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Romeo Doubs

AFC Contract Details: Doubs, Steelers, Chiefs, Bengals, Titans, Bills

By | at March 21, 2026 11:01 am

After a solid four-year run with the Packers, wide receiver Romeo Doubs entered free agency hoping to earn $20MM per season on his next contract, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. Twenty-two receivers are currently in that club, but Doubs fell short of joining the group. He will still rake in $17MM per annum on his four-year, $68MM deal with the Patriots. The contract includes $3MM in annual incentives, which would enable Doubs to reach his goal of $20MM per year. However, securing all of that money would require huge production. Doubs would earn $750K each for 70 catches, 80 receptions, 1,000 yards and 1,200 yards, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reports. The 25-year-old has averaged 51 catches and 606 yards per season.

Here are more contract details from around the AFC:

0 comments Buffalo Bills Cincinnati Bengals Kansas City Chiefs New England Patriots Pittsburgh Steelers Tennessee Titans

AFC Contract Details: Colts, Pierce, Patriots, Doubs, Kelce, Chiefs, Jets, Titans, Raiders, Browns, Bengals, Texans

By | at March 19, 2026 4:48 pm

Here are the latest details from contracts agreed to around the AFC:

  • Alec Pierce, WR (Colts). Four years, $114MM. In addition to a previously reported $60MM full guarantee, Pierce will see $10MM of his $27MM 2028 base salary shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the 2027 league year, according to OverTheCap. Another $14MM of Pierce’s 2028 base salary becomes guaranteed on Day 5 of the 2028 league year. He will be due a $2MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2029 league year. One void year is in place to spread out the cap hits, the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson tweets.
  • Romeo Doubs, WR (Patriots). Four years, $68MM. Doubs secured $35MM fully guaranteed. After fully guaranteed 2026 and ’27 base salaries, Doubs has a $4MM injury guarantee on his $14MM 2028 salary, the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin tweets.
  • Cor’Dale Flott, CB (Titans). Three years, $45MM. In addition to the previously reported $32MM fully guaranteed, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes Flott is in line for a $2MM roster bonus on Day 3 of the 2028 league year.
  • Bryan Cook, S (Bengals). Three years, $40.25MM. Cook will see $14MM fully guaranteed, per OverTheCap. Roster bonuses of $4MM and $1MM are due on Day 5 of the 2027 and ’28 league years, respectively, according to Spotrac.
  • Minkah Fitzpatrick, S (Jets). Three years, $40MM. Fitzpatrick’s second extension will bring $20.5MM guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap. The $13.33MM AAV is a reduction from the All-Pro’s 2022 Steelers deal (four years, $72.99MM), but the former first-rounder is entering an age-30 season.
  • Dre’Mont Jones, DE (Patriots). Three years, $36.5MM. Jones will see $23.28MM fully guaranteed, Wilson tweets. A $1MM playing time incentive is in place on this deal as well, with OverTheCap noting the guarantees cover Jones’ 2026 and 2027 compensation.
  • Jalen Nailor, WR (Raiders). Three years, $35MM. Nailor’s previously covered $23MM at-signing guarantee includes $6.5MM of his 2027 base salary ($11.5MM); the remaining $5MM locks in on Day 3 of the 2027 league year, Wilson adds.
  • Orlando Brown Jr., LT (Bengals). Two years, $32MM. Brown secured $14MM fully guaranteed, according to OverTheCap, which indicates he is due a $2.15MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2027 league year. This extension did not drop Brown’s 2026 cap number by much, as it dropped from $21.99MM to $19.29MM.
  • Reed Blankenship, S (Texans). Three years, $24.75MM. Blankenship landed $16.75MM fully guaranteed, Wilson tweets. That covers the ex-Eagle’s 2026 and ’27 compensation.
  • Dylan Parham, G (Jets). Two years, $16MM. The ex-Raider starter secured $7.49MM fully guaranteed, Wilson adds. Three void years are included in the deal, leaving Parham’s 2026 cap number at just $3.97MM.
  • Quincy Williams, LB (Browns). Two years, $13MM. Williams landed $9MM fully guaranteed, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The veteran linebacker will see $2.5MM of his 2027 compensation guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap.
  • Travis Kelce, TE (Chiefs). One year, $12MM. The deal is fully guaranteed. Two void years are included in this contract, keeping Kelce’s 2026 cap hit at $4.9MM. A $40MM guarantee for 2028 is in place for June 8, 2027, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. This is designed to allow the Chiefs to designate Kelce a post-June 1 cut — a tactic the Eagles used with brother Jason Kelce in 2024 — thus defraying dead money ($7.13MM) over two years. If the Chiefs make the playoffs and Kelce plays 60% of their offensive snaps, Breer adds a $750K incentive triggers. Playing 70% of the offensive snaps in a playoff year would earn Kelce $1MM; an 80%-plus snap share for a postseason Chiefs team would bring $2MM. Kelce played 81% of the Chiefs’ offensive snaps in 2025.
0 comments Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders New England Patriots New York Jets Tennessee Titans

