DB Rumors: Bryant, Bucs, Flott, Pierre
Joining Riq Woolen and Josh Jobe as Seahawks DB regulars less than a day away from free agency, Coby Bryant will be expected to draw extensive interest once the legal tampering period begins Monday. PFR’s No. 28-ranked free agent, Bryant is part of a crowded safety market that could see several starter-level players need to take lesser-value deals. Bryant may come in above that line, and the Seahawks are attempting to keep him off the market. The defending Super Bowl champs — who made a summer effort to extend Bryant last year but had not circled back as of Super Bowl LX — are interested in re-signing the converted corner, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes.
The Seahawks already have Julian Love on a three-year, $33MM deal, and even though the team once employed Love and Quandre Diggs alongside Jamal Adams‘ then-record deal, that came under Pete Carroll. Bryant started 26 games for the Seahawks over the past two seasons. While Ty Okada moving into the lineup alongside Love could serve as a Seattle contingency plan, it appears the team wants to keep Bryant from reaching the market. At 11am CT Monday, the Seahawks will need to compete against other teams for him.
Here is the latest from NFL secondaries.
- After removing a year from Jamel Dean‘s contract — as a pay cut also took place — the Buccaneers are expected to move on from the seven-year veteran, per the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud. Dean was tied to a four-year, $52MM deal entering September but was given a pay cut. The 29-year-old cornerback still excelled, allowing just 49.5% of the passes thrown his way to be completed and earning a fifth-place CB ranking from Pro Football Focus. As discussed in the Buccaneers’ Offseason Outlook, this will sever ties with Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl-era CB corps. The team will have Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish positioned to start on the outside in 2026, Stroud adds.
- The Giants were believed to have been the runners-up for Trent McDuffie, pointing to heavy cornerback interest. This effort may have been overblown, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan tweets, expressing some doubt about the team’s interest in paying top dollar for a cornerback. No free agent on this year’s market will draw that kind of offer, but Duggan notes Cor’Dale Flott is expected to land somewhere from $8-$14MM per year. PFR’s No. 42 free agent, Flott started 37 games as a Giant. John Harbaugh identified the former third-round pick as a player the team would like to keep. With Paulson Adebo on an $18MM-per-year contract, how much will Big Blue be willing to spend to ensure he stays?
- James Pierre delivered a surprising season, based on his past as a part-time starter in Pittsburgh. PFF ranked Pierre second among corners last year, though he only logged 408 snaps. A six-year Steeler who has only started 13 career games, Pierre played well in spot duty (five starts) last season. As a result, The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson hears eight or nine teams have shown preliminary interest. This would be a nice development for Pierre, a former UDFA who played on a veteran-minimum deal in 2025. Pierre’s market will be hindered, to a degree, by his age. The Lamar Jackson cousin turns 30 this offseason.
- The Bills‘ recent Sam Franklin re-signing is for $7MM over three years, according to OverTheCap. The veteran special-teamer will see $2.53MM guaranteed.
2026 NFL Trades
The modern NFL features four clear trade windows. Early March, the draft, the late-August 53-man roster-setting date and the November deadline reside as the primary points trades occur around the league. Excluding pick-for-pick trades, here are the moves NFL teams have made thus far in 2026:
February 26
- Titans trade DT T’Vondre Sweat to Jets for EDGE Jermaine Johnson
March 2
- Browns acquire OL Tytus Howard from Texans for No. 141
Texans chose USC S Kamari Ramsey at No. 141
- Texans obtain RB David Montgomery from Lions in exchange for OL Juice Scruggs, No. 128, 2027 seventh-round pick
