Cardinals Expected To Add Matt Schaub As QBs Coach
Mike LaFleur spent time on the Falcons’ staff during Kyle Shanahan‘s stay as Atlanta’s OC. While Matt Ryan served as the starter during that period, Matt Schaub was the backup. Years later, LaFleur will tab Schaub for a key position on his first coaching staff.
The Cardinals are expected to hire Schaub as their quarterbacks coach, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reports. This would be a big step for Schaub, who has not previously held a position coaching role. He served as a Falcons staff analyst in 2023.
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This would place Schaub just behind LaFleur and OC Nathaniel Hackett in the pecking order among offensive coaches in Arizona. This has been the offseason of backup QBs receiving promotions, as David Blough, Davis Webb and Sean Mannion are now OCs. Schaub spent quite a bit more time in the NFL than that trio, serving as the Texans’ starter for seven seasons. But he both opened and closed his career as a Falcons backup. The latter stay came with LaFleur breaking into the coaching ranks.
Schaub, 44, played 17 NFL seasons. He was part of a key trade sequence in 2007, being dealt from the Falcons to the Texans in a pick-swap deal that brought Atlanta two second-rounders. That trade occurred months before Michael Vick‘s dogfighting scandal, leaving the Falcons scrambling at QB. Schaub, meanwhile, enjoyed a few good years in Houston. He made two Pro Bowls, including an original-ballot honor in 2012, and guided the Texans to their first two playoff berths (2011, 2012). While a late-season injury prevented Schaub from starting Houston’s first playoff game, he piloted the 2012 team to a 12-4 record under Gary Kubiak.
Hitting a wall in 2013, Schaub ended up benched during a 2-14 Texans season. The Texans traded him to the Raiders in 2014, and he spent one season in Baltimore before a five-year Falcons stretch closed his career. LaFleur was in place as a Falcons offensive assistant in 2016, overlapping with Schaub.
It is not known if Schaub will be coaching Kyler Murray in 2026. While the seven-year Cardinals starter is still rostered, trade plans are in the works after Arizona shut down the former Pro Bowler last season. Jacoby Brissett is still under contract, and a Murray trade/release would almost definitely mean a search for another starter-level QB. LaFleur, Hackett and Schaub will be in charge of that room in 2026.
In addition to the Schaub move and the rumored plan to retain DC Nick Rallis, the Cardinals (per Zenitz) are planning to keep Justin Frye in place as offensive line coach. Gannon hired Frye last year; he spent the previous three seasons as Ohio State’s O-line coach. Frye coached left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. with the Buckeyes and Cardinals. He enjoyed a previous stint as UCLA’s OC under Chip Kelly. The Cardinals ranked 21st in pass block win rate and 15th in run block win rate last season, Frye’s first in the NFL.
Dolphins Nearing Decision On QB Tua Tagovailoa
Tua Tagovailoa entered the past five Dolphins seasons without a threat to his starting job. If he is to return to Miami — and as it stands, it appears more likely than not he won’t — another starter-caliber quarterback will be in the mix.
New GM Jon-Eric Sullivan assured fans at an event Thursday the team is nearing a decision on Tagovailoa’s Dolphins future. While the team is aiming to trade its longtime starter, a massive dead money bill — and the QB’s shaky play as of late — bring roadblocks.
“I don’t know what the future holds right now, and I told Tua that,” Sullivan said (via the SoFlo Sports Show’s Ashley Dominguez) of a recent conversation with the passer. “What I can tell you is we’re gonna infuse competition into that room, whether Tua’s part of that room or whether he’s not part of that room. We’re getting close to a decision, and when we do, we’re gonna let Tua know whether he’s gonna be part of this or not.”
The most recent report of a trade pursuit indicated the Dolphins will be ready to eat some of the quarterback’s 2026 compensation to facilitate a trade. Considering Tagovailoa is due $54MM guaranteed in 2026, the Dolphins may need to eat a sizable chunk of that money to convince a team to take on the former NFL passing leader. Tagovailoa is due a $39MM base salary; that will be a nonstarter for teams considering his 2025 play.
