Eagles Exercise DT Jalen Carter’s Fifth-Year Option
Both the Eagles’ 2023 first-round picks will see their fifth-year options exercised. With Nolan Smith‘s 2027 salary now fully guaranteed, The Athletic’s Zach Berman reports Jalen Carter‘s will be as well.
Carter’s 2027 compensation will be more than double Smith’s expected option number, being a two-time Pro Bowler. Players chosen for two more more Pro Bowls on the original ballot match the franchise tag value at their positions. The defensive tackle tag came in at $27.13MM this year. Teams have until 3pm CT on Friday to exercise options on 2023 first-rounders.
Carter, Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs and Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers are eligible for the top option tier at their respective positions among the 2023 draftees. Carter and Flowers’ prices lead the pack among ’23 first-rounders, surpassing even the numbers going to C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young. Flowers’ $27.3MM number leads the way, as the wide receiver franchise tag checked in just north of the D-tackle number this year.
Although Carter came into the NFL with considerable baggage — which allowed the Eagles to land the impact defender at No. 9 overall — he has delivered, becoming one of the league’s top D-tackles. Carter earned Pro Bowl invites in 2024 and ’25, boosting his option price. He earned second-team All-Pro acclaim in 2024, as he helped the Eagles to a Super Bowl LIX rout despite Fletcher Cox retiring the previous offseason. The Eagles have moved on from Josh Sweat, Haason Reddick and Jaelan Phillips; Carter, however, figures to be prioritized in the way Jordan Davis was when he signed a March extension.
The Eagles gave Davis a three-year, $78MM extension. Because Carter is a three technique responsible for backfield disruption, he may become the candidate to unseat Chris Jones atop the NFL’s D-tackle salary hierarchy. Jones has held that distinction since signing a five-year, $158.75MM Chiefs deal in March 2024. The Bengals gave Dexter Lawrence a one-year, $28MM extension to bridge the gap between Jones and the field. But Davis sits as the next-closest DT on a multiyear accord.
Carter’s asking price figures to be lofty, pointing to a future in which the Eagles have two players among the top-five DT earners. Jones signed his latest Chiefs contract when the cap stood at $255.4MM; it now resides at $301.2MM, providing Carter’s camp with more ammo. Even though Carter came into the league with baggage and was effectively suspended for a game — being ejected before the Cowboys’ first offensive play on opening night last year — for spitting on Dak Prescott, he has become a cornerstone player for the Eagles.
A January report suggested Davis and Carter were atop Howie Roseman‘s extension priority list. The Eagles have been known to act early on deals, as their O-line dealings and the 2024 DeVonta Smith extension (the first Round 1 wide receiver extended with two rookie-deal years left on a contract in the option era) illustrated. Acting this offseason with Carter would make sense, as the cap — based on recent growth — will likely be north of $320MM in 2027. Carter could also boost his case for a deal well beyond $30MM per year with an All-Pro-caliber season.
The Eagles traded up one spot for Carter in 2023, with the Bears sliding down to No. 10 and drafting All-Pro right tackle Darnell Wright. Viewed as perhaps the 2023 class’ top talent, Carter fell due to character concerns. A handful of teams passed on Carter after he was hit with misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing. These charges came in connection with the accident that killed Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy on Jan. 15, 2023 (LeCroy and Willock were in a separate vehicle). Carter reached a plea deal in this case, avoiding jail time, but some teams removed him from their draft boards as a result of the accident.
Beyond the spitting incident, Carter has avoided controversy in the NFL. He finished with six sacks as a rookie and totaled 4.5 (to go with a career-high 12 tackles for loss) in 2024. ESPN’s pass rush win rate metric ranked Carter fourth in 2024 and 18th in 2025. He missed more time in 2025 because of procedures on both shoulders. The Eagles did not place Carter on IR, though, and he returned in Week 17. The 2025 absences are unlikely to impact a Carter extension push.
Eagles To Exercise OLB Nolan Smith’s Fifth-Year Option
Although Nolan Smith is coming off a down season, he remains a key part of the Eagles’ defense. The team acquired Jonathan Greenard from the Vikings during the draft, extending the Pro Bowl edge rusher, but Smith is slated to remain on the team’s payroll for two more seasons.
The Eagles are exercising Smith’s fifth-year option, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports. This will fully guarantee his 2027 salary. Smith is expected to be classified as a linebacker, per Fowler and OverTheCap. He is eligible for the bottom-tier option figure; for linebackers, that comes out to $13.75MM.
