Steelers Discussed Brian Thomas Jr. With Jaguars; Teams Interested In TE Pat Freiermuth
A frequent shopper for wide receiver help in 2024, the Steelers found their new lead option by trading for D.K. Metcalf last March. But the team soon dealt George Pickens, who played well enough to command a Cowboys franchise tag last week. Pittsburgh is still searching for receiving help.
Before last year’s deadline, the Steelers were one of the teams to call the Jaguars on Brian Thomas Jr., per The Pat McAfee Show’s Mark Kaboly. Talks fell through, and the Jags held onto the 2024 first-round pick amid his sophomore slump. With the Jags extending Jakobi Meyers, Thomas — a Trent Baalke draftee — could still be available. But with Jacksonville set to use Travis Hunter more as a cornerback in 2026, the team would create a big need of its own by moving Thomas — in what would amount to a sell-low transaction.
After a breakthrough rookie season, the LSU product caught just 48 passes for 707 yards in 2025. His touchdown total plummeted from 10 to two, as Meyers became a more important part of the Jags’ attack following his deadline arrival. Two years remain on Thomas’ rookie contract.
The Steelers have Calvin Austin, Scott Miller and Marquez Valdes-Scantling unsigned. The team agreed not to void Metcalf’s 2026 guarantees, an option available after the mercurial wideout’s two-game suspension, but will be hunting for complementary help. Roman Wilson has not taken off, stalling the Steelers’ run of finding wideout gems on Day 2. The Steelers figure to be in the market for free agency help and will be a team to monitor in the draft. Pittsburgh has not drafted a first-round wideout since Santonio Holmes 20 years ago but has added numerous receiving options in Rounds 2-3 since.
Elsewhere within the Steelers’ skill-position cadre, Kenneth Gainwell is likely to see a raise soon. The former Eagles backup played the 2025 season on a one-year, $1.79MM pact and earned team MVP honors, totaling 1,023 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns. The Steelers want to re-sign Gainwell, with GM Omar Khan indicating (via ESPN.com’s Brooke Pryor) talks with the running back’s camp have commenced.
While the Steelers are interested in a second Gainwell contract, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac indicates they are unlikely to reward him with a deal that exceeds Jaylen Warren‘s 2025 extension (two years, $11.9MM).
Pittsburgh used a third-round pick on Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson but effectively gave him a redshirt year behind Warren and Gainwell. Even with Breece Hall off the market, the RB position is fairly deep — to the point Pittsburgh could conceivably bring back Gainwell at a reasonable rate. But it is also quite possible Johnson moves up on the depth chart after Gainwell defects next week.
At tight end, the Steelers are likely interested in extending Darnell Washington. The supersized pass catcher has one season remaining on his rookie contract, and Khan (via Kaboly) pointed to interest on the team’s part. The Steelers rolled out an interesting three-TE look last season, acquiring Jonnu Smith after having extended Pat Freiermuth in 2024. Freiermuth saw his usage and production decline in 2025, being given only eight starts and catching 41 passes for 486 yards — after twice eclipsing 650 in previous years.
Smith’s 2025 extension runs for one more season, and while at least six teams have expressed interest in Freiermuth (according to The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo), the Steelers are informing suitors he is unavailable. Freiermuth’s four-year, $48.1MM extension runs through 2028. Smith, 30, is not as certain to be part of Mike McCarthy‘s attack, per DeFabo. The team is evaluating how the nomadic pass catcher would be utilized alongside Freiermuth and Washington in 2026. Smith is due a $7MM base salary this season.
Isaac Seumalo joins Gainwell as a free agent-to-be. If the Steelers do not re-sign the 10-year veteran, Dulac adds they will pursue a replacement in free agency. Every other Steelers O-line starter is on a rookie contract. Seumalo, 32, figures to do fairly well on the market despite his advanced age. The two-time Super Bowl starter ranked in the top five in both pass and run block win rate last season.
The Steelers appear likelier to let Seumalo walk, Kaboly adds, with Khan indicating the team is “excited” about Spencer Anderson early in his career. A 2023 seventh-round pick, Anderson has made 11 career starts. Anderson played 193 snaps at left guard last season, also being used as a sixth O-linemen in certain packages.
