Raiders 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. The deal is now official.
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 thus receive a $1MM raise 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.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/10/26
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.
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.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/9/26
Here are the minor move from a frenzied free agency first day:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: CB Natrone Brooks, LB Christian Harris, DE Cameron Thomas
Buffalo Bills
- Re-signed: P Mitch Wishnowsky
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Akayleb Evans, CB Robert Rochell
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Dominique Robinson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Re-signed: OLB Dennis Gardeck
- Released: TE Johnny Mundt
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to two-year deal: K Matt Gay
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LS Joe Cardona
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: TE Greg Dulcich
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Chris Manhertz
New York Jets
- Signed: FB Andrew Beck
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DL Esezi Otomewo
NFL Announces 2026 Compensatory Picks
The NFL has awarded compensatory draft picks for teams in the 2026 draft. Based on an add/subtract formula that covers the 2025 free agency period, comp picks span from Round 3 to Round 7. The higher picks go to the teams that endured the most significant free agent losses.
This year, the NFL awarded 33 comp picks. The comp pick formula assigns picks to franchises who suffered the largest net losses, so teams that signed multiple free agents have a lesser chance of receiving picks.
Sorted by round and by team, here are the league’s 2026 compensatory selections:
By round:
Round 3: Vikings (No. 97), Eagles (98), Steelers (99), Jaguars (100, from Lions*)
Round 4: 49ers (No. 133), Raiders (134), Steelers (135), Saints (136), Eagles (137), 49ers (138), 49ers (139), Jets (140)
Round 5: Ravens (No. 173), Ravens (174), Raiders (175), Chiefs (176), Cowboys (177), Eagles (178), Jets (179), Cowboys (180), Lions (181)
Round 6: Steelers (No. 214), Eagles (215), Steelers (216)
Round 7: Colts (No. 249), Ravens (250), Rams (251), Rams (252), Ravens (253), Colts (254), Packers (255), Bronc0s (256), Broncos (257)
By team:
- Baltimore Ravens: 4
- Philadelphia Eagles: 4
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 4
- San Francisco 49ers: 3
- Dallas Cowboys: 2
- Denver Broncos: 2
- Indianapolis Colts: 2
- Las Vegas Raiders: 2
- Los Angeles Rams: 2
- New York Jets: 2
- Detroit Lions: 1
- Green Bay Packers: 1
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 1
- Kansas City Chiefs: 1
- Minnesota Vikings: 1
- New Orleans Saints: 1
* = awarded for Lions DC Aaron Glenn becoming Jets’ HC
The Bears lost a minority executive to a GM role, with Ian Cunningham taking over in Atlanta. But the NFL will not award Chicago two third-round picks for that hire because the Falcons have Matt Ryan positioned as their president of football. Although Cunningham — Chicago’s assistant GM for four years — holds plenty of organizational say, Ryan is atop its front office hierarchy. The Bears disagree with the NFL’s ruling, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo.
Bears GM Ryan Poles confirmed (via ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin) the team spoke with the NFL about the matter, but the league did not rule in the team’s favor. Had this decision gone the Bears’ way, they would have received third-round picks in the 2026 and ’27 drafts.
Raiders To Re-Sign DL Malcolm Koonce
Malcolm Koonce is sticking in Las Vegas. The free agent defensive end is re-signing with the Raiders, according to Josina Anderson.
The 2021 third-round pick is signing a new one-year contract, per Anderson. The deal is worth $11MM.
Koonce is inking a one-year deal for the second-straight offseason. Last year, he re-upped with the Raiders on a $12MM contract. After missing the entire 2024 season thanks to a knee injury, he bounced back in 2025 with 30 tackles and 4.5 sacks. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus graded him 83rd among 119 qualifying edge defenders.
Koonce graded much better during his last healthy season in 2023. That breakout campaign saw the pass rusher compile eight sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and 17 QB hits, earning him a 22nd-place showing by PFF. He had a standout performance during a Week 16 win over the Chiefs, when he tallied eight pressures and three sacks on Patrick Mahomes.
The Raiders have been busy adding to their defense today, signing the likes of Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker, and Kwity Paye. Still, with the departure of pass rusher Maxx Crosby, Koonce could once again find himself playing a significant role on the Raiders defense in 2026.
Raiders, LB Nakobe Dean Agree To Deal
The Raiders‘ spending spree continues with a linebacker addition. With Las Vegas needing to retool at this position, Nakobe Dean will be asked to be a core performer.
Dean is joining the Raiders on a three-year deal worth $36MM, veteran insider Jordan Schultz tweets. Despite injuries hampering him regularly in Philly, the former third-round pick will score a $12MM AAV. Though, guarantees will be particularly notable on this pact.
Vegas is loading up at linebacker, with Dean being the B-side addition. The team just agreed to terms with Quay Walker as well. This has been a busy day for the AFC West team, which headlined its work with a record-obliterating Tyler Linderbaum contract.
Entering today with more than $120MM in cap space, the Raiders have joined the Titans on a spending spree. The team had no notable holdovers at linebacker, and the Walker-Dean tandem looks set to be the next options under Klint Kubiak. The Cowboys were believed to be eyeing Dean to follow new DC Christian Parker from Philly, but the Raiders had the cap space to outmuscle anyone today. They’re throwing weight around.
