TE Hayden Hurst Retires
Hayden Hurst will not be among the players lining up free agent deals this week. The veteran tight end will instead begin his post-playing career. 
Hurst announced his retirement on Tuesday. He did not see any game time in 2025, and instead of spending another offseason in search of a new contract the former first-rounder will hang up his cleats. Today’s news brings an end to a seven-year NFL career.
“It is a blessing how far sports have taken me in this life,” Hurst’s retirement message reads in part. “I was determined to make football work after baseball failed me, and I never let anyone tell me I couldn’t do anything… I fought daily to be the best version of myself that I could, and I hope it showed on the field with the passion 1 played with every snap and every game. To all the fans in the cities I played in, thank you for supporting me along the way, and I hope I represented your hometown well.”
Hurst certainly had an unorthodox path to professional football. A 2012 draftee of the Pittsburgh Pirates, he wound up making only one start as pitcher in the minor leagues. With his baseball journey coming to an abrupt end, Hurst turned his attention to football and enjoyed a productive three-year tenure at South Carolina.
Hurst was selected with the 25th overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, and he spent his first two seasons with the Ravens. Baltimore added Mark Andrews in the same draft, however, and the team committed to him as its top option at the tight end position. Hurst was traded to the Falcons, although he also dealt with the problem of being buried on the depth chart behind Kyle Pitts in Atlanta for one year.
During his first trip to free agency, Hurst signed a one-year deal with the Bengals. He was able to deliver strong production as a secondary option in Cincinnati’s passing game, something which resulted in a three-year Panthers contract. Hurst was limited to nine games in 2023, however, and his Carolina tenure was cut short after only one season. He spent 2024 with the Chargers, playing sparingly.
Hurst’s retirement announcement noted this news is probably one year too late, but in any case he can now turn his attention elsewhere at the age of 32. In all, Hurst played 93 combined regular and postseason games and amassed roughly $28.5MM in career earnings.
Colts To Re-Sign Alec Pierce
Highly touted wide receiver Alec Pierce will not hit the open market. The Colts and Pierce have agreed to a deal, Jordan Schultz reports. It’s a four-year, $116MM pact, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The contract contains $84MM in guarantees and $60MM fully guaranteed at signing, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network relays.
This is a best-case scenario for the Colts, who are now in position to keep their top receiver and starting quarterback Daniel Jones. After the Colts placed the transition tag on Jones last Tuesday, there was fear Pierce would exit. The 25-year-old even suggested he would test the market. The 2022 second-round pick from Cincinnati will instead continue his career in Indianapolis.
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As PFR’s second-ranked free agent, Pierce drew substantial interest before agreeing to stick with the Colts. The Patriots, Raiders, 49ers and Chargers all eyed Pierce, but he turned down more money to remain in Indianapolis, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The Commanders were also “aggressive” in the derby, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN adds.
New England was not willing to match Indy’s bid, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports. The Patriots will now turn their attention elsewhere (perhaps an A.J. Brown trade) as they seek a difference-making receiver to replace the released Stefon Diggs.
Although Pierce has never reached 50 catches in a season, he has emerged as one of the game’s elite downfield threats. The 6-foot-3, 211-pounder led the NFL in yards per catch in each of the past two seasons. During a career year in 2025, he caught 47 balls for 1,003 yards (21.3 YPC) and six touchdowns over 15 games. It was the first time the durable Pierce has missed more than one game in a season.
On a per-year basis, Pierce has averaged around 39 catches, 734 yards and four touchdowns. That is not No. 1-caliber production, but Pierce will benefit from the league’s significant cap increase. He now ranks ninth at his position in total money, right behind the Bengals’ Tee Higgins. Pierce checks in at 10th in yearly average, once again just behind Higgins. An $84MM guarantee would put him in a fifth-place tie with Brown.
With Pierce under wraps, the Colts will likely put more focus on a long-term deal with Jones. Otherwise, they could risk losing him to an offer sheet. General manager Chris Ballard has until July 15 to reach an agreement with Jones.
Chargers To Sign G Cole Strange
Cole Strange is heading to Los Angeles. The former first-round pick reached an agreement with the Chargers this evening, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Strange will ink a two-year deal worth $13MM, per Schefter. This move reunites the lineman with Mike McDaniel, who took a chance on Strange in Miami.
