Bucs, Kenneth Gainwell Agree To Terms
Kenneth Gainwell enjoyed a strong season in 2025. It has landed him a new deal which will send him out of Pittsburgh, though.
The veteran running back has agreed to terms with the Buccaneers, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. This will be a two-year pact worth $14MM. Gainwell will collect $10MM guaranteed.
As Gainwell has moved to the Bucs, the Steelers wound up replacing him with Rico Dowdle for similar money. Though, Dowdle landed a two-year, $12.25MM pact. Gainwell did a little better, and a strong 2025 season in Pittsburgh paved the way.
Earning Steelers team MVP honors, Gainwell outplayed his one-year, $1.79MM deal in 2025. The four-year Eagles backup amassed 1,023 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns last season, playing a key role for a Steelers team that again lacked wide receiver depth. Gainwell only has 394 career carries, helping his cause ahead of an age-27 season.
Tampa Bay has a locked-in starting running back, as Bucky Irving displayed star potential as a rookie. A two-injury 2025 season slowed the former fourth-round pick, forcing the Bucs to turn to the demoted Rachaad White. Irving’s older complementary option is not expected to return, and the team did not tender Sean Tucker as an RFA. While Tucker would be brought back at a lower rate, Gainwell is in place as the clear insurance option — a player whose contract suggests a 1-B role could be in the cards — alongside Irving.
Gainwell only logged 280 carries in four Eagles seasons, playing behind a revolving door of higher-caliber RBs. Gainwell backed up Miles Sanders, D’Andre Swift and Saquon Barkley. The Eagles kept trusting the former fifth-round pick as their No. 2 option, and after the Steelers season, Gainwell will see a big pay raise. His two-year deal complements Irving’s rookie accord, with the Bucs now set for an interesting setup in which their backup RB will earn roughly six times the starter’s salary. Irving cannot be extended until 2027.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
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.
Steelers, Kenneth Gainwell Finalizing Deal
Backing up Miles Sanders, D’Andre Swift and Saquon Barkley, Kenneth Gainwell has waited his turn. The four-year Eagles contributor is set to relocate but without leaving Pennsylvania.
A day after losing Najee Harris to the Chargers, the Steelers are finalizing a deal with Gainwell. The sides have agreed to a one-year deal, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz tweets. Gainwell will be on track to team with Jaylen Warren, whom the Steelers slapped with a second-round RFA tender. Warren is set to make $5.3MM this season; that does not check in too far south of the Harris fifth-year option on which Pittsburgh passed.
The Steelers will be acquiring a running back with fairly low mileage but one that has maintained a second-string role for one of the league’s best rushing attacks. Gainwell has only compiled 280 carries in his four-year career. He holds a career 4.2-yard average and has tallied 721 receiving yards.
No extended stints as a fill-in have transpired for Gainwell, as the Eagles have seen Sanders, Swift and Barkley stay healthy over the past three years. All three parlayed those seasons into new deals, with Barkley’s coming via an Eagles extension. Gainwell has been the constant throughout this period, fending off challengers for the Philly RB2 gig in 2023 and keeping it once Barkley arrived. Gainwell has just four career starts. One of those came in Week 1 of the 2023 season, but after the 2021 fifth-round pick sustained an injury that kept him out of Week 2, Swift took over and never gave back the job.
Pittsburgh certainly could be expected to augment the position further in the draft, as Warren and Gainwell will be due for unrestricted free agency in 2026. For now, a potential Warren-Gainwell partnership has formed. This offseason may bring a big opportunity for Gainwell, who turns 26 later this week. Entering the 2025 season with more than 800 fewer carries than Harris makes this a (likely) low-cost bet on fresher legs bringing upside.
Injury Notes: Clark, Dulcich, Eagles
Frank Clark will be sidelined for a few weeks. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Broncos defensive end will miss “a couple weeks” after suffering a hip injury during yesterday’s practice.
