Commanders Sign WR Michael Gallup
4:25pm: Unsurprisingly for a player making an NFL comeback, Gallup will sign with the Commanders on a one-year veteran minimum contract worth up to $1.335MM, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post. With six accrued seasons, his base salary will be $1.17MM, indicating that the deal includes $165k in incentives, though full contract details have not yet been reported.
12:38pm: Add another ex-Cowboy to Dan Quinn‘s Commanders roster. After making a visit to Washington early in free agency, Michael Gallup signed with the Commanders on Thursday.
Gallup visited the Commanders last week and scheduled a Seahawks meeting as well, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Gallup will make his comeback attempt for a team rostering a few former Cowboys. Noah Brown is among them, as the ex-Dallas wideout re-signed with Washington last week.
The Commanders’ receiver room is becoming crowded. Beyond the two former Cowboy cogs, the team traded for Deebo Samuel and re-signed K.J. Osborn. Third-round pick Luke McCaffrey is going into his second season. Gallup could add an interesting piece to the Commanders’ Terry McLaurin support stable, but he had trended downward before a 2024 retirement.
Signing with the Raiders after becoming a Cowboys cap casualty, Gallup did not end up playing in Las Vegas. He instead stepped away from the game before training camp. While this did give Gallup a year to rest up — well after an ACL tear came to define his career — his recent exit may provide an uphill battle regarding a spot on Washington’s 53-man roster. But Gallup has shown a gear Brown and the other batch of tertiary options in Washington have not.
Gallup posted an 1,107-yard season with the Cowboys, moving into four-digit territory (his only such season) in 2019. This came before the Cowboys drafted CeeDee Lamb. Still, Lamb’s arrival did not diminish Gallup’s role too much. Despite Dak Prescott going down early in the 2020 season, Gallup totaled 59 receptions for 843 yards and five touchdowns. These two seasons enticed Dallas to re-sign Gallup on a five-year, $57.25MM deal in 2022. Dallas re-signed Gallup rather than keep Amari Cooper for a third season; that became the wrong decision, as the former third-round pick could not live up to his midlevel WR deal.
A December 2021 ACL tear sidetracked Gallup, who missed eight games that year due to multiple injuries. Although Gallup returned in Week 4 of the 2022 season, he has not flashed the same form since the setback. After catching 39 passes for 424 yards and four TDs in 2022, the 6-foot-1 wideout totaled just 418 yards and two scores in 2023. This prompted the Cowboys to move on, as big-ticket Lamb and Prescott paydays loomed. Gallup will look to recapture some of his pre-injury form, and he is running out of chances.
Samuel will be in position as Washington’s No. 2 receiver next season, leaving McCaffrey, Osborn and the ex-Cowboys to vie for auxiliary roles. Gallup brings success in the past and impressed the Commanders at last week’s visit in order for the NFC runner-up to circle back and greenlight a comeback opportunity.
NFC North Notes: Bears, Lions, Kelly, Pack
Prior to the Bears agreeing to re-sign Travis Homer, they considered a veteran with ties to Ryan Poles and new running backs coach Eric Bieniemy. Chicago considered Kareem Hunt in free agency, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. Poles and Bieniemy were with the Chiefs when they drafted Hunt in the 2017 third round, with the current Bears GM serving as Kansas City’s college scouting director at that point. Hunt won a rushing title as a rookie and was off to a better start in 2018, when a video of him kicking a woman led to his initial Kansas City ouster. The Chiefs circled back to Hunt six years later, after an Isiah Pacheco injury, and have since re-signed him. The Bears still have Homer and Roschon Johnson behind starter D’Andre Swift, who joins Jonah Jackson in reuniting with Ben Johnson.
Here is the latest from the NFC North:
- On the subject of Jackson, he is set to play right guard next season, per the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs. Jackson started four seasons at left guard in Detroit, but he will end up deferring to Joe Thuney, who landed as the All-Pro first team’s left guard in back-to-back seasons. The older of the Bears’ two guard trade pickups is in a contract year, Thuney gave no clues about a potential extension (via ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin). Keeping with the reunion theme, Thuney signed with the Chiefs when Poles was still on Brett Veach‘s staff.
