Minor NFL Transactions: 5/27/26
Wednesday’s minor NFL transactions:
Buffalo Bills
- Waived: TE Max Tomczak
Cleveland Browns
- Reverted to IR: CB DeCarlos Nicholson
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: LB Jackson Sirmon
- Waived: CB Jeremiah McClendon
New York Giants
- Waived: G Reid Holskey
New York Jets
- Signed: T Courtland Ford
- Waived: LB Kendrick Blackshire
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Brandon Hayes
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: WR Trayvon Rudolph
It’s a family reunion in New Orleans, where Sirmon will join the position room coached by his father, Saints linebackers coach Peter Sirmon. The two worked together in a similar manner when Peter served as inside linebackers coach and defensive coordinator at Cal. Jackson spent the first two years of his career on the Jets’ practice squad as an undrafted free agent and will now head to New Orleans for Year 3.
After trading for wide receiver/special teamer Irv Charles earlier today, the Seahawks have waived Rudolph, an undrafted rookie, to make room on the roster.
Jets Sign K Younghoe Koo
The Jets are adding another option to their kicking competition. Younghoe Koo will stay in New York and join the city’s AFC team, according to SNY’s Connor Hughes. The deal is now official, per a team announcement.
A longtime Falcons option, Koo spent part of last season with the Giants after his Atlanta release. Koo joins Cade York and Lenny Krieg, the latter having been in a kicking competition with Koo in Atlanta during the 2025 offseason, on the Jets’ 90-man roster.
Kicking in five Giants games last season, Koo is certainly better remembered for his Falcons stay. The South Korea native played parts of seven seasons with Atlanta and opened last year as the team’s kicker. The Falcons cut Koo after he struggled in Week 1, however, and he did not see regular-season action again until November. Koo, 31, finished 6-for-9 on field goal tries as a Giant last season. He missed both his attempts from 50-plus yards.
The Giants waived Koo after he missed two 50-plus-yarders in a December loss to the Commanders. Koo tried out for the Saints earlier this month but was not signed. A Jets team that lost Nick Folk to the Falcons in free agency will give Koo a shot after adding both York and Krieg this offseason. Krieg joined the Jets on a futures deal in January, while York signed a one-year deal in March. No guarantees are present on York’s contract, opening up this competition. The Jets waived kicker Will Ferrin earlier this month.
Despite York arriving nearly three months before Koo, the latter certainly has a better NFL track record. Koo earned Pro Bowl recognition in 2020 and signed a five-year, $24.25MM extension in 2022. Koo made more than 93% of his field goal attempts in 2020 and ’21, leading the Falcons to their long-term investment, and nailed 86.5% of his tries in 2022 and ’23. In 2024, however, Koo hit just 73.5% of his tries. This came for a team primarily playing indoors.
Struggling over the past two years — which included a viral moment when a Monday-night FG attempt featured the veteran missing the ball entirely — Koo will have a rebound opportunity in a competition without another experienced option.
Jets Evaluating Cade Klubnik Before Signing Veteran Backup QB
The Jets are entering OTAs without a clear backup for starting quarterback Geno Smith. In the coming weeks, they plan to evaluate their current trio of young passers before adding another veteran.
Leading that group is rookie Cade Klubnik who they traded up to select in the fourth round of April’s draft. The 22-year-old started for three years at Clemson with 241.7 passing yards per game and 71 touchdowns to 21 interceptions. A notable step back from 2024 to 2025 limited his draft stock, but his NFL-ready tools and experience (39 starts in the ACC) give him clear backup potential.
Klubnik performed well at rookie minicamp, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini. but the pace and level of competition will increase drastically at OTAs. Proving himself could persuade the coaching staff they do not need another veteran quarterback, at least for now. The Jets are thought to be targeting a long-term franchise quarterback at the top of the 2027 draft, so giving Klubnik (or another young passer) some regular-season reps should Smith miss time might be more worthwhile than a stopgap veteran.
The Jets also have Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe in their quarterback room. Cook, 24, started four games as an undrafted rookie in 2025 amid New York’s quarterback injuries. He completed just 57.5% of his passes for just 4.8 yards per attempt, two touchdowns and seven interceptions. Cook’s with the organization is a plus, but his incumbency is less of an advantage with a new offensive system.
Zappe, a Patriots fourth-round pick in 2022, won both of his starts as a rookie but averaged just 127.2 yards per game and 6.0 yards per attempt in 2023. He started one game for the Browns in 2024 – a Week 18 drubbing by the Ravens – and spent last year on Cleveland’s practice squad.
