49ers Want More Than Second-Rounder For Mac Jones; Latest On Trent Williams
The 49ers landed backup quarterback Mac Jones on a two-year, $7MM contract in free agency last March. The team wound up turning to Jones far more than it planned to in the first year of the deal. With a toe injury limiting starter Brock Purdy to nine games, Jones made eight starts and did a nice job keeping the car on the road. The 49ers went 5-3 in Jones’ outings.
Jones may have boosted his stock enough to become an appealing trade candidate, but the market has not been “robust” so far, Matt Barrows and Vic Tafur of The Athletic write. While the 49ers are not shopping Jones, they at least expected someone to offer a third-round pick or better, according to Barrows and Tafur.
General manager John Lynch‘s asking price is even higher than a third, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic hears. Lynch is looking for a second-rounder and more. That is a steep cost for a signal-caller who has put together an inconsistent five-year career.
Jones, whom the Patriots drafted 15th overall in 2021, had a solid rookie year as a starter. Taking over after Cam Newton‘s forgettable season as the Patriots’ starter, Jones helped the Pats to 10 wins and a playoff berth. The Alabama product fizzled over the next two seasons, though, leading the Patriots to trade him to the Jaguars in March 2024. Jones only brought back a sixth-rounder then. He went on to underwhelm in relief of an injured Trevor Lawrence over seven starts.
Jones had a far better year in San Francisco, where he set career highs in completion percentage (69.6%), yards per attempt (7.4), passer rating (97.4) and QBR (62.3). He threw for 2,151 yards and tossed 13 touchdowns against six interceptions across 289 attempts. Those are good numbers, but not enough to convince anyone to give up prime draft capital. Unsurprisingly, there is some skepticism toward the 27-year-old and a belief that his 2025 rebound was the product of head coach/offensive guru Kyle Shanahan.
“The 49ers gonna throw in Kyle Shanahan in the deal, too?” one general manager asked (via Barrows and Tafur).
As of January, Shanahan was not expecting a Jones trade. Shanahan said then that “you always listen to people and trade offers, but we’re also not into getting rid of good players. So, I’d be very surprised if Mac wasn’t around us next year.”
Barring something unforeseen, it appears Jones will indeed remain in a 49ers uniform next season. On the other hand, there is still plenty of uncertainty around future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams. With the 49ers and Williams struggling to agree on an adjusted deal to lower his $38.84MM cap hit, a Feb. 23 report surfaced indicating the team could release him. Speaking to the media that afternoon, Lynch said the 49ers and Williams’ camp are “all on the same page.”
Nothing has been done about Williams’ contract over a week later, leaving a release as a possible outcome. The two sides have not made any progress, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, who says the 49ers and Williams still have work to do to prevent a divorce.
If the 12-time Pro Bowler reaches free agency, there should be plenty of interest despite his age. The 37-year-old continues to play at a high level, and retirement is not imminent. Williams still believes he has two or three seasons of football left in him, Garafolo reports.
Colts Shopping LB Zaire Franklin
Linebacker Zaire Franklin‘s eighth year in a Colts uniform may have been his last. In an effort to get under the salary cap, the Colts are discussing a Franklin trade with other teams, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Factoring in the $37.83MM transition tag for quarterback Daniel Jones, the Colts are approximately $4.72MM over the cap. They are also trying to re-sign wide receiver Alec Pierce, though he plans to test the free agent market. As PFR’s second-ranked free agent-to-be, Pierce may price himself out of Indianapolis on a mega-deal.
The possibility of the Colts moving on from Franklin first came up last week. General manager Chris Ballard was complimentary toward Franklin, but he was also noncommittal on the soon-to-be 30-year-old’s future. Ballard gave Franklin a three-year, $31.26MM extension back in March 2024. He still has two years’ control left as a result. Trading or releasing Franklin before June 1 would save the Colts $5.76MM in cap space at the cost of $2.5MM in dead money.
