Jets Could Add 2 Veteran QBs; Carson Wentz At Top Of List
The Jets need a quarterback. More specifically, they need a young, long-term face of the franchise, the likes of which they have lacked since Joe Namath.
But the 2026 draft class only has one high-end quarterback prospect: Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, who is widely expected to be drafted by the Raiders with the first overall pick. A number of college passers decided to return to school for the 2026 season, leaving New York high and dry with the No. 2 selection.
The Jets would be best served by waiting until the quarterback-rich 2027 draft, in which the No. 1 pick will not be required to land an exciting young passer. In the meantime, though, they will need someone to pass the ball to Garrett Wilson, Mason Taylor, and Adonai Mitchell.
That ‘someone’ could very well be two players. The Jets could take a similar approach to their quarterback room as their stadium-mates did last year. The Giants signed both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in free agency – which did not stop them from trading up into the first-round to draft Jaxson Dart – with the intention of letting the starting competition play out without too much pressure on any one player.
Of the available free agents, new Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich prefers a familiar face, per SNY’s Connor Hughes: Carson Wentz. The two worked together in Indianapolis in 2021 when Reich was the Colts’ head coach. He traded for Wentz despite his sharp regression in Philadelphia the year before, and the former No. 1 pick posted a resurgent season. The Colts moved on from Wentz the following offseason, though the split was driven more by the front office and ownership than by Reich and his coaching staff.
Geno Smith, who was released on Friday, is another option named by Hughes. So, too, is Jacoby Brissett, though he is still under contract with the Cardinals and they do not intend to move him. However, if Jimmy Garoppolo follows Mike LaFleur from Los Angeles to Arizona, Brissett could become available for the Jets.
The Jets have also been connected with veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone, but they are expected to have competition for his signature. They could then pivot to Micah McFadden, a 2022 fifth-rounder who started 35 games for the Giants in his first three NFL seasons but missed virtually all of 2025 due to a foot injury. The Jets have interest in McFadden, but so do the Giants, via both Hughes and ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. Depending on the state of his foot, the 26-year-old may need to consider a one-year, ‘prove-it’ deal, but interest from multiple teams could give him enough leverage for a better deal.
Bears, Bills Finalizing D.J. Moore Trade
D.J. Moore‘s Bears future has been in question, and he will indeed be on the move soon. The veteran wideout will be dealt to the Bills once the new league year begins, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Chicago will receive a 2026 second-round pick (No. 60 overall) in the deal while sending a 2026 fifth-rounder back to Buffalo, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The Bears will also see $16.5MM in cap savings, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap, though that will not kick in until the trade is processed at the start of the new league year. As a result, they will need to make other moves to become cap-compliant by next Wednesday.
The Bills will take on the remainder of Moore’s contract, which runs through 2029. He is owed $24.5MM in each year with the same cap number. His 2026 salary is already guaranteed, and $15.5MM of his 2027 salary guarantees on March 13.
Buffalo is also guaranteeing $15.5MM of Moore’s 2028 salary as part of the trade, per Schefter. It is unclear if they are expanding the 2027 guarantees to cover the entire year’s salary. Moore, notably, has negotiated fully guaranteed compensation for each of his first nine seasons in the NFL and could very well get to 11 as a result of this deal.
Along with the second-rounder they moved to acquire him, that is a hefty commitment for a player who just posted career-low receiving numbers in the NFL’s 10th-ranked passing offense. His 1.44 yards per route run in 2024 and 1.24 YPRR in 2025 are the lowest figures of his career, per Pro Football Focus, (subscription required). However, that can be partially attributed to a crowded Bears offense that featured a strong running game and young pass-catchers Rome Odunze, Colston Loveland, and Luther Burden.
Still, Buffalo had a clear desire to upgrade their receiving corps. They checked in on A.J. Brown and Alec Pierce, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, but ultimately opted to reunite Moore with head coach Joe Brady. The two last worked together in Carolina in 2020 and 2021, during which time Moore put up 2,350 yards and eight touchdowns on 159 receptions.