Lions packaged No. 128 to move up for EDGE Derrick Moore in second round
March 4
- Rams acquire CB Trent McDuffie from Chiefs for Nos. 29, 169, 210, 2027 third-round pick
Chiefs chose Clemson DT Peter Woods at No. 29, used Nos. 169, 210 to trade up to No. 161 for Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson
March 5
- Bills acquire WR D.J. Moore, No. 165 from Bears in exchange for No. 60
Bears traded down from No. 60 to No. 69; Bills traded No. 165 to Titans in first-round trade-down move
March 6
- Bears acquire C Garrett Bradbury from Patriots for 2027 fifth-round pick
- Ravens agree to acquire EDGE Maxx Crosby from Raiders for No. 14, 2027 first-round pick
Ravens nixed trade March 10, failing Crosby on a physical
March 7
- Packers add LB Zaire Franklin from Colts for DT Colby Wooden
March 8
- Raiders obtain CB Taron Johnson, No. 228 from Bills for No. 182
Bills packaged No. 182 to trade up for CB Davison Igbinosun
March 9
- Jets acquire S Minkah Fitzpatrick from Dolphins for No. 238
Dolphins drafted Iowa EDGE Max Llewellyn at No. 238
- Cowboys land EDGE Rashan Gary from Packers for 2027 fourth-round pick
- Steelers add WR Michael Pittman Jr., No. 230 from Colts for No. 214
Colts chose Ohio State EDGE Caden Curry at No. 214; Steelers selected Navy RB Eli Heidenreich at No. 230
March 10
- Jets acquire QB Geno Smith, No. 228 from Raiders for No. 182
Jets drafted Kansas State S VJ Payne at No. 228
- Texans obtain P Kai Kroeger, 2028 seventh-round pick from Saints for 2028 sixth-rounder
March 11
- Titans add DL Solomon Thomas, No. 225 from Cowboys for No. 218
Cowboys chose East Carolina WR Anthony Smith at No. 218; Titans took Oklahoma TE Jaren Kanak at No. 225
- 49ers acquire DT Osa Odighizuwa from Cowboys for No. 92
March 16
- Chiefs acquire QB Justin Fields from Jets for 2027 sixth-rounder
March 17
- Broncos land WR Jaylen Waddle, No. 111 from Dolphins for Nos. 30, 94, 130
Dolphins traded No. 30 to 49ers in package for No. 27 (San Diego State CB Chris Johnson); Miami added Louisville WR Chris Bell at No. 94, Texas EDGE Trey Moore at No. 130; Broncos drafted Boise State OL Kage Casey at 111
March 18
- Eagles obtain QB Andy Dalton from Panthers for 2027 seventh-round pick
March 20
- Falcons acquire S Sydney Brown, Nos. 122, 215 from Eagles for Nos. 114, 197
Eagles used No. 114 in first-round trade-up for USC WR Makai Lemon. Falcons, Eagles traded down from Nos. 114, 122; Atlanta drafted LSU EDGE Harold Perkins at 215
April 7
- Texans land LB Marte Mapu, 2027 seventh-round pick from Patriots for 2027 sixth-rounder
April 10
- Eagles add WR Dontayvion Wicks from Packers for No. 153, 2027 sixth-rounder
Packers picked Kentucky C Jager Burton at No. 153
April 17
- Falcons, Jaguars swap DTs Ruke Orhorhoro, Maason Smith
April 18
- Bengals acquire DT Dexter Lawrence from Giants for No. 10
Giants selected Miami OL Francis Mauigoa at No. 10
April 24
- Cowboys obtain LB Dee Winters from 49ers for No. 152
49ers used No. 152 in Day 2 trade-down move with Browns
- Eagles acquire EDGE Jonathan Greenard, No. 244 from Vikings for No. 98, 2027 third-rounder
Vikings added Miami S Jakobe Thomas at No. 98; Eagles picked Texas Tech S Cole Wisniewski at 244
April 25
- Saints add EDGE Tyree Wilson, No. 219 from Raiders for No. 150
Raiders added Arizona S Dalton Johnson at No. 150; Saints selected Iowa CB TJ Hall at 219
May 27
- Seahawks acquire WR Irvin Charles from Jets for conditional 2028 seventh-round pick
June 1
- Rams land EDGE Myles Garrett from Browns for EDGE Jared Verse, 2027 first-round pick, 2028 second-rounder, conditional 2029 third
- Patriots acquire WR A.J. Brown from Eagles for conditional 2027 fifth-round pick, 2028 first-rounder
June 11
- Falcons obtain T Wanya Morris, 2027 seventh-round pick from Chiefs for 2027 sixth-rounder
Mutual Extension Interest Between Texans, Azeez Al-Shaair; Sheldon Rankins Re-Signing On Radar
Azeez Al-Shaair‘s reunion with DeMeco Ryans has helped the Texans become one of the NFL’s best defenses. Leading the way in EPA per play last season, Houston has a Will Anderson Jr. extension on the radar. The team is also eyeing a second Al-Shaair agreement.