Franklin’s career began when the Colts chose him in the seventh round out of Syracuse in 2018. After mostly serving as a special teamer in his first three seasons, he took over as a regular starter in 2021. Franklin has missed just one game since then. He amassed over 170 tackles in each season from 2022-24. During a career year in 2024, Franklin posted 173 tackles, 11 TFL, and personal bests in sacks (3.5) and interceptions (two).
Franklin earned Pro Bowl honors and a second-team All-Pro selection for his efforts two years ago, but he was not as effective last season. He put up 125 tackles, seven TFL and two sacks. Pro Football Focus ranked Franklin 87th among 88 qualifying linebackers. Primary running mate Germaine Pratt, now a pending free agent, checked in at No. 41. Both players could soon be on their way out of Indianapolis, which would set up an overhaul at linebacker.
At least one of the Giants or Jets will be involved in trade talks for Franklin, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post contends. The Giants may pursue Franklin to replace the released Bobby Okereke. The Jets, who are transitioning to a 3-4 base defense, need another inside linebacker to pair with Jamien Sherwood. Franklin could fit the bill.
Chargers Host C Tyler Biadasz
Now in the market for a starting center to replace the retired Bradley Bozeman, the Chargers hosted free agent Tyler Biadasz on Thursday, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports.
This is the second visit Biadasz has booked since the Commanders released him last week. The six-year veteran met with the Bears after No. 1 center Drew Dalman‘s stunning retirement on Tuesday.
A month after stalwart center Travis Frederick retired, the Cowboys chose Biadasz in the fourth round in 2020. The former Wisconsin Badger came off the bench in eight of 12 games as a rookie, but he became a full-time starter in his second season. Biadasz played in 49 games from 2021-23 and earned his lone Pro Bowl nod as an alternate in 2022.
Biadasz parlayed a solid run in Dallas into a three-year, $30MM contract with the NFC East rival Commanders in 2024. He continued as a full-time starter in Washington, where he played in 31 games, but the team cut him with a year left on his deal. The 28-year-old’s only absence last season came in the Commanders’ finale. He was on IR by then as a result of knee and ankle injuries he suffered in Week 17. Biadasz ended the year as Pro Football Focus’ 12th-ranked center among 37 qualifiers.
If Biadasz signs with the Chargers, he would replace another full-time starter in Bozeman. Although Bozeman topped the depth chart in all 33 of his games as a Charger, PFF was down on his work in both seasons. He was the outlet’s 31st-rated center out of 43 in 2024 and its last-ranked pivot in ’25. The Chargers’ search for a successor could point them to Biadasz, though the team has the cap room (a league-leading $99.05MM) to make a far bigger investment at the position.
The Ravens Tyler Linderbaum, PFR’s top-ranked pending free agent, is poised to sign a record-setting contract for a center. Connor McGovern, who expects to leave Buffalo, and Carolina’s Cade Mays are in the next tier of soon-to-be free agents at the position. Neither will come cheap, though, and Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz indicated last month that he does not expect to be aggressive in free agency. That could make a Biadasz signing more likely than a splashier center addition.
Cardinals Release Akeem Davis-Gaither, Bilal Nichols
The Cardinals have released linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither and defensive tackle Bilal Nichols, per Field Yates of ESPN. They cut Nichols with a failed physical designation.
Davis-Gaither worked as a backup during his first five seasons in Cincinnati, which chose him in Round 4 of the 2020 draft. He became a starter for the Cardinals after they handed him a two-year, $11MM deal last March.
During his second 17-game season in a row, Davis-Gaither notched career highs in tackles (117), starts (13) and passes defensed (five). He led all Cardinals linebackers in snap share (68.15%) and pulled in the third interception of his career along the way. Pro Football Focus was unimpressed, though, as the outlet ranked the 28-year-old’s performance 71st among 88 qualifying LBs.
