Jets Re-Signing RB/KR Kene Nwangwu
It wasn’t long ago that running back Kene Nwangwu was named a second-team All-Pro. Although the 27-year-old only saw two games of action last year with the Jets, New York has made the decision to re-sign the dynamic return man for a second season with the team, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. 
Nwangwu has been a return specialist since getting drafted by the Vikings in the fourth round out of Iowa State in 2021. In his three years with the team, Nwangwu only registered 27 carries for 88 rushing yards and six receptions for 30 receiving yards without registering an offensive touchdown.
Now, that doesn’t mean he’s been held out of the end zone. In those three years in Minnesota, Nwangwu was an immediate threat in the return game. Despite not appearing in the first six games of his rookie season, he racked up 579 yards on only 18 kick returns, including two in which he returned the kick for a touchdown. His 32.2 yards per return would’ve have ranked as the highest in the league that season if he had registered enough returns to qualify for the stat.
The following year, saw a bit of a dip in production for Nwangwu, as his average return yardage dropped to 26.3, but he registered a league-high 35 returns and logged another return touchdown. In 2023, he began the year on injured reserve and averaged a career-low 25.3 yards per return while being held out of the end zone for the first time in his career. Nwangwu was waived in final roster cuts before this past season and was claimed by the Saints the following day. Unfortunately, the day after that, he was waived again with a failed physical designation.
He would sign to the Jets’ practice squad about two weeks later, though not debuting for the team until December. In his first game as a practice squad callup, Nwangwu returned his first kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. He was promoted to the active roster the next day but only played in the next game without recording a stat. He was placed on IR shortly after with a broken hand.
In New York, the Jets return both their leading returners from last year, wide receiver Xavier Gipson and running back Isaiah Davis. Gipson is the team’s exclusive punt returner, with no other player longing a punt return last season, and he led the team with 17 kick returns for 489 yards (28.8 yards per return). Davis logged nine returns for 232 yards (25.8). In Nwangwu’s one game of action, even if you took out his 99-yard return touchdown, he would’ve averaged 29.0 yards per return.
It’s tough to see how exactly the room will play out in 2025. With Davante Adams, and potentially Allen Lazard, departing in free agency, Gipson could end up being more of a factor in the receiving game. Despite only logging 39 yards last year as a receiver, Gipson would be the third-leading returning wide receiver behind Garrett Wilson and Lazard. Davis’ RB3 role won’t likely change much behind Breece Hall and Braelon Allen.
If Nwangwu is healthy, though, he is clearly more effective as a kick returner and could easily be an improvement over Davis, should New York put two men back, consistently. After injury limited the dynamic returner in the past two seasons, Nwangwu will get a chance to prove his worth with the Jets once again.
Chiefs To Sign QB Bailey Zappe
The Chiefs are signing quarterback Bailey Zappe to a one-year deal, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Adding Zappe is Kansas City’s second move at quarterback this week; they also signed Gardner Minshew to a one-year deal. That likely means that Carson Wentz will be looking for a new gig in 2025 after backing up Patrick Mahomes in 2024.
Zappe’s signing is technically a reunion, as he spent the first few months of the season on the Chiefs’ practice squad. He didn’t appear in any games in red and gold before he was signed by the Browns after Deshaun Watson‘s season-ending Achilles injury.
Zappe became the QB3 in Cleveland behind Jameis Winston and Dorian Thompson-Robinson. He only appeared one game: a rough Week 18 start against the Ravens. That loss secured the No. 2 overall pick for the Browns in April’s draft.
Zappe will likely take up a similar role in Kansas City behind Mahomes and Minshew. Though he holds the distinction of being Bill Belichick‘s last quarterback in the NFL, it seems Zappe’s starting days are behind him. Joining the Chiefs will give him a shot at a Super Bowl, though, and potentially help him develop and earn a QB2 job in the future.
Cowboys Never Made An Offer To DeMarcus Lawrence?
