Patriots Place TE Julian Hill On IR
Just as the Patriots added wide receiver A.J. Brown in a trade with the Eagles on Monday, they lost tight end Julian Hill for the 2026 season. The Pats have placed Hill on injured reserve, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald relays.
It is unclear why Hill is going on IR, but it will prevent him from playing in the first season of the three-year, $15MM contract the Patriots gave him in free agency. New England guaranteed $7.5MM to Hill, who turned down an offer to stay with AFC East rival Miami before hitting the open market. The Dolphins’ proposal was reportedly worth far less than the Patriots’.
After playing his college football at Campbell, an FCS school, Hill joined the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He was never much of a receiving threat in Miami, where he caught 33 passes for 288 yards and went without a touchdown in 45 games. But the blocking specialist was a 26-game starter for the Dolphins, who deployed him regularly on both offense and special teams. Hill logged a career-high 55% offensive snap share last year, and he also took the field for 48% of special teams plays. It was the reverse in 2024 (48% offensive snaps, 55% special teams).
A healthy Hill could have helped New England replace Austin Hooper, who joined the Falcons on a one-year, $3.25MM deal in free agency. Now, with the 25-year-old Hill out of commission, the Patriots will have to count on other options behind No. 1 tight end Hunter Henry. Third-round rookie Eli Raridon could log more playing time than expected in Hill’s absence. Jack Westover, CJ Dippre and undrafted rookie Tanner Arkin are the only other tight ends on the roster.
Jets Sign First-Round WR Omar Cooper Jr.
The Jets added three players during the opening round of April’s draft. Every member of that trio is now on the books.
New York agreed to terms with receiver Omar Cooper Jr. on Monday, ESPN’s Rich Cimini reports. This is a four-year deal worth a fully guaranteed $17.5MM. The Jets will be able to keep Cooper under team control through 2030 via the fifth-year option.
As expected, New York addressed the pass rush with pick No. 2 by drafting edge defender David Bailey. That was followed by the selection of tight end Kenyon Sadiq at No. 16. The Jets entered Day 1 of the draft with a pair of picks, but they swung a trade with the 49ers to move up to No. 30. That deal allowed them to select Cooper, who capped off a four-year run at Indiana with a national championship last season.
Cooper redshirted as a freshman and then totaled a modest 18 catches in nine games as a sophomore. He added another 28 catches for 594 yards – good for a whopping 21.2 average – and seven touchdowns in 2024. After that impressive showing, his production skyrocketed with the Hoosiers’ addition of quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who transferred from California. While mostly working from the slot in 2025, Cooper amassed 69 grabs for 937 yards and 13 TDs to earn second-team All-Big Ten honors. He also forced 27 missed tackles, most among any receiver in this year’s draft class.
The belief is Cooper has the versatility to line up in the slot and on the outside in the pros. Either way, he will add some much-needed talent to a Jets receiving corps that was sorely lacking in that area in 2025. No. 1 receiver Garrett Wilson will return after missing 10 games with a shoulder injury. The Jets will also get a full season from Adonai Mitchell, who showed flashes after they acquired him from the Colts in November’s Sauce Gardner blockbuster. Cooper, Sadiq, Wilson, Mitchell, running back Breece Hall and tight end Mason Taylor should be new quarterback Geno Smith‘s top options in the passing game in 2026, and they could form a strong core of weapons for the foreseeable future.
With Cooper now under contract, fourth-round defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr. is the Jets’ last unsigned pick. Here is their full eight-player class:
- Round 1, No. 2: David Bailey (EDGE, Texas Tech) (signed)
- Round 1, No. 16 (from Colts): Kenyon Sadiq (TE, Oregon) (signed)
- Round 1, No. 30 (from Broncos via Dolphins and 49ers): Omar Cooper Jr. (WR, Indiana) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 50 (from Lions): D’Angelo Ponds (CB, Indiana) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 103: Darrell Jackson Jr. (DT, Florida State)
- Round 4, No. 110 (from Bengals): Cade Klubnik (QB, Clemson) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 188 (from Browns via Seahawks): Anez Cooper (G, Miami) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 228 (from Cowboys via Bills and Raiders): VJ Payne (S, Kansas State) (signed)
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
Giants To Sign WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
The Giants’ efforts to add at the receiver position have still not ended. A third deal has been arranged after today’s workouts.
