Eagles’ Vic Fangio Planning To Coach At Least Two More Seasons
Vic Fangio‘s coaching career spans nearly five decades. He began coaching at the pro level in the USFL and started his NFL tenure with the 1986 Saints, overseeing New Orleans’ famous Dome Patrol linebacking corps as a position coach. He has since been a defensive coordinator with seven teams.
A head coaching stint in Denver transpired during a three-year stretch between Fangio’s long-running DC career, and he did not hold an official position in 2022 after being fired by the Broncos. But Fangio resurfacing with the Eagles in a consulting role brought a resurgence. After the Dolphins gave him more than $4.5MM to be their DC in 2023, the sides separated to lead Fangio back to his native Pennsylvania. Philadelphia then stormed to a Super Bowl LIX rout before returning to the playoffs in Fangio’s second season as Eagles DC.
[RELATED: Eagles Shift Cooper DeJean’s Role In Base Defense]
Fangio, 67, was linked to a potential retirement this offseason. He agreed to return for a third season as Philly’s DC, and a fourth should be considered likely. Fangio said (via The Athletic’s Zach Berman) he intends to coach “at least” two more years. The seasoned coordinator said he was not close to retiring this offseason.
Having 22 seasons in a DC role and three as a head coach, Fangio is one of the most experienced defensive leaders in NFL history. Winning a Super Bowl with the Eagles and helping the 2012 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII has Fangio among the greatest defensive coordinators in NFL annals. He oversaw Hall of Famers Rickey Jackson and Sam Mills during his lengthy Saints stay and elevated the Bears’ defense into a top-ranked unit by 2018, providing a springboard for the Denver hire. Due largely to the Broncos’ issues finding a quarterback, Fangio did not experience much success as a head coach and has conducted one interview (with the Jaguars in 2022) for a head coaching role since.
Fangio’s Eagles consulting season made him a coveted DC candidate, however, and his first year back in Philly keyed an Eagles smothering of the Chiefs’ threepeat bid in Super Bowl LIX. Nick Sirianni does not call plays, highlighting his coordinators’ importance. Even as the Eagles struggled on Sirianni’s side of the ball last year, as OC Kevin Patullo appeared overmatched, Fangio’s defense ranked fifth in points allowed. That marked an eighth season in which a Fangio-led defense produced a top-five finish.
The Eagles’ effort to re-sign Jaelan Phillips failed, but the team traded two third-round picks for Jonathan Greenard during the draft. The team extended Jordan Davis and has Jalen Carter signed through 2027 via the fifth-year option. Fangio will have two All-Pro cornerbacks — DeJean, Quinyon Mitchell — to go with Seahawks import Riq Woolen at his disposal in coverage. It would be surprising if the veteran staffer did not have the Eagles near the top of the rankings in defense this season, and an Eagles team that has been unable to find OC continuity does not need to worry about losing its defensive boss in the near future.
Lions Extend LB Jack Campbell
11:20pm: Campbell and the Lions agreed to a four-year deal worth $81MM, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The deal includes $51.5MM in guaranteed money.
With the deal coming in at a $20.25MM average annual value, Campbell will slide right behind Warner ($21MM) and right ahead of Smith ($20MM) on the list of the highest AAVs among linebackers.
12:55pm: Extension talks between the Lions and Jack Campbell have produced an agreement. The All-Pro linebacker announced on Thursday that he has signed a new deal with Detroit.
The Lions recently declined Campbell’s fifth-year option, but an extension remained the team’s goal in this case. The Lions have since confirmed today’s news of a long-term pact being finalized. Campbell will remain on the books through 2030 as a result of this deal.
This marks the first Lions action with regards to one of their impact 2023 draftees. The team came away with Campbell, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch in the first two rounds of the ’23 draft. The team exercised Gibbs’ fifth-year option, buying more time on that front, but off-ball linebacker options are annually declined. Detroit followed suit, but this move differentiates the Lions, as several teams have lost first-round ILBs in free agency after declining an option.