[RELATED: 2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
Situations like this have led to disagreements on edge rushers’ positions. This year, the defensive end position’s fourth-tier option number checks in at $14.48MM. Teams have regularly used the linebacker tag on 3-4 OLBs, even though the players spend more time rushing as a defensive end in sub-packages. Smith saw minimal playing time as a rookie in 2023 but moved to a regular role in 2024. A five-game injury absence limited his development last season.
The 2023 season marked the second and final campaign featuring Josh Sweat and Haason Reddick co-anchoring Philly’s pass rush. The Eagles traded Reddick to the Jets and gave Sweat a pay cut in 2024, eyeing a bigger role for Smith. After sitting behind the two veterans in 2023, Smith joined Sweat as a regular. He moved into Philly’s starting lineup around midseason and finished with 6.5 sacks. As Sweat upped his free agency stock with a solid season to anchor the Eagles’ edge rush during a Super Bowl-winning season, Smith was a key playoff contributor after registering four postseason sacks.
Smith, 25, has not necessarily justified his first-round draft slot just yet. He finished last season with just three sacks and one tackle for loss. Asked to be the Eagles’ top edge rusher entering the season — after Brandon Graham‘s retirement and Sweat’s Cardinals defection — Smith did not impress in that role and suffered a triceps strain in September. The undersized pass rusher returned from IR in Week 9 and did finish the season with 11 QB hits, but Greenard now serves as the Eagles’ EDGE linchpin.
Greenard essentially replaces Jaelan Phillips, whom the Eagles tried to re-sign. A four-year, $120MM Panthers contract lured the 2025 trade pickup away from Pennsylvania, but Greenard is now on a 4/100 deal that runs through the 2029 season. Smith may be more qualified for an OLB2-type role, and Greenard is positioned to be the team’s top outside ‘backer next season. The Eagles also signed Arnold Ebiketie from the Falcons last month, and two years remain on Jalyx Hunt‘s third-round contract (the unretired Graham is also interested in playing a 17th season). Hunt outplayed Smith in 2025, recording 6.5 sacks and a team-high 24 QB hits. It will be interesting to see how the Eagles divide playing time between their Greenard sidekicks in 2026.
The Eagles also picked up Jalen Carter‘s fifth-year option today, and Smith’s ex-Georgia teammate is viewed as an extension candidate. Carter should be expected to take precedence, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane notes. Considering Carter’s two Pro Bowl nods and place as an upper-crust defensive tackle, that is unsurprising.
It would surprise a bit if Smith were viewed as a clear-cut extension candidate, considering he did not build on his impressive 2024. The Eagles, though, now have more time to observe Smith in Vic Fangio‘s defense. This option decision locks him down for two more years. Philly will have a clearer picture of what a second Smith contract would look like after the 2026 campaign.
Cowboys To Sign WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
The Cowboys have one of the NFL’s premier receiving duos, rostering CeeDee Lamb and the franchise-tagged George Pickens. The team lost auxiliary pass catcher Jalen Tolbert in free agency and will make a depth addition Monday.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling is joining Dallas on a one-year deal, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. The journeyman wide receiver spent last year with a few teams, moving from the Seahawks to the 49ers to the Steelers. The Cowboys are the ex-Packer draftee’s eighth NFL team. The contract will count $1.26MM on the Cowboys’ cap sheet and come with $188K guaranteed, ESPN’s Todd Archer adds.
[RELATED: Cowboys Have ‘Zero Intention’ To Trade Pickens]
The first six years of Valdes-Scantling’s career featured stability. He joined the Chiefs in free agency shortly after they traded Tyreek Hill, collecting two Super Bowl rings and making some crucial plays for both Kansas City championship iterations in 2022 and ’23. The Chiefs cut MVS in 2024, however, sending him on a nomadic course.
After a Bills signing, Valdes-Scantling played seldomly and was released. He made his way to the Saints and helped a depleted receiving corps to close the 2024 season. Those contributions led Seattle, which had hired 2024 New Orleans OC Klint Kubiak as its new play-caller, to sign off on a one-year deal worth $4MM. Valdes-Scantling, however, did not make the Seahawks’ 53-man roster and ended up on the 49ers’ practice squad. After San Francisco released MVS with an injury settlement in mid-October, a Steelers workout led to a reunion with Aaron Rodgers — as Pittsburgh searched for post-Pickens production alongside D.K. Metcalf.
