Commanders To Sign RB Jerome Ford
The Commanders are signing former Browns running back Jerome Ford to a one-year deal, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Ford, 26, is the second running back to join Washington’s backfield this week. Rachaad White signed his own one-year deal on Thursday; he, Ford, and 2025 seventh-round pick Jacory Croskey-Merritt will look to follow up the Commanders’ top-five rushing effort last season.
Ford was drafted by the Browns in the fifth round of the 2022 draft. He served as the team’s primary kickoff returner as a rookie and stepped into a starting role after Nick Chubb‘s season-ending knee injury. Ford led Cleveland’s backfield with 813 yards on 204 carries and chipped in 44 catches for 319 receiving yards, the fourth-most on the offense. He also tied with Kareem Hunt for the team lead with nine total touchdowns.
In 2024, Ford maintained a strong role in the backfield as Chubb finished his rehab, though he was not as much of a lead back as the year before. He again paced the team in rushing and was the fifth-leading receiver, though he only found the end zone three times. Though Chubb left in free agency the following offseason, the Browns did not give Ford a featured role in 2025. Instead, they drafted two rookie running backs – Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson – who dominated the backfield and made Ford an afterthought in Cleveland.
In Washington, Ford gives the Commanders another experienced option in their backfield behind Croskey-Merritt and White. Croskey-Merritt barely factored into the receiving game as a rookie, so White will likely take on a third-down role in 2026. Ford profiles as more of an all-purpose RB3 who can eat carries and step in on passing downs as needed.
Commanders Re-Sign G Chris Paul
Playing the last season of his four-year rookie contract in 2025, Commanders guard Chris Paul logged his first 17-game campaign and totaled a career-high 15 starts. The Commanders are now bringing Paul back on a one-year deal, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports.
Paul wanted to test the market, per John Keim of ESPN, but the former seventh-rounder from Tulsa did not find any compelling reason to leave Washington. While he explored “many options,” according to Schultz, Paul’s desire to continue playing alongside stalwart left tackle Laremy Tunsil won out. Tunsil reeled in a market-setting extension earlier this week.
The 27-year-old Paul entered last season with just 17 games’ experience and eight starts under his belt. He took on a full-time role when the Commanders benched 2024 third-rounder Brandon Coleman in Week 3. Paul started at left guard for the rest of the year and finished third among Commanders offensive linemen in snap share (87.86%). Pro Football Focus took a negative view of Paul’s performance in ranking him 69th 79 qualifying guards, though he drew wildly different reviews as a run blocker and pass blocker. Only three guards earned a higher pass-blocking grade than Paul’s 78.2. On the other hand, just three posted worse run-blocking grades than his 38.2 mark.
A vastly improved showing in the running game should help the 6-foot-4, 324-pound Paul secure a better deal a year from now. In the meantime, he could rejoin Tunsil, right tackle Josh Conerly and right guard Samuel Cosmi as starters along Washington’s line in 2026. The Commanders are facing uncertainty at center, though, having released two-year starter Tyler Biadasz in late February. While the team tried to sign the best free agent center available, Tyler Linderbaum, he instead joined the Raiders on a record-setting pact for his position.
Commanders To Bring Back WR Dyami Brown, Sign WR Van Jefferson
Dyami Brown‘s Jaguars signing did not produce a great return for the AFC South franchise, and the sides will separate after one season. Brown will receive a second chance in Washington, however.
The Commanders are bringing back their former third-round wide receiver draftee, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. It is a one-year deal worth up to $3MM. Veteran wideout Van Jefferson is also joining Washington, The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala reports.
Despite a thin resume on his Washington rookie contract, Brown scored a $10MM Jacksonville guarantee. He caught just 20 passes for 227 yards and one touchdown. The Jaguars acquired both Tim Patrick and Jakobi Meyers after adding Brown last year, and the North Carolina alum played 38% of the team’s offensive snaps during a season that featured Travis Hunter shut down at the midpoint.
That 227-yard showing represented Brown’s second-best as a pro; he reached a career-high 308 in 2024. For a player without a 350-yard season, Brown has managed to remain a viable option for teams in free agency. He joins a Commanders roster that may lose Deebo Samuel on this year’s market. Washington has Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane complementing Terry McLaurin. Washington also re-signed Treylon Burks this offseason.
Jefferson has put up more impressive numbers as a pro, though his 802-yard performance in the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI-winning season now looks fluky. The former second-round pick has not surpassed 375 yards in a season since. Though, he did manage a 350-yard showing last season on a bad Titans team.