Since the Buccaneers exercised Devin White‘s option in 2022, no team has picked up a non-rush linebacker’s. This has led to subsequent free agency defections from Patrick Queen, Jordyn Brooks, Quay Walker and Devin Lloyd over the past three offseasons. Lloyd and Walker respectively left Jacksonville and Green Bay in March. The Lions’ proactivity with Campbell — whose option, thanks to the NFL grouping rush and non-rush ‘backers together in the option formula, checked in at $21.93MM — will bring a course change at this position and ensure a 2025 All-Pro talent remains in place with the team that selected him.
Detroit drew criticism coming out of the 2023 first round, as both picks went to players at non-premium positions. But Gibbs has become one of the NFL’s most electric running backs; Campbell made 2025 a breakout season. The Iowa product, chosen 18th overall in 2023, zoomed to first-team All-Pro acclaim after finishing the season with 176 tackles, five sacks, three forced fumbles and nine tackles for loss. Campbell is the first player to record 160-plus tackles and five-plus sacks in a season in more than 20 years.
He became the first Lions linebacker to claim first-team All-Pro honors since Chris Spielman‘s 1991 season. Because of Campbell’s original-ballot Pro Bowl nod, his option number increased to nearly $22MM.
Campbell, 25, has never missed a game as a pro. This ironman run proved tremendously beneficial for the Lions in 2024, when their 15-2 squad lost several defenders — including linebackers Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez — to major injuries. The Lions re-signed Barnes to a three-year, $24MM deal in 2025 but let Anzalone play out his contract. The longtime starter joined the Bucs in free agency. Rodriguez re-signed with the Lions (one year, $2.75MM) in March.
Although the Lions could not negotiate with Campbell on a new deal until January, a re-up has been on the team’s radar for a while. We heard in November a likelihood the team would act here, and steady buzz has built in the months since. GM Brad Holmes called Campbell, Gibbs, LaPorta and Branch priorities in January, and the team has now taken care of one key contractual matter. It would surprise if a Gibbs payday does not follow suit, potentially leaving the Lions with a LaPorta-or-Branch decision. Holmes, however, has done well to extend core players drafted during his tenure.
This Campbell extension follows the deals given to Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Alim McNeill, Kerby Joseph, Jameson Williams and Aidan Hutchinson. With Jared Goff also extended, the top of the Lions’ payroll is becoming a bit crowded. Considering the struggles the franchise endured in the period prior to Holmes’ arrival, this represents a good problem to have.
The NFL only features two off-ball linebackers on $20MM-per-year deals — All-Pros Fred Warner and Roquan Smith — while Azeez Al-Shaair ($18MM AAV) and Zack Baun ($17MM) are the only ILBs north of $15MM per annum. This is a good time to pay an inside ‘backer, with the market stagnating during the 2020s. Al-Shaair’s extension earlier this year could certainly be relevant for Campbell, and it would surprise if the ascending player did not join this group as a top-five salary player at the position.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Chiefs Sign Round 2 DE R Mason Thomas
Connected to first-round edge rushers, the Chiefs instead allocated their top draft resource toward a cornerback by trading up for Mansoor Delane. The team then chose Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods at No. 29 overall. Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. served as a Chiefs Delane backup plan, but after the LSU cornerback became ticketed for Missouri, the Chiefs tabled their defensive end need until the second round.
Kansas City drafted Oklahoma’s R Mason Thomas at No. 40. The Chiefs have signed Thomas to his rookie deal, according to Pro Football Talk’s Myles Simmons. Thomas’ draft slot will ensure this contract comes fully guaranteed.
Tyler Shough‘s camp successfully negotiated for a fully guaranteed deal in the No. 40 draft slot last year, and the bar has moved into the late 40s this offseason. Falcons cornerback Avieon Terrell received a fully guaranteed deal at No. 48, which will effectively require all second-rounders chosen before him to land such terms. Thomas will be tied to a $12.2MM contract that runs through the 2029 season.
The Chiefs went 6-8 in Patrick Mahomes‘ starts before losing their final three games after the superstar quarterback’s season-ending knee injury. That allowed them rare draft real estate. Kansas City entered a draft with a top-10 pick for the first time since it held the No. 1 overall choice in 2013, and the 6-11 record allowed for favorable second-round status as well. Enter Thomas, who will be expected to grow into a starter opposite George Karlaftis.
