RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/4/26
More teams made tender/non-tender decisions on restricted and exclusive rights free agents today. Here are the latest updates:
RFAs
Non-tendered:
- Buccaneers: S Christian Izien, RB Sean Tucker
- Commanders: K Jake Moody
- Cowboys: G Brock Hoffman
- Patriots: CB Alex Austin
Before taking a backseat to second-year safety Tykee Smith this year, Izien served as a major contributor for the Bucs secondary. In his first two years as an undrafted player out of Rutgers, Izien started 14 of 31 game appearances, logging 140 total tackles, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles. Meanwhile, Tucker made himself a bowling ball in the redzone this year, recording a team-leading seven rushing touchdowns on just 86 attempts. His 320 rushing yards were third in Tampa Bay’s running backs room behind Bucky Irving (588) and Rachaad White (572).
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Browns: TE Brenden Bates, WR Malachi Corley, LB Winston Reid, LS Rex Sunahara, K Andre Szmyt, WR Jamari Thrash
- Cowboys: CB Reddy Steward
- Lions: K Jake Bates
- Panthers: WR Jalen Coker, WR Brycen Tremayne
- Vikings: DT Jalen Redmond
While Moody seemingly continues to struggle to stay employed after getting draft in the third round three years ago, Bates and Szmyt will get another go around in Detroit and Cleveland.
Lions To Trade RB David Montgomery To Texans
The Texans are not finished on the trade front. A much-anticipated running back addition is now being lined up, with another member of their offensive line set to play elsewhere. 
David Montgomery is heading from Detroit to Houston, as first reported by Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. In return, the Lions will acquire offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, along with fourth- and seventh-round picks (h/t Pelissero). The seventh-round selection is for the 2027 draft, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes.
Houston was Montgomery’s preferred destination, Garafolo adds. He will now take on a prominent role in the backfield as the Texans look for improvements on the ground in 2026. Schefter’s colleague Dan Graziano recently named Houston as one of the teams likely to be active in March with respect to running back additions, so today’s news comes as no surprise. Montgomery in particular is a logical target in the Texans’ case given the fact he was seeking a fresh start.
Since the end of the 2025 campaign, a Montgomery trade has been a distinct possibility. Detroit has Jahmyr Gibbs in place, and his fifth-year option is likely to be exercised. That would ensure at least two more years in the Motor City, but a long-term extension at or near the top of the RB market is expected to be pursued. Keeping Gibbs and Montgomery on lucrative deals would not have been feasible given the Lions’ other financial commitments.
Instead, Montgomery will prepare to play for a third career team in anticipation of a heavy workload. The former third-rounder averaged fewer than 12 attempts per game for the first time in his career last season. 2025 was also the first season in which he fell short of 1,000 scrimmage yards. That could soon change with the Texans set to see Nick Chubb reach free agency next week. Fellow veteran Joe Mixon missed all of 2025 through injury and has since undergone surgery. A release in his case should be expected as a result.
Woody Marks has three years remaining on his rookie contract, but bringing in a veteran to split carries with him has long been expected. Montgomery, who turns 29 in June, will be tasked with doing so. He is owed a base salary of $5.49MM in 2026 with a scheduled cap hit of $6MM. Montgomery’s pact runs through 2027, but whether or not he lands a new commitment by that point will of course depend on his performance in Houston.
The Texans’ offensive line will certainly look much different next season. Houston agreed to trade Tytus Howard to the Browns earlier today, creating a vacancy in the starting lineup. Scruggs was not a first-team presence in 2025, but losing him will ensure Houston’s depth along the interior will be altered when next season begins. One year remains on Scruggs’ rookie contract.
The former second-rounder will now look to compete for playing time in Detroit. The Lions were known to be in the market for additions at the left tackle spot but also on the inside. Scruggs, 26, has primarily played at left guard during his career but he saw notable time at center as well in 2024. The future of Graham Glasgow is uncertain at this point, and a release or retirement in his case could open to door to playing time for Scruggs ahead of free agency.
The Lions will look to improve up front in 2026 knowing a stronger O-line will go a long way in helping their offense (a unit which finished fourth in scoring this past year) become even more effective. A running back addition of some kind will be required as well, though, with Gibbs now in need of a new backfield partner.
Lions Release OL Graham Glasgow
Graham Glasgow will not remain in place with the Lions for 2026. The veteran offensive lineman was released on Monday, per a team announcement. 