Broncos Rumors: Franklin-Myers, Powers, Trautman, TE, Lewis, Singleton, Strnad
It looks like the Broncos are days away from losing John Franklin-Myers. Although a degree of interest has come from the reigning AFC West champs, no offer is believed to have come. Denver extended Courtland Sutton, Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto during training camp and then paid Luke Wattenberg, Malcolm Roach and Wil Lutz. The Allen, Bonitto and Roach extensions followed Jonathon Cooper‘s 2024 re-up and the March 2025 D.J. Jones re-signing. The writing appears on the wall for Franklin-Myers, a solid Denver starter for two seasons.
This is also an ideal time for Franklin-Myers to hit free agency, with a dearth of higher-end inside D-line options available. As a result of this clear runway, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler hears a $20MM-per-year contract may be necessary to win this FA derby. Franklin-Myers is going into an age-30 season and played out a two-year, $15MM deal. The Jets had him on a four-year, $55MM accord but traded it in a salary-dump deal during the 2024 draft. After 14.5 sacks over the past two seasons — as part of two top-three scoring defenses in Denver — the Allen sidekick is poised to be one of this free agency’s biggest winners.
Here is the latest out of Denver:
- In PFR’s Broncos Offseason Outlook piece, I mentioned Ben Powers as a trade candidate. The Wattenberg extension gave Denver five O-line salaries at $12MM or higher, and Powers is going into a contract year and approaching his 30th birthday. The three-year Broncos left guard is carrying a $17.43MM cap number and continues to be linked to a possible trade. Fowler mentions the former Raven as a player who could be on the move soon. The Broncos have former UDFA Alex Palczewski as an internal replacement; the team will likely tender Palczewski (10 2025 starts) as an RFA by the March 11 deadline. If the Broncos trade Powers, they would save $8.38MM in cap space. Denver currently holds $25.23MM — 13th-most.
- Another cost-saving measure the Broncos can take would be an Evan Engram release. Sean Payton‘s would-be “Joker” performer was not a major factor in his first season of a two-year, $23MM contract; Denver can save $6.47MM by designating Engram a post-June 1 cut. Engram, 31, is not a lock to be released, per 9News’ Mike Klis, but Payton wants to add another receiving tight end this offseason. Denver hopes to re-sign starter Adam Trautman, per Klis, but he does not contribute much as a receiver. Engram (461 yards, one TD in 2025) would join Isaiah Likely, Dallas Goedert, Cade Otton, Chig Okonkwo and David Njoku as notable TEs available if cut. One of the outside options could be in play for the Broncos if they do move on. Denver is also unlikely to tender tight end Lucas Krull as an RFA, Klis adds.
- The Broncos allowed Marcedes Lewis to set the record for seasons by a tight end (20), and no pure TE has played past 41 — Lewis’ age last season. The 2006 first-round pick is interested in playing one more season, the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson tweets. Lewis, who has interest in coaching as well, played 81 offensive snaps over five games as a Bronco last year.
- Dre Greenlaw looms as a possible cap casualty after missing nine games due to injury in his first Broncos slate. That is not certain, as Denver has regulars Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad unsigned. GM George Paton said (via the Denver Post’s Luca Evans) is interested in keeping both linebackers. A four-year Broncos starter who recovered from testicular cancer, Singleton played out a three-year, $18MM deal. He turned 32 in December. Strnad, 29, was the team’s Greenlaw sub who logged a 55% snap share last season. Strnad, Denver’s Singleton injury sub in 2024, is interested in landing a starting role somewhere after playing out a one-year, $2.87MM contract. Keeping Greenlaw, with Denver also tied to first-round ILBs in mock drafts, likely would mean at least one of the Singleton-Strnad duo exits in free agency.
Giants To Release LB Bobby Okereke
NFL teams are continuing to turn over their rosters ahead of free agent. The latest move comes from the Giants, who are planning to release linebacker Bobby Okereke, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
The move will save $9MM against the salary cap with $5.46MM in dead money, per OverTheCap. The Giants are currently $1.8MM under the 2026 cap and will need to make additional cuts and restructures to open up their budget for free agency. (New York’s contract structure leaves something to be desired, as they ended up paying Okereke $31MM for three years’ work. Typically, teams backload their contracts more aggressively for bigger potential cap savings in the final season of the deal.)
