Ravens Nix Trade For Raiders OLB Maxx Crosby
Trades cannot be official until the 2026 league year begins Wednesday, and the Raiders dropped a bombshell about their recent blockbuster. The Maxx Crosby deal is off, according to the Raiders.
The Raiders said in a statement the Ravens have backed out of the trade. Baltimore was to send two first-round picks to Las Vegas for the All-Pro edge rusher. Crosby had expressed excitement about being traded to the Ravens, but per the AFC West franchise, the deal is off.
“The Baltimore Ravens have backed out of our trade agreement for Maxx Crosby. We will have no further comment at this time,” the Las Vegas statement reads.
All trades are pending physicals, and Crosby is recovering from much-publicized knee surgery. Crosby failed his Ravens physical today at the team facility, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports. A month ago a report surfaced indicating Crosby underwent a full meniscus repair, rather than a trim. The eighth-year edge rusher’s recovery is expected to be measured in months, not weeks. The Ravens undoubtedly knew this, but upon examining Crosby, it appears we have one of the highest-profile instances of cold feet in NFL history.
The Ravens were to send their No. 14 overall pick and their 2027 first for the disgruntled Crosby, who is on a through-2029 contract. However, everything looks to be up in the air. Based on the Raiders releasing a statement, it would be rather unusual if the sides put the trade back on course.
Crosby, 28, never officially requested a trade but it had become well known he wanted to be dealt to a contending team. And SI.com’s Albert Breer reports Crosby did request a move privately. Crosby voiced frustration — to put it mildly — at the Raiders shutting him down with a knee injury he believed he could play through. Reports of Crosby evaluating his future escalated into full-blown trade rumors. The Raiders were believed to be setting too high a price, — as a desire for a Micah Parsons-like haul surfaced at multiple points — but a bidding war took place around the Combine.
The Cowboys were believed to be prepared to send the Raiders a first-round pick and a second, but the Ravens won the derby — as of Friday night, at least — with a two-first-rounder proposal. The Jaguars joined the Bears as other teams in the mix. The Bengals and Eagles looked to tip their toes in the water here, per Breer, though it does not appear either was too near the front of the line. The Bills were interested as well, Breer adds, but the Raiders did not deem their first-round pick being valuable enough to be the centerpiece of a trade package.
It does not look like the Bears were a frontline suitor, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, but the Cowboys were believed to be willing to include a player in a trade along with the first- and second-round picks. Dallas is now sounding open to trading D-tackle Osa Odighizuwa, after trading for both Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark following that March 2025 re-signing, but Fowler adds the Cowboys set limits — based on its Williams trade package — about how far they would go for this particular player.
In Crosby’s stealth trade request, Breer indicates he expressed a desire to work with the Raiders for the team to obtain the best possible deal from a contender. That is perhaps why no official trade request became public. The Raiders retained some leverage this way, even though the tea leaves pointed to a move transpiring. The Seahawks and Patriots loomed as suitors as well, though a source told Fowler minority owner Tom Brady is not expected to entertain a deal with the Patriots.
This also puts the Raiders in a tighter spot. Although the team carried an NFL-leading cap-space figure into free agency, that was contingent on Crosby’s 2026 cap number being off the books. The Raiders have run wild in free agency, adding several starters — most notably with a record-smashing accord for Ravens Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum — to prepare for the arrival of Fernando Mendoza‘s rookie deal. Las Vegas was to hold the No. 14 pick to supplement its incoming quarterback as well. Now, a fascinating pivot will need to take place.
The Raiders also added Kwity Paye, Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean and Jalen Nailor on Monday. None of these moves can be announced until the new league year begins at 3pm CT Wednesday. This waiting period usually is a nonfactor, as players almost always follow through on their commitments. But failed physicals are certainly nothing new. This one will go down in trade infamy, though, due to the two-first-rounder return the Raiders were to receive.
Even with this shocking turn of events technically placing Crosby’s 2026 cap number back on the Raiders’ payroll, it is unlikely the team would bail on its Day 1 FA deals. The Raiders will seemingly proceed to another team here. Though, it is quite possible a 2027 first-rounder will not be attainable.
