NFL Draft Rumors: Cardinals, RBs, Downs, Woods, Terrell
As free agency slows, the general focus of the NFL is starting to shift to the 2026 NFL Draft. For one team, though, the focus appears to be the 2027 NFL Draft, per Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom. As several teams work to secure optimal situations in their quarterbacks rooms, the Cardinals appear to be working around it.
After cutting veteran quarterback Kyler Murray, Arizona seems content to move forward in 2026 with journeyman backup Jacoby Brissett, who went 1-11 as the Cardinals’ starter last year. They supplemented the room with another frequent flier with starting experience in Gardner Minshew. Neither passer is viewed as the team’s future at the position but more as bridge options until that future comes along. The prevailing opinion throughout league circles appears to be that Arizona is tanking the 2026 season in hopes of setting themselves up well for a draft projected to be a bit more rich in quarterback prospects than this year’s draft.
With that in mind, the remainder of their offseason will be focused on building an offense around their future quarterback, starting with the construction of a reliable wall in front of him. For this reason, there’s belief the Cardinals will be targeting an offensive lineman with their No. 3 overall pick, and the popular opinion is that Hurricanes top tackle prospect Francis Mauigoa could be that target. The three-year starter out of Miami (FL) has a strong chance of being available as Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is expected to go No. 1 to Las Vegas, and the Jets are expected to add to their defense with the second overall pick.
Here are a few other draft rumors from around the NFL:
- While only one or two running backs project to be top prospects in the draft, there are plenty of options for teams looking to build depth or add some fresher legs to their room. With Alvin Kamara‘s future in New Orleans in doubt, Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports reports that the Saints have shown interest in Arkansas running back Mike Washington. A Buffalo- and New Mexico State-transfer, Washington rushed for 1,070 yards and eight touchdowns for the Razorbacks last year.
- When it was thought that Aaron Jones would be departing from Minnesota, some at ESPN believed the team would go to the draft, as opposed to the free agent market, to fill out the room. With Jones returning on a re-worked contract that expires after this year, running back may still be a focus for the Vikings in this year’s draft.
- Despite re-signing J.K. Dobbins and restricted free agent Jaleel McLaughlin and having spent a second-round pick on RJ Harvey last year, the Broncos are doing research on the draft’s offerings at the position. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, the team hosted Indiana running back Kaelon Black for a top 30 visit. The national champion rushed for 1,040 yards and 10 touchdowns and has visited the Jets with visits with the Panthers, Bengals, and Raiders set in the future.
- According to ESPN’s Matt Miller, some post-combine conversations with scouts revealed a dramatic range of opinions for Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods. The former five-star recruit took over a full-time starting position in his sophomore season and grabbed the attention of scouts everywhere with three sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss in 11 games while proving to be an elite run-stopper. His production declined in his junior year, which Pro Football Focus (subscription required) still saw as good but graded as his worst campaign in Clemson. As a result, some scouts still see the potential and view him as a top 15 prospect, while others have him “solidly” as a Day 2 prospect.
- The Giants have had an incredibly busy (and in many views productive) offseason thus far, so many are eager to see what approach they will take with their fifth overall pick in the draft. According to La Canfora, despite their success rebuilding so far, New York still has a glaring hole in the secondary. New head coach John Harbaugh‘s former organization invested heavily in the safety position over the course of his tenure with the team, and it’s believed that that mentality has followed him to New York. Ohio State’s Caleb Downs has been tied to the Giants before, and La Canfora doubles down on the opinion that he could be the selection at No. 5 overall.
- Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell, the younger brother of Falcons first-round cornerback and one-time second-team All-Pro AJ Terrell, is widely viewed as a top five prospect at his position. After suffering a minor hamstring injury at the combine, though, the younger Terrell will not be participating in the Tigers’ pro day, according to Jordan Reid of ESPN. Instead, he has scheduled a separate workout for scouts that will take place March 30.