Glasgow had been mentioned as a likely cut candidate dating back to January, so today’s news comes as little surprise. He was due to collect a $500K roster bonus next week and then a base salary of $6.5MM next season. Instead of keeping Glasgow in the fold at a cap hit of $8.44MM, the Lions will free up $5.56MM with a release.
“I’m grateful for the seven years I’ve spent as a Detroit Lion,” Glasgow said in part during a statement posted on X in the wake of today’s news. “I’m thankful for the great teammates, coaches, and friends I had along the way. I love this city and the fans that have supported me for the better part of a decade. There truly was no place I would have rather been.”
Attention will now turn to the 32-year-old intentions regarding his playing career. In January, Glasgow was named as a candidate to retire in the event his Lions tenure ended. With that having taken place, it will be interesting to see if he aims to land a new opportunity in free agency or elects to hang up his cleats.
A Lions draftee in 2016, Glasgow handled starting roles at guard and center while playing out his rookie contract. The former third-rounder landed a big-ticket free agent deal with Denver, and he remained there for three seasons. Upon being cut by the Broncos, Glasgow returned to Detroit in 2023. Since then, he has continued to serve as a key presence up front.
Glasgow’s most familiar position has been guard during his career, but he was given center duties in 2025 due to the retirement of Frank Ragnow. Things did not go according to plan, and a regression in terms of the Lions’ level of play along the interior of the offensive line was a key factor in their inability to reach the playoffs. Bringing in upgrades this spring will be a major priority.
Efforts on that front have already begun, with the Lions acquiring Juice Scruggs from the Texans in the David Montgomery trade worked out this morning. Scruggs has experience at both center and guard, and it will be interesting to see how the pending 2026 free agent fits into Detroit’s plans for next year. Tate Ratledge, meanwhile, could take over center duties during his second NFL season after operating at guard as a rookie.
Lions RB David Montgomery ‘Wants Out’
Back in January, it was reported that the Lions were examining what was best for the future of veteran running back David Montgomery. General manager Brad Holmes even went so far as to say that what was best may include him playing “somewhere else.” Well, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, a trade appears to be a growing possibility for the 28-year-old rusher, as Fowler claims Montgomery “wants out” of Detroit. 
Coming out of Iowa State in 2019, Montgomery enjoyed an early career as a lead back for the Bears, taking on RB1 duties in a committee that included Tarik Cohen and Cordarrelle Patterson as a rookie. In his sophomore campaign, Montgomery essentially served bell-cow duties as Chicago’s leading rusher, but ever since, he’s been forced to share the rock. In 2021, two rookies — Justin Fields and Khalil Herbert — ate heavily into his carries, resulting in the lowest rushing total of his career at that point in time. In the final year of his rookie contract, Montgomery totaled a new low (801) as Fields led the team in rushing (1,143) and Herbert continued to gain ground on him (731).
As a free agent, Montgomery signed with the division-rival Lions, who were saying goodbye to both of their leading rushers from 2022 — Jamaal Williams and D’Andre Swift. While Montgomery may have believed he had made his way back to a bell-cow situation, a month and a half later, Detroit utilized their 12th overall pick on Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs. It was right back to a split backfield for Montgomery. In their first year together, the Montgomery-Gibbs split for carries (219-182), rushing yards (1,015-945), and rushing touchdowns (13-10) were as close as you’ll see for two teammates having strong rushing seasons.
In 2024, Gibbs took over RB1 duties. Though Montgomery was still involved in one of the NFL’s most dynamic offenses that season, the Gibbs-Montgomery splits for carries (250-185), rushing yards (1,412-775), and rushing touchdowns (16-12), no longer favored him. This past season, that trend continued in the wrong direction as, for the first time in his career, Montgomery didn’t start a single game all season while recording career-lows in carries (158) and rushing yards (716).
It’s no wonder, then, that Montgomery is looking for a way out. Luckily for him, the reduced usage has likely done a fair amount of good for his 28-year-old legs, and his remaining contract is fairly reasonable for a trade partner to take on. It also doesn’t sound like Detroit is asking for much in return, as Fowler reports that the team wants “a decent Day 3 pick,” meaning probably something from the fourth or early-fifth round. It should make Montgomery fairly easy to move, and give him plenty of options, should Detroit opt to take his preference into account.
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
Lions To Explore LT Addition
Taylor Decker will continue his career in 2026. In spite of that, the Lions will still be in the market for reinforcements at the left tackle spot this offseason. 