Broncos Showed Interest In Travis Etienne, Romeo Doubs

By | at March 14, 2026 3:55 pm

Denver is the only NFL team that has not signed an outside free agent this year, but it did target at least a couple of high-profile names earlier this week. The Broncos were in on newly signed Saints running back Travis Etienne, the former Jaguar told Jeff Nowak of WWL Radio. They also inquired about wide receiver Romeo Doubs before he joined the Patriots, per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette.

After the Jets placed the franchise tag on Breece Hall, Etienne and ex-Seahawk Kenneth Walker entered free agency as the best backs available. The Broncos eyed Hall before the Jets kept him off the market. They pivoted to Etienne as a result, but the Louisiana native took the Saints’ four-year, $52MM deal. Etienne said that it was an easy decision to return to his home state.

It is unclear if the Broncos made Etienne an offer, but his desire to go back to Louisiana suggests the odds were stacked against them. AFC West rival Kansas City also vied for Etienne before it inked Walker to a three-year, $43.05MM pact.

Once Etienne and Walker found new homes, the Broncos addressed the position by re-signing J.K. Dobbins to a two-year, $16MM arrangement and retaining Jaleel McLaughlin on a cheap agreement. Despite missing seven games with a ligament tear in his foot, the oft-injured Dobbins secured a raise over last year’s $5.25MM accord.

Production has never been an issue for Dobbins, who has averaged 5.2 yards on 582 carries during his six-year career. He added 772 yards and four touchdowns on 153 attempts (5.0 YPC) in 10 games last year. The problem is that the former Raven and Charger has missed 57 regular-season games with a laundry list of injuries.

Dobbins was not around past Nov. 6 last year, leaving the No. 1-seeded Broncos to finish the season with rookie second-rounder RJ Harvey as their lead back. Harvey scored an eye-opening 12 touchdowns (seven rushing, five receiving) and caught 47 passes, but he averaged a meager 3.7 yards on 146 carries. He managed just 37 yards on 13 attempts in the Broncos’ 10-7 loss to the Patriots in the AFC title game.

Barring further acquisitions, the Broncos will continue with Dobbins and Harvey as their one-two punch in the backfield next season. They also have all of their main receivers from 2025 – Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant, Marvin Mims and Lil’Jordan Humphrey – under contract. Having averaged around 51 catches, 606 yards and five scores per season over his first four years, Doubs would have been a noteworthy addition to the group. But the Patriots, who had a greater need at receiver after releasing Stefon Diggs, pulled in the ex-Packer on a four-year contract worth up to $80MM.

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Patriots To Sign WR Romeo Doubs

By | at March 10, 2026 1:21 pm

Wide receiver Romeo Doubs is leaving Green Bay for New England. The Patriots are signing Doubs to a four-year, $80MM contract, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports. The deal comes with a base value of $68MM, Albert Breer of SI.com relays.

The Commanders were among the teams the Patriots beat out for the 6-foot-2, 204-pound Doubs, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. It was a “very close” race between the two, per Schultz, but the Commanders will have to look elsewhere for a complement to No. 1 receiver Terry McLaurin.

The Patriots have come up most frequently in trade rumors centering on Eagles receiver A.J. Brown. The Doubs signing does not rule out a Brown acquisition, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. But the Patriots may now be “less inclined” to meet the Eagles’ asking price, writes McLane, who adds there has been a “gulf” in negotiations.

