RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/9/26
Here are today’s tender decisions:
RFAs
Tendered:
- Vikings: LB Ivan Pace
Non-tendered:
- Cowboys: S Juanyeh Thomas
- Ravens: RB Keaton Mitchell
- Titans: CB Darrell Baker Jr.
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Falcons: DL Elijah Garcia
- Patriots: FB/TE Jack Westover
Chiefs To Sign S Alohi Gilman, Re-Sign WR Tyquan Thornton
Bryan Cook departed for the Bengals today, and the Chiefs have a host of secondary holes to fill. One of them will come from Baltimore. Alohi Gilman is signing with the Chiefs, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets.
Kansas City is giving the former Charger a three-year, $24.75MM deal that includes $15MM fully guaranteed. Kansas City is also bringing back wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, veteran insider Jordan Schultz tweets. Thornton is coming back on a two-year, $11MM deal, per Schultz.
Among a glut of starter-level safeties hitting the market Monday, Gilman played out a Chargers-designed contract in Baltimore. The Ravens traded Odafe Oweh in a deal that brought Gilman to Maryland. Although Day 3 picks were exchanged in that swap, Oweh fetched a monster Commanders deal today while Gilman will be tied to a midlevel Chiefs pact. That could represent a nice value play for Kansas City, which saw Cook land a three-year, $40.25MM Cincinnati accord.
Gilman will join fellow former Charger defenders Drue Tranquill and Kristian Fulton in Kansas City (though, the latter is a clear-cut release candidate). Entering an age-29 season, Gilman is a seventh-year veteran who has started for the past three seasons. The Chargers turned to the former sixth-round pick in 2023, and a solid contract year led to a two-year, $10.13MM deal as a 2024 free agent. Gilman started all 28 games he played on that contract, jumping into the Ravens’ lineup immediately after the October trade.
Cook started for three seasons in Kansas City, but he follows Justin Reid, Tyrann Mathieu and Juan Thornhill as one-contract Chiefs safeties in recent years. The Chiefs also lost three corners — Trent McDuffie (traded), Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams — in recent days. Moves to replace that trio will be needed, though Fulton, Chamarri Conner and Nohl Williams remain on the roster.
Thornton played a bigger role early in the season, with Rashee Rice on the shelf due to a suspension. Xavier Worthy also missed early-season time due to a shoulder injury. A Patriots second-round washout, Thornton made some notable contributions as a deep threat for Patrick Mahomes. Thornton averaged a whopping 23.1 yards per catch last season, catching 19 passes for a career-high 438 yards and three touchdowns.
The Chiefs have Marquise Brown unsigned while Rice’s future is murky due to domestic violence allegations surfacing. Rice is also in a contract year, while Worthy is signed through 2027. JuJu Smith-Schuster joins Brown as a free agent, and 2025 fourth-rounder Jalen Royals did not see much action as a rookie.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/9/26
Here are the minor move from a frenzied free agency first day:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: CB Natrone Brooks, LB Christian Harris, DE Cameron Thomas
Buffalo Bills
- Re-signed: P Mitch Wishnowsky
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Akayleb Evans, CB Robert Rochell
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Dominique Robinson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Re-signed: OLB Dennis Gardeck
- Released: TE Johnny Mundt
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to two-year deal: K Matt Gay
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LS Joe Cardona
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: TE Greg Dulcich
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Chris Manhertz
New York Jets
- Signed: FB Andrew Beck
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DL Esezi Otomewo
Cowboys To Re-Sign DE Sam Williams
Sam Williams is sticking in Dallas for at least another season. The free agent defensive end is returning to the Cowboys on a one-year deal, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The one-year pact is worth $3MM.
The former second-round pick has spent his entire career in Dallas, although he hasn’t necessarily lived up to his draft stock. He showed flashes while playing a part-time role through his first two years in the NFL, when he tallied 8.5 total sacks. He finished fifth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2022 after he tallied 22 stops, four sacks, and three fumble recoveries.
There was hope he’d take another step in 2024 following the departures of Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler. However, Williams suffered a torn ACL during that year’s training camp, ending his season before it even began.
He was back in time for the start of the 2025 season and got into all 17 games this past year. He didn’t have the same pass-rush ability, but he still finished the year with a sack, seven tackles for loss, and four QB hits. He also got into a career-high 474 defensive snaps.
The Cowboys acquired Rashan Gary to line up opposite Donovan Ezeiruaku, meaning Williams may be hard pressed to work his way into the starting lineup. Still, considering the uncertain status of free agents Jadeveon Clowney and Dante Fowler Jr., there could still be plenty of snaps on the edge for Williams in 2026.