- Losing durable veteran Kevin Zeitler to the Titans, the Lions appear in need at guard. Graham Glasgow remains, but the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett expects the team to add another starter-level option at the position. This could come in free agency or the draft. A few free agency options are available. Brandon Scherff, Dalton Risner, Cody Whitehair, Will Hernandez and Andrus Peat are among the top veteran options. Teven Jenkins is the leader in this clubhouse right now, and it will be interesting to see where the three-year Bears starter lands. Early in free agency, Jenkins had set a high price. Christian Mahogany, a 2024 sixth-round pick, looks to be in position to still compete for the job Zeitler held last season, Birkett adds.
- The Vikings paid a high price for Will Fries but landed ex-Colts center Ryan Kelly on a mid-market deal. Kelly agreed to a two-year, $18MM contract that comes with $9.15MM guaranteed. No part of Kelly’s $7.89MM 2026 base salary is guaranteed, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes, giving Minnesota some flexibility on the soon-to-be 32-year-old center. The Vikings would carry no dead money if they cut Kelly next year. Elsewhere on Minnesota’s cap sheet, DB Tavierre Thomas‘ deal comes in at one year and $2MM, Wilson adds. The former Browns, Texans and Buccaneers defender commanded a $1MM guarantee.
- Marcus Davenport‘s second shot at becoming a regular Lions contributor will include a pay cut. Reported as signing a deal worth up to $4.75MM, Davenport will be tied to $2.5MM in base value, via OverTheCap. Of that total, $1.65MM is guaranteed. The Lions are guaranteeing Davenport’s $1.35MM base salary, per Wilson, which would leave them with a near-$2MM dead money hit if they moved on. Davenport has missed 28 games over the past two seasons. Roy Lopez‘s “up to” report checked in at $4.75MM; the actual value of the Lions DT’s contract (via Wilson): $3.5MM.
- The Lions also brought in former Bills tight end Quintin Morris on a free agency visit this week, FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz notes. Buffalo did not tender Morris as an RFA, passing on a $3.26MM price to retain its primary blocking tight end. The Lions matched a 49ers RFA offer sheet for Brock Wright last year; two years remain on Wright’s deal. Morris, 26, played 214 offensive snaps for the Bills last season.
- Isaiah McDuffie‘s two-year, $8MM Packers pact does not bring any 2026 guarantees, though ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky indicates it carries a $750K roster bonus next year. Guaranteeing the 2024 linebacker starter $2.25MM, the Packers can move on for barely $1MM in dead money after the 2025 season.
Bengals To Meet With OL Lucas Patrick
Managing to carve out starting roles for three teams as a pro, Lucas Patrick is searching for a new team. The 2024 Saints starter may have an opportunity soon, as the Bengals are bringing him in on a visit.
Patrick is heading to Cincinnati tonight for a Friday meeting, FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz tweets. The Bengals have some questions at guard, after cutting three-year starter Alex Cappa, and their big-ticket extensions for Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins will force cost-conscious moves at other positions. Patrick qualifies as an affordable option, one who also recently visited the Seahawks (h/t KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson).
It took Patrick until mid-May last year to find a home; he trekked to New Orleans after a two-season Chicago stay. Vacillating between guard and center as a pro, Patrick has started 64 games. The bulk of those have come over the past five seasons. A former UDFA, Patrick is seeking to play a ninth NFL season. He will turn 32 this summer.
The Saints turned to Patrick as a left guard regular last season, while also using him as an Erik McCoy fill-in at center. The former Green Bay UDFA operated as Chicago’s starting center in 2023, after splitting time at both guard spots in 2022. The Packers used Patrick as their primary Corey Linsley replacement in 2021, but they did not re-sign the interior blocker after that season.
Pro Football Focus placed Patrick as a mid-pack guard last season, ranking him 37th. That placement checked in above where Cappa and primary complement Cordell Volson landed. Volson is going into a contract year. Cincinnati briefly benched Volson late last season, inserting Cody Ford into the lineup in his place. The team re-signed Ford last week, giving the former second-round pick a two-year, $6MM deal. Patrick’s visit, however, shows the team at least wants to bring in competition, as Cappa’s loss creates an opening at right guard.
