Broncos To Re-Sign LB Justin Strnad
The Broncos are keeping linebacker Justin Strnad off the open market. On the eve of the legal tampering period, Denver and Strnad have come to terms on a three-year, $18MM extension, as Scoop City‘s James Palmer reports. Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network says the deal can max out at $19.5MM and includes $10MM guaranteed at signing.
Strnad, a 2020 draftee who missed his entire rookie season due to a wrist injury, saw some action as a rotational defender in 2021 and even earned five starts. Over the 2022-23 seasons, however, he played exclusively on special teams.
That limited usage appeared as if it would lead him out of Denver in the 2024 offseason, but Strnad elected to return to the Broncos in a decision that paid dividends for both parties. As an injury replacement for Alex Singleton in ‘24, Strnad appeared in over half of the club’s defensive snaps and recorded 73 tackles, including eight TFLs and three sacks.
After another one-year deal kept him in place for 2025, Strnad was called upon to fill in for a different injured player, Dre Greenlaw. Strnad again played well, recording 58 tackles, five TFLs, 4.5 sacks, and the first interception of his career. Pro Football Focus considered him the league’s 24th-best ‘backer out of 74 qualified players.
That performance convinced Strnad he is a starting-caliber linebacker in the NFL, and as such, he was said to be seeking a multiyear deal and a starting opportunity. He acknowledged that such an opportunity may need to come from a team other than the Broncos if Denver were to re-sign Singleton, who is also out of contract.
The Strnad deal would therefore seem to suggest the club has made the choice to keep Strnad, 29, over the 32-year-old Singleton. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, that is not the case, as the Broncos are still working to retain Singleton. Greenlaw, who was recently named as a potential cap casualty, is not explicitly mentioned in Fowler’s report, but the ESPN scribe suggests Denver wants to keep all of its LBs together.
Whether that is a realistic outcome remains to be seen, but it is at least understandable. The Broncos, who have been active in extending their core players over the past several years, boasted one of the league’s top defenses in 2025 and nearly advanced to the Super Bowl. Although John Franklin-Myers appears to be on his way out, Denver has managed to keep an underrated cog in its front seven.
Saints Rumors: Taylor, Jordan, Davis, Rattler, Carr, Kamara
Although Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor drew considerable interest in the run-up to last season’s trade deadline, New Orleans kept the 2022 second-rounder in the fold, which suggested he may be a candidate for a second contract with the club. However, it appears Taylor will be playing elsewhere next season.
ESPN’s Katherine Terrell recently reported that the Saints expect Taylor, who just finished his rookie deal, to test the open market. Several days later, the player himself published a post on X that reads, “New Orleans – thank you for letting me shine in ‘The Big Easy.’”
That certainly sounds like Taylor has played his last snap for the Saints, who will need to address the nickel corner position in free agency or the draft. Terrell expects the 27-year-old to have a strong market thanks to an impressive platform campaign in which he boasted 1.0 yards per coverage snap and -1.4 EPA allowed. Terrell wonders if that performance is sustainable in light of Taylor’s less impressive prior body of work, but it appears as if that will be another team’s concern.
New Orleans did meet with Taylor’s camp at the combine, along with reps for fellow pending free agents Demario Davis and Cameron Jordan. Like Taylor, Jordan will hit the open market for the first time in his career, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Now entering his age-37 season, Jordan is the Saints’ franchise leader in games played (243). The New Orleans stalwart and 2010s All-Decade Team member turned back the clock in 2025 by posting 10.5 sacks, reaching double-digits for the first time in that department since 2021. The defensive end is therefore sure to draw outside interest, and he is reportedly open to leaving Louisiana. With nearly $150MM in career earnings but no Super Bowl ring to his name, it would be fair to expect a club that profiles as a more obvious championship contender than the Saints to pique Jordan’s interest (although it does not sound as if the door to a 16th season with New Orleans is entirely closed).