Coming over from the Packers, Sullivan is believed to have interest in bringing Green Bay backup Malik Willis to Miami. Sullivan has observed Willis up close for two seasons, but he will have company in pursuing the former third-round pick.
Willis has elevated his profile as Jordan Love‘s backup, and while it should not be considered a certainty Willis will be an upgrade on Tagovailoa, a handful of teams are seeking a bridge option. The Browns and Steelers are believed to be two other interested parties. The Cardinals, Jets and Vikings are also in the mix for veteran help. The Colts technically are as well, but it is widely assumed they will re-sign Daniel Jones. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are in the same boat as the Dolphins; they are looking to move Kyler Murray in a trade.
Both Tagovailoa and Murray were extended under previous GMs — Chris Grier and Steve Keim, respectively — and both would tag teams with substantial dead money. If the Dolphins were to trade Tua without taking on any salary, they would be hit with $45.2MM in dead money. That is unrealistic. It would likely take Miami picking up much of the tab, thus inflating that hit. The Broncos designated Russell Wilson as a post-June 1 cut in 2024, allowing them to spread his record-setting dead cap number ($84.6MM) over two years. If the Dolphins traded Tagovailoa before June 1, they would take on all the dead cap in one year. That would hamstring Sullivan in his first offseason, one that is also expected to include a Tyreek Hill post-June 1 release designation.
Dead money caused the Dolphins to wait until after June 1 to trade Jalen Ramsey last year, and they have made some painful post-June 1 designations (Byron Jones, Xavien Howard) in the recent past. A post-June 1 Tagovailoa cut, however, would smash the Wilson dead money mark and leave $99.2MM over the next two years for the Dolphins to handle. Naturally, the new regime is willing to eat money in a trade to avoid that scenario.
If the Dolphins rode out Tagovailoa’s 2026 guarantee, the Sullivan-Jeff Hafley regime could move on easier in 2027. No guaranteed money is on the deal after this coming season. Just more than $31MM in dead money would come Miami’s way in total in a 2027 release scenario, and a post-June 1 designation would bring $40MM in cap savings. The Dolphins could also hope a return to earlier form would generate a trade market come 2027.
Benched before Week 16, Tagovailoa would welcome a fresh start. Zach Wilson is unsigned, but the Dolphins have Quinn Ewers contracted through 2028. Will the ex-Packers power brokers be OK extending this relationship for one more year? New regimes generally are less concerned with dead money on holdover players. It will be interesting to see links between Tagovailoa and other teams emerge. At his best, the left-handed QB would be an upgrade for some. But on his $53.1MM-per-year contract, the Dolphins are potentially staring at another sunk cost from a Grier extension.
Steelers Willing To Wait On Aaron Rodgers Signing?
Months of Steelers–Aaron Rodgers rumors swirled during the 2025 offseason. The future Hall of Fame quarterback did not end up joining the Steelers until June, just before minicamp. Although a similar timeline is not expected, the Steelers appear willing to be patient once again.
Momentum appears to be building for Rodgers to play another season in Pittsburgh, and Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes the team is willing to wait. Rodgers should be considered likely to re-sign with the AFC North team, the Pat McAfee Show’s Mark Kaboly tweets, and it is quite possible the Steelers run back the same QB room from 2025 despite making a coaching change.
[RELATED: Steelers Interested In Malik Willis?]
Rodgers is not believed to have made up his mind on playing a 22nd season, but SportsBoom.com’s Jason La Canfora adds a reunion is likely here. Outside interest could be on tap, but this offseason could also present a Steelers-or-retirement call. One GM categorized the situation this way, via La Canfora, who adds the Browns are not believed to be interested.
It would be rather odd if the Steelers were fine waiting as long as they did last year, and any wait past the early stages of free agency would inject risk into the proceedings. The Steelers pivoted to Rodgers after a failed attempt to re-sign Justin Fields; they were among the Matthew Stafford trade suitors but bowed out early in that race. Rodgers ended up in Pittsburgh after his own failed effort to steer his way to Minnesota. The marriage of convenience brought middling QB play, though the Steelers did reach another wild-card game — which ended in a blowout loss to the Texans.