“We’re still going to find a guy,” head coach Dan Campbell said about a situation in which Decker returned, shortly before that was confirmed to be taking place (h/t Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk). “Because as much as I love Deck, he’s got some things that are going to need some management. That’s kind of where we’re at. One way or another, we’re going to need somebody that can play over there and that can help us if we need them in a crunch or we need them as a starter.”
Decker was able to play in 14 games this past season, the same figure as 2024. A first-team gig will await him once more during his 11th Lions campaign, but it would come as no surprise if Detroit sought out contingency plans in the short term. As things stand, former fourth-rounder pick Giovanni Manu would be among the top options to fill in on the blindside if needed.
A small number of left tackles in their prime – such as Rasheed Walker – are on track for free agency in March. The three-year Packers starter will land a deal worth far more than what the Lions will be budgeting for at the left tackle spot, though, so veteran stopgaps will need to be pursued instead. The likes of Cam Robinson, D.J. Humphries and Joseph Noteboom will hit the market shortly, and they would represent experienced depth for Detroit.
Campbell also noted, to no surprise, that shoring up the interior of the offensive line will be a priority as well this spring. Avoiding the struggles endured up front last season would go a long way in helping Detroit return to the playoffs in 2026. Two years remain on Decker’s contract, but the possibility of retirement will loom once again throughout next season.
The Lions are among the teams with notable work to be done to achieve cap compliance. Detroit is currently $12.16MM over the cap, so a high-priced left tackle addition will be hard to make. Bringing in a rookie will also be feasible, as the team owns eight selections in April’s draft.
Dolphins Almost Hired Lions DC Kelvin Sheppard As HC?
Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard was a finalist for the Dolphins’ head coaching job that went to Jeff Hafley. His comments this week indicate he might have been the runner-up.
“Full disclosure, I was in communication with the Dolphins for about two weeks,” Sheppard said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “After the interview I was contacted by three people from that front office.” Sheppard not provide more details into his communication with Miami , but said information he received was “as real as it gets.”
Hafley interviewed with the Dolphins on January 17 and Sheppard followed the next day. Hafley’s was announced the evening of Sheppard’s interview. That raised some concern that Sheppard’s interview was a sham, intended only to fulfill the NFL’s Rooney Rule requirement. But he is appreciative of the invitation nonetheless, as the Dolphins were the first team to express formal interest in him for a head coaching jog.
“Real or not, I got the opportunity to do it,” Sheppard said. “Real or fake, I went through the process and I learned a lot and I grew from it, so that’s what I’m taking from it.”
The 38-year-old faced an uphill battle in his first year as Detroit’s defensive coordinator. Several of his top players went down with injuries during the season, forcing them to limp to the finish line as they missed the playoffs. A bounce-back year in 2026 could raise his profile around the league and get him in the mix for vacancies next hiring cycle.
Lions LT Taylor Decker Returning In 2026
Lions left tackle Taylor Decker headed into the offseason considering retirement, but he will return in 2026. In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Decker announced that he will stick around for an 11th season.
Now the Lions’ longest-tenured player, Decker joined the franchise as the 16th overall pick in the 2016 draft. The former Ohio State Buckeye immediately became a full-time player in Detroit.
Decker has started in all 140 career appearances, including 14 last season, but a series of injuries have taken their toll on the 2024 Pro Bowler. Decker has missed at least two games in each season since 2022, his fourth and most recent full campaign, and has undergone five major surgeries as a pro.
Decker most recently went under the knife last offseason to address nagging shoulder issues. Although Decker opened training camp on the active/PUP list, he made it back in time for the Lions’ season opener. The 6-foot-7, 324-pounder continued battling shoulder trouble throughout the season, leading to three absences. The pain was severe enough that Decker required eight steroid injections to alleviate it.
Despite his latest injury-related adversity, Decker is in line to play the second season of the three-year, $60MM extension he signed in July 2024. The soon-to-be 33-year-old Decker and stalwart right tackle Penei Sewell will team up as the Lions’ bookends for at least another season. However, there is less certainty elsewhere on the line.
Graham Glasgow, the Lions’ starting center in 2025, may hang up his cleats after struggling to replace early retiree Frank Ragnow. Meanwhile, injuries have dogged left guard Christian Mahogany since his time at Boston College. The 2024 sixth-rounder has only played 18 games in two years, though he started in all 11 appearances last season.