Fortunately, it doesn’t sound like this is a long-term issue, and there’s been no indication that Clark will land on injured reserve. Per Rapoport, the veteran is considered week-to-week.
The former Pro Bowler was cut by the Broncos back in March before eventually landing in Denver. As Troy Renck of Denver7 notes, Clark has struggled to establish a role in Denver, with the 30-year-old serving as a situational pass rusher during the season opener. Clark finished that contest with a pair of tackles while appearing in 25 defensive snaps.
This comes with Baron Browning sitting on PUP, so Clark’s role could be made even more uncertain when his teammate returns. A few weeks off the field probably won’t help his case for a significant role in Denver.
2022 ended Clark’s three-year stretch of earning Pro Bowl nods, but he was still productive with the Chiefs. In 15 games, the pass rusher compiled 39 tackles and five sacks. He showed up during Kansas City’s run to a Super Bowl championship, collecting another seven tackles and 2.5 sacks in three games.
More injury notes from around the NFL…
- Greg Dulcich is once again dealing with a hamstring injury. After missing seven games for the Broncos during the 2022 season, the tight end will once again miss multiple weeks while dealing with a hamstring injury in the same leg, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The organization intends to take it slow with Dulcich, meaning it could be a bit before he returns to the field. The 2022 third-round pick finished his rookie campaign with 33 catches for 411 yards and two touchdowns.
- A trio of Eagles players were ruled out early for Thursday Night Football. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported yesterday that running back Kenneth Gainwell (ribs), cornerback James Bradberry (concussion), and safety Reed Blankenship (ribs) would all be sidelined for Philly’s Week 2 matchup against the Vikings. The Eagles did get some good news, however, with defensive tackle Fletcher Cox being declared active for tonight’s game after being listed as questionable with a rib injury.
- Rams wideout Puka Nacua didn’t practice today thanks to an oblique injury, according to Schefter. The rookie fifth-round pick was a standout during his NFL debut, garnering 15 targets from Matthew Stafford. Nacua ultimately finished the contest with 10 catches for 119 yards. With Cooper Kupp sidelined, the Rams may need to dig into their wide receiver depth against the 49ers.
- Patriots cornerback Jack Jones landed on injured reserve before the season opener, keeping him off the field for at least the first month of the season. Per Albert Breer of TheMMQB, the 2022 fourth-round pick has an injury split in his contract, meaning the organization can lower Jones’ base salary from $870K to $475K as long as he sits on IR. That ends up being a loss of $22K per week for Jones.
Latest On Eagles’ RB Situation
The Eagles will have a new running back group in 2023 after seeing Miles Sanders depart in free agency. A by-committee approach will be used, but some roster trimming will likely be necessary between now and Week 1. 
Philadelphia will likely make one or more moves aimed at lowering the number of backs on the roster, as noted by Geoff Mosher of Inside the Birds. The top of the depth chart will feature newcomers D’Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny. The former was acquired via trade during the draft and is in line to operate as the team’s starter. The latter, signed in free agency, has shown lead-back abilities when on the field but struggled to remain healthy during his time with the Seahawks.
Aside from those two, Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott remain in place as returnees in the backfield. Gainwell, a 2021 fifth-round pick, has seen snap shares of just 29% and 28% during his first two seasons in the league, but he totaled 40 touches during the Eagles’ run to the Super Bowl, including a larger role than Sanders in the championship game. Scott has also served in a rotational capacity during his tenure in Philadelphia, one which began in 2018. The 28-year-old re-signed on a one-year contract in March.
That quartet represents plenty of experience and potential, but the Eagles also have Trey Sermon in the fold. A 49ers third-rounder in 2021, the Ohio State alum spent only one unproductive season in the Bay Area. San Francisco attempted to pass him through waivers during roster cutdowns last offseason, but the Eagles put in a claim. Sermon handled just two carries last season as a depth member of a crowded Philadelphia backfield.
