Cowboys Restructure Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Tyler Smith’s Contracts
PFR’s Cowboys Offseason Outlook indicated the team exited last week with the league’s worst cap situation. Dallas came into today more than $56MM over the $301.2MM salary ceiling. They are moving back toward cap compliance with some expected adjustments.
The Cowboys restructured Dak Prescott and Tyler Smith‘s contracts Wednesday, ESPN’s Field Yates and Adam Schefter tweet. These moves will create $47MM in cap space, bringing Dallas within $10MM of the 2026 cap. The team also restructured CeeDee Lamb‘s deal to clear more room, per ESPN.com’s Todd Archer. Other possible conversions are available as well. The Lamb move, expected to clear $19MM more in space, slides the Cowboys under the cap.
Dallas used a $28.29MM franchise tag to keep George Pickens off the free agent market. That sank the team deeper into the red. But Pickens is firmly in the Cowboys’ 2026 plans. As a result, contract updates are coming to make it affordable. Quinnen Williams and Osa Odighizuwa‘s deals are also on that list, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris, and a rumored Kenny Clark extension effort would reduce the 2025 trade pickup’s cap hit.
Prescott, 32, is tied to the NFL’s richest contract — a four-year, $240MM extension agreed to hours before Week 1 of the 2024 season. This move will reduce the 11th-year quarterback’s $50.52MM 2026 cap number while inflating future numbers on the through-2028 contract. Before this restructure, Prescott was already due to count more than $74MM against Dallas’ 2027 cap. Another restructure would be on tap before that point.
The Cowboys backed themselves into a corner with Prescott based on previous restructures. His no-tag clause and the void year-driven penalties that would have come in 2025 absent an extension armed the upper-crust QB with extraordinary leverage. He used it to score the $60MM-per-year extension — which still hovers well above the QB market 18 months later.
Lamb is signed through 2028 on a $34MM-AAV extension. The Cowboys have now restructured his deal twice as well. Lamb was due to count $38.24MM on Dallas’ 2026 cap and more than $41MM next year. While Lamb’s 2027 number will balloon, his 2026 figure will drop to create spending space. Smith, who signed the NFL’s most lucrative guard deal last fall ($24MM AAV), is signed through 2030. His cap number will drop from $27.5MM.
Teams Inquiring About Broncos’ Jarrett Stidham
Thrust into one of the stranger spots in recent quarterback history, Jarrett Stidham could not elevate the No. 1-seeded Broncos to Super Bowl LX after receiving an 11th-hour assignment. The Patriots eked out a 10-7 victory in the AFC championship game, one that devolved into a snowy mess by the third quarter.
Stidham, who also committed a costly fumble in the first half of that game, needed to start after Bo Nix went down with a fractured ankle late in the AFC divisional round. One season remains on Stidham’s Broncos contract, and clubs are checking in on the Denver QB2’s trade availability, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
Sean Payton talked up Stidham shortly after announcing Nix was done for the season, and the QB had moments in a winnable game. Stidham found Marvin Mims deep in the first quarter to set up a Courtland Sutton touchdown strike. Stidham was 17-for-31 for 133 yards, throwing an interception as the blizzard hit. Neither Stidham nor Drake Maye fared well in the blizzard conditions, and interested teams may be giving the veteran backup a pass due to the conditions.
Payton pitted Nix against Stidham and Zach Wilson for the starting job during the 2024 offseason. Nix landed the gig, and Stidham expressed disappointment by saying he viewed himself as a starter. Payton echoed that following Nix’s injury nearly 18 months later, indicating he had two first-stringers on his roster. The Broncos had signed Stidham hours into Payton’s first free agency, giving the ex-Patriot and Raider backup a two-year, $10MM deal in 2023 to back up Russell Wilson. They re-signed him (2/12) in 2025.
Stidham’s $5.5MM 2026 base salary carries a $2MM guarantee. The Broncos could create $6.5MM in cap space by trading the seven-year veteran. Denver has been linked to multiple cost-cutting moves, including a possible Ben Powers trade, before the 2026 league year. It would still be a bit surprising, given Payton’s ties to Stidham, if the team moved on. A chance as an inexpensive bridge QB somewhere could await, though, and Stidham’s name did come up at the 2024 trade deadline. Stidham will play an age-30 season in 2026; Nix is expected to be ready for Denver’s offseason program.
