Dolphins Extend RB De’Von Achane
After months of discussions and trade rumors, the Dolphins have closed the deal to extend running back De’Von Achane. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Miami rusher has agreed to a four-year, extension worth up to $68MM with $32MM in guaranteed money.
Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN clarified that Achane’s new deal has a base value of $64MM with bonuses worth up to $4MM. His annual average value ($16MM per year) and guarantee total are both all-time highs for running backs coming off their rookie deal. Achane is now set to enter the 2026 season with the position’s third-highest AAV, behind only Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey, and fourth-most guarantees, behind Barkley and recent top draft picks Ashton Jeanty and Jeremiyah Love.
Achane came to the NFL after three years at Texas A&M. Despite sitting second on the depth chart behind Isaiah Spiller for two years in College Station, Achane broke out in his sophomore season as RB2. After averaging 8.5 yards per carry as a true freshman in limited time, Achane continued that outrageous efficiency with more touches, averaging seven yards per carry en route to a 910-yard, nine-touchdown season. Unfortunately, Achane’s lone season leading the backfield for the Aggies was the 12th Man’s only losing season since 2009, but he continued to produce with 1,102 yards and eight touchdowns rushing.
In a loaded draft class for running backs, Achane received high grades, but his short, stout frame caused him to slip far behind the first-round ranks of Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs. After getting selected in the third round by Miami, Achane joined a backfield that had struggled through the 2022 season led by Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson, Chase Edmonds, Salvon Ahmed, and Myles Gaskin. With Achane spelling him, Mostert excelled in a starting role, rushing for over 1,000 yards for the first time in his career and leading the league in rushing touchdowns with 18.
Used to coming off the bench with efficiency, Achane was not slowed down by the transition to the NFL. After receiving one carry in the team’s first two contests, he exploded onto to the scene with rushing lines of 18 carries-203 yards-2 touchdowns, 8-101-2, and 11-151-1 in his next three games before landing on injured reserve with a knee injury. Despite the time missed due to injury, Achane finished the year with 800 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 7.8 yards per carry.
Achane took lead back duties from Mostert the following year, but a far less effective all-around unit resulted in Achane finishing with just 907 yards and six touchdowns rushing, though he added a new element to his game with 78 catches for 592 yards and six more scores. Last year, Achane bounced back much closer to the expectations that followed his explosive start in 2023. Starting all 16 games for Miami, he totaled 1,350 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, adding 488 yards and four touchdowns receiving.
Unfortunately for Achane, as he’s gotten healthier and returned to form, the Dolphins have backslid into what looks now to be a rebuild. Former starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was released, shouldering Miami with record-setting dead money, star wide receiver Tyreek Hill was released, and WR2 Jaylen Waddle has been traded away. While the Dolphins were okay parting ways with those key assets, it seemed Achane was where they drew the line.
As the team’s 2025 campaign finally began to come to a close, Achane made it known that he intended to stay in Miami, telling reporters he was seeking an extension. As a lack of team success spurred several teams to inquire about potential assets the Dolphins might be willing to move, the team made it clear that Achane was not available. The 24-year-old was absent from voluntary team activities once April came, but extension talks were well underway by then and really starting to gain traction. He’s landed his new deal now and become a key building block for the franchise.
To ease the financial pains of the transactions that removed Tagovailoa, Hill, and Waddle, Achane and center Aaron Brewer agreed to restructured deals. Well, according to Louis-Jacques, Brewer is believed to be one of two other players expected to follow Achane’s lead to a new extension. The other player Louis-Jacques beileves could land a new deal soon is veteran linebacker Jordyn Brooks.
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.
Steelers, Chris Boswell Agree To Extension
Last summer, it became clear Chris Boswell was among the members of the Steelers who were seeking a raise. No new deal was worked out with Pittsburgh’s longtime kicker in 2025, but an agreement is now in place.
Team and player have agreed to an extension, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. This is a four-year, $28MM deal, he adds. Boswell was set to enter the 2026 season as a pending free agent, but that will no longer be the case. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette adds the deal contains $14.7MM guaranteed.
Schefter notes Boswell is under contract through 2030, meaning today’s news consists of four new years being added to the final one of the two-time Pro Bowler’s existing pact. A raise is indeed forthcoming as a result of this extension as well. Boswell was previously attached to an average annual value of $5MM, but this new pact checks in at $7MM per year. That AAV mark matches the price point Brandon Aubrey recently reached with the Cowboys on his own 4/28 deal.
