Texans To Sign RT Braden Smith
After eight years with the Colts, right tackle Braden Smith is signing with the AFC South rival Texans, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports. It’s a two-year, $25MM agreement with $13.5MM in fully guaranteed money, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Once the highest-paid right tackle in the NFL, Smith wrapped up a four-year, $72MM contract in 2025. Until now, the 6-foot-6, 312-pound Smith spent his entire career with the Colts.
As the 37th overall pick in 2018, the ex-Auburn Tiger became a full-time starter in his rookie season. He came off the bench twice that year, but Smith has started in the rest of his 105 appearances in the league. However, availability has been an issue throughout Smith’s career. Smith has missed a total of 26 games, and he put together his lone full season back in 2019.
Five of Smith’s absences came while he left the Colts to seek treament for obsessive compulsive disorder in 2024. Smith told his wife he would have retired had the issue persisted. Fortunately, Smith was able to continue his career last season. He played in 13 games, his most since 2022, but his year ended with a stint on IR. The Colts shut Smith down in mid-December as a result of a concussion and neck injury. He finished as Pro Football Focus’ 48th-ranked tackle out of 84 qualifiers.
The Smith pickup is the first outside O-line acquisition this offseason for the Texans. The team traded guard/tackle Tytus Howard to Cleveland and shipped interior lineman Juice Scruggs to Detroit last week. The Texans have since re-signed tackle Trent Brown and brought back right guard Ed Ingram. The bulk of Howard’s work came at right tackle last season, but Smith could slide in as his replacement next to Ingram.
Giants To Re-Sign LB Micah McFadden
Linebacker Micah McFadden will return to the Giants for a fifth season. McFadden is re-signing on a one-year pact, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. It’s a $3.75MM deal that carries a max value of $5.75MM, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.
The Giants lost four members of their 2022 draft class – receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, cornerback Cor’Dale Flott, tight end Daniel Bellinger and safety Dane Belton – to free agency on Monday. McFadden, a fifth-rounder that year, will stick around in hopes of bouncing back from an injury-wrecked 2025.
The 26-year-old McFadden played just 11 defensive snaps last season. He was carted off the field in Week 1 after suffering a foot injury while tackling Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. McFadden underwent surgery a few days later.
A former Indiana Hoosier, McFadden amassed 35 starts in 47 games over his first three seasons. He exceeded 100 tackles as a full-time starter in both 2023 and ’24. In the second of those seasons, McFadden posted a career-high three sacks. He was unable to build on it last year, which no doubt hindered his earning power going into free agency.
McFadden spent his two seasons as a starter playing alongside Bobby Okereke, but that will change in 2026. The Giants released Okereke last week and brought in Tremaine Edmunds as a replacement on Monday.
Dolphins, K Zane Gonzalez Agree To Deal
The Dolphins are signing kicker Zane Gonzalez to a one-year deal, agent Mike McCartney announced on X.
A veteran of seven NFL teams and seasons, the 30-year-old Gonzalez will replace the long-tenured Jason Sanders in Miami. Sanders had been a Dolphin since 2018, but they released him last week after he missed all of last season with a hip injury. Riley Patterson, now a free agent, filled in for Sanders last year.
In moving to South Florida, Gonzalez will reunite with new Dolphins special teams coordinator Chris Tabor. When Gonzalez was a rookie in Cleveland in 2017, Tabor was in charge of the Browns’ special teams unit. Tabor held the same position in Carolina in 2022. Gonzalez was on the Panthers’ roster then, but he missed the entire season with a quad injury.
Since entering the league as a UDFA from Arizona State nine years ago, the oft-waived, oft-injured Gonzalez has put together just two full seasons. He did not kick for anyone from 2022-23, though he resurfaced with the Commanders in ’24 for a nine-game stint (including three in the playoffs). Washington re-signed and then released Gonzalez last spring.
After the Commanders cut him, Gonzalez had to wait until last November for another contract. Two days after John Parker Romo missed an extra point in a 24-23 loss to the Patriots, the Falcons waived him and brought in Gonzalez. The move worked out for both sides. Gonzalez made 19 of 22 field goals (86.4%) and 17 of 18 extra points (94.4%).
Although he kicked in just nine games, 2025 was one of Gonzalez’s best seasons. During his 78-game career, Gonzalez has hit 81% of field goals (115 of 142) and 163 of 171 extra points (95.3%).