Patrick played out a two-year, $8MM Bears contract and a one-year, $1.38MM Saints accord. PFF had graded him as a bottom-tier center in 2023. The Bengals return Ted Karras, the only cog left from the team’s 2022 O-line shopping spree, at center but carries guard questions.
Patriots Host WR Stefon Diggs
MARCH 20: Diggs’ visit will include a physical Thursday, SI.com’s Albert Breer adds. The accomplished wideout dined with Patriots staffers Wednesday night and will hear an official pitch during meetings at the team’s facility today. Diggs joins Amari Cooper, Keenan Allen and Tyler Lockett as notable 30-something wideouts still on the market.
MARCH 19: While the Patriots reportedly had grand plans to add at WR this offseason, the team has been relatively quiet when it comes to the position. That could soon change, as the organization is hosting one of the biggest names remaining on the market. According to Chad Graff of The Athletic, the Patriots are hosting free agent wide receiver Stefon Diggs on a visit.
After losing out on the Calvin Ridley sweepstakes last offseason, the Patriots seemed motivated to provide Drake Maye with a notable pass catcher for the 2025 campaign. The team was a known suitor for Tee Higgins before the WR ended up sticking with the Bengals, and despite the Patriots offering Chris Godwin a lucrative contract, the veteran took less money to stick with the Buccaneers.
So, while New England has made headlines with a number of moves on the defensive side of the ball, the team has been relatively quiet on offense, at least when it comes to the skills positions. The team’s most notable signing was Mack Hollins, who was added to a receivers depth chart that still includes the likes of Kayshon Boutte, Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Javon Baker. None of those options have proven themselves as a definitive WR1 (or maybe even a WR2), so it’s not a huge surprise that the Patriots remain in the market for receiver help.
The team’s search has brought them to a familiar face in Diggs. Thanks particularly to his time in Buffalo, Diggs has compiled 779 career receiving yards against the Patriots, his second-highest total against any one team (the Packers lead the list). While the receiver’s numbers tailed off a bit during his final season with the Bills, he still finished the with at least 1,000 yards from scrimmage in each of his four seasons.
Diggs was traded to the Texans last season and only saw a slight drop off despite a deeper depth chart. Through eight games, the 31-year-old hauled in 47 catches for 496 yards and three touchdowns. Of course, his season ended in late October thanks to a torn ACL.
That injury likely clouded his current free agency, as it’s been relatively quiet on the Diggs front. We heard the Texans were interested in retaining their former acquisition, but the team has since added the likes of Christian Kirk and Justin Watson. Otherwise, the Patriots represent the first known suitor for Diggs.
With the wideout looking to rehabilitate his value and the Patriots desperate for receiver help, this could be a natural pairing. While New England would likely have to wait a bit for Diggs to return from his injury, the veteran’s addition would still be a boon for Maye and the Patriots offense.
Dolphins Re-Sign DT Benito Jones
The Dolphins have an offer out to Calais Campbell, who could play an age-39 season, but they are doing work elsewhere on their defensive line. Benito Jones is coming back.
Miami re-signed its starting nose tackle Thursday, according to a team announcement. Jones started 15 games for the Dolphins last season, doing so after coming over from the Lions.
Joining the Dolphins shortly after Christian Wilkins‘ free agency defection last year, Jones won a position battle to start up front alongside Campbell and Zach Sieler. Miami, which cut Jones competitor Teair Tart last summer, had the five-year veteran on a one-year, $1.79MM contract. It stands to reason his latest deal will land in that ballpark.
Not a pass rusher like Campbell and Sieler, Jones manned the nose spot at a low rate after filling a first-string role while on a Lions rookie contract. Detroit used the former UDFA as a 15-game starter during the 2023 season. The Lions moved to upgrade by paying D.J. Reader early in last year’s free agency period, leading Jones out of town. Jones, who did not start a game until the 2023 season, notched a career-high four tackles for loss with the Dolphins in 2024.
