PFR Originals News & Rumors

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.

As always, the NFL draft produced a number of interesting developments with rookie selections as well as veteran player movement. In case you missed some of the top stories from around the league this past week, here is a quick recap:

• Draft Produces Rams’ Simpson Pick, Other Surprises: It did not take long for the second quarterback to come off the board on Thursday night, with the Rams taking Ty Simpson 13th overall. Many were surprised by Los Angeles’ decision, one which will provide the team with a Matthew Stafford successor if things pan out. Connections with the Alabama passer persisted through the lead-in to the draft, but the Rams were expected to target more immediate help for an attempted Super Bowl run in 2026. Instead, general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay agreed to proceed with the Simpson selection. Other notable draft developments included highly-rated cornerback Jermod McCoy dropping to the Raiders in the fourth round due to medical concerns along with several teams making depth QB investments (such as the Steelers with Drew Allar and the Chiefs with Garrett Nussmeier).
• Eagles, Vikings Finalize Greenard Trade: The Eagles were known to be seeking a pass rush addition well before the draft started. During the event’s second day, to little surprise, a trade agreement was reached with the Vikings to acquire the former Pro Bowler. Greenard and a 2026 seventh-round pick went to Philadelphia for a pair of third-rounders (this year and next). Upon arrival with the Eagles, Greenard – who had been seeking a raise in Minnesota – agreed to a four-year, $100MM extension. The 28-year-old is in line to collect $50MM guaranteed as a result of the new deal. Greenard (who totaled 24.5 sacks between the 2023 and ’24 seasons) will be tasked with helping replace the edge rush production lost when Jaelan Phillips departed in free agency.
• No Cowboys Extension, Trade Expected For Pickens: Shortly before the first round began, it was learned the Cowboys will not negotiate with wideout George Pickens on a long-term deal. The franchise tag recipient has until mid-July to sign an extension, but none will be forthcoming unless talks resume. Pickens, 25, is set to sign his tender and thus become eligible for a trade. However, Dallas does not intend to move on in this case. The Cowboys are scheduled to pay Pickens $27.3MM in 2026, making him an expensive partner for CeeDee Lamb next season. Keeping that tandem in place for the long term would cost even more, and it remains to be seen if the team is prepared to do so. Meanwhile, Pickens signing the tag will obligate him to attend events like mandatory minicamp in June and training camp the following month.
• Williams Agrees To New 49ers Deal: The 49ers managed to accomplish their goal of settling the Trent Williams situation in time for the draft. Team and player agreed to a two-year, $50MM extension. The new deal contains $37MM in guarantees and will set up Williams to continue serving as San Francisco’s left tackle through at least 2027. The 12-time Pro Bowler was in line to carry an untenable cap charge for this season without a new agreement, and he managed to secure a notable figure in terms of locked-in compensation once more. Williams is entering his age-38 campaign, but he will be expected to remain one of the league’s top blockers deep into his career. Doing so would go a long way in helping the 49ers return to the playoffs in 2026.
• Reed Lands Packers Extension: Jayden Reed was set to enter 2026 as the final year of his rookie contract. A potential free agent departure will not be taking place, though, with the fourth-year wideout agreeing to a Packers extension. Green Bay authorized $50.25MM in new money on a three-year contract, including $20MM guaranteed. Reed, 26, later this month, is thus under team control through 2029. He was limited to just seven games last season, but a return to full health could see Reed reprise his role as a focal point in Green Bay’s passing game. The Packers traded away Dontayvion Wicks, whereas Reed is joined by Christian Watson as a member of the team’s young receiving corps who has landed a deal beyond his rookie pact.