AFC Contract Details: Doubs, Steelers, Chiefs, Bengals, Titans, Bills
After a solid four-year run with the Packers, wide receiver Romeo Doubs entered free agency hoping to earn $20MM per season on his next contract, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. Twenty-two receivers are currently in that club, but Doubs fell short of joining the group. He will still rake in $17MM per annum on his four-year, $68MM deal with the Patriots. The contract includes $3MM in annual incentives, which would enable Doubs to reach his goal of $20MM per year. However, securing all of that money would require huge production. Doubs would earn $750K each for 70 catches, 80 receptions, 1,000 yards and 1,200 yards, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reports. The 25-year-old has averaged 51 catches and 606 yards per season.
Here are more contract details from around the AFC:
- Sticking with the Patriots, guard Alijah Vera-Tucker will collect $500K each if he’s active for 85% of snaps, 90%, 95%, and picks up an original-ballot Pro Bowl nod, per Volin. Although the oft-injured Tucker missed 42 of 85 games during his half-decade with the Jets, he still pulled in a three-year, $42MM payday.
- Steelers running back Rico Dowdle‘s two-year, $12.25MM agreement features a $5MM signing bonus and salaries of $1.25MM and $6MM, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 relays. Newly signed defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day‘s two-year, $11MM accord includes a $4.7MM signing bonus and salaries of $1.3MM and $5MM, Wilson adds.
- Chiefs defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga three-year, $21MM arrangement includes a $5.6MM signing bonus, a first-year salary of $1.22MM and then back-to-back $6.75MM salaries, according to Wilson. Safety Alohi Gilman‘s three-year, $24.75MM contract comes with a $6MM signing bonus and salaries of $1.25MM, $7.25MM and $8.75MM (via Wilson).
- Bengals defensive tackle Jonathan Allen‘s two-year, $25MM deal features a $7.5MM option after signing and $7.5MM in full guarantees, per Wilson. Allen’s salary will skyrocket from $2.4MM next season to $18.8MM in 2027.
- New Titans backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky‘s two-year agreement is worth $10.5MM, including $6.83MM in guarantees, Wilson reports. It includes a $2MM signing plus salaries of $2.83MM and $4.83MM. Also via Wilson, kicker Joey Slye will make $2MM, including $750K fully guaranteed, on his one-year deal.
- Bills slot cornerback Dee Alford‘s three-year deal is worth $15.75 and carries $7.88MM in full guarantees, $2.25MM in injury guarantees, and a $4.5MM signing bonus, according to Wilson. Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson‘s one-year, $6MM pact has a base value of $3.5MM, $3.02MM in full guarantees, and two void years, per Wilson. Backup QB Kyle Allen‘s two-year, $4.1MM deal includes $1.5MM in guarantees, Wilson adds. Allen could earn $1MM in incentives for playing time, wins, touchdowns and team improvement.
Bengals Eyeing Extensions For CBs DJ Turner, Dax Hill
The Bengals recently took care of one notable extension priority by finalizing a new deal with left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. Attention is expected to now turn to the secondary. 
Cornerbacks DJ Turner and Dax Hill are approaching the final year of their respective contracts. Hill is due to collect $12.68MM in 2026 on his fifth-year option. Turner, meanwhile, will see his rookie deal expire next spring. Keeping both in the fold beyond the coming campaign is viewed as a priority, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic writes.
Nothing is imminent on either front, and that could remain the case well into the spring. Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer also notes an extension in both cases may need to wait until after the draft and closer to the start of training camp. She adds, however, that the organization “has made it clear” already that Turner and Hill are high on the priority list with respect to new deals being worked out. The former Michigan teammates share the same agent.
That could prove to be a complicating factor once negotiations begin. On the other hand, joint new pacts could be worked out, as was the case last spring with wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. In any event, raises for bother Turner and Hill will be in store. The latter was used in a number of ways early in his NFL career before taking on perimeter corner duties. Hill, 25, rebounded well from an injury-shortened 2024 campaign and played all 17 games this past season. He recorded 11 pass deflections and enjoyed his best year to date in terms of completion percentage (63.6%) and passer rating (86.9) allowed in coverage.
Turner was a regular defensive presence during his first two years, but he handled a career-high snap share of 89% in 2025. The former second-rounder secured a pair of interceptions and comfortably set a new personal mark with 18 pass deflections. Turner also made strides in terms of his performance in coverage. His stock will be high entering contract talks this spring.