Although Sieler is on a three-year, $30.75MM contract, the Dolphins opted to save along their defensive line by passing on going where the Raiders did (four years, $110MM) for Wilkins. Jones, 27, has been part of the team’s solution under Anthony Weaver. The 335-pound DT will soon get to work on reprising a role as a starter.
Chiefs Pursued Charvarius Ward Reunion
Establishing a clear M.O. during the Andy Reid-Steve Spagnuolo years, the Chiefs have preferred to make their key cornerbacks one-contract players. A recent reminder of this strategy emerged last year, when the team traded L’Jarius Sneed.
After a Super Bowl LIX effort that saw the Eagles pick on Sneed replacement Jaylen Watson, the Chiefs showed more interest in making a notable cornerback payment. Kansas City signed Kristian Fulton to a two-year, $20MM deal. The ex-Titans and Chargers defender will be positioned to play opposite Trent McDuffie next season, but his signing came after the Chiefs pursued a reunion with one of the CBs they let walk in the past.
The three-time reigning AFC champions were in the Charvarius Ward market, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer. Ward, whom Kansas City turned from UDFA to upper-echelon starter after acquiring him via trade from the Cowboys, ended up signing with the Colts. Indianapolis deviated from its general blueprint as well, paying both Ward and Camryn Bynum on Day 1 of the legal tampering period. Chris Ballard’s team gave Ward a three-year, $54MM deal; it appears the Chiefs helped push that market to its endpoint.
Acquired straight up in a late-summer trade for guard Parker Ehinger in 2018, Ward became a primary Chiefs starter ahead of their Super Bowl LIV-winning 2019 season. Ward started three full seasons with the Chiefs, who moved on from the likes of Marcus Peters, Steven Nelson and Kendall Fuller during that time period. When it came time to pay Ward in 2022, Kansas City passed and let San Francisco hand out a three-year, $40.5MM deal. The Chiefs were able to get by without Ward, drafting McDuffie and turning to Sneed as an every-down player, but Ward also rewarded the 49ers.
When the Chiefs faced the Niners to wrap the 2023 season, Ward had received second-team All-Pro honors. He operated as a three-year starter in San Francisco, and while coverage metrics did not view the soon-to-be 29-year-old’s form on the level of his 2022 and ’23 campaigns, the boundary defender generated a big market. Receiving $27MM guaranteed at signing, Ward joined Byron Murphy, Carlton Davis and Paulson Adebo in signing an $18MM-per-year deal. Ward, Murphy, Davis and D.J. Reed ($16MM AAV) established a new market for third-contract CBs.
Ward will join Kenny Moore in Indianapolis, while Kansas City must now determine whether to break from its general Reid-years plan and give McDuffie a monster extension. The decorated cover man is now extension-eligible, but once the Chiefs pick up his fifth-year option, the 2022 first-rounder will be under contract through 2026. That will give the team time, though the once-stagnant CB market has risen over the past several months. McDuffie will be quite expensive to extend, and it will be interesting to see if the Chiefs pay their top Reid-era corner the new going rate.
Elsewhere on the Chiefs’ roster, they did bring in two of Ward’s recent 49ers teammates. Kansas City’s contract for ex-Christian McCaffrey backup Elijah Mitchell checks in at one year and $2.5MM in base value ($1.35 guaranteed), NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. This came after Jaylon Moore signed to be the team’s new left tackle.
Coming off a full-season absence, the injury-prone RB still scored a $1.1MM base salary guarantee from the Chiefs, via KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. The Chiefs, however, re-signed Kareem Hunt after agreeing to terms with Mitchell. These two are poised to back up Isiah Pacheco, who is not expected to be considered for an extension until he can show pre-injury form after suffering a broken leg last September.
Titans Moving Toward Cam Ward At No. 1?
Nearly six weeks remain until the draft, but the Titans will be the team that shapes it. While connected to heavy trade-down rumors weeks ago, Tennessee may not be as eager to do so coming out of free agency’s first wave.
The Titans let Mason Rudolph walk and have not added true competition for Will Levis; Brandon Allen profiles more as a pure backup. Rather than competition, a true replacement could be coming in the draft. Momentum about a Titans trade-down move has stalled, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said (during a recent Dan Patrick Show appearance) teams are now expecting them to stay put and draft Cam Ward at No. 1 overall.