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.
Titans To Sign CB Joshua Williams, Re-Sign LS Morgan Cox
The Chiefs’ three-pack of 2022 cornerback draftees has now departed. After the Trent McDuffie trade and Jaylen Watson defection (both are now Rams), Kansas City will lose Joshua Williams.
Williams is on his way to the Titans, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. For the time being, Williams will rejoin former Chiefs teammate L’Jarius Sneed in Tennessee. Sneed is a release candidate, however, as Williams has agreed to a two-year deal. GM Mike Borgonzi was in Kansas City when the Chiefs drafted Williams in the 2024 fourth round.
Additionally, the Titans have another deal in place with long snapper Morgan Cox. A 16-year NFL veteran, Cox is one of the most accomplished long snappers in NFL history. The 39-year-old specialist is a five-time Pro Bowler. Tennessee has also agreed to terms with veteran interior O-lineman Austin Schlottmann, according to Pelissero. The veteran interior swingman, who played for Brian Daboll with the Giants, is joining Robert Saleh‘s team on a one-year deal.
McDuffie and Watson worked in front of Williams over the past two seasons, but the Steve Spagnuolo piece still played regularly — though, not so much last season. After logging at least a 31% snap share on defense from 2022-24, Williams saw only 17 defensive snaps last season. Even with McDuffie landing on IR late in the year, Williams remained a special-teamer.
Pro Football Focus ranked Williams as a top-25 option at corner in 2023, when he helped the Chiefs (with Borgonzi in the front office) win Super Bowl LVIII. Williams, who intercepted a pass during the 2022 playoffs, played behind McDuffie and Sneed primarily from 2022-23. He did start 12 games over his first three seasons, and the Titans will take what probably amounts to a flier here.
Williams is by far the lowest-profile player among the three corners Tennessee agreed to add Monday. The cap-rich Titans agreed to terms with Alontae Taylor and Cordale Flott. The team did not see its previous expenditures at corner — Sneed, Chidobe Awuzie — pan out, but neither Borgonzi nor Saleh was there for those misses. The contracts given to Taylor and Flott point to a Sneed cut, and the Titans — should the former Super Bowl starter pass a physical — will save more than $13MM in cap space.
Bills To Sign QB Kyle Allen
The Bills are bringing veteran QB Kyle Allen back for a second stint. The sides have agreed to a two-year, $4.1MM contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. The deal carries a max value of $6.1MM.
Allen was previously a Bill in 2023, though the ultra-durable Josh Allen was their only quarterback to attempt a pass that year. Kyle Allen, who is close friends with Josh Allen, will replace Mitchell Trubisky as the Bills’ backup in 2026. Trubisky agreed to sign with the Titans on Monday.
Kyle Allen entered the pros as an undrafted free agent from Houston in 2018. He briefly became the Panthers’ primary starter a year later. A season-ending foot injury to Cam Newton in Week 2 thrust Allen into action. He went on to complete 62% of attempts for 3,322 yards, 17 touchdowns, 16 interceptions and an 80.0 passer rating in 13 games (12 starts).
That was not enough for Allen to retain a spot in Carolina, which traded him to Washington for a fifth-round pick in 2020. The Panthers turned to Teddy Bridgewater as their QB1 that year, while Allen joined Alex Smith and Dwayne Haskins as Washington passers to total at least four starts. Allen completed 60 of 87 passes (69%) for 610 yards, four TDs and a pick.
In the past five seasons, the 30-year-old Allen picked up just two starts (both with Houston in 2022). Since his first run with the Bills ended, Allen has spent a year apiece in Pittsburgh and Detroit. He has thrown just three regular-season passes in the past three years. In 34 games and 19 starts in the league, Allen has hit on 62.1% of passes, averaged 6.7 yards per attempt, and tossed 26 TDs against 21 INTs. He owns a career 82.1 passer rating.
Giants To Sign DB Ar’Darius Washington
When John Harbaugh arrived in New York after being fired by the Ravens, he quickly brought many of his staffers with him. Those moves created an expectation that the Giants would pursue Harbaugh’s former players in free agency, and that has indeed been the case.
The latest is defensive back Ar’Darius Washington, who spent the first four years of his career in Baltimore. He is expected to sign a one-year, $3MM contract with the Giants, per SNY’s Connor Hughes.