A former Bear and Raider, Nichols signed a three-year, $21MM contract with the Cardinals in March 2024. Nichols was coming off three straight 17-game seasons at that point, but health eluded him in Arizona. The 300-pounder totaled 10 tackles in six games (five starts) before a stinger forced him to season-ending injured reserve in October 2024.
When assembling their roster at the end of August last year, the Cardinals placed Nichols on the reserve/PUP list with a neck injury. They activated Nichols before Week 5, but the 29-year-old wound up totaling just four appearances and three tackles in 2025. Arizona sent Nichols to IR with knee injury in mid-December, ending his second and last season in its uniform. He made 13 tackles in 10 games as a Cardinal.
In moving on from Davis-Gaither and Nichols, the Cardinals will save around $11MM in cap space. They now have approximately $39.7MM available as the new league year approaches.
Seahawks, LB Drake Thomas Agree To Deal
The Seahawks and restricted free agent linebacker Drake Thomas have agreed to a two-year contract, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The deal comes with a base of $8MM and could be worth up to $9MM.
As an undrafted free agent from NC State in 2023, Thomas originally signed with the Raiders. He was unable to crack Las Vegas’ roster, leading Seattle to claim Thomas shortly before the season.
Thomas appeared in seven games and played 118 of 122 snaps on special teams as a rookie. While he suited up for all 17 of the Seahawks’ games in his second year, his role was primarily on special teams again. Just 37 of his 355 snaps came on defense.
Last year was a different story for Thomas, who emerged as a 14-game starter for a team that won the Super Bowl. The 26-year-old totaled 768 snaps, the seventh-most among Seahawks defenders. With 905 snaps, Ernest Jones was the Seahawks’ only linebacker to log more playing time. Thomas took advantage of his opportunity in racking up 96 tackles, 10 TFL, six QB hits, 3.5 sacks and an interception over 17 regular-season games. Pro Football Focus rated his performance an impressive 23rd among 88 qualifying linebackers.
Thomas’ 77.0 grade as a run defender ranked third on the Seahawks, who allowed the third-fewest rushing yards in the NFL. He chipped in another 18 tackles over three playoff wins, including six in a stifling defensive performance against the Patriots in Super Bowl LX.
Broncos Planned To Pursue Breece Hall
The Jets kept running back Breece Hall under wraps with the franchise tag before the Tuesday afternoon deadline. The transition tag was also a possibility, but the Broncos posed enough of a threat that the Jets went for the franchise option, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports.
Franchising Hall all but guaranteed he will remain in a Jets uniform for a fifth season in 2026. No team is going to sign Hall to an offer sheet and give up two first-round picks for him. The transition tag would have given the Jets the right to match any offer, but they would not have received compensation had they let him go.
The Broncos were ready to strike in the event the Jets chose the transition tag. They remain “poised to make a splash” at the position in free agency, Jones writes.
Broncos general manager George Paton could have stolen Hall from former assistant GM Darren Mougey, who is now the Jets’ GM. Denver also has a key connection to Hall in running backs coach Louis Ayeni, Jones notes. As Iowa State’s RBs coach from 2014-17, Ayeni recruited Hall to play for the Cyclones.
With Hall out of the picture, the Broncos could turn their attention to Seahawks Super Bowl LX MVP winner Kenneth Walker III or the Jaguars’ Travis Etienne. Those two rank as the league’s best pending free agent running backs. The Panthers’ Rico Dowdle, the Falcons’ Tyler Allgeier, the Buccaneers’ Rachaad White and the Broncos’ own J.K. Dobbins are among other notable RBs seeking contracts.
Dobbins, a former Raven and Charger, joined the Broncos on a one-year, $5.25MM contract last offseason. He performed well as the Broncos’ primary ball carrier when healthy. Once again, though, staying healthy was a challenge for the oft-injured Dobbins. The 27-year-old rushed for 772 yards and four touchdowns on 153 attempts (5.0 YPC) in 10 games before a Lisfranc injury ended his season in November. Since entering the league in 2020, injuries have held Dobbins out of 57 games. That makes Dobbins hard to rely on as a go-to back, even though he has averaged 5.2 yards per rush on 582 carries.