Dallas did not draft a wideout until Round 7 (East Carolina’s Anthony Smith), and Tolbert signed with the Dolphins (one year, $1.4MM). Even with Pickens on a franchise tag — likely for all of 2026 — the Cowboys did not bring back Tolbert despite the low Miami salary. The team returns Ryan Flournoy as a supplementary target while also rostering All-Pro returner KaVontae Turpin and veterans Parris Campbell and Jonathan Mingo. The latter, a former second-round pick acquired in a trade, accepted a pay cut to stay in Dallas last month.
Mingo’s reworked deal includes no guaranteed money for 2026. Campbell also has no guarantees on his contract. That leaves the door open for Valdes-Scantling to earn a backup role. All three figure to be options for Dallas’ 16-man practice squad as well.
Valdes-Scantling, 31, caught 14 passes between his time in San Francisco and Pittsburgh last season. The Steelers turned to the former Rodgers Green Bay deep threat late in the season. With Metcalf suspended for the final two regular-season games, the Steelers used MVS on at least 81% of their offensive snaps in Weeks 17 and 18. He helped the team to a division-clinching win over the Ravens with five receptions for 34 yards.
The NFL’s yards per reception leader in 2020 (20.9), Valdes-Scantling topped 100 receiving yards in the 2022 AFC championship game — as the Chiefs deployed a skeleton crew at WR by game’s end — and then made some pivotal catches against the Bills, Ravens and 49ers to help the Chiefs to the Super Bowl LVIII title. MVS averaged 22.6 yards per catch in eight Saints games (all starts) two seasons ago, scoring four touchdowns. The Cowboys will hope to see some of that form this offseason.
Saints Decline OLB Tyree Wilson’s Fifth-Year Option
The Raiders sending Tyree Wilson to the Saints during the draft gave New Orleans the responsibility of exercising his fifth-year option. As expected based on the former top-10 pick’s track record to date, the Saints are passing.
New Orleans will decline Wilson’s 2027 option, GM Mickey Loomis said (via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The longtime Saints GM indicates this will be a one-year trial run for Wilson, who is now in a contract year.
[RELATED: 2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
Wilson has not come close to justifying his draft slot. The Raiders, who did extensive quarterback work in 2023, chose the Texas Tech EDGE prospect seventh overall. At the time, rumors had Wilson as a possible pick over Will Anderson Jr. But the Big 12 product did not end up going above the future star, whom the Texans correctly pegged as a defensive cornerstone at No. 3 overall. Injury issues have plagued Wilson, but he and Anderson reside several tiers apart based purely on performance through three seasons.
Coming off a foot injury that ended his Texas Tech career early, Wilson came off the active/NFI list during his first Raiders training camp. At the time, Wilson was set to be a rotational rusher behind Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones. But the latter’s strange Las Vegas exit stripped the Raiders of a former All-Pro soon after. Wilson, though, did not become a Crosby sidekick liked the Raiders hoped. Ownership fired Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler hours after the 2023 trade deadline, and the team has since churned through more regimes after firing Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco before canning Pete Carroll a year later.
John Spytek remains in the GM chair for a second year, but he did not draft Wilson. The bottom-rung option number for linebackers checks in at $13.75MM; for defensive ends, Tier 4 on the option ladder comes in at $14.48MM. OverTheCap classifies Wilson as a D-end, though the Raiders used a 3-4 scheme throughout his time with the team. The Saints also now use a 3-4 base alignment under DC Brandon Staley. This is immaterial relating to Wilson, however, as he likely did not generate much discussion about this option being exercised in either Vegas or New Orleans.
Turning to Malcolm Koonce as a Crosby sidekick over Wilson, the Raiders used the latter as a starter in just seven games during his three-season Nevada stint. For that low start number, Wilson did produce some interesting results under Patrick Graham. Wilson combined for 14 tackles for loss from 2024-25, totaling 8.5 sacks as an auxiliary rusher during that time period.
The Raiders used Wilson on 50% of their defensive snaps in 2024 and 41% of their plays, with Koonce back healthy after a missed 2024 season, last season. Wilson also saw scant action as an inside rusher as a Raider, giving Staley more options.
Crosby was all set to head to Baltimore via a blockbuster trade, but the Ravens nixed it after failing the All-Pro on a physical. During the time when it looked like Crosby would indeed become a Raven, the Raiders re-signed Koonce and added Kwity Paye. Crosby returning to the Raiders does not guarantee he will finish the season there, but entering the draft, Wilson had a narrower path to playing time. The fourth-year vet could see more work in New Orleans, which traded No. 150 overall to acquire him and a seventh-round pick.