The Jets could still elect to add a free agent quarterback. The team has been in contact with multiple veterans, including Russell Wilson, and others could come free as teams adjusting their rosters in the coming months.
Jets S Andre Cisco On Roster Bubble?
Andre Cisco joined the Jets during his first trip to free agency. The veteran safety elected to remain in place with New York this past March, but he may not be assured of a second season with the team.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini names Cisco as one of the players “who could be in trouble” with respect to a roster spot ahead of the 2026 campaign. Following a four-year run in Jacksonville, Cisco took a deal worth $8.5MM to join the Jets. As expected, the Syracuse product handled a starting role in 2025. Cisco was limited to just eight games, however, due to a pectoral tear.
That limited the 26-year-old’s market value, and it came as no surprise when he accepted a less lucrative offer to re-sign with the Jets. Team and player agreed to another one-year pact, this time worth $2.5MM. Of that figure, $500K has already been paid out as a signing bonus. Cutting Cisco before or after June 1 would result in a dead cap charge of $1.25MM and $980K in savings.
The safety position has seen plenty of turnover in the case of the Jets this offseason. Minkah Fitzpatrick was acquired via trade, and the five-time Pro Bowler will be counted on to operate as a full-time starter. Free agency also brought about the arrival of Dane Belton. He too signed a low-cost deal for 2026, but a strong showing during training camp in his case could result in Cisco being knocked down the depth chart.
Defensive tackle Mazi Smith is another player Cimini writes may be in danger during roster cuts. The former Cowboys first-rounder was included in part of the trade which sent Quinnen Williams to Dallas at the 2025 deadline. Smith is a pending free agent, although the final year of his rookie contract (which will pay out $2.56MM) is already guaranteed in full. It will be interesting to see if Cisco and Smith help their respective stocks during training camp or if the Jets show a willingness to move on at the end of the summer.
AFC East Staff Updates: Patriots, Clark, Jets
The Patriots brought former Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen onto their staff just over a month ago, placing him in a minor role under new defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr who used to have a minor role on Bowen’s defensive staffs in Tennessee and New York. According to Ryan Dunleavy of New York Post Sports, New England wanted to bring Bowen on last year for a more significant role on their staff, but the Giants reportedly “wouldn’t let him go.”
Serving as a defensive coordinator over the past five seasons, Bowen is obviously overqualified for a defensive analyst position, but unable to find a decent position immediately following his dismissal from New York, he has accepted the minor role with a staff that holds several familiar faces from head coach Mike Vrabel‘s time in Tennessee. Bowen will likely attempt to land a coordinator job in the next offseason.
Elsewhere, in the front office, New England has parted ways with director of scouting projects Marshall Oium, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. After beginning his scouting career in Cleveland, Oium joined the Patriots as a pro scout in 2018, earning a promotion to assistant director of scouting in 2023. The next year, they moved Oium over the analytics side of things, naming him director of football strategy. Following rumors that the organization was looking to improve in analytics and research, Oium was moved to his most recent role. His dismissal ends an eight-year tenure with the team.
Additionally, Neil Stratton of SucceedInFootball.com reports that Robert Haines has joined the Patriots as midwest area scout. Haines arrives in New England following the conclusion of a 22-year tenure with the Panthers last year. His most recent position in Carolina was as a national scout over the past three years. Haines comes in to fill the role of Justin Hickman who left for a role with the Falcons.
Here are a couple other staffing updates from across the AFC East:
- One of few holdovers from Mike McDaniel‘s staff in Miami, Austin Clark has been on the Dolphins‘ defensive staff since 2020. He started that year, under then-head coach Brian Flores, as the team’s outside linebackers coach, overseeing the edge rushing group. From 2021 up until now, though, Clark worked as the team’s defensive line coach. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Clark’s role under new head coach Jeff Hafley — though unchanged in title — will see him take on the coaching of the edge rushers in addition to the defensive line. Following the departures of Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, Clark will have his work cut out for him.
- Lastly, per Wilson, the Jets have parted ways with pro scout Dominic Esposito. Esposito’s NFL debut came with the Jets following a short time working in recruiting at South Alabama. He arrived in New York as a training camp intern in 2019, got hired on full-time as a player personnel assistant, and become a pro scout after three years with the team.