Kansas City looks to have missed on Felix Anudike-Uzomah, drafted 32nd overall in 2023. He has been a nonfactor since going off the board in Round 1 three years ago, and the Chiefs predictably declined his fifth-year option this month. Anudike-Uzomah remains on K.C.’s roster, but the team moved on from D-ends Charles Omenihu and Mike Danna this offseason. The Chiefs drafted Ashton Gillotte in Round 3 last year, but Thomas’ pedigree points to a higher ceiling.
Thomas had a quiet first two seasons at Oklahoma, where he combined for 1.5 sacks in 19 games from 2022-23. The edge rusher’s production increased dramatically during his junior season, in which he totaled 12.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks and two forced fumbles in 13 contests. Thomas added another two FFs last year, though his TFLs (9.5) and sacks (6.5) understandably dipped during a 10-game season. Thomas checked in 44th on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board. He visited the Browns, Buccaneers, Dolphins, Patriots and Seahawks during the pre-draft process.
As an aside, the “R” in the second-rounder’s name does not stand for anything; it comes from a family tradition. While it will make for an interesting addition to the Chiefs’ roster, the team will hope the former Big 12 recruit-turned-SEC standout will be known for more than his unusually structured name soon.
Chiefs Did Not Show Interest In A.J. Brown Earlier This Offseason
The Chiefs‘ issues at wide receiver have impacted their offensive production during the mid-2020s. After Patrick Mahomes‘ 2022 MVP season, Kansas City’s offense has ranked 15th, 15th and 21st in scoring over the past three campaigns. An upper-crust defense helped cover for the team’s offensive issues en route to Super Bowls LVIII and LIX, but Kansas City’s recent attacks have not approached the stratospheric heights of the early Mahomes period.
Since the Tyreek Hill trade, the Chiefs have missed in the draft (Skyy Moore), in free agency (Marquise Brown) and via trade (Kadarius Toney) at wide receiver. The team’s DeAndre Hopkins trade brought regular-season success but next to nothing in the 2024 playoffs. Xavier Worthy has also been more of an auxiliary weapon than a higher-end option. The Chiefs will be counting on Worthy this year, as they have been unable to depend on their top post-Hill receiver — Rashee Rice — since a productive rookie season.
Rice has missed extensive time due to injuries and a suspension. His most recent stumble involved trouble on both fronts, with a recent probation violation leading to the strange situation where the fourth-year wide receiver is now recovering from knee surgery in a Dallas prison. The latest Rice issue has moved an extension off the radar for the time being, and given the oddity this surgery rehab now brings, the Chiefs’ top wideout may need more recovery time. After the team did not draft a receiver until Round 5 (Cyrus Allen), rumblings about pursuing veteran help have emerged.
The Chiefs are being connected to the Stefon Diggs market, and Hill — presuming he recovers from a severe knee injury sustained last September — would represent a logical fit. Each would require only money to land, whereas A.J. Brown would involve trade compensation.
Prying Brown from the Eagles is likely to require a first-round pick, perhaps in 2028, and the Patriots — perhaps with some outside threats — are viewed as the favorites to land the former Titans draftee. Brown, however, put the Chiefs on his destination list earlier this offseason. As it stands, the Chiefs may not have similar interest.
Kansas City rejected a Philadelphia overture on Brown earlier this year, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, who notes the Chiefs “said no” to the Eagles on a potential trade opportunity. Brown included the Chiefs, Patriots, Bills and Chargers as desirable destinations. The lead Philly pass catcher does not have a no-trade clause, giving the team full control over his next destination (assuming the Eagles follow through with the long-rumored trade).
Brown is tied to a $32MM-per-year contract that features a full 2026 compensation guarantee and a $4MM guarantee in 2027. Brown being a six-time 1,000-yard receiver makes those figures reasonable (even considering his spree of role-related gripes), as the receiver market is now past $42MM AAV via Jaxon Smith-Njigba‘s March extension. It is possible the Chiefs reconsider on Brown due to the latest Rice setback, but Breer doubts that will happen. The team has not been big spenders at receiver since trading Hill.
