Buccaneers Sign OT Justin Skule
Following a one-year stop in Minnesota, Justin Skule is heading back to Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers announced today that they’ve signed the veteran offensive tackle. Greg Auman of FOX Sports passes along that it’s a one-year deal for Skule.
The 2019 sixth-round pick out of Vanderbilt spent the first chunk of his career in San Francisco. He got occasional looks in the starting lineup, starting 12 of his 31 appearances through his first two NFL seasons. His 2021 campaign was wiped out due to a torn ACL, and he was cut by the 49ers at the end of the 2022 preseason.
He caught on with the Buccaneers and proceeded to spend the next three seasons with the organization. He only got into one game during his first year in Tampa Bay, and he mostly played special teams in 2023. However, he saw a more significant role in 2024, starting five of his 17 appearances while getting into about one third of his team’s offensive snaps.
The Vikings brought him on last offseason, and the veteran proceeded to start a career-high nine games in Minnesota. Pro Football Focus graded him 45th among 84 qualifying offensive tackles, with the site preferring his pass-blocking ability to his run-blocking prowess.
Skule would have come in handy last year in Tampa Bay, as starting OTs Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke both missed time with injuries, forcing Charlie Heck to start six games. Skule will once again serve as a key backup to those two starters, although he’ll face some competition from 2025 UDFA Ben Chukwuma, who started two games as a rookie.
Browns Sign DB Myles Bryant
The Browns have added a veteran piece to their secondary. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston reports that Cleveland has agreed to a deal with defensive back Myles Bryant.
The 2020 undrafted free agent out of Washington spent the first four seasons of his career in New England. His role progressively got bigger during his time with the Patriots, culminating in a 2023 campaign where he started nine of his 17 appearances. He finished that season with 77 tackles, seven passes defended, an interception, and a pair of forced fumbles. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus ranked him 54th among 127 qualifying cornerbacks.
He left for the Texans in 2024 but mostly played special teams during his first season in Houston. He saw a more significant role this past season, starting three of his 11 appearances. He finished the year with 40 stops while getting into 343 defensive snaps.
Bryant has shown an ability to play multiple roles in the secondary. Just this past season, he spent time as a free safety, slot cornerback, wide cornerback, and in the box. That should afford him a role on any team, although he may still have to fight for reps in Cleveland.
The Browns will return their same secondary as 2024, including their cornerbacks (Denzel Ward, Tyson Campbell, Myles Harden) and safeties (Ronnie Hickman, Grant Delpit). The team has also already acquired some depth in safety Daniel Thomas, who was added via free agency. At CB, Bryant will be competing with the likes of Dom Jones, D’Angelo Ross, and Tre Avery for reps, while Thomas and Donovan McMillon represent the acquisition’s main competition at safety.
Chiefs Still Monitoring Trent Williams; Taylor Decker On Radar?
The Chiefs aimed to stop their post-Eric Fisher revolving door at left tackle by drafting Josh Simmons in last year’s first round. Simmons impressed during training camp to win the Week 1 LT gig, but multiple issues intervened for the rookie talent.
Simmons left the Chiefs to address an undisclosed matter midway through the season; that hiatus forced the Chiefs to get by without him for four games. Simmons then suffered a season-ending wrist injury that required surgery, knocking him out for the season on Thanksgiving. While players chosen in Round 1 certainly receive their fair share of chances, the Chiefs continue to be linked to a player who would supplant Simmons as a starter.
Trent Williams remains on Kansas City’s radar, according to Casino.com’s Jason La Canfora, who hears the Chiefs would be “ready to pounce” in a trade should the future Hall of Famer’s latest talks with the 49ers go south. This follows a link that surfaced on Day 1 of free agency, but the 49ers remain intent on working another deal out with their six-year LT.
Williams, 38 in July, has been embroiled in another wave of contract talks for several weeks. Two years after the 49ers reworked Williams’ deal to provide a guarantee influx, the sides are negotiating again ahead of the decorated LT’s contract year. While talks appear to be picking up once again, no resolution looks imminent.