Perhaps Brady can get him back to that production or better in a receiver room with less competition – Khalil Shakir was the only Bills wideout to top 40 receptions or 500 receiving yards last year. But given the financial and draft compensation, it is hard to like this trade for the Bills. Moore is about to turn 29 after two years of decline and the team is essentially tied to him through his age-31 season after adding guarantees to his deal.
Broncos To Re-Sign OL Alex Palczewski
7:04pm: Palczewski’s two-year deal is worth $9.5MM, according to 9News’ Mike Klis. Of that total, $5.6MM is guaranteed. The contract can max out at $11MM.
1:38pm: The Broncos are expected to re-sign offensive lineman Alex Palczewski, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The 26-year-old was set to be a restricted free agent but will instead stay in Denver on a two-year deal.
Palczewski signed with the Broncos as an undrafted rookie in 2023 but missed the entire season due to injury. He made the 53-man roster in 2024 and took over at right tackle after an early-season injury to starter Mike McGlinchey. A high ankle sprain put Palczewski on the shelf for three games, and he only played 16 snaps on offense for the rest of the year.
In 2025, he emerged as a key piece of Denver’s offensive line after starting left guard Ben Powers landed on injured reserve due to a biceps injury. Palczewski logged 10 starts (Weeks 7-17), though he only received a 53.8 grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required), and Powers took back over at left guard after he came off IR at the end of the regular season.
Details of Palczewski’s deal are unknown, but it will likely land somewhere between the second-round and right-of-first-refusal RFA tags, valued at $6.26MM and $3.82MM, respectively (via OverTheCap). That could be a bargain if he takes over a starting job in 2026, a distinct possibility considering Powers’ contract situation.
Powers is owed $13MM in non-guaranteed compensation this year with Denver’s third-largest cap hit at $18.15MM. A pre-June 1 cut would yield $8.38MM in savings with $9.78MM in dead money, while a post-June 1 cut would change those numbers to $12.73MM and $5.43MM with the rest of the dead money pushed to 2027. Powers has been mentioned as a trade candidate on multiple occasions.
The Broncos currently have a little over $25MM in cap space, so they do not need to release Powers before the new league year. That would give them time to explore his trade value after starting 52 games in the last five seasons. They could also elect to designate him as a post-June 1 cut for maximum 2026 savings. It would not kick in until after June 1, and the Broncos would have to carry Powers’ cap hit in the meantime, but they can afford to do so. They can then use the extra money to sign their rookie class and fill any remaining roster needs with summer signings.
However, re-signing Palczewski does not necessarily mean that the Broncos are looking to move on from Powers. Depth at offensive line is key, especially players who are able to back up multiple spots.
Steelers To Release TE Jonnu Smith
Once Arthur Smith left Pittsburgh, it did not take long for his favorite tight end to follow. The Steelers are releasing Jonnu Smith, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, adding him to a strong crop of free agents at his position.
The move will save $7MM against the salary cap with $3.9MM in dead money, according to OverTheCap. The Steelers currently have just over $40MM in 2026 cap space, so they did not need the money. However, with Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington still in place – and Arthur Smith now at Ohio State – Jonnu Smith became surplus to requirements in Pittsburgh, especially with a $10.9MM cap hit.
Smith, 30, arrived in Pittsburgh last offseason as part of the Jalen Ramsey–Minkah Fitzpatrick swap with the Dolphins. He signed a one-year, $12MM extension with the Steelers, but only received $9MM of that money. In 2025, he only put up 222 yards and two touchdowns on 38 catches, less than half of his production during his Pro Bowl 2024 campaign in Miami.
Smith will now join several other veteran tight ends in free agency. Teams may be cautious after a down year, but the presence of Freiermuth and Washington and the Steelers’ general offensive struggles in 2025 are mitigating factors. But Smith has never received strong blocking grades from Pro Football Focus (subscription required), which could limit interest from teams looking for a secondary tight end to help in the run game.