The Chiefs have never authorized a receiver contract north of $18MM per year (Hill’s 2019 contract). Though Kansas City was negotiating an extension with Hill in 2022, the Raiders’ Davante Adams extension (five years, $140MM) changed the equation. The Chiefs opted to cash out on Hill rather than authorize a near-top-market re-up. The team has kept costs low at receiver since, with Hollywood Brown’s two $7MM deals the top contractual commitment for the team post-Hill.
Diggs joined the Patriots on a three-year, $63.5MM accord last March, but only $16.6MM of that pact came guaranteed at signing. That proved notable, as the Pats cut Diggs before a 2027 guarantee was set to vest. Diggs will turn 33 later this year, which will limit his earning power. The Chiefs also have other FA options in the event they add a player here, which was a rumored possibility before news of Rice’s probation violation surfaced. Hopkins, Deebo Samuel and Keenan Allen are also unattached.
With Rice on shaky ground regarding a long-term investment — as a franchise tag would be more logical even if he rebounds in 2026 — the Chiefs have Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, Allen and 2025 fourth-rounder Jalen Royals signed beyond this season (Royals, however, barely played as a rookie).
The team pursuing Brown ahead of his age-29 season would bring in a multiyear option, while one of the 30-somethings in free agency may well only cover a 2026 rental. But it would also be costly. The Chiefs have traded two first-rounders for veterans under GM Brett Veach — for Frank Clark (2019) and in the Orlando Brown Jr. package (2021) — but more recently have been on the receiving end of such trades (Hill, Trent McDuffie). Kansas City, which has Travis Kelce on a year-to-year arrangement at this point, will certainly need more help at the position through a longer-term lens soon.
Eagles To Shift Cooper DeJean To Safety; Latest On Marcus Epps’ Role
Cooper DeJean soared to first-team All-Pro acclaim last season, earning that honor for his standout work as a slot cornerback. That will still be DeJean’s primary position, but the Eagles are introducing a wrinkle for the third-year standout.
Philadelphia intends to play DeJean at safety in base sets, Vic Fangio said Thursday (via The Athletic’s Zach Berman). This will mark a change for the Iowa product, who primarily served as an outside cornerback in the Eagles’ base defense last season.
The Eagles navigated issues at the corner position alongside DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell last season, but they made a move to address that spot in free agency. Riq Woolen joined the team on a one-year, $12MM deal. Woolen is now in line to play opposite Mitchell as a boundary corner in base sets, with the Eagles prepared to roll out a Mitchell-Woolen-DeJean trio in nickel packages.
While DeJean and Andrew Mukuba will start at safety when Fangio’s group plays in base — which assuredly will be less than the Eagles use sub-packages — the veteran DC said a competition will commence to determine who will play alongside Mukuba at safety in nickel looks. Marcus Epps, whose second Eagles stint will continue thanks to a one-year contract signed in March, may be the favorite for that role. Fangio said Epps will receive a strong look for the role.
The Eagles turned to Epps as a regular in their Super Bowl LVII season but did not re-sign either of their safety starters from that NFC champion squad. Epps and C.J. Gardner-Johnson relocated in 2023, with Epps joining the Raiders on a two-year, $12MM deal. After a season-ending injury in 2024, Epps signed with the Patriots last year. New England released him, upon request from the DB, and he rejoined the Eagles on a practice squad agreement soon after. This came months after Philly ended Gardner-Johnson’s second stint early, trading him to the Texans.
Epps, 30, started four games for the Eagles last season and played 33% of Philly’s defensive snaps. The former Vikings sixth-round pick is tied to only a $1.55MM contract for 2026. A regular role would give him a chance to secure better terms — from either the Eagles or another team — by the start of the 2027 league year. The Eagles lost starter Reed Blankenship to the Texans in free agency and traded Sydney Brown to the Falcons days later. That opens a spot alongside Mukuba, a 2025 second-round pick.
DeJean’s slot skillset will clear a path for Epps, though the Eagles also have Michael Carter II and rookie seventh-rounder Cole Wisniewski rostered. Veteran corner Jonathan Jones resides as insurance at that position, but DeJean will not have a challenger for his slot role thanks to two impact seasons coming out of the 2024 second round. The Eagles experimented with DeJean at safety during the 2025 offseason, but he has only logged two career snaps in a deep safety role.