Nine cornerback deals are currently valued at $20.1MM or more per year. That figure will grow once the likes of Devon Witherspoon and Christian Gonzalez ink their own extensions, something which could happen as early as this offseason. Neither Turner nor Hill will likely find themselves in position to approach the top of the position’s market ($31MM annually, thanks to Trent McDuffie‘s recent Rams contract), but they will receive a notable payday if/when they have new Bengals deals in hand.
As both Dehner and Conway add, however, Cincinnati could stand to make further CB moves this offseason. Cam Taylor-Britt and Marco Wilson have departed in free agency with no outside additions taking place so far. Adding depth to replace those two, as well as a starting-caliber slot corner, will be needed before the 2026 season begins. As such, at least one notable draft investment can be expected on the part of the Bengals. Regardless of how things play out on that front, though, it will be interesting to see how extension talks with Turner and Hill play out during the time leading up to the start of the campaign.
AFC Notes: Raiders, Bengals, Fields
The Raiders landed PFR’s No. 1-ranked free agent, former Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum, when the negotiating window opened March 9. To reel in Linderbaum, the Raiders submitted a three-year, $81MM offer – the richest in the history of his position. Former Raiders head coach Pete Carroll wishes they would have been that aggressive in addressing their offensive line last offseason. During Carroll’s lone season in Las Vegas, the team finished 3-14 and allowed the most sacks in the NFL (64).
Discussing the Raiders’ 2025 O-line with ESPN’s Rich Cimini, Carroll observed: “Our offensive guys up front, from the last couple of years, we got murdered. We needed to upgrade that more than we did. It didn’t happen in the draft, and it didn’t happen in the offseason.”
The Raiders signed veteran interior lineman Alex Cappa for two years and $11MM last offseason, but they have already bailed on that investment. Meanwhile, third-round rookies Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant combined for just 15 appearances. Rogers started in all six games at right guard, but Grant – a tackle – was on the field for a mere 59 offensive snaps.
Now looking to further improve a line that Pro Football Focus rated as the worst in the league, the Raiders are expected to focus on the area in the draft. “They’re going to draft a tackle day one, and they’ll add a guard,” one general manager told Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom. “The line was terrible. They couldn’t (run) block or (pass) protect.”
The GM made those comments before the Raiders’ trade with the Ravens for Maxx Crosby collapsed. Had it gone through, the Raiders would have collected two first-rounders for Crosby, including the 14th overall pick this year. They are now out of the running for a Day 1 offensive tackle unless they acquire another first-rounder. The Raiders are considered shoo-ins to use their top pick, No. 1 overall, on former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
The Raiders have an established left tackle in Kolton Miller, though the 30-year-old missed 13 games in 2025 with a high ankle sprain and a hairline fracture. Miller is on schedule in his recovery, however, and should be ready for OTAs, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the California Post. Right tackle DJ Glaze has started in 31 of career 34 games, including all 17 last year, though the Raiders could attempt to upgrade on the former third-rounder in the draft.
At guard, Las Vegas lost a starter when Dylan Parham chose the Jets in free agency, but the team brought in former 49er Spencer Burford to compete for a spot. Rogers, Burford, Jackson Powers-Johnson and Jordan Meredith are all candidates for the two starting guard jobs, which could change depending on how the draft unfolds. It would be optimal for the Raiders to continue building up their line to benefit Mendoza and second-year running back Ashton Jeanty.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- There was a changing of the guard at linebacker in Cincinnati in 2025. Not only did the Bengals release Germaine Pratt prior to the season, but they traded the now-retired Logan Wilson to the Cowboys before the Nov. 4 deadline. The Wilson swap came after rookies Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter took over as the Bengals’ primary linebackers. Considering the Bengals have not made any notable moves at the position this offseason, it appears Knight and Carter will continue to lead their LBs in 2026, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic writes. Kaden Elliss and Leo Chenal were among potential free agent options, but the Bengals did not aggressively pursue either player, according to Dehner. Elliss signed with the Saints on a three-year, $33MM deal, while Chenal took the Commanders’ three-year, $24.75MM offer.