Boswell has handled kicking duties for the Steelers over the past 11 years, and that lengthy run will continue well into the future. The 35-year-old posted a field goal accuracy rate of just 65% in 2018 and 71.4% in 2022. Otherwise, Boswell has enjoyed consistent high-end production and given Pittsburgh stability at the position. The team is clearly comfortable with a long-term commitment in this case despite Boswell’s age.
In 2024, the former UDFA led the NFL with 41 made field goals. Boswell reached that mark on 44 attempts while going 35-for-35 on extra point kicks. That success resulted in a Pro Bowl nod along with first-team All-Pro honors. Boswell delivered another strong season this past year, including success on nine of 11 field goal tries from 50 yards and beyond. Sustained accuracy from long distance will be expected given the term and finances of this extension.
The top of the kicker market sat at $6.4MM at the onset of the 2026 offseason. Since then, Ka’imi Fairbairn has worked out a $6.5MM-per-year deal with the Texans, something which was followed by Aubrey’s Cowboys extension. There are now two kickers at the $7MM AAV mark, with seven others earning over $5MM annually.
Boswell has totaled 178 regular and postseason appearances during his Steelers tenure. That figure is set to increase substantially over the coming years while he plays out his third consecutive four-year pact. Pittsburgh will have a new punter for 2026 after Corliss Waitman departed in free agency. Cameron Johnston will be back in the fold for next season, while Christian Kuntz is in position to remain the team’s long snapper. That special teams familiarity will include a continued runway for Boswell in 2026 and beyond.
Broncos Extend GM George Paton
MAY 10: Parker Gabriel and Luca Evans of the Denver Post report the Paton extension was “hammered out” over the past couple of weeks. The deal was obviously expected at some point, but Paton and the team wanted to remain focused on the draft before turning their attention to the GM’s own contract status.
Payton, who spent his entire Saints career working with one GM in Mickey Loomis, is happy to have Paton in place for the long haul.
“I said to [Paton], I said, ‘Man, I consider myself very fortunate to have been with one General Manager in New Orleans who I would call a very close friend and a great working partner,’ and then to find another person like George,” Payton said at the Broncos’ rookie minicamp (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “I know that we both feel the same way. We love the grind together. He’s a tremendous asset and all, and he’s very good at what he does. I think we complement each other. I am super excited for him. I said that to you guys at the [scouting combine], it was just a matter of time. We think alike in a lot of cases.”
MAY 8: As expected, George Paton has landed a new agreement in Denver. The Broncos’ general manager signed a five-year deal on Friday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports.
Before the 2025 season had ended, a Paton extension emerged as a likely goal for the Broncos. The veteran had one year remaining on his contract prior to today’s news. Now, though, Paton is on the books through 2030 on a deal which has since been confirmed via a team announcement.
Head coach Sean Payton has of course wielded considerable power since arriving in 2023. The ex-Saints Super Bowl winner has formed a strong tandem with Paton, and in February he expressed confidence an agreement would be worked out. The Paton-Payton pairing will continue for years to come as the Broncos look to build off their recent success. That includes earning the AFC’s No. 1 seed this past year.
“As our general manager, George has demonstrated a strong commitment toward building a winning roster while forming a collaborative and supportive partnership with Sean Payton,” a statement from owner Greg Penner reads. “I’ve enjoyed working with George over the last four seasons and appreciate the alignment we share in positioning the Broncos for sustained success.”
After time with the Bears and Dolphins, Paton joined the Vikings in 2007. He worked his way up to assistant general manager, serving in that capacity from 2007-20. Paton also held the title of VP of player personnel during his Minnesota stint. A return to the Vikings was floated as a possibility after Kwesi Adofo-Mensah‘s firing, but the Broncos’ desire for a long-term agreement remained. Minnesota’s GM spot is still vacant at this point and Paton, 56, will be staying put.
Denver’s post-Peyton Manning cold spell continued upon Paton’s arrival. The team posted a losing record in each of his first three years at the helm, and moves such as the Nathaniel Hackett hire and the Russell Wilson trade certainly did not pay off. Despite carrying a massive dead money charge in the wake of Wilson’s release, though, the Broncos have managed to rebound thanks to Paton’s roster-building moves. Denver reached the playoffs as a No. 7 seed in 2024, and this past campaign saw the team host the AFC title game.
