Cardinals WR Michael Wilson: Contract Will ‘Take Care Of Itself’
Stars Puka Nacua, George Pickens, Drake London and Chris Olave top of the list of receivers who are unsigned beyond 2026. Not to be forgotten, the Cardinals’ Michael Wilson is also on track to reach free agency in a year. Wilson could be a candidate for a contract extension, but he isn’t focused on the business side of the game (via Darren Urban of the team’s website).
“Truthfully that whole situation isn’t going to dictate my offseason,” WIlson said. “That’s not something that I want to show up to the building with it on my mind. I don’t want that to affect how I show up every single day because ultimately that stuff is going to take care of itself.”
Since coming off the board in the third round of the 2023 draft (No. 94 overall), Wilson has started 38 of 46 games with the Cardinals. His production has taken clear steps forward along the way.
During a 13-game rookie season, Wilson lined up on the outside on approximately 74% of snaps and caught 38 of 58 targets for 565 yards and three touchdowns. The Cardinals drafted Marvin Harrison Jr. fourth overall in 2024, and Wilson’s slot usage has climbed over 30% since then. With Harrison in the fold, Wilson finished a 16-game second season with 47 receptions on 71 targets, 548 yards and four scores.
Last year was the first 17-game season for Wilson, whose numbers skyrocketed. With quarterback Kyler Murray at the helm for the first five weeks, Wilson caught just eight of 18 targets for a meager 52 yards and a score. Murray went down with a season-ending foot injury, leaving journeyman Jacoby Brissett to finish 2025 as the Cardinals’ starter.
Wilson’s output started trending upward once Brissett took the reins, and it reached its zenith in a 15-catch, 185-yard outburst in a Week 11 loss to the 49ers. Harrison was out that day with appendicitis, leading Brissett to target Wilson 18 times. Wilson went on to accrue double-digit targets four more times late in the season (Harrison missed three of those games). He chipped in two more games of at least 10 receptions and 100-plus yards apiece. In all, the 6-foot-2, 213-pounder pulled in 78 of 126 targets for 1,006 yards and seven TDs.
The Cardinals released Murray, now a member of the Vikings, and are expected to keep Brissett as their starter to open the season. That will depend in part on whether the Cardinals and Brissett settle a contract dispute. If that happens, Wilson would stand to benefit after forming a rapport with Brissett last year. On the other hand, he has never worked with the Cardinals’ second- and third-string QBs, free agent pickup Gardner Minshew and third-round rookie Carson Beck.
Wilson is also dealing with a new coaching staff led by the offensive-minded Mike LaFleur, who replaced Jonathan Gannon. Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and wide receivers coach Drew Terrell were around for Wilson’s breakout 2025 campaign, but Nathaniel Hackett and Tony Sorrentino are now in those respective roles. The changes are fine with Wilson, who said he’s “excited every day to come to work” under LaFleur (via Arizona Sports).
Wilson’s comments on LaFleur suggest he is open to an extension. It’s also worth noting that general manager Monti Ossenfort spoke glowingly of the 26-year-old at the Combine in February.
“Michael is everything we want in our program to be about,” said Ossenfort (via Urban).
Ossenfort’s GM tenure in Arizona has been light on positives since his hiring in 2023, but making Wilson part of his first draft class has paid dividends. It remains to be seen if Ossenfort will still be with the Cardinals next offseason, as a fourth straight sub-.500 campaign could lead to his ouster. Regardless, the Cardinals are projected to enter 2027 with the NFL’s second-most cap space. That will give them ample room to give Wilson a raise if there is mutual interest. In the meantime, Wilson is on track to collect $3.92MM in the final year of his rookie deal.
Lions Holding Competition At Left Guard
Lions third-year offensive lineman Christian Mahogany may be the frontrunner to start at left guard, but he will have to battle for the job. Mahogany will face “real competition” from Ben Bartch and Miles Frazier, per Colton Pouncy of The Athletic.