Doubs is not on Brown’s level, but the four-year veteran has nonetheless put together a solid career. The 2022 fourth-rounder from Nevada started in 50 of 59 games in Green Bay. Doubs has averaged roughly 15 games, 51 catches, 80 targets, 606 yards and five touchdowns per season. He started in 15 of 16 games in 2025 and hauled in 55 of 85 targets for a career-best 724 yards and six scores.

Only two members of last season’s AFC champion Patriots, receiver Stefon Diggs and tight end Hunter Henry, caught more passes and totaled more yards than Doubs. The Patriots informed Diggs of his release last week, making it all the more obvious they would target receiving help for quarterback Drake Maye this spring. The team was in on Alec Pierce before he re-signed with the Colts on a four-year, $116MM contract on Monday. It pivoted to Doubs, PFR’s 11th-ranked free agent, on a less lucrative agreement a day later.

Further acquisitions could be in store for the Patriots’ receiving corps between today and the draft. As of now, though, Doubs will join Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, DeMario Douglas and Efton Chism to comprise the group.

As for the Packers, they are losing the receiver they relied on most in 2025. Doubs easily paced their wideouts in snap share (74.22%) and led the team in most major pass-catching categories.

The Doubs-less Packers still have a number of in-house options, including a pair of high 2025 picks in first-rounder Matthew Golden and third-rounder Savion Williams. Although their rookie production fell flat, they are in line to rejoin veterans Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks in 2026. The Packers will also count on a healthier season for tight end Tucker Kraft, who thrived before tearing his ACL in Week 9.

36 comments New England Patriots Newsstand Philadelphia Eagles Transactions Washington Commanders

Colts WR Alec Pierce, Packers WR Romeo Doubs Drawing Extensive Interest; Pierce Prefers To Stay In Indy

By | at March 8, 2026 9:05 am

Since the Colts have placed the transition tag on QB Daniel Jones, the only way they can keep WR Alec Pierce from speaking to interested teams when the legal tampering period opens tomorrow is by agreeing to terms on a new contract. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler expects negotiations between Pierce and Indianapolis to go down to the wire, and there are a number of clubs waiting to pounce if a deal is not consummated.

Fowler names the Patriots, Commanders, Raiders, and Titans as teams that are in the mix for Pierce. New England’s interest was noted previously, and with the club set to make Stefon Diggs a one-and-done in Foxborough, it makes sense that it wants to bring in another weapon for third-year QB (and 2025 MVP runner-up) Drake Maye.

After advancing to the NFC Championship Game in Jayden Daniels’ rookie year in 2024, the Commanders limped to a 5-12 mark last season. That was due in large part to Daniels’ health woes, which limited him to just seven games, but Washington could stand to bolster its contingent of pass-catchers. Beyond WR1 Terry McLaurin, the club has Luke McCaffrey, Treylon Burks, and 2025 fourth-rounder Jaylin Lane under contract for 2026.

That trio combined for 558 receiving yards and four TDs last year, so a player with Pierce’s abilities would be a welcome addition. Fowler hears this free agency period could be an especially active one for the Commanders, who have roughly $90MM in cap space and who are looking to capitalize on Daniels’ rookie-contract window. In addition to wide receiver, Washington is interested in upgrading at running back, cornerback, edge rusher, and possibly tight end. Fowler names the team as a “sleeper” for Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans, whom the Buccaneers are actively trying to re-sign.

The Raiders will release veteran signal-caller Geno Smith and are poised to select QB Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the draft. Even though Las Vegas reportedly prefers to keep Mendoza on the bench for at least the early stages of his rookie campaign, adding weapons for him will be a key goal. According to Fowler, the Raiders are also interested in Rashid Shaheed, who has a big fan in new head coach Klint Kubiak (Kubiak, of course, has worked with Shaheed in both New Orleans and Seattle). Fowler cautions that the Raiders’ bigger need is the offensive line, but the club has plenty of spending power with over $120MM in cap room.

Like the other teams mentioned in connection with Pierce, the Titans are looking to add receiving help for a young quarterback. Tennessee is hoping Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 draft, will progress quickly under the tutelage of new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, and acquiring proven pass-catchers will be key in achieving that goal (particularly with Calvin Ridley on the chopping block). The team has been connected to the Giants’ Wan’Dale Robinson as well.