AFC Notes: Jets, Bengals, Hopkins, Pats
More details have come in on Jets running back Breece Hall‘s three-year, $43.5MM contract, courtesy of Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Hall received a $5MM signing bonus, a fully guaranteed $5.16MM salary and a fully guaranteed $5MM roster bonus for 2026. Hall’s $13.16MM base salary for 2027 is also fully guaranteed. Additionally, he can earn up to $340K in per-game roster bonuses in each of the next three seasons. Hall’s 2028 salary checks in at $14.16MM, but it is non-guaranteed. The annual base value of the pact is $14.5MM, not the previously reported $15.25MM, per Florio. It will only climb to $15.25MM per season if Hall maxes out the incentives. Hall’s $14.5MM AAV ranks fifth at his position.
Here is more on New York and a couple of other AFC teams:
- Beginning with the mid-December firing of defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, head coach Aaron Glenn axed 12 members of his first Jets staff last winter. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it turns out owner Woody Johnson “had a heavy hand” in the shakeup, which ended with a late-January mutual parting of ways with offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. It appeared the Jets would retain Engstrand, who endured a rough first year as a coordinator atop a talent-deprived offense, before replacing him with the more seasoned Frank Reich. It also looked as if the Jets were going to hire Don Martindale as their next defensive coordinator, but Breer suggests Johnson was unwilling to pony up for him. With Johnson stuck paying Wilks $3MM this year, the Jets hired a cheaper candidate in first-timer Brian Duker. Glenn, not Duker, will call the defensive plays.
- Speaking with Sports Illustrated earlier this month, free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins expressed interest in signing with the Bengals (via Jordan Schultz). Asked which quarterback he would like to play with for the first time, the soon-to-be 34-year-old said: “I’ve gotta go with Joe Burrow. I think Joe is one of the best. I love his game, his toughness. I mean, he took his team to a Super Bowl earlier in his career, and I feel like he can get back there with a little bit of help.” It is unknown whether there is mutual interest in this case. The Bengals have Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins entrenched as their top two receivers. Third option Andrei Iosivas had a more productive 2025 than Hopkins, who posted career lows in catches (22), targets (39) and yards (330) in 17 games with the AFC North rival Ravens. Despite his down year in Baltimore, the five-time Pro Bowler ranks 17th all-time in catches (1,006), 18th in yards (13,295) and tied for 19th in TDs (85). Hopkins will have a chance to continue climbing up the leaderboard if he plays a 14th season in 2026.
- A full-time starter for almost all of his six-year career, Patriots right guard Michael Onwenu will remain atop the depth chart entering his seventh season. However, with Onwenu unsigned past 2026, this will likely be his last season in New England, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald contends. The 28-year-old does not possess the speed-agility combo that Patriots executive vice president Eliot Wolf values, Kyed notes. That could lead Onwenu out of town for a raise in free agency next March. The Patriots already have one expensive guard contract on their books, having added Alijah Vera-Tucker on a three-year, $42MM deal earlier this offseason.
Each NFL Franchise’s Richest RB Contract
Running back value has become a divisive topic in the modern NFL, and teams’ histories with these investments reveal a large gap in their respective approaches to RB contracts. Following our installments covering the highest-paid quarterback, wide receiver and off-ball linebacker in each team’s history, here are the most lucrative deals — ranked by guaranteed money — for running backs in each franchise’s history (the list excludes rookie contracts).
Unlike the QB and WR markets, some teams’ top RB deals occurred decades ago. This list covers contracts agreed to across four different decades.
Arizona Cardinals
- James Conner; March 14, 2022: Three years, $21MM ($13.5MM guaranteed)
Jeremiyah Love‘s rookie contract brings the highest guarantee ($53MM) in RB history, but for veteran accords, Conner’s second Arizona pact is the organizational standard
Atlanta Falcons
- Devonta Freeman; August 9, 2017: Five years, $41.25MM ($22.1MM guaranteed)