Despite earning first-team All-ACC honors as a senior at Boston College in 2023, Mahogany lasted until the sixth round of the ensuing draft. A torn ACL cost Mahogany his entire junior season at BC, and injuries have continued troubling him in Detroit.
Mahogany began his career on the non-football injury list and played just seven games (one start) as a rookie. In the wake of Frank Ragnow‘s retirement, Graham Glasgow moved to center last year. That opened up left guard for Mahogany, who became a full-time starter when healthy. However, a fractured fibula held him to 11 games. The results weren’t great when Mahogany took the field, as Pro Football Focus ranked his performance 47th among 79 guards. Mahogany’s pass-blocking grade (40.7) was PFF’s sixth-worst at his position.
Entering free agency in search of guard depth, the Lions added Bartch on a low-cost deal (one year, $1.22MM) in March. The former Jaguar and 49er has started in just 24 of 55 games during his career. As is the case with Mahogany, injuries have been a problem for Bartch. The 27-year-old has missed between two and 14 games in each of his seven seasons. He opened last year as the 49ers’ starting left guard, but he never got the job back after going down with a high ankle sprain in Week 2. While Bartch returned from injured reserve in November, a foot sprain ended his season a few weeks later.
A three-year starter at LSU, Frazier joined the Lions as a fifth-rounder in the 2025 draft. Like Mahogany, he was unavailable at the beginning of his career. Frazier began the season on the reserve/PUP list as a result of a knee injury and did not debut until Week 13. The 6-foot-6, 325-pounder came off the bench in five games and was on the field for just 46 offensive snaps, but he could take on a much larger role if he impresses over the summer.
The Lions have a few months to figure out left guard, whereas the rest of their offensive line looks set. Elite tackle Penei Sewell is on track to switch from the right to the left side, replacing released 10-year starter Taylor Decker. Sewell’s presence on the left should benefit whichever guard lines up next to him. On the other side of the line, first-round rookie Blake Miller is the favorite to start at right tackle. Second-year man Tate Ratledge has right guard locked down, and former Panther Cade Mays will start at center in the first season of a three-year, $25MM contract.
DeMario Douglas’ Patriots Roster Spot In Jeopardy?
Patriots slot receiver DeMario Douglas saw his playing time and production drop in 2025, which could go down as his last season in New England. Douglas is still a member of the Patriots, but the three-year veteran’s roster spot appears to be in jeopardy, according to Chad Graff of The Athletic.
As the 210th overall pick in 2023, the former sixth-rounder from Liberty has outplayed his draft position since he entered the NFL. Douglas started seven of 14 games as a rookie and caught 49 passes for 561 yards, though he did not find the end zone. He showed even more promise in 2024, quarterback Drake Maye‘s rookie campaign. Playing a career-high 62% of offensive snaps (up from 55% in 2023), the 5-foot-8, 192-pounder set personal bests in receptions (66), yards (621) and TDs (three) over 17 games and seven starts.
Maye took massive steps forward in 2025, a year in which he finished second in MVP voting and helped the Patriots to an AFC title. Surprisingly, Douglas was not much of a factor in Maye’s breakout. Although Douglas played a full season for the second year in a row, he logged a meager 26% offensive snap share, went without a start, and managed just 31 catches, 447 yards and three scores. Four Patriots wideouts (Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte and Kyle Williams) received more playing time than Douglas.
Diggs is now off the Patriots’ roster, and Boutte may be on his way out via trade, but they added Romeo Doubs on a four-year, $68MM pact in free agency and are expected to swing a deal for the Eagles’ A.J. Brown sometime after June 1. Brown and Doubs would be the Patriots’ top two receivers in that scenario, leaving Douglas, Hollins, Boutte (unless the Pats move him), Williams and Efton Chism to round out the group. Chism had just three catches in eight games as an undrafted rookie in 2025, but if he becomes the Patriots’ kick returner, he could edge out Douglas for a roster spot, per Graff. He averaged 23.9 yards on 16 kick returns last season.
