Lions To Sign DB Christian Izien
The Lions are adding some more insurance to their secondary after an injury-riddled 2025 season. Former Buccaneers safety Christian Izien is headed to Detroit on a one-year deal, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. The pact is worth $2MM, including $1MM guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Izien, 25, signed in Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and carved out a role as the team’s primary nickel defender. He appeared in every game with four starts and a 64% snap share, allowing 6.9 yards per target and bringing in two interceptions.
The Buccaneers increased and diversified Izien’s role in 2024 with rookie safety Tykee Smith taking over as the full-time nickel. Izien started 10 out of his 14 appearances with a 75% snap share and moved all around the defense with 308 snaps at free safety, 205 snaps in the slot, and 135 in the box, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). His coverage stats improved and he also ranked fourth on the team with 75 tackles.
Izien was pushed out of the secondary rotation in 2025. Rookie cornerback Jacob Parrish took over in the slot, which pushed Smith into Izien’s 2024 role. Izien did not play more than two defensive snaps in a game until December and finished the year with just 166 total, though he did the most special teams work of his career.
The Buccaneers declined to place a restricted free agent tag on Izien, clearing his path to Detroit. The Lions did not have a dedicated nickel in 2025, but Izien could fill that role in 2026. He may even step into bigger duties early on with star safety duo Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph both recovering from significant leg injuries.
Bears, Chargers Looked Into Tyler Linderbaum
Several teams were reported to have interest in Tyler Linderbaum as free agency approached, among them the Bears and Chargers, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. Though neither won the bidding war for the former Ravens Pro Bowler, both teams did their homework on the veteran center in the weeks leading up to the start of the legal free agent tampering period. 
Expected to reset the market at the center position, Linderbaum was arguably the hottest player slated to hit the open market with massive projections for his next contract. Because the Raiders’ three-year, $81MM offer blew expectations of a $25MM annual average out of the water, the Ravens, Bears, Chargers, and any other potential suitors were all forced to pivot.
Both Chicago and Los Angeles fell out of the race for Linderbaum far before the price tag rose to $27MM per year. Signs began pointing to the veteran center landing back with Baltimore or with the Raiders as the competing bidders started dropping like flies — made apparent by transactions made for other centers. After moving on from the idea of landing the highest-paid center in the NFL, the Bears traded for Garrett Bradbury, acquiring him from the Patriots. Instead of paying $27MM, Chicago was able to move forward simply by relinquishing a fifth-round pick to land Bradbury for a single season at $3.7MM.
The sign that the Chargers had dropped out of the race for Linderbaum came when the team added Tyler Biadasz after he was cut by the Commanders. Los Angeles even secured Biadasz long term, signing the 2022 Pro Bowler to a three-year, $30MM contract. Also, because he had been released from his contract before the start of free agency, he was able to join the Chargers right away and won’t count against the team’s compensatory pick calculations for next year.
The Ravens, too, will need to find a new center after their 2022 first-round pick left Baltimore in free agency. General manager Eric DeCosta was willing to go up to $88MM over four years, a $22MM AAV that would have reset the center market by $4MM per year, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. But the Raiders came in with $27MM per year and a structure that essentially guarantees all $81MM. The three-year term will also give Linderbaum significant leverage to negotiate another raise during the 2028 offseason, which was another sticking point with the Ravens.
The Raiders clearly thought it was worth every penny to land the top center option available as they close in on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the presumed No. 1 overall pick of the draft. The rookie passer will find himself behind one of the league’s top centers. A smart, experienced interior lineman like Linderbaum should be able to take a significant load off Mendoza’s shoulders when it comes to the offense’s presnap operations and blitz recognitions. In the meantime, the Bears and Chargers have paired their young passers with veterans of their own, and the Ravens remain with a hole to fill.
Ely Allen contributed to this post.
Giants To Re-Sign OT Evan Neal
In another example of new head coach John Harbaugh‘s influence in New York, the Giants are re-signing offensive lineman Evan Neal, per his agency, AMDG Sports. It will be a one-year deal for a veteran-minimum salary, per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post.
The former No. 7 pick was expected to leave New York this offseason after not appearing in a single game in 2025. The Giants had high hopes that Neal could form an elite bookend duo with left tackle Andrew Thomas, but the former Alabama star never lived up to his draft billing.
Neal missed four games as a rookie due to an MCL sprain. When healthy, he graded out as one of the worst right tackles in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Neal only only appeared in 16 games over the next two years and continued to struggle in pass protection, though his run-blocking grade jumped to 80.8 in 2024.
The Giants declined Neal’s fifth-year option last offseason and attempted to move Neal to guard, but the transition never took. He instead spent the season as a healthy scratch until November, when a hamstring injury forced him on injured reserve.