Heading into an age-30 season, Jefferson is heading to a fifth NFL team over the past four years. The Rams traded him in a low-level pick swap in 2023, sending the Florida alum to the Falcons. The Steelers deployed Jefferson as a role player in 2024, and the Titans handed him a $1.67MM deal last year. Jefferson and Brown will compete for roles in the Commanders’ McLaurin-fronted receiving corps.
Commanders To Re-Sign OL Trenton Scott
Trenton Scott will be back for another season in Washington. The veteran offensive lineman is re-signing with the Commanders, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The lineman bounced around the NFL a bit to begin his career, spending time with the Chargers, Panthers, and Steelers. He started a career-high nine games in Los Angeles in 2019. Scott inked a two-year deal with the Commanders in 2023, and he inked a new one-year contract with the organization last offseason. He’s seen time in 35 games during his stint in Washington, starting six games. He also saw some significant playing time during the 2024 postseason while filling in for Sam Cosmi.
He dropped down the depth chart last offseason following the additions of LT Laremy Tunsil and rookie RT Josh Conerly. That led to him finishing the campaign with only eight appearances and 82 offensive snaps.
Conerly, Tunsil, and Cosmi will all be back on Washington’s OL in 2026, but the rest of the grouping remains uncertain. The team cut center Tyler Biadasz while guard Chris Paul remains unsigned. The Commanders surely aren’t done adding to the position, but Scott could find himself competing with the likes of Nick Allegretti for a significant role next season.
Commanders To Add RB Rachaad White
With the Buccaneers adding Kenneth Gainwell, Rachaad White is on the move. He is heading to Washington, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo.
The Arizona State alum will rejoin college teammate Jayden Daniels with the Commanders. The fifth-year running back is joining the Commanders on a one-year agreement, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets.
White and Daniels overlapped with the Sun Devils from 2020-21. White did not play with likely Commanders target Brandon Aiyuk, who was Daniels’ teammate in 2019, as the running back spent time at two other schools — Division II Nebraska-Kearney and Mt. San Antonio Junior College — before arriving in Arizona.
Although Gainwell’s Tampa arrival to team with Bucky Irving ensured White would need to look elsewhere for his second contract, he expected as much well before the Bucs’ free agency decision. White pointed to a Tampa exit immediately after the team’s 2025 season ended. Supplanted by Irving as the Bucs’ starter in 2024, White was needed to return to his starting post last year due to the second-year back battling multiple injuries. But Tampa Bay did not with to continue with the Irving-White partnership in 2026.
White put together a promising 2023 season, amassing 1,539 scrimmage yards. Among RBs that year, White’s yardage total ranked fourth. Despite that impressive showing, White lost his job to Irving midway through the 2024 slate. The Bucs drafted the Oregon product in Round 4 in 2024, and the move changed their plans at RB. White maintained a role alongside the swiftly developing runner, but it became clear Irving was the team’s future at the position.
Washington lost Austin Ekeler to an Achilles tear in Week 2 of last season; that certainly hurt the team’s ability to involve its backs in the passing game. White has 11 career receiving touchdowns, and his strong 2023 season included 593 receiving yards. The 27-year-old RB presents an option to complement Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who totaled 805 rushing yards as a rookie but only 68 through the air. With Washington losing Chris Rodriguez to Jacksonville, Croskey-Merritt and White look like the team’s new top backfield tandem.
In Daniels’ final season with the Sun Devils (2021), White totaled 1,462 scrimmage yards (462 receiving) and 16 touchdowns. The elusive back parlayed that season into a third-round selection. It will be worth wondering if White’s ceiling in Washington is an RB2/pass-down option; he has a career 3.9-yard average per carry (as Irving outshined him when healthy). But Dan Quinn wanted to lean on the run more, with that being part of the reason behind Kliff Kingsbury‘s ouster. A 1-2 punch involving Croskey-Merritt and White would likely feature extensive work for both.
Ravens To Sign DE Trey Hendrickson
Making the decision to wave off the Maxx Crosby trade Tuesday, the Ravens will add the best edge rusher left available. Trey Hendrickson is signing with the team, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report.
Hendrickson agreed to a four-year, $112MM deal with Baltimore, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. That contract comes in south of where Crosby’s resides on the Raiders’ payroll. Hendrickson agreed to a contract that includes $60MM guaranteed at signing, Schefter adds. That will bring the 10th-year veteran pass rusher guarantees beyond Year 1 — something he targeted during his yearslong Bengals negotiating saga.
