Vikings To Release DT Jonathan Allen
Faced with a tight 2026 salary cap picture, the Vikings are making some tough roster decisions before the new league year. They are expected to release defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Minnesota will see $6.5MM in savings as a result of the move with $17.3MM in dead money, according to OverTheCap. A post-June 1 designation would increase the savings and push more dead money into 2027, but that money would not be available until that date. The Vikings are currently more than $46MM over the 2026 cap, so they will need to process the move right away to get closer to cap-compliance.
Allen, 31, was released by the Commanders last offseason after eight seasons in Washington. He signed a three-year, $60MM deal with the Vikings shortly thereafter and will now depart having seen $23.5MM of that money for just one year’s work.
Allen still had $8MM in guaranteed 2026 salary on his deal, so he will be available to sign with a new team for the veteran minimum. That will strengthen his market after two straight down years. He logged just 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss in 2024 and 2025 after posting at least 5.5 sacks and 10 TFLs in his previous three seasons, two of which featured Pro Bowl nods. Allen will still be one of the more proven defensive tackles in free agency, and he can be signed right away without affecting the compensatory pick formula, which further adds to his appeal.
The Vikings also released defensive tackle Javon Hargrave this week, but they have several young players ready to step up in the trenches, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. Among them are Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez, and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, though only Redmond and Rodriguez made an impact. 2025 undrafted free agent signing Elijah Williams could also push for more playing time after making the 53-man roster as a rookie, but Minnesota may still look for a more experienced DT to round out the unit.
Giants Were Runners-Up For Trent McDuffie; CB Wants ‘Market-Topping Deal’ From Rams
The Rams were not the only team interested in trading for Trent McDuffie. The Giants were close to agreeing to a deal with the Chiefs, but were not willing to give up “first-round plus” value, per The Kansas City Star’s Sam McDowell.
New York’s exact offer is unknown, but it must have been less than the package sent by Los Angeles. It included the No. 29 selection in April’s draft as well as picks in the third, fifth, and sixth rounds, which comes out to the value of a first-round pick in the early 20s. The Giants would need a different combination of picks to match and were unwilling to do so.
Instead, McDuffie will head to the Rams, who have received permission from the Chiefs to negotiate an extension with the 25-year-old. This is a necessary step to start work on a new contract, as the trade cannot be officially processed until the start of the new league year next week.
McDuffie is seeking a “market-topping deal,” per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer and could very well become the highest-paid cornerback in the league, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. That would put McDuffie in line for a contract worth over $30.1MM per year after Derek Stingley Jr. and Sauce Gardner – also 2022 first-rounders – reset the market last year. The former Washington Husky has not been as dominant in coverage as Stingley and Gardner, but he makes a much bigger impact in run support and as a blitzer. He also brings inside-outside versatility, which can allow the Rams to be more flexible in building their secondary.
Los Angeles, having moved significant draft capital for McDuffie, is clearly willing to meet his asking price. McDuffie is owed $13.6MM in 2026 with the same cap hit, which the Rams can comfortable absorb. An extension would lower that number and give general manager Les Snead more money to address other needs in free agency.
Eagles Rumors: Phillips, Goedert, Brown
A few days after the Eagles’ season ended, pending free agent Jaelan Phillips expressed interest in staying in Philadelphia. No deal has come together roughly a month and a half later, but the Eagles are “hopeful” they will re-sign the outside linebacker before free agency opens March 11, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports.
A former Miami Hurricane, Phillips stayed in the area when the Dolphins drafted him 18th overall in 2021. Phillips did not miss a game during his first two seasons, a 34-game span in which he combined for 15.5 sacks. However, between a torn Achilles in 2023 and a partially torn ACL in ’24, Phillips was on the field for just 12 games over the next two seasons.
The 26-year-old Phillips made an encouraging rebound to health during a 17-game 2025. Phillips was still a Dolphin for their first nine games, but the out-of-contention club sent him to the Eagles for a third-round pick before the Nov. 4 trade deadline. The move reunited Phillips with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who held the same post with the Dolphins in 2023.