The Saints have not re-signed Cameron Jordan, but they return Chase Young and Carl Granderson on the edge. Although the Saints were linked to potentially making a first-round investment at this position, that did not come to pass. Wilson joins post-draft signee Anfernee Jennings among Saints additions here, and the former college star will attempt to up his stock — for either a Saints extension or a 2027 free agency bid — in 2026.
Buccaneers Exercise DL Calijah Kancey’s Fifth-Year Option
Calijah Kancey missed most of last season, clouding his fifth-year option call. But the 2023 first-round pick’s lengthy injury-driven absence also reduced his option price, creating an interesting decision for the Buccaneers.
The team will bet on the Pittsburgh alum, announcing Monday it will exercise Kancey’s option. This tracks to bring a $14.48MM guarantee for the 2027 season. Kancey, who missed two games as a rookie and five in 2024, has not been especially reliable in Tampa. But he has impressed when on the field. The Bucs will hope for better health moving forward.
[RELATED: 2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
That 2024 12-game season brought 7.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss; Kancey’s rookie year featured four sacks and 10 TFLs. The Bucs, who lost 2022 second-round pick Logan Hall to the Texans in free agency, still have plenty of Kancey stock. While the team did re-sign Rakeem Nunez-Roches and add A’Shawn Robinson in free agency, Kancey still profiles as Vita Vea‘s top sidekick on this defensive line.
Had Kancey played 50% of the Bucs’ defensive snaps in each of his three seasons, he would have been eligible for the second tier on the option ladder. For defensive ends (where Kancey is technically classified in Todd Bowles‘ 3-4 scheme), that number checks in at $15.94MM.
If Kancey were to be labeled a D-tackle, his option number would come in at $13.93MM. Teams have used players’ base-set responsibilities against them in option cases in the past, with 3-4 edge rushers labeled true linebackers (which formerly carried lower option prices) ahead of disputes. Although OverTheCap lists this option at $14.48MM, it will be interesting to see if the Bucs end up classifying Kancey as a DT for option purposes. The team’s website labeled him a D-lineman in announcing his option had been picked up, adding some ambiguity here.
Kancey, 25, has played only 101 snaps as an outside rusher (per Pro Football Focus) as a pro. Considering the lower option price for DTs, it would not be surprising to see the Bucs classify him at that position and lock in a sub-$14MM 2027 guarantee. After all, Kancey will be — if he bounces back in 2026 — negotiating an extension while using D-tackle comps rather than those potential negotiations seeing any EDGE players’ salaries come into play.
The Bucs had not previously exercised a fifth-year option since picking up Tristan Wirfs‘ in 2023. That was a remarkably easy decision. The team declined Joe Tryon-Shoyinka‘s in 2024 and did not have an option call in 2025, with Hall arriving via the first pick of the 2022 second round.
In our Buccaneers Offseason Outlook offering, I viewed Kancey’s work before his September 2025 pectoral tear as sufficient to buy him an extra year with the franchise. The 2025 season stalled the former No. 19 overall pick’s development, but the Bucs have seen plenty from the inside rusher to use the option as an extended evaluation tool.
Kancey went down in Week 2 of last year, undergoing surgery. We have seen in recent years that September pectoral tears can offer hope for a late-season return, and rumblings Kancey could come back by the playoffs emerged. The Bucs’ season ultimately did not extend to the playoffs for the first time since 2019, but the team activated Kancey from IR ahead of the team’s pivotal Week 18 matchup with the Panthers. Kancey will attempt to continue that momentum into 2026, when he will be viewed as a starter once again.
Browns To Sign FB Michael Burton
Todd Monken‘s three Ravens offenses involved a fullback, with the former Baltimore OC overseeing Patrick Ricard during that span. The new Browns HC will add a veteran at the niche position ahead of OTAs.
Michael Burton spent the past three years of his lengthy career in Denver, but TheLandonDemand.com’s Tony Grossi notes he is signing with Cleveland. Burton, 34, missed all of last season due to a hamstring injury.
The Browns will be Burton’s seventh NFL team. Prior to Denver, he stopped through Detroit, Chicago, Washington, New Orleans and Kansas City. While he has cleared 20% usage on offense in just two seasons — as fullbacks have largely been phased out of NFL offenses — the Rutgers product has been a special teams regular as well.