Okereke, 29, signed a four-year, $40MM contract with the Giants in 2023, which turned out to be a solid value. He immediately took over as the quarterback of the defense and wore the green dot for every snap of his debut season. The seven-year veteran was the team’s leading tackler and posted career-highs in sacks, tackles for loss, forced fumbles, and passes defended. He missed five games in 2024 with a back injury, but still played well when available. In 2025, Okereke returned for a full season and once again led the defense in tackles, though he did not make impact plays as frequently as his first two years in New York.
Once his release is officially processed, Okereke will be free to sign with other teams. His experience should draw him interest on the open market. However, a linebacker market whose growth has slowed significantly in recent years and a strong crop of free agents at the position could limit his earning potential. He should still be able to receive a multi-year deal heading into his age-30 season, though it may not be significantly higher than the last deal he signed – especially considering the growth in the salary cap in the interim.
The Giants, meanwhile, are expected to be “aggressive in finding a replacement” for their starting middle linebacker, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. New head coach John Harbaugh prioritized the position during his 18 years in Baltimore and will likely be looking for a new leader and tone-setter in the middle of his defense. New York currently has just two linebackers under contract in 2026 – Chris Board and Darius Muasau – neither of whom profile as starters for a defense that will need two.
The Giants will have a number of proven linebackers to pursue in free agency, though they will need to free up additional money to do so. Quay Walker, Devin Lloyd, and Devin Bush are younger options who could anchor the defense for multiple years. But the Giants also have the fifth overall pick in April’s draft and could use it on Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles after his incredible performance at the Combine. Selecting him and adding one of the many older veterans set to hit the market would give the Giants a veteran green dot-wearer and Styles a mentor as he adjusts to the pros.
Ravens Likely To Pick Up Zay Flowers’ 5th-Year Option
The NFL released the official figures for the fifth-year options of players selected in the first round of the 2023 draft. Teams now have until May 1 to decide on those options for the 2027 season.
The most expensive fifth-year option from the 2023 draft class does not belong to a quarterback, as none of the three selected in the first four picks – Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, and Anthony Richardson – reached one Pro Bowl in their first three seasons. Young and Stroud only met the playtime requirements for the second-tier option, which comes in at $25.9MM for quarterbacks. Richardson did not even get that far, but his $22.5MM will still be a non-starter for the Colts.
Instead, Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers has the NFL’s highest price tag for his 2027 option. Pro Bowl nods in each of the last two seasons pushed him into the highest tier, but the Ravens are still expected to pick up his $27.3MM fifth-year option, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano. At the moment, that would be the 13th-highest AAV of any wide receiver, though more are sure to eclipse that figure in the meantime.
Flowers is arguably already worth almost $30MM per year. After strong performances in his first two seasons, he exploded in 2025 and ranked seventh in the NFL with 1,211 receiving yards and 11th with 86 receptions. He also recorded career-highs in yards per target (10.3) and passer rating when targeted (112.6). Flowers did all this despite missing Lamar Jackson for more than four games and the rest of the offense putting up their worst performance in years.
Currently, the receiver market tops out at Ja’Marr Chase‘s $40.25MM per year with seven other making between $30MM and $35MM annually. That will briefly drop to six once the 49ers part ways with Brandon Aiyuk but should soon shoot back up as players like Drake London, Chris Olave, and George Pickens sign long-term deals. By the time 2027 rolls around, $27.3MM will look like a steal for Flowers, especially if he takes another step forward under new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle.
Flowers’ fifth-year option will also establish a solid floor for a long-term extension, as players rarely sign long-term deals with a lower AAV then their fifth-year option. However, it also limits the amount Flowers can earn in the next two years to a little less than $30MM, including his 2026 salary. The Ravens can offer him a much stronger two-year cash flow with an extension later this offseason, and the money up front might incentivize him to make a deal.
The Ravens are typically a deadline team, so do not an expect an official announcement on Flowers’ fifth-year option until after the draft.
Trey Hendrickson Among Players Who Did Not Receive Franchise Tag
Tag deadline day in the NFL came and went on Tuesday without much action. The Jets placed the franchise tag on running back Breece Hall, and the Colts used the transition tag on quarterback Daniel Jones. Hall and Jones are rounding out a small 2026 class of tagged players that also includes Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens and Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts.
As PFR’s Sam Robinson wrote in an extensive rundown of tag candidates, Trey Hendrickson, Alec Pierce, Kenneth Walker, Travis Etienne, Odafe Oweh and Jaelan Phillips represented other possibilities. All of their teams passed before the clock ran out at 3 p.m. CT. Each of them will be free to talk to other teams when the legal tampering window opens March 9.