Ward’s Titans interviews have gone well thus far, per Fowler, who labels the team “pretty comfortable” with the well-traveled QB prospect. Moving from Incarnate Word to Washington State to Miami, Ward has gained steam during the pre-draft process. He is viewed as having separated from Shedeur Sanders, with the question at QB being who will be the second one chosen.
Before free agency, Ward supporters existed in Tennessee’s building. Considering how poorly Levis’ second season went, it always loomed as a significant risk for the Titans to pass on using a No. 1 pick on a replacement. Ward has not been viewed on the level as Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter as a pure prospect, which also runs the risk of the Titans choosing the wrong year to make their QB investment. While the Titans would miss out on adding a potential impact starter by passing on their choice of those two, another year of Levis does not seem in the cards for the AFC South team.
Talk of Tennessee wanting to transition away from Levis has emerged, The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson adds. After trading up to No. 33 for Levis in 2023, the Titans sat Ryan Tannehill for the Kentucky prospect midseason. Levis showed some early promise, but turnovers plagued him during a sophomore setback. Levis’ 27.8 QBR was nearly 11 points worse than the next-closest regular last season, sinking the benched QB’s value during an offseason that brought more front office change.
The GM that drafted Levis (Ran Carthon) is out after just two years, and although Chad Brinker was onboard as assistant GM when the Titans made that trade-up, the new team president obviously is not as closely tied to the passer. New GM Mike Borgonzi will also run this draft for Tennessee, which is attempting to find stability after a turbulent few years.
While trade-up calls have emerged, the quarterback market not yet crystalizing — thanks largely to Aaron Rodgers‘ delay — figures to stall at least one team. The Giants were linked to Ward early and have been mentioned as targeting the top pick, but Fowler points to that being a less likely move now that the Titans appear closer to staying put and taking the QB at 1.
Daniel Jeremiah’s third NFL.com mock draft for this year pegs Ward to the Titans at 1, while Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest offering does as well. Ward will follow Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix in seeing a transfer ignite his draft stock. He has already met with the Titans at the Combine and on a “30” visit. It will be unlikely if Tennessee’s decision this year will be as anticlimactic as Chicago’s Caleb Williams call in 2024 was, but rumors are circulating early about Ward being Tennessee’s next QB solution.
Mutual Interest Between Browns, Carson Wentz; Joe Flacco Still On Radar
Passing on Carson Wentz nine years ago eventually led the Browns to Baker Mayfield. With Mayfield long gone and the player brought in to replace him — Deshaun Watson — on an albatross contract and potentially out for the season, the Browns are still shopping for a veteran.
Kenny Pickett is on Cleveland’s roster, but the team almost definitely needs another option to sell to its fanbase as a Week 1 starter. Although squarely on the radar to draft a passer at No. 2 overall, the Browns hosted Russell Wilson. Giving Wilson another chance to start remains on the Browns’ radar, as they are part of this Aaron Rodgers domino arrangement. The Browns, however, do not appear to be interested in Rodgers.
[RELATED: Wilson Prepared To Sign Deal Amid Rodgers Wait]
The second domino to fall once Rodgers makes his decision — potentially between retirement, the Steelers or the Giants, should the Vikings indeed pass — Wilson appears the Browns’ preference. But the Giants and Steelers are also hovering for the former Pro Bowler. If Wilson passes on the Browns, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reports Carson Wentz would become a realistic option. Mutual interest “definitely” exists between the former No. 2 overall pick and the Browns.
Wentz, 32, is obviously far removed from the prospect he was coming out of North Dakota State and has slipped well off the pace from his outlier 2017 season — one that likely would have secured him an MVP had he stayed healthy. The 2024 Chiefs backup was last seen taking the snaps in a 38-0 Kansas City loss to a Denver team playing starters most of the way. But Wentz has plenty of starter experience. He could be a bridge option for the Browns, though this setup would seemingly ramp up the pressure for Cleveland to select a quarterback early in the draft.