Kansas City finished second for Williams in 2021, seeing San Francisco win out with a six-year deal worth $138.1MM. The Chiefs pivoted to Orlando Brown Jr., and while that required a first-round pick and more in a trade with the Ravens, the mammoth blocker — a converted right tackle — was a plus option with the Chiefs for two seasons. But Brown turned down a Williams-like six-year extension while on the franchise tag in 2022 and signed with the Bengals in 2023. The Chiefs got by with stopgap Donovan Smith in their Super Bowl LVIII-winning season but did not re-sign him in 2024, instead turning to four starters — including converted guard Joe Thuney — in a season in which this position became a flashpoint concern.
Simmons’ rookie contract runs through 2028, and it would be odd if the Chiefs brought in a veteran to essentially replace him. But an anonymous GM informed La Canfora Andy Reid would “prefer a veteran” here. The Chiefs have Jaylon Moore as an option, having given him a two-year deal worth $30MM in 2025, but he could also be needed at right tackle. Kansas City cut three-year starter Jawaan Taylor for cap savings and has not replaced him. Moving parts exist for a Chiefs team that saw would-be 2024 LT answer Kingsley Suamataia successfully kick inside to LG last season.
Williams might not be the only Chiefs option if, in fact, a veteran is to be acquired at left tackle. La Canfora also mentions Taylor Decker as a potential solution, though it does not appear the Chiefs are as high on him as they are Williams. Decker, 33 in August, requested a Lions release after rework talks did not progress. The 10-year Lions LT starter has not been connected to a team yet, but after considering retirement this winter, the Ohio State alum is on track to play an 11th season.
Decker (140 career starts) missed 2025 time with a shoulder injury that ended up hampering him upon return. A healthy version of the Pro Bowl tackle would stand to be an upgrade on Simmons, but it is certainly worth wondering if the Chiefs would go as far as to bench a player they drafted 32nd overall last year.
That would be a notable development for a team that has not used the same LT starter in three straight seasons since Fisher’s eight-year tenure wrapped after the 2020 season. For now, Simmons and Moore are the Chiefs’ starters at tackle. But that could certainly change in the coming weeks and months.
Lions Re-Sign DB Avonte Maddox
Avonte Maddox is signing up for another season in Detroit. The Lions announced Monday they agreed to terms to bring back the veteran defensive back.
The longtime Eagles slot defender played 14 games, starting three, with the Lions last season. This will be Year 9 for Maddox in the NFL. Maddox played out a one-year, $1.42MM deal in 2025; the Lions received a nice return on that low investment.
Used mostly as a slot cornerback in Philly, Maddox played corner and safety during his first Detroit season. The Lions deployed Maddox more often as a safety, and Pro Football Focus viewed his work positively, grading the nine-year vet eighth at the position.
Detroit is loaded at safety, with Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph entrenched as starters, but both battled injuries in 2025. Branch suffered an Achilles tear late in the season; it is not a lock he is ready to return by Week 1. A nagging knee injury sidelined Joseph in October, and although the Lions waited until December to place the recently extended defender on IR, he only played six games last season — as a setback wrapped his slate early. In Maddox, Detroit reacquires some insurance.
Maddox, 30, saw a 37% snap share on defense last season. That came in well south of his top marks as an Eagle, with the NFC East team using the former fourth-round pick as its regular slot CB for many years. But Maddox intercepted a pass, broke up four more and added a forced fumble in his Lions debut. Maddox joins Christian Izien — signed to a one-year, $2MM deal ($1MM guaranteed) — as Lions safety insurance options with considerable cornerback experience.
The Lions gave Maddox a career-high 248 snaps at free safety last season. Although Maddox was given a shot there as a rookie in Philly, he had not eclipsed 21 FS snaps in a season since. Conversely, Detroit only stationed Maddox in the slot on 18 plays. That obviously pales in comparison to his Eagles usage. Maddox was the Eagles’ slot performer when they ventured to Super Bowl LVII, and although his usage decreased by the time the team returned to the top stage two years later, Maddox still came through with a crucial pass breakup on a fourth-down Patrick Mahomes toss.