- Quarterback Justin Fields would have played 2026 on a $20MM base salary had there been no adjustments to the two-year, $40MM pact the Jets gave him last offseason. Instead, after the Jets traded Fields to the Chiefs for a sixth-rounder on Monday, he will earn $11MM. The Jets will give Fields an $8MM signing bonus, while the Chiefs will pay his fully guaranteed $3MM salary, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
- Wide receiver Jalen Tolbert‘s one-year pact with the Dolphins is a veteran salary benefit deal worth $1.4MM, including $1.26MM in guarantees, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 relays. Despite the minor investment, the former Cowboy could play a big role in a Miami receiving corps that no longer includes the traded Jaylen Waddle or the released Tyreek Hill. Tolbert put up career highs with 49 catches, 610 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024, but his numbers plummeted last season thanks to the Cowboys’ addition of George Pickens.
AFC Contract Details: Colts, Pierce, Patriots, Doubs, Kelce, Chiefs, Jets, Titans, Raiders, Browns, Bengals, Texans
Here are the latest details from contracts agreed to around the AFC:
- Alec Pierce, WR (Colts). Four years, $114MM. In addition to a previously reported $60MM full guarantee, Pierce will see $10MM of his $27MM 2028 base salary shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the 2027 league year, according to OverTheCap. Another $14MM of Pierce’s 2028 base salary becomes guaranteed on Day 5 of the 2028 league year. He will be due a $2MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2029 league year. One void year is in place to spread out the cap hits, the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson tweets.
- Romeo Doubs, WR (Patriots). Four years, $68MM. Doubs secured $35MM fully guaranteed. After fully guaranteed 2026 and ’27 base salaries, Doubs has a $4MM injury guarantee on his $14MM 2028 salary, the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin tweets.
- Cor’Dale Flott, CB (Titans). Three years, $45MM. In addition to the previously reported $32MM fully guaranteed, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes Flott is in line for a $2MM roster bonus on Day 3 of the 2028 league year.
- Bryan Cook, S (Bengals). Three years, $40.25MM. Cook will see $14MM fully guaranteed, per OverTheCap. Roster bonuses of $4MM and $1MM are due on Day 5 of the 2027 and ’28 league years, respectively, according to Spotrac.
- Minkah Fitzpatrick, S (Jets). Three years, $40MM. Fitzpatrick’s second extension will bring $20.5MM guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap. The $13.33MM AAV is a reduction from the All-Pro’s 2022 Steelers deal (four years, $72.99MM), but the former first-rounder is entering an age-30 season.
- Dre’Mont Jones, DE (Patriots). Three years, $36.5MM. Jones will see $23.28MM fully guaranteed, Wilson tweets. A $1MM playing time incentive is in place on this deal as well, with OverTheCap noting the guarantees cover Jones’ 2026 and 2027 compensation.
- Jalen Nailor, WR (Raiders). Three years, $35MM. Nailor’s previously covered $23MM at-signing guarantee includes $6.5MM of his 2027 base salary ($11.5MM); the remaining $5MM locks in on Day 3 of the 2027 league year, Wilson adds.
- Orlando Brown Jr., LT (Bengals). Two years, $32MM. Brown secured $14MM fully guaranteed, according to OverTheCap, which indicates he is due a $2.15MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2027 league year. This extension did not drop Brown’s 2026 cap number by much, as it dropped from $21.99MM to $19.29MM.
- Reed Blankenship, S (Texans). Three years, $24.75MM. Blankenship landed $16.75MM fully guaranteed, Wilson tweets. That covers the ex-Eagle’s 2026 and ’27 compensation.
- Dylan Parham, G (Jets). Two years, $16MM. The ex-Raider starter secured $7.49MM fully guaranteed, Wilson adds. Three void years are included in the deal, leaving Parham’s 2026 cap number at just $3.97MM.
- Quincy Williams, LB (Browns). Two years, $13MM. Williams landed $9MM fully guaranteed, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The veteran linebacker will see $2.5MM of his 2027 compensation guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap.