JuJu Smith-Schuster has agreed to sign with New York, as first reported by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport. He too was among the veterans who took part in a workout Monday morning. Like with Odell Beckham Jr. and Braxton Berrios, it has proven to be successful in this case.
Smith-Schuster, 29, had not previously been linked to interest from other teams. The 10th-year veteran has seen his production vary considerably from one season to the next over the course of his career, and the past two campaigns with the Chiefs were not among his best. A depth spot with the Giants will nevertheless be sought out with a familiar face present at the offensive coordinator spot.
Matt Nagy worked alongside Smith-Schuster in Kansas City. He is now the Giants’ offensive coordinator. Nagy will have several new faces to work with during training camp, although Berrios will of course be expected to operate primarily on special teams. Beckham and now Smith-Schuster will look to establish themselves as veteran contributors to a New York WR room which has undergone a number of changes in recent months.
Darius Slayton and Jalin Hyatt are still in the fold as returnees from 2025, but the Giants added Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin during free agency. Those signings were followed by the decision to select Malachi Fields in the third round of the draft. That group will aim to complement Malik Nabers when he is fully recovered from a follow-up surgery on his knee. Whether or not Nabers will be available for Week 1 remains to be seen, though.
After topping 830 yards twice during his five-year run in Pittsburgh, Smith-Schuster had a productive first campaign in Kansas City in 2022 (78-933-3 statline). That was followed by a single season in New England and a pair of one-year Chiefs deals. During that span, the former second-rounder saw his production tail off as a member of offenses which largely struggled with efficiency. He will look to bounce back in New York as part of a crowded receiver room.
Giants, WR Braxton Berrios Agree To Deal
Not long after his Giants workout, Braxton Berrios has landed a deal. The veteran receiver/returner has agreed to a one-year New York pact, per his agents (h/t ESPN’s Adam Schefter).
Berrios was joined by JuJu Smith-Schuster and Anthony Miller in taking part in a workout earlier today. Odell Beckham Jr. also went through a second Giants visit this morning. Those three remain unsigned at this time, although Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reports a second receiver addition can be expected.
Last week, Gunner Olszewski suffered what the Giants fear was an Achilles tear. Targeting a replacement with considerable special teams experience was a logical goal, and it comes as little surprise Berrios has secured a deal. The 30-year-old has returned 100 punts and 93 kickoffs over the course of his career, and will look to contribute in that regard on his latest team.
Berrios spent his first four seasons as a member of the Jets. During that time, he was a contributor on offense (totaling 46 catches in 2021) but made his most notable impact on special teams. The former sixth-round pick earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2021 for his work as a returner, amassing 1,524 all-purpose yards that season. Berrios remained productive in that capacity for another two years, including his first campaign in Miami.
An ACL tear limited Berrios to just six games in 2024 and brought his Dolphins tenure to an abrupt end. The Miami alum managed to recover in time to sign with the Texans early in free agency last March, although his Houston spell proved to be sparse in terms of playing time. The Texans moved Berrios to injured reserve in September, and he totaled just four appearances with the team.
The Giants entered Monday with $10.49MM in cap space. This Berrios contract will no doubt check in at or near the league minimum, so it will not have a large impact on any other signings New York is contemplating.
Eagles To Sign WR Samori Toure
With A.J. Brown‘s departure nearing, the Eagles are making yet another receiver addition. Samori Toure has agreed to a deal with Philadelphia, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
Toure began his career with the Packers, seeing game action with them in 2022 and again in 2023. Having remained in the organization during the summer of 2024 he is familiar to Sean Mannion, whose coaching tenure began with Green Bay that year. Mannion is now the Eagles’ offensive coordinator.