The former TCU standout went undrafted in 2021 due to his 5-foot-9 frame, but made the Ravens’ 53-man roster later that summer. Injury concerns proved to be an issue, as Washington only appeared in eight games in his first three seasons with long absences due to foot and chest injuries. The 26-year-old broke into the starting lineup in 2024 as part of Baltimore’s midseason secondary switch-up. Marcus Williams and Eddie Jackson were benched, and Washington joined Kyle Hamilton to stablize the back end of the defense.
Washington’s success built hype for his follow-up campaign in 2025. He was expected to reprise his starting role even after the Ravens drafted Malaki Starks in the first-round, with Hamilton set to return to a nickel/star role closer to the line of scrimmage. But a torn Achilles during offseason training altered those plans. Washington still made an impressive recovery and made his season debut just seven months after his injury, but he played just 61 snaps in his four appearances.
The Giants’ offer is appropriate given Washington’s injury history. He will serve as the team’s third safety behind Tyler Nubin and Jevon Holland and will likely take on some duties in the slot, too. Washington could thrive in those roles in the defense of Dennard Wilson – his onetime secondary coach in Baltimore – but only if he can stay healthy.
Steelers To Add RB Rico Dowdle
Although the Steelers were interested in re-signing Kenneth Gainwell, Jaylen Warren will have a new running mate in 2026. Pittsburgh is adding Rico Dowdle, NFL insider Jordan Schultz tweets.
This move will reunite Dowdle with new Steelers HC Mike McCarthy. A 2020 UDFA, Dowdle played in McCarthy’s system for his first five seasons. It’s a two-year, $12.25MM deal, Schultz adds.
The former Cowboys rusher spent last season with the Panthers. Dowdle has gained 1,000 rushing yards in each of the past two seasons. Gainwell agreed to terms with the Buccaneers earlier today. As this 1-B back carousel spins, Dowdle will go from complementing/usurping Chuba Hubbard to working with Warren in 2026.
Dowdle is going into his age-28 season, but as a former third-stringer behind Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard in Dallas, he only has 567 career carries. This is a similar strategy to how Pittsburgh proceeded in 2025, with Gainwell a career Eagles backup. Dowdle has more tread on his tires by comparison, but he is also a much more accomplished back.
Playing on back-to-back one-year contracts, Dowdle has impressed. He replaced Pollard as Dallas’ starter in 2024, rushing for 1,079 yards and then overtook Hubbard — despite Hubbard’s 2024 Panthers extension — and totaled 1,076. Both seasons brought 4.6 yards per carry. Dowdle lost some of his workload back to Hubbard late in the year and was planning to target a team that would give him a regular role. The Steelers have Warren, but Gainwell’s season showed an opening exists for carries.
The Steelers voted Gainwell team MVP after he amassed 1,023 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns. Gainwell is a year younger than Dowdle and has only 394 carries, but the Bucs will go with him to complement Bucky Irving. Rachaad White is a free agent.
Pittsburgh used a third-round pick on Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson last year. It would stand to reason Johnson will have a chance at a bigger role, but then again, a new coaching staff has arrived and McCarthy’s most recent RB1 is coming to town. Dowdle will give the Steelers a proven option, representing a late-blooming back after tallying just seven carries over his first three seasons.
Jets To Sign S Dane Belton
Giants safety defections in free agency have become commonplace, and with a new coaching staff now in place, another exit is on tap. But Dane Belton will not need to relocate. The Jets are picking up the fifth-year player, NFL insider Jordan Schultz tweets.
It’s a one-year, $4MM deal with a max of $6MM. The former fourth-round pick will follow Julian Love, Xavier McKinney and Jason Pinnock in leaving Big Blue’s safety corps over the past three offseasons.
Belton, 25, carved out a consistent rotational role in the Giants defense in his first two seasons and took on more playing time towards the end of his third year. That would have set him up for a full-time starting role in 2025, but Jevon Holland‘s arrival in free agency pre-empted that. Belton still appeared in every game with a strong 63% snap share and nine starts with both Holland and Tyler Nubin missing time due to injury.
Both veterans are remaining in New York under John Harbaugh, so Belton will switch locker rooms at the Meadowlands, likely to serve as the Jets. No. 3 safety. Minkah Fitzpatrick will take on a starting role after arriving via trade from Miami, and 2025 fourth-rounder Malachi Moore will likely start alongside him after an impressive rookie campaign. All three can line up as a free safety, man the slot, or play down in the box, giving Aaron Glenn and new defensive coordinator Brian Duker plenty of ways to configure their 2026 secondary.