Dallas did make a strong push for Dean, according to NFL.com’s Jane Slater. Dean was believed to be on the fence here, with Slater indicating the Cowboys made a good offer. Neither Texas nor Nevada carry a state income tax, but Dean decided to go with the rebuilding Raiders rather than working under Parker — Philly’s DBs coach last season — in Dallas.
Dean essentially redshirted his rookie year, seeing Kyzir White and T.J. Edwards start for the Eagles’ Super Bowl LVII team. Philly gave Dean a starting job in 2023, but foot trouble limited him to five games. A resurgence in 2024 helped the Eagles to the NFC East title and the conference’s No. 2 seed, but a patellar tendon tear in the wild-card round brought another setback. Dean did not debut until Week 6 of this past season, making it a bit surprising the Raiders are signing off on a $12MM-per-year deal.
The Raiders, who lost Robert Spillane in free agency last year, have Devin White, Elandon Roberts and Jamal Adams unsigned. Despite promoting from within at DC (Rob Leonard), Las Vegas is importing some bigger names at LB this offseason.
Raiders To Sign LB Quay Walker
The Raiders are making a major addition to the middle of their defense. They have agreed to a deal with linebacker Quay Walker, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. Walker will sign a four-year, $40.5MM contract with $28MM in guarantees, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
The Cowboys were among the teams in the mix for Walker before he reached an agreement with the Raiders, Todd Archer of ESPN relays. Walker had a Zoom meeting with the Cowboys on Monday, but they could not fend off the Raiders for the 25-year-old.
Walker, the 22nd pick in the 2022 draft, served as a full-time starter in Green Bay throughout his four-year run there. The former Georgia Bulldog opened his career with three straight 100-tackle seasons, during which he combined for 6.5 sacks. The Packers still declined Walker’s fifth-year option for 2026 last spring, though it did not come as a surprise. The league controversially groups middle and outside LBs together for valuation purposes. Teams typically turn down the option for middle linebackers, as the Jaguars (Devin Lloyd) also did last year.
Playing what proved to be his last Packers season in 2025, Walker collected a career-high 128 tackles in 14 games. He added eight TFL, a personal-best seven QB hits, five passes defensed and 2.5 sacks. Despite quality production, Pro Football Focus took a harsh view of Walker’s 2025 in ranking his performance 76th among 88 qualifiers at his position.
In heading to Las Vegas, Walker will reunite with former Georgia teammate Nakobe Dean. After spending his first four seasons in Philadelphia, Dean agreed to a three-year, $36MM pact with the Raiders on Monday. Walker and Dean starred in college as part of Georgia’s linebacker corps, especially during a national title-winning campaign in 2021. They will reunite in a remade Raiders LB group. Devin White, Elandon Roberts and Jamal Adams were Las Vegas’ top LBs last year, but all three are now unsigned.
While the Raiders traded superstar pass rusher Maxx Crosby to the Ravens last week, they have since made several noteworthy investments to improve a roster that finished last in 2025. Before bringing in Walker and Dean, the Raiders acquired nickel cornerback Taron Johnson from the Bills, re-signed corner Eric Stokes, and reached free agent agreements with center Tyler Linderbaum, defensive end Kwity Paye and receiver Jalen Nailor.
Raiders, DE Kwity Paye Agree To Deal
Not long after agreeing to trade away Maxx Crosby, the Raiders have lined up a notable replacement along the edge. Kwity Paye is heading to Vegas.
Paye worked out a Raiders deal on Monday, Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report. This will be a three-year pact worth $48MM, NFL insider Jordan Schultz adds. Paye represents the second big-ticket addition for the team today, with center Tyler Linderbaum having also worked out a massive free agent deal.
This has been a big day for edge rushers, with Jaelan Phillips, Odafe Oweh and Boye Mafe agreeing to deals (with the Panthers, Commanders and Bengals) earlier today. Paye’s contract checks in south of those three, who respectively scored $30MM, $25MM and $20MM per year. But the five-year Colt still did quite well. His 3/48 framework matches what the Bears gave ex-Indianapolis teammate Dayo Odeyingbo last year.
Slotted behind the Phillips-Oweh-Mafe trio in PFR’s top 50 (at No. 19), Paye is coming off an unremarkable contract year. But the former first-round pick fared much better in Gus Bradley‘s defense from 2023-24. Paye combined for 16.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss in those seasons. His Michigan ties probably don’t hurt here, either, with Raider decision-makers Tom Brady and John Spytek being ex-Wolverines.
Last season, however, Paye only registered four sacks and nine QB hits. But he was still an active pressure artist. Paye’s 23 pressures in 2025 were a career high, and he only trailed Oweh by one in that category. Considering Paye’s better sack work in the past, the Raiders will make a midlevel ($16MM suddenly qualifies as such) bet on the power-based rusher having superior production ahead.
Paye, 27, will not remind Raiders fans closely of Crosby. The team, which looks to have missed on 2023 first-round pick Tyree Wilson, also has Malcolm Koonce unsigned. Las Vegas is effectively starting over in terms of pass rush, as the team memorably cut high-priced D-tackle Christian Wilkins in 2025.
The Colts have now lost Paye and Odeyingbo in consecutive offseasons, and Samson Ebukam and Tyquan Lewis are also UFAs. The Colts have Laiatu Latu in place as Lou Anarumo’s top edge rusher, with DeForest Buckner still anchoring the team’s D-line. But Indy may need another piece after losing a five-year starter.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.