Bears To Sign WR Kalif Raymond
Wide receiver/return man Kalif Raymond is moving from Detroit to NFC North rival Chicago. The Bears are signing Raymond, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. It’s a one-year, $5.1MM pact, per Rapaport and colleague Mike Garafolo.
This deal will reunite Raymond with Bears head coach Ben Johnson, who was on the Lions’ staff during the wideout’s first four years in the Motor City. Johnson worked as the Lions’ offensive coordinator from 2022-24.
Raymond recorded a career-high 616 receiving yards in Johnson’s first season calling plays. He also accrued his second-most catches (47) that year, though his impact in Detroit’s offense diminished after that. Raymond amassed 35 catches for 489 yards and a touchdown in 2023, his second straight 17-game campaign. He dipped to 17-215-2 over 12 contests in Johnson’s last season with the Lions.
With Johnson moving to Chicago for a promotion in 2025, Raymond experienced a mild uptick in production under the play-calling duo of now-former O-coordinator John Morton and head coach Dan Campbell. In 15 games, Raymond secured 24 of 30 targets for 289 yards and a score.
As a receiver, Raymond wrapped up his five-year Detroit tenure with 171 catches, 2,185 yards (12.8 YPC) and eight TDs. He also made an impact as a return man, twice earning second-team All-Pro honors. He took back three punts for touchdowns as a Lion and led the league in return yards in 2024.
Also a former Bronco, Jet, Giant and Titan, the 31-year-old Raymond will again serve as an auxiliary receiver with his new team. Having traded D.J. Moore to the Bills, the Bears will go forward with Rome Odunze and Luther Burden atop their depth chart. Chicago lost Olamide Zaccheaus to Atlanta on Monday, which created an opening for Raymond.
Bills, TE Dawson Knox Agree To New Deal
MARCH 14: Knox’s new contract is worth $20MM over the next three years with $13.46MM in guaranteed money, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Of that, $10MM is fully guaranteed, including a $6.25MM signing bonus, as well as $1.3MM in guaranteed salary in 2026 and $2.45MM in 2027, according to OverTheCap. Another $3.46MM of his 2027 salary is guaranteed for injury and will vest into a full guarantee early in the following league year. Knox additionally will receive a $1MM bonus on the fifth day of the 2028 league year.
MARCH 10: Seven-year veteran tight end Dawson Knox will continue his career in Buffalo. The parties have agreed to a new three-year deal, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports. Knox agreed to a restructured contract to remain with the Bills, per Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network.
Until now, Knox’s future in Buffalo had been in question as a result of a bloated cap number on his previous pact. Before this restructuring came together, the 29-year-old was in line to count $17.87MM against the Bills’ cap next season.
With Knox due a $1.5MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the league year, the Bills had to address his contract quickly. They will now keep the 2019 third-rounder in the fold as an important cog in their offense.
Knox combined for 52 catches over his first two seasons, but he found another gear from 2021-22. The 6-foot-4, 254-pounder averaged 48 catches, 552 yards and just under eight touchdowns during that two-year stretch.
Knox earned his lone Pro Bowl nod in 2022, but the Bills’ reliance on him temporarily diminished after they spent a 2023 first-rounder on fellow TE Dalton Kincaid. While Kincaid hauled in 73 passes and recorded a 60.05% snap share as a rookie, Knox caught just 22 and played 41.8% of offensive snaps. With Kincaid battling knee issues in 2024, Knox easily finished with more snaps (618 to 471), though he only managed 22 receptions for the second straight season.
Last year was a resurgent pass-catching campaign for Knox, who racked up 36 grabs, 417 yards and four scores. Playing the first 17-game season of his career, Knox led Bills tight ends in snap share (57.69%) as knee and oblique injuries held Kincaid to 12 contests. The Bills were also heavily reliant on blocking specialist Jackson Hawes, who was in on 43% of offensive snaps as a rookie.
Although Hawes caught a meager 16 passes in 17 games last season, Pro Football Focus ranked the fifth-rounder as the league’s fourth-best tight end among 69 qualifiers. Kincaid checked in at No. 2, while Knox finished 24th. With Knox sticking around, the Bills will keep a strong TE group intact heading into former offensive coordinator Joe Brady‘s first season as their head coach.
Vikings To Re-Sign LS Andrew DePaola
The Vikings are re-signing three-time Pro Bowl long snapper Andrew DePaola, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The sides have agreed to a one-year, fully guaranteed deal worth $1.725MM.