Another team could pass Crosby on a physical, but he is going into an age-29 season. That has long made it iffy in terms of a two-first-rounder haul, as Parsons and Khalil Mack were respectively swapped at 26 and 27. That said, both those All-Pros required new contracts. Crosby was set to play on his 2025 Raiders extension, helping the Raiders secure their desired trade return.
Crosby viewed the Raiders as sitting him in order to secure the No. 1 pick, and Breer adds that while a meeting with Klint Kubiak went well, it did not move the needle with regard to the impact edge rusher wanting to stay. GM John Spytek said at the Combine the Raiders planned on retaining Crosby, but it is not exactly stunning to see such an about-face occur based on Combine pressers. And a report soon after had the Raiders warming to a trade.
The Raiders also did a deal with a team that, as our Ely Allen pointed out, had never traded a future first-round pick for a player in its 30-year history. The Ravens also are not usually big spenders at edge rusher, having mostly used low-cost vets and first-rounder Odafe Oweh since Matt Judon‘s 2021 departure.
Considering what a typically risk-averse franchise was giving up, trepidation regarding Crosby’s knee rehab makes sense. Still, the Raiders needing to go back to the drawing board four days after reaching the trade agreement represents one of the crazier developments in modern NFL history. The Ravens backed out of a deal with wide receiver Ryan Grant in 2018 and, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter points out, a contract with safety Brock Marion was nixed on Baltimore’s end in 1997. Eric DeCosta was in his first offseason as Ravens GM when the Grant backtrack occurred.
While Terrell Owens did not fail a physical back in 2004 — when an arbitrator called off a Baltimore-San Francisco trade, leading the future Hall of Fame receiver to Philadelphia — this Crosby non-trade will remind of that near-miss. Observing where a second Crosby trade market goes, and how Baltimore fills its EDGE need (after ranking 30th in the NFL in sacks last season), will be must-follow storylines for NFL fans moving forward.
Raiders To Trade QB Geno Smith To Jets
Geno Smith is heading back to where his career began. The Raiders have worked out a trade which will send the veteran quarterback to the Jets, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. 
Vegas will send Smith and a seventh-round pick in this year’s draft to New York for a sixth-round selection this year, Schefter adds. The Raiders, meanwhile, are retaining most of Smith’s base salary for 2026, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The Jets will pay him near the league minimum as a result, with Schefter adding a restructure was agreed to prior to the trade.
Per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Vegas will be on the hook for $16.5MM with New York taking on $3.3MM. Smith will receive a $1MM compared to the guaranteed figure he was owed prior to this swap as a result.
Smith’s Raiders tenure was known to be ending after just one season with the team preparing to draft Fernando Mendoza first overall in April. Vegas was willing to release the 35-year-old in the event no trade suitors could be found. Instead of Smith becoming a free agent tomorrow, he will begin a second stint with the Jets.
The former second-rounder is at the Jets’ facility, Dianna Russini of The Athletic notes Smith has already conducted a physical, paving the way for this swap to be made official. One major move at the quarterback position has now been taken care of for New York, although more changes will be coming. One year remains on Justin Fields‘ contract, but he is not expected to be back with the team in 2026. Tyrod Taylor is a pending free agent.
Smith began his career as a Jets draftee, and he spent four seasons with the team. That included a two-year run (2013-14) as New York’s starter, a stint which did not go as planned to say the least. A lengthy spell without another QB1 opportunity came to an end when Smith took over starting duties for Seattle following the Russell Wilson trade.
Smith spent three years atop the Seahawks’ depth chart, earning Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2022. That season included a league-leading 69.8 completion percentage and a career-high 30 touchdown passes. Smith secured a second straight Pro Bowl nod the following year, but the arrival of new head coach Mike Macdonald in 2024 did not result in a long-term Seattle deal being worked out. Instead, the Seahawks targeted Sam Darnold last offseason and traded Smith to Vegas, allowing him to reunite with Pete Carroll.