Davis is also going into his age-37 season, and as Terrell notes, he has not offered any public remarks as to whether he would like to stay with the Saints or sign with another team. New Orleans wants to retain the two-time Pro Bowler, who just set a career-high with 143 tackles in 2025 (which marked the ninth straight season in which the durable linebacker recorded over 100 stops). The Jets are said to be interested in a reunion with their 2012 draftee.
Second-year quarterback Tyler Shough flashed enough in his rookie year to make the Saints believe he can be the long-awaited heir to Drew Brees, and that makes 2024 fifth-rounder Spencer Rattler a trade candidate. The Jets were also mentioned as a possible Rattler suitor, but Terrell says New Orleans has not yet received any calls on the 14-game starter. Ditto Derek Carr, who is amenable to coming out of retirement if the right opportunity presents itself.
Carr, who will turn 35 later this month, is still under Saints control, so a trade would need to be worked out if he is to continue his playing career. We recently heard there is a tepid market for his services, though, and Terrell confirms that – at least as of the end of this year’s scouting combine – the Saints had not heard from other teams or even from Carr’s own representation. Terrell says it would cost somewhere in the range of a third- to fifth-round pick to acquire Carr.
Now that they have their starting QB in place, Terrell says the Saints hope to focus on a rushing attack that was among the league’s least productive in 2025. New Orleans finished with the fifth-fewest rushing yards in the league last year, as RB1 Alvin Kamara generally underwhelmed over the first 11 games of the season and then missed the final six contests due to an MCL sprain. As we get closer to the draft, Terrell expects to see increased speculation connecting Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love to New Orleans and its No. 8 overall pick.
Known for their bloated salary cap figures that require offseason gymnastics to get into cap compliance, the Saints did not have nearly as much work to do this year. As Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reported, the Saints restructured the contracts of DE Chase Young, S Justin Reid, and TE Juwan Johnson. OverTheCap.com indicates the club presently has about $20MM of cap room, some of which could be earmarked for the offensive line. Terrell expects the Saints to prioritize their front five along with a running back addition, and head coach Kellen Moore specifically highlighted the left guard spot as an area of need. There are a number of free agent options (Isaac Seumalo and Zion Johnson, for instance) who could fit the bill.
The Saints also restructured Kamara’s deal, per Underhill, but it was not the standard salary-to-signing bonus restructure they employed for Young, Reid, and Johnson. Instead, as Underhill details, New Orleans used the collective bargaining agreement’s so-called “50% rule” to their advantage.
When the salary a player is due to earn a year from now is less than 50% of what he is due to earn in the present season, his team can convert his salary into a non-guaranteed signing bonus that can be prorated over future years for cap relief purposes. In other words, if Kamara is released, the Saints would still realize the benefits of the restructure, which would not be the case in a standard reworking whereby salary is converted into a guaranteed signing bonus. Because of that, Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network suggested the Kamara situation is one to monitor (implying, presumably, that a release is on the table, although such a move would obviously leave the club even more shorthanded at the running back position).
We finish this lengthy roundup of Saints news by passing along a team announcement that Will Clapp has been added to the coaching staff as an offensive assistant. New Orleans selected Clapp in the seventh round of the 2018 draft, and he suited up for 66 games (22 starts) over a seven-year playing career that also included stops with the Chargers and Bills. He announced his retirement last month, and it was speculated at the time that he could be joining the New Orleans staff.
Packers, OL Sean Rhyan Agree To Three-Year Deal
The Packers have agreed to a three-year extension with offensive lineman Sean Rhyan, as Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network were first to report. The deal is worth $33MM and can max out at $39MM. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Rhyan will get an $11MM signing bonus.
The Packers selected Rhyan in the third round of the 2022 draft, and after appearing in just one special teams snap in his rookie season, he saw action in 12 games in 2023. Almost all of that work came at right guard, and in 2024, Rhyan became the full-time starter at RG.