DePaola, who went undrafted out of Rutgers in 2012, worked as a bartender before catching on with the Buccaneers two years later. He then went on to log four straight 16-game seasons – three with the Bucs and another with the Bears. The Raiders gave DePaola a four-year deal in 2018, but a torn ACL limited him to one game that season.
After the Raiders released DePaola in the ensuing offseason, he was unable to secure a roster spot anywhere in 2019. Since resurfacing on the Vikings’ practice squad in 2020, DePaola has turned into a fixture on their special teams unit. He has put up four 17-game seasons, including last year, and earned a total of four All-Pro selections. The soon-to-be 39-year-old is now in line to remain in Minnesota for at least another season.
With DePaola’s help, kicker Will Reichard nailed 33 of 35 field goals (94.3%) and all 31 extra points en route to first-team All-Pro honors in 2025. DePaola will continue snapping to Reichard in 2026, but he will work with a different punter after Ryan Wright left for New Orleans on Monday.
Colts To Re-Sign Alec Pierce
Highly touted wide receiver Alec Pierce will not hit the open market. The Colts and Pierce have agreed to a deal, Jordan Schultz reports. It’s a four-year, $114MM pact, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The contract contains $84MM in guarantees and $60MM fully guaranteed at signing, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network relays.
This is a best-case scenario for the Colts, who are now in position to keep their top receiver and starting quarterback Daniel Jones. After the Colts placed the transition tag on Jones last Tuesday, there was fear Pierce would exit. The 25-year-old even suggested he would test the market. The 2022 second-round pick from Cincinnati will instead continue his career in Indianapolis.
[RELATED: Colts To Trade Michael Pittman Jr. To Steelers]
As PFR’s second-ranked free agent, Pierce drew substantial interest before agreeing to stick with the Colts. The Patriots, Raiders, 49ers and Chargers all eyed Pierce, but he turned down more money to remain in Indianapolis, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The Commanders were also “aggressive” in the derby, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN adds.
New England was not willing to match Indy’s bid, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports. The Patriots will now turn their attention elsewhere (perhaps an A.J. Brown trade) as they seek a difference-making receiver to replace the released Stefon Diggs.
Although Pierce has never reached 50 catches in a season, he has emerged as one of the game’s elite downfield threats. The 6-foot-3, 211-pounder led the NFL in yards per catch in each of the past two seasons. During a career year in 2025, he caught 47 balls for 1,003 yards (21.3 YPC) and six touchdowns over 15 games. It was the first time the durable Pierce has missed more than one game in a season.
On a per-year basis, Pierce has averaged around 39 catches, 734 yards and four touchdowns. That is not No. 1-caliber production, but Pierce will benefit from the league’s significant cap increase. He now ranks ninth at his position in total money, right behind the Bengals’ Tee Higgins. Pierce checks in at 10th in yearly average, once again just behind Higgins. An $84MM guarantee would put him in a fifth-place tie with Brown.
With Pierce under wraps, the Colts will likely put more focus on a long-term deal with Jones. Otherwise, they could risk losing him to an offer sheet. General manager Chris Ballard has until July 15 to reach an agreement with Jones.
Bills To Sign QB Kyle Allen
The Bills are bringing veteran QB Kyle Allen back for a second stint. The sides have agreed to a two-year, $4.1MM contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. The deal carries a max value of $6.1MM.
Allen was previously a Bill in 2023, though the ultra-durable Josh Allen was their only quarterback to attempt a pass that year. Kyle Allen, who is close friends with Josh Allen, will replace Mitchell Trubisky as the Bills’ backup in 2026. Trubisky agreed to sign with the Titans on Monday.
Kyle Allen entered the pros as an undrafted free agent from Houston in 2018. He briefly became the Panthers’ primary starter a year later. A season-ending foot injury to Cam Newton in Week 2 thrust Allen into action. He went on to complete 62% of attempts for 3,322 yards, 17 touchdowns, 16 interceptions and an 80.0 passer rating in 13 games (12 starts).
That was not enough for Allen to retain a spot in Carolina, which traded him to Washington for a fifth-round pick in 2020. The Panthers turned to Teddy Bridgewater as their QB1 that year, while Allen joined Alex Smith and Dwayne Haskins as Washington passers to total at least four starts. Allen completed 60 of 87 passes (69%) for 610 yards, four TDs and a pick.