Cleveland added two tight ends in the draft — Cincinnati’s Joe Royer and BYU’s Carsen Ryan — but Burton will be the team’s first true fullback addition this offseason. The Browns return 2025 draftees Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson; the team lost Jerome Ford in free agency (to Washington).
Earlier this offseason, a report revealed the Browns tried to sign Ricard in their search for a fullback. But Ricard opted to be part of a Baltimore-to-New York pipeline, following John Harbaugh to the Giants. Ricard was used far more than Burton offensively, seeing 39-64% snap shares on offense over the past six seasons. Burton moved between the Broncos’ practice squad and active roster during his second stint under Sean Payton and spent all of last season on IR, but it looks like he will have a bounce-back opportunity in one of the few offenses where a fullback sees regular usage.
49ers Add Eight UDFAs
The 49ers are among the teams which have quickly unveiled their undrafted free agent classes. The following eight players have agreed to terms with San Francisco:
- Jack Boumeester, P (Texas)
- Khalil Dinkins, TE (Penn State)
- Bryson Eason, DL (Tennessee)
- Wesley Grimes, WR (NC State)
- Mikail Kamara, DL (Indiana)
- Will Pauling, WR (Notre Dame)
- Jalen Stroman, S (Notre Dame)
- James Thompson, DL (Illinois)
The 49ers did not select any tight ends during the draft, something which could help Dinkins’ chances of earning a roster spot this summer. The team’s financial commitment will at least ensure him a long look. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports Dinkins signed a deal including $275K guaranteed.
That is not the only big-money deal the 49ers authorized when assembling their UDFA class. Per Pelissero, Thompson landed $280K in guarantees. After five years at Wisconsin, Thompson enjoyed a productive season at Illinois. He will spend the remainder of the offseason competing with Eason and Kamara for a spot at the end of the roster or at least a place on San Francisco’s practice squad.
The 49ers signed Corliss Waitman in free agency, and he is currently in line to operate as their 2026 punter. The team’s decision to bring in Boumeester will at least leave the door open to a competition, though. Waitman’s one-year deal contains $450K guaranteed, limiting the cost of moving on during roster cuts in the event Boumeester performs well during training camp.
Bears Restructure Contracts Of TE Cole Kmet, OL Jonah Jackson
The Bears restructured the contracts of tight end Cole Kmet and offensive lineman Jonah Jackson to open up salary cap space before the 2026 NFL Draft, per Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.
Chicago converted $7.65MM of Kmet’s $8.9MM salary into a bonus that was prorated across the remainder of the contract. His cap number was reduced by $3.8MM in 2026 and raised in 2027 by the same amount, resulting in $7.8MM and $15.4MM hits in each year, respectively.
Jackson’s contract was restructured in a similar manner, just with different numbers. His 2026 salary was reduced by $13.5MM and converted into a bonus, half of which will be moved to the Bears’ 2027 cap table. Jackson’s cap hit is now $12.8MM for this season; it will go up to $23.8MM next year. Both moves were traditional restructures that did not add void years to the contracts to maximize the 2026 cap savings.
The Bears entered draft week with the least cap space in the NFL. If they wanted to trade or acquire a player during the draft, Fitzgerald explains, they would not have been financially permitted to do so. These restructures ensured that Chicago’s options remained open throughout the weekend.
No such trade materialized, but the restructures were not for naught. The team will still need to sign their rookie class, which would have forced them to open up cap room after the draft anyway.
The restructures turn next offseason – and therefore, this upcoming season – into a pivotal one for both players.
Kmet’s future in Chicago became murky as soon as they drafted Colston Loveland in the first round last year. He saw a significant drop in playing time and production and will likely cede more ground in 2026. His $15.4MM cap hit will be too expensive for a No. 2 tight end, and though the Bears could approach Kmet about a pay cut, he may prefer to hit the open market for the first time in his career. He could also become a trade target for teams seeking a proven, reliable tight end who can provide starting-caliber play as a pass catcher and a blocker.
The Bears acquired Jackson from the Rams last offseason and signed him to a three-year, $54.5MM extension. He started all 17 games at right guard, reestablishing his value after missing most of the previous season due to injury. He is slated to take up the same role in 2026, and a repeat performance should set up him up for another extension closer to the top of the still-rising guard market.