The Steelers do not expect it will take Rodgers as long to sign a contract this offseason, Florio adds, with Kaboly voicing an expectation the deal will be done within the next month. The 2026 league year begins March 11, with free agency unofficially (via the legal tampering period) starting March 9. The Steelers will need to have a good idea if Rodgers will play again and will need to know how interested he is in staying, or they will risk a major QB downgrade should they stand down and the aging great ends up retiring. Willis will likely have a new team by Day 1 of the tampering period, giving interested suitors a clear timeline.
After all, Rodgers said before last season he expected it to be his last. A late-December report, however, indicated the QB was waffling on retirement. The now-42-year-old passer joined the Steelers due in large part to Mike Tomlin‘s presence. While Art Rooney II left the door open for the QB’s return, he did indicate a coaching change could lead to this being a one-and-done partnership. But the Steelers then hired Mike McCarthy, who coached Rodgers for 13 seasons in Green Bay. McCarthy said he would like Rodgers to return.
Pittsburgh’s willingness to wait opens the door for more Mason Rudolph and Will Howard offseason reps. Considering Rodgers’ history in McCarthy’s offense, the organization would likely be OK with Howard receiving more time after he missed several weeks of practice due to a broken hand. McCarthy said he is eager to work with the national championship-winning quarterback.
Rodgers coming back would point to the Steelers standing pat in this year’s draft, as Howard would serve as the team’s developmental option and Rudolph a veteran backup. The 2026 QB class is no longer viewed as deep, with next year’s group — a common offseason refrain — tabbed as superior. That could be Pittsburgh’s window to strike, with Rodgers giving the team one more year and 2026 giving McCarthy and Co. an idea of Howard’s potential.
Given Rodgers’ age and performance level since his 2021 MVP award, it is interesting he keeps generating interest on this level. It is worth wondering if the Vikings will show some interest this offseason. They shut that prospect down in 2025, committing to J.J. McCarthy. After Kwesi Adofo-Mensah‘s firing, Minnesota’s plans appear murkier. Some in the Vikes’ building wanted the team to give more consideration to signing Rodgers last year. Thus far in 2026, though, he has only been closely linked to the Steelers. But nearly a month remains before free agency. It is safe to say more Rodgers updates — ahead of a potential 22nd season — will emerge in that time.
Seahawks Sign 15 To Futures Deals
With their championship parade in the rearview, the Super Bowl-winning Seahawks handled their reserve/futures contracts Thursday. Here are the 15 players joining Seattle’s offseason roster:
- RB Cam Akers
- WR Tyrone Broden
- T Logan Brown
- WR Montorie Foster
- CB Tyler Hall
- S Maxen Hook
- RB Velus Jones
- C Federico Maranges
- LB Chris Paul Jr.
- LB Jamie Sheriff
- NT J.R. Singleton
- NT Bubba Thomas
- LB Ja’Markis Weston
- WR Ricky White
- RB Jacardia Wright
Akers saw action in three Seahawks regular-season games and was part of the No. 1-seeded team’s NFC championship game win over the Rams, who drafted the running back in 2020. The twice-traded back caught on with Seattle’s active roster in late November but also spent time on the practice squad, hence the futures contract. The Seahawks are the sixth-year veteran’s fifth NFL team.
A converted wide receiver used primarily on special teams, Jones handled six carries in the Seahawks’ divisional-round blowout win over the 49ers. The former Bears draftee played in five Saints games before catching on with the Seahawks this season. He will join Akers as RBs on Seattle’s offseason roster, as the team has Kenneth Walker unsigned and Zach Charbonnet rehabbing an ACL tear.
Hall joins Akers in being a six-year veteran. The Jets used an injury activation on Weston — a 2025 UDFA — last season but later waived him. The rookie linebacker did not see any action with the Seahawks but will continue to develop in the Pacific Northwest.
Offseason Outlook: New York Giants
The Giants have finished with double-digit losses nine times since the 2014 season. The second half of Eli Manning's career has stalled his path to Canton, while Daniel Jones bombed on his second contract. The latter development led Brian Daboll to the firing precipice, but the Giants still let their embattled head coach drive the bus for a Jones successor. Struggles closing games in Jaxson Dart's rookie year prompted the franchise to fire Daboll, but GM Joe Schoen remains.