In the eyes of Pro Football Focus, Rhyan performed adequately in 2024. His overall PFF grade of 62.0 was roughly league-average, but he lost his grip on the starting job after the first few games of the 2025 slate. 2024 first-rounder Jordan Morgan displaced him, and as ESPN’s Rob Demovsky observes, Rhyan appeared unlikely to remain in Green Bay as of the midway point of last season.
But in Week 10, starting center Elgton Jenkins sustained a lower leg fracture, and Rhyan was thrust into the pivot for the remainder of the season. His overall PFF mark for his 2025 efforts (59.0) was below average, and his 38.5 pass-block grade was abysmal. However, GM Brian Gutekunst viewed the situation differently, saying at this year’s scouting combine that Rhyan played the center position at a “very high level” once he got his feet wet (via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic).
Gutekunst backed up his comments with this deal, which makes Rhyan one of the league’s highest-paid centers despite just nine career starts at the position. The move also means that Jenkins will be released or traded, as Demovsky and Schneidman note (ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler had previously mentioned Jenkins as a trade candidate).
Morgan, who played at left tackle in college, did not keep the right guard gig for very long, as Anthony Belton took over there in Week 13. Nonetheless, with Rasheed Walker likely to depart in free agency, Morgan is in line to move back to the blindside for his pivotal third year in the pros.
From left to right, the Packers’ starting OL at the moment appears to be comprised of Morgan, Aaron Banks, Rhyan, Belton, and Zach Tom.
Colts WR Alec Pierce, Packers WR Romeo Doubs Drawing Extensive Interest; Pierce Prefers To Stay In Indy
Since the Colts have placed the transition tag on QB Daniel Jones, the only way they can keep WR Alec Pierce from speaking to interested teams when the legal tampering period opens tomorrow is by agreeing to terms on a new contract. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler expects negotiations between Pierce and Indianapolis to go down to the wire, and there are a number of clubs waiting to pounce if a deal is not consummated.
Fowler names the Patriots, Commanders, Raiders, and Titans as teams that are in the mix for Pierce. New England’s interest was noted previously, and with the club set to make Stefon Diggs a one-and-done in Foxborough, it makes sense that it wants to bring in another weapon for third-year QB (and 2025 MVP runner-up) Drake Maye.
After advancing to the NFC Championship Game in Jayden Daniels’ rookie year in 2024, the Commanders limped to a 5-12 mark last season. That was due in large part to Daniels’ health woes, which limited him to just seven games, but Washington could stand to bolster its contingent of pass-catchers. Beyond WR1 Terry McLaurin, the club has Luke McCaffrey, Treylon Burks, and 2025 fourth-rounder Jaylin Lane under contract for 2026.
That trio combined for 558 receiving yards and four TDs last year, so a player with Pierce’s abilities would be a welcome addition. Fowler hears this free agency period could be an especially active one for the Commanders, who have roughly $90MM in cap space and who are looking to capitalize on Daniels’ rookie-contract window. In addition to wide receiver, Washington is interested in upgrading at running back, cornerback, edge rusher, and possibly tight end. Fowler names the team as a “sleeper” for Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans, whom the Buccaneers are actively trying to re-sign.
The Raiders will release veteran signal-caller Geno Smith and are poised to select QB Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the draft. Even though Las Vegas reportedly prefers to keep Mendoza on the bench for at least the early stages of his rookie campaign, adding weapons for him will be a key goal. According to Fowler, the Raiders are also interested in Rashid Shaheed, who has a big fan in new head coach Klint Kubiak (Kubiak, of course, has worked with Shaheed in both New Orleans and Seattle). Fowler cautions that the Raiders’ bigger need is the offensive line, but the club has plenty of spending power with over $120MM in cap room.
Like the other teams mentioned in connection with Pierce, the Titans are looking to add receiving help for a young quarterback. Tennessee is hoping Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 draft, will progress quickly under the tutelage of new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, and acquiring proven pass-catchers will be key in achieving that goal (particularly with Calvin Ridley on the chopping block). The team has been connected to the Giants’ Wan’Dale Robinson as well.