The Cowboys did not offer a contract to retain defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence before he signed with the Seahawks, per WFAA’s Ed Werder.
Lawrence signed a three-year, $32.5MM contract with Seattle that includes $18MM guaranteed and a maximum value of $42MM. In one of his first interviews after signing his new deal, he took a clear shot at his former team by saying he would never win a Super Bowl in Dallas.
Lawrence’s comments, according to Werder, “were directed at Jerry and Stephen [Jones] as they declined to offer him a contract and he was forced to find another team to finish his career and achieve his goals.”
Micah Parsons responded to Lawrence on X, saying he was driven by “rejection and envy.” Lawrence responded, doubling down on his claim and exposing simmering tensions between the former teammates. According to Werder, the two “disagreed on personality or approach” while together in Dallas.
Lawrence was already a two-time Pro Bowler by the time Parsons was drafted by the Cowboys in 2021. Lawrence played in only seven games that year, but he earned back-to-back Pro Bowl nods with Parsons in 2022 and 2023. A foot injury ended Lawrence’s 2024 season after just four games, and the Cowboys opted to get cheaper and younger at the position.
In the past week, Dallas signed Payton Turner and Dante Fowler for less money combined than Lawrence received from the Seahawks. They will join Parsons, Marshawn Kneeland, and Sam Williams in a deep, talented edge rusher room.
Patriots To Sign OL Wes Schweitzer
The Patriots are signing veteran offensive linemen Wes Schweitzer, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The eight-year veteran has 62 starts in his career, but just 13 have come in the last four years due to a number of injuries. He will add offensive line depth in New England and could even compete for a starting job at guard or center.
The 31-year-old Schweitzer was originally a sixth-round pick by the Falcons in 2016. He did not appear in a single game as a rookie, but started the entire 2017 season at right guard. He lost that job during the following season’s training camp, but ended up starting 13 games at left guard after a season-ending injury to Andy Levitre.
Schweitzer appeared in 15 games in 2019 and once again ended the season as Atlanta’s starting left guard. With his rookie contract expired, he signed a three-year, $13.5MM deal with the Commanders. He started 13 games in 2020 – 10 at left guard and three at right guard – but his injury woes began in 2021. Schweizer appeared in 11 games with five starts, but went down for the year in Week 12. He struggled with injuries across the next three seasons, appearing in 17 games with eight starts and stints on injured reserve in each year.
In 2024, Schweitzer appeared in four games with 19 total snaps and just one on offense as a sixth offensive linemen. When healthy, he has proven to be a starting-caliber interior lineman, but he will need to avoid injury to earn playing time in New England.
Falcons To Sign DL Morgan Fox
The Falcons are signing defensive lineman Morgan Fox on a two-year deal worth up to $8.5MM, per FOX Sports’ Peter Schrager and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pellisero, and Mike Garafolo.
Fox has been spent the last three years with the Chargers, appearing in all 51 games (19 starts) with 80 total tackles, 15.5 sacks, and 17 tackles for loss. He lined up at multiple spots along the defensive line in Los Angeles as part of a stingy defense that allowed the fewest points in the league in 2024.
The 30-year-old began his career with the Rams in 2016, failing to make the initial 53-man roster but appearing in four games as a rookie. He carved out a rotational role in 2017, but tore his ACL during OTAs in the offseason and missed the 2018 season.
Since then, though, Fox has been impressively durable with 100 consecutive regular-season starts. He remained with the Rams for two seasons after his ACL rehab and recorded 6.0 sacks in 2020, earning him a two-year, $8.1MM contract with the Panthers. Fox couldn’t maintain his production in Carolina and was released after a disappointing 2021 that featured 1.5 sacks and two tackles for loss.
Fox then found a new home with the Chargers as a consistent, versatile defensive linemen who could line up along the interior or off the edge. He will now add a veteran presence to a Falcons defensive line that released Grady Jarrett on Monday.