At that point, it truly seemed that Neal’s rocky tenure in New York was over. Another team may want to roll the dice on his obvious physical gifts, but the Giants could not figure it out in four years. Multiple reports indicated that Neal would be leaving the team after he landed on injured reserve, but Harbaugh must have a different perspective and plenty of faith in new offensive line coach Mike Bloomgren.
T Jedrick Wills To Sign With Bears
Jedrick Wills is indeed returning to the NFL. The former first-round pick missed all of the 2025 season due to a knee injury suffered the year before and is now set to sign a one-year deal with the Bears, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The five-year veteran previously visit the Patriots and the Lions as he explored his options, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Wills, 26, arrived in Cleveland as the No. 10 selection in the 2020 draft. He took over as the team’s starting left tackle and was named to the All-Rookie team in what remains the best pass-blocking performance of his career, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Wills missed four games in 2021, but returned for a full season in 2022. The injuries began to crop up after that with only 13 appearances across 2023 and 2024, the latter of which featured a season-ending MCL tear in Week 9.
Wills looked into playing in 2025, but opted to sit the season out to solidify his recovery. He will be another left tackle option for the Bears, who used four different players at the position last year. Second-round pick Ozzy Trapilo held down the starting job in the second half of the season but is expected to miss most of 2026 with a knee injury suffered in the playoffs.
Wills will compete for Trapilo’s spot with Braxton Jones, who was retained on a one-year contract, and second-year UDFA Theo Benedet. Both started multiple games last season, with Jones opening the year as the starter as he did for the previous three and Benedet supplanting him in Week 4.
That could be a tough battle for Wills. His pass blocking efficiency and grades from PFF have steadily trended downward since his rookie year with injuries impacting his availability and level of play. Ideally, the extended time away from the field will have allowed him to not only fully recover from his last injury, but improve his durability to prevent more.
Falcons To Sign OLB Azeez Ojulari
Azeez Ojulari is headed back to Georgia. The Marietta native and former Bulldog is signing with the Falcons on a one-year deal, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Ojulari, 25, will need to rebuild his stock in Atlanta after appearing in just three games for the Eagles last season. He will add edge rushing depth behind 2025 first-rounders Jalon Walker and James Pearce, the latter of whom could be facing league discipline as a result of pending felony charges.
The 2019 Giants second-round pick flashed high-end potential as a rookie with eight sacks. Injuries became an issue moving forward, as Ojulari appeared in just 29 games over the next three seasons, though he still put up solid production with 14.0 sacks when healthy. His trade value jumped in the final year of his rookie deal with five sacks in three games right before the 2024 deadline, but no team would meet New York’s asking price.
Ojulari then landed on injured reserve for the third season in a row and took a one-year, $3MM contract with the Eagles in the offseason. Philadelphia’s outside linebacker depth kept Ojulari from earning a consistent role in Vic Fangio‘s defense. He should get more opportunities in a Falcons edge rushing room that let Arnold Ebiketie and Leonard Floyd hit free agency.
The Eagles only played Ojulari for 67 snaps in 2025, so they will not need to find a dedicated replacement. However, Jaelan Phillips‘ departure to the Panthers will leave a much bigger hole in their defense.
Patriots To Sign S Kevin Byard
The Patriots are not resting on the laurels of their elite defensive performance in 2025. Instead, they are continuing to upgrade the unit with veteran safety Kevin Byard. He is expected to sign a one-year, $9MM deal, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
In New England, Byard will reunite with Mike Vrabel, who was his head coach for much of his time in Tennessee.
The 2016 third-round pick earned a starting job in his second year and received a first-team All-Pro nod after le Vrabel was hired the following offseason, and Byard was a key part of his defense for the next five years. He was named an All-Pro again in 2021 and put up another strong campaign in 2022, but he was sent to the Eagles at the 2023 trade deadline after the Titans’ 2-4 start. That was also Vrabel’s last year in Tennessee.
Byard signed a two-year, $15MM contract to join the Bears in 2024 and started every game. He was one of many players to see a big jump in performance under the new coaching staff in 2025 with seven interceptions and his third first-team All-Pro selection. Chicago worked to retain him, but Byard preferred to join his former head coach and the reigning AFC champions, per The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson.
In New England, Byard will replace Jaylinn Hawkins in the Patriots secondary after his departure to Baltimore. Hawkins started 15 games in 2025 with a team-high four interceptions, production that the veteran ballhawks should be able to replace. Byard will slot in next to rookie standout Craig Woodson, where his decade of NFL experience could foster the development of the 2025 fourth-round pick.
Seahawks To Re-Sign OT Josh Jones
Josh Jones won a Super Bowl in his debut year in Seattle as the Seahawks’ swing tackle. He will continue in that role in 2026 on a new, one-year contract, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Jones, 28, has changed teams in each of the last three offseasons. He began his career as a Cardinals third-round pick in 2020 and started multiple games at right guard, right tackle, and left tackle in his first three years.