Quarterback Bo Nix‘s ankle injury kept him out of that contest, but expectations will be high in his case individually and that of the Broncos in general for years to come. Paton has managed to retain a strong core on defense and along the offensive line, and he recently swung a deal for receiver Jaylen Waddle. That move should help shore up the receiver position as the Broncos look for more consistent play in the passing game for 2026 and beyond. Attaining that goal should set the team up for another playoff run.
The Broncos’ original long-term investment in Paton provided a strong return. Penner and Co. will hope this second one continues a run of productive moves in the front office. With Payton’s job security certainly not an issue at this point, organizational stability for the foreseeable future can be expected in Denver’s case.
Ravens Sign DL Calais Campbell
MAY 8: Full details on the Campbell deal have now emerged, courtesy of Spotrac. As expected, $5.5MM is the base value of the pact, with $4.75MM of that total fully guaranteed. A notable locked-in figure is no surprise after multiple suitors showed interest in this case. Campbell can earn an additional $500K through incentives during his return to Baltimore.
APRIL 30: Future Hall of Fame defensive lineman Calais Campbell will play his age-40 season in 2026. Campbell is reuniting with the Ravens on a one-year pact, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Eighteen years since the Cardinals took him in the second round of the 2008 draft, Campbell has suited up for five teams. Also a former Jaguar, Falcon and Dolphin, Campbell previously played for the Ravens from 2020-22. He earned one of his six Pro Bowl nods in their uniform. The Ravens nearly brought him back in a 2024 deal with the Dolphins, but it fell apart before the trade deadline.
After short stints in Atlanta and Miami, Campbell returned to Arizona on a one-year, $5.5MM deal in 2025. Despite his advanced age, the 6-foot-8, 315-pounder remained durable and productive. During his third straight 17-start season, Campbell played 45.72% of defensive snaps and notched 43 tackles, 16 QB hits, nine TFL and 6.5 sacks. Campbell ended the year as Pro Football Focus’ 23rd-ranked interior defensive lineman among 122 qualifiers, suggesting he has plenty left in the tank.
Although he remained a quality contributor last year, the 2010s All-Decade Team member seriously contemplated retirement after the season. Campbell said last August he was likely entering his last year, but he has had a change of heart eight months later. Now that Campbell is coming back, he will be in position to vault to No. 1 on the all-time list of games played by a defensive lineman. At 278, Campbell is third behind Jim Marshall (282) and Bruce Smith (279). Campbell is also 34th on the all-time sack list (117).
Campbell is signing up to join a new regime in Baltimore, which replaced longtime head coach John Harbaugh with Jesse Minter earlier in the offseason. While Minter was the Chargers’ defensive coordinator over the previous two seasons, he and Campbell have some familiarity with each other. Minter was the Ravens’ defensive backs coach during Campbell’s first year in Baltimore.
As a rookie head coach, one of Minter’s key tasks will be to help orchestrate a defensive turnaround. The Ravens finished a disappointing 24th in total defense last year, largely because standout D-tackle Nnamdi Madubuike missed 15 games with a neck injury. Madubuike is expected to return next season. If that happens, Campbell will provide a solid complement. If not, Campbell should give the Ravens a nice fallback option up front.
Along with Madubuike, there is uncertainty surrounding Broderick Washington, who is working back from an Achilles injury that cost him 14 games in 2025. Before agreeing to terms with Campbell, the Ravens’ other options included Travis Jones, John Jenkins, C.J. Okoye, Aeneas Peebles and 2026 seventh-round pick Rayshaun Benny. It was clear a post-draft D-line addition was in order, and the Ravens have now picked up one of the most accomplished players left on the market.
Vikings To Sign WR Jauan Jennings
One of the top remaining free agents has finally found a new home. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that wide receiver Jauan Jennings has reached an agreement with the Vikings.
Schefter adds that it’s a one-year deal worth up to $13MM. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero clarifies that the receiver will earn an $8MM base salary. Jennings met with the franchise last month.
While the player‘s price point was believed to be misaligned with his value, it was eventually understood that he’d settle for a modest deal once the compensatory pick formula was no longer in effect. Indeed, he garnered his first visit of the offseason days after the draft, when he met with the Vikings. It took an additional week, but the WR finally completed a deal with Minnesota.
