Steve Wilks Joins Appalachian State Staff
Steve Wilks‘ nomadic 2020s will continue with a move back to the college level. Fired in his first year as Jets defensive coordinator, the veteran NFL staffer is heading back to his home state.
The North Carolina native is joining the Appalachian State staff as a special athletics assistant, the school announced. Wilks played at Appalachian State from 1987-91, moving into the coaching ranks not long after that tenure. Wilks, 56, last worked for his alma mater in 2001, when he served as the Mountaineers’ DBs coach. Appalachian State is a Division I-FBS school that currently plays in the Sun Belt Conference.
Wilks has yoyoed between the NFL and college ranks over the past decade and has not been in the same job for two consecutive seasons since his Panthers DC tenure ended after the 2017 campaign. Wilks moved from Charlotte to Arizona in 2018, becoming the Cardinals’ HC, going 3-13; he then served as Browns DC under Freddie Kitchens in 2019. After spending the 2020 season out of football, Wilks was Missouri’s DC in 2021.
The 2022 and ’23 seasons brought increased Wilks relevance, with the veteran staffer returning to the league. He served as the Panthers’ interim HC that season, righting the ship with a 6-6 record after the team started 1-4 under Matt Rhule. The 49ers hired Wilks as DC in 2023 and played even with the Chiefs for five quarters, but after holding up for most of the game, San Francisco’s defense caved to allow a game-tying Kansas City field goal and overtime walk-off touchdown. The 49ers fired Wilks soon after, and he served as an advisor at Charlotte — an AAC school — in 2024.
The Jets’ defense tumbled far from its Robert Saleh-Jeff Ulbrich place under Wilks and Aaron Glenn last year, and the first-year HC dismissed him in December. No team interviewed the four-time NFL DC, whose class-action discrimination lawsuit (along with Brian Flores and Ray Horton) is close to proceeding to open court, this offseason. The book may not be closed for Wilks in the NFL, but he is heading back to the college ranks for the third time this decade.
Packers To Release QB Desmond Ridder
On Monday, the Packers identified their new backup quarterback in the form of Tyrod Taylor. With a deal being worked out on that front, a corresponding move will see an incumbent Green Bay signal-caller let go.
The Packers are releasing Desmond Ridder, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports. As a result, the team is set to move forward with a trio of passers on the books. Jordan Love is still positioned to operate as Green Bay’s starter, while Taylor will serve as the backup. Kyle McCord remains in place as a low-cost QB3.
Ridder has bounced around the league since being drafted by the Falcons in 2022. A four-game run to close out his rookie season set up an extended look atop the depth chart for the following year. Ridder was unable to develop as hoped, though, and he was traded to the Cardinals in 2024. His time in Arizona was short-lived, with his only regular-season game time that year coming as a member of the Raiders.
In 2025, Ridder saw time with the Bengals and Vikings before joining Green Bay late in the year as injury insurance. The 26-year-old was due $1.22MM in salary for the coming campaign, but none of it was guaranteed. As a result, the Packers will save that amount with this release without taking on any dead money charges. The funds saved from cutting Ridder will of course help offset the cost of Taylor’s deal.
With much of free agency and now the draft in the books, many teams around the NFL have sorted out their QB depth charts. That will make it challenging for Ridder to line up his next gig, and he may remain on the open market for an extended period. In any case, he will look to find a new home no later than the start of training camp during the summer.
Ravens Sign QB Skylar Thompson
The Ravens are expected to add a fifth quarterback to their offseason roster. Skylar Thompson is expected to be added among Lamar Jackson‘s backups, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The Ravens have since announced the signing.
Thompson, who spent last season on the Steelers’ practice squad injured list, will join a crowded Ravens QB room. The team re-signed Tyler Huntley — Thompson’s former Dolphins teammate — and added Diego Pavia and Joe Fagnano as UDFAs.
Teams do not regularly carry five QBs, pointing to one potentially being jettisoned before training camp, but Thompson has found another gig nearly 18 months after being given a Steelers reserve/futures contract. Thompson, 28, has made four NFL starts (counting a 2022 wild-card game in Buffalo) and appeared in 10 contests.
Miami drafted Thompson in the 2022 seventh round. While the Kansas State product entered that season as the Dolphins’ third-stringer, injuries to Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater forced him into action. Thompson took over for an injured Bridgewater — after a concussion sidelined Tagovailoa — in October 2022 and then needed to play again late in the season. Thompson, who started the Dolphins’ Week 6 game that season, returned for a Week 18 start after another Bridgewater injury. He then struggled in a 34-31 loss to the No. 2-seeded Bills in the wild-card round.
The Dolphins did not need any Thompson starts in 2023, but he did beat out Mike White for Miami’s QB2 job in 2024. However, the Dolphins brought in Huntley after Thompson struggled in relief of Tagovailoa early that season. Thompson then made his way to Pittsburgh in January 2025, but an injury intervened months later.
