Colts’ Anthony Richardson Drawing Interest; Packers Could Pursue QB
Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson requested a trade on Feb. 26, but a deal still has not come together almost three weeks later. While a trade is still not imminent, there are clubs interested in the 23-year-old, Stephen Holder of ESPN reports. The Packers are a team to watch, according to Holder.
As expected, Richardson lacks trade value in the wake of a rough three-year stretch to open his career. The 2023 fourth overall pick from Florida has struggled to perform and stay healthy in the NFL.
Injuries and demotions have held the athletically gifted Richardson to just 15 starts in Indianapolis. Richardson has thrown more interceptions (13) than touchdowns (11) en route to a disastrous 67.8 rating. He logged his most action in 2024, an 11-start year in which he recorded a horrid 47.7% completion rate on 264 attempts.
The Colts did not rule out Richardson winning their starting job last year, but he was unable to beat out free agent pickup Daniel Jones. Although Jones tore his Achilles in early December, he impressed enough to secure a two-year, $88MM extension this week. Jones is locked in as the Colts’ starter moving forward, making it unlikely Richardson will ever live up to his draft slot in Indianapolis.
Jones’ Achilles injury could have given Richardson a chance to step in and boost his stock, but he was also on the shelf then. Richardson suffered a season-ending orbital fracture in a freak accident with an exercise band in October. He has since been cleared to resume his football career.
With Jordan Love entrenched under center, the Packers are in better shape at QB than the Colts. That does not bode well for Richardson on paper, but one former backup has already revived his career in Green Bay in recent years. Back in August 2024, the Packers bought low on former Titans third-rounder Malik Willis, whom they acquired for a seventh-round selection. The move was a resounding success for both sides, as Willis emerged as one of the league’s most effective backups during his Packers tenure.
After Willis opened eyes over 11 appearances and three starts in Green Bay, the Dolphins inked him to a three-year, $67.5MM pact in free agency this week. Willis, 26, will earn a guaranteed $45MM in Miami, where he will enter next season as a starter. The 6-foot-4, 244-pound Richardson will hope for a similar fate if he follows Willis as a backup in Green Bay. The Packers’ current QB depth chart includes Love, Desmond Ridder and Kyle McCord.
Titans Restructure Calvin Ridley’s Deal
When the Titans’ offseason began in early January, it looked like a question of when – not if – they would release wide receiver Calvin Ridley. That is no longer the case. After agreeing to restructure his contract, Ridley will remain in Tennessee next season, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
The 31-year-old Ridley was due a $2MM roster bonus by 3 p.m. CT on Saturday, per Pelissero. The sides were able to work something out before the deadline. Ridley will stick around a Tennessee receiving corps that will also include the newly acquired Wan’Dale Robinson, one of several big-ticket free agent pickups for the club. The Titans added the ex-Giants slot target on a four-year, $70MM pact this week.
Ridley, a former Falcon and Jaguar, joined the Titans on a four-year, $92MM agreement with $50MM in guarantees in March 2024. Although Ridley missed all of 2022 as a result of a gambling suspension, he earned his massive contract after a 76-catch, 1,016-yard, eight-touchdown rebound in 2023.
Ridley was productive again in his first season with the Titans. On a team that did not have any other 500-yard receivers, Ridley finished with 1,017 on 64 grabs. He also added four scores. Tennessee likely expected a similar performance from Ridley last season, but he did not provide much help for rookie quarterback Cam Ward. Ridley caught just 17 of 36 targets for 303 yards and no TDs over seven games. His season ended when he broke his fibula in a Week 11 loss to the Texans.
Ridley worked with two different play callers, former head coach Brian Callahan and ex-QBs coach Bo Hardegree, in 2025. The Titans are now led by new head coach Robert Saleh, who hired the established Brian Daboll as his offensive coordinator. Daboll will attempt to guide Ridley to a bounce-back campaign next season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/14/26
Saturday’s lone minor move around the NFL:
Seattle Seahawks
- Re-signed: CB Shemar Jean-Charles
Jean-Charles did not see any playing time in 2025, a season which he spent on Seattle’s practice squad. The 27-year-old will remain a depth option in the secondary through training camp as he attempts to carve out a roster spot with the Super Bowl champions.
Giants To Sign WR Darnell Mooney
7:58pm: Fowler reports the Eagles were also involved in Mooney’s market. Philadelphia already has a pair of established starting wideouts in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, although Brown’s Eagles future remains in doubt. It will be interesting to see which remaining free agent wideouts find themselves as the subject of a pursuit from Philadelphia.