Tate Ratledge was a bright spot as a second-round rookie last year, but it is unclear if he’ll stay at right guard or move to center in 2026. When he met with the media on Tuesday, Lions general manager Brad Holmes called Ratledge a “real option” to handle center. At the same time, though, he hinted at adding a veteran this offseason, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
“It’s a very important position,” Holmes said. “You’ve got to handle a lot of information. There’s some rookies that have been able to handle it. But you’ve just got to find the right one, whether it’s Day 1, Day 2, or Day 3. If you find the right one, he can. But really the kind of obvious way to (to plug that spot) is (to get) a player who has already done it.”
Baltimore’s Tyler Linderbaum will easily be the prized center on this year’s free agent market, but that’s only if he makes it there. The Ravens have already made Linderbaum a “market-setting” offer to stay, GM Eric DeCosta announced. The Bills’ Connor McGovern and the Panthers’ Cade Mays are not on Linderbaum’s level, but those two pending free agents won’t be cheap either. The Packers’ Sean Rhyan and the Saints’ Luke Fortner may represent a couple of less expensive possibilities for the Lions.
Lions Promote Bruce Gradkowski To Assistant WRs Coach
The Lions announced their full 2026 coaching staff on Monday. Almost all of their moves were already known, save for the promotion of Bruce Gradkowski from offensive assistant to assistant wide receivers coach.
Gradkowski, 43, arrived in Detroit last offseason after two extremely successful years as the offensive coordinator for the XFL/UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks. His offenses were extremely successful in both years with strong production from former Bengals quarterback A.J. McCarron and former Cardinals wideout Hakeem Butler.
A journeyman quarterback who played for five different NFL teams between 2006 and 2016, Gradkowski moved into coaching swiftly his retirement as a player. He began at the high school level for three years before spending the 2022 as an offensive analyst at Toledo.
Gradkowski is clearly valued by the Lions and seen as a rising coach in their organization. They blocked the Dolphins from interviewing Gradkowski for their quarterbacks coach vacancy and created a position to promote him internally. Detroit did not employ an assistant wide receivers in 2025.
Gradkowski will continue to work under wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery to hone the Lions’ air attack. Detroit’s offense was expected to regress significantly last season after Ben Johnson’s departure, but they still finished with a top-three passing offense and a top-five offense overall. Gradkowski was crucial to that effort and will likey be a key asset during the transition to new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.
Lions President Rod Wood To Retire
After 10 years of service with the Lions, team president/CEO Rod Wood will be retiring from his position in Detroit. He will remain with the team until a “global search” led by Russell Reynolds Associates finds his replacement. The search for Wood’s successor is set to begin immediately.
Wood was hired by the Lions in 2015 following the dismissal of his predecessor, Tom Lewand. Then-team owner Martha Ford reportedly promised to conduct “a national search for the best leadership to manage (the) team going forward” after firing Lewand. Two weeks later, the position was given to Wood, who was already extremely familiar with Ford from his prior occupation as president and CEO of Ford Estates. Despite the team’s claim that Wood had been working closely with the team throughout Lewand’s tenure, which began after the Lions became the first NFL franchise to record a winless season, Wood acknowledged his lack of football experience, telling reporters that he “would probably say that (he’s) not qualified to run any other NFL team.”
Detroit intended for Wood to focus solely on the business side of the front office, while the team’s general manager would handle all things personnel. Wood still held some personnel-related duties tied to financials including management of the Lions’ salary cap and the signing of any high-value players. During his tenure, Wood oversaw the first planned major renovations to Ford Field since it had opened in 2002, completely overhauling the stadium’s videoboards and sound system and upgrading club seating areas. The team also installed new turf in 2023, replacing the previous 10-year-old turf with one meant to provide a more grass-like feel and improve player safety, though the results have since been questioned by the NFLPA.
During Wood’s tenure the Lions were 85-85-2, but seeing winning records in each of the past four seasons shows a positive trajectory for the franchise that had only seen two winning seasons in the 15 years before Wood was hired. The statement released by the team relayed that “Wood and his wife, Susan, are proud parents and grandparents who are excited to spend more time together and with their family,” so it appears that the executive in his mid-60s will be retiring from the workforce instead of returning to other business ventures. He gave the following quote in the Lions’ release:
I want to thank the Ford Family and, ultimately, Lions fans everywhere for trusting me to lead the Detroit Lions for the last 11 seasons. It has been an absolute thrill for me to lead this organization, and I am proud of what we have accomplished over that decade-plus. I am most proud of where I am leaving this organization, in the capable hands of (team owner) Sheila Hamp, (general manager) Brad Holmes, and (head coach) Dan Campbell.