After a disastrous season together, Carroll and Smith are now out of the fold. The latter will look to rebuild his value in a familiar setting, although he does not have experience playing under Jets head coach Aaron Glenn or offensive coordinator Frank Reich. A quick acclimation period would of course be welcomed by all involved, with Glenn no doubt under pressure to guide New York to more success in Year 2 than the team had during his debut on the sidelines. The Vikings were mentioned as a potential Smith suitor, and NFL insider Jordan Schultz confirms there was “real interest” on the part of Minnesota. The team’s list of free agent targets has now been thinned out, however.
Reich has a history with Carson Wentz, and a reunion between those two has been mentioned as something to watch for. In general, it will be interesting to see if the Jets add another veteran passer in free agency with Smith now in the fold. Meanwhile, the Raiders could be in the market for an experienced option as insurance for Mendoza’s rookie campaign.
Improved play on offense will be key in 2026 for the Jets, a team which made a number of defensive splashes yesterday. It will be interesting to see how Smith fares in his New York return and what kind of QB room he will be in by the time the season begins.
Steelers Extend DT Cameron Heyward
Cameron Heyward is once again re-upping with the Steelers. The long-time defensive tackle is inking a new two-year deal with Pittsburgh, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Heyward still had a year remaining on his deal, but this new agreement effectively rips up that previous contract. The new two-year contract is worth $32.25MM, per Dulac. The deal includes $16.25MM in guaranteed money, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Notably, Heyward’s annual earnings now represent the most lucrative deal for an NFL defensive player in NFL history who’s 36 years or older, per Rapoport. The move will also free up about $5.5MM in cap space for the organization.
A 2011 first-round pick, Heyward has spent his entire career in Pittsburgh. The defensive lineman is second in franchise history in games played (behind Ben Roethlisberger), and he paces the franchise leaderboard in tackles for loss (142). He’s earned six All-Pro nods and seven Pro Bowl appearances during his 15-year career. He’s also served as a team captain for 11-straight seasons.
The 2019 campaign was Heyward’s age-30 season, and he’s somehow only missed seven games since then (six of which came during the 2023 campaign). He averaged close to nine sacks per season between 2017 and 2022, and he rebounded from a two-sack campaign in 2023 with eight sacks in 2024. His numbers took a bit of a step back in 2025, as he finished the year with 78 tackles and 3.5 sacks despite getting into all 17 games. Still, Pro Football Focus ranked him first among all interior defenders, the sixth time in the past seven years that he’s ranked inside the top-six.
Heyward was still attached to a three-year, $45MM deal he signed with the franchise in 2024. He played hardball last year as he looked to adjust that pact, as the veteran staged a hold-in in pursuit of a raise. The two sides ultimately agreed to a last-minute resolution, with the Steelers adding more than $3MM in incentives to the player’s deal.
Now, the franchise is once again showing their faith in the defensive lineman, and with Mike Tomlin no longer in Pittsburgh, the Steelers may be even more dependent on Heyward’s leadership. The team did use a 2023 second-round pick on Yahya Black and a 2025 fifth-round pick on Keeanu Benton, but the team doesn’t have a true contingency plan behind their franchise icon. In other words, Heyward will continue to play a big role for the Steelers over the next few years.
Patriots To Sign WR Romeo Doubs
Wide receiver Romeo Doubs is leaving Green Bay for New England. The Patriots are signing Doubs to a four-year, $80MM contract, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports. The deal comes with a base value of $68MM, Albert Breer of SI.com relays.
The Commanders were among the teams the Patriots beat out for the 6-foot-2, 204-pound Doubs, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. It was a “very close” race between the two, per Schultz, but the Commanders will have to look elsewhere for a complement to No. 1 receiver Terry McLaurin.
The Patriots have come up most frequently in trade rumors centering on Eagles receiver A.J. Brown. The Doubs signing does not rule out a Brown acquisition, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. But the Patriots may now be “less inclined” to meet the Eagles’ asking price, writes McLane, who adds there has been a “gulf” in negotiations.
Doubs is not on Brown’s level, but the four-year veteran has nonetheless put together a solid career. The 2022 fourth-rounder from Nevada started in 50 of 59 games in Green Bay. Doubs has averaged roughly 15 games, 51 catches, 80 targets, 606 yards and five touchdowns per season. He started in 15 of 16 games in 2025 and hauled in 55 of 85 targets for a career-best 724 yards and six scores.