Despite losing Dobbins just days after the Nov. 4 trade deadline, the Broncos won six of their last seven regular-season games to roll to an AFC West title and clinch the No. 1 seed in the conference. But their running game was less effective without Dobbins. Rookie second-rounder RJ Harvey combined for 12 touchdowns (seven rushing, five receiving) and caught 47 passes, but he only averaged 3.7 yards on 146 carries. He accounted for a subpar 57 rushing yards on 19 tries over the Broncos’ two playoff games. Harvey mustered just 37 yards on 13 attempts in a 10-7 loss to the Patriots in the AFC title game. That proved costly for a Denver team stuck with backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who could not get anything going through the air while filling in for an injured Bo Nix.
Harvey will return as an integral part of the offense in 2026, but it sounds as if he will pair with another established veteran in his second year. That may have been Hall if the Broncos had their way. They will have to look elsewhere instead.
49ers Hire Matt Eberflus As Assistant HC
The 49ers are hiring Matt Eberflus as their assistant head coach of defense, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. Eberflus will replace Gus Bradley, who left to become the Titans’ defensive coordinator.
Bradley followed previous 49ers defensive coordinator and new Titans head coach Robert Saleh to Tennessee. Kyle Shanahan then tabbed former Falcons head coach Raheem Morris as Saleh’s successor in San Francisco. This will be Eberflus’ first time working with Shanahan and Morris.
The 55-year-old Eberflus is best known for his two-plus seasons as the Bears’ head coach from 2022-24. After Chicago stumbled to a 14-32 record under Eberflus, general manager Ryan Poles fired him in November 2024.
The Bears hired Eberflus on the heels of an effective showing as the Colts’ defensive coordinator from 2018-21. The Colts boasted top-10 scoring defenses in three of Eberflus’ four years on former head coach Frank Reich‘s staff.
Before going to Indianapolis, Eberflus worked as the Cowboys’ linebackers coach from 2011-17. The Cowboys likely expected Eberflus to channel the success he had in Indy when they reunited with him as their D-coordinator last year. Instead, the hiring proved to be a disaster.
Eberflus’ defense, among the worst in franchise history, did little to nothing well. The unit ranked 23rd in run defense, 26th in sacks, 30th in yards and takeaways, and last in pass defense and scoring. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, COO Stephen Jones and head coach Brian Schottenheimer gave Eberflus public votes of confidence in the first couple months of the season. However, patience officially ran out when they fired Eberflus in the wake of a 7-9-1 campaign.
Now taking on an important role in San Francisco, Eberflus will assist with a defense that held up decently last season despite a rash of injuries. The 49ers went most of the season without their two best defenders, end Nick Bosa and middle linebacker Fred Warner, but still ranked a respectable 13th in scoring. Bosa suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Week 3, while Warner did not play again after fracturing and dislocating his ankle in Week 6. Those two should return to full strength to play for a new-look defensive staff in 2026.
Patriots Intend To Release Stefon Diggs
The Patriots have informed wide receiver Stefon Diggs that they will release him at the start of the league year next week, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. Diggs took to Instagram to thank the Patriots on Wednesday.
It will be a one-and-done stint in New England for Diggs, who signed a three-year, $63.3MM deal with the team last spring. Diggs was then recovering from an October 2024 ACL tear that occurred during his lone year with the Texans. Also a former Viking and Bill, Diggs showed no ill effects from his injury last season.
Playing all 17 regular-season games, the four-time Pro Bowler ended up an integral part of a New England team that stunningly improved from 4-13 to 14-3 in 2025. The Patriots won the AFC East and advanced to Super Bowl LX, where they fell to the Seahawks, 29-13.