After failing to survive roster cutdowns in 2024, Toure made an intra-divisional move by signing with the Bears on their practice roster. The former seventh-rounder landed a futures contract following that season, but he never wound up making any regular-season appearances with Chicago. Toure joined the Saints this past fall by signing to New Orleans’ taxi squad. He played in one game during the 2025 campaign.
This summer, Toure will aim to carve out a depth role on the Eagles’ WR depth chart. He will be joined by a familiar face in the form of Dontayvion Wicks, who was acquired via trade and given a one-year extension upon arrival by Philadelphia. Wicks also began his career with the Packers. This spring has been busy with respect to receiver acquisitions on the part of the Eagles. Marquise Brown was added in free agency before the team traded up in the first round of April’s draft to select Makai Lemon.
Those new arrivals will be joined by Toure and returnee DeVonta Smith during training camp. Brown remains on the roster for the time being, although Monday afternoon marks the beginning of the period where moving on from his contract will be viable from a cap perspective. Compensation with the Patriots is still a talking point, but a Brown-to-New England move remains the widespread expectation around the league.
Toure, 28, has totaled 23 appearances to date in his career. He has never operated as a regular on offense in the NFL, but he could serve in a backup role upon reuniting with Mannion and joining a significantly revamped Eagles WR room.
Seahawks, Dante Fowler Agree To Deal
MAY 31: Fowler’s deal with the Seahawks has a base value of $2.5MM with just $500k guaranteed via a signing bonus, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson, the lowest of his career. He is also set to earn a $1.32MM salary and $680k in roster bonuses, as well as any of his $2.5MM in incentives he hits.
MAY 5: The Seahawks’ interest in Dante Fowler has been clear in recent days and weeks. Tuesday has indeed seen an agreement reached between team and player.
Fowler is signing with Seattle, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports. This will be a one-year deal worth up to $5MM, he adds. Fowler visited with the Super Bowl champions last month, and an agreement was still feasible after the draft.
Seattle lost Boye Mafe in free agency, leaving the team in need of at least a rotational presence to replace him. The Seahawks wound up making eight selections in the draft, but none were used on edge rushers. As a result, it comes as little surprise the team has turned to the free agent market deep into the offseason. Fowler will offer plenty in the way of experience along the edge in 2026.
The 31-year-old has racked up 159 appearances and 58 starts over the course of his career. Fowler has seen time with the Jaguars, Rams, Falcons, Cowboys and Commanders across his 10 NFL seasons. In Atlanta and then again in Dallas, he overlapped with Aden Durde, who is currently the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator. Durde’s unit was critical in Seattle’s run to the championship in 2025, and expectations will remain high next year. Fowler, who recorded double-digit sacks as recently as 2024, will look to contribute in the pass rush department.
Seattle still has Uchenna Nwosu, DeMarcus Lawrence and Derick Hall in place as returning edge rushers from last year. The members of that trio will be counted on to remain productive in 2026, but Fowler should have a notable role to play as well. The former No. 3 pick has logged a snap share of 52% or more three times in the 2020s. A workload closer to that of his Cowboys stints will be expected if the Seahawks remain healthy, though the value of this pact certainly points to Fowler being counted on to help replace Mafe’s production.
Seattle entered Tuesday with over $32MM in cap space, making a one-year addition such as this one an affordable option. Fowler has been playing on short-term deals dating back to 2020, so this arrangement will be nothing new to him. He collected $6MM with Dallas last season, and a similar payday should now be in store with the Seahawks.
Chiefs Restructure George Karlaftis’ Deal
The Chiefs kept defensive end George Karlaftis around for the long haul on a four-year, $93MM contract extension last July. Less than a year later, the Chiefs have restructured the deal, according to Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti.
Kansas City converted $9.685MM of Karlaftis’ salary into a signing bonus earlier this week. In doing so, the team opened up $7.7MM in cap space. The Chiefs now have around $13MM to work with, which may be enough room to upgrade their roster in a meaningful way this summer.
Wide receiver is one position the Chiefs could address, especially with temporarily jailed No. 1 wideout Rashee Rice recovering from knee surgery. Stefon Diggs, Keenan Allen, Deebo Samuel and former Chiefs Tyreek Hill and DeAndre Hopkins are among the notable veterans still on the open market.