The Eagles became the first team since the 2016 Broncos (Chris Harris, Aqib Talib) to land two cornerbacks on the All-Pro first team. Pro Football Focus ranked DeJean eighth among corners last season, when he notched his first two regular-season interceptions. DeJean’s Super Bowl LIX pick-six helped turn that game into a rout, and the Eagles will surely have extension plans for both he and Mitchell. For now, DeJean — who saw some safety action with the Hawkeyes — will do some cross-training before assuming an interesting 2026 dual role.
Eagles’ A.J. Brown Talks With Rams Advanced Further Than Negotiations With Patriots
Less than two weeks remain until the A.J. Brown trade window truly opens, with June 2 looming as the point where the Eagles‘ financial burden would ease and create a manageable dead money blow for 2026. However, Philadelphia may not move on immediately after that pivotal date.
The Eagles could certainly hang onto their top wide receiver for weeks or months beyond June 2 in hopes a bidding war drives up the price. Philly has been insistent on receiving a first-round pick in a Brown swap. The most recent known talks with the Patriots — long viewed as Brown’s most likely destination — had not involved a Round 1 choice being proposed. Without other serious suitors, however, New England could keep its price where it is and wait for Philadelphia to relent.
[RELATED: Stefon Diggs Patriots Return Could Hinge On Brown Path]
If talks with the Pats continue down this path, the Eagles will surely reassess other teams’ interest. Revisiting Rams negotiations may be prudent for the seller here, and NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo notes the Eagles’ talks with the NFC West club advanced further than their Patriots negotiations the first time around.
The Rams entered into Davante Adams trade talks, in a scenario in which Brown would effectively replace the 33-year-old standout, but the accomplished pass catcher remains on Los Angeles’ roster. Uncertainty around Puka Nacua has emerged this offseason as well, with a rehab stint — after a woman alleged Nacua bit her twice, made an antisemitic remark and exhibited “rude or vulgar, threatening, violent, and harassing conduct” — taking place this year. The first-team All-Pro came up as an extension candidate, as this is his contract year, but that noise has quieted. It is worth wondering if the Rams will table that goal for now.
With Adams set to turn 34 before this season ends and both he and Nacua in contract years, the Rams could reengage on Brown, who is controlled through 2029. It would be interesting if the team showed an openness to acquiring Brown without offloading one of its top two wideouts.
The Rams have more than $20MM in effective cap space, with Ty Simpson‘s rookie deal not yet finalized. Brown is tied to a veteran-minimum salary (for cap purposes) but is due a guaranteed $27.45MM option bonus before the season. Brown, who already has a $4MM guarantee for 2027, is due option bonuses worth $19.41MM, $29.36MM and $28.32MM from 2027-29.
L.A. considered Makai Lemon and Kenyon Sadiq at No. 13 before deciding to draft Simpson, who had not been expected to go off the board that early. It would be interesting to see if Brown could represent a method of Matthew Stafford appeasement, as a Nacua-Adams-Brown trio would be on the short list for best in NFL history. Brown would also give the Rams, in theory, a pass catcher to build around beyond this season. It would be interesting to see if the Rams would swing the door open for a Nacua tag-and-trade move in 2027 if they pulled off a Brown acquisition, but some moving parts would come with such a transaction.
The Rams are certainly not shy about trading first-round picks. Les Snead has traded future firsts on five separate occasions over the past decade — with the Jared Goff trade-up preceding the Stafford, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Ramsey and Trent McDuffie swaps — and the team no longer needs to hold its 2027 or ’28 firsts for a quarterback move.
With Stafford going into an age-38 season, it would stand to reason the Rams are open for business with regards to moving a future first to strengthen their 2026 roster. A Stafford extension — which is widely expected — would also reduce the reigning MVP’s cap number ($48.27MM) and increase 2026 flexibility.