The Eagles were unable to defend their Super Bowl title last season, but Phillips was nonetheless an effective acquisition. Although he did not post a gaudy sack total (two), he notched 17 pressures, seven QB hits, four passes defensed and four tackles for loss in eight games. Between the Dolphins and Eagles, he combined for the league’s ninth-most pressures (73) with 53 tackles, 14 QB hits, seven TFL and five sacks. Phillips now finds himself in a similar pending free agent tier to fellow 20-something pass rushers Kwity Paye and Odafe Oweh.
Turning to the offensive side, tight end Dallas Goedert also ranks among the Eagles’ noteworthy pending free agents. General manager Howie Roseman has interest in bringing back the career-long Eagle for a ninth season, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. The two sides will continue to talk leading up to free agency.
Notably, Goedert’s potential exit would subject the Eagles to a $20MM dead money charge stemming from void years. That may provide added motivation to re-sign Goedert, who had one of his most productive pass-catching seasons in 2025.
The Eagles heavily relied on Goedert, who registered a 74.7% offensive snap share and led the team with 11 TD grabs (a franchise record for his position). The 31-year-old also ranked third among Eagles in receptions (60), targets (82) and yards (591) over 15 games.
If the Eagles lose Goedert, longtime Browns tight end David Njoku is a potential replacement. While Njoku enjoyed a successful nine-year run in Cleveland, he will walk in free agency in the wake of Harold Fannin‘s emergence as a rookie last season. Njoku could land in Philadelphia, which is interested in the soon-to-be 30-year-old, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94 WIP.
Meanwhile, Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown remains one of the league’s highest-profile trade candidates. The Eagles have insisted on a first-round pick in any package, which has not changed. Offers continue to come in, though Garafolo says Roseman is continuing to hold out for a Quinnen Williams-like return. The Cowboys acquired the defensive tackle from the Jets for a 2027 first-rounder, a 2026 second-rounder and DT Mazi Smith before last year’s trade deadline.
A report last week indicated that Roseman is likely to make a decision on Brown by the start of the legal tampering period on March 9. Electing to either keep or trade Brown by then would give Roseman a better idea how to proceed with other important offseason business.
Trey Hendrickson Wants To Play For Bucs?
After saying goodbye to the Bengals on Tuesday, four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Trey Hendrickson is expected to encounter a robust market in free agency. If Hendrickson has his way, the Buccaneers will be his next team, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times).
During a recent appearance on the Pardon My Take podcast, Schefter said that the 31-year-old Hendrickson “would love to be in Tampa. He lives in Ponte Verde … Tampa would be a great fit. I think, in a perfect world, Trey would like to stay in Florida. No state income tax. But he’s also open to going to the best possible situation.”
Hendrickson, who attended Florida Atlantic, lives much closer to Jacksonville than Tampa Bay. Even if the Jaguars are interested in Hendrickson, Schefter expressed skepticism about them fitting him under their cap. Hendrickson is not a fit for Florida’s other franchise, the rebuilding Dolphins.
Also a former Saint, Hendrickson has totaled at least 13.5 sacks four times in his nine-year career. He reached 17.5 in back-to-back seasons from 2023-24. His apparent hope to sign with Tampa Bay may be especially fortuitous for a team that will prioritize beefing up its pass rush after tying for 15th in sacks last year.
YaYa Diaby led the Buccaneers with seven sacks, but the addition of Haason Reddick on a $12MM guarantee last March did not yield the desired results. While Reddick has amassed double-digit sacks on four occasions, he put up just 2.5 in 13 games in 2025. Pro Football Focus ranked Reddick’s performance a lackluster 95th among 119 qualifying edge rushers.
The Buccaneers need at least one better edge-rushing complement to Diaby, and Hendrickson would fit the bill. Although a hip injury limited Hendrickson to seven games and four sacks last season, he should not have much trouble reeling in a lucrative contract on the open market.
The Buccaneers only have $11.35MM in cap space at present, though Stroud notes they could open up more room with simple restructures of deals for the Tristan Wirfs–Luke Goedeke tackle tandem and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Doing so could better their chances in a potential Hendrickson pursuit.