This offseason included several instances of teams holding HCs accountable for undesired results while keeping GMs employed. Schoen, however, has drifted downward in the Giants' organizational pecking order. After four unsuccessful coaching hires post-Tom Coughlin, the Giants swung big and landed this market's top prize. John Harbaugh agreed to take over in New York, and the longtime Baltimore leader now runs the show. The Super Bowl-winning HC will be tasked with turning around a franchise that has not experienced sustained success since Manning's early years.
Coaching/front office:
- Retained GM Joe Schoen, changed reporting structure
- Hired John Harbaugh as head coach
- Hired Matt Nagy as offensive coordinator, Dennard Wilson as DC
- Hired Chris Horton as special teams coordinator
- Interim HC Mike Kafka joined Lions' staff
- Added Brian Callahan as quarterbacks coach, Mike Bloomgren as O-line coach
- Interim DC/OLBs coach Charlie Bullen on Browns, Cardinals' DC interview lists
- Greg Roman added as senior offensive assistant
- Senior VP Kevin Abrams fired; Dawn Aponte handed same title
The Chiefs' reign atop the AFC held back the Bills and Ravens, with only the Bengals sneaking through to a Super Bowl between 2019-24. Buffalo also bested Baltimore twice in the playoffs during Lamar Jackson's run. More Jackson injury trouble surfaced in 2025, and a do-or-die game going the Steelers' way without D.K. Metcalf available proved too much for Steve Bisciotti to stomach. The Ravens' 8-9 season ended with Harbaugh refusing to separate from OC Todd Monken, with the coach's relationship with Jackson not believed to be on solid ground by season's end. The Ravens fired their 18-year head coach soon after Tyler Loop's season-ending missed field goal.
Offseason Outlook: New Orleans Saints
Although the Buccaneers and Panthers vied for the NFC South's mandated playoff spot, the Saints finished with more momentum than anyone in the eternally mediocre division. After spinning their wheels for two years post-Drew Brees and then predicably hitting a bloop single with Derek Carr, the Saints saw Tyler Shough show considerable promise after being inserted into the starting lineup around midseason.
New Orleans' midwinter cap situation is also in better shape than it has been in ages. The franchise is, gasp, nearly under the projected 2026 salary ceiling. This is a team that has been more than $100MM over a projected cap this decade, with the team carrying by far the NFL's worst cap situation at this point last year. More medicine is coming via the Carr dead money penalty, but New Orleans may be on the verge of turning a corner after winning four of its final five games.
Another offseason of transition is on tap, with a few Sean Payton-era holdovers either out of contract or representing dead money. But the Saints' finish to the season injects some life into what has been a lower-middle-class NFL staple for most of this decade.
Coaching/front office:
- QBs coach Scott Tolzien withdrew from Steelers' OC race
Andrew Janocko Favorite To Become Raiders’ OC?
Refraining from a Josh McDaniels-like swerve after a Super Bowl, Klint Kubiak indeed signed a contract to become the next Raiders head coach. The Seahawks’ 2025 offensive coordinator generated considerable momentum thanks to his play-calling role on a Super Bowl-winning team.
The Seahawks may well promote from within, but a logical candidate for that role may be spoken for. Seattle quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko is the “widely presumed” leader to follow Kubiak as Raiders OC, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes. Janocko has worked under Kubiak during each of his three one-year OC stints — in Minnesota, New Orleans and Seattle — which makes a Las Vegas trek logical.
[RELATED: 2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]
The Raiders have not conducted any OC or DC interviews yet, but Kubiak naturally has names in mind for key staff positions. Janocko came up as a rumored Raiders option, but the Seahawks could dangle a carrot the Raiders cannot. Being in consideration for the Seattle OC would open the door to a play-calling role, while Kubiak will call plays in Vegas. Janocko is a clear candidate for the Seattle OC post, with Breer adding offensive line coach John Benton and pass-game coordinator Jake Peetz also figure to be options.