Only two members of last season’s AFC champion Patriots, receiver Stefon Diggs and tight end Hunter Henry, caught more passes and totaled more yards than Doubs. The Patriots informed Diggs of his release last week, making it all the more obvious they would target receiving help for quarterback Drake Maye this spring. The team was in on Alec Pierce before he re-signed with the Colts on a four-year, $116MM contract on Monday. It pivoted to Doubs, PFR’s 11th-ranked free agent, on a less lucrative agreement a day later.
Further acquisitions could be in store for the Patriots’ receiving corps between today and the draft. As of now, though, Doubs will join Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, DeMario Douglas and Efton Chism to comprise the group.
As for the Packers, they are losing the receiver they relied on most in 2025. Doubs easily paced their wideouts in snap share (74.22%) and led the team in most major pass-catching categories.
The Doubs-less Packers still have a number of in-house options, including a pair of high 2025 picks in first-rounder Matthew Golden and third-rounder Savion Williams. Although their rookie production fell flat, they are in line to rejoin veterans Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks in 2026. The Packers will also count on a healthier season for tight end Tucker Kraft, who thrived before tearing his ACL in Week 9.
Dolphins To Sign QB Malik Willis
11:13pm: Willis will see both his 2026 and 2027 base salaries fully guaranteed, SI.com’s Albert Breer reports. A $2MM roster bonus is due in March 2028. Year 3 will have a nonguaranteed salary. Still, the Dolphins will be paying the Tagovailoa dead money and Willis’ fully guaranteed compensation over the next two years.
11:51am: Despite taking on a record-setting dead money sum from the impending Tua Tagovailoa release, the Dolphins will be the team that signs off on Malik Willis‘ second contract.
Willis is reuniting with Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley in Miami, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who reports the sides agreed on a three-year deal worth $67.5MM. Willis will receive $45MM guaranteed at signing.
While not a $30MM-per-year contract like recent rumors indicated, Willis will still cash in via that nice guarantee number. This figures to provide at least a two-year runway for Willis in Miami, which will spread the Tagovailoa dead cap hit through 2027. Still, a $99.2MM dead cap hit over that span and a $20MM-plus QB salary will be an interesting route to take. A bit of a smokescreen effort may have taken place on the Dolphins’ part, as Sullivan pointed to the team’s cap situation making it difficult to win the Willis sweepstakes.
In terms of AAV, Willis is set to hover in unoccupied territory. This number comes in south of the Baker Mayfield–Sam Darnold tier but well north of backup money. The full guarantee likely became a strong sweetener for the Jordan Love backup, who drew interest from a few teams — the Browns, Cardinals and Steelers among them. Presenting a strange free agency profile with six career starts, Willis ranked seventh on PFR’s top 50 free agents list. He will do much better than Justin Fields in terms of fully guaranteed money; the Jets gave their 2025 starter at $30MM guarantee.
Fields’ $20MM-per-year deal is the only QB contract in this neighborhood, but the Jets are about to terminate that deal. Soon, Willis’ $22.5MM AAV number will be the only QB pact in between Cam Ward‘s rookie salary ($12.21MM) and Mayfield’s current $33.3MM AAV.
Mike Vrabel deemed Willis unplayable late in the 2022 season, after the third-round rookie looked erratic in his short time at the helm. The Titans drafted Will Levis in 2023 and parked Willis behind he and Ryan Tannehill. A new Titans coaching staff signed off on trading the Jon Robinson-era draftee to the Packers for a low-end return in summer 2024. Willis became needed immediately, with Love going down with an injury in Week 1 of that season.
Matt LaFleur customized the offense to suit Willis’ skillset, and the effort created a market. Willis ran his start count from three to six in Green Bay, putting up eye-popping (and unsustainable) numbers. He compiled a 6:0 TD-INT ratio in Green Bay, having completed 70 of 89 attempts at a college-y 12.1 yards per pass. Willis also averaged 6.2 yards per rush (29/261/3). Willis will now work under Bobby Slowik, who will run a LaFleur-type scheme. Both are Kyle Shanahan disciples.