PFR’s No. 18-ranked free agent, Jennings market never emerged as many expected. The 49ers were initially interested in re-signing the veteran, but his potential return took a major hit when the organization pivoted to the likes of Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, and second-rounder De’Zhaun Stribling. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald adds that the Dolphins were also interested in Jennings’ services, but the front office “couldn’t compete financially” considering their cap situation.
During his time in San Francisco, Jennings worked his way up from a seventh-round pick to one of the team’s most dependable wideouts. As the organization navigated a number of injuries at WR in 2024, Jennings had a breakout season, hauling in 77 catches for 975 yards and six touchdowns. He requested a trade after that showing when he couldn’t agree to an extension with the 49ers. The franchise opted to keep him via a restructured deal.
With Deebo Samuel out the door and Brandon Aiyuk sidelined with an injury, there was hope that Jennings could carry his momentum into the 2025 campaign. Even with Aiyuk sitting out the entire year and Ricky Pearsall missing nearly half the season, Jennings struggled to match his 2024 numbers. While he hauled in a career-high nine touchdowns, he saw his yards-per-game (42.9), yards-per-target (7.1), and catch percentage (61.1) drop. He also didn’t do much in the playoffs, when he tallied three catches for 68 yards in two games.
Jennings’ stint as a WR1 will surely come to an end in Minnesota. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison will continue to lead the depth chart, but Jennings should still be able to carve out his own role in 2026. Jalen Nailor was productive as the team’s WR3 last year, finishing with 29 catches for 444 yards and four touchdowns, a performance he parlayed into a three-year, $35MM deal with the Raiders.
Colts Release CB Kenny Moore
Coming up in trade rumors before the draft, Kenny Moore had asked to be moved. Following draft weekend, the veteran Colts slot cornerback asked the team for a release. The Colts have granted it, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
A former Pro Bowler, Moore has been in place in Indianapolis since Chris Ballard‘s first offseason as GM (2017). As pricey Colts DB contracts have emerged over the past 1 1/2 years, Moore’s $10MM-per-year deal will be coming off the books. The Colts have since announced the separation. This came after Moore was absent for the start of voluntary workouts last month.
Ballard had stuck by his core for many years, with Moore being a central component in the GM’s nucleus. Moore joined defensive tackle Grover Stewart, tight end Mo Alie-Cox and long snapper Luke Rhodes as the only Colts left from Ballard’s first offseason in charge (Rhodes arrived under Ryan Grigson in 2016). Now, the veteran cornerback follows longtime Colts Braden Smith, Zaire Franklin and Michael Pittman Jr. out the door this offseason.
We covered in this space last fall how the Colts had been tied to their core longer than any other team, and Ballard’s enduring presence certainly has plenty to do with that. Moore was in place since the Andrew Luck era, having been a waiver claim (from the Patriots) in 2017. Moore, 30, quickly became a dependable slot presence. As the Colts struggled to identify long-term boundary options at the position, they could count on their slot ace. Moore signed an Indianapolis extension in 2019 and then re-signed with the team as a free agent in 2024.
The Colts and Moore mutually agreed to part ways in early April, with a trade being Indy’s preferred exit strategy here. Moore was due a $9.49MM base salary in 2026, the final year of his three-year, $30MM contract. None of the money was guaranteed, but that number undoubtedly affected a trade aim. It is unclear if the Colts passed on a potential low-level deal — along the lines of what the Bills landed for slot staple Taron Johnson in March — to accommodate a cornerstone veteran, but the team is moving on without compensation. The Colts will add $7.1MM in cap space, though three void years being in place on this deal will produce a dead cap hit of $6.1MM.
Upon arrival in Indiana nine years ago, Moore quickly became one of best slot corners in the game. Indianapolis shuffled through pieces on the perimeter but rewarded Moore twice with market-setting deals. The team signed the former UDFA to a four-year, $33.3MM extension in his third offseason and gave him the 3/30 pact ahead of his age-29 campaign.
The Colts re-signed several key players in 2024, including Pittman and Stewart, in an attempt to build around Anthony Richardson‘s rookie contract. That plan did not work out, and Indy is back in the high-priced QB game after giving Daniel Jones a two-year, $88MM extension. The team offloaded Pittman’s contract — in a late-round pick-swap agreement with Pittsburgh — to afford the Jones transition tag and Alec Pierce‘s second contract (the team had traded Franklin to the Packers days before). Moore will follow Smith, an eight-year right tackle starter, in departing; Smith joined the Texans in free agency.