Pierce is a big-play threat who has led the NFL in yards-per-catch in each of the past two seasons. However, some evaluators believe the Packers’ Romeo Doubs is the most well-rounded receiver eligible for free agency this year, and in addition to Pierce’s market, the Patriots, Commanders, and Titans are closely monitoring Doubs’ situation. 

The 49ers are looking at Doubs as well, per Fowler. The four-year Packer, who is also expected to draw interest from the Bills, has three 600-plus-yard seasons on his resume, including a career-high 724 (on 13.2 yards per catch) in 2025. San Francisco could lose Jauan Jennings to the open market and is set to move on from Brandon Aiyuk, making wide receiver an obvious area of need. Green Bay, though, has not ruled out a Doubs re-up; GM Brian Gutekunst said at this year’s scouting combine that he would love to see the Nevada product return (via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk).

Fowler confirms Pierce, who has a close relationship with Jones, would prefer to stay with the Colts. That said, the Cincinnati product is in line for a deal paying him at least $27MM per year, and if Indianapolis does not pony up that kind of cash, it may not be able to keep Pierce in the fold.

5 comments Green Bay Packers Indianapolis Colts Las Vegas Raiders New England Patriots San Francisco 49ers Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

Bills Inquired On Eagles’ A.J. Brown; Patriots, Ravens In Play For WR?

By | at March 5, 2026 8:03 pm

Days before free agency’s outset, the Bills made an early strike by agreeing to acquire D.J. Moore from the Bears. This move cost a second-round pick , but it secured them a talented wide receiver — a former Joe Brady Panthers pupil — who is signed through 2029. Buffalo may not be done at the need area.

Before acquiring Moore, the Bills asked about a bigger fish. They are believed to have checked in with the Eagles on A.J. Brown, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. Philly is eyeing a Quinnen Williams-type trade package, which would feature a first-rounder and a second — with the first potentially coming in 2027.

As Connor Byrne’s Eagles Offseason Outlook noted, the team owes Brown a $4MM 2027 guarantee on March 13. Moving on before that date would make the six-time 1,000-yard receiver responsible for that guarantee. While a $4MM number may not represent a good enough reason for the Eagles to make a hasty decision with their No. 1 receiver, plenty of smoke has emerged regarding a Brown relocation.

The Patriots and Ravens are viewed as the most likely destination for Brown, according to McLane, who adds the Eagles do not appear to be planning to trade their top pass catcher to an NFC team. It would be historically punitive for Philly to move on from Brown before June 1; that explains why the team is asking for a monster trade package — even when teams may be viewing the eighth-year WR to be worth a second-rounder-centered offer. With Moore going for what he did after a 682-yard season, Howie Roseman is unlikely to move off his asking price.

If Brown is still an Eagle next season, he will count an affordable $23.39MM against their salary cap. On the other hand, trading Brown before June 1 would level the Eagles with a 43.45MM dead cap charge, a record for his position. They would also lose $20.12MM in spending room.

The Eagles filled Brown’s contract with option bonuses, keeping cap hits low but increasing the damage in a trade this early in a through-2029 contract. An acquiring team would owe Brown $29MM guaranteed for 2026 and be responsible for the $4MM 2027 guarantee. That seems reasonable for a player of Brown’s abilities, even though the ex-Titans draftee has proven to be a high-maintenance weapon.

This marks the first Ravens-Brown connection. The team is not known for such splashy moves, and it has Zay Flowers contracted for two more years — once his fifth-year option is exercised. Baltimore also extended Rashod Bateman last year, giving him a three-year deal worth $36.75MM.

Flowers is also extension-eligible. Although the Ravens can backload a deal for the 2023 first-rounder, they also have a quarterback on a big-ticket contract to go with eight-figure AAVs at running back and tight end. The Ravens, as PFR’s Nikhil Mehta noted in his Offseason Outlook, will try to extend Lamar Jackson this year. A restructure would need to take place otherwise, as Jackson is due to count an untenable $74.5MM on the 2026 cap.

The Patriots do not have these issues. After the news of Stefon Diggs‘ impending release, the defending AFC champions no longer have a notable contract at receiver. Hunter Henry is signed to a team-friendly TE deal, while Rhamondre Stevenson is also south of $10MM per year.

