Ravens To Consider Free Agent WR?
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently named the Chiefs as a team that could be perusing the free agent wide receiver market. In the same SportsCenter segment (h/t Julia Stumbaugh of Bleacher Report), Fowler said the Ravens are another club that may be in the mix for a veteran pass catcher.
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Zay Flowers, whose fifth-year option was recently exercised, will once again represent quarterback Lamar Jackson’s top target among Baltimore’s wide receiver contingent. But current WR2 Rashod Bateman followed up his 45/756/9 showing in 2024 with a pedestrian 19/224/2 line, and he was mentioned as a possible trade candidate earlier this year.
Bateman’s disappointing 2025 was in many ways a byproduct of Jackson’s injury-marred year, so it would be fair to expect him to bounce back if Jackson remains healthy in ‘26. Nonetheless, immediately behind Bateman on the depth chart are former fourth-rounder Devontez Walker – who has just seven catches over his two-year NFL career – and rookies Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt, who were selected in the third and fourth round, respectively, of April’s draft.
As such, an FA addition would come as no surprise, even though there has not been much chatter connecting Baltimore to the players that are still on the market (a list that includes Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs, Deebo Samuel, and Keenan Allen). Baltimore did homework on some of the top receiver prospects in the draft like Omar Cooper Jr. and Denzel Boston, but the club went in a different direction with its first two picks.
The Ravens were linked to a trade for the Eagles’ A.J. Brown back in March, and while the Patriots have long been seen as the frontrunner to acquire Brown, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe suggests Baltimore is one of the teams that could get back into the mix. Volin also names the Ravens as one of the best fits for Diggs, a Maryland native whose market should start to pick up now that he has been acquitted of assault and strangulation charges.
Baltimore’s offense will once again rely heavily on running back Derrick Henry and Jackson’s dual-threat capabilities. But with over $18MM of available cap space, GM Eric DeCosta has the financial flexibility to add to the club’s WR corps if he believes there is not enough experience and upside behind Flowers at the moment.
Cowboys Could See Battle For RB2
After re-signing former second-round running back Javonte Williams following a breakout 2025 campaign, the Cowboys’ 2026 offensive backfield is set to look extremely similar to last year’s group. While the only difference will be the departure of veteran Miles Sanders, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram believes there could be a battle for the RB2 role in Dallas over the offseason.
Based purely on the team’s production last year, Malik Davis should be first in line for opportunities off the bench behind Williams. After Williams’ line of 252 carries for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns, Davis was the next-highest producer with career-best totals in carries (52), rushing yards (250), and rushing touchdowns (two) over 10 games. Jaydon Blue, the fifth-round rookie out of Texas, had the next-best numbers with 38 carries for 129 yards and a touchdown in half the games Davis saw.
Behind them, Sanders toted the rock 20 times for 117 yards and a touchdown, and seventh-round rookie Phil Mafah saw his few touches (five carries, 18 yards, one touchdown) in the team’s regular season finale.
Harris believes there’s a desire for Blue to pick up the mantle of RB2 based on the change of pace and pass-catching element he can provide, something that is lacking in the games of Davis and Mafah. While Mafah had the most collegiate success of the three, combining for 2,080 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns in his final two years at Clemson, Blue had actual experience as a No. 2 in Austin.
In his final season with the Longhorns, despite putting up career highs in carries (134), rushing yards (730), and rushing touchdowns (8), Blue was outpaced by RB1 Tre Wisner in carries (226) and rushing yards (1,064). Not only did Blue score more on the ground than Wisner, but he also showed more electric abilities as a receiver out of the backfield, adding 42 catches for 368 yards and six touchdowns through the air. Experience in exactly that kind of a role could set Blue up well to challenge Davis for the primary backup duties next year.
Harris also believes that the RB2 role will be a much more significant one in 2026 than it was last year. Now that Dallas has Williams secured on a three-year contract, they won’t want the North Carolina-product to work in a bell-cow situation that might shorten the lifetime of his effectiveness. Strategically spelling Williams with an effective RB2 is the dream scenario for the Cowboys offense, and Blue and Mafah could be challenging Davis for that honor over the summer.
Seahawks First-Rounder Jadarian Price To Take Kenneth Walker’s Role
The Seahawks surprised many observers by taking Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price with the No. 32 pick in April’s draft. The move, though, filled a major hole with Kenneth Walker now in Kansas City and Zach Charbonnet recovering from a torn ACL.