4:48pm: The Giants continue to add free agents for new head coach John Harbaugh. The newest addition will provide another weapon for second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that wide receiver Darnell Mooney will be signing with New York. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Mooney plans to join the Giants on a one-year deal worth up to $10MM. 
New York has been busy retooling the roster under the leadership of Harbaugh. On offense, the team took care of business re-signing pending free agents like starting right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor and depth pieces like offensive guard Evan Neal and wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins. Some bigger pieces have fallen through the cracks as wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, tight end Daniel Bellinger, and backup center Austin Schlottmann have all departed in free agency for Tennessee, but the Giants have done a good job of restocking positions with signees like wide receiver Calvin Austin and tight end Isaiah Likely.
Mooney becomes the newest addition to a retooled offense for Dart that now features (when healthy) Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy, and Devin Singletary at running back, Pat Ricard at fullback, Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, Calvin Austin, and Mooney at wide receiver, and Theo Johnson and Likely at tight end. Dart will have no shortage of new toys to play with in his sophomore campaign under new leadership.
Mooney will head to New York after a two-year stint with the Falcons. Atlanta signed Mooney coming off his rookie contract with the Bears on a three-year, $39MM deal. The signing initially appeared to be a huge success as Mooney finished second to Drake London in all receiving categories with 64 catches for 992 yards and five touchdowns on an offense that finished fifth in the NFL in passing yards. Year 2 told a different story for Mooney as he only recorded half the receptions total of the prior year for only 443 yards and one touchdown while catching balls from Michael Penix Jr. instead of Kirk Cousins for most of the year.
After the disappointing campaign, the Falcons opted to release Mooney in a cost-cutting move that would open up $7.42MM of cap space. In New York, Mooney will likely compete with Slayton and Austin for WR2 honors behind Nabers. All three players had similar outputs last year, but Mooney has shown a higher ceiling in his career and could be the favorite to see more snaps on the field. It will be interesting to see just how much of that $10MM maximum value is incentive-based, considering Mooney’s boom-or-bust history. Regardless, it may be hard to base success on statistics this year as, with so many weapons, the number of mouths to feed may limit individual production.
Seahawks To Sign CB Noah Igbinoghene
Noah Igbinoghene has lined up his next NFL opportunity. The veteran cornerback has agreed to a one-year deal with the Seahawks, Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic reports. 
Seattle managed to re-sign Josh Jobe earlier this week. Riq Woolen departed by landing a deal with the Eagles, however, creating a vacancy in the Super Bowl champions’ secondary. Igbinoghene will be tasked with providing depth at that spot for 2026.
The former first-rounder spent his first three seasons with the Dolphins. Igbinoghene failed to establish himself as a full-time defensive presence during that time, and ahead of roster cuts in 2023 he was traded to the Cowboys. After a Dallas campaign which was limited to just five games, the Auburn product joined the Commanders in free agency.
Following Dan Quinn from Dallas to Washington proved to be a worthwhile decision. Igbinoghene logged 10 of his 17 career starts in 2024. He remained a part-time contributor this past season despite being shopped as a trade chip in August. Coverage statistics proved to be an issue during Igbinoghene’s Commanders tenure, and with the team undergoing numerous defensive changes it comes as little surprise he will not be retained.
Seattle’s elite defense ranked 10th against the pass en route to winning the championship. Strong play in the secondary will be expected as part of the team’s title defense. Igbinoghene may not be counted on to play a major role in that regard with Jobe back in the fold and Devon Witherspoon still attached to his rookie contract. Nevertheless, expectations will certainly be high upon arrival.
The Seahawks had roughly $44MM in cap space prior to today’s news. Igbinoghene will no doubt be playing for close to the league minimum in 2026, so Seattle will still have plenty of financial flexibility during the second week of free agency.
Panthers, S Nick Scott Agree To Deal
Nick Scott will remain in place with the Panthers for a third season. The veteran safety is re-signing with Carolina, per his agents (h/t Joe Person of The Athletic). The team has since announced the deal. 
This will be a one-year deal. Scott can earn up to $3.25MM in 2026, which would be a notable raise compared to his previous Carolina contracts (both of which were also one year in length). His guarantee figure will be worth watching for, but in any case Scott is in position to remain a full-time defensive starter.