- Travis Kelce, TE (Chiefs). One year, $12MM. The deal is fully guaranteed. Two void years are included in this contract, keeping Kelce’s 2026 cap hit at $4.9MM. A $40MM guarantee for 2028 is in place for June 8, 2027, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. This is designed to allow the Chiefs to designate Kelce a post-June 1 cut — a tactic the Eagles used with brother Jason Kelce in 2024 — thus defraying dead money ($7.13MM) over two years. If the Chiefs make the playoffs and Kelce plays 60% of their offensive snaps, Breer adds a $750K incentive triggers. Playing 70% of the offensive snaps in a playoff year would earn Kelce $1MM; an 80%-plus snap share for a postseason Chiefs team would bring $2MM. Kelce played 81% of the Chiefs’ offensive snaps in 2025.
Former Bengals, Cowboys LB Logan Wilson Retires
Early this afternoon, linebacker Logan Wilson took to Instagram to bid farewell to his brief NFL career. After only six years of play at the professional level, the 29-year-old defender has announced his retirement. 
Growing up in Wyoming, Wilson was an All-State athlete starting in his sophomore year of high school. By his junior and senior seasons, Wilson was earning All-State honors on offense (WR), defense (S), and special teams (P). Even though he was an All-State athlete, the fact that that state was Wyoming limited the amount of interest he received from colleges. He only received scholarship offers from Weber State and Wyoming and chose to stay in-state with the Cowboys. After redshirting his freshman season, Wilson was a full-time starter as a redshirt freshman and continued in that role for three years after that. His 421 total tackles are the fourth-most in school history.
The Bengals drafted the first-team All-Mountain West linebacker in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft. Though he only started two games as a rookie, he was constantly rotating in, and by the midpoint of the season, he was on the field for over half team’s defensive snaps. By the start of Year 2, Wilson had replaced Josh Bynes as a starting linebacker, and he finished the season as the team’s leading tackler, a feat he would repeat in each of the next two years, earning a four-year, $37.25MM extension. He likely would’ve accomplished the feat for four straight years, but a season-ending knee surgery ended his 2024 campaign after just 11 games.
Injuries had needled Wilson over the course of his NFL career, but that season-ending injury was the first time he had missed more than three weeks in a row. He only ever participated in every game of a season once, in 2023. That year he recorded career highs in total tackles (135), tackles for loss (5), passes defensed (9), and interceptions (4).
In 2025, Wilson started the season as a starter at inside linebacker, but as the team started limiting his time and giving more opportunities to Clemson fourth-round rookie Barrett Carter, Wilson requested a trade, and Cincinnati moved him to the Cowboys to honor that request, receiving just a seventh-round pick in the process. While he didn’t regain a starting role in Dallas, he was able to retain a decent rotation. In the aftermath of the season, the Cowboys waived Wilson to free up a considerable amount of cap space from the remaining years of his extension.
Over the course of his brief career, Wilson proved to be an effective, versatile linebacker when healthy. He finishes his NFL career with 565 total tackles, 11 interceptions, 26 passes defensed, seven forced fumbles, 5.5 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, and 18 quarterback hits. In his retirement post, Wilson expressed thanks for getting to live out his NFL dream as a kid from Wyoming.
AFC Contract Details: Mafe, Titans, Raiders, Dean, Bills, Texans, Jets, Pats, Steelers, Jags, Ravens
With the first wave of free agency in the rearview mirror, it is time to take stock of the full numbers given to some of this year’s top targets. Here are the details on some of the top contracts awarded by AFC teams:
- Boye Mafe, DE (Bengals). Three years, $60MM. The Bengals gave Mafe $19MM guaranteed at signing, according to OverTheCap. The ex-Seahawk is projected to land $43.3MM over the deal’s first two seasons, ESPN.com’s Ben Baby tweets. A $2MM roster bonus is due on Day 5 of the 2027 league year.
- Alontae Taylor, CB (Titans). Three years, $58MM. Taylor received $42MM guaranteed at signing, according to OverTheCap. The ex-Saints CB will receive $22MM in 2026, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets.
- Wan’Dale Robinson, WR (Titans). Four years, $70MM. Robinson secured $36.98MM guaranteed at signing, Breer tweets. Neither of Robinson’s 2028 or ’29 base salaries contain guarantees or guarantee mechanisms. Each year carries $2MM in incentives, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.