Huntley’s QB2 job appears safe; the Ravens gave their multi-stint backup a $3.5MM guarantee. Pavia is set to compete with Fagnano — who played at Maine and UConn — for the third-string position, Eric DeCosta said during a WBAL appearance (h/t ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley). The Ravens held their rookie minicamp over the weekend, and it is worth wondering if Thompson insurance came up after the duo’s early work. It would stand to reason Thompson will be vying for the QB3 gig with Pavia and Fagnano. Pavia received no guaranteed money, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.
Pavia finished as last season’s Heisman runner-up, dazzling at Vanderbilt. He has also become somewhat of a polarizing prospect, standing 5-foot-9 and not exactly come off as a mature presence on social media. The Thompson signing likely shortens Pavia’s leash with the Ravens.
Packers To Sign QB Tyrod Taylor
Since Malik Willis departed in free agency, the backup quarterback spot has been a question mark for the Packers. A veteran QB2 has been identified by the team, though.
Tyrod Taylor has agreed to a deal with Green Bay, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports. He is now in position to handle backup duties behind Jordan Love for 2026. Taylor spent the past four years in New York, splitting that time between the Giants and the Jets.
Willis impressed during his limited starting action in Green Bay, which led to a notable free agent pact with the Dolphins. His departure left the Packers with Desmond Ridder and Kyle McCord in place to compete for the backup gig over the course of the offseason. Those two are still on the roster for now, but Taylor’s arrival will bring considerable experience to the fold for 2026.
A Ravens draftee in 2011, Taylor handled backup duties over the course of his rookie contract. Since then, the former sixth-rounder has put together a journeyman career featuring stints with the Bills, Browns, Chargers and Texans prior to his four-year spell in New York. Taylor was open to remaining with the Jets on a new deal this offseason, but noting materialized on that front. Indeed, ESPN’s Rich Cimini notes it became “increasingly clear” recently there would not be a re-signing in this case.
Taylor totaled five starts in 2023 and another four this past season. In all, the 36-year-old has amassed 62 starts and 100 appearances during the regular season. A full-time starting opportunity has not been available for quite some time now, and that will of course remain true barring a Love injury in 2026. Nevertheless, Taylor should provide the Packers with a higher floor than what Ridder or McCoy would have.
Ridder joined Green Bay’s practice squad late last season with Love and Willis managing injuries. The former Falcon and Raider is owed $1.22MM in 2026, but none of that figure is guaranteed. Similarly, none of McCord’s $885K in scheduled compensation is locked in. The Packers moving on from at least one of the two at some point this offseason will be something to watch for now that Taylor is place.
Green Bay entered Monday with over $20MM in cap space. This Taylor contract will no doubt be a low-cost deal covering the 2026 campaign, so it should not alter the team’s other plans as the spring continues.
Rams Hire Phil Savage As Consultant
The Browns were not the only team to add a former GM before the draft. As Cleveland brought in Tom Telesco and Trent Baalke to help with its two-first-rounder itinerary, Sportsboom.com’s Jason La Canfora notes the Rams added Phil Savage to their personnel department.
Savage, the former Browns GM and Jets interim front office boss, joined the Rams in late March. This hire came after the team traded the No. 29 overall pick to the Chiefs for Trent McDuffie.
[RELATED: Grade Rams’ Ty Simpson Draft Decision]
An Alabama native who spent six-plus years as the executive director of the Senior Bowl, Savage worked under Joe Douglas with the Jets from 2019-24. The team hired the veteran exec as a senior personnel advisor in 2019 and kept him on to steer the ship in the final weeks of 2024, with Douglas fired during that season. Savage, 61, also remained with the team as a consultant in 2025.
Savage working with the Jets’ new regime may have been beneficial for the Rams, with at least one NFL exec connecting the dots (via La Canfora) ahead of the NFC West team surprisingly choosing Ty Simpson 13th overall last month. Savage having knowledge of the Jets’ inner workings certainly did not hurt as the Rams determined who their top competition would be, and the Alabama native’s extensive time in Mobile with the Senior Bowl and with the Crimson Tide as a broadcaster for a while may have helped push the Simpson-L.A. connection past the goal line.
Moreover, an exec informed La Canfora that Savage was high on Simpson during the pre-draft process. The Rams were loosely connected to the one-year Alabama starter, with a report indicating the team liked the quarterback but not at No. 13. The team’s McDuffie trade was viewed as one likely to send Simpson elsewhere — perhaps to Arizona or New York — but the QB revealed post-draft he met in secret with Sean McVay at points. The Rams do not hold “30” visits, making it harder to gauge their interest level in certain prospects.