Chargers To Release TE Will Dissly, OT Savion Washington
The Chargers are releasing tight end Will Dissly and waiving offensive tackle Savion Washington, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper. The moves will save about $14.5MM in cap space with $1.5MM in dead money from the last proration of Dissly’s signing bonus.
Dissly, 29, signed in Los Angeles in 2024 on a three-year, $14MM deal. He appeared in 15 games (eight starts) in his first season with career-high receiving numbers of 50 catches and 481 yards. But those numbers dropped to career-lows in 2025 as he only played nine games due to injury.
Chargers rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden II exploded onto the scene in Dissly’s absence, putting up 49 receptions for 664 yards. He will enter the 2026 season as the starter, but the Chargers may be looking for a more experienced blocking TE2 who comes at a cheaper price than Dissly. New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel also relied heavily on Julian Hill in Miami; the two could reunite in Los Angeles.
Predicting Dissly’s market in free agency is a challenge. He has a strong history as a blocker, and he is only one year removed from the best pass-catching year of his career. But there are several younger free agents like Cade Otton and Isaiah Likely with more receiving upside, as well as some younger blockers like Charlie Kolar and Jake Tonges who could do more through the air with a greater target share.
Washington, 23, signed a three-year deal with the Chargers last year as an undrafted free agent out of Syracuse. He missed all of the 2025 season due to an undisclosed injury.
Bills Notes: McGovern, Knox, Shaheed
Then coming off his first full season as a starter, former Cowboys guard Connor McGovern joined the Bills on a three-year, $23MM free agent contract in March 2023. McGovern has since played out the deal, mostly at center, and is now a week away from returning to free agency. Although McGovern told Tim Graham of The Athletic he wants to stay in Buffalo, he believes his time with the team is up.
“They haven’t contacted me once,” McGovern said. “In my gut, that says it’s over and done.”
While unheralded at the time, the McGovern signing counts among the shrewdest moves Brandon Beane has made in free agency during his nine years as the Bills’ general manager. McGovern started in all 17 games at left guard in the first year of his contract. After the Bills released Mitch Morse in March 2024, they shifted McGovern to center.
McGovern made a seamless transition to the pivot, where he started in all 32 appearances the past two years. As Graham notes, McGovern’s only absences came when the Bills rested him in meaningless Week 18 games.
McGovern played through hand and triceps injuries last season, but Pro Football Focus still ranked him ninth among 37 qualifying centers. The 28-year-old tied for a more impressive third place among interior linemen in pass block win rate (97%). He finished alongside another pending free agent, the Ravens’ Tyler Linderbaum, in that category. Linderbaum is the No. 1 center set to hit the market. McGovern would be the top potential consolation prize at the position for teams that lose out on Linderbaum.
It’s unclear how the Bills plan to proceed if McGovern exits. They are also facing the loss of starting left guard David Edwards, a pending free agent who may do even better than McGovern on his next contract. Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, Alec Anderson and Tylan Grable are among interior O-line options under contract. Cade Mays, Tyler Biadasz, Ethan Pocic, Lloyd Cushenberry and Sean Rhyan represent some experienced centers Buffalo could look into at less expensive costs than McGovern and Linderbaum in free agency.
As is the case with McGovern, there is uncertainty regarding tight end Dawson Knox‘s future. The seven-year veteran and career-long Bill is still under contract for next season. However, with the Bills around $8.28MM in the red, Beane recently indicated a desire to lower Knox’s untenable $17.87MM cap number (via Sal Capaccio of WGR 550).
“He has a tough number as we go into the season, so we’ve gotta figure that out, as we do,” Beane said. “Dawson and I had dialogue. The day after the season, the day after we lost in Denver, he came up to my office. We talked for a while. I have a good relationship with Chase Callahan, his agent. Done a lot of deals, and so I think it just starts with trust, communication, and honest conversation. And so we’ve had some dialogue.”