Before Nix’s ill-timed injury, Stidham had become known for being inserted into starting lineups as AFC West teams shelved their starters for financial purposes. The Raiders benched Derek Carr before the 2022 season finale, setting up a separation, and the Broncos did the same with Russell Wilson — at the same juncture of the season — in 2023. Stidham made four starts for the Raiders and Broncos to close out those campaigns, catching Payton’s interest with an impressive showing against the 49ers in Week 17 of the ’22 season. Stidham had not started a game between Week 18 of the ’23 campaign and this year’s AFC championship game.
The Jets may be a team to watch for Stidham, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini writes. GM Darren Mougey was in Denver when the team initially signed the former Patriots draftee. Expected to release Justin Fields and lacking a realistic path to drafting Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall, the Jets may be looking at lower-cost vets in free agency or through a trade. Backup Tyrod Taylor‘s two-year, $12MM deal is also up, though Taylor is possibly still in the team’s plans for 2026.
Chargers Plan To Release G Mekhi Becton
Already holding more than $84MM in cap space, the Chargers are prepared to create more soon. They are planning to release Mekhi Becton, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.
This release is not yet official, potentially as the team holds out hope for a trade, but Fowler indicates Los Angeles will move on from Becton after one season. The Super Bowl-winning guard signed a two-year, $20MM Bolts deal in 2025. This move will create $9.7MM in cap space for the AFC West club.
[RELATED: Chargers In Play To Re-Sign Khalil Mack]
Mentioned in our Chargers Offseason Outlook as a player who would likely be cut, Becton did not fare as well as he did in Philadelphia. The NFL showed some skepticism about Becton last year, with the former Jets first-rounder taking a few days before committing to the Chargers. The Bolts gave Becton just $6.49MM guaranteed at signing, with the only dead money as part of this upcoming release tied up in a signing bonus.
A timeline is in place on Becton, who is due a $2.5MM roster bonus on March 13. This will bring a resolution. The Chargers including that bonus provided some protection in case the Eagles’ 2024 RG starter could not sustain his bounce-back form. Becton was a season-long Chargers starter at RG but underwhelmed while also missing time — as part of a battered Bolts O-line — due to injury. Maladies defined Becton’s Jets tenure, with the 2020 first-round pick missing almost all of the 2021 and ’22 seasons.
The Eagles moved to Tyler Steen, whom Becton beat out for their RG job in 2024, last season. Philly is not expected to pursue a reunion with Becton once he is released, Essentiallysports.com’s Tony Pauline notes. One season remains on Steen’s rookie contract. This could give the Chargers two guard needs, with LG Zion Johnson poised to be one of the market’s top free agents next week.
Los Angeles gave Becton 14 starts last season; Pro Football Focus ranked Becton 77th out of 79 qualified guards. Set to turn 27 in April, Becton (15 regular-season Eagles starts in 2024) has time to re-route his career. But this represents a significant step back. It could lead to tepid interest in the mammoth blocker in free agency.
Becton caught the Bolts’ attention while playing on a one-year, $2.75MM Eagles deal. That pact came weeks into the 2024 free agency period, as minimal interest came for a slimmed-down Becton after he spent 2023 back on the field — at both left and right tackle for the Jets — after the two-year injury spell. It would not surprise if Becton needs another “prove it” deal to rebound after his uninspiring Chargers campaign.
This release will move the Bolts past $91MM in cap space. Though, L.A. is not expected to be aggressive in free agency this offseason. But an opportunity to bolster the roster in a competitive division awaits for Jim Harbaugh and GM Joe Hortiz.
Giants Interested In RB Kenneth Walker, Travis Etienne; Latest On New York’s FA Approach
While maybe not reaching Kirk Cousins– or Antonio Brown-level PFR volume, Saquon Barkley‘s final years as a Giant took up considerable space here. Giants brass could not extend him in 2022, franchise-tagged the Pro Bowler in 2023 and drew a hard line on his value in 2024 when no offer emerged. The Eagles benefited.
The Giants have since revamped their power structure, and it looks to be affecting their valuation of veteran running backs. With John Harbaugh calling the shots now and Joe Schoen losing considerable power, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes the Giants are believed to be interested in Kenneth Walker and Travis Etienne.