Douglas collected salaries ranging from $750K to $1.03MM in his first three seasons, but thanks to a Level 1 Proven Performance Escalator, that number will jump to $3.67MM this year. The Patriots will save almost all of that money if they trade or cut Douglas before next season. Parting with him would leave the team with a mere $33,333 in dead cap.
Kyle Van Noy Plans To Play In 2026
Over two months since free agency opened, edge defender Kyle Van Noy remains among the NFL’s class of notable unsigned veterans. That could change soon. The 35-year-old told Mike Garafolo of NFL Network that he plans to continue his career in 2026.
“I’m going to play next year,” declared Van Noy, who revealed “a lot of teams” have shown interest during his latest trip to free agency. The 12-year vet added that he could make his decision closer to training camp.
Since going in the second round (40th overall) of the 2014 draft, Van Noy has combined for 115 starts in 173 games in stints with the Lions, Patriots, Dolphins, Chargers and Ravens. The former BYU Cougar has piled up 57 sacks, 39 pass deflections and 14 forced fumbles along the way. He also won a pair of Super Bowls as a key cog in the Patriots’ defense from 2016-19.
Van Noy is now coming off a three-year run in Baltimore, where he posted the most sacks of his career (23.5). After setting a career high with nine in 2023, he totaled 12.5 (and a personal-best 21 QB hits) the next season en route to his lone Pro Bowl nod.
Van Noy was a 13-game starter for the second straight year in 2025, but his production declined as part of a defense that fell short of expectations. Over 15 games, Van Noy notched 20 tackles, nine QB hit, four pass deflections, two sacks and an interception – the fourth of his career. Pro Football Focus ranked Van Noy’s performance an underwhelming 73rd among 119 qualified edge defenders, down from 25th the previous year.
While Van Noy told Garafolo he “didn’t like how last year went,” it does not appear retirement is on the table yet. Van Noy expressed interest in eventually working in the media and/or in a front office, but that will have to wait if he catches on with one of the league’s 32 teams before next season. For now, he is one of the most established edge defenders available on a market that also includes Cameron Jordan, Joey Bosa, Jadeveon Clowney, Leonard Floyd and Haason Reddick, among others.
Chiefs WR Rashee Rice Ordered To Serve 30 Days In Jail For Violating Probation
Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is once again in legal trouble. Rice violated his probation after testing positive for THC, Matt Foster of KSHB 41 News reports. He has been ordered to serve 30 days in jail.
Rice is on probation for five years as a result of a 2024 hit-and-run crash that led to eight felony charges. After pleading guilty to felony collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury, Rice was sentenced to 30 days in jail and ordered to pay $115K to the injured victims.
[RELATED: Rice Facing Multi-Month Rehab After Knee Surgery]
Rice’s jail sentence is the same one he was originally ordered to serve, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Had he not violated probation, Rice would have been able to choose when to serve his time over the next five years, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports relays. He will now have to go through with it immediately, which will prevent him from participating in the Chiefs’ upcoming OTAs and mandatory minicamp.
The NFL suspended Rice for the first six games of last season as a result of his street-racing crash. However, it is unlikely this violation will lead to another ban, according to Jones, who notes the league does not suspend players for positive marijuana tests. It is nonetheless another unwelcome off-field development for Rice, who was accused of domestic violence in a civil lawsuit filed in February. Dacoda Jones, Rice’s ex-girlfriend, claimed he repeatedly assaulted her from December 2023 to July 2025. He was not charged with a crime, and the league chose not to suspend him after reviewing the matter.
On the field, Rice is entering the pivotal final season of the four-year rookie contract he signed in 2023. During the pre-draft process, NFL teams became aware of an alleged incident in which Rice or a member of his party fired multiple shots into an empty car belonging to a member of SMU’s basketball team. The Chiefs nonetheless selected Rice in the second round (No. 55 overall), a move that has paid dividends when he has taken the field. Rice was a standout during a 16-game rookie year in which he caught 79 passes for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. He added another 26 receptions in a four-game playoff run, including six in a Super Bowl LVIII win over the 49ers.