If the Bills and Knox do not agree to a reworked contract, releasing the 29-year-old before March 15 would save $10.46MM in space. The Bills would take on $7.4MM in dead money at the same time. A post-June 1 cut would free up $11.3MM in savings for the Bills, who would carry dead cap over two seasons ($6.57MM in ’26, $2.34MM in ’27).
Knox has not revisited his 49-catch, 517-yard, nine-touchdown heights from 2021, but he has remained an important cog in a high-end offense. In his first 17-game season in 2025, the former third-rounder’s 57.7% snap share led a solid tight end group that also saw Dalton Kincaid and blocking maven Jackson Hawes log significant action. Knox caught 36 of 49 targets for 417 yards and four scores.
Whether or not Knox sticks in Buffalo in 2026, the team figures to address its receiving corps this offseason. Buccaneers pending free agent Mike Evans is one rumored possibility. Multiple league executives have also connected Packers wideout Romeo Doubs and Seahawks receiver Rashid Shaheed to the Bills, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
Doubs and Shaheed are not No. 1-caliber options, but they should do well in a thin class of free agent receivers. The speedy Shaheed was on the Bills’ radar before last November’s trade deadline, but the Saints wound up sending him to Seattle for a 2026 fourth- and fifth-rounder. Over 12 games with the Super Bowl champions (including playoffs), Shaheed picked up just 18 catches for 266 yards and no touchdowns. The 27-year-old made a greater impact on special teams, where he combined for three kick and punt return scores.
Chiefs To Release T Jawaan Taylor
MARCH 4: The Chiefs have informed Taylor that they will release him today, per Schefter.
MARCH 2: As expected, Jawaan Taylor will be playing elsewhere in 2026. The veteran tackle will be released unless a trade partner can be found, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
During his three years in Kansas City, Taylor has not lived up to expectations. Signed to a four-year, $80MM free agent pact in 2023, the former Jaguar has operated as a full-time right tackle starter but continually struggled with penalties. Taylor loomed as a logical cut candidate entering this offseason, and a recent report indicated a release was likely in this case. It would certainly come as a surprise if a team were to take on the final year of his contract, so a cut should take place soon.
Taylor was due to collect a base salary of $19.5MM in 2026 while carrying a cap hit of $27.39MM. Instead, the Chiefs will free up $20MM in cap space with a release; doing so will generate a dead money charge of $7.39MM. Jaylon Moore represents an in-house replacement for Taylor in the starting lineup. Meanwhile, this Taylor cut will move Kansas City into cap compliance (although more cost-shedding move could of course be coming).
Entering his age-28 season, Taylor will offer considerable experience to his next team. With 111 appearances and starts in the NFL, he will look to remain a first-team presence when weighing his free agent options. Given the way things played out in Kansas City, however, the former second-round pick will no doubt receive a much less lucrative deal than he did during his first trip to free agency. Still, tackles at his age do not often become available, so it will be interesting to see how his market develops.
Taylor has remained consistent in terms of his PFF evaluations over the course of his career. The Florida product has has finished no better than 49th among qualifying tackles for overall grade in a season, something which took place during his rookie campaign. Significant improvement would come as a surprise at this point, but Taylor could still be viewed as a veteran capable of handling starting right tackle duties by teams in need of additions up front. A short-term agreement could allow him to line up a new gig in relatively short order.
Moore, 28, has only totaled 18 starts so far in his career. The former 49er will collect $15MM in 2026, the final year of his contract. A full-time role in the starting lineup will of course go a long way in establishing his value for next spring. After left tackle Josh Simmons was limited to eight games as a rookie, Kansas City could be in the market for depth at the position this month. In any case, the team’s setup will not include Taylor for 2026.
49ers, Bills, Chargers, Commanders, Giants Could Pursue Mike Evans
Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has established himself as a franchise icon over his 12-year career. The six-time Pro Bowler could continue his career in Tampa Bay next season, but he will at least hear other teams out in free agency.
In 2024, the last time Evans was on the cusp of free agency, the Buccaneers stopped him from reaching the open market with a two-year, $52MM offer. Evans was then coming off one of the best seasons of a potential Hall of Fame career. He caught 79 passes for 1,255 yards and a personal-high 13 touchdowns in his lone 17-game campaign.