Bills Signees Larry Ogunjobi, Michael Hoecht Facing PED Suspensions
Active in the pass rusher market this week, the Bills will need some early-season help. It will be a while before their full pass-rushing squad can operate together.
Both Larry Ogunjobi and Michael Hoecht are facing suspensions under the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy. Brandon Beane confirmed this Friday, indicating the Bills knew about Hoecht’s suspension (via BuffaloBills.com’s Maddy Glab) but were not aware of Ogunjobi’s when they signed him.
Ogunjobi is coming off a Steelers release, having signed with the Bills on a one-year, $8.3MM deal. The AFC North veteran would not have been able to command that for an 11-game season, naturally, and it will be interesting to see how the contract is structured. Ogunjobi and Hoecht will lose six game checks from their suspensions. How his base salary is structured will determine how much he loses. While we do not have the Ogunjobi details yet, Hoecht signed a three-year, $21MM deal that includes a $3MM 2025 base salary.
This is not the first time Ogunjobi agreed to a contract before a snag surfaced. The Bears had a three-year, $40.5MM deal agreed to with the free agent defensive tackle in 2022, but the team pulled it back due to an issue that cropped up on a physical. Ogunjobi had recently sustained a foot injury. That led him to Pittsburgh on a one-year agreement after Chicago pulled out of the deal.
Informing the Bills before their negotiations, Hoecht said (via ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg) he found out about his ban three weeks into the offseason. Hoecht played out his rookie contract with the Rams. While players almost never confirm they knowingly took banned substances, Hoecht said (via Getzenberg) he trusted a trainer he should not have and wanted to inform teams ahead of his free agency. Ogunjobi’s timeline is less clear.
These two checked in as B-team acquisitions to the Joey Bosa headliner. While Beane said the team will have a plan to help the decorated acquisition have a better chance of staying healthy, he may need to play more earlier. Though, the Bills were not believed to have closed the door on re-signing Von Miller at a reduced rate. As of now, Buffalo has Bosa, Gregory Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa anchoring their edge rush. Inside, Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones are in place as starters.
With Ogunjobi to miss time, the Bills may need to do more work to fortify their DT group. Third-round pick DeWayne Carter, however, is also a rotational option the team may need to lean on more while the ex-Browns, Bengals and Steelers DT sits.
Buccaneers Re-Sign WR Sterling Shepard
As Jason Licht‘s staff has checked in again with a few notable re-signings this offseason, the veteran GM is getting into the news-breaking act regarding his latest. Sterling Shepard will stay in Tampa for another season, Licht announced.
Shepard rejoined former Oklahoma teammate Baker Mayfield last year, and the former injury-prone Giant played a supporting role during a season in which Chris Godwin and Mike Evans missed time. With Godwin coming back, Shepard will join him. It is a one-year deal that guarantees Shepard $500K and can max out at $2.25MM, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets.
The Bucs signed Shepard after the draft last year, bringing him in after Mayfield had reached out about the receiver’s interest in playing another season. Shepard enjoyed a bigger role than he had in his Giants finale, catching 32 passes for 354 yards and a touchdown. Coming off a 2022 Achilles tear, Shepard only caught 10 passes for 57 yards with the Giants after having re-signed with the team that drafted him. Shepard, 32, also has an ACL tear on his medical sheet.
Tampa Bay brought back Godwin on a three-year, $66MM deal. Godwin had said he turned down several million — ESPN indicated that number may have been as high as $30MM in total (via the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud). While it is not known if Godwin turned down a four-year offer for more nonguaranteed money — as it would be a bit difficult to imagine he passed on anything close to $30MM in additional guarantees — the Bucs have continually proven they can retain talent. Godwin and Shepard join stalwart linebacker Lavonte David, guard starter Ben Bredeson and rotational outside linebacker Anthony Nelson in re-signing this offseason.