As of Sunday, the Browns had not necessarily submitted Wilson an offer, Cabot adds (subscription required). It still appears fairly clear Wilson would be Cleveland’s choice over Wentz, who has not been viewed as a starter since the Commanders benched him late in the 2022 season. Wentz made Week 18 starts with the Rams and Chiefs over the past two years, but he has 94 under his belt as a pro. Certainly not a particularly exciting option at this stage of his career, Wentz looms as an option to join Pickett if Wilson opts for New York or Pittsburgh.
Wentz may not be the next choice for the Browns, however, with Cabot indicating during an appearance on 92.3 The Fan’s Baskin & Phelps (audio link) that a Joe Flacco return remains an option. We heard over the weekend Flacco was back in play with the Browns, who did not submit him an offer to stay — as they made a last-ditch attempt to salvage the Watson sunk cost — last year. Even at 40, Flacco is still drawing interest and appears likely to land a chair as teams scramble for stopgaps.
A plan in which Pickett is the only veteran starter option for the Browns does not appear in play, Cabot adds, though she cautious that money is an object. The Browns have $10MM-plus in cap space, but they obviously still would need to carve out almost that much for their draft class. Kirk Cousins had loomed as an option, but the Falcons are holding onto him as a trade asset.
Cousins, who played for Kevin Stefanski in Minnesota, saw $10MM of his 2026 salary become guaranteed Sunday. But that is subject to offset, meaning the Falcons will hope to bill another team in the event of a trade. The Browns are not in a good position to be taking on that kind of money, as Watson’s guarantees run through 2026. An unfathomable dead money number, thanks to a fourth Watson restructure, would come into play if the Browns cut the wildly disappointing QB next year.
The Giants or Steelers could potentially price Wilson out of Cleveland, especially if a bidding war commences should Rodgers retire. Flacco and Wentz would come cheaper. Ditto Jameis Winston, though Cabot views a Winston return as unlikely. Benched as the Browns careened toward the No. 2 overall pick, Winston left his Giants visit without a deal.
Texans, Danielle Hunter Agree To Extension
Danielle Hunter‘s wish has come true. Following reports that the veteran pass rusher was interested in extending his stay in Houston, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that Hunter has inked a one-year extension. The 30-year-old is now under contract through the 2026 season.
The one-year extension is worth $35.6MM and will place Hunter second among the league’s highest-paid defensive ends. Myles Garrett‘s recent record-breaking extension tops that list, with Hunter edging out Maxx Crosby by $100K in the AAV column.
As part of the extension, Hunter will also get a $12.5MM raise for 2025. The edge rusher is now scheduled to make $32MM in 2025, and he’ll be owed $55.1MM over the next two years (with a whopping $54.1MM guaranteed). Hunter inked a two-year, $49MM deal with the team last offseason.
Following his long and productive stint in Minnesota, Hunter picked up where he left off in Houston. He earned a Defensive Player of the Year vote after finishing the season with 12 sacks and a career-high 23 QB hits. This is the third straight year that Hunter has topped 10 sacks; after overcoming injury issues in 2020 and 2021, the long-time Vikings standout collected 26.5 sacks between the 2022 and 2023 campaigns.
Following his strong first season in Houston, Hunter expressed interest in signing an extension with the Texans. The pass rusher was reportedly eyeing a new deal that would push his AAV above $30MM. That would naturally put the veteran towards the top of his position, although he was already ranked in the top-10 with his previous $24.5MM AAV.
The Texans continue to lock in their defensive core. It was just the other day that the team inked Derek Stingley Jr. to a record-breaking extension, and with Will Anderson on the books for years to come, the front office can rest easy knowing they have their defensive nucleus intact for the next few years.
Hunter had already secured a near-fully guaranteed contract last year, turning down more overall money from the Colts to head to Houston. The Texans adding a year to this illustrates the confidence they have in the decorated pass rusher, as Anderson’s extension eligibility now overlaps with part of Hunter’s contract. The Texans could move to extend Anderson in 2026, following their Stingley blueprint; that would now overlap with Hunter’s contract. Ditto C.J. Stroud, who joins Anderson in becoming extension-eligible in 2026.