[RELATED: Giants Aiming To Trade OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux]
New York is showing considerable interest in beefing up its ground game, with Raanan adding connections to Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love have emerged as well. Love is viewed by some as this draft’s top prospect. His positional value will naturally result in a bit of a drop, but the Fighting Irish standout should not need to wait too long before hearing his name called in April. The Giants, who hold the No. 5 overall pick, striking early for a high-end free agent RB would seemingly send Love elsewhere.
With Breece Hall officially franchise-tagged at today’s deadline, Walker is expected to fetch the top RB contract in free agency. Confirming the Giants are interested, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan wonders if the team would be willing to go where that market ends up considering the team has other needs. That could be where Etienne comes in, with some more affordable backs — from Rico Dowdle to Tyler Allgeier to Kenneth Gainwell — set to be available too. Though, SNY’s Connor Hughes adds a “strong” push for a veteran starter-level option should be expected.
Walker, 25, is looking likely to reach free agency. Mutual interest exists between the Super Bowl MVP and the Seahawks, but they lose exclusive negotiating rights at 11am CT March 9, when the legal tampering period begins. Etienne, 27, played out his fifth-year option in Jacksonville and has more career carries — after a higher-volume college career — than Walker. His market should not be as costly, but the five-year Jaguar is better in pass protection and as a receiver.
The Giants have Cam Skattebo signed through 2027, and Tyrone Tracy‘s rookie deal runs through 2026. But Harbaugh is now calling the shots. Schoen said he is still leading the football operation, but Duggan confirmed a recent report that indicates new hire Dawn Aponte reports directly to Harbaugh. Schoen also confirmed (via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard) the Giants’ analytics and video departments now report to Aponte, creating a strange dynamic for the contract-year GM. Schoen still oversees the scouting department.
The Giants have had their GMs report to ownership for eons, but they adjusted the long-held structure for Harbaugh, whose imprint on the roster will be felt soon. Schoen did not confirm he would solely run free agency; it can be expected Harbaugh and Aponte will have significant say in that effort. More cap cuts are coming, but the Giants are still interested in retaining some of their own.
Already mentioned as being interested in retaining Wan’Dale Robinson, the Giants are seeing what it will take to keep Jermaine Eluemunor and Cor’Dale Flott. Harbaugh said (via the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz) the team wants to keep all three UFAs-to-be. The Giants met with David Mulugheta, who represents Eluemunor and Flott, at the Combine, Duggan adds.
Eluemunor, 31, maneuvered for a two-year deal in 2024 — an underrated subplot in HBO’s captivating Hard Knocks: Offseason effort — and it looks likely to work to his advantage. Braden Smith appears to be this market’s top right tackle, but he is coming off three seasons shortened by either injury or illness.
Eluemunor played both RT and LT in New York, starting all 31 games he played from 2024-25. His health stands to create a solid market, as both Smith and Jack Conklin come with notable injury pasts. Eluemunor also began his career with the Ravens, playing for Harbaugh from 2017-18. If Eluemunor departs, Duggan notes the team will be expected to pursue a free agent RT replacement.
Flott, 24, overtook former first-rounder Deonte Banks in Big Blue’s cornerback hierarchy. He outplayed the 2023 draftee opposite Paulson Adebo last season and may do reasonably well on the market. He is one of the youngest corners available. Converted from a slot player to primarily a boundary defender, Flott started 37 games with the Giants.
While Banks’ rookie deal runs through 2026, he has been linked to trade rumors amid a disappointing tenure. Harbaugh’s team will likely pursue an outside replacement if Flott departs. He is expected to draw significant FA interest, per Hughes, which could put the Giants in the market for a replacement.
Schwartz adds the Giants have “varying degrees of interest” in retaining tight end Daniel Bellinger and linebacker Micah McFadden. The Giants are higher on third-year veteran Theo Johnson than most around the league, Duggan adds, to the point Isaiah Likely may not be a strong candidate to follow Harbaugh from Baltimore.
Still, Hughes indicates tight end should be considered a priority in free agency. If Likely is deemed too pricey, the likes of Cade Otton, Chig Okonkwo, David Njoku and Dallas Goedert are poised to be available. Will this pursuit be to replace Johnson or complement him?