Most importantly, the Pats have Drake Maye at a rookie rate. That will likely change in 2027, but such a deal can/will be backloaded. That opens the door for some spending, and the Diggs exit creates a major need. While a report indicated the Patriots may be unlikely to pursue big trades, that surfaced before the Diggs cut. Brown also spent three seasons playing for Mike Vrabel in Tennessee.

As for the Bills, Moore will join Khalil Shakir as Josh Allen‘s lead receivers. Buffalo may not be done, with Essentiallysports.com’s Tony Pauline noting the team plans to add another WR piece via free agency or the draft. The Bills are presently $31MM-plus over the cap, with restructures coming soon to reach compliance. The Moore contract will make matters a bit tight for the AFC East power to keep adding, but Pauline adds Romeo Doubs has been mentioned as a player the Bills are expected to target.

Ranked 11th among PFR’s top 50 free agents, Doubs brings an age advantage on fellow FA wideouts Jauan Jennings, Rashid Shaheed, Deebo Samuel and Mike Evans. While Alec Pierce will be the market’s top receiver, Doubs (26 in April) should do well next week. The four-year Packer has three 600-plus-yard seasons on his resume, including a career-high 724 (on 13.2 yards per catch) in 2025. The Bills will not be alone in pursuing the 204-pound WR.

1 comment Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills New England Patriots Philadelphia Eagles

Bills Notes: McGovern, Knox, Shaheed

By | at March 4, 2026 1:54 pm

Then coming off his first full season as a starter, former Cowboys guard Connor McGovern joined the Bills on a three-year, $23MM free agent contract in March 2023. McGovern has since played out the deal, mostly at center, and is now a week away from returning to free agency. Although McGovern told Tim Graham of The Athletic he wants to stay in Buffalo, he believes his time with the team is up.

“They haven’t contacted me once,” McGovern said. “In my gut, that says it’s over and done.”

While unheralded at the time, the McGovern signing counts among the shrewdest moves Brandon Beane has made in free agency during his nine years as the Bills’ general manager. McGovern started in all 17 games at left guard in the first year of his contract. After the Bills released Mitch Morse in March 2024, they shifted McGovern to center.

McGovern made a seamless transition to the pivot, where he started in all 32 appearances the past two years. As Graham notes, McGovern’s only absences came when the Bills rested him in meaningless Week 18 games.

McGovern played through hand and triceps injuries last season, but Pro Football Focus still ranked him ninth among 37 qualifying centers. The 28-year-old tied for a more impressive third place among interior linemen in pass block win rate (97%). He finished alongside another pending free agent, the Ravens’ Tyler Linderbaum, in that category. Linderbaum is the No. 1 center set to hit the market. McGovern would be the top potential consolation prize at the position for teams that lose out on Linderbaum.

It’s unclear how the Bills plan to proceed if McGovern exits. They are also facing the loss of starting left guard David Edwards, a pending free agent who may do even better than McGovern on his next contract. Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, Alec Anderson and Tylan Grable are among interior O-line options under contract. Cade Mays, Tyler Biadasz, Ethan Pocic, Lloyd Cushenberry and Sean Rhyan represent some experienced centers Buffalo could look into at less expensive costs than McGovern and Linderbaum in free agency.

As is the case with McGovern, there is uncertainty regarding tight end Dawson Knox‘s future. The seven-year veteran and career-long Bill is still under contract for next season. However, with the Bills around $8.28MM in the red, Beane recently indicated a desire to lower Knox’s untenable $17.87MM cap number (via Sal Capaccio of WGR 550).

“He has a tough number as we go into the season, so we’ve gotta figure that out, as we do,” Beane said. “Dawson and I had dialogue. The day after the season, the day after we lost in Denver, he came up to my office. We talked for a while. I have a good relationship with Chase Callahan, his agent. Done a lot of deals, and so I think it just starts with trust, communication, and honest conversation. And so we’ve had some dialogue.”

If the Bills and Knox do not agree to a reworked contract, releasing the 29-year-old before March 15 would save $10.46MM in space. The Bills would take on $7.4MM in dead money at the same time. A post-June 1 cut would free up $11.3MM in savings for the Bills, who would carry dead cap over two seasons ($6.57MM in ’26, $2.34MM in ’27).