The lineman was considered a reach when the Patriots selected him out of Chattanooga in 2022. Strange started all 17 of his appearances as a rookie but was limited to 10 games as a sophomore thanks to a torn patellar tendon. He was activated back to the active roster the following December, and he ultimately got into three games for the 2024 Patriots. He was cut by the organization at the end of the 2025 preseason.
After initially catching on with the Browns practice squad, Strange joined the Dolphins active roster in September. He proceeded to start all 14 of his appearances with Miami, with Pro Football Focus crediting him with 21 pressures allowed and 16 hurries allowed. Strange was also responsible for a pair of sacks.
Still, McDaniel apparently saw enough in the lineman to recruit him to Los Angeles. The Chargers are down both of their starting offensive guards; the team released Mekhi Becton and free agent Zion Johnson agreed to a three-year, $49.5MM contract with the Browns today. The front office re-signed Trevor Penning, although he could profile as OT insurance behind Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt. That means Strange may initially be pencilled into the Chargers starting lineup.
Chargers To Re-Sign OL Trevor Penning
The Chargers are re-signing offensive lineman Trevor Penning, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. It’s a one-year, $4.5MM agreement.
The Saints spent the 19th pick in 2022 on Penning, though the former Northern Iowa standout has not lived up to his draft slot. After a mediocre first three seasons divided between the tackle positions, the Saints declined Penning’s fifth-year option last spring. New Orleans then shifted Penning to left guard, but turf toe kept him out of its first three games last season.
Once Penning returned to health, he started six straight games before the Saints sent him to the Chargers for a 2027 sixth-rounder at last November’s trade deadline. The Chargers, then dealing with a rash of injuries up front, were in dire need of depth. Penning wound up totaling 193 offensive snaps with the Chargers down the stretch. The plurality of the 26-year-old’s work came at right guard (90 snaps), but he also saw action as an in-line tight end (50) and at left tackle (47).
The Chargers went all of last season without injured left tackle Rashawn Slater and most of it without right tackle Joe Alt. Those two cornerstones should be at full strength next year, but Penning could provide depth behind them. He also may be in the mix for playing time at guard, where the Chargers have lost both starters from last season. The team released Mekhi Becton, and free agent Zion Johnson agreed to a three-year, $49.5MM contract with the Browns on Monday.
Chargers To Sign TE Charlie Kolar
After playing out his rookie contract in Baltimore, Charlie Kolar has secured a major raise on his next deal. A notable agreement with the Chargers has been worked out.
Team and player agreed to terms on a three-year contract Monday, Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network report. This $24.3MM pact will include $17MM guaranteed, per the report. That will make Kolar the NFL’s highest-paid blocking tight end at $8.1MM per year. He is following in the footsteps of Josh Oliver, who cut his teeth as a blocker in Baltimore and earned a solid payday in free agency from the Vikings as a result.
The former Iowa State standout was drafted by the Ravens in the fourth-round of the 2022 draft, 11 picks ahead of fellow Baltimore tight end Isaiah Likely. Likely emerged as the better pass-catching tight end over the last four years, earning himself a three-year, $40MM contract with John Harbaugh‘s Giants. Kolar, who primarily proved himself as a blocker, will also be going to a popular destination for former Ravens in Los Angeles, where Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz has added many players he once scouted in Baltimore.
Kolar has plenty of untapped receiving potential in his 6-foot-6, 265-pound frame. In fact, he was better known as a pass-catching threat coming out of college and made huge strides as a blocker in Baltimore. He will pair with 2025 rookie breakout Oronde Gadsden – who is not as strong of a blocker – to form a young, high-upside tight end duo. Kolar can take on a bigger role as an inline tight end to free Gadsden up to exploit mismatches in the slot, both against slower linebackers in the pass game and smaller defensive backs in the run game.
The Chargers’ move to sign Kolar for a premium price indicates that they will continue to use plenty of two-tight end packages on offense in 2026 despite the departure of offensive coordinator Greg Roman (who coached Kolar as a rookie in 2022). His replacement, Mike McDaniel, did not feature tight ends heavily in the passing game, but used them extensively as blockers, indicating there will be plenty of work for Kolar in Los Angeles.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Chargers Sign FB Alec Ingold
Veteran fullback Alec Ingold was released just two days ago after spending four years with the Dolphins. It didn’t take long for him to rebound as Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports that Ingold has agreed to a two-year, $7.5MM deal to join the Chargers, reuniting him with former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. Ingold’s new annual average value of $3.75MM per year ties him with San Francisco’s Kyle Juszczyk as the highest-paid fullback in the NFL. 