The 32-year-old Diggs was MVP candidate Drake Maye‘s favorite option throughout the season. Diggs easily led the Patriots in receptions (85), targets (102) and yards (1,013). He also grabbed four touchdowns.
Diggs was less productive during the Pats’ four-game postseason run, in which he averaged just 7.9 yards on 14 catches. His short Patriots tenure also included some unwanted off-field drama. A video of Diggs flashing an “unidentified pink substance” during a yacht party surfaced last May.
When asked about it, head coach Mike Vrabel said, “It’s something we’re aware of and obviously we want to make great decisions on and off the field.”
Diggs never received any punishment for that incident, and there was no further trouble for several months. However, that ended when a Dec. 2 incident involving Diggs came to light on Dec. 30. Diggs’ former personal chef told police he entered her unlocked bedroom during a financial dispute and “smacked her across the face.” She added that Diggs “tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck.”
Diggs pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of strangulation and a charge of misdemeanor assault and battery on Feb. 13. He is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on April 1. Depending on how the process plays out, Diggs could face disciplinary action from the league next season. That will hang over his head as he seeks another team in free agency.
The Patriots will no longer have to worry about a potential suspension for Diggs, though the loss of a seven-time 1,000-yard wideout will leave an obvious void in their receiving corps. Philadelphia’s A.J. Brown has come up as a potential trade target, but the Eagles’ asking price has been prohibitive to this point. In addition to Brown, the Diggs-less Patriots are sure to explore other possibilities this offseason.
The Pats already had upward of $39MM in cap space entering the day. Cutting Diggs will give them more money to pursue help at receiver and other positions. Once his release becomes official, the Patriots will add $16.8MM in spending room at the cost of $9.7MM in dead cap. They will also avoid paying $6MM in base salary that would have vested on March 13.
Bears, Cowboys Among Potential Maxx Crosby Suitors; New Contract In Play?
The Raiders reportedly have a sky-high asking price for defensive end Maxx Crosby, but that is not stopping teams from pursuing the the five-time Pro Bowler. The Bears and Cowboys are among teams to watch in the Crosby derby, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports.
The Cowboys have been in the market for a superstar pass rusher since they traded Micah Parsons to the Packers last August. The Packers sent two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark to the Cowboys for the 26-year-old Parsons.
The Raiders have been holding out for a Parsons-like return for Crosby, though it may be unrealistic for someone entering his age-29 season. Teams are willing to part with more than a first-rounder for Crosby, according to Jones, but it is unclear what the rest of the proposed packages look like.
Parsons required a raise when the Cowboys shipped him out of town. Crosby already got one last March when the Raiders extended him on a three-year, $106.5MM pact with $91.5MM in guarantees. It’s unclear whether he will seek another adjustment to his contract this offseason, per Jones. If Crosby wants another pay increase, the Raiders would lose leverage in trade talks. However, at least one high-level source told Jones that Crosby would be willing to play next season on his current pact.
With 73 tackles, 28 TFL, 20 QB hits, 10 sacks, six passes defensed and two forced fumbles over 15 games in 2025, Crosby continued to wreak havoc in Year 7 of his career. However, Crosby’s season ended with a spat between him and his organization.
Crosby battled a nagging knee injury for a large portion of the campaign, leading the Raiders to place him on IR ahead of a Week 17 matchup against the Giants. Both teams were vying for the worst record in the NFL and the No. 1 pick at the time. Crosby made it clear he wanted to win, not tank. The Raiders lost a 34-10 blowout and wound up securing the top selection. They are expected to draft a potential franchise quarterback in Fernando Mendoza, but trade rumors have swirled around Crosby this offseason. That was also the case last offseason before the Raiders extended him.