Pierce is a big-play threat who has led the NFL in yards-per-catch in each of the past two seasons. However, some evaluators believe the Packers’ Romeo Doubs is the most well-rounded receiver eligible for free agency this year, and in addition to Pierce’s market, the Patriots, Commanders, and Titans are closely monitoring Doubs’ situation.
The 49ers are looking at Doubs as well, per Fowler. The four-year Packer, who is also expected to draw interest from the Bills, has three 600-plus-yard seasons on his resume, including a career-high 724 (on 13.2 yards per catch) in 2025. San Francisco could lose Jauan Jennings to the open market and is set to move on from Brandon Aiyuk, making wide receiver an obvious area of need. Green Bay, though, has not ruled out a Doubs re-up; GM Brian Gutekunst said at this year’s scouting combine that he would love to see the Nevada product return (via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk).
Fowler confirms Pierce, who has a close relationship with Jones, would prefer to stay with the Colts. That said, the Cincinnati product is in line for a deal paying him at least $27MM per year, and if Indianapolis does not pony up that kind of cash, it may not be able to keep Pierce in the fold.
No Trade Interest In Cowboys WR George Pickens Yet; Pickens, Falcons TE Kyle Pitts Likely To Play On Franchise Tender?
Cowboys WR George Pickens and Falcons TE Kyle Pitts were two of the three players to receive the franchise tag this year, along with Jets RB Breece Hall (the Colts also applied the transition tag to QB Daniel Jones). According to Albert Breer of SI.com, there is a good chance that both Pickens and Pitts play out the 2026 season on their franchise tenders rather than on new, long-term deals.
Per Breer, the Cowboys and Falcons may want to see that the 2025 performances of Pickens and Pitts, respectively, are sustainable and were not merely a contract-year flash. In Pitts’ case, such an evaluation is purely an on-field one.
As a rookie in 2021, Pitts earned a Pro Bowl nod and topped 1,000 receiving yards. After that, the Florida alum was unable to meet expectations until his 2025 bounce-back campaign, during which he set new career-highs in receptions (88) and touchdowns (five) while amassing 928 yards despite uneven quarterback play.
In 2022, Pitts was limited to 10 games, primarily as a result of an MCL tear. He needed to have his knee drained regularly the following season, and despite playing a full 17-game slate in 2023 and 2024, he appeared in less than two-thirds of Atlanta’s offensive snaps in those years.
His snap share jumped to 88% in 2025, and the increase in playing time coincided with an increase in production. If Pitts can replicate that showing in 2026 under new head coach Kevin Stefanski, a lucrative multiyear deal could be in the offing. His 2025 franchise tender is worth $16.32MM.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, are hoping Pickens can not only be as effective between the lines as he was in 2025 (93/1,493/9), but also if he can stave off the maturity issues that ultimately forced the Steelers to trade him to Dallas in the first place. Although the Cowboys’ approach here will be informed by the fact that they already have fellow wideout CeeDee Lamb on a deal near the top of the receiver market, any reluctance to authorize a similar contract for Pickens could be driven by more than finances.
The contentious negotiations between owner Jerry Jones and Micah Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta, culminated in the blockbuster trade that sent Parsons to the Packers in August. Jones’ presence and the fact that Mulugheta also represents Pickens have led to speculation that Pickens could be traded this offseason despite the franchise tag, and Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports.com confirms a trade remains a possibility.
However, Pauline has not yet heard of any trade interest in Pickens as of yet. The 25-year-old receiver is due to earn $27.3MM on the franchise tender.
Vikings Considering Kyler Murray, Geno Smith; Team Interested In Tua Tagovailoa?
We have been hearing for some time that the Vikings plan to add competition for quarterback J.J. McCarthy this offseason. During a recent appearance on the Scoop City podcast, Dianna Russini of The Athletic threw cold water on the notion that a Minnesota-Kirk Cousins reunion could be in the cards, though she did acknowledge that the Vikes could look to add to their QB room (video link).