Thanks to a Week 4 LCL tear in 2024, last year’s suspension and a concussion, Rice played a mere 12 games over the previous two seasons. Despite suiting up just eight times in 2025, the 26-year-old piled up 53 catches, 571 yards and five scores. Barring punishment from the league, the Chiefs will count on Rice to continue serving as a key weapon when the upcoming season starts. Rice will be the top receiver in a corps that also includes Xavier Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, Jalen Royals and fifth-round rookie Cyrus Allen.
Deshaun Watson Open To Staying With Browns Beyond 2026; Team Showed Malik Willis Interest
Lacking an answer at the game’s most important position, the Browns stood out as potential suitors for quarterback Malik Willis before free agency opened. The former Tennessee and Green Bay backup ultimately landed in Miami on a three-year, $67.5MM deal. Cleveland had interest, but not at that price, Daniel Oyefusi and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN report.
For the Browns, signing the unproven Willis would have meant adding another expensive QB contract, albeit a far more affordable one than they gave Deshaun Watson in 2022. The fully guaranteed five-year, $230MM pact they handed Watson after acquiring him from the Texans has been a crippling mistake, as has the decision to part with a package headlined by three first-round picks. Watson has started just 19 games as a member of the Browns, who have restructured his onerous deal on a handful of occasions.
Watson’s contract is down to its final season, but he will continue to significantly impact their books for two more years after that. He will count a combined $86.2MM in dead money against their cap from 2027-28. There is a strong chance Watson will be off the Browns’ roster a year from now, though a source close to the three-time Pro Bowler told Oyefusi and Fowler “he would be open to” staying in Cleveland if the upcoming season goes well.
It is very much up in the air if the Browns will get anything from the soon-to-be 31-year-old Watson in 2026. He will first have to outperform second-year man Shedeur Sanders in the Browns’ starting competition this summer. That may not be an especially tall order, as Sanders is far from a lock to develop into a legitimate No. 1 option, but Watson is coming off a severe injury. Watson last took the field on Oct. 20, 2024, when he ruptured his right Achilles. While rehabbing in January 2025, Watson ruptured it again. He spent all of last season on the PUP list as a result, leaving the Browns to divide 17 starts among Sanders, Joe Flacco (traded to the Bengals in October) and Dillon Gabriel during a 5-12 campaign.
The Browns spent a third-rounder on Gabriel last year and used a sixth-rounder on Taylen Green last month, but those two do not appear to be in the running for the No. 1 job in 2026. New head coach Todd Monken will decide between Watson and Sanders. The hope is Watson will perform better in Monken’s system than he did under previous head coach Kevin Stefanski.
“The way [Stefanski] wanted him to play didn’t fit his style,” the source close to Watson told Oyefusi and Fowler.
As Oyefusi and Fowler note, Monken runs more of a spread-oriented scheme. Maybe the coaching change and a return to health will revive Watson, but skepticism is warranted for a QB whose stock has plummeted over the past few years.
Vikings Sign Second-Round LB Jake Golday, Wrap Draft Class
The Vikings announced that they have signed second-round linebacker Jake Golday. They now have their entire nine-player draft class under contract.
As the 51st overall pick, Golday’s four-year deal is worth approximately $10.07MM. There is no word on how much is guaranteed, but his draft slot suggests it is a significant amount. To name one nearby example, 52nd overall selection Brandon Cisse received full guarantees over the first three years of his agreement with the Packers.
After spending three years at Central Arkansas, where he played defensive end for two seasons before switching to linebacker, Golday transferred to Cincinnati ahead of the 2024 campaign. The 6-foot-4, 240-pounder made 58 tackles (seven TFL), forced two fumbles and totaled 1.5 sacks in 12 games in his first year with the Bearcats. He jumped to 105 tackles in 13 games last season. Golday also notched six TFL, 3.5 sacks, three pass deflections and a forced fumble. The production was good enough for Golday to earn first-team All-Big 12 honors.