Soon to turn 33, Evans is now looking for a new deal on the heels of his worst year. Multiple injuries – including a hamstring strain and a broken clavicle – held Evans to eight games, 30 receptions, 368 yards and three scores. His nine absences prevented him from a 12th straight 1,000-yard season, which would have given him the all-time record. He instead will remain tied with the legendary Jerry Rice for that honor.
Although 2025 fell well short of a typical Evans year, he will have no shortage of interest on the open market. Evans may not do as well on his next deal, but a pact in the range of $20MM per year is realistic, sources told Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. The 49ers, Bills, Chargers, Commanders and Giants are among potential suitors for the 6-foot-5, 231-pounder, per Jones.
The 49ers, Bills and Chargers were all playoff teams last season, which should appeal to Evans. As part of an 8-9 Bucs squad, the one-time Super Bowl winner missed out on postseason play for the first time since 2019 last year.
San Francisco could lose pending free agent Jauan Jennings, who led the team’s wide receivers in catches (55), yards (643) and touchdowns (nine) last season. The 49ers will also finalize a divorce from Brandon Aiyuk sometime soon.
The Josh Allen-led Bills are in dire need of at least one high-end outside complement to reliable slot man Khalil Shakir. The 2024 second-round selection of Keon Coleman has not worked out, and neither have recent free agent signings Josh Palmer and Curtis Samuel. Odds are the Bills will cut Samuel this offseason. They are also facing the possible departure of Brandin Cooks in free agency.
The Chargers have wideouts Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and 2025 second-rounder Tre Harris under contract for next season. Perennially productive 33-year-old Keenan Allen is unsigned, which leaves room for a venerable veteran pass catcher. That could still be Allen, but Evans is at least on the Chargers’ radar.
The Commanders and Giants were miles from the playoffs last year, but both teams at least have prized young quarterbacks. Washington’s Jayden Daniels won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors during a dazzling NFL introduction in 2024. He helped lead the Commanders to 12 wins and an NFC title game in his first season, but they skidded to 5-12 during an injury-ravaged 2025. Daniels missed 10 games, and No. 1 receiver Terry McLaurin sat out seven.
Adding Evans to a healthy Daniels and McLaurin could make for a potent Washington passing attack in 2026. Whether it’s Evans or someone else, the Commanders will add to a receiving corps that could see Deebo Samuel walk away in free agency.
As a rookie last season, Giants signal-caller Jaxson Dart impressed despite losing No. 1 receiver Malik Nabers to a season-ending ACL tear in Week 4. Wan’Dale Robinson stepped up as Dart’s go-to target, but he is now nearing free agency. There is reportedly a good chance the Giants will re-sign Robinson, but he primarily works from the slot. There would still be room for Evans on the outside. That would give Dart and the new head coach-offensive coordinator duo of John Harbaugh–Matt Nagy a formidable receiver trio.
Among wideouts scheduled to hit the open market, the Colts’ Alec Pierce should have the most earning power on a long-term contract. No soon-to-be free agent has a better resume than Evans, though, and that will help him secure another strong payday on a short-term agreement.
Colts WR Alec Pierce To Test Free Agency?
MARCH 4: Pierce sounds ready to hit the open market. As a guest on Up & Adams on Wednesday, Pierce told Kay Adams: “I love Indy… but at this point, I’ve kind of earned the right to explore free agency. See what’s out there.”
MARCH 3: The countdown to the franchise tag deadline continues, and the Colts face a critical decision. Both Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce are pending free agents at the moment, and teams can only use one tag in a given offseason.
Working out an long-term deal with at least one of the two would of course create a more straightforward decision for GM Chris Ballard and Co. Talks with Jones and Pierce have taken place, and deadlines have been known to result in contract agreements around the NFL. That could be the case for Indianapolis.
ESPN’s Stephen Holder reports there has been “positive movement” over the past 24 hours with respect to negotiations with Pierce. An agreement this afternoon “feels possible,” he adds. Of course, nothing has been finalized yet and the Colts need to keep in mind Jones’ situation. A transition tag could be in store in his case, something which would lead to a reduced one-year cost at the quarterback position. That would also, however, leave the door open to Pierce departing in free agency.