Despite a solid season on the blind side in 2022, he was traded to the Texans during roster cuts in 2023. Jones could not carve out a role in Houston and took a one-year, $1.8MM deal with the Ravens to rebuild his value. Baltimore’s healthy offensive line largely kept Jones off the field, though he did feature as the sixth offensive lineman in ‘jumbo’ packages.
That helped Jones earn a $4MM deal in Seattle. An injury to starting left tackle Charles Cross pressed him into duty for the last three games of the season, and he held up enough for the Seahawks to secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoff picture.
Also staying with the reigning champs is long snapper Chris Stoll, who has landed a two-year deal (via Pelissero). The 27-year-old signed in Seattle as an undrafted rookie in 2023 and won the long snapping job in training camp. He has played in every game since, including February’s Super Bowl win, but did not receive a restricted free agent tag after the season. Instead, he will stay with the Seahawks for at least the next two seasons.
Patriots To Sign LB K.J. Britt
The Patriots are adding a veteran piece to their defense. Linebacker K.J. Britt is heading to New England on a one-year deal, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Britt, 26, was a 2021 fifth-round pick who spent the first four years of his career in Tampa Bay. He emerged as a starter in 2024 but only received a one-year deal from the Dolphins in the following offseason. He appeared in every game in Miami last year with a backup role on defense and career-high 334 special teams snaps.
Britt will now join what has quietly become a deep off-ball linebacker room. The group is led by veterans Robert Spillane, Christian Elliss, and Jack Gibbens. Marte Mapu and Chad Muma, both 2023 draft picks, provide depth and contribute on special teams.
Britt will fall into the latter category and is somewhat of a roster replacement for Jahlani Tavai, who was released on Monday after five years in New England, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. The move saves $1.7MM in 2026 cap space with just under $3.5MM in dead money, per OverTheCap, though those numbers can change to $3.2MM and $2.0MM with a post-June 1 designation. Tavai still has $600k in guaranteed salary due in 2026 as well.
Tavai started 32 games in his previous two seasons in New England, but his playing time went down sharply after Mike Vrabel’s arrival last year. His 32% defensive snap share was the second-lowest of his career, and his statistics dropped accordingly. The seven-year veteran’s history of strong special teams play should ensure that he finds a new home before the season.
Steelers To Sign S Darnell Savage
The Steelers entered the offseason with multiple veteran safeties hitting free agency. They have now restocked their depth with Darnell Savage, who has agreed to a one-year deal, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The deal is worth just under $1.5MM, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, with a veteran-minimum salary and $188K signing bonus.
Savage, 28, played for three different teams in 2025. He was entering the second year of a three-year deal with the Jaguars, but was released just two games into the year. The Commanders picked him up shortly after, and he appeared in eight games as their third safety. Washington then waived Savage in December, and he finished the season in Buffalo, which included a Week 18 start with the Bills’ playoff seeding to secure and a special teams nod against the Broncos in the divisional round.
Originally a Packers first-round pick in 2019, Savage started 69 games for the Packers on his rookie contract, which included his fifth-year option in 2023. He only started 10 games that year and left Green Bay in free agency. He signed a three-year, $21.75MM with the Jaguars to take over as their starting safety, but struggled again with injuries and made only 13 starts in 2024.
Savage will be looking to rebuild his value after a few disappointing seasons. Staying healthy will be crucial in that quest, as will carving out a role under new Steelers defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. Jalen Ramsey will take up one safety spot, and DeShon Elliott is likely slated for the second. However, he is coming off a season-ending injury and may have to re-earn his starting job. That could be an opportunity for Savage, but more likely, he will serve as the team’s No. 3 safety.
Chargers Re-Signing OL Trey Pipkins
The Chargers have been working to reshape their offensive line this offseason, but they are retaining a key piece of depth in Trey Pipkins. He is expected to sign a two-year, $10MM deal to stay in Los Angeles, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. An additional $2MM is available via playtime incentives.
Pipkins, 29, was a third-round pick in 2019 and served as the Chargers’ swing tackle for the first three years of his career. He made 10 starts in that span and earned the full-time right tackle job in the last year of his rookie contract. He made 14 starts and earned a three-year, $21.75MM deal to stay in Los Angeles during the 2023 offseason.
The 6-foot-6 lineman retained his starting gig in 2023, but poor performance saw him kicked into guard under Jim Harbaugh the following year. He then started at multiple spots amide the Chargers’ O-line injuries in 2025 and will be vital insurance as Pro Bowl tackle duo Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt recover from season-ending surgeries.
If both are healthy, Pipkins could also compete for a starting guard job. One will likely go to former Patriots first-round pick Cole Strange, who signed in Los Angeles on Monday. The Chargers also retained Trevor Penning, who has experience at tackle but primarily lined up on the interior in 2025. He and Pipkins could compete for the other guard job, provided they are not needed at tackle.