Perhaps Los Angeles could be a landing spot. There, Smith could reunite with Mike McDaniel, his head coach in Miami who is now the Chargers’ offensive coordinator. Smith put up career numbers in his lone season under McDaniel and could serve as an experience TE2 behind 2025 rookie breakout Oronde Gadsden II.
Vikings To Release DT Jonathan Allen
Faced with a tight 2026 salary cap picture, the Vikings are making some tough roster decisions before the new league year. They are expected to release defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Minnesota will see $6.5MM in savings as a result of the move with $17.3MM in dead money, according to OverTheCap. A post-June 1 designation would increase the savings and push more dead money into 2027, but that money would not be available until that date. The Vikings are currently more than $46MM over the 2026 cap, so they will need to process the move right away to get closer to cap-compliance.
Allen, 31, was released by the Commanders last offseason after eight seasons in Washington. He signed a three-year, $60MM deal with the Vikings shortly thereafter and will now depart having seen $23.5MM of that money for just one year’s work.
Allen still had $8MM in guaranteed 2026 salary on his deal, so he will be available to sign with a new team for the veteran minimum. That will strengthen his market after two straight down years. He logged just 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss in 2024 and 2025 after posting at least 5.5 sacks and 10 TFLs in his previous three seasons, two of which featured Pro Bowl nods. Allen will still be one of the more proven defensive tackles in free agency, and he can be signed right away without affecting the compensatory pick formula, which further adds to his appeal.
The Vikings also released defensive tackle Javon Hargrave this week, but they have several young players ready to step up in the trenches, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. Among them are Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez, and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, though only Redmond and Rodriguez made an impact. 2025 undrafted free agent signing Elijah Williams could also push for more playing time after making the 53-man roster as a rookie, but Minnesota may still look for a more experienced DT to round out the unit.
Giants Were Runners-Up For Trent McDuffie; CB Wants ‘Market-Topping Deal’ From Rams
The Rams were not the only team interested in trading for Trent McDuffie. The Giants were close to agreeing to a deal with the Chiefs, but were not willing to give up “first-round plus” value, per The Kansas City Star’s Sam McDowell.
New York’s exact offer is unknown, but it must have been less than the package sent by Los Angeles. It included the No. 29 selection in April’s draft as well as picks in the third, fifth, and sixth rounds, which comes out to the value of a first-round pick in the early 20s. The Giants would need a different combination of picks to match and were unwilling to do so.
Instead, McDuffie will head to the Rams, who have received permission from the Chiefs to negotiate an extension with the 25-year-old. This is a necessary step to start work on a new contract, as the trade cannot be officially processed until the start of the new league year next week.
McDuffie is seeking a “market-topping deal,” per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer and could very well become the highest-paid cornerback in the league, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. That would put McDuffie in line for a contract worth over $30.1MM per year after Derek Stingley Jr. and Sauce Gardner – also 2022 first-rounders – reset the market last year. The former Washington Husky has not been as dominant in coverage as Stingley and Gardner, but he makes a much bigger impact in run support and as a blitzer. He also brings inside-outside versatility, which can allow the Rams to be more flexible in building their secondary.
Los Angeles, having moved significant draft capital for McDuffie, is clearly willing to meet his asking price. McDuffie is owed $13.6MM in 2026 with the same cap hit, which the Rams can comfortable absorb. An extension would lower that number and give general manager Les Snead more money to address other needs in free agency.
Chargers To Release TE Will Dissly, OT Savion Washington
The Chargers are releasing tight end Will Dissly and waiving offensive tackle Savion Washington, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper. The moves will save about $14.5MM in cap space with $1.5MM in dead money from the last proration of Dissly’s signing bonus.
Dissly, 29, signed in Los Angeles in 2024 on a three-year, $14MM deal. He appeared in 15 games (eight starts) in his first season with career-high receiving numbers of 50 catches and 481 yards. But those numbers dropped to career-lows in 2025 as he only played nine games due to injury.