Janocko, 37, worked under both Kubiaks — Klint and Gary — in Minnesota; his tenure as a Vikings assistant also covered the Pat Shurmur and Kevin Stefanski Vikes OC stops. Janocko worked as a Vikings staffer from 2015-21. After Mike Zimmer‘s firing, Janocko ended up as the Bears’ quarterbacks coach. He coached Justin Fields for two seasons under Luke Getsy before rejoining Kubiak in New Orleans as Saints QBs coach.
Janocko’s work with Sam Darnold has generated understandable attention, and it would seem likely the veteran assistant ends up with an OC job in Vegas or Seattle. Janocko has only coached QBs since a 2021 shift to that role in Minnesota, previously residing as the Vikings’ wide receivers coach (2020) and an O-line staffer (2018-19). In Vegas, Janocko would join Kubiak in coaching near-certain No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. But the Raiders certainly need help elsewhere on offense. The Seahawks stand to feature mostly the same starting 11 from their Super Bowl LX win.
Benton, 62, has hovered on the O-line coach level since entering the NFL in 2003. He has been in that role with the Rams, Texans, Dolphins, 49ers, Jets, Saints and Seahawks. Peetz, 40, has been Seattle’s pass-game coordinator for two seasons. He has experience on the OC carousel as well, interviewing for the Lions’ job this year and the Buccaneers’ gig in 2024. Had McDaniels not spurned the Colts in 2018, he was planning to hire him as OC. While no promotion to that level has occurred yet for Peetz, the ex-Sean McVay assistant may end up in the Seahawks’ chair soon.
Lions O-line coach Hank Fraley also looms as a name to monitor for the Seattle OC job, Breer adds. The Seahawks interviewed Fraley for their OC role last year, scheduling a second interview, but the Lions reached an agreement to retain him and remove him from the Seattle search. Fraley also helped the Lions zero in on Drew Petzing as OC this offseason. Fraley, 48, has been with the Lions since 2018.
Commanders Eyeing Laremy Tunsil Extension; Latest On Daron Payne
Laremy Tunsil has brought back two big trade packages in his career. While the haul the Texans parted with to acquire the veteran left tackle dwarfs what the Commanders sent to Houston for his rights, Washington still included four draft picks to upgrade at the premium position.
The Commanders traded second-, third-, fourth- and seventh-round picks to the Texans for Tunsil and a fourth last March. Tunsil delivered another strong year at LT, but he missed three games and did not receive an original-ballot Pro Bowl invite. Still, the Commanders were satisfied with the upgrade he provided.
[RELATED: Commanders Extend P Tress Way]
GM Adam Peters said the team wants to extend Tunsil “sooner rather than later,” via ESPN.com’s John Keim. Peters said “constant communication” has taken place between team and player on a new deal — one that would be Tunsil’s fourth NFL agreement.
Rumblings about an extension push emerged in December. Beyond his Dolphins rookie contract, the Texans paid the former first-rounder in 2020 and 2023. Tunsil is still tied to a three-year, $75MM deal. That pact expires after the 2026 season. The Texans not prioritizing a Tunsil deal in 2024 led them to move on.
If Tunsil enters this season on his current deal, he will (barring a restructure) count $24.91MM on Washington’s cap sheet. The Commanders are in good position to pay their blindside blocker, holding a projected $76MM-plus in cap space. That number should grow ahead of the league year (March 11), giving the team plenty of room to work out a deal with the 11th-year veteran.
Pro Football Focus ranked Tunsil seventh among qualified tackles in 2025, ranking him as the NFL’s second-best pass blocker. Much of Tunsil’s season came protecting Marcus Mariota, with Jayden Daniels playing only seven games. The Commanders sought Tunsil to provide an upgrade on their Cornelius Lucas–Brandon Coleman situation from 2024, but Tunsil and Daniels did not see too much time together. The team has since moved on from OC Kliff Kingsbury, with David Blough promoted to replace him.