A 42-game starter on his rookie contract, Bellinger has played at least 51% of the Giants’ offensive snaps in three of his four seasons. He was used more frequently before Johnson’s arrival, however. McFadden started 36 games during his rookie deal but was limited to one in 2025; a season-ending foot injury in Week 1 impacted his free agent stock. The Giants releasing Bobby Okereke tonight and having McFadden unsigned makes linebacker a key need, one of a few the team carries into free agency.
Jets Notes: Draft, McDonald, Cook, Cross, Vera-Tucker, Simpson, Davis
Trading former first-round pick Jermaine Johnson to the Titans, the Jets look to have opened the door to selecting another edge rusher with the No. 2 overall pick. As PFR’s Adam La Rose indicated when the team shipped Johnson to Nashville for T’Vondre Sweat, the trade could certainly telegraph the Jets’ draft plans.
With the Raiders almost certain to draft Fernando Mendoza first overall, the Jets are expected to have their pick of edge rushers. Arvell Reese and David Bailey look to be the top candidates for that slot, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini notes. Reese has played on and the ball as a standout Ohio State linebacker, but he looks to want a shot on the edge to start his NFL career.
The Jets will still be considered likely to exercise Will McDonald‘s fifth-year option ($14.48MM), but the Joe Douglas-era investment looks on the verge of teaming with a big-ticket rookie draftee. That would make three first-round edge defenders in five drafts for New York, which selected Johnson in 2022 and McDonald in ’23.
The Jets have lost Johnson, Quinnen Williams, Haason Reddick, John Franklin-Myers and Bryce Huff from their D-line since the 2024 free agency period. With Micheal Clemons on track for free agency, McDonald is the last man standing here. The Jets are believed to be interested in unloading more Douglas-era pieces, and two more figure to be on the move next week.
Both Alijah Vera-Tucker and John Simpson are expected to depart in free agency, Essentiallysports.com’s Tony Pauline adds. That will create glaring Gang Green guard needs. It should not be considered a certainty both leave, though, as Cimini counters by saying the Jets will keep in touch with both blockers. Both interior linemen are, however, expected to at least test the market next week.
Vera-Tucker’s market would be booming had he not missed all of last season — with his third major injury since entering the NFL in 2021 — with a triceps tear. Simpson started two seasons at left guard in New York, not missing a game during that span. Simpson will be heading into an age-29 season, while Vera-Tucker will turn 27 in June.
This Jets regime will be looking to add replacements across the roster, holding more than $74MM in cap space. They have Tony Adams and 2025 UFA addition Andre Cisco bound for the market, and Cimini adds that Bryan Cook and Nick Cross are two safeties the team is believed to have its eye on.
Cook worked as a four-year Chiefs starter, starting every Kansas City game over the past two seasons. The former Super Bowl starter ranked as Pro Football Focus’ No. 4 overall safety in 2025. A two-year Colts starter, Cross has been incredibly productive since being inserted into Indianapolis’ lineup. He has combined for 266 tackles (11 for loss) over the past two seasons, also not missing a game in that span. The Colts, who transition-tagged Daniel Jones today and have four DBs tied to eight-figure-per-year salaries, are likely to let Cross walk next week.
Minkah Fitzpatrick also looms as a name to monitor, per Cimini, who reminds new DC Brian Duker coached the recent Dolphins reacquisition as Miami’s defensive pass-game coordinator last season. One year remains on Fitzpatrick’s Steelers-designed/Dolphins-adjusted pact, which Miami’s new regime is believed to be trying to trade. The Jets are also believed to be eyeing edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad — who played for Aaron Glenn in Detroit in 2024 — and Cimini confirms a recent report that tied the team to ex-Glenn Lions LB pupil Alex Anzalone.
An interesting reunion may be in the Jets’ plans as well. Demario Davis is back on the team’s radar, Pauline adds. The Jets are believed to be targeting the 14-year veteran — originally a Jets draftee back in 2012 — ahead of his age-37 season. Davis, who already logged two Jets stints (2012-15, 2017), has become one of the league’s best off-ball LBs since relocating to New Orleans. Glenn was on the Saints’ staff for three of Davis’ eight New Orleans seasons.