Chargers rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden II exploded onto the scene in Dissly’s absence, putting up 49 receptions for 664 yards. He will enter the 2026 season as the starter, but the Chargers may be looking for a more experienced blocking TE2 who comes at a cheaper price than Dissly. New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel also relied heavily on Julian Hill in Miami; the two could reunite in Los Angeles.
Predicting Dissly’s market in free agency is a challenge. He has a strong history as a blocker, and he is only one year removed from the best pass-catching year of his career. But there are several younger free agents like Cade Otton and Isaiah Likely with more receiving upside, as well as some younger blockers like Charlie Kolar and Jake Tonges who could do more through the air with a greater target share.
Washington, 23, signed a three-year deal with the Chargers last year as an undrafted free agent out of Syracuse. He missed all of the 2025 season due to an undisclosed injury.
Tyler Linderbaum Aiming For $25MM Per Year?
The Ravens did not place a franchise or transition tag on Tyler Linderbaum on Tuesday, setting him up to hit the open market next week. He is expected to receive a massive contract, though perhaps not quite as much as he is seeking.
Linderbaum is aiming for $25MM per year in free agency, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, who expressed some doubt that the Pro Bowl center could hit that number. However, his next contract still reset the center market – currently capped by Creed Humphrey‘s $18MM AAV – by a significant margin.
Baltimore has been working to re-sign Linderbaum, but he (and his agent) know how many teams need a center and will gladly pay a premium price to land the best one to hit free agency in years.
The Ravens need to improve their offensive line this offseason, not downgrade it, but they also need to address their pass rush – another costly venture – with a limited budget. Getting into a bidding war for Linderbaum would be out of character for general manager Eric DeCosta, who prefers to fill needs with value signings during free agency.
If Linderbaum does not re-up with the Ravens, he will likely be the most coveted player in free agency. Drew Dalman‘s sudden retirement brought another club into a center market that was already crowded with buyers. Linderbaum’s agent will be able to play teams’ offers against each other and drive up his price tags, but teams will have a limit. Though he is one of the league’s best run-blockers, he is not elite in pass protection. Teams are unlikely to pay him like a top offensive tackle at $25MM or more, though breaking into the high end of the guard market seems within reach.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/3/26
No teams placed tenders on any of their restricted free agents on Tuesday, but three made decisions on exclusive rights free agents:
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Texans: CB Ja’Marcus Ingram
- 49ers: OT Austen Pleasants
Non-tendered:
- Buccaneers: OLB Markees Watts
Vikings Expected To Pursue Kyler Murray
The Cardinals are expected to part ways with Kyler Murray, but he is unlikely to be out of a job for long. The NFL’s quarterback carousel will ensure that the former No. 1 pick has multiple suitors, with the Vikings expected to be among them.
Minnesota is exploring alternatives to J.J. McCarthy this offseason, but they are doing so with a very tight salary cap picture. That makes Murray especially appealing, as he will be available for the veteran minimum with Arizona still paying out his remaining guaranteed salary.
Indeed, the 28-year-old is “at — or near — the top of the Vikings’ list,” according to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. Though the team is not completely out on McCarthy, they are also open to adding a clear, instant upgrade as opposed to competition for the starting job.
Murray would fall into the first category with 87 starts and two Pro Bowls under his belt. He has spent much of the last four years injured, but put up a solid performance in 2024, his only fully-healthy season since 2020. After seeing Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones parlay stints with the Vikings into starting jobs elsewhere, Murray will likely be open to, if not interested in throwing passes to Justin Jefferson in Kevin O’Connell‘s offense.
Success with Murray could set him up for a multi-year payday, similar to refurbished passers like Darnold and Baker Mayfield. The Vikings opted not to retain Darnold after he led them to a 14-3 record in 2024, but their waning faith in McCarthy and change at general manager could lead them down a different path with Murray. Minnesota could decline McCarthy’s fifth-year option next offseason – making him a potential reclamation project for another team – and, like the Buccaneers with Mayfield, charge into the future with their new veteran quarterback.