PFR Originals News & Rumors

Organized Team Activities are underway around the NFL. Voluntary spring workouts are often a sign of the less impactful period of the league’s calendar, but plenty of noteworthy developments have taken place in recent days. In case you missed any of this week’s top stories, here is a quick recap:

• Stafford Lands Latest Rams Extension: Matthew Stafford was already on the books with guaranteed money for 2026, but the reigning MVP has lined up his newest commitment from the Rams. A one-year extension has been worked out in this case. As such, Stafford is due to collect between $55MM and $60MM in 2027. That total will be combined with the money already set to be paid out to result in up to $105MM being paid out across the next two seasons. Stafford, 38, will continue to face retirement questions over that span. Los Angeles’ succession plan at the quarterback spot will also be a talking point with No. 13 pick Ty Simpson in the fold. Nevertheless, the Rams remain committed to Stafford over the short term, and his immense career earnings figure is set to grow considerably.
• Giants Keeping Schoen Past 2026: With the Giants undergoing a number of organizational changes this offseason, general manager Joe Schoen‘s job security increasingly became a question mark. Instead of having Schoen finish out the final year of his pact, though, New York has authorized an extension. Schoen – who has been in place since 2022 – has overseen just one winning season so far as an NFL GM. The arrival of new head coach John Harbaugh is widely thought to have limited Schoen’s power in the front office, but the two have expressed a willingness to work alongside one another. That will be put to the test over the coming years with the Giants aiming to rebuild around Harbaugh and a number of new core players. Schoen’s status past 2026 will no doubt be tied in large part to the success seen during the upcoming campaign.
• Lions Extend Campbell: The Lions recently chose to decline linebacker Jack Campbell‘s fifth-year option. The decision did not close the door to a long-term pact, though, and one has indeed been finalized. Campbell signed a four-year, $81MM extension which will keep him under team control through 2030. Coming off an All-Pro season, Campbell has moved into second place in terms of average annual compensation at the LB position. The 25-year-old also managed to secure $51.5MM in guarantees, a figure which illustrates Detroit’s level of commitment in this case. Of course, the presence of this pact will lead to questions about whether or not the Lions will be able to also work out long-term extensions with other 2023 draftees Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch. In any case, Campbell will be counted on to anchor the second level of the team’s defense for the foreseeable future.
• Rodgers Plans To Retire After Second Steelers Season: The lengthy wait for Aaron Rodgers to officially re-join the Steelers came to an end in time for OTAs. To no surprise, his new Pittsburgh deal is one year in length. That will set Rodgers up to end his career after the 2026 campaign. During his first media availability since coming back, the future Hall of Famer confirmed he plans to make this season his last. Rodgers will turn 43 late in the 2026 slate, and retirement has been a talking point through the latter stages of his career. His first Steelers season produced a playoff appearance, and expectations for a similar showing will be in place this time around. Pittsburgh has Drew Allar and Will Howard in place as potential successors, but for one more year Rodgers will look to add to his career accolades.
• Chiefs’ Rice Facing Jail Time: Rashee Rice‘s probationary period was recently violated when he tested positive for THC. As a result, the Chiefs wideout has been ordered to serve 30 days in prison. That sentence was originally due to take place at a time of Rice’s choosing, but he is now set to serve it right away. As such, he will miss out on Kansas City’s OTA practices and the team’s mandatory minicamp in June. 2026 represents the final year of Rice’s rookie contract, and he is currently recovering from knee surgery. The Chiefs are not considering an extension at this time, so plenty will be on the line when Rice returns to action following his latest legal matter.

The slowest part of the NFL calendar is not far away. Spring practices are upcoming, though, and they will continue to provide a number of interesting updates around the league. In case you missed any of this week’s top stories, here is a quick recap:

• Steelers’ Rodgers Wait Ends: Year 2 of Aaron Rodgers‘ Steelers career will indeed take place. Another lengthy wait came to an end when news broke of a new contract agreement between team and player. Rodgers has lined up another one-year deal with Pittsburgh, and he is in position to participate in the team’s OTAs (which will begin tomorrow). The 42-year-old secured $22MM guaranteed, marking a notable raise from his 2025 contract. The Steelers originally aimed for clarity on the Rodgers front much earlier in the offseason, but even after the draft came and went without a firm commitment the expectation remained that an agreement would be reached. That has now proven to be true, and as Pittsburgh aims to once again break through with a playoff victory it will be Rodgers leading the way on offense.
• Achane Lands Dolphins Extension: Not long after Breece Hall inked an extension, fellow running back De’Von Achane did the same. The Dolphins authorized a four-year, $64MM deal in the latter’s case; the pact contains $32MM guaranteed. Miami has undergone a slew of roster turnover with a new regime in place, but first-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan was consistent in naming Achane as a candidate for a long-term commitment. The 24-year-old continued his ascent in terms of usage and production in 2025, earning a Pro Bowl nod along the way. Achane will be expected to remain a focal point of the Dolphins’ offense as the team’s rebuild goes through its early stages.
• Chargers Add Njoku: The post-draft stage of free agency saw David Njoku line up his next deal. The veteran tight end took a one-year contract with the Chargers shortly after a visit took place. Njoku can earn up to $8MM in 2026, the first season of his career which will be played with a team other than the Browns. Los Angeles saw several departures at the tight end spot earlier this spring, while no rookies were added via the draft. Njoku, 30 in July, will join fellow free agent signing Charlie Kolar as a new arrival on the Bolts’ offense. A healthy showing and one similar in production to his best Cleveland campaigns could set the former Pro Bowler up for a stronger market in 2027.
• Panthers’ Wharton Undergoes Neck Surgery: Multiple injuries hampered Tershawn Wharton during his debut season with the Panthers. The 2025 free agent signing is in position to miss time once more as he recovers from neck surgery. Wharton is now out indefinitely, although he is expected to return at some point in 2026. The Panthers could use the reserve/PUP list in this case to open the campaign while proceeding with a shorthanded defensive tackle group. Wharton inked a three-year, $45.05MM deal last spring, and missing him for an extended period would hinder a Carolina defense aiming to improve after a pair of other big-money additions to the front seven (Jaelan Phillips, Devin Lloyd) were made in March.
• Steelers, Boswell Agree To Extension: The Steelers made waves by agreeing to the new Rodgers deal, of course. The team also took care of another important piece of business by extending kicker Chris Boswell, though. Pittsburgh’s longtime specialist worked out another four-year deal, keeping him on the books through 2030. This latest Boswell pact is worth $7MM per year, a figure which matches Brandon Aubrey for the highest annual compensation among kickers. The position’s market has jumped on more than one occasion in 2026, and Boswell’s track record made him a logical candidate to benefit from it. Instead of entering the coming season as a pending free agent, the 35-year-old has plenty of security over the foreseeable future.

May marks the beginning of voluntary practices around the NFL, with rookie minicamps kicking things off. Plenty of unanswered questions remain with respect to veterans, but the past few days have seen a number of interesting developments. In case you missed this week’s top stories, here is a quick recap:

• Hall, Jets Agree To Extension: To help ensure outside teams would not submit an offer sheet this offseason, the Jets placed the franchise tag on Breece Hall. GM Darren Mougey pointed to the post-draft period of the spring as a target for an extension to be worked out, though, and a deal is now in place. Hall agreed to a three-year, $45.75MM contract which will take the place of his tag. The pact contains $29MM in guarantees, all of which will be paid out across 2026 and ’27. The final year of the pact is thus far from assured, but Hall is in line to receive roughly the same as he would have by playing on two straight tags. His effective average annual value of $14.5MM ranks fourth among all running backs and marks a sharp rise from his rookie contract. Hall, 25 later this month, is coming off his first 1,000-yard rushing campaign and he will be counted on as an offensive focal point moving forward.
• Broncos Extend Paton: 2026 represented the final year of Broncos general manager George Paton‘s deal, and an extension loomed as a distinct possibility during the offseason. As expected, a new agreement has been reached. Paton finalized a five-year contract to remain in Denver, where he has been leading the front office since 2021. The Broncos’ run of losing seasons continued during Paton’s first three years, but the team has steadily improved recently. Denver reached the playoffs in 2024 and topped the AFC’s regular-season standings last year. A strong tandem between Paton and head coach Sean Payton has yielded success, and those two will continue working together well into the future.
• Colts Follow Through With Moore Release: Earlier this offseason, Kenny Moore requested a trade. No swap took place, setting up the Colts to proceed with a release in his case. The nine-year veteran asked to be cut following the draft, and the team has granted the request. Moore, 30, saw his role diminish during Lou Anarumo‘s first year in place as defensive coordinator. A new scheme fit will be sought out deep into the offseason. Moore earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2021 and has been a regular in the slot throughout his career. Teams eyeing cornerback depth could show interest at least around the time when training camps begin.
• Jennings Signs With Vikings: One player who did not wind up staying on the market through to July is Jauan Jennings. The veteran wideout has taken a one-year deal with the Vikings. Minnesota authorized $8MM in base pay for Jennings, who can earn up to $13MM in 2026. It became clear this spring a return to the 49ers would not be taking place in this case, and the five-year San Francisco contributor remained unsigned thanks to a tepid market. The Vikings already have Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison in place at the WR spot, but Jennings will look to serve as a productive complementary option in the passing game. Minnesota’s offense currently faces uncertainty at the quarterback position, of course. Nevertheless, strong play under center could set Jennings up for a robust free agent spell in 2027.
• New NFLRA CBA Agreement Reached: The threat of replacement officials handling NFL games has been removed. The league and the NFL Referees Association have finalized a new collective bargaining agreement. Recent progress resulted in a deal being struck; an increase in pay to officials will be taking place over the course of the seven-year pact. The league managed to secure several objectives, such as increases in access to officials during the offseason, a bench of new referees and larger sway in giving playoff assignments based on performance over seniority. The two sides traded public barbs earlier this offseason in a sign a deal was not imminent, with plans being laid for replacements to be called upon. That will no longer be necessary, however.