[RELATED: Raiders Prepared To Keep Crosby; Latest On Trade Breakdown]
Incentives can take the two-year total to $64MM, Rapoport tweets, with Schefter adding eight-, 10- and 12-sack benchmarks are in place. A $500K incentive covers Hendrickson in sacks, meaning most of this deal goes to base value. The $60MM full guarantee ranks in the top 10 at the position, though it is not yet known where Jaelan Phillips and Odafe Oweh ended up in terms of locked-in money.
The Crosby fallout may have benefited Hendrickson. Most teams viewed the 31-year-old All-Pro EDGE as being set to land a deal in the $24-$25MM-per-year range, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. SI.com’s Albert Breer indicates $25-$27MM represented the range, helping explain why Hendrickson lingered in free agency. As of Tuesday, roughly a $10MM gap existed between Hendrickson’s camp and teams’ early offers.
As CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes, Crosby has about four years and $116MM left on his Raiders contract. The Ravens will shift to a free agent and retain their first-round picks, something the California Post’ Vincent Bonsignore notes does not appear to be going over well in some league circles. The Ravens stayed in touch with Hendrickson’s camp Tuesday, Russini adds, noting most in the building knew the ex-Bengal was set to join the team.
The Colts and Eagles are also believed to have made offers, Russini adds. An Indianapolis agreement would have reunited Hendrickson and Lou Anarumo, while Philly is still searching for a replacement for Jaelan Phillips. While those two clubs missed out, the Ravens have completed a shocking turn of events, ruffling feathers in the process.
The Bills, Buccaneers and Commanders were also involved in the Hendrickson derby, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds. Philly’s involvement here is classified as a late entrance, per Fowler, who adds the Colts believed they were close. The Bucs were offering a short-term deal. Hendrickson was connected to interest in joining the Bucs, as he is an Orlando native who played college ball at Florida Atlantic.
The Bills were also involved in a Crosby trade pursuit, while the Commanders pivoted to K’Lavon Chaisson shortly before the Hendrickson-Baltimore news emerged. Washington was in this market until the end, per ESPN.com’s John Keim, explaining the Chaisson deal’s timing.
It is worth wondering when the Ravens began discussing Hendrickson. Trades are not official until the start of the new league year (3pm CT today). It can be assumed Baltimore was all-in on Crosby, but Russini adds the team was familiar with the Raiders edge rusher’s rehab timeline. Crosby is recovering from meniscus surgery, a monthslong process that is not expected to affect his Week 1 availability, and some around the league view this as simply the Ravens getting cold feet on unloading two first-round picks. Hendrickson is nearly two years older than Crosby, but not costing two first-rounders is rather significant.
The Hendrickson market looked to see a mystery team emerge Tuesday afternoon, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo, who indicates teams became leery of this stealth suitor. That is widely believed to be the Ravens, who knew hours before the Raiders’ social media announcement they would be nixing the Crosby trade.
While this sets a bad precedent, such options are available to teams under a setup in which deals can be agreed to weeks in advance — as the 2021 Jared Goff–Matthew Stafford trade reminds — of the new league year before becoming official. The unraveling of the Ravens-Raiders’ Crosby trade took hours, Garafolo adds. Hendrickson came into the picture for the AFC North team at that point.
PFR’s No. 4-ranked free agent, Hendrickson scores a deal that lands between Phillips (our No. 3 FA) and Oweh in terms of AAV. His $28MM number is much better than where he was during most of his Cincinnati tenure. Hendrickson had signed a four-year, $60MM Bengals deal in 2021 before agreeing to a one-year, $21MM extension in 2023.
Hendrickson pursued an extension for years in Cincinnati, but the Bengals stood their ground and refused to offer post-Year 1 guarantees — an organizational precedent except in rare cases (Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase) — during last year’s standoff. A one-year, $29MM pact ended up being the late-summer resolution. The Bengals offered their top pass rusher a backloaded three-year, $95MM deal; he passed, leading to the August raise. The Bengals were linked to a 2026 Hendrickson franchise tag, but it would have come in well north of $30MM. Cincy passed and will move on, having agreed to sign Boye Mafe.
While Crosby probably has more long-term upside, Hendrickson put together a dominant run in the 2020s. The Bengals sack ace finished back-to-back seasons with 17.5 sacks and has two more campaigns (2020, 2021) with at least 13. After a belated breakthrough in a contract year (2020) with the Saints, Hendrickson helped the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI in his debut Ohio season. Hendrickson recorded at least 24 QB hits from 2020-24, topping out at 36 in managing to finish as Defensive Player of the Year runner-up on a bad 2024 Cincinnati defense.