With Willis committing to Miami within an hour of the legal tampering period’s outset, other QB-needy teams will not need to authorize higher-end guarantees — most likely, at least. But some of those teams will be left scrambling, as a host of needs exist on this year’s market. That helped inflate Willis’ value despite the six career starts.
The Dolphins gave Tagovailoa six years but erred by giving him a $53.1MM-per-year extension in 2024. The Mike McDaniel passer showed tremendous promise as an accurate thrower, but concussions gave way to inconsistency for the left-hander. Miami benched Tagovailoa late in McDaniel’s tenure and was never seriously linked to retaining him — despite what would have been a easier route contractually — this offseason. Sullivan will take a risk with Willis due to his limited sample size, but he and Hafley certainly have plenty of information on him from the sides’ two-year overlap in Wisconsin.
Raiders, Tyler Linderbaum Reach Record-Setting C Contract
11:12pm: As expected, it is a player-friendly deal. Linderbaum will receive a $20MM signing bonus to go with fully guaranteed salaries in 2026 and ’27, according to ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano. This could become a fully guaranteed deal by March 2027. Linderbaum’s $21MM 2028 base salary shifts from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 3 of the 2027 league year. Barring a Christian Wilkins-like exit ramp forming before that point, this is a fully guaranteed $81MM contract.
12:49pm: The top center sweepstakes in free agency history is over. Linked to several teams, Tyler Linderbaum is choosing Las Vegas. The Raiders are adding the Pro Bowl blocker, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
It will take a three-year, $81MM deal to bring Linderbaum to the desert. The Commanders, Titans and Giants joined the Ravens in being in on PFR’s No. 1-ranked free agent. Rather than a four-year commitment, Linderbaum agreed to a shorter-term deal that includes $60MM guaranteed.
In terms of market obliteration, this is among the greatest achievements in NFL history. Linderbaum hitting free agency allowed him to land a deal $9MM north (AAV-wise) of any center pact before him. This contract also checks in clear of every guard salary, with Linderbaum’s $27MM-per-year number topping Tyler Smith‘s $24MM AAV. This is a staggering commitment, but the Raiders led the NFL in cap space. After sending Maxx Crosby to Baltimore, Las Vegas will pilfer the Ravens’ O-line centerpiece.
Patrick Mahomes held the quarterback AAV record for less than two years, but it is safe to expect Linderbaum’s grip on the center market to last longer. It took Mahomes giving the Chiefs 10 years of control for them to hike the QB market by $10MM per year in 2020. Linderbaum managed to smash Creed Humphrey‘s center-record number ($18MM) without any such concessions. The power of the open market persists, as the salary cap has now climbed to $301.2MM.
Coming into today, the NFL only had two center pacts — after Drew Dalman‘s retirement — north of $13MM per year. Those went to Humphrey and the Eagles’ Cam Jurgens ($17MM). Linderbaum has signed an outlier accord and will join a Raiders O-line that is otherwise light on expenses beyond Kolton Miller‘s 2025 extension. Miller and Linderbaum will lead the way in protecting expected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, whose rookie contract will align with Linderbaum’s three-year deal.
ESPN’s pass block win rate metric ranked Linderbaum fourth among all interior O-lineman last season; he ranked 13th in 2024. Pro Football Focus, conversely, has graded Linderbaum as a far superior run blocker. The agile lineman has certainly made a considerable difference for a run-reliant offense, and the Raiders are certainly paying him to help unleash Ashton Jeanty, who spent much of his rookie season bottled up behind an O-line PFF ranked 32nd.
The Raiders used a combination of Alex Cappa and Jordan Meredith at center last season. It should be expected Las Vegas, which entered today needing to spend to reach the three-year salary-floor mandate, will be in the guard market as well. Right tackle also served as a need for the struggling franchise, but this market’s biggest O-line fish — one of the biggest O-line prizes in free agency’s 34 years — will be teaming with (almost certainly) last year’s Heisman winner.
As for the Ravens, they will need a fallback option. The 2022 first-round pick had helped an O-line that lost guard starters in free agency along with RT Morgan Moses. While Baltimore has Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten in place at tackle, the team has needs at guard (where Daniel Faalele is unsigned) and now a massive void at center. The Ravens had aimed to pay Linderbaum, but they did not pick up his fifth-year option in 2025. The CBA groups all O-linemen together, making centers difficult to tag; no center has been tagged since Ryan Kalil (Panthers) 15 years ago.