The prolific Saints tackler has racked up five All-Pro nods (four second-team placements) as a Saint. The Jets gave Jamien Sherwood a three-year, $45MM deal to stay but are almost certain to lose Quincy Williams — a Robert Saleh-Jeff Ulbrich All-Pro piece who drew trade buzz before the deadline — in free agency.
Closing out this Jets rundown, the team’s aging kicker — Nick Folk — is not looking to retire just yet. The 41-year-old kicker, who joins Davis in being a two-stint Jet, is aiming to play at 42 in 2026, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero adds. Despite his advancing age, the 2007 UDFA has led the NFL in accuracy in each of the past three seasons. This included a 96.6% make rate in 2025, when Folk made 7 of 8 tries from beyond 50 yards.
Steelers Discussed Brian Thomas Jr. With Jaguars; Teams Interested In TE Pat Freiermuth
A frequent shopper for wide receiver help in 2024, the Steelers found their new lead option by trading for D.K. Metcalf last March. But the team soon dealt George Pickens, who played well enough to command a Cowboys franchise tag last week. Pittsburgh is still searching for receiving help.
Before last year’s deadline, the Steelers were one of the teams to call the Jaguars on Brian Thomas Jr., per The Pat McAfee Show’s Mark Kaboly. Talks fell through, and the Jags held onto the 2024 first-round pick amid his sophomore slump. With the Jags extending Jakobi Meyers, Thomas — a Trent Baalke draftee — could still be available. But with Jacksonville set to use Travis Hunter more as a cornerback in 2026, the team would create a big need of its own by moving Thomas — in what would amount to a sell-low transaction.
After a breakthrough rookie season, the LSU product caught just 48 passes for 707 yards in 2025. His touchdown total plummeted from 10 to two, as Meyers became a more important part of the Jags’ attack following his deadline arrival. Two years remain on Thomas’ rookie contract.
The Steelers have Calvin Austin, Scott Miller and Marquez Valdes-Scantling unsigned. The team agreed not to void Metcalf’s 2026 guarantees, an option available after the mercurial wideout’s two-game suspension, but will be hunting for complementary help. Roman Wilson has not taken off, stalling the Steelers’ run of finding wideout gems on Day 2. The Steelers figure to be in the market for free agency help and will be a team to monitor in the draft. Pittsburgh has not drafted a first-round wideout since Santonio Holmes 20 years ago but has added numerous receiving options in Rounds 2-3 since.
Elsewhere within the Steelers’ skill-position cadre, Kenneth Gainwell is likely to see a raise soon. The former Eagles backup played the 2025 season on a one-year, $1.79MM pact and earned team MVP honors, totaling 1,023 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns. The Steelers want to re-sign Gainwell, with GM Omar Khan indicating (via ESPN.com’s Brooke Pryor) talks with the running back’s camp have commenced.
While the Steelers are interested in a second Gainwell contract, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac indicates they are unlikely to reward him with a deal that exceeds Jaylen Warren‘s 2025 extension (two years, $11.9MM).
Pittsburgh used a third-round pick on Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson but effectively gave him a redshirt year behind Warren and Gainwell. Even with Breece Hall off the market, the RB position is fairly deep — to the point Pittsburgh could conceivably bring back Gainwell at a reasonable rate. But it is also quite possible Johnson moves up on the depth chart after Gainwell defects next week.
At tight end, the Steelers are likely interested in extending Darnell Washington. The supersized pass catcher has one season remaining on his rookie contract, and Khan (via Kaboly) pointed to interest on the team’s part. The Steelers rolled out an interesting three-TE look last season, acquiring Jonnu Smith after having extended Pat Freiermuth in 2024. Freiermuth saw his usage and production decline in 2025, being given only eight starts and catching 41 passes for 486 yards — after twice eclipsing 650 in previous years.
Smith’s 2025 extension runs for one more season, and while at least six teams have expressed interest in Freiermuth (according to The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo), the Steelers are informing suitors he is unavailable. Freiermuth’s four-year, $48.1MM extension runs through 2028. Smith, 30, is not as certain to be part of Mike McCarthy‘s attack, per DeFabo. The team is evaluating how the nomadic pass catcher would be utilized alongside Freiermuth and Washington in 2026. Smith is due a $7MM base salary this season.