Charbonnet is expected to be sidelined well into the regular season, but Price will not have to take over Seattle’s backfield on his own. Instead, according to ESPN’s Brady Henderson, he will replace Walker, who was Seattle’s leading rusher over the last four years but saw a near-even snap split with Charbonnet in 2025. The pair also saw similar workloads; Walker averaged 13 carries and 14.8 touches per game, while Charbonnet averaged 11.5 and 12.8, respectively.
Price is seen as an excellent fit for new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury’s outside zone game, which was a staple at Notre Dame. Seahawks general manager John Schneider has praised his new draft pick’s athleticism and vision, two key traits for such a system.
Price is not yet a do-it-all back, though, so the Seahawks plan to spread Charbonnet’s responsibilities across the backfield. They signed former Packer Emanuel Wilson in free agency, likely to install the 226-pounder in Charbonnet’s power back role. 2024 UDFA George Holani saw increased pass protection responsibilities after Charbonnet went down in the playoffs and could earn a third down role for the 2026 season.
A timeshare is nothing new for Price, who played behind Cardinals No. 3 pick Jeremiyah Love for his entire time in South Bend. He still managed an efficient 6.1 yards per carry over the last two years, though he did not consistently contribute in the passing game. That is one way he can expand his skillset – and therefore his role – in Seattle in the long-term. In the immediate future, he could add some explosiveness to the Seahawks’ return game, though the team is already well-covered in that regard with Rashid Shaheed and Tory Horton already on the roster.
NFC East Front Office Updates: Giants, Commanders, Cowboys
Yesterday, the Giants added a new name to their front office in former Texans co-director of college scouting John Richter. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Richter is heading to New York for “a similar role and title in their personnel department.”
After taking a go at a playing and coaching career, Richter turned to personnel, debuting in the league with the Dolphins in 2011. He followed that up with a role in Arizona for six years before landing with the Texans. He’s worked eight seasons in Houston, working as a national scout and southeast area scout.
Per Ryan Dunleavy of New York Post Sports, although new head coach John Harbaugh has seized a lot of decision-making power in New York, this was a decision led by general manager Joe Schoen. When Richter first started with the Dolphins, Schoen was in Miami as a national scout. It’s unclear if the two overlapping with the Dolphins led to Schoen pushing for Richter to be hired now, but the two will be reunited as the Giants add someone with lots of scouting experience.
Here are a couple other front office updates from around the NFC East:
- Neil Stratton of SucceedInFootball.com reported earlier this month that the Commanders have hired Ryan Kessenich to the position of director of college scouting. This is a return to Washington for Kessenich, who started his scouting career with the franchise in 2005. Mixed in among two separate stints at Northwestern University and a scouting role with the Senior Bowl, Kessenrich’s 20 years of experience have seen him work with the Chiefs, Bears, and 49ers before ultimately landing back in DC.
- Lastly, the Cowboys made an addition to their data/analytics department earlier this month, hiring Sathya Balakumar to the role of football data engineer, per ESPN’s Seth Walder. Before making the transition to the NFL, Balakumar was a software engineer at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.
Raiders’ Mike Washington Jr. To Fill RB2 Role
After spending the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to select Boise State star running back Ashton Jeanty, the Raiders still finished the season with the fewest rushing yards in the league. Some of that can be attributed to offensive line play, and some of that can be attributed to the utter lack of offense around him. This is part of the reason that Las Vegas used another valued draft pick this year to select Arkansas rusher Mike Washington Jr. in the fourth round.
According to Ryan McFadden of ESPN, new head coach Klint Kubiak saw Jeanty’s 266 carries in 2025 — in comparison to Raheem Mostert‘s 22, Zamir White‘s 12, and Dylan Laube‘s seven — and decided that a two-RB system could really benefit the offense by lessening the load on Jeanty’s shoulders. Obviously, the addition of No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza is meant to add some balance to the offense, as well, but as Mendoza either learns on the job or watches veteran Kirk Cousins start until he’s ready, that balance may not be immediately available.
In the meantime, Las Vegas will hope it can rely on Washington to spell Jeanty and provide a change of pace for the offense. Jeanty is a smaller, stouter back, measuring in around 5-foot-8 and 211 pounds. He lacks elite top-end speed but has great burst to get to top speed quickly. Jeanty holds immense strength and, starting so low to the ground, can out-leverage most would-be tacklers to break through arm tackles and weak attempts. He can be elusive along the line with patient footwork and is a reliable blocker and receiver from the backfield.