Shepard has fallen off the pace he had been on during his early Giants years. Totaling at least 575 receiving yards each season from 2016-20, the former Odell Beckham Jr. New York sidekick has not eclipsed 375 in a season since. But the injury-prone slot target did help the Bucs while Godwin was on the shelf last year. He will attempt to do so again, most likely settling in as a No. 4 receiver for a team that saw promise from third-round rookie Jalen McMillan down the stretch last year. McMillan’s time as a top-two option is on hold, but the Bucs — who also roster former sixth-rounder Trey Palmer — have depth secured in Shepard.
Seahawks Talking Deal With Cooper Kupp; Cowboys Cooling On WR?
2:35pm: The prospect of Kupp coming back home to Washington remains firmly in play. The veteran receiver has been in contact with members of the Seahawks organization, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler and Brady Henderson, who add the team is attempting to sell with receiver on its 2025 plans. As Seattle separated from a six-year WR tandem, Kupp is a clear option to join Jaxon Smith-Njigba next season.
12:51pm: Confirming the Seahawks, Saints and Broncos‘ interest, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe indicates the Cowboys are viewed as a long shot. Not big in recent years of signing pricey outside free agents, Dallas may need to go well past the $10MM-AAV place to sign Kupp. Previously mentioned at $12MM per year, Kupp’s market may surpass even that range.
Despite Kupp’s spate of injuries, his per-year asking price has hovered as high as $15MM, Howe adds. Though, Howe indicates Kupp would probably drop his price for one of his preferred destinations (and expand his list if another team comes up to the $15MM-AAV neighborhood). That will not be an easy sell for a player who has missed 18 games over the past three years, but it is clear Kupp has generated a nice market early in his first free agency tour.
8:41am: One of the top remaining storylines in free agency is the looming Cooper Kupp decision. The now-former Ram is expected to sign with a new team soon, and further details about his potential destination have emerged. 
The Seahawks have already been mentioned as a Kupp suitor, which comes as no surprise. Seattle cut Tyler Lockett shortly before trading away D.K. Metcalf, creating the need for at least one veteran addition. Kupp is a Yakima, Washington, native, so a Seahawks agreement would represent a homecoming and allow him to remain on the West Coast after eight years in Los Angeles.
Confirming Seattle is “very interested” in Kupp, a report from Dianna Russini, Jourdan Rodrigue, Jon Machota, Saad Yousef and Mark Puleo of The Athletic adds the Cowboys fit that same description (subscription required). Dallas is in the market for a new No. 2 receiver with Brandin Cooks currently without a deal. The veteran has expressed a willingness to re-sign, although he also feels he was not utilized properly during his two-year tenure with the team.
While a departure on that front would leave a notable vacancy on the depth chart behind CeeDee Lamb, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Cowboys’ “push” to land Kupp has not elevated the team to the status of favorites. Taking things further, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News adds the team is “not in the mix” for Kupp at this point. The Cowboys re-signed returner Kavonte Turpin – who has taken on a larger offensive role in each of three years with the team – but a proven receiver would be welcomed as part of the team’s efforts to take a step forward in 2025.
Yesterday, Kupp was connected to an asking price of around $12MM per year. Teams were seen as unwilling to go that high for the 31-year-old (who has missed considerable time since his ‘Triple Crown’ campaign in 2021), and Russini adds that remains the case at this point. The Rams were willing to retain salary in a potential Kupp trade, but his release has left him free to ink a deal with any suitor. The Pro Bowler will not be able to match the $26.7MM AAV of his previous pact, though, of course.
The Jaguars emerged as a potential team to watch on the Kupp front, but an update indicated they are not in the running. The Patriots, meanwhile, are seen as a contender as they continue to seek out a veteran receiver. Thursday also produced a report stating a mutual interest exists between Kupp and the Broncos. The Athletic piece notes a decision can be expected today, so clarity on his future should emerge very soon.
Cowboys To Bring Back DE Dante Fowler
Dante Fowler delivered a production uptick in his age-30 season, giving the Commanders’ pass rush a significant boost. Washington, however, will lose its leading 2024 sacker.