The Rams viewed the Cardinals as a threat to take Simpson, believing their NFC West rivals held heavy interest. Hence, the team’s decision not to risk losing Simpson by trading down from 13. Les Snead helped Simpson determine if he would enter the draft or stay in school, with a $6.5MM NIL deal from Miami — which wanted him to replace Carson Beck in 2026 — being extended. Snead, who had known Simpson’s father from their SEC playing days, had been in on the QB since the fall.
Savage debuted in the NFL as a Bill Belichick assistant in Cleveland back in 1991, later teaming with Alabama icon Ozzie Newsome in the Ravens’ front office. His various Alabama ties may well have contributed to the Rams determining this was the correct window to acquire their Matthew Stafford heir apparent.
QB Anthony Richardson Reports To Colts Workouts
Anthony Richardson was absent from the beginning of the Colts’ offseason program. After two weeks away from the team, though, things have changed.
Richardson has reported to the Colts for today’s work, ESPN’s Stephen Holder reports. Today’s development comes shortly after Indianapolis made the expected decision of declining the former No. 4 pick’s fifth-year option. As a result of that move, Richardson is a pending 2027 free agent.
It came as little surprise when team and player were apart from each other at the beginning of voluntary workouts. Richardson requested a trade earlier this offseason, and with Daniel Jones atop the depth chart Indianapolis could stand to move on in his case. As general manager Chris Ballard recently confirmed, however, no trade calls were made during last month’s draft. An extended Richardson waiting period could thus be in store.
All work between now and June’s minicamp is voluntary. Richardson will now be in store to participate in team drills as he awaits clarity on his future. The soon-to-be 24-year-old has totaled only 15 starts through three seasons in the NFL, with injuries and inconsistent play when on the field defining his Colts tenure. That will hinder Richardson’s stock in any potential trade, and many teams added to their QB depth charts by selecting a signal-caller on Day 3 of the draft (or earlier, in a few cases).
Ballard has suggested the Colts could keep Richardson in the fold through 2026, and the nature of the Florida product’s trade market will be worth watching as the offseason unfolds. Riley Leonard looms as Indianapolis’ QB2 in the event Richardson winds up being dealt. It remains to be seen when or if that will take place, but suitors could of course emerge if injuries strike during practices around the league.
Richardson is owed $1.15MM in salary for the coming season. He could be viewed as a low-cost option for teams seeking a developmental passer or a one-year rental as a result. Otherwise, on-field preparation for a fourth season in Indianapolis will begin today.
Chiefs Waive QB Jake Haener, Two Others
With rookie minicamps and tryouts taking place, many teams around the league will see roster turnover across the coming days. The Chiefs have made a number of moves.
Kansas City added three players to the roster on Monday, per a team announcement. Three more were waived in corresponding moves. Quarterback Jake Haener, along with defensive tackle Zacch Pickens and undrafted rookie Ethan Hurkett have been let go.
Haener entered the league as a fourth-round pick of the Saints in 2024. He made eight appearances and one start as a rookie but did not see any regular-season action in 2025. In January, Haener was offered a futures deal from New Orleans but joined the Chiefs instead. Kansas City has since traded for Justin Fields, though, adding to the team’s QB depth while Patrick Mahomes continues to recover from ACL and MCL tears.
Pickens was taken in the third round of the 2023 draft by the Bears. He spent two seasons in Chicago but failed to survive roster cuts this past summer. That resulted in a practice squad deal with Kansas City, and Pickens made three appearances for the Chiefs in 2025. Hurkett went undrafted last month, and he was among the 20 players Kansas City signed shortly after the draft concluded.
With the roster spots created by those three departures, the Chiefs have signed receiver Xavier Loyd, defensive back Marlen Sewell and offensive tackle Kahlil Benson. Those rookies will join the others still in place for Kansas City in competing for a role during spring practices.
Eagles Likely To Make S Addition
The safety position has seen plenty of movement so far this offseason in the case of the Eagles. At least one more move could be coming.
Philadelphia lost Reed Blakenship to the Texans in free agency. The team also moved on from Sydney Brown by trading him to the Falcons. While the Eagles have since brought back veteran Marcus Epps and added special teams veteran J.T. Gray, another addition could be coming during the post-draft period of free agency.
“You go into this understanding that you’re going to come out of it with not everything perfect, but [Eagles officials] probably have a different vision of our safety room than maybe it is publicly,” general manager Howie Roseman said (via The Athletic’s Zach Berman) when reflecting on the draft. “But that’ll all sort itself out. We don’t play our first game until September.”
The Eagles have Andrew Mukuba, Michael Carter II and seventh-round rookie Cole Wisniewski in the fold along with Gray and Epps as things stand. PhillyVoice’s Geoff Mosher predicts the team will bring in a starting-caliber player between now and Week 1. With free agent deals no longer counting against the compensatory pick formula, movement over the coming days could pick up as veterans line up deals with new teams.