Knox has not revisited his 49-catch, 517-yard, nine-touchdown heights from 2021, but he has remained an important cog in a high-end offense. In his first 17-game season in 2025, the former third-rounder’s 57.7% snap share led a solid tight end group that also saw Dalton Kincaid and blocking maven Jackson Hawes log significant action. Knox caught 36 of 49 targets for 417 yards and four scores.

Whether or not Knox sticks in Buffalo in 2026, the team figures to address its receiving corps this offseason. Buccaneers pending free agent Mike Evans is one rumored possibility. Multiple league executives have also connected Packers wideout Romeo Doubs and Seahawks receiver Rashid Shaheed to the Bills, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.

Doubs and Shaheed are not No. 1-caliber options, but they should do well in a thin class of free agent receivers. The speedy Shaheed was on the Bills’ radar before last November’s trade deadline, but the Saints wound up sending him to Seattle for a 2026 fourth- and fifth-rounder. Over 12 games with the Super Bowl champions (including playoffs), Shaheed picked up just 18 catches for 266 yards and no touchdowns. The 27-year-old made a greater impact on special teams, where he combined for three kick and punt return scores.

0 comments Buffalo Bills Green Bay Packers Seattle Seahawks

Packers Open To Re-Signing Romeo Doubs

By | at February 11, 2026 12:44 pm

Multiple mid-December reports suggested the Packers were unlikely to keep pending free agent wide receiver Romeo Doubs. That may end up being the case, but a breakup isn’t a given, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. The two sides are at least expected to engage in dialogue before free agency starts on March 11, Fowler adds.

For his part, Doubs appears willing to continue his career in Green Bay, which chose him in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. The 25-year-old told Kay Adams in late January he “would love to be a Green Bay Packer,” but he also acknowledged it’s a business.

If they’re unable to retain Doubs, the Packers would still have Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Matthew Golden and Savion Williams leading their receiver depth chart. Golden and Williams didn’t do much as rookies, but in selecting the former in the first round and the latter in the third, the Packers invested heavily in the pair at last year’s draft.

While Golden and Williams are under control for a few years, Watson, Reed and tight end Tucker Kraft are all slated to reach free agency after next season. An extension for Kraft is already on general manager Brian Gutekunst‘s radar, and there could be added motivation to lock up Watson and/or Reed if Doubs exits Wisconsin in March.

This year’s free agent crop will be light on high-end receivers, especially with the Cowboys all but guaranteed to place the franchise tag on George Pickens. The Colts could also tag deep threat Alec Pierce. If those two don’t get to the market, it would be a positive development for Doubs and the rest of an unsigned class that could also include Jauan Jennings, Rashid Shaheed and Wan’Dale Robinson, among others.

Nobody would confuse Doubs with a star wideout, but after a solid showing on his rookie contract, he should secure a nice raise on a multiyear deal. A starter in 50 of 59 career appearances, the 6-foot-2, 204-pounder has averaged approximately 15 games, 51 catches, 80 targets, 606 yards and five touchdowns per season. Doubs started in 15 of 16 games in 2025 and caught 55 of 85 targets for a career-high 724 yards and six scores.

10 comments Green Bay Packers

NFC North Notes: Walker, Doubs, Tom, Wyatt, Byard

By | at January 27, 2026 11:11 pm

This past weekend, Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker was arrested at LaGuardia Airport on gun charges, per a report from multiple contributors at the New York Post. On Friday morning, Walker was taken into custody after trying to check a bag that contained a handgun and ammunition.

Arthur Aidala, Walker’s attorney, explained that Walker legally owned the firearm but that it is licensed in Wisconsin, and he didn’t know that he couldn’t travel with the gun to New York. It was actually Walker’s attempt to disclose the contents of the locked gun box in his luggage that led to his arrest.

Walker was charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm. After an appearance at criminal court, Walker was released on his own recognizance with a return date of March 19. Aidala is confident that the case will be dismissed.