Roseman has set a firm asking price of a first-rounder, Garafolo adds. Even though the Eagles’ acquisitions of Lemon, Marquise Brown, Dontayvion Wicks make it quite likely Brown will be moved, the team could hold out in hopes better value arrives in a deal later in the summer. Trade parameters, though, could already be in place with the Patriots. A first-rounder — perhaps in 2028 — should be expected in a deal, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler said during a 97.5 The Fan interview (h/t Yardbarker), but it is unlikely the Eagles land more than that here. The Eagles had previously hoped for first- and second-round picks for Brown, but Fowler does not expect such a haul to materialize.
Offers have come in for Brown, Bleacher Report’s James Palmer said during an Up & Adams appearance (h/t PhillyVoice.com), but no trade negotiations have taken place recently. That could set up a long ending to this saga, as the Eagles certainly do not have to move Brown in early June.
The Bills also inquired on Brown before acquiring D.J. Moore, while the Ravens — linked to Brown earlier this year — loom as a possible suitor as well. The Chiefs just saw more hurdles emerge for Rashee Rice, leaving Xavier Worthy as the team’s only safe bet to be a notable receiver on their 2027 roster.
Jaylen Waddle fetched first- and third-round picks from the Broncos, and the Eagles assuredly took notice regarding their effort to move Brown. Waddle did not post Brown-like numbers in Miami but was also not seen as a distraction, which Brown certainly has been in Philly.
New England should probably still be considered the favorite here. But the Eagles failing to see a first-rounder put on the table would create an interesting decision for Roseman, given his offseason investments at the position. This saga stretching past early June will be squarely in play in the event unsatisfactory offers continue to emerge.
Chiefs Do Not Have Rashee Rice Extension On Horizon; Latest On WR’s Knee Surgery
Under normal circumstances, Rashee Rice would be a clear extension candidate in Kansas City. But the combination of his injury history and off-field trouble has moved talk of a second Chiefs contract off the radar for the talented wide receiver.
Rice is currently in a Dallas prison for violating his probation terms. A pretrial diversion agreement — reached to resolve eight felony charges stemming from a 2024 hit-and-run incident — had previously set up Rice to choose when he served a 30-day prison term over a five-year period, but a positive THC test scrapped that plan. Rice will not be released until June 16, and a recent knee surgery offers an interesting complication to an already-difficult offseason for the fourth-year pass catcher.
Rice underwent surgery last week, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter confirmed during a Pat McAfee Show appearance, indicating there is “no way” Kansas City’s top wideout would have gone through with the procedure had he known a prison stint was upcoming. Rice was facing a two-month rehab process under normal circumstances, but being in jail to start that period brings a highly unusual complication. Rice, 26, will now be likely to need more rehab time due to this jail stay.
The Chiefs certainly have a history under Andy Reid of showing extreme tolerance for off-field issues, but Rice’s situation does bring new territory. Kansas City’s most notable Reid-era receiver contract did involve a problematic player. Tyreek Hill arrived in Missouri with ugly off-field baggage and ran into more trouble in 2019. After more domestic violence allegations surfaced, the Chiefs barred Hill from their facility. Shortly after the NFL elected not to suspend the star receiver, his off-field trouble allowed for a team-friendly extension to commence. Hill signed a three-year, $54MM agreement before his 2019 contract year.
The Chiefs then traded Hill to the Dolphins in 2022, using the picks package — headlined by Trent McDuffie — to help secure back-to-back Super Bowl wins. The receiver position has been a long-running issue for K.C., post-Hill, however.
Patrick Mahomes won a second MVP award in 2022, but that season required an elite Travis Kelce showing to prop up a Hill-less passing attack. The Chiefs have seen their offense fall well short of their early-Mahomes-years heights in the years since, ranking 15th in scoring in 2023 and ’24 and 21st last season. The team missed on Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore bets following the Hill trade. Rice brought a ray of hope, though, making key contributions down the stretch during his 2023 rookie season.
The second-round pick also showed promise early in 2024 and after a 2025 six-game suspension, but he has proven highly unreliable. Multiple off-field incidents unrelated to the hit-and-run development have taken place as well. Though, Rice only faced charges for the hit-and-run accident.
Missing 13 games in 2024 due to an LCL tear, Rice played just eight games last season. He landed on IR with a concussion after the Chiefs were mathematically eliminated from the playoff race. Rice was then accused of domestic violence via civil suit by the mother of his two children, but the NFL ruled the SMU alum did not violate the personal conduct policy.