- Kwity Paye, OLB (Raiders). Three years, $48MM. Paye secured $31.28MM guaranteed, per Wilson; of that total, $25.34MM is locked in at signing (according to OverTheCap). Paye landed $10MM of his $15.5MM 2027 salary guaranteed at signing; the remainder of his ’27 salary vests on Day 4 of 2027 league year.
- Bradley Chubb, OLB (Bills). Three years, $43.5MM. Of Chubb’s previously reported $29MM guarantee, Wilson notes $21.74MM is guaranteed at signing. Chubb will see a $4MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2028 league year, per OverTheCap.
- Alijah Vera-Tucker, G (Patriots). Three years, $42MM. Vera-Tucker’s $21MM signing bonus represents his guarantees at signing, Wilson tweets, though the team has included a notable wrinkle. Vera-Tucker will earn $250K for each game he is active, with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero noting this is among the highest per-game roster bonus figures in NFL history.
- Ed Ingram, G (Texans). Three years, $37.5MM. Receiving $20MM guaranteed at signing, the former second-round pick secured $5MM of his $8.5MM 2027 salary guaranteed at signing. The rest shifts from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the ’27 league year, per Spotrac.
- Jamel Dean, CB (Steelers). Three years, $36.75MM. Keeping with Steelers non-QB/T.J. Watt norms, Dean’s guarantee is his signing bonus ($12MM). Dean would receive a $4MM roster bonus on Day 3 of the 2027 league year, Wilson notes.
- Nakobe Dean, LB (Raiders). Three years, $36MM. Nakobe Dean scored $20MM guaranteed at signing, according to Wilson. The former Eagles linebacker, who missed 12 games due to injury in 2023 and six in ’25, will see $8.5MM of his $11.5MM 2027 salary guaranteed. The remainder becomes guarantee on Day 3 of the ’27 league year (via Spotrac).
- Joseph Ossai, OLB (Jets). Three years, $34.5MM. Ossai will receive $22.49MM guaranteed at signing, Wilson tweets. Ossai’s 2026 and ’27 base salaries are fully guaranteed.
- Montaric Brown, CB (Jaguars). Three years, $31.8MM. Brown landed $20.65MM fully guaranteed, Wilson tweets. The former seventh-round pick secured $8.15MM of his $9.5MM 2027 salary guaranteed at signing.
- John Simpson, G (Ravens). Three years, $30MM. Simpson secured $17.5MM fully guaranteed, Wilson notes. This includes $5.5MM of an $8MM 2027 salary.
Bengals Pursued John Franklin-Myers, Osa Odighizuwa Before Jonathan Allen Signing
The Bengals have not had a game-changing defensive tackle since Geno Atkins‘ retirement in 2020, a problem they set out to solve this offseason. That made them willing to give Jonathan Allen a two-year, $26MM contract despite his lack of high-end production in the the last two seasons.
The level of interest Allen received from other teams is unknown, but it is worth noting that he was still owed $8MM in guaranteed salary from his last deal in Minnesota. That would have allowed another club to sign him for a veteran minimum contract with the Vikings still paying out those guarantees this year, but Cincinnati came in with a much bigger offer.
Their determination to land the two-time Pro Bowler came after failed pursuits of John Franklin-Myers and Osa Odighizuwa, per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, with the former signing in Tennessee and the latter heading from Dallas to San Francisco for the Cowboys’ third-round pick.
The Titans’ offer to Franklin-Myers of a three-year, $63MM (and a reunion with Robert Saleh) was hard to beat, especially given a strong guarantee structure, the likes of which the Bengals have historically been hesitant to match.
Instead, Cincinnati pivoted to Odighizuwa, who has been a consistent but not dominant interior disruptor in his career. His deal had three years and $57.75MM remaining (with no guarantees), making him a cheaper proposition than Franklin-Myers who could easily be moved again if the acquisition did not pan out. But it would also require a draft pick to get him – as it turned out, a third-rounder – and the Bengals were not willing to outbid the 49ers for Odighizuwa’s services. San Francisco offered a third-round pick (No. 92 overall) to Dallas, an offer that Cincinnati could have easily bested with their own third-rounder at No. 72 overall.
The Bengals declined to do so and swooped in to sign Allen shortly after he was released by the Vikings at the start of the new league year. Dehner notes that Cincinnati did not look into Javon Hargrave, who left Minnesota at the same time, instead focusing in on Allen as the solution to their lack of interior disruption in the defensive trenches.