In the past five seasons, the 30-year-old Allen picked up just two starts (both with Houston in 2022). Since his first run with the Bills ended, Allen has spent a year apiece in Pittsburgh and Detroit. He has thrown just three regular-season passes in the past three years. In 34 games and 19 starts in the league, Allen has hit on 62.1% of passes, averaged 6.7 yards per attempt, and tossed 26 TDs against 21 INTs. He owns a career 82.1 passer rating.
Panthers To Sign QB Kenny Pickett
Kenny Pickett is once again on the move. The quarterback is joining the Panthers via a one-year contract, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The pact is worth up to $7.5MM, per Schefter. The deal also includes $4MM in guaranteed money.
Pickett was the 20th overall pick in the 2022 draft, but he is already joining his fifth team four years later. The former Pitt Panther began his career as the Steelers’ primary starter from 2022-23. Across 24 starts, Pickett mustered an underwhelming 13 touchdowns against 13 interceptions.
After Pickett failed to establish himself as the Steelers’ solution under center, they brought in Russell Wilson as a replacement in the spring of 2024. The Steelers then traded Pickett and the 120th pick in that year’s draft to the Eagles for the 98th selection and a seventh-round choice in 2025. With Jalen Hurts entrenched as the Eagles’ starter, Pickett unsurprisingly saw little action during a Super Bowl-winning season for the club.
Pickett wound up on the move twice more before the start of the 2025 campaign. The Eagles traded Pickett to the Browns for fellow signal-caller Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-rounder last March. Expectations were that Pickett would compete for the Browns’ starting gig, but a training camp hamstring injury took a sledgehammer to his chances. Joe Flacco won the job, while rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders rounded out the depth chart behind him.
When Cleveland settled on its Flacco-Gabriel-Sanders depth chart last August, it dealt Pickett to Las Vegas for a fifth-rounder. Although Geno Smith struggled during a dreadful season for the Raiders, he still started 15 games. Pickett filled in for an injured Smith twice and finished the year 28 of 45 for 188 yards, a touchdown and two picks.
Coming off an NFC South-winning season in 2025, the Panthers are sticking with Bryce Young as their starting QB. But it appears Pickett will have a chance to steal the No. 2 role away from 38-year-old Andy Dalton. General manager Dan Morgan said last month that the Panthers “want to get a little younger and a little more athletic at that backup quarterback spot.” Pickett, 27, may be their answer.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Raiders To Sign LB Quay Walker
The Raiders are making a major addition to the middle of their defense. They have agreed to a deal with linebacker Quay Walker, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. Walker will sign a three-year, $40.5MM contract with $28MM in guarantees, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
The Cowboys were among the teams in the mix for Walker before he reached an agreement with the Raiders, Todd Archer of ESPN relays. Walker had a Zoom meeting with the Cowboys on Monday, but they could not fend off the Raiders for the 25-year-old.
Walker, the 22nd pick in the 2022 draft, served as a full-time starter in Green Bay throughout his four-year run there. The former Georgia Bulldog opened his career with three straight 100-tackle seasons, during which he combined for 6.5 sacks. The Packers still declined Walker’s fifth-year option for 2026 last spring, though it did not come as a surprise. The league controversially groups middle and outside LBs together for valuation purposes. Teams typically turn down the option for middle linebackers, as the Jaguars (Devin Lloyd) also did last year.
Playing what proved to be his last Packers season in 2025, Walker collected a career-high 128 tackles in 14 games. He added eight TFL, a personal-best seven QB hits, five passes defensed and 2.5 sacks. Despite quality production, Pro Football Focus took a harsh view of Walker’s 2025 in ranking his performance 76th among 88 qualifiers at his position.
In heading to Las Vegas, Walker will reunite with former Georgia teammate Nakobe Dean. After spending his first four seasons in Philadelphia, Dean agreed to a three-year, $36MM pact with the Raiders on Monday. Walker and Dean starred in college as part of Georgia’s linebacker corps, especially during a national title-winning campaign in 2021. They will reunite in a remade Raiders LB group. Devin White, Elandon Roberts and Jamal Adams were Las Vegas’ top LBs last year, but all three are now unsigned.
While the Raiders traded superstar pass rusher Maxx Crosby to the Ravens last week, they have since made several noteworthy investments to improve a roster that finished last in 2025. Before bringing in Walker and Dean, the Raiders acquired nickel cornerback Taron Johnson from the Bills, re-signed corner Eric Stokes, and reached free agent agreements with center Tyler Linderbaum, defensive end Kwity Paye and receiver Jalen Nailor.