The former Ryans 49ers charge is entering the final season of a three-year, $34MM contract, and KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes mutual interest in an extension is believed to exist. The Texans have already been active on the extension front, giving one-year bumps to Danielle Hunter and Dalton Schultz. A re-up would reduce Al-Shaair’s $15.24MM 2026 cap number.
[RELATED: Assessing Texans’ Offseason Outlook]
The hard-hitting linebacker would be likely to sign a multiyear extension, as opposed to the one-year deals Hunter and Schultz did. Al-Shaiir, 28, has anchored Houston’s defensive second level since signing as a free agent in 2024. Missing six games in 2024 (three due to a suspension for a hit on Trevor Lawrence), Al-Shaair tallied 103 tackles and nine passes defensed last season. Pro Football Focus ranked him 17th among linebackers.
An update to the linebacker market is expected early this week, with Devin Lloyd and Quay Walker hitting free agency. Al-Shaair is currently tied to the No. 8 off-ball linebacker AAV. Probably not a candidate to rival where Roquan Smith and ex-49ers teammate Fred Warner reside, Al-Shaair will be able to command a raise. The level Nick Bolton and Jamien Sherwood reached on this day last year ($15MM per) would seemingly be realistic.
Houston is also interested in re-signing defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, who fared better last season after struggling in Cincinnati. Part of Ryans’ defense in 2023 and ’25, Rankins scored two touchdowns last season — the second in the Texans’ wild-card rout in Pittsburgh. Rankins will turn 32 next month; he is coming off a three-sack season that featured five tackles for loss. The former first-round pick has proven a fit under Ryans, starting 17 games last season.
Elsewhere on the Texans’ defense, Wilson indicates Denico Autry has not made a retirement call yet. The 12-year veteran will turn 36 in July. Autry played in 12 games last season, recording 3.5 sacks. Autry is unsigned for 2026.
Wilson adds the Texans will likely adjust David Montgomery‘s contract soon. Houston added Montgomery before cutting Joe Mixon. Upon acquiring Mixon via trade in 2024, the Texans gave him a two-year deal worth $19.75MM. Montgomery has two years left on his Lions-designed extension (two years, $18.25MM). While Montgomery’s cap number is only $6MM, no guarantees remain on his contract. The Texans’ extension interest indicates they view this trade as more than a one-year rental.
Montgomery’s arrival points Nick Chubb out the door, and Wilson adds Christian Kirk and Christian Harris are also likely not coming back. Ed Ingram could be priced out of the Texans’ comfort zone. Despite being demoted by the Vikings before they unloaded him for a low-level trade return, Wilson adds Ingram’s price could reach $15MM per year in free agency. The Texans, who traded sporadic guard option Tytus Howard to the Browns, have shown interest in retaining Ingram but perhaps not at that price.
Lastly, the Texans made an addition to their coaching staff recently. They hired Tiquan Underwood as their assistant wide receivers coach, Wilson tweets. Underwood, a former NFL wideout, spent last season as the Cowboys’ assistant WRs coach.
49ers Interested In CBs Riq Woolen, Montaric Brown
The Seahawks have three regulars from their Super Bowl-winning secondary hitting free agency Monday. All three — Riq Woolen, Coby Bryant, Josh Jobe — landed in PFR’s top 50. Riq Woolen ranked highest, and the 6-foot-4 cornerback figures to draw extensive interest soon.
If/when Seattle lets Woolen hit the market, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows notes several execs around the NFL expect the 49ers to be in that mix. The 49ers used Day 2 picks at corner in 2024 (Renardo Green) and ’25 (Upton Stout). They also have Deommodore Lenoir signed long term.
Pro Football Focus graded Green 86th overall among qualified cornerbacks last season. The 49ers gave Green a 92% defensive snap share alongside Lenoir, who has anchored San Francisco’s corner corps for multiple seasons. The team gave Lenoir a five-year, $89.8MM extension in 2024. As Ely Allen’s 49ers Offseason Outlook pointed out, however, Lenoir is owed a $16.75MM guarantee for his 2026 compensation on April 1. That could give San Francisco a decision, but losing Lenoir would also create a major need.