One of about 10 fullbacks around the league used with any frequency, Ingold has remained an impact player in the league by being a useful asset both in the run and pass game. Signing with the Raiders as an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin, Ingold’s impact with his first team centered much more around the run blocking game. Lead blocking for then-Raiders running back Josh Jacobs represented the majority of his on-field opportunities in Oakland and Vegas.
After tearing his ACL in the final year of his undrafted rookie deal, Ingold found his next opportunity with the Dolphins in free agency. Playing in McDaniel’s offense, Ingold saw far more opportunities to contribute as a frequent participant on pass plays, as well. The more he proved he could be on the field on any down the more he ended up getting used in multiple facets of the offense. He earned Pro Bowl honors in his second year in Miami and started 47 of 66 game appearances.
He’ll now bring his talents to Los Angeles, where he reunites with McDaniel, the Chargers new offensive coordinator. The Chargers drafted fullback Scott Matlock in the sixth-round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He started his career as a defensive tackle, switching to offense after his rookie season. Based on this contract, Matlock isn’t likely to remain in his role of the past two years as a fullback. Either the signing of Ingold is the writing on the wall that Matlock may not be long for a roster spot, or Matlock may find himself back on defense in the offseason.
Ingold becomes the second free agent signed by the Chargers before the start of free agency. Los Angeles has added many former Ravens staffers to its front office in recent years, and as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler points out, a core tenant in Baltimore has long been to focus on the compensatory pick formula when pursuing free agents. Players who are released from existing contracts before the start of free agency do not count against a team in regard to compensatory picks. With the signings of Ingold and former Commanders center Tyler Biadasz in the past few days, it’s clear the Chargers are making that a focus, as well.
Rashod Bateman, Quentin Johnston, Dontayvion Wicks Available In Trades?
The NFL features four primary trade windows; we are in the first of those as free agency approaches. Teams will be targeting free agents soon, but trades are already happening. More are likely, as clubs will look to fill needs with players currently on other rosters.
Rashod Bateman and 2023 draftees Quentin Johnston and Dontayvion Wicks have come up as players potentially available in trades, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. The Chargers and Packers‘ wide receivers are in the final years of their rookie contracts, though Johnston’s can be extended to 2027 via the fifth-year option. Bateman is signed through 2029, making his trade status rather interesting.
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The inclusion of the sixth-year Ravens wideout is most interesting here considering he was discussed in trades last year — before signing a second Baltimore extension. The Ravens discussed Bateman with the Cowboys before they traded for George Pickens but circled back to the 2021 first-rounder on a three-year, $36.75MM extension. The Ravens had given Bateman permission to shop around last year, with the Patriots and Packers also showing interest. Bateman then went through a disappointing 2025 season, totaling only 19 receptions for 224 yards and two touchdowns after a strong 2024 performance.
Baltimore missed Lamar Jackson for a chunk of last season and did not exactly see MVP-caliber play from the superstar quarterback, for the most part, when he was available. During Jackson’s dominant 2024 season, the Ravens’ long-range threat produced career-best numbers in yardage (756) and touchdowns (nine). Bateman, 26, is due a $2MM base salary in 2026. As Nikhil Mehta’s Ravens Offseason Outlook detailed, Bateman is due a $4MM option bonus by Day 5 of the league year. With the ’26 league year starting Wednesday, the Ravens will need to make a call here soon.
Johnston appears unlikely to see his $16.47MM fifth-year option exercised. While the TCU product has been a productive auxiliary target around Ladd McConkey, the Chargers’ previous front office drafted him. Johnston has still improved under Jim Harbaugh, eclipsing 700 receiving yards and totaling 16 TDs over the past two years. The Bolts did draft Tre Harris in last year’s second round. Moving Johnston would allow for the Ole Miss alum to see a bigger role, though it would also create an ancillary need for a Bolts team flush with cap space.