Those factors helped lead Linderbaum out of Maryland, completing one of the more memorable chapters in O-line free agency history.
Falcons To Sign QB Tua Tagovailoa
The Dolphins are planning to release Tua Tagovailoa, and just a few hours later, he has found a new team. The 28-year-old quarterback will be moving one state north to join the Falcons, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
As expected, Tagovailoa will receive a one-year, veteran-minimum deal in Atlanta, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, as Miami is still paying him $54MM this season. He will join fellow lefty Michael Penix Jr. in a Falcons quarterback room that will likely soon lose Kirk Cousins.
In fact, Tagovailoa projects as the team’s bridge starter as Penix works his way back from knee surgery, filling a role that could have kept Cousins in Atlanta. Instead, the veteran should now get the opportunity to pick a new team that he did not receive last offseason.
Considering Tagovailoa’s drastic fall since his 2023 Pro Bowl nod, Atlanta is a fine landing spot for the former first-round pick. The Falcons have been non-committal on Penix’s status as their franchise QB, and his injury will give Tagovailoa an opportunity to rebuild his stock surrounded by a strong supporting cast.
The Falcons have a solid offensive line and exciting young skill position players like Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and Kyle Pitts. But Tagovailoa’s struggles over the past two seasons will still give him an uphill battle in convincing Atlanta’s new leadership that he, not Penix, is the quarterback to steward the team’s offense into the future.
Finding no trade takers, the Dolphins will designate Tagovailoa as a post-June 1 cut Wednesday. That comes as little surprise, as it will allow Miami to spread out the record-breaking $99.2MM dead money charge in this case over two years. Thanks to Tagovailoa’s guarantees on his contract, he could account for $67MM a dead cap charges in 2026 as the Dolphins move forward with their full-scale roster reset.
Benched before Week 16 last season, Tagovailoa would welcome a fresh start. His four-year, $212.4MM extension — which included a $54MM 2026 option bonus that shifted from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee in March 2025 — backfired quickly. Still, Tagovailoa played well for much of the 2022 and ’23 campaigns.
Tua, 28 in May, led the league in yards per attempt and passer rating in 2022, passing yards in 2023 and completion percentage in 2024. Concussion concerns resurfaced in 2024, and Tagovailoa missed six games that year. His 2025 season continued a downward trajectory. But at the veteran minimum, the Falcons will take a flier.
If Tagovailoa were to make that a serious consideration later this year, it would create a fascinating dynamic in Atlanta. The Falcons surprised many by selecting Penix with the No. 8 pick in the 2024 draft weeks after signing Cousins to a four-year, $160MM deal with $90MM guaranteed. Cousins started the regular season strong, but struggled with turnovers down the stretch and was replaced by Penix. He went into 2025 as the unquestioned starter with Cousins trying to force his way out of Atlanta. But Penix did not inspire much confidence himself before partially tearing his ACL, leaving the Falcons in a tricky spot this offseason.
Normally, a quarterback’s third season (second as a starter) is a good litmus test for their long-term capabilities. But Penix will not get that type of opportunity, as he is expected to miss offseason practices as the team transitions to Kevin Stefanski‘s coaching staff. Instead, Tagovailoa will have the first opportunity to impress the new regime on the field.
49ers To Sign WR Mike Evans
11:10pm: The Evans contract is worth $42.4MM in base value, according to The33rdTeam’s Ari Meirov. The incentive-laden deal includes $16.3MM guaranteed and includes. This would stand to give the 49ers flexibility beyond 2026, though it is not yet known how the contract is structured.
1:35pm: Mike Evans will not agree to a fourth Buccaneers contract. Instead, the greatest offensive player in franchise history is leaving Tampa after 12 seasons. The 49ers are adding Evans, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo reports.
San Francisco is bringing in the future Hall of Famer on a three-year deal, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The Buccaneers have been among the best at retaining their own players under Jason Licht, and Evans’ agent confirms Tampa Bay made a “very strong offer.” But Evans will play for a second NFL team soon.