Mike Macdonald used Jobe in front of Woolen during the season’s second half, when the 6-foot-4 CB only topped 70% usage in one of the team’s final eight regular-season games. He still allowed a passer rating of 78.5, ranking 25th among 200-plus-snap CBs in 2025, according to The Athletic. Woolen burst onto the NFL scene in 2022 by intercepting six passes. He was viewed as a better fit for Pete Carroll‘s defense than Macdonald’s, however, as he was mentioned in trade rumors before the deadline. Though, the former fifth-round pick still played extensively during Seattle’s Super Bowl slate.
Cornerback does appear on the 49ers’ wish list, as ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicates the NFC West team is interested in the Jaguars‘ Montaric Brown. The Jags are still interested in re-signing Brown, though they are barely under the cap as of Sunday afternoon.
A seventh-round success story, Brown started 22 games for the Jags from 2024-25. After regarding Brown modestly prior to 2025, PFF graded him as the No. 26 overall CB last season — as the Jags made dramatic defensive improvements under Anthony Campanile. Jacksonville traded Tyson Campbell for Greg Newsome in-season, and Newsome is now a free agent. Losing Brown would create a need for the reigning AFC South champs, though the team is expected to deploy Travis Hunter primarily as a cornerback next season.
Rashod Bateman, Quentin Johnston, Dontayvion Wicks Available In Trades?
The NFL features four primary trade windows; we are in the first of those as free agency approaches. Teams will be targeting free agents soon, but trades are already happening. More are likely, as clubs will look to fill needs with players currently on other rosters.
Rashod Bateman and 2023 draftees Quentin Johnston and Dontayvion Wicks have come up as players potentially available in trades, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. The Chargers and Packers‘ wide receivers are in the final years of their rookie contracts, though Johnston’s can be extended to 2027 via the fifth-year option. Bateman is signed through 2029, making his trade status rather interesting.
[RELATED: Ravens Land Maxx Crosby From Raiders In Blockbuster]
The inclusion of the sixth-year Ravens wideout is most interesting here considering he was discussed in trades last year — before signing a second Baltimore extension. The Ravens discussed Bateman with the Cowboys before they traded for George Pickens but circled back to the 2021 first-rounder on a three-year, $36.75MM extension. The Ravens had given Bateman permission to shop around last year, with the Patriots and Packers also showing interest. Bateman then went through a disappointing 2025 season, totaling only 19 receptions for 224 yards and two touchdowns after a strong 2024 performance.
Baltimore missed Lamar Jackson for a chunk of last season and did not exactly see MVP-caliber play from the superstar quarterback, for the most part, when he was available. During Jackson’s dominant 2024 season, the Ravens’ long-range threat produced career-best numbers in yardage (756) and touchdowns (nine). Bateman, 26, is due a $2MM base salary in 2026. As Nikhil Mehta’s Ravens Offseason Outlook detailed, Bateman is due a $4MM option bonus by Day 5 of the league year. With the ’26 league year starting Wednesday, the Ravens will need to make a call here soon.
Johnston appears unlikely to see his $16.47MM fifth-year option exercised. While the TCU product has been a productive auxiliary target around Ladd McConkey, the Chargers’ previous front office drafted him. Johnston has still improved under Jim Harbaugh, eclipsing 700 receiving yards and totaling 16 TDs over the past two years. The Bolts did draft Tre Harris in last year’s second round. Moving Johnston would allow for the Ole Miss alum to see a bigger role, though it would also create an ancillary need for a Bolts team flush with cap space.
The Packers appear likely to lose Romeo Doubs in free agency, even if they have him on the radar to stay. The team used first- and third-round picks on receivers last year and extended Christian Watson. Jayden Reed‘s rookie deal runs for one more season as well. Wicks may be the odd man out, though the Packers have been reluctant to cut into their WR depth in the recent past. Teams are interested in Reed, but Fowler adds it is unlikely the team’s 2023 and ’24 receiving leader is moved.
Wicks only totaled 332 receiving yards (on 30 catches) for two scores last season. That pedestrian stat line came with Watson missing half the season and Reed missing most of it. Still, with Doubs likely leaving, the Packers could need Wicks for a tertiary 2026 role before a 2027 free agency exit.
Packers Not Certain To Retain CB Nate Hobbs?
Brian Gutekunst said earlier this offseason the Packers were likely to move forward with Nate Hobbs and fellow big-ticket 2025 signee Aaron Banks. The guard just saw his contract restructured, ensuring he will be back. Hobbs’ future may be murkier suddenly.