Last year, hip trouble ended up shutting Hendrickson down after five games. The four-time Pro Bowler underwent core muscle surgery in December. That adds a layer to this edge rusher switcheroo, though the Ravens obviously do not expect Hendrickson to be delayed in coming back in time for the regular season. Wherever Crosby plays in 2026, he is expected to be on the field in Week 1 as well.
Never trading a future first-round pick for a veteran player in their 30-year history, the Ravens also have not been big spenders at the EDGE position since Terrell Suggs‘ Baltimore run ended. The team franchise-tagged Matt Judon but did not re-sign him, moving to Oweh’s rookie deal and a host of veteran stopgaps. This strategy, which included an Oweh trade midway through last season, led to Baltimore ranking 30th in sacks last season. The team will bet on Hendrickson recapturing his pre-injury form, while we wait to see where Crosby will end up.
Commanders To Sign DL Charles Omenihu
Following a three-season stay in Kansas City, Charles Omenihu is heading to Washington. The free agent defensive end has agreed to a deal with the Commanders, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
It’s a one-year, $4MM deal that could be worth up to $7MM, according Jordan Schultz.
Omenihu joined the Chiefs via a two-year contract back in 2023 before re-upping last offseason on a one-year, $7MM deal. The veteran generally accounted for a 50 percent snap percentage when active, although he missed a chunk of time through his first two year in Kansas City. His start with the organization was delayed thanks to a suspension, but he notably followed that up with a seven-sack showing in 11 regular season games.
A torn ACL suffered during the 2023 AFC Championship Game led to Omenihu missing most of the next year. He rebounded with a 17-game season in 2025, finishing with 3.5 sacks and 13 QB hits. Pro Football Focus ranked him 75th among 119 qualifying edge defenders, with his run defense grading better than his pass-rush ability.
The former fifth-round pick started his career with the Texans, where he collected seven sacks in 29 games. He was traded to the 49ers during the 2021 campaign and had 4.5 sacks in San Francisco in 2022.
Omenihu can play a variety of roles on the Commanders defensive line, although he will face some competition for snaps. The organization has been busy improving the position in recent days, adding K’Lavon Chaisson, Odafe Oweh, and Tim Settle.
Commanders To Sign TE Chig Okonkwo
With Zach Ertz‘s NFL future in doubt after an ACL tear, the Commanders are landing one of the top tight ends on the market. Chig Okonkwo is headed to Washington, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo.
The former Titans starter is in agreement on a three-year deal worth up to $30MM, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. While GM Adam Peters said at the Combine the door remained open for Ertz to return on a third contract, this Okonkwo addition may remove that from the equation.
PFR’s No. 37-ranked free agent, Okonkwo brings intriguing upside as a receiving tight end. Paired with bottom-tier quarterback play for most of his Titans tenure, Okonkwo has two 500-yard receiving seasons on his resume. This will also mark a return to the mid-Atlantic region for Okonkwo, who played collegiately at Maryland.
Clocking a 4.52-second 40-yard dash time at the 2022 Combine, the former fourth-round pick started 42 games with Tennessee. He is coming off a career-best 560-yard season, helping No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward during a season in which the Titans were low on reliable weaponry. Despite Tennessee being flush with cap space and wanting to re-sign Okonkwo, he is heading out of town. Although the Titans reunited OC Brian Daboll with Daniel Bellinger on Monday, they will likely be hunting for a receiving TE to replace Okonkwo soon.
Isaiah Likely also defected to the NFC East, following John Harbaugh from Baltimore, and two of the market’s other top TEs — Dallas Goedert and David Njoku — are a few years older than Okonkwo. The first-time free agent is 26, giving Washington a promising option to pair with Jayden Daniels after Ertz played out an age-35 season in 2025.
This contract falls just short of the three-year, $30MM (base value) deal the Saints gave Juwan Johnson last year. It is not known what the base value of Okonkwo’s deal is, but it will be outside the top 12 at the tight end position. The Commanders will pair Okonkwo with high-level blocking tight end John Bates and 2024 second-round pick Ben Sinnott.
At nearly $10MM per year, though, Washington will expect quality production from Okonkwo. Ertz became a solid security blanket for Daniels. The two-time Kliff Kingsbury charge may be in free agency for a bit, as he is rehabbing a major injury. Ertz, however, is hoping to play an age-36 season.