Russini reiterated Minnesota still wants to develop McCarthy in the hopes that he can live up to his first-round draft status, and ESPN’s Dan Graziano likewise confirms the Vikings are not ready to give up on the Michigan product. Still, the club seems to want to make McCarthy earn the starting job in 2026, and in addition to Cousins, names like Kyler Murray and Anthony Richardson have been floated as possibilities.
There may be mutual interest between the Vikings and Richardson, who would be acquired via trade with the Colts. As ESPN’s Kevin Seifert noted last month, a trade could be the most likely way for Minnesota to add McCarthy competition, because a free agent with options may not want to sign without assurances that they will be given first crack at the QB1 role. Other trade possibilities, per Graziano, include the Eagles’ Tanner McKee and the Texans’ Davis Mills.
Mills was linked to the Vikings in a November report, just like Murray was. Graziano says signs continue to point to a Murray release, which means he will be a free agent in short order (and therefore may not want to hitch his wagon to a team that still has high hopes for its incumbent starter).
Just as Arizona is likely to cut Murray, the Dolphins are expected to release Tua Tagovailoa in the near future, with Graziano confirming the cut will likely be made with a post-June 1 designation. With respect to their possible free agent targets, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (in the same Graziano piece linked above) reports the Vikings have Murray and the Raiders’ Geno Smith in their first tier of preferred options, with Cousins and Tagovailoa in the second tier.
Smith, though, may not make it to the open market. As our Nikhil Mehta recently suggested, it may behoove the Raiders to retain Smith as a mentor for Fernando Mendoza, whom Las Vegas is all but certain to select with the top pick in this year’s draft. Per Graziano, coaches from multiple QB-needy outfits are anxious to see if the Raiders will release Smith, as they believe the 35-year-old was held back by the Silver-and-Black’s offensive system in 2025. The Raiders may feel the same and could therefore keep Smith in the fold.
If they do choose to part ways, Fowler believes the Vikings make plenty of sense as a landing spot. He adds that many quarterbacks view Minnesota as an attractive destination, likely due to the presence of head coach Kevin O’Connell and wide receiver Justin Jefferson (though again, it is possible that McCarthy and Minnesota’s hopes for him could act as something of a deterrent).
It still seems fair to expect the Vikings to add a QB. Whether they can lure a high-profile player like Murray or Tagovailoa or will need to execute a trade for a passer like Mills or McKee is the question.
Colts Prepared To Use Transition Tag On QB Daniel Jones; Latest On WR Alec Pierce
The Colts are known to be working on new deals for QB Daniel Jones and WR Alec Pierce, both of whom are eligible for free agency this month. While it is unclear how much of a gap Indianapolis and Pierce have to bridge, ESPN’s Dan Graziano reports the team is not close to striking an accord with Jones.
If that does not change by Tuesday’s tag deadline, Graziano expects the Colts to put the transition tag on the 28-year-old passer. The transition tag comes with a $37.8MM cost, making it a less expensive option than the $43.9MM franchise tender.
In a transition tag scenario, Indianapolis would not be entitled to any draft compensation if it declines to match an offer sheet Jones might sign with another club, though it is easy to see the logic in the move: the Colts essentially would be allowing another team to do their negotiating for them, and if Jones does not find an outside offer to his liking, he may come back to Indy on a deal closer to the team’s preferred terms. If not, and if he plays out the 2026 season on the transition tag, then at least he will not consume as much of the cap sheet as he would on the franchise tag.
But while the transition tag is the cheapest of the tag options, the $37.8MM cap charge is still considerable. As Graziano suggests, it could preclude the Colts from reaching a deal with Pierce, despite their assurances that he will be back with the club in 2026, either on a long-term deal or a tag of his own. If the team has to use a tag this offseason, it would obviously prefer to use it on Pierce, whose franchise tender would be about $27MM and whose transition tender would be just shy of $24MM.
Those numbers are roughly in line with what Pierce can expect on an annual basis on his next contract. We recently learned the big-play threat, who has led the league in yards-per-reception rate in each of the last two seasons, is expected to have a strong market if he makes it to free agency. In the Graziano piece linked above, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler confirms Pierce’s market value has exceeded $20MM per year.