Indy’s secondary blueprint changed considerably in 2025, when Ballard indicated a willingness to deviate from a roster-building tenet by handing out some free agency dollars for outside help. Safety Camryn Bynum and cornerback Charvarius Ward joined the team last March, and as the Colts were chasing their first playoff berth since 2020 at the trade deadline, the team sent the Jets two first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell for Sauce Gardner.
The team now has Gardner’s $30.1MM-per-year extension on the books to go with Bynum and Ward’s pacts — both north of $15MM AAV. This moved the Colts to stand down on re-signing Nick Cross, and they will now part with Moore while moving forward with the pricey Gardner-Ward-Bynum trio.
Moore has 21 career interceptions, notching four-INT seasons in 2020 and ’21. The latter season brought the 5-foot-9 cover man’s only Pro Bowl invite. Moore returned two of his three 2023 picks for TDs in 2023 and graded as a top-20 corner (in the view of Pro Football Focus) three times. PFF ranked Moore 37th among 112 qualified corners last season, when he allowed a career-best 62% completion rate as the closest defender. As Lou Anarumo took over as DC, though, the Colts reduced Moore’s playing time. He went from playing at least 92% of Indy’s defensive plays from 2018-24 to a 76% snap share in 2025.
Although Moore is entering an age-31 season, he stands to generate interest in free agency. He is unlikely to command a $10MM-per-year salary, but contenders eyeing slot help will surely look into the proven option now that he’s on the market.
Titans President Of Football Operations Chad Brinker Stepping Down
Titans President of Football Operations Chad Brinker is stepping down from his role, the team announced this evening. The 46-year-old spent the past three years in Tennessee’s front office.
“It has been an honor to serve as President of Football Operations of the Tennessee Titans,” Brinker said in his statement. “Over the years, I’ve understood and embraced my role as the leader of the football strategy, but as I’ve spent less time in personnel, I have a renewed conviction that it is time to return to what I love and move towards my next chapter. I’m grateful for Amy’s understanding in my decision, and for allowing me to pursue other opportunities.
“I’m proud of the work we’ve done over the past three years – under challenging circumstances – to begin the process of getting the Titans football organization back on track, not the least of which was last year’s general manager search. I believe the Titans have exceptional people and long-term stability at the general manager position and throughout the scouting department. While there is work to be done, I believe we’ve laid the foundation to restore the Titans to its rightful place as a sustainable, winning program.
“My family and I will always be grateful for Amy’s belief and trust in me, and for our time in Tennessee.”
Following a brief playing career that included a stint in NFL Europe, Brinker joined the Packers front office. He spent more than a decade with the organization, working his way up from a scouting intern to assistant director of pro scouting to eventually an administration executive gig.
Brinker left for the Titans in 2023, earning a promotion to assistant general manager under Ray Carthon. When the GM was ousted after only one season in Tennessee, Brinker was named the Titans president of football operations, a role in which he reportedly had full control of the team’s roster. The Titans website notes that he also reported directly to owner Amy Adams Strunk.
Brinker kept his title through the 2025 campaign, although the Titans did hire a true GM in Mike Borgonzi last offseason. Brian Callahan was fired six games into the regular season, and the two front office leaders were tasked with conducting a coaching search. The organization ultimately landed on Robert Saleh. Now only a few months into the head coach’s tenure, the team is seeing another significant change in leadership.
The Titans website notes that Brinker was widely credited with reshaping the organization’s analytic approach, and his apparent desire to return to “personnel” indicates that he wants a bit more from his front office role. Of course, there aren’t any teams reshaping their front offices at this point in the offseason, but perhaps Brinker could emerge as a GM candidate during next year’s cycle.
Eagles Acquire, Extend Jonathan Greenard
The Eagles have made a major splash on Day 2 of the draft: They are acquiring edge defender Jonathan Greenard and a 2026 seventh-rounder from the Vikings, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.
The Eagles and Greenard have agreed to a four-year, $100MM extension with $50MM guaranteed. The Vikings will receive a 2026 third-rounder (No. 98) and a third-rounder next year (Minnesota ended up taking Miami safety Jakobe Thomas at No. 98).
Philadelphia’s interest in Greenard first became public before free agency opened in early March. The team then lost one of its best edge defenders, Jaelan Phillips, who inked a four-year, $120MM contract with the Panthers. The Eagles later added Arnold Ebiketie and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka on modest pacts, but they continued pushing for Greenard.