Isaac Seumalo joins Gainwell as a free agent-to-be. If the Steelers do not re-sign the 10-year veteran, Dulac adds they will pursue a replacement in free agency. Every other Steelers O-line starter is on a rookie contract. Seumalo, 32, figures to do fairly well on the market despite his advanced age. The two-time Super Bowl starter ranked in the top five in both pass and run block win rate last season.
The Steelers appear likelier to let Seumalo walk, Kaboly adds, with Khan indicating the team is “excited” about Spencer Anderson early in his career. A 2023 seventh-round pick, Anderson has made 11 career starts. Anderson played 193 snaps at left guard last season, also being used as a sixth O-linemen in certain packages.
Broncos Rumors: Franklin-Myers, Powers, Trautman, TE, Lewis, Singleton, Strnad
It looks like the Broncos are days away from losing John Franklin-Myers. Although a degree of interest has come from the reigning AFC West champs, no offer is believed to have come. Denver extended Courtland Sutton, Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto during training camp and then paid Luke Wattenberg, Malcolm Roach and Wil Lutz. The Allen, Bonitto and Roach extensions followed Jonathon Cooper‘s 2024 re-up and the March 2025 D.J. Jones re-signing. The writing appears on the wall for Franklin-Myers, a solid Denver starter for two seasons.
This is also an ideal time for Franklin-Myers to hit free agency, with a dearth of higher-end inside D-line options available. As a result of this clear runway, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler hears a $20MM-per-year contract may be necessary to win this FA derby. Franklin-Myers is going into an age-30 season and played out a two-year, $15MM deal. The Jets had him on a four-year, $55MM accord but traded it in a salary-dump deal during the 2024 draft. After 14.5 sacks over the past two seasons — as part of two top-three scoring defenses in Denver — the Allen sidekick is poised to be one of this free agency’s biggest winners.
Here is the latest out of Denver:
- In PFR’s Broncos Offseason Outlook piece, I mentioned Ben Powers as a trade candidate. The Wattenberg extension gave Denver five O-line salaries at $12MM or higher, and Powers is going into a contract year and approaching his 30th birthday. The three-year Broncos left guard is carrying a $17.43MM cap number and continues to be linked to a possible trade. Fowler mentions the former Raven as a player who could be on the move soon. The Broncos have former UDFA Alex Palczewski as an internal replacement; the team will likely tender Palczewski (10 2025 starts) as an RFA by the March 11 deadline. If the Broncos trade Powers, they would save $8.38MM in cap space. Denver currently holds $25.23MM — 13th-most.
- Another cost-saving measure the Broncos can take would be an Evan Engram release. Sean Payton‘s would-be “Joker” performer was not a major factor in his first season of a two-year, $23MM contract; Denver can save $6.47MM by designating Engram a post-June 1 cut. Engram, 31, is not a lock to be released, per 9News’ Mike Klis, but Payton wants to add another receiving tight end this offseason. Denver hopes to re-sign starter Adam Trautman, per Klis, but he does not contribute much as a receiver. Engram (461 yards, one TD in 2025) would join Isaiah Likely, Dallas Goedert, Cade Otton, Chig Okonkwo and David Njoku as notable TEs available if cut. One of the outside options could be in play for the Broncos if they do move on. Denver is also unlikely to tender tight end Lucas Krull as an RFA, Klis adds.
- The Broncos allowed Marcedes Lewis to set the record for seasons by a tight end (20), and no pure TE has played past 41 — Lewis’ age last season. The 2006 first-round pick is interested in playing one more season, the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson tweets. Lewis, who has interest in coaching as well, played 81 offensive snaps over five games as a Bronco last year.
- Dre Greenlaw looms as a possible cap casualty after missing nine games due to injury in his first Broncos slate. That is not certain, as Denver has regulars Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad unsigned. GM George Paton said (via the Denver Post’s Luca Evans) is interested in keeping both linebackers. A four-year Broncos starter who recovered from testicular cancer, Singleton played out a three-year, $18MM deal. He turned 32 in December. Strnad, 29, was the team’s Greenlaw sub who logged a 55% snap share last season. Strnad, Denver’s Singleton injury sub in 2024, is interested in landing a starting role somewhere after playing out a one-year, $2.87MM contract. Keeping Greenlaw, with Denver also tied to first-round ILBs in mock drafts, likely would mean at least one of the Singleton-Strnad duo exits in free agency.
