To Re-Sign RB/KR Kene Nwangwu
The Jets are re-signing return specialist Kene Nwangwu, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports. It’s a one-year, $2MM deal that includes $1MM in guaranteed money. The pact could be worth up to $3MM.
Nwangwu has totaled just 40 carries in his five-year career, but he has made a significant impact on special teams since the Vikings used a 2021 fourth-round pick on him. Despite playing only 11 games as a rookie, the Iowa State product returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. Nwangwu also averaged 32.2 yards per return on 18 tries, which would have led the league had he recorded enough attempts to qualify. While Nwangwu’s average dropped to 26.3 on a league-high 35 returns in 2022, he added another score and earned second-team All-Pro honors.
After starting 2023 on injured reserve, Nwangwu made just nine appearances on the season. The Vikings cut Nwangwu in August 2024. The Saints scooped Nwangwu up via waivers, but they quickly cut him with a failed physical designation.
Nwangwu has since impressed in New York, which added him to its practice squad a couple weeks after the Saints parted with him. Making his Jets debut in a Week 13 loss to the Seahawks in 2024, Nwangwu took back his first kickoff for a 99-yard touchdown. The Jets promoted Nwangwu to their active roster the next day, but a broken hand ended his season a week and a half later.
Exactly one year ago today, the Jets kept Nwangwu around on a one-year, $2.5MM agreement. He continued to produce over 12 games in 2025. Nwangwu’s 33.6 yards per return on 18 attempts was No. 1 in the league, and he chipped in another 99-yard TD in a special teams-driven win over the Browns in Week 10. The 28-year-old earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his efforts.
Browns, DL Kalia Davis Agree To Deal
Defensive lineman Kalia Davis was a 17-game starter for the playoff-bound 49ers in 2025, but they did not retain the restricted free agent. Davis is now joining the Browns on a one-year deal worth up to $3MM, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
The 49ers had the option of giving Davis a second-rounder tender ($6.26MM) or an original-round tender ($3.82MM). They passed in both cases, leading the 2022 sixth-rounder to his second organization.
Aside from last season, the 6-foot-2, 310-pound Davis did not see much action in San Francisco. The UCF product spent his entire rookie season on the reserve/non-football injury list. Davis picked up his first sack in 2023, but he played just three games and 54 defensive snaps. The 49ers became more reliant on Davis in 2023, a year in which he appeared in 13 games and was on the field for 260 defensive plays. Davis totaled 12 tackles and recorded the only interception of his career.
Dealing with a deluge of defensive injuries last season, the 49ers turned to Davis more than ever. Although Davis underwent surgery on a broken hand in early October, he did not miss any time. The 27-year-old amassed the third-most snaps (492) among 49ers D-linemen and finished with 28 tackles, four TFL and three passes defensed. While Davis’ availability was a positive for an injury-plagued defense, Pro Football Focus rated his play 122nd among 127 qualifying interior defensive linemen.
In moving to Cleveland, Davis will fall in behind Mason Graham and Maliek Collins in the club’s interior D-line mix. Michael Hall, a 2024 second-rounder,and Adin Huntington are also among the Browns’ options. Shelby Harris piled up over 500 defensive snaps last year, but he is now a free agent.
Commanders Re-Sign G Chris Paul
Playing the last season of his four-year rookie contract in 2025, Commanders guard Chris Paul logged his first 17-game campaign and totaled a career-high 15 starts. The Commanders are now bringing Paul back on a one-year deal, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports.
Paul wanted to test the market, per John Keim of ESPN, but the former seventh-rounder from Tulsa did not find any compelling reason to leave Washington. While he explored “many options,” according to Schultz, Paul’s desire to continue playing alongside stalwart left tackle Laremy Tunsil won out. Tunsil reeled in a market-setting extension earlier this week.
The 27-year-old Paul entered last season with just 17 games’ experience and eight starts under his belt. He took on a full-time role when the Commanders benched 2024 third-rounder Brandon Coleman in Week 3. Paul started at left guard for the rest of the year and finished third among Commanders offensive linemen in snap share (87.86%). Pro Football Focus took a negative view of Paul’s performance in ranking him 69th 79 qualifying guards, though he drew wildly different reviews as a run blocker and pass blocker. Only three guards earned a higher pass-blocking grade than Paul’s 78.2. On the other hand, just three posted worse run-blocking grades than his 38.2 mark.
A vastly improved showing in the running game should help the 6-foot-4, 324-pound Paul secure a better deal a year from now. In the meantime, he could rejoin Tunsil, right tackle Josh Conerly and right guard Samuel Cosmi as starters along Washington’s line in 2026. The Commanders are facing uncertainty at center, though, having released two-year starter Tyler Biadasz in late February. While the team tried to sign the best free agent center available, Tyler Linderbaum, he instead joined the Raiders on a record-setting pact for his position.