Baltimore Ravens
- Derrick Henry; May 19, 2025: Two years, $30MM ($25MM guaranteed)
Buffalo Bills
- James Cook; August 13, 2025: Four years, $46MM ($28.82MM guaranteed)
LeSean McCoy‘s March 2015 extension included more guaranteed at signing ($18.25MM), but Cook’s brought a rolling guarantee structure that eclipsed that package in total
Carolina Panthers
- Christian McCaffrey; April 13, 2020: Four years, $64.1MM ($38.16MM guaranteed)
Chicago Bears
- Matt Forte; July 16, 2012: Four years, $30.4MM ($17.1MM guaranteed)
D’Andre Swift‘s 2024 agreement included more guaranteed at signing ($14MM), but Forte’s guarantee package remains the Chicago standard
Cincinnati Bengals
- Corey Dillon; May 11, 2001: Five years, $26MM ($10.5MM guaranteed)
The Bengals more than doubled Dillon’s AAV number in 2020 for Joe Mixon (four years, $48MM) but only guaranteed $10MM of that pact
Cleveland Browns
- Nick Chubb; July 31, 2021: Three years, $36.6MM ($20MM guaranteed)
Dallas Cowboys
- Ezekiel Elliott; September 4, 2019: Six years, $90MM ($50.1MM guaranteed)
Denver Broncos
- Melvin Gordon; March 20, 2020: Two years, $16MM ($13.5MM guaranteed)
Detroit Lions
- Barry Sanders; July 21, 1997: Six years, $33.5MM ($11.5MM guaranteed)
David Montgomery‘s two Lions deals topped the Hall of Famer in AAV, but neither surpassed $11MM guaranteed; Jahmyr Gibbs is tied to the highest RB guarantee in franchise history ($17.85MM) but got there via a rookie deal
Green Bay Packers
- Aaron Jones; March 14, 2021: Four years, $48MM ($13MM guaranteed)
Josh Jacobs‘ 2024 pact edges Jones in AAV but fell short of his predecessor’s deal in guarantees
Houston Texans
- Arian Foster; March 5, 2012: Five years, $43.5MM ($20.75MM guaranteed)
Indianapolis Colts
- Jonathan Taylor; October 7, 2023: Three years, $42MM ($26.5MM guaranteed)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Maurice Jones-Drew; April 15, 2009: Five years, $31.1MM ($14.25MM guaranteed)
Leonard Fournette received a $27.15MM guarantee — still in the top 10 in RB history — but it came on a rookie contract
Kansas City Chiefs
- Kenneth Walker; March 9, 2026: Three years, $43.1MM ($28.7MM guaranteed)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Josh Jacobs; August 26, 2023: One year, $11.79MM franchise tag ($10.1MM guaranteed)
Raiders sweetened Jacobs’ franchise tag agreement; Ashton Jeanty‘s 2025 rookie slot deal included $35.9MM guaranteed
Los Angeles Chargers
- LaDainian Tomlinson; August 15, 2004: Six years, $48MM ($21MM guaranteed)
Los Angeles Rams
- Todd Gurley; July 24, 2018: Four years, $57.5MM ($45MM guaranteed)
Miami Dolphins
- De’Von Achane; May 13, 2026: Four years, $64MM ($27.38MM guaranteed)
Minnesota Vikings
- Adrian Peterson; September 10, 2011: Six years, $86.28MM ($36MM guaranteed)
New England Patriots
- Rhamondre Stevenson; June 20, 2024: Four years, $36MM ($17.12MM guaranteed)
New Orleans Saints
- Alvin Kamara; September 12, 2020: Five years, $75MM ($33.83MM guaranteed)
New York Giants
- Saquon Barkley; March 7, 2023: One year, $10.1MM franchise tag ($10.1MM guaranteed)
Barkley’s rookie slot deal included $31.19MM guaranteed — fourth all time among all RB contracts — while Devin Singletary‘s $9.5MM represents the franchise’s high-water mark on a multiyear deal
New York Jets
- Breece Hall; May 8, 2026: Three years, $43.5MM ($29MM guaranteed)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Saquon Barkley; March 4, 2025: Two years, $41.2MM ($36MM guaranteed)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Le’Veon Bell; February 27, 2017: One year, $12.12MM franchise tag ($12.12MM guaranteed)
Bell’s second franchise tag (2018) covered $14.54MM, but the RB became the first tagged player this century to skip a season; Jaylen Warren‘s 2025 extension brought the highest Steelers RB guarantee ($7.1MM) on a multiyear deal
San Francisco 49ers
- Christian McCaffrey; June 4, 2024: Two years, $38MM ($24MM guaranteed)
Seattle Seahawks
- Marshawn Lynch; March 4, 2012: Four years, $30MM ($17MM guaranteed)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Doug Martin; March 9, 2016: Five years, $35.75MM ($15MM guaranteed)
Tennessee Titans
- Derrick Henry; July 15, 2020: Four years, $50MM ($25.5MM guaranteed)
Washington Commanders
- Clinton Portis; March 1, 2004: Eight years, $50.52MM ($13MM guaranteed)
Information from OverTheCap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/14/26
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Stephen Dix Jr.