That unit still has a logjam entering training camp, with 2022 UDFA Kennedy Brooks joining the aforementioned five backs in the summer competition. As Mosher notes, plenty will be determined in the coming weeks as (in all likelihood) Scott, Sermon and Brooks compete for as little as one roster spot behind Swift and Penny – who are pending free agents – and Gainwell, who has two years remaining on his rookie contract.
RB D’Andre Swift In Line To Start For Eagles
The loss of Miles Sanders in free agency left a signficant vacancy in the Eagles’ backfield, one which is likely to see a by-committee approach in 2023. The newest member of the group is expected to operate as the starter. 
D’Andre Swift is set to serve atop Philadelphia’s RB depth chart this season, as noted by Andrew DiCecco and Geoff Mosher of InsidetheBirds.com. That will allow the draft-day trade acquisition to showcase himself ahead of his first foray into free agency next March, while also giving the NFC champions a two-way contributor in the backfield.
The 24-year-old spent three years in Detroit, missing at least three games due to injury in each campaign. That hurt his value to the Lions, a team which used one of its first-round selections in this year’s draft on Jahmyr Gibbs. That decision led to speculation that Swift would be on his way out, and he was indeed dealt to the Eagles as part of a pick swap which cost Philadelphia a 2025 fourth-rounder.
The deal represented a homecoming for Swift, who is likely to contribute in the passing game more than Sanders did in recent years. The Georgia alum has made 156 receptions in his career, averaging 7.7 yards per catch. His efficiency through the air could be a key element in an Eagles offense which will look to reduce the hits quarterback Jalen Hurts took last season. A productive campaign from Swift in the ground game as well (where he has an average of 4.6 yards per carry) could increase the willingness the team already reportedly has in exploring an extension.
Of course, health will be a key factor in Swift’s play, along with that of fellow newcomer Rashaad Penny. The former Seahawk inked a one-year deal with the Eagles in the hopes of putting together a healthy season and thus boosting his value on a new pact in Philadelphia or elsewhere. Penny has been limited to 18 games over the past three seasons, so it remains to be seen how much he will be able to contribute to a backfield which also includes returnee Kenneth Gainwell and 2021 49ers third-rounder Trey Sermon.
How snaps are allotted during training camp and the preseason will be worth watching as the Eagles look to repeat the success Sanders in particular enjoyed in 2022. Provided Swift works with the first-team through the summer and into the fall, he will receive plenty of attention and expectations ahead of an important campaign for player and team.
Eagles Sign Three More Draft Picks
DeVonta Smith wasn’t the only member of the Eagles draft class to get a contract today. The team also signed third-round defensive lineman Milton Williams, fourth-round cornerback Zech McPhearson, and fifth-round running back Kenneth Gainwell.
[RELATED: Eagles Sign DeVonta Smith]
Williams had a productive four-year stint (including a redshirt year) at Louisiana Tech, collecting 108 and 10.5 sacks during his collegiate career. After earning first-team All-Conference USA in 2020, the Eagles used the No. 73 pick to take him in the 2021 draft. The rookie is expected to compete for backup reps behind Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave.
McPhearson transferred from Penn State to Texas Tech in 2019, and the move helped put the defensive back on the NFL radar. The 23-year-old earned a number of accolades for his performance in 2020 (including first-team All-Big 12), leading to him being taken with the No. 123 pick.
After serving as a quarterback in high school, Gainwell transitioned to running back while he was at Memphis. He had a breakout campaign in 2019, collecting 2,069 yards from scrimmage to go along with 16 touchdowns. The running back opted out of the 2020 campaign.
Following today’s signings, the Eagles still have a handful of unsigned draft picks:
Round 2: No. 37 Landon Dickerson, C (Alabama)
Round 6: No. 189 Marlon Tuipulotu, DT (USC)
Round 6: No. 191 (from Broncos via Panthers) Tarron Jackson, DE (Coastal Carolina)
Round 6: No. 224 JaCoby Stevens, S (LSU)
Round 7: No. 234 Patrick Johnson, DE (Tulane)