2026 NFL Offseason Outlook Series
Pro Football Rumors is breaking down how all 32 teams’ offseason blueprints are shaping up. Going forward, the Offseason Outlook series is exclusive to Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers, and that link provides details on how to sign up for an annual membership.
Here are PFR’s 2026 rundowns of the 32 teams’ offseason blueprints:
AFC East
AFC North
AFC South
AFC West
NFC East
NFC North
NFC South
NFC West
Patriots Interested In WR A.J. Brown
The Patriots spent 2024 exhausting just about every avenue to add a marquee wide receiver. Their Calvin Ridley free agency pursuit failed, and Brandon Aiyuk opted to return to the 49ers rather than be traded to New England. Last year, however, Stefon Diggs provided substantial help by posting his seventh 1,000-yard season.
As PFR’s Ben Levine noted in his Patriots Offseason Outlook, Diggs is not a lock to be back in Foxborough. The mercurial veteran is due see $6MM of his 2026 compensation become guaranteed March 13. Diggs’ cap number climbs from $10.5MM last year to $26.5MM in 2026, putting a separation on the radar. But the Patriots could potentially keep Diggs and add another impact veteran.
The team is interested in reuniting Mike Vrabel and A.J. Brown, MassLive.com’s Karen Guregian and Mark Daniels report. Vrabel coached Brown for three seasons with the Titans and was not believed to be happy when the team traded the high-end WR during the 2022 draft.
Brown has been a persistent issue in Philadelphia, but the former Tennessee standout has been one of the most productive skill-position players in Eagles history. Going into an age-29 season, he would be a valuable piece in a trade. Nick Sirianni stopped short of guaranteeing Brown would be back, and the Eagles are prepared to listen to offers.
Philly is believed to be setting a high price on Brown, who has gone 4-for-4 — despite bemoaning his role in the offense at various points — in 1,000-yard receiving seasons with the team. It might take first- and second-round picks — at least, that may be the asking price — to pry Brown from the NFC East club. That would be a difficult move for a team to make for a receiver with seven years’ experience, but Brown’s option bonus-laden contract runs through the 2029 season. That would be valuable for a team, should it feel comfortable acquiring the high-maintenance performer.
Despite a massive dead money number if the Eagles were to trade Brown before June 1, the team is expected to make a decision by March 9 — when the legal tampering period begins. Trading Brown before June 1 would level the Eagles with a 43.45MM dead cap charge, a record for his position. They would also lose $20.12MM in spending room. Meanwhile, an acquiring team would have to take on what’s left of the three-year, $96MM extension Brown signed before the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning 2024 campaign.
The Patriots would be picking up a $29MM guarantee on Brown’s 2026 money, but little locked-in compensation exists in this contract beyond this coming season. As PFR’s Connor Byrne noted in his Eagles Offseason Outlook, the team moving on before March 13 would allow them to pass a $4MM 2027 guarantee for the wideout to another club. Option bonuses worth $19.41MM, $29.36MM and $28.32MM are in place for 2027, ’28 and ’29, per Spotrac. The Eagles rely heavily on option bonuses for cap purposes. That will make moving Brown now difficult for the perennial contender.
A need may exist for the Patriots to restructure Diggs’ contract, per Guregian and Daniels. The Pats could reduce Diggs’ $20.6MM 2026 salary by moving money into a signing bonus, thus increasing the dead money hit in 2027. It would be unlikely Diggs will be keen on accepting a pay cut after being the runaway receiving leader on an AFC champion, but the Pats look to be trying to get the 32-year-old WR’s cap hit down. Diggs also faces a potential suspension for an alleged assault. He pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges earlier this month.
New England has rookie-deal wideouts Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas signed for one more season apiece. Mack Hollins‘ two-year, $8.4MM contract also runs through 2026. Holding just more than $40MM in cap space, the Patriots have also been linked to Maxx Crosby in a trade. It would be highly unlikely New England could acquire both, but a Brown resolution figures to come before Crosby, whom the Raiders want to retain. Crosby is also in the process of recovering from knee surgery.