That allowed Rice to avoid another suspension, and the NFL does not suspend for positive marijuana tests any longer. But CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes Rice may not be in the clear due to this THC finding violating his probation. It is not certain the league will punish Rice further, but his NFL future is much foggier because of this week’s headlines.
The Chiefs are not planning a Rice extension anytime soon, per Schefter, who adds nothing is on the horizon here. This clouds the Chiefs’ receiver outlook, as Xavier Worthy looks to be the only pass-catching regular with a great chance of being on the 2027 roster. The team re-signed Tyquan Thornton to a two-year, $11MM pact, and while that deal’s $7.4MM guaranteed includes a $2MM 2027 figure, more WR uncertainty is present because of the Rice situation.
Rice does have a chance to reestablish value. Unless the ongoing prison term complicates his surgery rehab to a concerning degree, Rice’s timetable puts him on track to start the season on time. Sustained availability would probably put Rice in play to be a Chiefs re-signing consideration in 2027, with a franchise tag probably in the realm of possibility as well. That would buy the organization more time, but the 204-pound target has a rather significant “prove it” season ahead.
For now, the Chiefs figure to be connected to some of the veteran wideouts available. Hill is among them, though Reid downplayed the prospect of a reunion earlier this offseason. That said, the Chiefs did not draft a receiver until Round 5 (Cyrus Allen). But Rice’s long-term status is on the back burner; how this now-unusual rehab process goes will be part of his route back toward a possible upper-crust second contract — from either the Chiefs or another team.
Titans Hire Dave Gardi As Executive VP Of Football Operations
Weeks after Chad Brinker‘s decision to step away from his high-ranking role in the Titans’ front office, the team has made a significant hire to join its Mike Borgonzi-fronted operation. Dave Gardi will join the team as its executive vice president of football operations.
The Titans announced the hire, indicating Gardi will report directly to Borgonzi. Gardi most recently was with the Commanders, serving as their senior VP of football initiatives.
Tennessee has seen many changes to its power structure commence since Amy Adams Strunk fired GM Jon Robinson in December 2022. The team hired Ran Carthon (against then-HC Mike Vrabel‘s wishes) as GM in 2023 but promoted Brinker — hired to be one of Carthon’s assistant GMs — to their top decision-making presence during Carthon’s stay. Carthon was then fired in January 2025, as Brinker officially saw his title change to president of football ops. Borgonzi worked under Brinker in 2025, but the Titans announced the GM would take control of the 53-man roster in January. Brinker stepped down after the draft.
Gardi is set to “oversee football administration, football strategy and analytics, research, football information systems, team operations and security,” according to the Titans. He joins assistant GM Dave Ziegler as a top Borgonzi lieutenant. Ziegler is in his second year working in that capacity.
Spending two years with the Commanders, Gardi enjoyed a much longer tenure in the NFL office. Gardi spent 21 years in the league office, serving as senior VP of football operations for his final 10 years under Roger Goodell. This hire reminds of the Giants’ offseason decision to add longtime league employee Dawn Aponte to a key front office role.
In-game management duties and officiating trends were part of Gardi’s Washington responsibilities, with salary cap and contract matters falling in his purview with the league office. The Titans have Borgonzi in a much more powerful spot compared to his first year with the team, and he led the search that brought Robert Saleh to Nashville. Gardi will step in as a key member of this hierarchy moving forward.
Lions Sign WR Cedrick Wilson Jr.
The Lions addressed their wide receiver position with a Day 3 draft choice while reuniting new OC Drew Petzing with ex-Cardinal Greg Dortch. The team is making another move for potential depth, however.
Cedrick Wilson Jr. signed with the Lions on Wednesday, per a team announcement. Wilson spent last season with the Dolphins, returning to Miami after playing the 2024 campaign in New Orleans.
Wilson, 30, did not live up to a three-year, $22.1MM Dolphins accord signed back in 2022 and was released in 2024. The second-generation NFL wideout totaled 602 receiving yards and six touchdowns with the 2021 Cowboys but has not eclipsed 300 yards in any other season. Working as a tertiary Miami option alongside Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in 2023, Wilson did tally 296 yards and three TDs. But the Dolphins moved on rather than keep him on that contract in 2024.