After playing out his rookie contract with the Rams, Scott inked a three-year Bengals deal. The former seventh-rounder was released after just one season with Cincinnati, however. That set up his debut Panthers campaign in 2024, which included a regular role on special teams along with a part-time defensive workload. Scott became a staple in the secondary in 2025, handling a career-high 1,035 snaps on defense.
The Penn State product totaled 111 tackles this past season, comfortably the most in his career. Scott added one interception, three pass deflections and one fumble recovery along the way. Coverage proved to be an issue, with three touchdowns and a passer rating of 117 allowed as the nearest defender. Scott and the Panthers will look for stronger play in that regard moving forward. Carolina ranked 15th against the pass in 2025 under defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who will return next year.
Improved play in general will be the expectation for the Panthers on defense given their free agent investments. Big-ticket deals with edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd were worked out shortly after the negotiating window opened. Stronger showings in the front seven could of course help Carolina’s secondary and Scott’s individual performance in 2026. That could boost the 30-year-old’s market next spring.
The Panthers entered Saturday with nearly $25MM in cap space. As a result, plenty of room will remain for other outside additions even with Scott on the books once more.
Colts To Re-Sign TE Mo Alie-Cox
Mo Alie-Cox will remain in place with the Colts in 2026. The veteran tight end agreed to yet another Indianapolis deal on Saturday, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. 
To no surprise, Schultz notes this will be a one-year pact. Alie-Cox has played 128 combined regular and postseason games since entering the NFL in 2018. All of them have come as a member of the Colts. Team and player will continue this long-running relationship through 2026.
Alie-Cox spent much of his Colts tenure on a string of low-cost contracts while establishing himself as a key blocking presence on offense. The former UDFA’s most notable pact was signed in 2022; he inked a three-year, $17.55MM contract at that point. After playing out that deal, a one-year agreement was reached last offseason. The same has now taken place this spring.
On only two occasions in his career has Alie-Cox recorded more that 20 receptions in a season. His snap share checked in at 39% in 2025, so an uptick in offensive production should not be expected moving forward. As 2025 first-rounder Tyler Warren continues to develop, though, Alie-Cox will no doubt remain an important contributor as a run blocker.
Much of the Colts’ offense will remain intact from 2025 thanks to the new contracts worked out with quarterback Daniel Jones and receiver Alec Pierce in recent days. Alie-Cox, 32, will be another familiar face for head coach Shane Steichen and Co. as the team looks to bounce back from its late-season collapse. This latest pact will no doubt be another low-cost deal, so the Colts – who entered Saturday with roughly $42MM in cap space – will still have plenty of financial flexibility as free agency continues.
49ers Signing P Corliss Waitman
It appears the 49ers will not be returning their entire special teams battery. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports that former Steelers punter Corliss Waitman will sign to be the new punter in San Francisco in 2026. 
Thomas Morstead operated as the team’s punter this past season. The 17-year-veteran remains unsigned, and today’s news certainly suggests he will need to look elsewhere for a new opportunity if his NFL career is to continue. Waitman is coming off a pair of campaigns with the Steelers.
An injury one game into the 2024 season left Cameron Johnston unavailable for Pittsburgh. Waitman stepped in for the rest of the year and remained the Steelers’ punter in 2025. During his second straight Pittsburgh campaign, Waitman outperformed Morstead in a number of key categories (h/t ESPN’s Nick Wagoner). The 49ers will hope the younger of the two will serve as an upgrade in 2026.
Johnston agreed to terms with the Steelers earlier this week, leaving Waitman’s future in doubt. The 30-year-old has quickly pivoted, and the 49ers will be his next NFL team. Waitman has seen time in five different organizations to date, but his only game action has come with Pittsburgh (across two separate stints) and Denver (2022). In all, he has made 52 appearances during the regular season.
Long snapper Jon Weeks signed a new San Francisco deal in February, ensuring his Bay Area stint will continue in 2026. The same is also true for kicker Eddy Pineiro, who re-signed with the 49ers one week ago. The presence of those two will give the team plenty of third phase stability. However, Morstead has confirmed he will not be returning next year. It will be Waitman looking to offer an upgrade at the punter position and in doing so earn himself an extended look with the 49ers.
Ely Allen contributed to this post.
Texans Land G Evan Brown
After getting released by the Cardinals two days ago, veteran offensive guard Evan Brown has rebounded quickly. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Brown has landed with the Texans on a one-year, $3.5MM deal. 