The Vikings and Greenard were optimistic he would stay in Minnesota and potentially ink an extension, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. Instead, though, he will head to the second NFC destination of his career. The trade will save the Vikings a whopping $34MM in cap space, Schefter relays. They entered Friday with around $4.83MM in breathing room (via Over the Cap).
As a 2020 third-round pick from Florida, Greenard started his career with the Texans. After a quiet rookie year, Greenard began showing off his pass-rushing chops in 2021. Despite missing five games with a foot injury, he notched 12 QB hits and eight sacks. Another injury, this time to his calf, held Greenard to eight games during a 1.5-sack showing in 2022. Greenard mostly stayed healthy in 2023, the final season of his rookie contract, and his production exploded. Teaming with then-rookie Will Anderson Jr., the 6-foot-3, 259-pound Greenard put up 52 tackles (15 TFLs), 22 QB hits and 12.5 sacks in 15 games.
Greenard’s best season in Houston wound up as his last. The Vikings, who would lose Danielle Hunter to the Texans in free agency, brought in Greenard as his replacement. Playing the first season of a four-year, $76MM deal in 2024, Greenard continued to thrive en route to his first Pro Bowl selection. He logged his first 17-game season and recorded 59 tackles (18 TFLs), 22 QB hits, a career-best four forced fumbles and 12 sacks.
Health issues reared their head again in 2025 for Greenard, who battled a shoulder injury and underwent surgery in December. Greenard ended the season with 38 tackles (10 TFLs), 12 QB hits and three sacks in a dozen games. While Greenard’s traditional production wasn’t great, Pro Football Focus ranked his play a solid 31st among 119 edge defenders. He finished 17th in hurries (35) and 30th in pressures (47). Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner stepped up during a limited year for Greenard, and they will remain in key roles for the Vikings next season.
Set to turn 29 in May, Greenard will now join Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith as the Eagles’ top pass rushers. If healthy, Greenard could help form a monstrous front in Philadelphia, whose Vic Fangio-led defense boasts an incredible collection of D-tackles (Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis and Moro Ojomo) and linebackers (Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell).
The Greenard acquisition may not end up as the last blockbuster trade of the offseason for aggressive Eagles general manager Howie Roseman. Expectations are Roseman will ship out wide receiver A.J. Brown sometime between June 2 and the start of the season.
Packers, Jayden Reed Agree To Extension
Shortly before the start of the draft’s second day, the Packers have worked out an extension agreement with receiver Jayden Reed. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports a three-year deal worth $50.25MM in new money (including $20MM guaranteed) has been finalized.
Reed’s $16.75MM AAV slots him in as the 29th-highest paid wide receiver in the league, a solid deal for the Packers. The 2023 second-rounder flashed as a rookie before putting together an impressive sophomore campaign with 11.4 yards per target and 15.6 yards per reception. Both numbers ranked among the league’s top six wideouts and raised expectations entering 2025.
However, Reed suffered a broken clavicle in Week 2, forcing him into injured reserve until December. He took the time off to also undergo surgery to address a Jones fracture in his foot that he originally intended to play through. Reed returned in Week 14 and caught 16 of his 17 targets for 162 yards – an efficient but low-volume stat line – over his final five games.
Paying less than $17MM per year for an efficient slot receiver is a good bit of business for a Packers team that has generally avoided signing veteran receivers to multiyear deals. They have consistently spent draft capital at the position – including a first-round pick on Matthew Golden last year – allowing them to trade Dontayvion Wicks and let Romeo Doubs walk in free agency this offseason.
Wicks, who has seen declining production in each of his three NFL seasons, received a one-year, $12.5MM extension from the Eagles. Doubs has never been as efficient as Reed and signed a three-year, $51MM deal with the Patriots that included $35MM guaranteed.
Comparatively, Reed’s contract seems to offer more upside with significantly less guaranteed money (and therefore much lower risk). He, Golden, and Christian Watson will form Jordan Love‘s top trio of wideouts in 2026, and potentially beyond if Green Bay ponies up for another Watson extension, too.
Watson signed a one-year, $11MM deal in September during his recovery from a January torn ACL. That looked like a steal for the Packers when the 6-foot-4 wideout returned to the field in October and averaged 61.6 yards per game and 11.1 yards per target across the final 10 games of the season. Carrying that performance into 2026 could price him out of Green Bay, but it would also motivate the team to pay another proven receiver who has an established connection with their franchise quarterback.