The fractured fibula and torn Achilles that Jones suffered in Week 13, which ended his season prematurely and which was the driving force in the Colts’ second-half collapse that kept them out of the playoffs, are not expected to impact his 2026 availability. Still, his injury history and the fact that his stellar (and surprising) play to open the 2025 campaign had already started to slip prior to the injuries could make it difficult for player and team to find common ground on a long-term pact.
Vikings To Release RB Aaron Jones, DT Javon Hargrave Barring Trade
If the Vikings are unable to trade running back Aaron Jones or defensive tackle Javon Hargrave by the start of the 2026 league year on March 11, they will release those players, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Jones’ release would generate $7.75MM of cap space, and cutting Hargrave would free up an additional $10.9MM.
We heard last week that Minnesota is shopping Hargrave in the hopes of shedding his salary and earning some form of draft compensation. The 33-year-old signed a two-year, $30MM contract last March, and $4MM of his $14.2MM base salary for 2026 is guaranteed. While a release would generate notable cap savings, it would also create $10.5MM of dead money, so it is easy to see why the Vikes prefer a trade.
In his first (and apparently only) season in Minnesota, Hargrave started 15 games and registered 3.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. Since the rest of his 2026 salary does not lock in until September, the club does have some time to work out a deal, but it sounds as if it wants to act quickly here. After all, as of the time of this writing, the Vikes are roughly $45.5MM over the cap, per OverTheCap.com.
Jones, 31, just finished his second Vikings campaign. After enjoying perfect attendance in 2024, the longtime Packer played in just 12 games in 2025 due to a hamstring injury, and his performance dipped across the board. He ended the year with 132 carries for 548 yards and two touchdowns, adding 28 catches for 199 yards and a score. His 4.2 yards-per-carry rate was the lowest of his career.
Still, teams with an RB need will surely be interested in Jones’ services, particularly since he has a track record of significant contributions on the ground and through the air (though it is unclear whether a trade market will form). After parting ways with Jones, the only running back under Vikings control for 2026 will be Jordan Mason.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert views defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and center Ryan Kelly as other potential cap casualties.
Patriots Brass Discusses Key FAs; Team Not Inclined To Make Blockbuster Trade?
The Patriots have a small free agent class, but that class includes a number of players who held key roles in the team’s surprise run to Super Bowl LX, such as defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson and defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga. As Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald relays, New England HC Mike Vrabel said he would love to retain Chaisson and Tonga, as well as offensive tackle Vederian Lowe.
Chaisson, 26, will come with a notable price tag. The former first-round pick of the Jaguars never reached his ceiling in Jacksonville and, after a stopover with the Raiders in 2024, joined the Pats via a modest one-year pact last offseason. Chaisson posted a career-high 7.5 sacks for New England in the regular season and then added three more during the club’s postseason march. Two front office executives from other teams tell ESPN’s Mike Reiss they expect Chaisson to land a contract paying him between $8MM-$11MM annually.
Like Chaisson, Tonga signed a one-year accord with the Patriots last March. After appearing in 14 games (eight starts) and enjoying a career-best 40% snap share in 2025, Tonga is due for a raise, with Mark Daniels and Karen Guregian of MassLive.com reporting that the 29-year-old is expected to have multiple suitors if he hits the open market. Daniels and Guregian say Tonga and the Pats were close on an extension before the 2025 playoffs got underway but were unable to strike an agreement. Tonga enjoyed a strong postseason – which included the first sack of his career – and his price tag has gone up as a result. It seems New England’s most recent proposal will not be enough to keep the BYU product in Foxborough.
While Lowe’s run as the Pats’ full-time starter at left tackle in 2024 did not go well, he showed improvement filling in for an injured Will Campbell last season. It stands to reason Vrabel would want a known commodity to remain on the roster in a swing tackle capacity.