Bengals Sign QB Josh Johnson
Nomadic quarterback Josh Johnson is rejoining the Bengals for a third stint in their uniform. The team announced that it has added Johnson on a one-year deal.
A fifth-round pick of the Buccaneers in 2008, the 39-year-old Johnson has spent time with a record 14 NFL teams and seen regular-season action with seven. Johnson has also played in the UFL, the AAF and the second version of the XFL. His previous runs with the Bengals came in 2013 and ’15, though he has never attempted a pass with the team.
The Bengals considered trading for Johnson, then with the Commanders, last October. Starter Joe Burrow was on the shelf with a foot injury at the time, and backup Jake Browning struggled mightily filling in for him. Cincinnati ultimately replaced Browning with Joe Flacco, whom it acquired from Cleveland.
Johnson wound up playing all of last season in Washington, where he made two starts while Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota dealt with injuries. Over a total of five appearances, Johnson completed 34 of 54 passes (63%) with 372 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Fifty games and 11 starts into his career, Johnson has connected on 58.7% of throws, tossed 14 TDs against 18 picks, and recorded a 71.1 rating.
Flacco is now a free agent, but he has interest in re-signing in Cincinnati to back up Burrow. For now, Johnson and Sean Clifford are the team’s reserve options.
Bengals To Sign DT Jonathan Allen
The Vikings’ two high-profile street free agent defensive linemen — Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave — lasted one season in Minnesota, each being released Wednesday. Both have already found new homes.
After Hargrave landed with the Packers, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Allen is joining the Bengals on a two-year deal worth $28MM. The $28MM is the deal’s max value, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, who notes the base value checks in at $26MM. This still represents a soft landing for Allen, who has been cut in each of the past two years.
[RELATED: Bengals Extend LT Orlando Brown Jr.]
Allen joins Boye Mafe as new arrivals on Cincinnati’s D-line. The Bengals have devoted some early-free agency funds to upgrading one of the NFL’s worst defenses. They have added Mafe, Allen and safety Bryan Cook to Al Golden‘s unit. Cincy now has three veteran options at defensive tackle, with Allen joining B.J. Hill and T.J. Slaton. The team also has former second-round pick Kris Jenkins Jr. in the fold at DT.
A former Washington first-round pick, Allen will be on his third team in three years. The Commanders cut bait in 2025, and the Vikings designated Allen a post-June 1 release Wednesday. Allen started 17 games with Minnesota last season and was a Pro Bowler in Washington. The 2017 draftee is going into an age-31 season, joining Hill in that regard. Slaton is 28. Slaton and McKinnley Jackson are in place as the NT options for the Bengals, with Allen being added as a three-technique rusher.
Although Cincinnati’s defense became less abysmal late in the season, the unit still ranked 30th. The unit was missing Trey Hendrickson for most of the season, but it struggled in 2024 with the standout defensive end submitting a Defensive Player of the Year runner-up finish. The Bengals have seen their defense (and Joe Burrow injuries) limit them over the past three seasons. Burrow’s first NFL setback — his 2020 ACL tear — actually came on a tackle by Allen and Montez Sweat (as SI.com’s Jay Morrison reminds).
Washington disbanded its four-first-rounder D-line at the 2023 trade deadline, dealing away Sweat and Chase Young. Allen and Daron Payne played together in 2024, but Allen missed much of that resurgent Commanders season with a pectoral injury. With Young’s career sidetracked by a 2021 knee injury, Allen stepped up; his Pro Bowls came during this period, with the Alabama alum combining for 16.5 sacks from 2021-22. Allen combined for 66 QB hits from 2021-23 but has not been as productive since.
This will move Allen back to a 4-3 scheme, after he transitioned to Brian Flores‘ 3-4 look in 2025. Those distinctions mean less and less, but they do still matter to a degree. Allen posted 3.5 sacks and 11 QB hits in 17 Vikings games. This $13MM-per-year contract is a bit south of where he was with Minnesota and Washington ($17MM and $18MM per year, respectively), but it shows teams still view the longtime interior presence highly.