Texans To Sign T Cam Robinson
A week after trading Laremy Tunsil to the Commanders, the Texans are bringing in a hired gun at left tackle. Cam Robinson is heading to Houston, FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz tweets.
While rumored to be planning to shift Tytus Howard to left tackle, the Texans now appear more likely to keep the versatile lineman at either right tackle or move him back to guard once again. Robinson is signing a one-year deal, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini adds. It is believed the former Jaguars and Vikings LT will sign for at least $12MM. Unspecified escalators could vault the value to $14.5MM, per Russini.
PFR’s No. 5 overall free agent, Robinson may well have commanded solid multiyear offers. But the experienced tackle will bet on raising his value ahead of 2026’s free agency. The Texans will first see how he fares in Tunsil’s place, adding the eight-year starter on a higher-end one-year agreement that will give them exclusive negotiating rights until next March.
Robinson had seen third contracts handed out to Dion Dawkins, Taylor Decker and Garett Bolles last year. Not quite on that level, Robinson still commanded two franchise tags in Jacksonville. Instead of paying Robinson once again, the Jaguars traded him to the Vikings, who needed a Christian Darrisaw replacement. With Darrisaw due back, Minnesota let Robinson walk. He will join a remodeled Houston O-line.
The Texans traded Tunsil and Kenyon Green and cut Shaq Mason. They have added Laken Tomlinson as a guard starter, and it is worth wondering if Howard will now be moving back inside. The team drafted Blake Fisher in last year’s second round. Unless Houston is keen on letting the Notre Dame alum being a swingman in his second season, a configuration in which Howard slides back to guard to accommodate Fisher makes sense. Robinson, however, now becomes the top blocking piece as the Texans attempt to move C.J. Stroud back on track.
A Howard move back inside would pit Juice Scruggs against Jarrett Patterson for one spot — center. The Texans also acquired Ed Ingram as a potential guard starter. If nothing else, Houston is loading up on potential starting options after back-to-back seasons involving heavy injury trouble along their O-line. Tunsil stayed mostly healthy during this stretch, but he is now in Washington after it became clear he was not at the front of the line for another extension.
Robinson, 29, played out a three-year, $52.75MM extension signed while on his second Jags tag. He worked as Trevor Lawrence‘s primary blindside option (and Gardner Minshew‘s before that). The former Alabama-developed second-rounder has started all 101 games he has played. Pro Football Focus slotted Robinson outside the top 50 among tackles last season, and his 88.2% pass block win rate was not especially impressive. This could have led to some hesitancy on the market. At the same time, less proven options like Alaric Jackson, Jaylon Moore and Dan Moore Jr. scored multiyear deals. Robinson is still doing well on a one-year pact, but this free agency did not exactly play out as expected.
PFF placed Robinson between Nos. 40-50 from 2021-23, and a pattern of unavailability emerged in that span. After stabilizing his career following a 2018 ACL tear, Robinson suffered a torn meniscus late in the 2022 season. He was then suspended for a positive PED test in 2023, and another injury — a knee issue — shelved Robinson during the ’23 campaign. He put some durability doubts to rest last season by logging 17 starts with Jacksonville and Minnesota, but “prove it” vibes are still circulating here ahead of an age-30 season.
As the Chiefs and Titans roll the dice on less proven (but younger) Moores, the Patriots looked into Robinson. New England still needs a left tackle, adding only Morgan Moses (to be their RT). Ex-Jags HC Doug Marrone being in place as the Pats’ O-line coach and the team passing is rather telling.
Robinson will be entrusted to replace a Pro Bowler. The eight-year veteran will come much cheaper than Tunsil, who is on a $25MM-per-year contract. The Texans will go cheaper on their O-line this season, despite Stroud still having a year of rookie-deal control left, as Mason is also off the books. Robinson and Tomlinson will be expected to provide veteran stability in 2025.
To create some cap room ahead of this signing, the Texans also restructured Howard’s contract. By moving most of Howard’s 2025 salary into a signing bonus (per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson), Houston created $11.6MM in cap space. Two seasons still remain on Howard’s contract. Three void years are present in the deal, which now includes a 2026 cap hit beyond $27MM.