Along with the way the Raiders handled Crosby at the end of the year, there have been behind-the-scenes issues between him and longtime Tom Brady personal trainer/confidant Alex Guerrero. Crosby has been among those “frustrated by the presence” of Guerrero, the team’s wellness coordinator, Michael Silver of The Athletic writes. Guerrero, a regular at practices and meetings, “purports to possess significant organizational power” and is “perceived to have a direct pipeline to Brady,” Silver adds.
This is not the first time there has been tension centering on Guerrero. When Brady was still the Patriots’ quarterback in 2018, he and Bill Belichick clashed over Guerrero’s growing influence within the organization. Belichick eventually removed Guerrero’s office from the Patriots’ facility. Guerrero followed Brady to Tampa Bay, where he finished his illustrious career from 2020-22. The two have stayed together during Brady’s transition from player to part-owner. Crosby may not be a fan, but that alone won’t lead to a trade. The Raiders are going to require a significant haul in order to part with their best defender.
Eagles Rumors: Phillips, Goedert, Brown
A few days after the Eagles’ season ended, pending free agent Jaelan Phillips expressed interest in staying in Philadelphia. No deal has come together roughly a month and a half later, but the Eagles are “hopeful” they will re-sign the outside linebacker before free agency opens March 11, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports.
A former Miami Hurricane, Phillips stayed in the area when the Dolphins drafted him 18th overall in 2021. Phillips did not miss a game during his first two seasons, a 34-game span in which he combined for 15.5 sacks. However, between a torn Achilles in 2023 and a partially torn ACL in ’24, Phillips was on the field for just 12 games over the next two seasons.
The 26-year-old Phillips made an encouraging rebound to health during a 17-game 2025. Phillips was still a Dolphin for their first nine games, but the out-of-contention club sent him to the Eagles for a third-round pick before the Nov. 4 trade deadline. The move reunited Phillips with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who held the same post with the Dolphins in 2023.
The Eagles were unable to defend their Super Bowl title last season, but Phillips was nonetheless an effective acquisition. Although he did not post a gaudy sack total (two), he notched 17 pressures, seven QB hits, four passes defensed and four tackles for loss in eight games. Between the Dolphins and Eagles, he combined for the league’s ninth-most pressures (73) with 53 tackles, 14 QB hits, seven TFL and five sacks. Phillips now finds himself in a similar pending free agent tier to fellow 20-something pass rushers Kwity Paye and Odafe Oweh.
Turning to the offensive side, tight end Dallas Goedert also ranks among the Eagles’ noteworthy pending free agents. General manager Howie Roseman has interest in bringing back the career-long Eagle for a ninth season, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. The two sides will continue to talk leading up to free agency.
Notably, Goedert’s potential exit would subject the Eagles to a $20MM dead money charge stemming from void years. That may provide added motivation to re-sign Goedert, who had one of his most productive pass-catching seasons in 2025.
The Eagles heavily relied on Goedert, who registered a 74.7% offensive snap share and led the team with 11 TD grabs (a franchise record for his position). The 31-year-old also ranked third among Eagles in receptions (60), targets (82) and yards (591) over 15 games.
If the Eagles lose Goedert, longtime Browns tight end David Njoku is a potential replacement. While Njoku enjoyed a successful nine-year run in Cleveland, he will walk in free agency in the wake of Harold Fannin‘s emergence as a rookie last season. Njoku could land in Philadelphia, which is interested in the soon-to-be 30-year-old, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94 WIP.
Meanwhile, Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown remains one of the league’s highest-profile trade candidates. The Eagles have insisted on a first-round pick in any package, which has not changed. Offers continue to come in, though Garafolo says Roseman is continuing to hold out for a Quinnen Williams-like return. The Cowboys acquired the defensive tackle from the Jets for a 2027 first-rounder, a 2026 second-rounder and DT Mazi Smith before last year’s trade deadline.
A report last week indicated that Roseman is likely to make a decision on Brown by the start of the legal tampering period on March 9. Electing to either keep or trade Brown by then would give Roseman a better idea how to proceed with other important offseason business.