Tunsil, 31, has driven a hard bargain in the past. The Texans sending two first-round picks and a second to the Dolphins for Tunsil in 2019 emboldened the Pro Bowl LT to command a market-shifting extension ($22MM per year) in 2020. The market did not move much between Tunsil’s first and second deals, but he scored $50MM guaranteed at signing (compared to $40MM at signing in 2020) on his 2023 Houston extension. The Commanders would owe Tunsil a $20.95MM base salary on that contract, but given what the NFC East team gave up to acquire him, an extension seems likely.
Washington has two veteran contracts on its O-line, with Samuel Cosmi at $18.5MM per year and Tyler Biadasz at $10MM AAV. The latter also looms as an extension candidate, but Tunsil will be the higher priority. The Commanders can save $18.5MM by releasing Marshon Lattimore and nearly $4MM by cutting Nick Allegretti. The team can also create cap space with a Daron Payne extension, but Keim adds that is not a given just yet.
Extended after being franchise-tagged in 2023, Payne is in a contract year. The veteran defensive tackle is due to count a team-high $27.95MM on this year’s cap sheet. The Ron Rivera regime paid Payne, who was a Bruce Allen draft choice. The Commanders were pleased with Payne’s play in 2025, per Keim, who adds a “definite chance” exists he plays out his contract. Payne is going into an age-29 season; he would be positioned to land another lucrative contract if he hits free agency in 2027.
More Rams-Matthew Stafford Contract Talks On Tap; Raise Likely For MVP
The past two offseasons have brought Matthew Stafford contract talks. The 2023 offseason included the Rams dangling the likely Hall of Famer in trades (after an injury-marred 2022). But the star quarterback has now moved into strong position to score a true raise on a contract he signed back in 2022.
Los Angeles rewarded its longtime starter with a guarantee influx just before the 2025 league year. This ended the strange trade subplot involving the Giants and Raiders. Stafford received a $40MM 2025 guarantee, and the Rams included a $24MM 2026 option bonus (which is split into four $6MM payments, per Spotrac). Stafford’s contract still expires after the 2027 season, but it would appear extension talks are coming.
[RELATED: Stafford Commits To Playing In 2026]
It should not be expected Stafford will play for the $40MM number in 2026, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes, indicating more contract talks will be on tap. A raise will be likely here. The Rams can lower Stafford’s $48.27MM 2026 cap number with an extension, but they will absorb some void years-driven punishment down the road. For now, though, the team will have the 2025 MVP back for a sixth season.
Stafford pushed for 2025 guarantees during renegotiation talks in 2024, but no too much came the QB’s way at that time. The team moved $5MM from future years into 2024 and inserted a $4MM guaranteed roster bonus for 2025. Stafford needed to come back to the table last year to lock in the $40MM 2025 guarantee, which was agreed to after the Rams let him speak with other teams.
The Giants and Raiders had near-$100MM guarantee packages lined up, but such a move would have meant relocating to a rebuilding team. Stafford opted to stay with Sean McVay, and the decision paid off. The Rams gave their QB Davante Adams to target alongside Puka Nacua and watched passer throw a career-high 46 touchdown passes (to go with an NFL-leading 4,707 passing yards at 7.7 per attempt) en route to MVP honors.
Adams is slated to come back, and a Nacua extension is a high priority. Though, the Stafford matter will probably come first. Stafford accepted a team-friendly extension (four years, $160MM) in March 2022 but seemed to regret that, as the 2024 and ’25 negotiations illustrated. The cannon-armed passer roared back after an injury-plagued 2022. The 2024 and ’25 Pro Bowl nods were Stafford’s only original-ballot invites of his career, and the MVP award coming after a Super Bowl title probably pushed his Hall of Fame candidacy past the goal line.
Stafford’s $40MM AAV now ranks 16th among quarterbacks. Considering his importance to the Rams and the team having continued to delay acquiring an heir apparent, Stafford’s camp will bring plenty of leverage into the next round of talks. After Stafford left some money on the table in 2022, will he operate more aggressively ahead of his age-38 season?
The Rams have a few starters now eligible for extensions, with Kobie Turner, Byron Young and Warren McClendon joining Nacua from a talented 2023 draft class. With Rob Havenstein retiring, McClendon is poised to step into the starting right tackle role on a full-time basis.