We previously heard safety Jaylinn Hawkins, another out-of-contract contributor, wants to return to the Patriots, and Kyed confirms the interest is mutual. EVP of player personnel Eliot Wolf, who announced last week that the team had commenced contract discussions with its pending FAs, also said he would welcome Hawkins back to the fold (though he did add that Hawkins has earned the right to see what the market could have in store for him).
Hawkins spent the past two seasons in New England, but the team’s Vrabel-led staff was willing to give him a larger role than the former regime. Hawkins ended up leaping both Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers on the depth chart en route to a strong season. The 28-year-old started all 15 of his appearances, finishing with 71 tackles, six passes defensed, and 1.5 sacks.
Since they just won the AFC and have starting quarterback and MVP runner-up Drake Maye on a rookie deal, it is fair to wonder whether the Patriots will take some big swings in the free agent and/or trade markets. However, Reiss says Wolf, Vrabel & Co. do not see themselves as being one player away from a return to the Super Bowl, meaning they are not necessarily inclined to pony up a massive trade package for an established star.
New England has been connected to Raiders DE Maxx Crosby and Eagles WR A.J. Brown, who both profile as trade candidates, in recent weeks. Vrabel and Wolf, though, have reiterated the team’s commitment to the draft and supplementing their existing core, thereby suggesting they may not have the appetite for a Crosby or Brown blockbuster.
Texans Not Eyeing Offseason C.J. Stroud Extension?
It is a foregone conclusion that the Texans will exercise quarterback C.J. Stroud’s fifth-year option, thereby assuring him of a $26.53MM salary for 2027. It is less certain that Houston will discuss a long-term contract with Stroud’s camp this offseason, and Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 unequivocally asserts those talks will not commence until next year.
In a lengthy video report addressing recent speculation that Houston could consider trading Stroud – whose middling 2025 regular season culminated in two turnover-riddled playoff contests and another divisional-round exit – Wilson says contract talks are not in the team’s immediate plans. Instead, he believes the club and Stroud will reach an understanding in which the Texans tell the former No. 2 overall pick they will be happy to pay him like a franchise passer a year from now, after a strong 2026 performance.
Although he does not explicitly say so, one of the reports Wilson appears to be referencing is one recently published by Albert Breer of SI.com. Per Breer, it may be difficult to get Stroud to accept anything less than the $60MM-per-year payout that Cowboys’ QB Dak Prescott presently enjoys, which Breer suggests will soon become the new benchmark for high-end quarterback contracts.
Of course, given that Stroud followed up his Offensive Rookie of the Year showing in 2023 with two less inspiring seasons, and given that his two most recent playoff games featured a combined five fumbles (two lost) and five interceptions, it is fair to wonder if his track record and upside merit a top-shelf deal. While not as adamant as Wilson, Breer indicates the Texans could delay contract talks until the 2027 offseason.
If Houston does elect to negotiate, its perception of Stroud’s value may be starkly different than the player’s self-evaluation, which could cause the talks to get “sticky.” Breer echoes prior reports that the Texans may be aggressive in seeking an extension for edge rusher Will Anderson, and if they authorize a top-of-the-market pact for the defensive star but not for their QB1, the relationship between Stroud and the club may become strained.
Either development – contentious negotiations or an outright postponement of negotiations – could pique the interest of QB-needy teams, which could then try to pry Stroud away from Houston. Breer does not say the Texans have received calls on Stroud, nor does he indicate they would even entertain such calls if they came in, but it makes sense that other clubs would be monitoring the situation just in case.
But even if they do not believe he is presently deserving of a $60MM/year contract, the Texans have no intention of trading Stroud, per Wilson (who says it would cost at least two first-round picks for an interested team to acquire him). Wilson goes on to say Houston’s plan is to bolster the O-line, upgrade the tight end room, and add another starting-caliber running back. Those moves, in conjunction with a second year under offensive coordinator Nick Caley, are expected to allow Stroud to thrive in 2026 and improve his earning power in 2027.