Now that he is officially a pro, Golday will join a Brian Flores-coordinated defense that finished third in yards and seventh in scoring in 2025. The Vikings relied heavily on linebackers Eric Wilson and Blake Cashman last season. They remain in the fold, meaning Golday will begin his career in a depth role.
Here is a refresher on the Vikings’ rookie class:
- Round 1, No. 18: Caleb Banks (DT, Florida) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 51 (from Panthers): Jake Golday (LB, Cincinnati) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 82: Domonique Orange (DT, Iowa State) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 97*: Caleb Tiernan (T, Northwestern) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 98 (from Vikings)*: Jakobe Thomas (S, Miami) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 159 (from Panthers): Max Bredeson (FB, Michigan) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 163 (from Eagles): Charles Demmings (CB, Stephen F. Austin) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 198 (from Vikings via Texans, Vikings and 49ers): Demond Claiborne (RB, Wake Forest) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 235 (from Panthers): Gavin Gerhardt (C, Cincinnati) (signed)
Bills WR Keon Coleman Entering ‘Make-Or-Break’ Season
The Bills spent the 33rd pick of the 2024 draft on wide receiver Keon Coleman, but the investment has not gone according to plan. Coleman’s professionalism was an issue last year, in which head coach Sean McDermott scratched him four times.
McDermott benched Coleman despite a lack of strong options at receiver beyond slot target Khalil Shakir. The Bills added former Charger Josh Palmer on a three-year contract in March 2025, but he caught just 22 passes and went without a touchdown in a 12-game, injury-limited campaign. Despite Coleman’s own handful of absences, he finished second among Bills wideouts in catches (38), targets (59) and yards (404). The Florida State product also tied Shakir for first in touchdowns (four).
In acquiring D.J. Moore from the Bears for a second-round pick and drafting Skyler Bell in the fourth round, Bills general manager Brandon Beane has beefed up the team’s receiving corps this offseason. Those additions could have made Coleman a trade candidate, but Beane insisted in late April that he is not giving up on the soon-to-be 24-year-old. Beane said the Bills have “hit the reset button with [Coleman],” who will have an opportunity under the second head coach of his career after the Bills fired McDermott. Replacement Joe Brady, who was Buffalo’s offensive coordinator in Coleman’s first two years, gave the receiver a public vote of confidence back in January.
“I told Keon when I got hired, the best thing that happened to Keon Coleman was me being his head coach,” Brady declared. “I was one of the ones that stood on the table for Keon Coleman, and I believe in Keon Coleman.”
Brady’s remarks came just days after owner Terry Pegula attributed the Coleman pick to McDermott and his coaching staff. Pegula claimed Beane was “being a team player and taking advice of his coaching staff who felt strongly about the player.” Beane refuted that, stating he would not have chosen Coleman unless he had full belief in the player. Regardless, four months since Pegula’s comments, Coleman realizes he is entering a crucial season.
“For me, it’s make or break,” Coleman said Tuesday (via Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN), acknowledging he “might not be here” if he fails to take a step forward.
Halfway into his rookie contract, Coleman has hauled in 67 catches for 960 yards and eight touchdowns in 26 games. He will look to improve his output in 2026, but it could be a challenge in a more crowded receiving corps. Moore and Shakir are clearly the Bills’ top options at receiver, which will leave Coleman, Palmer and Bell to vie for targets behind them.
Raiders CB Taron Johnson Absent From Workouts, Seeking Contract Adjustment
Slot cornerback Taron Johnson, one of the Raiders’ many notable offseason additions, has not been present for voluntary workouts. Johnson’s absence is related to his contract, Vincent Bonsignore of the California Post reports.
Then in the midst of an eight-season tenure in Buffalo, Johnson signed a three-year, $31MM extension in March 2024. The deal temporarily made Johnson the highest-paid slot corner in the NFL. While Johnson still has two years and over $17MM in base salaries left on the pact, there is just $1.175MM in guaranteed money remaining. The soon-to-be 30-year-old is seeking “more security” as a result, per Bonsignore.