Steelers To Re-Sign DT Dean Lowry
The Steelers are re-signing veteran defensive tackle Dean Lowry, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Lowry, 31, spent the last two years in Pittsburgh, but did not play in 2025 due to a torn ACL suffered in training camp. That was one of several injuries to the Steelers’ defensive line last year; Derrick Harmon, Isaiahh Loudermilk, and Daniel Ekuale all missed multiple games as well.
Originally a Packers fourth-round pick in 2016, Lowry emerged as a starter in his second NFL season. After his third, he received a three-year, $20.3MM contract extension that carried him through the rest of his time in Green Bay. He hit free agency in 2023 and signed a two-year, $8.5MM deal with the Vikings. He went down with a pectoral injury after just nine games and spent the rest of the season on injured reserve.
Lowry then signed a two-year, $5MM contract with the Steelers, but could not carve out more than a rotational role in their defense. He appeared in 12 games in 2024 with a 21% snap share with just five total tackles (none for loss) and one sack.
The Steelers bolstered their defensive line this offseason by signing Sebastian Joseph-Day to a two-year, $11MM deal while allowing Loudermilk and Ekuale to hit free agency. Retaining Lowry ensures some more veteran continuity – and indicates his recovery process has gone smoothly. Eight months removed his injury, he has a chance to participate in spring practices and should be ready for training camp.
Jaguars Sign 18 Undrafted Rookies
The Jaguars added 11 players in the 2026 NFL Draft, many of them selected well above their consensus rank. Jacksonville then signed 18 undrafted free agents to fill out their roster, per a team announcement, as listed below:
- Joey Aguilar, QB (Tennessee)
- T.J. Bollers, DL (California)
- Brady Boyd, WR (Utah State)
- Alex Bullock, WR (South Dakota State)
- Ethan Conner, TE (Troy)
- Garrett DiGiorgio, OL (UCLA)
- Quindarius Dunnigan, DE (Michigan State)
- Preston Hodge, CB (Colorado)
- Jalen Hunt, DL (Cincinnati)
- Devin Neal, S (Virginia)
- Jimto Obidegwu, OL (North Texas)
- Ben Patterson, WR (Texas-Permian Basin)
- Trebor Peña, WR (Penn State)
- J’Mari Taylor, RB (Virginia)
- Bryan Thomas Jr., DE (South Carolina)
- Jordan White, OL (Vanderbilt)
- Michael Wortham, WR (Montana)
Aguilar, who turns 25 years old in June, threw for over 3,500 yards at Tennessee in 2025 after two years starting for Appalachian State. . At 6-foot-3 and 229 pounds, he brings good size and a strong arm to the NFL, but his vision, anticipation, and mental processing will all need improvement. In Jacksonville, Aguilar will have to quickly learn Liam Coen‘s offense and battle for a spot on the roster or (more likely) the practice squad over the next few months.
Neal spent time at Baylor and Louisville before arriving at Virginia as a graduate transfer in 2025. He led the Cavaliers defense with 88 tackles and eight passes defended. However after posting six interceptions in 2022 and 2023, he has not recorded one since. Neal received $231K in guarantees to sign with the Jaguars, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. He will join a safety room headlined by veterans Antonio Johnson and Eric Murray that just added Maryland’s Jalen Huskey with a third-round pick over the weekend.
After four quiet seasons at Syracuse, Pena burst onto the college football scene in 2024 with an ACC-high 84 receptions for 941 yards and nine touchdowns. He transferred to Penn State in 2025 in the hopes of boosting his stock further, but disappointed with just 49 catches for 522 yards and two touchdowns. He lacks high-end athletic or physical traits but plays bigger than his listed size (5-foot-10, 187 pounds) and brings value as a returner, which may help him make the roster in Jacksonville.
Taylor spent his first five college seasons playing in the FCS at North Carolina State and also transferred to Virginia last year. He served as the Cavalier’ starting running back with 1,062 yards on 222 carries (4.8 yards per attempt). He also flashed as a pass-catcher with 43 catches for 259 yards, and his 15 total touchdowns led the ACC. The Jaguars let Travis Etienne walk in free agency this offseason and will be counting on 2025 draft picks Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen to pick up the slack. Taylor may have an opportunity to carve out a role in Coen’s offense as a rookie.
Thomas, 21, is an underside edge rusher with ascending production over the last three years, including seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss in 2025. He received $248K to sign in Jacksonville, per Wilson, where his name may sow some early confusion among fans and beat writers. But for one letter, he shares a name with a current Jaguars: wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.