The Packers have not turned to the Hobbs deal for cap space, and ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky notes rumblings about a quick separation have emerged. Green Bay gave the four-year Las Vegas cornerback a four-year, $48MM deal in free agency last year. The 2025 market was fruitful for a number of corners, Hobbs among them, but the ex-Raider did not end up making a big impact.
Packer contracts regularly include signing bonus money as the only guarantees, with roster bonuses also part of some such pacts — as was the case with 2024 free agency addition Josh Jacobs. As Adam La Rose’s Packers Offseason Outlook detailed, Hobbs is due a $6.25MM roster bonus on March 13. The Pack may be considering a quick departure to avoid being on the hook for that.
Hobbs’ only guarantees at signing came via his $16MM signing bonus. That represents the only locked-in money left on the deal, but $12MM in bonus prorations would bring dead money in the event Green Bay cuts bait before this roster bonus is due. If the Packers designate Hobbs as a post-June 1 release, they can save $8.84MM in 2026. Though, those funds would not be available until June. A standard release would tag the Pack with $12MM in dead money and just $838K in cap savings. Teams are allotted two post-June 1 designations each year.
The Packers benched Hobbs five games in and reduced his role. Formerly contributing as a slot and boundary corner in Vegas, Hobbs cleared 33% of the Packers’ defensive snaps just once after his Week 6 demotion. Hobbs underwent knee surgery in August, affecting his preparation for his fifth season. Not debuting until Week 2, Hobbs later missed five more games due to knee trouble and finished the season on IR.
NFL Restructures: Singletary, Stingley, Packers, Banks, Bills, Browns, Jaguars
Teams need to move under the $301.2MM salary ceiling by 3pm CT Wednesday, and many will be completing restructures to create funds ahead of Monday’s legal tampering period. Here are the latest moves clubs have made to clear cap space:
- Devin Singletary loomed as a cut candidate, as the Giants have been linked to a Kenneth Walker pursuit. But the veteran running back is accepting a notable pay cut to stay. Singletary agreed to reduce his salary from $5MM to $1.3MM, according to ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. The former Bills and Texans starter has been a role player in New York, being usurped by both Tyrone Tracy and Cam Skattebo. But it looks like Singletary will be staying on the roster after this change, which Raanan indicates also comes with a $1MM incentive package.
- The Texans created roughly $20MM in cap space by moving the majority of Derek Stingley Jr.‘s $21.59MM 2026 base salary into a bonus, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports. This move, which will inflate future cap hits on Stingley’s three-year, $90MM extension, has slid Houston past $33MM in cap room as of Sunday afternoon. Also contributing to that total: a Jalen Pitre restructure, per Wilson. The versatile DB’s base salary is at the veteran minimum, freeing up nearly $9MM.
- Tied to a four-year, $77MM Packers deal, Aaron Banks will see his contract restructured as well. It is not known how much cap space the Packers will save here, but ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes the team is adjusting Banks’ 2026 numbers to create room. This will make a future release a bit more difficult while freeing up funds now.
- Taking on D.J. Moore‘s salary in a trade with the Bears, the Bills are still nearly $13MM over the cap. They continue to move toward the limit, though, with OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald noting Ed Oliver‘s deal has been restructured. That move creates more than $10MM in space.
- The Browns have been known to adjust a contract or two under GM Andrew Berry, who has completed four restructures on the disastrous Deshaun Watson deal. They are restructuring Denzel Ward‘s contract, but it is a limited change. This move will only bring Ward’s cap hit down $2MM, per Fitzgerald. It still sits at $30.89MM — second-highest on the team. Cleveland is using Ward’s $2.5MM roster bonus to make the conversion.
- The Jaguars adjusted three deals to create space recently. Patrick Mekari, Eric Murray and Jourdan Lewis‘ 2026 salaries have been reduced via simple restructures, according to Fitzgerald, Spotrac and the Florida Times-Union’s Ryan O’Halloran. The Mekari and Murray move created $10.72MM in cap space, per Fitzgerald. The Lewis restructure adds $7.7MM to that total. The Jags are barely $100K under the cap, however.
Commanders Preparing Aggressive Tyler Linderbaum Run; Giants, Raiders, Titans In Mix
The Tyler Linderbaum market is expected to produce a center-record contract — probably by a decent margin. Ranked No. 1 on PFR’s top 50 free agents list, the three-time Pro Bowler is less than 24 hours from reaching free agency. Teams will be preparing big offers to lock down their snapper posts.