While playing out his rookie contract, the wideout established himself as more than a deep threat. Pierce’s overall skillset has drawn strong reviews, and at the age of 26 (as of May), he is in line to serve as a highly productive wideout for years to come. Pierce will not have a hard time lining up suitors in the event he reaches the open market. Indianapolis could prevent such a scenario with a long-term accord or – if the team leaves Jones’ future uncertain – the franchise tag.
A tag in Pierce’s case would cost $27.3MM, the amount George Pickens is due to earn from the Cowboys unless a new deal is worked out. That figure would be fully guaranteed and mark a massive raise compared to Pierce’s earnings on his rookie deal. A multiyear pact would accomplish the same feat while leaving the Colts free to tag Jones. Albert Breer of Sports Illutrated notes the 1,000-yard wideout is understandably seeking clarity on the team’s quarterback situation before committing to a big-ticket contract.
Pierce commanding a $25MM-per-year salary should be considered in play, Breer adds. The 1,000-yard receiver could score a deal, as this market’s top receiver, near $30MM AAV. Only eight receivers are tied to $30MM-per-year prices, and that number will fall to seven if/once the 49ers release Brandon Aiyuk. None of the $30MM-plus-AAV wideouts hit free agency to secure those terms, with extensions leading to those deals in each case.
Jones impressed when healthy in 2025, his debut Colts campaign. The former Giant and Viking suffered an Achilles tear, however, something which complicates his market value. Even so, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports states (video link) Indianapolis’ choice at this point is realistically down to using the franchise or transition tag to ensure stability under center. That approach will be especially viable if Pierce agrees to a new deal, and it will be worth watching closely to see if an agreement can be reached ahead of the 3:00pm tag deadline.
Cowboys Restructure Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Tyler Smith’s Contracts
PFR’s Cowboys Offseason Outlook indicated the team exited last week with the league’s worst cap situation. Dallas came into today more than $56MM over the $301.2MM salary ceiling. They are moving back toward cap compliance with some expected adjustments.
The Cowboys restructured Dak Prescott and Tyler Smith‘s contracts Wednesday, ESPN’s Field Yates and Adam Schefter tweet. These moves will create $47MM in cap space, bringing Dallas within $10MM of the 2026 cap. The team also restructured CeeDee Lamb‘s deal to clear more room, per ESPN.com’s Todd Archer. Other possible conversions are available as well. The Lamb move, expected to clear $19MM more in space, slides the Cowboys under the cap.
Dallas used a $28.29MM franchise tag to keep George Pickens off the free agent market. That sank the team deeper into the red. But Pickens is firmly in the Cowboys’ 2026 plans. As a result, contract updates are coming to make it affordable. Quinnen Williams and Osa Odighizuwa‘s deals are also on that list, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris, and a rumored Kenny Clark extension effort would reduce the 2025 trade pickup’s cap hit.
Prescott, 32, is tied to the NFL’s richest contract — a four-year, $240MM extension agreed to hours before Week 1 of the 2024 season. This move will reduce the 11th-year quarterback’s $50.52MM 2026 cap number while inflating future numbers on the through-2028 contract. Before this restructure, Prescott was already due to count more than $74MM against Dallas’ 2027 cap. Another restructure would be on tap before that point.
The Cowboys backed themselves into a corner with Prescott based on previous restructures. His no-tag clause and the void year-driven penalties that would have come in 2025 absent an extension armed the upper-crust QB with extraordinary leverage. He used it to score the $60MM-per-year extension — which still hovers well above the QB market 18 months later.
Lamb is signed through 2028 on a $34MM-AAV extension. The Cowboys have now restructured his deal twice as well. Lamb was due to count $38.24MM on Dallas’ 2026 cap and more than $41MM next year. While Lamb’s 2027 number will balloon, his 2026 figure will drop to create spending space. Smith, who signed the NFL’s most lucrative guard deal last fall ($24MM AAV), is signed through 2030. His cap number will drop from $27.5MM.