It is a three-year deal worth up to $60.4MM, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Evans was linked to a $20MM-per-year price recently, and while he may have fallen just short, this still represents a quality free agency conclusion for a soon-to-be 33-year-old receiver. An offer as high as $27MM per year may have emerged, Fox Sports’ Greg Auman offers. Evans could conceivably be more interested in fit at this stage of his career, having already played out two lucrative deals following his 2014 first-round accord.
Only Jerry Rice has more 1,000-yard seasons than Evans’ 11. While the 49ers wide receiver legend is in his own league for All-Pro honors (11), Evans is a two-time All-Pro whose most recent such honor came in 2023. A broken collarbone sidelined Evans for much of 2025, but prior to that, the 6-foot-5 wideout began with an NFL-record-smashing 11 straight seasons of 1,000 receiving yards to start a career.
The Bucs had kept Evans off the 2024 free agent market by giving him a two-year, $41MM deal; this time around, the team viewed its all-time leading receiver as having the right to hear other teams’ offers. The Bucs drafted Emeka Egbuka in Round 1 last year, doing so a month after re-signing Chris Godwin for a second time. They also have Jalen McMillan signed through 2027. But Evans’ departure will sting Tampa Bay’s offense, as he has more than a 5,000-yard lead on the second-leading receiver (Godwin) in franchise history.
The 49ers are soon to release Brandon Aiyuk — barring an unlikely 11th-hour trade agreement — after a strange 2025. San Francisco took the rare step of voiding Aiyuk’s guarantees, as his injury rehab veered off course from the team’s wishes, and the 2024 extension recipient became distant during a lost season. The 49ers then lost 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall to multiple injuries, finishing the year with George Kittle suffering an Achilles tear. Jauan Jennings helped save this battered receiving corps, and while the 49ers want to retain the former seventh-round find, he is now a free agent.
Beginning his Bucs career before Jameis Winston‘s arrival, Evans worked with the erratic No. 1 overall pick for five seasons and became a key part of the team’s sales pitch to Tom Brady in 2020. Evans and Godwin helped convince Brady to join the Bucs, and the duo were pivotal during the franchise’s run to a Super Bowl LV win. After Antonio Brown‘s infamous walk-off, Evans continued to anchor the Bucs’ receiving corps and became a central reason for Baker Mayfield‘s rebound. It will be interesting to see if the Bucs go after a starter-level replacement or roll with Godwin, Egbuka and McMillan while allocating resources elsewhere.
Evans was connected to numerous teams in free agency. The Bills, Chargers, Commanders, Giants and Browns were among the suitors. The 49ers were on that list, however, with our Adam La Rose pegging this as a strong fit in his most recent mailbag. They will see if Evans can lift an offense that might be Kittle-less to open the 2026 season.
Colts To Re-Sign Alec Pierce
Highly touted wide receiver Alec Pierce will not hit the open market. The Colts and Pierce have agreed to a deal, Jordan Schultz reports. It’s a four-year, $116MM pact, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The contract contains $84MM in guarantees and $60MM fully guaranteed at signing, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network relays.
This is a best-case scenario for the Colts, who are now in position to keep their top receiver and starting quarterback Daniel Jones. After the Colts placed the transition tag on Jones last Tuesday, there was fear Pierce would exit. The 25-year-old even suggested he would test the market. The 2022 second-round pick from Cincinnati will instead continue his career in Indianapolis.
[RELATED: Colts To Trade Michael Pittman Jr. To Steelers]
As PFR’s second-ranked free agent, Pierce drew substantial interest before agreeing to stick with the Colts. The Patriots, Raiders, 49ers and Chargers all eyed Pierce, but he turned down more money to remain in Indianapolis, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The Commanders were also “aggressive” in the derby, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN adds.
New England was not willing to match Indy’s bid, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports. The Patriots will now turn their attention elsewhere (perhaps an A.J. Brown trade) as they seek a difference-making receiver to replace the released Stefon Diggs.