Although Fowler has played for Dan Quinn on three teams, the two will separate once again. Fowler is going back to the Cowboys, per his agency. The veteran defensive end will return to Dallas on a one-year deal worth up to $8MM, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets.
Quinn had brought Fowler to Atlanta in 2020 and Dallas in 2022. After that even-year reunion pattern recurred via Fowler’s 2024 Washington arrival, the Commanders are losing a player who delivered strong value during an NFC runner-up season. Fowler is coming off a 10.5-sack slate. That marked his second-most in the NFL, but it did not drive a significant free agent market.
Serving as the undercard to Dorance Armstrong‘s Quinn reunion last year, Fowler outproduced the higher-paid player. Fowler did so at just $3.25MM. The Commanders still have Armstrong on a three-year, $30MM deal, but they have since added Deatrich Wise and Jacob Martin as supplementary rushers. Washington has also been mentioned as one of the Trey Hendrickson suitors, as Fowler’s defection will amplify the team’s need for a starter-level edge rusher opposite Armstrong.
Fowler posted 14 tackles for loss and 12 QB hits — both the second-highest marks of his career in those categories. He did this as a seven-game starter, as Washington used the 10th-year player in a rotational role for a while. Fowler saw a 52% snap share, which was up from his Cowboys seasons. But Dallas’ pass-rushing situation has changed significantly this week. DeMarcus Lawrence and Chauncey Golston have defected in free agency. With Sam Williams coming off an ACL tear, the Cowboys suddenly need supporting-casters to pair with Micah Parsons.
Not overlapping in Dallas with new DC Matt Eberflus previously, Fowler could be in line for a bigger role compared to his two prior Dallas seasons. The former Jaguars, Rams and Falcons edge rusher played 30% of the Cowboys’ defensive snaps in 2022 and logged a 25% snap share in 2023. He was still productive for those deeper Dallas DE groups, combining for 10 sacks in those two seasons. The Cowboys have 2024 second-rounder Marshawn Kneeland on their roster as a potential Parsons complementary starter as well, but Fowler adds what could be important insurance.
Commanders To Add OL Nate Herbig
The Steelers’ brother tandems are thinning out, as the Herbigs will go by way of the Watt pair on the roster. Nate Herbig is heading to Washington on a one-year deal, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets.
A 30-game starter during his career, Herbig was to open last season as Pittsburgh’s starting center. But a shoulder injury ended Herbig’s season before it could begin. While this opened the door for rookie Zach Frazier, Herbig will leave for another opportunity.
Also rostering outside linebacker Nick Herbig, the Steelers employed Nate for two seasons. They used him in 17 games (two starts) in 2023, though the older of the Herbig brothers enjoyed more prominent roles elsewhere. The Eagles used Nate Herbig as a 17-game starter from 2020-21, while he started all 11 games he played for the 2022 Jets.
The Commanders are planning on moving the former UDFA into the guard mix, Fowler adds. Washington has Tyler Biadasz locked in at center and Sam Cosmi entrenched at right guard. The team signed Nick Allegretti from the Chiefs in 2024, pairing him with ex-Kansas City teammate Andrew Wylie at RT. Laremy Tunsil is taking over at left tackle after this week’s trade.
Displaced LT Brandon Coleman could loom as a swingman, while the Commanders also brought back interior swing Michael Deiter and fellow backup Trenton Scott on Thursday night. Herbig, 26, is dropped into a crowded situation.
That said, Herbig was on track to at least play in front of Frazier to open the 2024 Steelers’ season. Pittsburgh placing him on IR (with a torn rotator cuff) before setting its 53-man roster nixed that path, and Frazier is now the team’s surefire center starter after going off the 2024 draft board in Round 2. The Steelers still have the Heyward brothers, but Derek Watt‘s retirement coming as the Steelers’ two Edmundses disbanded leaves them with only the DL-TE tandem after Nate Herbig’s Friday move. Two years remain on Nick Herbig’s rookie deal.