Green Bay Packers
- Waived/failed physical: TE Luke Lachey
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR Mante’ Morrow
- Waived: LS Peter Bowden
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: WR Terrill Davis
- Waived: OLB Jordan Botelho
New York Giants
- Signed: OLB Khalid Kareem
- Placed on IR: CB Thaddeus Dixon
New York Jets
- Waived: K Will Ferrin
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Rashad Rochelle, WR Trayvon Rudolph
- Waived: OLB Devean Deal
- Waived/failure to disclose physical condition: WR Michael Briscoe
Dixon suffered an Achilles tear during a Wednesday workout with the Giants, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Dixon was part of New York’s six-man UDFA class, joining the team after a college tenure at North Carolina. Ranked by The Athletic’s Dane Brugler as a top-200 prospect in this year’s class, Dixon will likely miss the season. A return after an injury settlement would be the only way Dixon could play for the Giants this season.
The Jets included Ferrin among their 12-man priority free agent class, but he will not make it far into the offseason with the team. New York still rosters kickers Cade York and Lenny Krieg.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/13/26
Today’s midweek minor moves:
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers (from Raiders): WR Brenden Rice
Houston Texans
- Waived (with injury designation): OLB Xavier Thomas
Los Angeles Chargers
- Reverted to IR: CB Jeremiah Wilson
New York Jets
- Waived (with injury settlement): S Chris Smith
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: S Makari Paige
Jets, RB Breece Hall Agree To Extension
MAY 13: The deal will include $29MM guaranteed over its first two years, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer tweets. While it is not known if this figure is fully guaranteed, that is likely the case due to what Hall would have made on two franchise tags. If the $29MM is locked in at signing, it will rank fourth among RBs (and second among non-rookie-contract deals at the position). Two void years are included in the contract, per Breer. Hall will carry cap hits of $11.48MM (2026), $14.48MM (2027) and $15.48MM (2028).
There are $1.5MM in incentives present as well. Hall reaching seven rushing touchdowns, surpassing 1,426 scrimmage yards or being named to the Pro Bowl would carry a $250K bump in each season, Breer adds. Hall if the first of this year’s three franchise-tagged players to sign an extension.
MAY 11: The Jets have officially announced the extension. We’ve also learned that the base value of the contract actually comes in at $43.5MM, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
MAY 8: Breece Hall‘s Jets tenure will continue beyond 2026. The franchise-tagged running back has worked out an extension agreement with New York.
Team and player have struck a three-year deal, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. He adds this extension is worth up to $45.75MM. Instead of only being in place for one more season due to the tag, Hall will now be on the books through 2028.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes $45.75MM represents the base value of this deal. As such, Hall’s average annual value checks in at $15.25MM. That figure ranks third in the NFL among running backs, behind only Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey. The position’s landscape could change soon with Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson each eligible for extensions of their own this offseason. In any case, Hall’s outlook has now become much clearer.
The transition tag loomed as an option for New York to keep Hall in the fold for 2026. However, interest in offer sheets would have emerged had the Jets used the less-expensive one-year tender. Indeed, the Broncos were among the teams which would have pursed Hall in that scenario. As such, New York wound up applying the non-exclusive franchise tag. That set Hall up for $14.29MM in guaranteed 2026 earnings, but a long-term arrangement has now taken the place of the tag. The upfront payments in this new deal will be interesting to see.
On that note, ESPN’s Rich Cimini reports Hall will receive $29MM guaranteed. That figure essentially matches what he would have collected by playing on two straight franchise tags. Connor Hughes of SNY adds that locked-in money will be paid out over the next two years, with no guarantees present for 2028. This agreement is therefore a $14.5MM-per-year pact for now with incentives present in Year 3 which could increase Hall’s overall earnings.
Hall, who will turn 25 later this month, expressed a desire to remain in place with the Jets and a general confidence that he would eventually land a deal near the top of the running back market. Both goals have now been achieved. After the tag was applied, a period following the draft emerged as a target for a multiyear extension to be finalized. GM Darren Mougey expressed optimism a deal would be reached, and that has proven to be the case in time for spring practices.
As a rookie, Hall flashed plenty of potential before suffering an ACL tear. Since returning to action, the former second-rounder has handled a heavy workload and been a regular presence in the passing game along the way. Hall topped 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in 2025, but he recorded more than 1,300 scrimmage yards for the third year in a row while doing so. The Iowa State product will once again be joined by Braelon Allen in the backfield next season, although another large offensive role for Hall can be expected.
The Jets will have Garrett Wilson in place once again for 2026, and he too is under contract for the future. Mougey has been busy adding at the skill positions, selecting tight end Mason Taylor in last year’s draft and trading for receiver Adonai Mitchell as part of the Sauce Gardner blockbuster. Last month, New York used two of three first-round selections on another tight end (Kenyon Sadiq) and an additional wideout (Omar Cooper Jr.). Those players, led in large part by Hall, will serve as an offensive nucleus moving forward.