Maddox and Izien seeing extensive time may not be a great development for the 2026 Lions, as it would mean trouble returning to full strength from Branch and Joseph. But the Lions are covering their bases. Even with Amik Robertson defecting to the Commanders in free agency, the Lions have a few options for the slot as well; ex-Titans slot Roger McCreary also signed with the team.
Bengals To Meet With RB Jeremiyah Love
The Bengals have seen 2023 fifth-round pick Chase Brown become a three-down player, and the sides have begun extension talks. Cincinnati also sits at No. 10 overall this year. That is not seen as optimal placement for grabbing this draft’s top running back.
But Cincinnati is playing host to Jeremiyah Love on a “30” visit, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicating that meeting is taking place today.
It would take a few teams passing on the impact talent for Love to reach Cincinnati, but the Notre Dame product does play a position that many teams devalue. That said, the Giants (No. 5) and Commanders (No. 7) have been closely connected to the dual-threat back. Love also visited the Titans recently. If the Bengals want to pair Love with Joe Burrow, they would likely need to trade up. The Jets met with Love recently as well, though they are being tied more closely to Ohio State hybrid linebacker Arvell Reese at No. 2.
Scoring 40 touchdowns over the past two seasons, Love amassed 1,652 scrimmage yards in 2025 and 1,362 in 2024. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry in both seasons. Love sits second on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, trailing only Fernando Mendoza there.
Love is viewed as the only first-round-caliber RB in this year’s class, giving the teams that do not snag him in the top 10 needs that will need to be addressed on Days 2 and/or 3. Love’s Notre Dame backup last season, Jadarian Price, is viewed as this draft’s second-best back. Beyond the two former Fighting Irish teammates, no RBs reside in Jeremiah’s top 50. ESPN’s most recent mock sends Love to the Giants, while Price goes to the Vikings at No. 49. Illustrating the top-heavy construction of this RB crop, ESPN has no other backs going off the board until No. 96 (Arkansas’ Mike Washington).
One season remains on Brown’s rookie contract. He has outplayed his fifth-round slot, totaling 1,356 and 1,450 scrimmage yards over the past two seasons while scoring 11 TDs in each campaign. The Bengals reacquired Samaje Perine to back him up last year; one season remains on the veteran’s contract. The team also rosters 2025 sixth-rounder Tahj Brooks.
Giants Sign OL Lucas Patrick
Lucas Patrick has lined up his next NFL gig shortly before the draft. The veteran offensive lineman has agreed to a deal with the Giants, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. The move is now official, per a team announcement.
This will be a one-year pact, Wilson adds to no surprise. Adding along the offensive line was named as a goal by Giants general manager Joe Schoen during last week’s league meeting. Patrick will now be in place in time for the start of New York’s offseason program, which will begin tomorrow.
The nine-year veteran has made 113 appearances during the regular season over the course of his career; that includes 65 starts. Patrick spent his first five NFL seasons with Green Bay. He followed that with a two-year run in Chicago and then single campaigns with New Orleans and Cincinnati. The 32-year-old’s lone start in 2025 came at center, a familiar position. Patrick also has extensive experience at both guard spots, however.
The Giants are in position to return four of their five O-line starters from last season. Right guard Greg Van Roten remains unsigned at this point, and Patrick could serve as a replacement. The team has been open to a new deal with Van Roten, who operated as New York’s RG for each of the past two years, but it will be interesting to see if that remains the case with another veteran now in the fold. Finances are tight with respect to any moves the Giants make at this time.
New York entered Monday near the bottom of the league in terms of cap space, and affording the team’s incoming draft class will require further financial commitments. This Patrick contract will not alter the Giants’ situation to a large degree, though, as his past two deals were respectively worth $1.38MM and $2.1MM. A similar low-cost move can be expected this time around.