The Bills were reportedly going to release Johnson before the Raiders agreed to acquire him in a late-round pick swap on March 8. With rookie coordinator Jim Leonhard installing a new scheme, the Bills no longer saw Johnson as a fit in their defense. The 2018 fourth-rounder evolved into one the game’s premier slot corners earlier in his career, but injuries helped lead to a decline in performance in his final two years in Buffalo.
Johnson has missed nine games since 2024, including four last season. Over 13 games in 2025, the one-time second-team All-Pro registered 57 tackles and four passes defensed. He went without an interception and finished as Pro Football Focus’ 75th-ranked corner among 112 qualifiers.
While Johnson was no longer in Buffalo’s plans, Las Vegas is hoping he and a slew of other offseason pickups upgrade its defense next season. Kwity Paye, Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean, Treydan Stukes, Keyron Crawford and Jermod McCoy are among Johnson’s fellow newcomers who could be in for big roles. Drafting Stukes, a second-round pick from Arizona, gave the Raiders another slot-capable option to join Johnson. That’s assuming Johnson shows up at some point. He has only missed voluntary work so far, but the Raiders’ mandatory minicamp starts June 6. If Johnson is still away from his new team then, he will be subject to fines.
Steelers Not Expecting Will Howard, Drew Allar To Play In 2026; Latest On Aaron Rodgers
As was the case at this time last spring, the Steelers do not have an established starting quarterback. They are once again awaiting an answer from free agent Aaron Rodgers, who took until early June to join the Steelers last year. Rodgers was in Pittsburgh last week, though the future Hall of Famer did not visit team facilities. While no deal has materialized since then, “all signs” point to Rodgers re-signing, James Palmer of Bleacher Report says.
The Steelers’ decision to wait for Rodgers last year worked out fine during the regular season. The former Packer and Jet posted respectable production over 16 starts, during which the Steelers went 10-6. They lost to Chicago in his only absence, a Week 12 game in which Mason Rudolph started.
The Steelers’ 10-7 finish was good enough to earn an AFC North title, but the Texans trounced them in a 30-6 wild-card round matchup. After losing his seventh straight playoff game, 19-year head coach Mike Tomlin resigned.
Given his affinity for Tomlin, it initially appeared the 42-year-old Rodgers would either retire or play elsewhere in 2026. But the Steelers reopened the door for a second season with Rodgers when they hired Mike McCarthy to replace Tomlin. McCarthy coached Rodgers in Green Bay from 2006-18. The two won the only Super Bowl of their respective careers together in 2010, and Rodgers took home a pair of his four MVP awards under McCarthy.
Rodgers’ MVP form is long gone, but he still looks like the Steelers’ best bet to find a passable starter at this juncture of the offseason. The free agent market has dried up, the draft has passed, and there are no surefire upgrades available via trade.
In the unlikely event Rodgers does not re-up with the Steelers, it would leave them with Rudolph (a career backup), Will Howard and Drew Allar as in-house options. A previous report suggested the Rodgers-less Steelers could stage a competition between Rudolph and Howard, but Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show passes along different information. The Steelers “have no expectations” that Howard or Allar will play this year, according to Kaboly.
Pittsburgh spent a 2025 sixth-rounder on Howard, who won a national championship at Ohio State but has not garnered any meaningful NFL experience. Howard did not take a single snap in his first season.
As for Allar, the third-round rookie from Penn State has serious work to do before he steps foot on a regular-season field in the pros. McCarthy and QBs coach Tom Arth are rebuilding Allar’s mechanics “from the ground up,” Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reports. That suggests Allar could be in for a redshirt season in 2026, regardless of whether Rodgers returns.
The Steelers will continue molding Allar as they begin voluntary OTAs on Monday, which Palmer notes is a date many “have circled” for a potential Rodgers decision. If the Steelers are still without an answer then, Rudolph will presumably enter the proceedings as the de facto QB1. The 30-year-old has just 19 starts on his resume. Rodgers has made 257. Because they placed the uncommon UFA tender on Rodgers, the Steelers will have exclusive negotiating rights with him if he is still unsigned past July 22.