In Houston, Brown will continue what has become an impressive career for the undrafted journeyman. After falling out of the 2018 NFL Draft, the SMU product signed with the Giants. He didn’t see the field all year as a rookie stuck sitting on the practice squad, but Brown would make up for it by seeing game time with four NFL teams over the next two years. After stashing him for his first year of his career, New York only brought him up for one game, giving him his NFL debut in Week 10 of the 2019 season. The Dolphins made the move to sign him off the Giants’ taxi squad four weeks later, and Brown appeared in the final three games of the season for his new team.
After getting released by Miami in the offseason, Brown rebounded quickly, signing with the Browns within a week of getting cut. Extremely limited usage led Cleveland to waive him to move him to its practice squad, where he remained for several weeks until the Lions signed him off the taxi squad to play in the final two games of the 2020 season for them. In Detroit the next year, Brown was named the backup center behind starter Frank Ragnow, and when Ragnow suffered a season-ending toe injury, Brown found himself in a starting role for the first time in his career, logging 12 starts in 16 games played. In his second season in Detroit, an injury to right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai allowed Brown another starting opportunity. He started 12 more games that year at right guard.
Those two seasons of filling in as an injury replacement established Brown as a starting-caliber lineman. When he signed in 2023 as a free agent with the Seahawks, Brown won the starting center job and started 16 games for Seattle. Continuing to build on his journeyman status, Brown signed with Arizona in 2024 and won the starting left guard job. After starting all 17 games of a season for the first time in his career, Brown was re-signed to stay in Arizona on a two-year, $11.5MM deal. Following a down 2025 campaign in which he missed six games due to injury, though, Brown was cut by the Cardinals and back on the free agent market.
The Texans are now keeping Brown’s journeyman persona alive as they look for more consistency on the interior offensive line. The Texans had four consistent starters on the offensive line last year and were set to return all of them before trading Tytus Howard to Cleveland. In 2025, though, Houston failed to find a consistent starter at the left guard spot, forcing them to shuffle through multiple lineups throughout the season. Brown could compete to solidify that left guard role on the line as the team signed Braden Smith to, presumably, replace Howard.
Broncos Showed Interest In Travis Etienne, Romeo Doubs
Denver is the only NFL team that has not signed an outside free agent this year, but it did target at least a couple of high-profile names earlier this week. The Broncos were in on newly signed Saints running back Travis Etienne, the former Jaguar told Jeff Nowak of WWL Radio. They also inquired about wide receiver Romeo Doubs before he joined the Patriots, per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette.
After the Jets placed the franchise tag on Breece Hall, Etienne and ex-Seahawk Kenneth Walker entered free agency as the best backs available. The Broncos eyed Hall before the Jets kept him off the market. They pivoted to Etienne as a result, but the Louisiana native took the Saints’ four-year, $52MM deal. Etienne said that it was an easy decision to return to his home state.
It is unclear if the Broncos made Etienne an offer, but his desire to go back to Louisiana suggests the odds were stacked against them. AFC West rival Kansas City also vied for Etienne before it inked Walker to a three-year, $43.05MM pact.
Once Etienne and Walker found new homes, the Broncos addressed the position by re-signing J.K. Dobbins to a two-year, $16MM arrangement and retaining Jaleel McLaughlin on a cheap agreement. Despite missing seven games with a ligament tear in his foot, the oft-injured Dobbins secured a raise over last year’s $5.25MM accord.
Production has never been an issue for Dobbins, who has averaged 5.2 yards on 582 carries during his six-year career. He added 772 yards and four touchdowns on 153 attempts (5.0 YPC) in 10 games last year. The problem is that the former Raven and Charger has missed 57 regular-season games with a laundry list of injuries.
Dobbins was not around past Nov. 6 last year, leaving the No. 1-seeded Broncos to finish the season with rookie second-rounder RJ Harvey as their lead back. Harvey scored an eye-opening 12 touchdowns (seven rushing, five receiving) and caught 47 passes, but he averaged a meager 3.7 yards on 146 carries. He managed just 37 yards on 13 attempts in the Broncos’ 10-7 loss to the Patriots in the AFC title game.
Barring further acquisitions, the Broncos will continue with Dobbins and Harvey as their one-two punch in the backfield next season. They also have all of their main receivers from 2025 – Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant, Marvin Mims and Lil’Jordan Humphrey – under contract. Having averaged around 51 catches, 606 yards and five scores per season over his first four years, Doubs would have been a noteworthy addition to the group. But the Patriots, who had a greater need at receiver after releasing Stefon Diggs, pulled in the ex-Packer on a four-year contract worth up to $80MM.