Unclear If James Pearce Jr. Will Report To Falcons’ Offseason Program
Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr. is the subject of three felony charges. As such, his immediate and long-term futures remain unclear at this point.
Pearce has been charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding police, and resisting an officer with violence to his or her person stemming from an incident which led to an arrest in early February. Pearce has been the subject of numerous domestic violence allegations from ex-girlfriend and WNBA player Rickea Jackson. Jackson filed a petition for a protective order, and it was granted; a permanent injunction hearing is scheduled for April 21.
As detailed by Josh Kendall of The Athletic, a docket sounding is set for April 23. That will mark the final opportunity for a plea agreement to be reached in this case. If that does not take place, Pearce – who also faces a charge of aggravated stalking which was reduced to a misdemeanor – will see his case proceed to trial. One is currently scheduled to begin on May 4.
Well before that point, the Falcons will start their offseason program. As one of the teams with a new head coach in place, Atlanta’s spring work will begin tomorrow. It remains to be seen, per Kendall, if Pearce will report to the team. The 22-year-old recorded 10.5 sacks in 2025 and was a finalist for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, but the allegations he faces have led to uncertainty regarding his situation. To little surprise, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports an absence is expected in this case.
Shortly after Pearce’s arrest, the NFL began reviewing the matter. That is still the case at this point, although a league representative declined to confirm to Kendall if a formal investigation has been opened yet. The NFL’s personal conduct policy carries a baseline suspension of six games for first-time offenses of domestic violence, with the potential for that figure to be raised or lowered based on mitigating or aggravating factors. The league often waits until a criminal proceeding takes its course before handing down any potential discipline; convictions are not required for a fine and/or suspension to be issued.
Atlanta’s other 2025 first-round pick, Jalon Walker, enjoyed a strong rookie season of his own and can be expected to remain a mainstay in the pass rush department for years to come. The same may not be true of Pearce, whose status will be worth monitoring closely over the coming days as well as the course of the offseason.
Bengals Unlikely To Make LB Addition?
The Bengals made a pair of notable draft investments at the linebacker spot during last year’s draft. Both Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter played key defensive roles as rookies, and they will be expected to do so again in 2026.
Cincinnati’s defense struggled during the 2025 season under new DC Al Golden, to say the least. The inconsistent play of both linebackers in particular was a talking point as the unit finished 30th in points allowed and 31st in total defense. Knight was a mainstay throughout the campaign, while Barrett took on a starting role in Week 6 and continued in that capacity the rest of the way.
The Bengals have been quiet on the linebacker front so far in free agency. Special teams contributors Shaka Heyward and Joe Giles-Harris have been retained, but no outside additions have been made. Cincinnati has eight selections in the upcoming draft, so the team could certainly bring in a rookie once again. Head coach Zac Taylor is open to taking that route, although in any event the Knight-Carter tandem is in position to remain intact for 2026.
“I don’t think that’d be harmful at all,” Taylor said (via Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic) when asked about adding another rookie at the LB spot. “I think that those guys are wired the right way. That’s why we added them into the room. That’s why we threw him in the fire so early, because we knew it wasn’t going to break them… I could see the long-term value how this is going to play out for us. And so that’s still the vision we have for those guys.”
Taylor expressed optimism that Knight and Carter – both of whom topped 100 tackles as rookies – will be able to take a step forward during the second year in the NFL, citing their play during the second half of last season. He noted linebacker moves were discussed early in free agency, but other defensive priorities were of course present as well. The team sought multiple edge rush signings and moved quickly in adding defensive tackle Jonathan Allen shortly after his Vikings release. Signings in the secondary, including a deal for safety Kyle Dugger, have since followed.
With over $20MM in cap space, the Bengals could certainly afford a free agent deal at the linebacker position. Most veterans still on the market will no doubt wait until after the draft to sign, though, so it may not be for a few more weeks that Cincinnati’s depth chart sees any movement.