The list of safeties on the market was recently thinned out by Justin Simmons‘ retirement. Still, a number of experienced producers are available this deep into the offseason. The likes of Donovan Wilson, Ashtyn Davis, Xavier Woods and Taylor Rapp are unsigned at this time. Any of them could be acquired on a low-cost deal covering the 2026 season. The trade market running through roster cutdowns in the summer will provide Roseman and Co. with another opportunity to add in the secondary.
The Eagles currently have nearly $28MM in cap space. Their financial situation will of course change in the expected event A.J. Brown is traded after June 1, but there will still be plenty of available funds during the summer if a safety acquisition is sought out.
Ravens GM Eric DeCosta Discusses Center Need; Team Could Trade For C
MAY 4: Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic confirms it is “possible, if not probable” the Ravens will trade for a center this spring. Baltimore currently has over $27MM in cap space, so finances should not be an issue if a deal is sought out in the near future.
MAY 3: While the Ravens shored up the interior of their offensive line this offseason by adding John Simpson in free agency and selecting Vega Ioane in the first round of the draft, there is a glaring hole at the center position. Tyler Linderbaum, who manned the pivot for Baltimore for the last four years (earning Pro Bowl acclaim in each of the last three), signed a record-setting deal with the Raiders in March, and the Ravens are still seeking an adequate replacement.
As ESPN’s Jamison Hensley details, general manager Eric DeCosta said the two center prospects in the 2026 draft class he believed could make an immediate impact were taken in the second round, which he considered a surprise. Presumably, he is referring to Logan Jones, who went to the Bears with the No. 57 pick, and Jake Slaughter, whom the Chargers selected with the No. 63 choice. With his own second-round pick, DeCosta opted to bolster his pass rush (Zion Young, No. 45 overall), and by the time the Ravens were back on the clock at No. 80, Jones and Slaughter were long gone.
DeCosta acknowledged during an interview on WBAL (via Hensley) that the center position remains in a state of flux, though he indicated he could address that need via trade. Of course, he did not name possible trade targets, though players like Chicago’s Garrett Bradbury or Miami’s Aaron Brewer could speculatively fit the bill.
The Bears just acquired Bradbury via trade this offseason but then drafted Jones. The Dolphins restructured Brewer’s deal in order to absorb the dead money created by the Jaylen Waddle trade and have expressed an interest in extending the snapper, a 2025 second-team All-Pro. Still, the ‘Fins are rebuilding, and after the club’s new regime traded a former cornerstone in Waddle, moving a contract-year player like Brewer who appears poised to cash in thanks in part to Linderbaum’s mega-deal could make sense.
Players like Graham Glasgow, Ethan Pocic, and Ryan Bates are still free agents, and the Ravens will presumably continue to evaluate Corey Bullock, a 2024 UDFA who took extensive reps at center last summer and who is currently penciled in atop the center depth chart. Baltimore also signed Danny Pinter and Jovaughn Gwyn this offseason, but neither of those players presently profiles as a viable starting option for a club with championship aspirations.
Dolphins LB Jordyn Brooks Seeking Raise
Jordyn Brooks has been a highly productive starter during his two years with the Dolphins. The veteran linebacker remains under contract for one more year, and he is among the players Miami is interested in extending.
If Brooks is to work out a new Dolphins agreement, a bump in pay could be in store. Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald writes the 28-year-old is seeking a raise in the event an extension is signed. Brooks is currently set to collect $8.38MM in 2026, the final year of his 2024 free agent pact.
While playing out his rookie contract with the Seahawks, Brooks was a regular presence on defense and filled the statsheet. The former first-rounder was among many in his position to have his fifth-year option declined, however, leading to a departure on the open market. Brooks joined the Dolphins and has served as an every-down player since. He earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2025 after leading the NFL in tackles (183) while adding 3.5 sacks.
Brooks drew trade interest from the Dolphins this offseason, but no swap was worked out. Miami has not been shy with respect to moving on from veterans under new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. A short list of players remain in the team’s plans, though, and Brooks is on it. Sullivan indicated last month extension talks have taken place with Brooks, but nothing is imminent at this time.
22 inside linebackers are currently attached to an average annual value higher than Brooks. That includes 19 earning an average of $10MM or more per year, a figure the Texas Tech product could aim to surpass on his third career contract. Finances are of course tight right now for the Dolphins with the team carrying a dead money figure of $179MM, but any extension would lower his immediate cap charge and accommodating a Brooks raise in 2027 could be feasible.
Miami’s 14-man draft class includes linebackers Jacob Rodriguez and Kyle Louis. Those two are in position to compete for a defensive role, although veteran Tyrel Dodson joins Brooks as a holdover from 2025. It will be interesting to see if the latter has a new deal in place by Week 1 or if he enters 2026 as a pending free agent.