It will be interesting to see how the Rams proceed here. They were not prepared to meet Stafford’s $50MM-per-year ask during the sides’ 2025 negotiations. It would stand to reason Stafford will come back with an AAV number beyond $50MM, considering his accomplishments compared to some of the players in that salary bracket. Trevor Lawrence, Tua Tagovailoa, Jordan Love, Brock Purdy and Stafford Rams predecessor Jared Goff secured deals averaging more than $53MM per year. That said, older QBs have settled for non-top-market prices in the not-so-distant past. Drew Brees finished his career on a two-year, $50MM contract, ditto Tom Brady.
While it would be doubtful any more trade talks occur, the arduous nature of the 2024 and ’25 redo discussions do not exactly make it sound like the 2026 negotiations will be a smooth process. The Rams have seen a QB work as their primary starter in seven straight seasons just twice since the merger — Jim Everett (1986-93) and Marc Bulger (2003-09). Will Stafford end up being signed beyond his sixth L.A. season? It will be interesting to see what numbers come up as the Rams negotiate with their QB for a fourth time in five offseasons.
NFC West Notes: 49ers, Rams, Cross
The 49ers acquired what turned out to be a quality trade chip when they gave Mac Jones a two-year, $7MM contract. That turned out to bring strong value, after the team saw Brock Purdy miss eight games. San Francisco managed a 5-3 record with Jones at the helm, and with Purdy in the $50MM-AAV club, the 49ers are expected to receive trade calls on their backup. While San Francisco wants to retain Jones, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows predicts the team will receive an offer strong enough to move on.
With Jones tied to a $1.4MM base salary and teams undoubtedly interested in turning to him as a starter, the 49ers could certainly ask for a Day 2 pick and a Day 3 choice. A second-round pick may not be out of the question for a player who could be in demand. Jones, 27, completed a career-high 69.6% of his passes in Kyle Shanahan‘s offense last season. He surpassed 2,000 passing yards in limited duty and finished with a 13-6 TD-INT ratio. The 49ers seeing Purdy miss extensive time years after Jimmy Garoppolo‘s injury-plagued tenure will naturally influence them to stay the course with Jones, but a big offer could certainly change the team’s thinking.
Here is the latest from the NFC West:
- While Fred Warner was practicing again when the 49ers’ season ended, defensive ends Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams were out of the picture. Bosa suffered an ACL tear in Week 3, while Williams went down with an ACL tear in Week 9. John Lynch said (via Barrows) training camp returns will be expected for both players. Bosa made it back from his September 2020 ACL tear by Week 1 of the 2021 season. While Williams landing on the reserve/PUP list would not surprise, an early expectation points to the 2025 first-rounder being ready to start the 2026 campaign.
- The Rams are adding a coach to their defensive backs contingent. Michael Hunter will be added to Sean McVay‘s staff, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz tweets. Hunter is coming over from Tennessee. He did not spend much time with the SEC program, being hired after the 2025 season. Hunter previously coached cornerbacks at Ohio State for two seasons. Hunter, 32, played six NFL games with the Giants from 2016-17. The Rams have seen pass-game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant receive extensive DC interest, but he has not landed a job yet.
- Staying with Rams DB matters, safety Quentin Lake‘s recent extension covers three years and is worth $38.25MM. Of the previously reported $25.7MM guaranteed figure, just $8.5MM of that total will be guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap. If on the roster by Day 3 of the 2026 league year, Lake will see an additional $3.25MM guarantee for 2026 and see his full $12.75MM 2027 compensation shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee. If on the Rams’ roster by Day 5 of the 2028 league year, Lake will be due a $2.55MM roster bonus.
- Charles Cross‘ four-year, $104.4MM Seahawks extension includes $43.1MM fully guaranteed, per OverTheCap. The Super Bowl champions have structured this deal similarly to Sam Darnold‘s. Cross will see his $13.63MM 2027 salary become fully guaranteed five days after Super Bowl LXI. Cross will carry a $10.88MM cap hit in 2026; the number spikes to $23MM in 2027.