Although Pierce has never reached 50 catches in a season, he has emerged as one of the game’s elite downfield threats. The 6-foot-3, 211-pounder led the NFL in yards per catch in each of the past two seasons. During a career year in 2025, he caught 47 balls for 1,003 yards (21.3 YPC) and six touchdowns over 15 games. It was the first time the durable Pierce has missed more than one game in a season.
On a per-year basis, Pierce has averaged around 39 catches, 734 yards and four touchdowns. That is not No. 1-caliber production, but Pierce will benefit from the league’s significant cap increase. He now ranks ninth at his position in total money, right behind the Bengals’ Tee Higgins. Pierce checks in at 10th in yearly average, once again just behind Higgins. An $84MM guarantee would put him in a fifth-place tie with Brown.
With Pierce under wraps, the Colts will likely put more focus on a long-term deal with Jones. Otherwise, they could risk losing him to an offer sheet. General manager Chris Ballard has until July 15 to reach an agreement with Jones.
Chiefs To Sign RB Kenneth Walker
The Chiefs are changing course at running back. After many years with low-cost solutions, Kansas City will bring in this year’s top free agent prize at the position.
Kenneth Walker and the Chiefs are in agreement on a deal, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. Rumored as potentially not being ready to pay up for Walker, Kansas City is doing just that after its recent run games have underwhelmed. It is a three-year, $43.05MM deal, insider Jordan Schultz tweets. The Chiefs are authorizing $28.7MM guaranteed, per Schultz, who adds the contract can max out at $45MM.
This guarantee trails only Saquon Barkley‘s $36MM number among running backs, even if it represents the total guarantee figure rather than what is guaranteed at signing. This is a massive number for Walker, who split time with Zach Charbonnet last season as the Seahawks did not view their starter as a plus in the passing game. Pass pro is certainly not Walker’s strength, but he is coming off a Super Bowl where he finished with 161 scrimmage yards and became the first running back Super Bowl MVP since Terrell Davis 28 years ago.
Kansas City was believed to be set to come away with a running back during this year’s free agency, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, who also linked the team to Travis Etienne. Ranked higher on PFR’s free agent top 50, Walker represents the bigger prize due to being two years younger (25). He does bring some injury risk, having missed two games apiece in 2022 and ’23 before being sidelined for six games in 2024. But the Chiefs will pay up after Walker’s strong playoff performance punctuated a 17-game 2025.
The Seahawks were in touch with Walker leading up to the legal tampering period, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, but recent rumors had pointed to the defending champs standing down if this market escalated beyond their comfort zone. Pelissero mentioned the Chiefs as a suitor today, and the team will deviate from its low-cost RB plans — which have been in place since Jamaal Charles‘ release nearly 10 years ago.
Following the Charles era, the Chiefs identified Kareem Hunt as a starter and saw him with the rushing title as a rookie. Hunt’s ugly assault on a woman at a Cleveland hotel being captured on video led the Chiefs to cut him during the 2018 season. After the team used Damien Williams as its RB1 in the wake of that separation, the team missed on a first-round pick (Clyde Edwards-Helaire). Isiah Pacheco bailed the Chiefs out on that whiff, but a 2024 leg fracture slowed the seventh-round pick. Both Pacheco and Hunt, who returned to Missouri in 2024, are unsigned.
Walker’s Seahawks tenure included two 1,000-yard rushing seasons. While Charbonnet outscored Walker 12-5 last season, the latter will become Kansas City’s unquestioned lead back in 2026. He figures to be the top running back Patrick Mahomes has played with since at least Hunt 1.0. Walker is also more elusive than even that version of Hunt, with Pro Football Focus ranking him first among RBs in 2025. Though, it will be interesting to see how the Chiefs get around Walker’s pass-pro limitations — which led the Seahawks to use Charbonnet in a near-equal timeshare.
The Chiefs do not have a big-ticket contract at wide receiver, though they are close to re-signing Travis Kelce on a one-year deal. Mahomes’ 10-year contract is continually restructured, moving cap hits down the road. That has helped the Chiefs, who just offloaded Trent McDuffie‘s fifth-year option salary to the Rams. In also letting Jaylen Watson sign with the Rams in free agency, the Chiefs are starting over at corner. But they will have a dynamic RB set to roll come September.