A recent report connected Diggs to the Chiefs, who have avoided sizable investments at wideout this offseason. Their biggest moves have been re-signing Tyquan Thornton to a two-year, $11MM pact and drafting former Cincinnati Bearcat Cyrus Allen in the fifth round (176th overall). Allen is joining holdovers in Rice, Thornton, Xavier Worthy and 2025 fourth-rounder Jalen Royals.
As for Karlaftis’ position, Kansas City added to its defensive end group when it drafted ex-Oklahoma Sooner R Mason Thomas in the second round (40th overall). The Chiefs grabbed Thomas after saying goodbye to Charles Omenihu and Mike Danna earlier in the offseason. Karlaftis, who remains the Chiefs’ No. 1 DE, easily led the position in defensive snap share (73.37%) last season. Over 16 games and 15 starts, he recorded 43 tackles, 23 QB hits, a personal-best 10 TFL and six sacks. The Purdue product has racked up an even 30 sacks over four years since the Chiefs drafted him 30th overall in 2022. He is under contract through 2030.
Giants Restructure Andrew Thomas’ Deal
MAY 30: The Giants in fact completed a maximum restructure of Thomas’ contract, per Dan Duggan of The Athletic. His base salary has been reduced to the veteran minimum of $1.215MM with a new total of $11MM of additional cap space. $3.67MM has been added to Thomas’ cap hits from 2027 through 2029, which all sit between $29.5MM and $30MM – still a reasonable price for an elite left tackle, though Thomas will have to stay healthy to be worth it.
MAY 28: The Giants and Andrew Thomas have once again agreed to a restructure. New York’s six-year left tackle starter has agreed to a reworking of his pact to create immediate cap space.
Team and player agreed to the latest restructure yesterday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. A portion of Thomas’ base salary for 2026 was converted into a roster bonus. The move created $6.46MM in space. As a result, Thomas is now on course to carry a cap charge of $17.59MM this season.
The former No. 4 pick was largely durable while playing out his rookie contract, something which helped New York make a big-money commitment in his case. Thomas inked a five-year extension worth $23.5MM per season in 2023. He has missed time every year since then, including the 2024 campaign in which Thomas was limited to just six appearances. His deal was restructured last September to create financial breathing room.
The Giants have taken the same route this time around. New York is currently near the bottom of the league in terms of cap space, so this Thomas restructure will help carve out some financial flexibility once it is processed. The team inked Francis Mauigoa to his rookie pact yesterday, but fellow top-10 selection Arvell Reese has not yet signed. The space created by this move will help make Reese’s deal easier to absorb and allow for other roster adjustments through the summer.
Thomas, 27, remains under contract through 2029 as things stand. None of his scheduled compensation beyond the coming campaign is guaranteed, although he is due a $2.5MM roster bonus next March. A healthy campaign would help ensure that payment winds up being made while also offering strong showings on the blindside for a Giants offensive line seeking improved play in 2026.
Seahawks To Sign First-Round RB Jadarian Price, Wrap Draft Class Deals
The Seahawks have agreed to a deal with first-round running back Jadarian Price, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. Price went 32nd overall, which carries a total value of approximately $16.78MM over four years. He is expected to sign his fully guaranteed contract today, per Pelissero.
Price was never the lead dog in his three years at Notre Dame, where he played behind Audric Estime in 2023 and Jeremiyah Love over the past two seasons. To his credit, though, Price excelled when given the ball. Over 41 games and 280 carries with the Fighting Irish, he averaged 6.0 yards per attempt and found the end zone 21 times. Price chipped in three more touchdowns as a receiver, but he caught just 15 passes in college.