The Saints gave Wilson a two-year, $5.75MM to play in Klint Kubiak‘s system in 2024. With the Saints losing Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed to injury that season, Wilson provided modest assistance in 15 games (20 catches, 211 yards) and landed on New Orleans’ practice squad to open 2025. The Dolphins signed Wilson off the Saints’ P-squad last September following Hill’s season-ending knee injury; Wilson saw minimal action in 10 contests, catching just five passes for 44 yards.
Detroit returns Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams to go with second-year cog Isaac TeSlaa at receiver. A former Cardinals slot receiver, Dortch signed a one-year, $1.4MM deal that included a $1.1MM guarantee. Detroit then drafted Kentucky’s Kendrick Law in Round 5 last month. This situation will certainly not guarantee Wilson a roster spot, and it would surprise if his guarantee matched Dortch’s at this offseason juncture.
Wilson has never cleared the 35% snap barrier on special teams, though he does have 36 career punt returns on his resume. The Lions lost longtime returner Kalif Raymond in free agency; Raymond is now with the Bears. The Lions also have longtime backup/P-squad presence Tom Kennedy among their cadre of second-string candidates at receiver. Wilson will join the fray as a potential option for the 53-man roster or practice squad.
Urban Meyer Loses Grievance Against Jags
An arbiter ruled the Jaguars will not have to pay former coach Urban Meyer‘s salary balance, On3.com’s Brett McMurphy reports. Meyer sued the Jaguars not long after his December 2021 firing but will not be entitled to a $30MM-plus sum that would have come his way had the arbiter ruled he was not fired for cause.
The Jags were permitted to fire Meyer for cause, according to the arbiter, and will be free of obligation regarding the final four years of the short-lived NFL HC’s contract. Jacksonville gave Meyer control of football operations in January 2021 but fired the successful college HC after 13 games, ending an infamous tenure that brought on-field struggles and a slew of off-field headlines.
At the time of the firing, the Jags cited a “culmination of events” in their decision to fire Meyer for cause and withhold his remaining money. Coaching contracts come guaranteed, and HCs are almost never fired for cause; thus, they collect money owed. Though, offset language regularly protects teams in the event a fired coach lands with another team or college program; Meyer, though, has not coached since his Jaguars firing. This case took more than four years to wrap, but the Jags can finally close the book on arguably the worst decision in franchise history.
Shad Khan hired Meyer after pursuing the former national championship-winning HC in the past, but the partnership drifted off course. In addition to reports indicating a bizarre lack of familiarity with NFL players, Meyer had issues with his staff and the team was fined for failure to comply with NFL offseason workout rules. The former Ohio State and Florida championship leader made the highly unusual decision to not travel back from a Thursday game with his team, only to be seen with a young woman at his restaurant in Columbus soon after. Khan fired Meyer after he started 2-11.
Meyer had previously hired a strength coach (Chris Doyle) who was part of a racial discrimination suit for alleged actions while at Iowa; Doyle resigned from the Jaguars not long after his hire. The U.S. District Court for Iowa’s Southern District subpoenaed Meyer in connection to the Doyle discrimination suit in 2021. Additionally, Meyer and Jaguars were later sued by former Jags kicker Josh Lambo. The veteran NFL specialist accused Meyer of kicking him while he was stretching before a preseason game.
Lambo’s case is still pending, according to ESPN.com, and a trial date in Duval County is set for August 3. Lambo, Jaguars punter Logan Cooke, long snapper Ross Matiscik and ex-GM Trent Baalke were witnesses at the hearing, according to McMurphy. Baalke joined the Jaguars prior to Meyer’s tenure but was elevated to GM while the HC was in charge.
Jacksonville has a 77-152 record during Khan’s ownership tenure. The owner has hired six head coaches (Mike Mularkey, Gus Bradley, Doug Marrone, Meyer, Doug Pederson and Liam Coen). Mularkey joined Meyer in lasting only one season. Meyer, 61, holds a role as a FOX Sports analyst following his brief NFL tenure.