Commanders To Sign S Nick Cross
The Commanders have agreed to a deal with safety Nick Cross, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. It’s a two-year pact worth up to $14MM, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Cross spent his first four seasons in Indianapolis, which grabbed him in the third round of the 2022 draft. The former Maryland Terrapin went down as a quality pickup for the Colts. Cross only missed one game in his first two years, but he saw more action on special teams than as a defender.
Cross’ role changed significantly in 2024, when he became a full-time starter. He went on to conclude his Colts tenure with 34 straight starts over the past two years. The 6-foot, 212-pound box safety combined for a whopping 266 tackles (11 for loss) during that span. He also pulled in four interceptions, including a career-high three in 2024. While ranking third among safeties with 16 pressures last season, Cross recorded personal bests in QB hits (six) and sacks (2.5).
The durable Cross played 99.91% of the Colts’ defensive snaps in ’24 and followed it up with a 95.53% mark last year. Between his track record of availability and solid production, Colts general manager Chris Ballard wanted to keep the 24-year-old. The Colts and Cross were in talks on a new deal as of late February, but an agreement never materialized. Indianapolis will now see another defensive starter exit, having already waved goodbye to Kwity Paye and Zaire Franklin in recent days.
Meanwhile, for the Commanders, Cross is the latest noteworthy addition to a defense that was among the NFL’s worst in 2025. The Commanders finished 27th in the league in points allowed and last in yardage. Along with Cross, they have picked up edge rushers Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson, linebacker Leo Chenal, DT Tim Settle and cornerback Amik Robertson at the outset of free agency.
49ers Plan To Release Brandon Aiyuk; Commanders Most Likely Landing Spot?
The Brandon Aiyuk saga is nearing an end in San Francisco. The 49ers plan to release the wide receiver, Nick Wagoner of ESPN reports. The team could cut Aiyuk as early as today, per Wagoner, who points to the Commanders as his most likely landing spot.
A 49er since they spent the 25th pick on him in 2020, Aiyuk immediately became a key part of head coach Kyle Shanahan‘s offense. During his best season, 2023, Aiyuk hauled in 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns to earn second-team All-Pro honors. A lengthy contract standoff between Aiyuk and the 49ers occurred during the next offseason.
Unable to reach a deal, San Francisco had an Aiyuk trade in place with Pittsburgh in August 2024. However, after the Steelers’ extension offer for Aiyuk fell short, he agreed to stay with the 49ers two weeks later.
The 49ers kept Aiyuk around with a four-year, $120MM proposal that included $76MM in guarantees, but they will end up receiving little to nothing from the investment. Over his first seven games in 2024, Aiyuk caught just 25 of 47 targets for 374 yards and no scores. His season ended with a torn ACL and MCL in Week 7. Aiyuk has not suited up since then.
While Aiyuk was recovering from his injury last July, the 49ers voided the remaining guarantees on his contract. The team had issues with his rehab effort, and Shanahan revealed that Aiyuk was “extremely distant” during the process. Aiyuk could have filed a grievance against the 49ers through the NFLPA, but he let the 50-day window expire and lost over $26MM.
With Aiyuk still on the reserve/PUP list at the beginning of December, general manager John Lynch expressed hope that he would return down the stretch. Any chance of that vanished when the 49ers put the 27-year-old on the reserve/left squad list on Dec. 13. Lynch said in late January that the 49ers would move on from Aiyuk this offseason, though he has held out for a trade. With the new league year commencing Wednesday afternoon, it does not appear Lynch will find a taker for Aiyuk.
If the 49ers designate Aiyuk a post-June 1 release, they will spread almost $35MM in dead money over the next two seasons ($13.33MM in 2026, $21.25MM in ’27). The team will save $1.32MM on next year’s cap, though those funds will not be available until June.
Once he reaches the open market, Aiyuk will immediately become one of the most talented players available. However, considering the bizarre turn his 49ers tenure took, the 6-foot, 200-pounder will likely have to settle for a short-term contract.
For multiple reasons, Washington has stood out as an obvious Aiyuk fit for months. The team is cognizant of how much he wants to play there, according to John Keim of ESPN. Aiyuk would reunite with Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels seven years after the two established a rapport at Arizona State in 2019. Adam Peters, now the Commanders’ GM, was in the 49ers’ front office when they drafted Aiyuk a year later.
With the Commanders in need of receivers beyond No. 1 option Terry McLaurin, Peters has been aggressive on this year’s market. Peters tried to sign Alec Pierce and Romeo Doubs before they reeled in lucrative paydays elsewhere. Having come up empty in those pursuits, Peters could turn his attention to Aiyuk soon.