The Packers appear likely to lose Romeo Doubs in free agency, even if they have him on the radar to stay. The team used first- and third-round picks on receivers last year and extended Christian Watson. Jayden Reed‘s rookie deal runs for one more season as well. Wicks may be the odd man out, though the Packers have been reluctant to cut into their WR depth in the recent past. Teams are interested in Reed, but Fowler adds it is unlikely the team’s 2023 and ’24 receiving leader is moved.
Wicks only totaled 332 receiving yards (on 30 catches) for two scores last season. That pedestrian stat line came with Watson missing half the season and Reed missing most of it. Still, with Doubs likely leaving, the Packers could need Wicks for a tertiary 2026 role before a 2027 free agency exit.
Chargers Re-Sign Khalil Mack
Khalil Mack will not test free agency ahead of the 2026 season. He will instead remain in place with the Chargers for next year. 
Mack has agreed to a one-year deal with Los Angeles, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Bolts will retain at least one of their two high-profile edge rushers as a result of this news. Mack has been in place with the team since 2022. This latest re-signing is now official, per a team announcement.
Retirement was once again a talking point at the end of this past season. It was reported earlier this month, however, that Mack planned on playing in 2026. That will indeed be the case. A re-signing was mentioned as a likely scenario in this case, so today’s news comes as little surprise.
During each of his first three Chargers seasons, Mack earned a Pro Bowl nod (bringing his career total to nine). He set a new career high in sacks with 17 in 2023, and upon arrival new general manager Joe Hortiz made it a priority to keep him in the fold. Mack played on a one-year, $19MM pact in 2024, and he did the same on a deal worth $1MM less the following season. Both of those contracts were fully guaranteed.
Team and player have worked out the same arrangement this time around. This is once again a fully guaranteed accord valued at $18MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. That includes a $10MM signing bonus (h/t Over the Cap). Los Angeles will have Mack in the fold as a key figure in the pass rush department while Tuli Tuipulotu plays out the final year of his rookie contract. The latter earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2025 and if/when an extension is signed in his case, it will bring about a major raise.
Mack was limited to 12 games this past year, but he has largely remained durable during his Chargers tenure. With 11.5 sacks since 2024, expectations will remain high for at least steady production along the edge in this case. The former Defensive Player of the Year has racked up 113 career sacks, good for 28th all time. Only six active players have more, and a move into the top 25 will be within reach.
Attention will now turn to the matter of fellow Chargers edge rusher Odafe Oweh. He is currently one of the top pending free agents among pass rushers, and a first career trip to the open market looms. Hortiz has expressed a desire to retain not only Mack but Oweh as well. It will be interesting to see if he manages to do so, something which could be feasible given the Chargers’ healthy cap situation.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/6/26
Friday’s RFA and ERFA tender decisions:
RFAs
Non-tendered:
- Broncos: TE Lucas Krull
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Chargers: RB Kimani Vidal
- Vikings: LB Bo Richter, RB Zavier Scott
After a strong campaign backing up an injury-depleted running backs room, Vidal gets the most obvious ERFA tender of all time. Starting 10 of 13 game appearances, Vidal rushed for 643 yards and three touchdowns after injuries to Najee Harris, Omarion Hampton, and others.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/6/26
Here are today’s NFL minor moves as we head into the final weekend before the start of free agency:
Denver Broncos
- Re-signed: RB Tyler Badie, DT Jordan Jackson, S Devon Key, OLB Dondrea Tillman
Houston Texans
- Re-signed: S M.J. Stewart
Los Angeles Chargers
- Re-signed: RB Jaret Patterson, S Kendall Williamson
New York Giants
- Released: T James Hudson
Washington Commanders
- Re-signed: K Jake Moody
Initially opening the season as a starter on the line in New York in place of Andrew Thomas, Hudson was benched after struggling in a first-string role. He had been signed to serve as a swing tackle for the Giants, but after his early-season struggles, he failed to see much playing time for the remainder of the season.
After getting waived by the team that drafted him in the third round, Moody landed on the Bears’ practice squad before the Commanders signed him to their active roster. Washington made the move after watching Moody connect on eight of nine field goal attempts in two games for Chicago then watched Moody convert 10 of 11 for their team over the final six weeks of the season. Not willing to pay the prices on a restricted free agent tender, the Commanders opted not to tender him but continued on the path to a new deal as an unrestricted free agent.