Washington is a bigger back at just over six feet tall and 225 pounds. He also owns that top-end speed that Jeanty lacks, posting a position-best 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. While that top-end speed is great in the open field, Washington’s limited burst can hurt his short-field production when trying to beat defenders around the edge. Despite being bigger than Jeanty and possessing a similar strength, Washington’s upright running style takes away from his ability to finish runs with violence and break tackles with power. He is a strong pass catcher — mostly in the screen game — but his pass blocking will need development at the next level.
When putting the two side by side, it’s easy to see how they complement each other and how effective they might be if they could fuse their best traits into one body, but it will be up to Kubiak to decipher how best to mix the backs in his 2-RB system. It’s a challenge that Kubiak welcomed, though, and Washington is in prime position to fulfill his coach’s desires in adding another element to the offense that should help Jeanty blossom.
AFC East Staff Updates: Patriots, Clark, Jets
The Patriots brought former Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen onto their staff just over a month ago, placing him in a minor role under new defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr who used to have a minor role on Bowen’s defensive staffs in Tennessee and New York. According to Ryan Dunleavy of New York Post Sports, New England wanted to bring Bowen on last year for a more significant role on their staff, but the Giants reportedly “wouldn’t let him go.”
Serving as a defensive coordinator over the past five seasons, Bowen is obviously overqualified for a defensive analyst position, but unable to find a decent position immediately following his dismissal from New York, he has accepted the minor role with a staff that holds several familiar faces from head coach Mike Vrabel‘s time in Tennessee. Bowen will likely attempt to land a coordinator job in the next offseason.
Elsewhere, in the front office, New England has parted ways with director of scouting projects Marshall Oium, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. After beginning his scouting career in Cleveland, Oium joined the Patriots as a pro scout in 2018, earning a promotion to assistant director of scouting in 2023. The next year, they moved Oium over the analytics side of things, naming him director of football strategy. Following rumors that the organization was looking to improve in analytics and research, Oium was moved to his most recent role. His dismissal ends an eight-year tenure with the team.
Additionally, Neil Stratton of SucceedInFootball.com reports that Robert Haines has joined the Patriots as midwest area scout. Haines arrives in New England following the conclusion of a 22-year tenure with the Panthers last year. His most recent position in Carolina was as a national scout over the past three years. Haines comes in to fill the role of Justin Hickman who left for a role with the Falcons.
Here are a couple other staffing updates from across the AFC East:
- One of few holdovers from Mike McDaniel‘s staff in Miami, Austin Clark has been on the Dolphins‘ defensive staff since 2020. He started that year, under then-head coach Brian Flores, as the team’s outside linebackers coach, overseeing the edge rushing group. From 2021 up until now, though, Clark worked as the team’s defensive line coach. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Clark’s role under new head coach Jeff Hafley — though unchanged in title — will see him take on the coaching of the edge rushers in addition to the defensive line. Following the departures of Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, Clark will have his work cut out for him.
- Lastly, per Wilson, the Jets have parted ways with pro scout Dominic Esposito. Esposito’s NFL debut came with the Jets following a short time working in recruiting at South Alabama. He arrived in New York as a training camp intern in 2019, got hired on full-time as a player personnel assistant, and become a pro scout after three years with the team.
5 Key Stories: 5/10/26 – 5/17/26
The slowest part of the NFL calendar is not far away. Spring practices are upcoming, though, and they will continue to provide a number of interesting updates around the league. In case you missed any of this week’s top stories, here is a quick recap:
- Steelers’ Rodgers Wait Ends: Year 2 of Aaron Rodgers‘ Steelers career will indeed take place. Another lengthy wait came to an end when news broke of a new contract agreement between team and player. Rodgers has lined up another one-year deal with Pittsburgh, and he is in position to participate in the team’s OTAs (which will begin tomorrow). The 42-year-old secured $22MM guaranteed, marking a notable raise from his 2025 contract. The Steelers originally aimed for clarity on the Rodgers front much earlier in the offseason, but even after the draft came and went without a firm commitment the expectation remained that an agreement would be reached. That has now proven to be true, and as Pittsburgh aims to once again break through with a playoff victory it will be Rodgers leading the way on offense.
- Achane Lands Dolphins Extension: Not long after Breece Hall inked an extension, fellow running back De’Von Achane did the same. The Dolphins authorized a four-year, $64MM deal in the latter’s case; the pact contains $32MM guaranteed. Miami has undergone a slew of roster turnover with a new regime in place, but first-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan was consistent in naming Achane as a candidate for a long-term commitment. The 24-year-old continued his ascent in terms of usage and production in 2025, earning a Pro Bowl nod along the way. Achane will be expected to remain a focal point of the Dolphins’ offense as the team’s rebuild goes through its early stages.