In addition to creating a massive dead money figure, the Eagles would have a major receiving need alongside DeVonta Smith. Philly’s aerial attack has run through Brown, Smith and Dallas Goedert for four seasons now. Goedert is due for free agency next month. While Howie Roseman is one of the most aggressive GMs in NFL history, the Eagles remember being deficient at receiver not too long ago. Misses on JJ Arcega-Whiteside and Jalen Reagor left Philly in need as the Carson Wentz era ended, and the Smith and Brown moves turned the position into a strength.
For his issues with the Eagles’ passing game at times, Brown spoke highly of his current employer recently. Will the Eagles cash out on Brown in his 20s and move back into unknown territory at wideout? It appears we are close to finding out.
Cowboys Notes: Pickens, Williams, Clark, Clowney, Dean, Liufau
Although the Cowboys placed the nonexclusive franchise tag on George Pickens, they should not exactly be worried about someone poaching him. An offer sheet is seen as highly unlikely, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. An unmatched franchise tag offer sheet would result in two first-rounders coming back to Dallas. Pickens’ standout 2025 season notwithstanding, he would not fetch that in a trade. While a tag-and-trade scenario has been mentioned here — as the Cowboys have CeeDee Lamb on a $34MM-per-year extension — the team looks set to retain its high-profile WR2 for 2026.
“We couldn’t take the chance on losing him,” executive VP Stephen Jones said, via AllDLLS.com’s Clarence Hill. “George was fired up, excited. He said I don’t want to play anywhere but with the Cowboys. That’s what we suspected. It was all good.”
Jerry Jones spoke with Pickens by phone from the Combine following the tag, per Hill. Pickens, 25, cannot be fined for skipping minicamp or training camp workouts until he signs his $28.3MM franchise tender. The Cowboys are a staggering $56MM-plus over the cap after tagging Pickens, but they will be able to restructure contracts — including Lamb, Dak Prescott, DaRon Bland and Osa Odighizuwa — to create considerable room ahead of free agency.
Here is the latest from around Dallas:
- Another way to create some cap space would be extending Kenny Clark or Quinnen Williams. The Clark-Odighizuwa-Williams trio is set to count a whopping $63.9MM against the Cowboys’ 2026 cap, and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris notes the team is in discussions to improve that situation this week. Clark is due an $11MM roster bonus March 13, but Harris adds he is unlikely to be traded, pointing to an extension being in play. Clark is in the final year of a three-year, $66MM Packers-designed deal — one shipped to Dallas in the Micah Parsons trade — and going into an age-31 season. The Cowboys are not expected to deal a player from their three-DT logjam, with new DC Christian Parker exploring ways to maximize it. If one of the DTs is to be moved, though, Harris points to Clark being the top departure candidate.
- In December, a second Jadeveon Clowney Cowboys contract was in play. With Parker now running the defense, Clowney’s Dallas future appears foggier. Stephen Jones confirmed (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota) no talks with the free agent-to-be have taken place. “We’re gonna work through with [Parker]. A lot of it will happen this coming week, in terms of the type of player (we’re looking for),” Jones said. “We’re gonna continue to have those talks, and then we’ll make final decisions on who we think will be productive in this particular system.” Clowney, 33 in April, has played for seven teams in 12 NFL seasons. The former No. 1 overall pick tallied 8.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss — his most TFLs since his 2018 Houston finale — as a bright spot on a bad Dallas defense.
- With Parker coming over from Philadelphia, some Eagles could be in play to follow him. The Cowboys should be expected to pursue Nakobe Dean, Hill adds. Parker and Dean overlapped for two seasons, and the latter is one of the top ILBs available. Dean’s injury history will make it unlikely he competes with Devin Lloyd or Quay Walker prices on this year’s market, but the former third-round pick should fare decently in free agency. Although Dean wants to stay in Philly, the Eagles paid Zack Baun and using a first-round pick on Jihaad Campbell last year. That makes Dean likely to relocate soon. The Cowboys have a clear need at linebacker, having cut trade pickup Logan Wilson this week. DeMarvion Overshown is also in a contract year.
- As Parker prepares to install a 3-4 defense, Marist Liufau will change positions. The off-ball linebacker is moving to a 3-4 OLB role, Machota adds. A 2024 third-round pick, Liufau has made 14 starts in two seasons.