Dolphins Expected To Trade Down In Draft; Team Hosts Zion Young
The Dolphins currently own 11 selections in the upcoming draft. The Jaylen Waddle trade yielded extra capital in 2026, but new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan may make more moves aimed at acquiring future picks.
Miami is expected by many around the league to trade down once or twice during the draft, SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora writes. With the Dolphins in the beginning of a full-blown rebuild, it would certainly come as no surprise if they looked to move down the board with an eye on picking up extra selections late in 2026 or during the middle rounds of next year’s draft. It will be interesting to see how Sullivan operates during his first draft at the helm of a team.
The top of the 2026 draft class is not held in particularly high regard, especially compared to the projected prospects in next year’s draft. That could lead to a tepid market with with respect to teams trading up during the late stages of the first round. As such, Miami could end up staying put at No. 11 as well as No. 30, the high pick acquired from Denver in the Waddle swap. The Dolphins also have one selection in the second round as well as four third-rounders, however, so movement on Day 2 will be something to watch for.
Pre-draft visits continue around the league, and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes the Dolphins recently hosted Zion Young at their facility. The Missouri product is one of several edge rushers projected to come off the board late in the first round or some time in the second. Young set a new career high with 6.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss in 2025, his second season with the Tigers. He faces questions about his athletic upside, but Young’s length and strong play against the run will lead to high expectations upon arrival in the NFL.
With the Dolphins having dealt Jaelan Phillips at the 2025 trade deadline and released Bradley Chubb earlier this offseason, adding in the pass rush department is an obvious goal entering the draft. Young and other EDGE prospects will receive a look over the coming days as Sullivan evaluates his options for later this month.
Jets Favor Arvell Reese At No. 2 Overall?
With the Raiders all but guaranteed to draft Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza first overall, there is more intrigue surrounding the Jets at No. 2. A pair of Ohio State linebackers, Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, as well as Texas Tech edge defender David Bailey are candidates for New York’s top selection. Still two-plus weeks away from having to make a decision on April 23, the Jets are “leaning toward” Reese, Rich Cimini of ESPN reports.
[RELATED: Jets, Cardinals Could Take Similar Approach]
Reese’s versatility may tip the scales in his favor as the Jets transition to a 3-4 base defense that will use multiple fronts. As Cimini notes, Reese played 356 snaps at outside linebacker and 238 as an off-ball LB in 2025. Reese handled all responsibilities with aplomb during a season in which he earned consensus All-America honors and Big Ten Linebacker of the Year. The 6-foot-4, 241-pounder totaled 69 tackles, 10 TFL and 6.5 sacks over 14 games.
Although Reese did not post gaudy numbers in 2024 (43 tackles and a half-sack in 16 games), Jets head coach Aaron Glenn is unconcerned. In that regard, Glenn likens Reese to Texans five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter, who recorded just 4.5 sacks in three years at LSU. Hunter has since racked up 114.5 during a prolific decade in the pros.
“His stats weren’t up there, but he had all the traits and he’s had a coach that can coach him to be where he’s at right now,” Glenn said of Hunter (via Cimini). “So I look at [Reese] the same way. Man, it’s a combination of the traits and this combination of the football character again. Is that player coachable enough to be able to do the things that you want him to do to be successful?”
By now, Glenn and the Jets should have a good idea of whether Reese is “coachable.” Jets brass took extra time to meet with Reese at Ohio State’s pro day in late March. They also dined with Reese in Columbus, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Cimini). If the Jets draft Reese, it would give them another pass rusher to join holdover Will McDonald and free agent pickups Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare. He would also supply another off-ball option to a team that reunited with Demario Davis in free agency and has Jamien Sherwood entering the second season of a three-year, $45MM deal.
Turning to other early draft possibilities for the Jets, it would count as “an upset” if they pass on taking a wide receiver sometime in the first two rounds, Cimini writes. No. 1 receiver Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell will play big roles in 2026, but the Jets have little else at the position. Considering the team owns four of the draft’s top 44 picks, that could change soon.