With the draft in the books, teams around the NFL have turned their attention to spring practices. Plenty of roster and front office movement has already taken place, with more still to come. In case you missed any of the top stories from this past weekend, here is a quick recap:

• Texans, Al-Shaair Reach Extension Agreement: Not long after the Texans worked out a market-setting extension with edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., they secured a long-term deal with linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. The latter agreed to a three-year deal with a base value of $54MM. Al-Shaair landed $34.2MM in new guarantees, so in terms of average annual value and locked-in compensation, he now ranks third among inside linebackers. The 2025 Pro Bowler has been a starter during his two Houston seasons to date, filling the statsheet during that time. Al-Shaair will be expected to remain a key figure on the Texans’ elite defense for the foreseeable future.
• Campbell Reunites With Ravens: Calais Campbell has elected to play a 19th NFL season, and he will do so on a familiar team. A deal with the Ravens has been worked out, meaning Campbell will return to Baltimore after playing there from 2020-22. A coaching change has taken place since then, but a notable workload would come as little surprise upon return from the 2010s All-Decade Team member. Campbell has remained a starter deep into his storied career, and he could play a key role on the Ravens’ defensive interior. Even if Nnamdi Madubuike returns to full health in 2026, improved play along the D-line will be key for Baltimore. Campbell should figure heavily in the team’s efforts to rebound in that regard.
• Steelers’ Rodgers Uncertainty Remains: Once again, the Steelers find themselves uncertain of their starting quarterback situation with Aaron Rodgers yet to sign. A deal allowing the future Hall of Famer to play a second Pittsburgh campaign remains the expectation, but the team has taken the rare route of applying the UFA tender in this case. The Steelers will be eligible for draft compensation in the unlikely event Rodgers signs with another team shortly, while they will have exclusive negotiating rights beyond July 22 if he is still a free agent by that time. This procedural move could set Rodgers up further for a decision on retirement or playing his age-42 season under new Pittsburgh head coach Mike McCarthy, and no changes in stance from team or player are believed to have taken place since it was made.
• Brinker Departs Titans: After a three-year run with the Titans, Chad Brinker has elected to step down from his role as president of football operations. Brinker served as a key figure amidst ongoing front office changes during his time in Tennessee, but he was among the staffers around the league whose tenures came to an end following the draft. The Titans have 2025 hire Mike Borgonzi in place as their general manager at this time. He and Brinker played leading roles in the recent search which resulted in the hiring of head coach Robert Saleh. Borgonzi’s influence in the organization figures to grow moving forward, while Brinker intends to seek out a new personnel role elsewhere in the NFL.
• Commanders Not Eyeing Aiyuk Trade With 49ers: The fate of 49ers wideout Brandon Aiyuk remains uncertain aside from a parting of ways still being anticipated. San Francisco’s preference would be to work out a trade, while suitors continue to wait for an Aiyuk release. Critically, the Commanders are among the teams which are not prepared to part with draft capital and take on the remainder of his through-2028 contract. Washington is instead positioned to sign Aiyuk following his release to a short-term, incentive-laden deal. An arrangement allowing Aiyuk to reunite with quarterback Jayden Daniels and general manager Adam Peters is still something to watch for, but a long wait could be in store if neither team wavers over the coming weeks.