Should the Ravens not come in with an 11th-hour deal to keep Linderbaum off the market, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports the Commanders are preparing an aggressive run. They will not be the only ones. The Giants, Raiders and Titans are teams to monitor here as well, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler.
As expected, Fowler points to this market easily exceeding $20MM per year. Creed Humphrey has held the top center contract (four years, $72MM) since August 2024, but with Baltimore being thus far unable to complete a deal with Linderbaum, the open market will help do the work to raise the bar and provide the NFL its first $20MM-AAV center accord.
The Ravens have offered market-topping money, but Linderbaum likely knows multiple big offers will come his way once the legal tampering period opens at 11am CT Monday. A $25MM-per-year target — which would top both the center and guard markets — has been floated as a goal for the acclaimed blocker here.
Washington just released two-year center starter Tyler Biadasz, who since duplicated his three-year, $30MM deal with the Chargers. Street free agency rarely brings such occurrences, pointing to reasonable Commanders confidence they can upgrade on Biadasz. The Bills took Connor McGovern off the market Saturday, raising the stakes a bit for Washington to bring in this market’s biggest fish.
The Giants were connected to Linderbaum not long after hiring John Harbaugh. Even though Todd Monken did not head to New York as Harbaugh preferred, the team has not seen former second-rounder John Michael Schmitz become an upper-crust center through three years. A roster-reshaping effort is coming from Big Blue’s new honcho. Holding barely $14MM in cap space, though, the Giants are well behind the other three known members in this market. New York will need to make more moves to free up funds to compete for Linderbaum.
Both the Raiders and Titans are flush with cap space and could flex their muscles soon. The Raiders’ Maxx Crosby trade moved them past $121MM in cap room, and they will be spenders soon. Las Vegas cut part-time 2025 center Alex Cappa and did not see RFA Jordan Meredith play especially well in that role either. The Titans just released two-year center Lloyd Cushenberry. While Cushenberry disappointed on a $12.5MM-per-year deal, Linderbaum brings far more consistency than the former Broncos draftee here. Fireworks will be expected soon, as a Linderbaum accord will be one of Monday’s headliners.
Kyler Murray Eyeing Vikings; Jets Showing Interest
The Cardinals are moving on from Kyler Murray. A last-ditch trade effort is still taking place, but absent that, Arizona is prepared to release its longtime starter. Two usual suspects are on the radar here.
Vikings interest in Murray has come out at multiple points this offseason, but Sportsboom.com’s Jason La Canfora indicates the soon-to-be unattached quarterback would prefer a Minnesota deal. Though, the Jets will present a clearer path to a starting job.
New York has been connected to some lower-profile names, from Tanner McKee to Jarrett Stidham to Tyson Bagent; a recent report has now tied the team to a Frank Reich–Carson Wentz reunion. That would certainly be an uninspired path for the Jets, who would seemingly be prepared to chase a 2027 first-round QB if Wentz truly became the stopgap option. But La Canfora indicates the Jets appear to be the team “most desperate” for Murray.
Murray, 28, will be looking for a place to bounce back, and ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini views the quarterback as unlikely to share the Jets’ level of interest here. The Vikings have elevated a few veteran quarterbacks’ stocks — from Kirk Cousins to Sam Darnold to Daniel Jones — under Kevin O’Connell, but they are still developing J.J. McCarthy.
Adam La Rose’s most recent PFR mailbag addressed the line the Vikings are attempting to walk in trying to upgrade at QB while still having hopes for McCarthy, and Murray throwing himself into that mix would be interesting. Jones passed on this last year, choosing a Colts starter path despite the Vikings offering more money. Murray, however, is a different type of free agent. The Cardinals are on the hook for his 2026 salary, making fit the priority as opposed to an offer. This is similar to Russell Wilson‘s 2024 market, when he signed with the Steelers for the veteran minimum (as the Broncos paid the bulk of his tab).
New Jets OC Frank Reich is also believed to be high on Jacoby Brissett from their time together in Indianapolis, Cimini adds, and La Canfora notes the Cardinals have received trade offers on Brissett — whom last year’s staff appeared to prefer guiding the offense compared to Murray.