Despite serving as a backup at Notre Dame, Price entered this year’s draft as the consensus second-best RB available. Love, the No. 1 option by miles, went third overall to the Cardinals. It was far from a slam dunk Price would come off the board in the first round, but the Seahawks elected to grab their replacement for Kenneth Walker with the final pick of Day 1. General manager John Schneider chose Price after an attempt to trade down fell through, and adding the 5-foot-11, 209-pounder prevented the NFC West rival 49ers from potentially doing so at No. 33. The 49ers wound up using the 33rd pick on receiver De’Zhaun Stribling and addressing running back in the third round, where they spent the 90th overall selection on Kaelon Black.
Walker, who was the Seahawks’ lead back for four seasons, won Super Bowl LX MVP honors in February and then left for the Chiefs’ three-year, $43.05MM offer in free agency. The Seahawks will largely count on Price to fill Walker’s void, especially after No. 2 back Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL in a divisional round win over the 49ers in January. Charbonnet will return sometime in 2026, but he is unlikely to be ready for the start of the season. As he continues in his recovery, Price, free agent pickup Emanuel Wilson and George Holani are among the Seahawks’ healthy options at the position.
When Price officially puts pen to paper, it will complete this year’s draft signings for the reigning champions. Here is Seattle’s full 2026 class:
- Round 1, No. 32: Jadarian Price (RB, Notre Dame)
- Round 2, No. 64: Bud Clark (S, TCU) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 99 (from Steelers)*: Julian Neal (CB, Arkansas) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 148 (from Chiefs via Browns): Beau Stephens (G, Iowa) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 199 (from Lions via Browns, Bengals and Jets): Emmanuel Henderson (WR, Kansas) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 236 (from Packers)*: Andre Fuller (CB, Toledo) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 242 (from Bills via Browns and Jets): Deven Eastern (DT, Minnesota) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 255 (from Packers)*: Michael Dansby (CB, Arizona) (signed)
Giants Ink No. 5 Overall Pick Arvell Reese, Complete Draft Signings
The Giants announced that they have signed first-round linebacker Arvell Reese to his rookie contract. As the fifth overall pick, Reese’s fully guaranteed four-year deal is worth around $47.83MM.
Reese played three years at Ohio State, where he capped off a 43-tackle 2024 campaign with a national championship and then experienced a massive uptick in production last season. While recording 356 snaps at outside linebacker and 238 snaps as an off-ball LB, the 6-foot-4, 243-pounder tallied 69 tackles (10 for loss) and 6.5 sacks over 14 games. He earned Big Ten Linebacker of the Year honors and was named a consensus All-American.
Reese’s versatility helped make him one of the premier prospects in this year’s class. Just a few weeks before the draft, Reese was considered the favorite to go second overall to the Jets. They wound up taking former Texas Tech edge defender David Bailey with that selection. Two picks later, the Titans were down to Reese and one of his former college teammates, wide receiver Carnell Tate. They went with Tate at No. 4, leaving an easy decision for a Giants team that saw coveted ex-Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love join the Cardinals third overall. The Giants reportedly gave equal grades to Love and Reese.
While Reese could turn into a high-end outside rusher for the Giants, they already have three-time Pro Bowler Brian Burns, 2025 third overall pick Abdul Carter and 2022 fifth overall choice Kayvon Thibodeaux along the edge. Although Thibodeaux has been popular in trade rumors, it appears the Giants will keep the four-year veteran in hopes he rebounds from a 10-game, 2.5-sack showing from 2025. With Thibodeaux sticking around, the plan is for Reese to primarily play off-ball LB at the outset of his career. He will line up on the weak side and team with free agent acquisition Tremaine Edmunds as the Giants’ starting duo.
Reese was the first of seven picks in the 2026 draft for the Giants, who now have their entire class under contract. Here is the list:
- Round 1, No. 5: Arvell Reese (EDGE/LB, Ohio State) (signed)
- Round 1, No. 10 (from Bengals): Francis Mauigoa (T, Miami) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 37: Colton Hood (CB, Tennessee) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 74 (from Chiefs via Browns): Malachi Fields (WR, Notre Dame) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 186: Bobby Jamison-Travis (DT, Auburn) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 192 (from Dolphins): JC Davis (T, Illinois) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 193 (from Cowboys): Jack Kelly (LB, BYU) (signed)