Here are a few other recent rumors from around the NFC North:

  • In the Packers’ young receiving corps, pending free agent Romeo Doubs has been perhaps the most consistent contributor in the talented position group. When asked if he would be returning to Green Bay in a recent appearance on the Up & Adams Show, Doubs wanted to make it known that he “would love to be a Green Bay Packer” but that he knows the nature of the business.
  • Packers right tackle Zach Tom was unable to finish out the season with his team in the playoffs this year due to a knee injury, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Tom tried to get back on the field using a PRP injection, but he didn’t feel he would be able to pass block with it. He’s expected to undergo surgery to repair a partially torn patellar tendon with a recovery timeline of approximately six months.
  • Silverstein also reported on the injury to Packers defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, who reportedly suffered a broken fibula and torn ligament in his ankle. The soft tissue injury certainly lengthens any recovery time, but per Silverstein, Wyatt expects to be back in time for training camp.
  • Following a surprising late-season run into the playoffs, Bears pending free agent safety Kevin Byard made it known that he “would love to be back” in Chicago on a new deal, according to Bears writer Gabby Hajduk. Byard expressed a desire to “finish what (the Bears) got started this year” as he “wants to be on a team that wants to win.” There’s no doubt Chicago will want to retain Byard, but the question will be if they can afford it. Byard led the NFL in interceptions this year for the second time in his career, earning a third first-team All-Pro selection as a result. Two picks in the two years before this season seemed to indicate a fall off as Byard ventured into his thirties, but he turned back the clock just in time for it to pay off in a big way on his next deal.
19 comments Chicago Bears Green Bay Packers

Packers Unlikely To Retain WR Romeo Doubs; OLB Rashan Gary A Cut Candidate?

By | at December 14, 2025 11:40 am

In early October, we heard the Packers were interested in extending contract-year wideout Romeo Doubs. Now, multiple outlets are reporting that Doubs is unlikely to be back with Green Bay in 2026.

Earlier this week, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said the Packers are expected to let Doubs walk, and just a day later, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic (subscription required) said the same thing. Schneidman views Christian Watson and Jayden Reed, both of whom are under contract through 2026, as the veteran wideouts who are more likely to land an extension from Green Bay.

The Packers also have rookie receivers Matthew Golden and Savion Williams on the books through 2028, and, like Watson and Reed, Dontayvion Wicks is not presently eligible for free agency until 2027. While Doubs is presently leading the team with 45 receptions and 542 receiving yards, that is largely due to injuries suffered by other players.

Watson did not make his 2025 debut until Week 8 as he rehabbed a January ACL tear – and he has played very well since his return – and Jayden Reed only recently got back on the field after sustaining a broken collarbone in Week 2. Tight end Tucker Kraft, meanwhile, saw his promising season cut short by an ACL tear of his own in Week 9.

Fowler previously had opined that Doubs could be eyeing a contract worth $15MM per year. Though the ESPN scribe did not offer a prediction as to contract value in his latest report, he did say Doubs will do well if and when he hits free agency. Given Green Bay’s WR situation, it stands to reason the club would be disinclined to pay market value for the Nevada product.

Another player who could be nearing the end of his Packers tenure is outside linebacker Rashan Gary. Under club control through 2027 by virtue of the four-year, $96MM extension he signed in October 2023, Gary has already tallied 7.5 sacks this season, which matches his output from his Pro Bowl showing in 2024.

That said, he has not tallied a sack since Week 7, and as Schneidman observes, Gary’s pressure percentage since Week 9 is tied for 38th in the league. Even in 2024, 4.5 of Gary’s 7.5 sacks came in a six-game span, so what Schneidman refers to as “stretches of futility” are not a new phenomenon for the 28-year-old edge defender.

However, with Micah Parsons in the fold to take pressure off Gary, those stretches are less excusable. As such, Schneidman believes the Packers could release Gary this offseason, though he concedes that will be more difficult if 2023 first-rounder Lukas Van Ness – who has missed extensive time this year with a foot injury – does not quickly start playing like a Day 1 draftee. Cutting Gary prior to June 1 would net roughly $11MM in cap savings, though it would come with a dead money charge in excess of $17MM. A post-June 1 release would be more palatable in that regard.

Schneidman echoes another prior Fowler report in saying that Green Bay will likely allow left tackle Rasheed Walker to sign elsewhere in the upcoming offseason.

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