The Bengals “never seriously considered” tagging Hendrickson, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Had they done so and Hendrickson signed the tender, it would have cost $30.2MM against the Bengals’ cap next season. The four-time Pro Bowl defensive end should encounter a “strong market,” per Russini.
For his part, Hendrickson appears to already have one foot out the door. The 31-year-old took to Instagram on Tuesday to post what looks like a goodbye message to the Bengals and their fans.
“To the organization: Thank you for the opportunity to play the game I love at the highest level,” Hendrickson wrote. “The last five years have been filled with great wins and tough losses. Personal achievements and humbling adversities.”
If this is it for Hendrickson in Cincinnati, it will wrap up an enormously productive half-decade in the organization. Hendrickson spent the first four seasons of his career with the Saints before accepting the Bengals’ four-year, $60MM offer in March 2021. He relocated on the heels of what was then a career-high 13.5-sack season, but Hendrickson went on to top that number three times with the Bengals.
During his first year in Cincinnati, Hendrickson piled up 14 sacks in 16 games. The Bengals advanced to the Super Bowl for the third time in franchise history, but they lost a 23-20 nail-biter to the Rams. Hendrickson’s sack total fell to eight in 2022, though he still made his second straight Pro Bowl. The Bengals were once again among the last teams standing. However, since ending that season with a loss to the Chiefs in the AFC title game, they have not returned to the playoffs.
Heading into 2023, the Bengals awarded Hendrickson a one-year, $21MM extension to keep him in the fold through 2025. Even though Hendrickson went off for 17.5 sacks twice in a row from 2023-24, the Bengals could only muster back-to-back nine-win seasons. Hendrickson and the Bengals then engaged in a contentious contract standoff last year. Then seeking a long-term pact, Hendrickson reportedly turned down a three-year, $95MM offer. The Bengals’ rejected proposal did not include any guaranteed money after the first year of the deal.
After a drawn-out fight, the Bengals and Hendrickson finally shook hands on a revised contract in late August. Hendrickson had been in line to earn $16MM, but Cincinnati upped it to $30MM. In hindsight, it was not money well spent for the Bengals. Injuries wound up holding Hendrickson and quarterback Joe Burrow out of a combined 19 games. Their absences proved far too much to overcome during a six-win year for the club.
In what will likely end up as his final year in Cincinnati, Hendrickson played in seven games and totaled four sacks. He did not take the field past Oct. 26, but the Bengals had chances to trade him before the Nov. 4 deadline. Although the Bengals dropped their asking price from a first- to a second-rounder, they kept Hendrickson after nobody offered better than a fourth. Hendrickson, then dealing with a nagging hip issue, underwent core muscle surgery in early December. With no tag weighing him down, he can now turn his full attention to free agency.
Browns To Release OT Cornelius Lucas
At the outset of free agency last March, veteran offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas joined the Browns on a two-year deal worth up to $10MM. The Browns are releasing Lucas a year later, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
A spot starter throughout his 12-year career, Lucas will return to the open market off a 10-game season with Cleveland. The 34-year-old started in five games along an injury-ravaged Browns line. The majority of his work came at right tackle, where he racked up 221 snaps. He also played 64 snaps at left tackle in a Week 3 upset over the Packers.
Lucas’ release will be part of a massive O-line overhaul for the Browns this offseason. Pending free agent guard Wyatt Teller has already said his goodbyes to Cleveland on social media. Fellow soon-to-be free agent guard Joel Bitonio is mulling retirement. Reserve guard Teven Jenkins is also unsigned, as are tackles Cam Robinson and Jack Conklin, and center Ethan Pocic.
While the Browns are poised to lose a handful of linemen, they made a significant addition to the unit in acquiring guard/tackle Tytus Howard from the Texans on Monday. Cleveland and Howard quickly agreed to a three-year, $63MM extension. Further notable pickups will be in order over the next couple of months.
The Browns entered the day approximately $17.31MM over the salary cap. Releasing Lucas will free up $2.045MM and leave the club with $1.6MM in dead money. Also a former Lion, Ram, Saint, Bear and Commander, the well-traveled Lucas will head back to free agency with 139 games and 59 starts on his resume.