The Jets have been previously connected to Brissett, who is tied to a two-year, $12.5MM Cardinals deal. Reich coached Brissett from 2018-20 in Indy. Brissett looms as a Cardinals stopgap option, and GM Monti Ossenfort signed him last year. But with Malik Willis and Jimmy Garoppolo connections forming, will Arizona be too attached to its primary 2025 starter? La Canfora also ties Garoppolo to the Cards, which will make a Brissett trade — as several teams are looking for starters ahead of a thin QB draft — something to monitor.
With Murray needing to show he remains capable of above-average play, his upcoming choice will be critical. At 5-foot-10, the former No. 1 overall pick will not be a fit for every offense. He certainly ran into obstacles during the back half of his Cardinals career. If he is not traded, enough Minnesota smoke has emerged to indicate there will be some mutual interest here.
As for the Jets, they have also been doing some homework on Tua Tagovailoa. The longtime Dolphins starter also has his 2026 salary guaranteed; both he and Murray are likely to be vet-minimum options in bounce-back scenarios. As of now, though, Murray is believed to be driving more interest than Tagovailoa.
Giants Interested In John Franklin-Myers, Wyatt Teller; Jermaine Eluemunor Open To Staying
A Giants roster-reshaping effort under John Harbaugh is coming soon. In addition to having renewed interest — at least, compared to where they were when letting Saquon Barkley walk two years ago — in running backs, the Giants have some high-profile linemen on their radar.
The team is interested in bringing in veteran guard Wyatt Teller, according to ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. Other guards are on New York’s radar as well, with Raanan mentioning Alijah Vera-Tucker and Dylan Parham here. The Giants have been linked to cutting left guard Jon Runyan Jr., and two-year RG stopgap Greg Van Roten is unsigned.
PFR ranked all three guards among the top 50 free agents, though none of these options are bank-breaking candidates. Teller will turn 32 later this year and has missed a handful of games due to injuries in each of the past two seasons. I mentioned Teller as a Giants candidate in our Offseason Outlook offering due largely to the team having hired 2025 Browns O-line coach Mike Bloomgren. Teller is a two-time All-Pro who was part of a few high-end Bill Callahan O-lines; he is not expected back with the Browns for an eighth season.
Vera-Tucker is coming off yet another season-ending injury; he sustained a second triceps tear last September. Tearing both triceps during his time with the Jets, Vera-Tucker is also a quality performer when healthy. Pro Football Focus ranked him ninth among guards in 2024. Parham worked as a primary Raiders starter in each of his four seasons. With the Raiders changing coaching staffs yet again, Parham will be a candidate to move on.
The Giants also have a need at right tackle. They have spoken to Jermaine Eluemunor‘s camp about a second contract, after the 2024 UFA addition played out his $7MM-per-year deal, and Raanan adds the veteran RT is open to coming back. The sides have remained in contact as the legal tampering period (11am CT Monday) looms. Eluemunor, 31, is one of the top RT options available thanks largely to his pass protection. Eluemunor also has stayed healthier than the more accomplished Braden Smith, who has battled injuries in recent years.
Big Blue released James Hudson on Friday, ending a disappointing tenure that featured a bizarre penalty spree in Week 2 and a quick benching. The Giants will need to address that position. New York gave Hudson a two-year, $12MM deal in 2025 but was eyeing Morgan Moses as the preferred option to play behind Eluemunor and Andrew Thomas, per the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. Moses, as it turned out, had starter work left after signing a three-year, $24MM Patriots deal.
Defensively, the Giants have some interest in John Franklin-Myers, Raanan adds. The former Jets starter played well for the Broncos (14.5 sacks in two seasons) and is viewed as by far the top interior D-line option on the market. A $20MM-per-year price tag has been floated for a soon-to-be 30-year-old player who was at $7.5MM AAV in Denver. With the Giants having Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence on big-ticket deals, it might be a stretch for them to be the Franklin-Myers landing spot.
At safety, Raanan indicates Dane Belton is likely to depart as a free agent. He is poised to follow Julian Love and Xavier McKinney out the door at what has been a high-turnover position for the team. Ex-Harbaugh Ravens charge Ar’Darius Washington is a name to monitor in free agency, with Raanan adding Caleb Downs is on the team’s radar in the draft. Downs is widely expected to be one of the first players drafted, though safeties are almost never chosen in the top 10 (the Giants hold the No. 5 pick). The Ravens have received impact play from first-rounder Kyle Hamilton, and that organization has prioritized the position in the past.