- Chargers Add Njoku: The post-draft stage of free agency saw David Njoku line up his next deal. The veteran tight end took a one-year contract with the Chargers shortly after a visit took place. Njoku can earn up to $8MM in 2026, the first season of his career which will be played with a team other than the Browns. Los Angeles saw several departures at the tight end spot earlier this spring, while no rookies were added via the draft. Njoku, 30 in July, will join fellow free agent signing Charlie Kolar as a new arrival on the Bolts’ offense. A healthy showing and one similar in production to his best Cleveland campaigns could set the former Pro Bowler up for a stronger market in 2027.
- Panthers’ Wharton Undergoes Neck Surgery: Multiple injuries hampered Tershawn Wharton during his debut season with the Panthers. The 2025 free agent signing is in position to miss time once more as he recovers from neck surgery. Wharton is now out indefinitely, although he is expected to return at some point in 2026. The Panthers could use the reserve/PUP list in this case to open the campaign while proceeding with a shorthanded defensive tackle group. Wharton inked a three-year, $45.05MM deal last spring, and missing him for an extended period would hinder a Carolina defense aiming to improve after a pair of other big-money additions to the front seven (Jaelan Phillips, Devin Lloyd) were made in March.
- Steelers, Boswell Agree To Extension: The Steelers made waves by agreeing to the new Rodgers deal, of course. The team also took care of another important piece of business by extending kicker Chris Boswell, though. Pittsburgh’s longtime specialist worked out another four-year deal, keeping him on the books through 2030. This latest Boswell pact is worth $7MM per year, a figure which matches Brandon Aubrey for the highest annual compensation among kickers. The position’s market has jumped on more than one occasion in 2026, and Boswell’s track record made him a logical candidate to benefit from it. Instead of entering the coming season as a pending free agent, the 35-year-old has plenty of security over the foreseeable future.
Colts Could Keep Anthony Richardson?
MAY 17: Dodds noted (via Chappell) a meeting to “essentially clear the air” took place between Richardson and the team once it became obvious a trade would not be forthcoming. Richardson’s attention will now turn to his showings in spring practices over the near future while remaining on course for free agency next spring.
MAY 12: Anthony Richardson and the Colts have seemed destined for a split for almost a year. The first writing appeared on the wall when the team signed Daniel Jones to compete for the starting quarterback job; by midseason, it was covered.
Jones won the training camp competition and led Indianapolis to a 7-1 start, seemingly establishing himself as the Colts’ next franchise quarterback. Richardson, meanwhile, had been sidelined by a freak orbital fracture and was even the subject of some trade deadline chatter that another team could see him as a reclamation project. He requested a trade this offseason, and the club worked to oblige him, but “nothing materialized,” assistant general manager Ed Dodds said this week (via Mike Chappell of FOX59).
Richardson still has just 28 starts and 743 passing attempts in his college and pro careers, presenting the concerns about both inexperience and durability. Dodds reiterated that 24-year-old is “good to go,” but uncertainty about his eye injury was a factor in his lack of trade interest, per ESPN’s Stephen Holder. He is also owed $5.4MM in guaranteed compensation this year, and another team may not want to pick up that tab for a developmental project.
The Colts are not considering a release, Holder adds. They would still owe Richardson that money, and especially with Jones recovering from last year’s Achilles tear, it makes little sense for them to move on from their former No. 3 pick without any financial relief or trade compensation.
“He’s back in the fold right now,” head coach Shane Steichen said at Phase 2 of the team’s offseason program (via Chappell).
Wthout significant interest from other teams, Richardson may now be best served by staying in Indianapolis, where he can compete with Riley Leonard for the backup quarterback gig. Until Jones is back on the field, that job comes with first-team reps, though Steichen declined to elucidate any sense of a pecking order.
There are indications that the team is not completely out on Richardson’s talent and ability to contribute to the team. He had his best training camp in 2025, according to Holder, and though his eye injury kept him from returning to in-game action, he impressed as the scout team QB late in the season. In fact, Holder adds, Richardson would have taken over as the Colts’ starter had he been healthy when Jones went down.
Jones has a lengthy injury history of his own, too. Any setback in his current recovery could thrust Richardson back into a starting role this year. Theoretically, the Colts could get out of their contract with Jones next offseason, though that would require a remarkable turnaround from Richardson. More likely, he will be looking to contribute in any way possible this year to boost his stock before hitting free agency in 2027.
Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving Expected To Be Full Training Camp Participant
Foot and shoulder injuries resulted in Bucky Irving making just 10 appearances in 2025. A return to full health in time for the summer is anticipated, though.
Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times) Irving will be a limited participant in upcoming OTAs. Nevertheless, Irving is expected to fully take part in training camp. His recovery from shoulder surgery is progressing well, and a large offensive workload for 2026 is likely.
Tampa Bay’s backfield changed during free agency. Rachaad White expectedly departed on the open market, while Kenneth Gainwell was added. The latter thrived during a one-and-done Steelers stint, and he will be expected to be a regular presence on offense with the Buccaneers. Sean Tucker is once again in place as a short-yardage specialist. As such, a committee approach is being planned by the team.
“Obviously, we’re missing [Irving] right now, but once he gets out there, I think it’s going to be great to see him and Kenny go hand in hand,” new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said. “Shoot, one guy might get this amount the next week. They might end up balanced, feeling the hot hand, and we’ll see where it goes.”
Irving quickly emerged as a focal point during his rookie season, racking up 254 touches in 2024. His usage in the passing game was similar last season, but the former fourth-rounder averaged over 17 carries per contest when on the field (compared to 12 the previous year). It will be interesting to see how much Irving is used during his age-24 campaign. Gainwell comfortably set new career highs in attempts (114) and receptions (73) with Pittsburgh in 2025.
The 27-year-old’s success while handling that workload resulted in a spike with respect to compensation. Gainwell landed a two-year, $14MM deal on the open market after playing for $1.79MM as a Steeler. He will be expected to handle a notable workload on offense, although his skillset overlaps in large part with Irving’s. The division of reps through the summer once all three members of the Irving-Gainwell-Tucker trio are healthy will be worth monitoring.
Texans Sign Round 2 TE Marlin Klein
MAY 17: Klein’s deal contains full guarantees for the first three years, per Wilson. Roughly $60K is guaranteed for the final season of the pact. In all, Klein secured 76.96% in guarantees; that represents a significant increase compared to the 67.17% from the No. 59 slot in 2025.
MAY 14: A run on tight ends occurred in the second round. Despite extending Dalton Schultz earlier this offseason, Texans participated by drafting Michigan’s Marlin Klein.
The Texans, who made two second-round choices in this draft, chose Klein 59th. They now have him signed to a four-year rookie deal, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes. The deal is worth $8.18MM and will undoubtedly carry more guarantees at signing than the No. 59 pick in the 2025 draft received.
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Four tight ends went off the board between Nos. 54 and 61. The Eagles began that stretch with Eli Stowers, while the Jaguars viewed this draft range as likely to produce a few TE picks; that led them to draft Nate Boerkircher much earlier than most expected him to go. The Texans chose Klein soon after, and the Rams added Max Klare at No. 61. Like each of the second-round TEs in this draft, Klein will go to a team with an established starter.
Stowers joins an Eagles team that re-signed Dallas Goedert, while the Jaguars have Brenton Strange lined up as an extension candidate. The Rams re-signed Tyler Higbee and used a second-round pick last year on Terrance Ferguson, and the Texans have Schultz signed through 2027 via a one-year, $12.6MM extension.
The Texans, whom Wilson notes used “30” visits on Klare and Georgia TE Oscar Delp (a third-round Saints pick), had discussions about trading down from No. 59. While sixth-year GM Nick Caserio confirmed discussions took place about moving down, the Texans added Klein after considering a move back into Round 1 for Kayden McDonald. The team ultimately did not need to make that move, though it did climb two spots (via the Raiders) to grab the Ohio State defensive lineman at No. 36.
A Germany native who played high school football in Georgia, Klein clocked a 4.61-second 40-yard dash time at the Combine. The 6-foot-6 pass catcher was certainly not a prolific receiving option with the Wolverines, totaling 38 catches for 364 yards and one touchdown in four Ann Arbor seasons. He played behind 2025 first-rounder Colston Loveland while also waiting his turn behind future NFLers AJ Barner and Luke Schoonmaker at Michigan.
ESPN’s Scouts Inc. viewed Houston’s decision as a slightly bigger reach than Jacksonville’s, ranking Klein 176th among this year’s prospects. Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board was more bullish, slotting Klein 84th. Klein’s blocking ability drew plus reviews heading into the draft, however, and the Texans should have room for him to develop while Schultz continues to operate as the team’s top receiving TE. Free agency addition Foster Moreau also stands to help Houston have Klein in place as a developmental option in 2026.