RB Kenneth Walker III Likely To Leave Seattle?
MARCH 3: Walker will not receive the franchise tag, Graziano’s colleague Peter Schrager reports. Barring an agreement over the coming days, he will thus be able to depart in free agency. Only three previous Super Bowl MVPs have changed teams immediately winning the award, but that number could soon grow.
MARCH 1: Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III is just three weeks removed from being named Super Bowl LX MVP, but he won’t get to revel in the glory for too much longer as he’s set to hit free agency upon the expiration of his rookie contract in Seattle. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, Walker is reportedly generating so much outside interest that he could be pricing himself right out of Seattle. 
Now, reasonably, one might question whether the Seahawks would allow their leading rusher in each of the past four seasons to walk in free agency, but there’s plenty to point to in order to explain how it might be the best situation for everyone. To start, Walker’s health has been an issue in the past. He missed two games in each of his first two years in Seattle and missed six games over the course of the 2024 season. While he bucked that trend in Year 4 by appearing in every game for the first time in his career, the Seahawks have been burned in the past by frequently injured running backs like Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny, and they may see Walker’s injury history as too risky to invest in long-term.
Secondly, a year after Seattle drafted Walker in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the team went back to the same well, selecting second-round UCLA rusher Zach Charbonnet. Walker’s frequent injuries gave Charbonnet eight spot starts in his first two seasons of play, and he showed plenty of promise as a potential lead back in the opportunities he was given. Though Walker played in (and started) every game this season, Charbonnet continued to see increasing opportunities, posting career-highs in carries (184) and rushing yards (780) while leading the team with 12 rushing touchdowns. While Walker would certainly be missed, the Seahawks may be ready to pass the rock to Charbonnet.
The third factor would simply be price. Graziano believes that the Cowboys set the floor for the starting running back market when they extended Javonte Williams on a three-year, $24MM deal. He lists Walker as one of three backs who could surpass that annual average value of $8MM, citing increasing external interest as the driving factor. While the Seahawks’ salary cap puts them in a good position to spend in 2026, the franchise hasn’t invested long-term in a running back since the days of Marshawn Lynch.
Looking at all the factors together, it’s not looking good for fans that want to see the Seahawks run in back with their Super Bowl MVP. Retaining Walker would require Seattle to commit long-term money, and the combination of Walker’s injury history and Charbonnet’s capability make that option seem less than prudent. Instead, it appears that Walker could earn a big payday to try and take another team to the Super Bowl, while the Seahawks will get a good look at Charbonnet as RB1 as Charbonnet puts forth his best foot in a contract year for him.
Steelers Release T Calvin Anderson
Calvin Anderson‘s time in Pittsburgh has come to an end. The veteran offensive lineman has been released, per the transactions wire (h/t KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson). 
A recent report from Mike DeFabo of The Athletic indicated this move was coming. Anderson had one year remaining on his contract, but he is now headed to free agency early. This cut will create $2MM in cap savings while generating a dead money charge of only $415K.
Anderson played in Denver from 2020-22 before a one-year stint with New England. The former UDFA then joined the Steelers on a veteran minimum contract and made four appearances in 2024. Anderson remained on the market well past the start of free agency, but last April he signed a two-year pact to stay in Pittsburgh. Halfway through that contract, though, the Steelers have elected to move on.
This decision comes as little surprise. Anderson missed time early in the 2025 after recovering from an injury suffered in training camp and he landed on IR in mid-December. The Texas product was limited to just 73 combined snaps between offense and special teams as a result. Dylan Cook – who made four starts and five appearances in 2025 – was already ahead of Anderson on the depth chart prior to this move.
Cook is under contract for next year, and he figures to remain in Pittsburgh’s plans up front. The team currently has roughly $40MM in cap space, and some of that figure could be applied to additions along the offensive line. In any case, Anderson will be playing elsewhere in 2026.
Jets, Breece Hall Not Close To Long-Term Agreement; Franchise Tag Looming?
Contract talks between Breece Hall and the Jets are ongoing. The sides still have work to do to strike an agreement prior to today’s tag deadline, however. 
Connor Hughes of SNY reports dialogue is ongoing in this case. He cautions that there does not appear to be much in the way of optimism regarding a deal being struck. If that remains the case by 3:00pm central today, the Jets will tag Hall and in doing so prevent a free agent departure.
The franchise tag is the most common route taken by teams in these situations, but Hall has been mentioned as a candidate for the less expensive transition tag. A franchise tag would cost $14.29MM, while the transition tag route would check in at a price of $11.32MM. According to Hughes, the likely outcome in the absence of a Hall extension agreement would be the franchise tag.
The Jets currently have nearly $88MM in cap space, so affording either tag would not be an issue. The cost of each one-year tender is fully guaranteed and carries a matching cap charge for 2026. New York would receive two first-round picks for an unmatched Hall offer sheet in the event the franchise tag were applied; the team would not receive any compensation in that scenario with respect to the transition tag. Offer sheets are rare in the NFL anyway, but teams often take the safer route by using the more expensive tag.
Once the Vikings proceed with their Aaron Jones release, only eight running backs in the NFL will be attached to a deal averaging $11MM or more per season. That list will grow once Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs sign extensions, and De’Von Achane is another candidate for a lucrative second contract. Hall is likewise in line for a raise, but it could easily wind up coming in the form of a tag. The 24-year-old’s earning power for 2027 and beyond in that case would depend in large part on his level of play next season.
Hall topped 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career in 2025. The former second-rounder has remained a workhorse back since returning from the ACL tear he suffered as a rookie, and a heavy workload should be expected moving forward on a Jets offense which could undergo a number of changes this spring. Hall is in line to play at least a fifth campaign in New York, but whether that comes about via the tag or a long-term agreement remains to be seen.
Lions To Trade RB David Montgomery To Texans
The Texans are not finished on the trade front. A much-anticipated running back addition is now being lined up, with another member of their offensive line set to play elsewhere. 
David Montgomery is heading from Detroit to Houston, as first reported by Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. In return, the Lions will acquire offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, along with fourth- and seventh-round picks (h/t Pelissero). The seventh-round selection is for the 2027 draft, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes.
Houston was Montgomery’s preferred destination, Garafolo adds. He will now take on a prominent role in the backfield as the Texans look for improvements on the ground in 2026. Schefter’s colleague Dan Graziano recently named Houston as one of the teams likely to be active in March with respect to running back additions, so today’s news comes as no surprise. Montgomery in particular is a logical target in the Texans’ case given the fact he was seeking a fresh start.
Since the end of the 2025 campaign, a Montgomery trade has been a distinct possibility. Detroit has Jahmyr Gibbs in place, and his fifth-year option is likely to be exercised. That would ensure at least two more years in the Motor City, but a long-term extension at or near the top of the RB market is expected to be pursued. Keeping Gibbs and Montgomery on lucrative deals would not have been feasible given the Lions’ other financial commitments.
Instead, Montgomery will prepare to play for a third career team in anticipation of a heavy workload. The former third-rounder averaged fewer than 12 attempts per game for the first time in his career last season. 2025 was also the first season in which he fell short of 1,000 scrimmage yards. That could soon change with the Texans set to see Nick Chubb reach free agency next week. Fellow veteran Joe Mixon missed all of 2025 through injury and has since undergone surgery. A release in his case should be expected as a result.
Woody Marks has three years remaining on his rookie contract, but bringing in a veteran to split carries with him has long been expected. Montgomery, who turns 29 in June, will be tasked with doing so. He is owed a base salary of $5.49MM in 2026 with a scheduled cap hit of $6MM. Montgomery’s pact runs through 2027, but whether or not he lands a new commitment by that point will of course depend on his performance in Houston.
The Texans’ offensive line will certainly look much different next season. Houston agreed to trade Tytus Howard to the Browns earlier today, creating a vacancy in the starting lineup. Scruggs was not a first-team presence in 2025, but losing him will ensure Houston’s depth along the interior will be altered when next season begins. One year remains on Scruggs’ rookie contract.
The former second-rounder will now look to compete for playing time in Detroit. The Lions were known to be in the market for additions at the left tackle spot but also on the inside. Scruggs, 26, has primarily played at left guard during his career but he saw notable time at center as well in 2024. The future of Graham Glasgow is uncertain at this point, and a release or retirement in his case could open to door to playing time for Scruggs ahead of free agency.
The Lions will look to improve up front in 2026 knowing a stronger O-line will go a long way in helping their offense (a unit which finished fourth in scoring this past year) become even more effective. A running back addition of some kind will be required as well, though, with Gibbs now in need of a new backfield partner.