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.
Commanders To Add DE K’Lavon Chaisson
K’Lavon Chaisson completed a midcareer breakout last season, impressing on a one-year deal with the Patriots. While a multiyear pact will not come together for the Super Bowl regular, he will receive a notable raise after boosting his stock.
After losing out on the Trey Hendrickson sweepstakes, the Commanders are adding Chaisson, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. It is a one-year deal worth $12MM, with Chaisson joining fellow free agent Odafe Oweh to refuel Washington’s defensive end corps.
This represents an appreciable increase over the one-year, $5MM pact Chaisson signed with the Patriots last March. While Chaisson was coming off a personal-best five-sack season with the Raiders then, his career had nonetheless been a disappointment. The Jaguars thought enough of the former LSU standout to use the 20th pick on him in 2020, but Chaisson managed just five sacks over four years in their uniform.
Last season was another step forward for Chaisson, who registered a new career high with 7.5 sacks in 16 games (10 starts) for the AFC-winning Patriots. He added 18 QB hits, twice as many as his previous high of nine, as well as 10 TFL and two forced fumbles. Chaisson continued to produce in the postseason, a four-game run in which he added three more sacks and a forced fumble.
Aside from taking what proved to be a successful one-year gamble on Von Miller, the Commanders did little to address their pass rush last offseason. It has been a clear point of emphasis this year, however, with Oweh and Chaisson coming aboard to join Dorance Armstrong as Washington’s top edge rushers. Miller, who led last year’s team with nine sacks despite playing just under 37% of snaps, is now a free agent.
During a bitterly disappointing 5-12 showing in 2025, the Commanders’ defense ranked 27th in the NFL in scoring and dead last in yards allowed. Head coach Dan Quinn subsequently replaced coordinator Joe Whitt with Daronte Jones in January. General manager Adam Peters has since upgraded the unit’s personnel in adding Oweh, Chaisson, linebacker Leo Chenal, tackle Tim Settle and cornerback Amik Robertson early in free agency.
Commanders To Add LB Leo Chenal
After four seasons with the Chiefs, Leo Chenal will join former teammates Andrew Wylie and Nick Allegretti in Washington. The Commanders are signing the young linebacker, NFL insider Jordan Schultz tweets.
Chenal is signing a three-year, $24.75MM Commanders pact. Although this year’s linebacker class is deep, Chenal is one of the youngest options — at 25. The Chiefs re-signed Nick Bolton last year and have Drue Tranquill tied to a deal he inked in 2024. Kansas City, which is reshaping its secondary over the past week, will now lose another key defender.
PFR’s No. 39-ranked free agent, Chenal played a career-high 53% of the Chiefs’ defensive snaps in his contract year. Used in multiple capacities by DC Steve Spagnuolo, Chenal made between 58 and 65 tackles over the past three seasons while starting 44 games in that span. Spagnuolo preferred to use Tranquill over Chenal alongside Bolton over the past two campaigns, but Chenal’s work rate has never the less increased.
Pro Football Focus ranked all three of the Chiefs’ LB regulars in the top 20 at the position last year, and Chenal also submitted a 2023 season with eight tackles for loss. The former third-round pick has five playoff starts under his belt as well. An effective blitzer (seven career sacks), Chenal will be a key piece for new Washington DC Daronte Jones. Though, Chenal’s most memorable NFL contribution came when he saved the Chiefs from a November 2024 home loss to the Broncos by blocking Denver’s game-winning field goal attempt.
Washington has hybrid player Frankie Luvu in a contract year and has not re-signed Bobby Wagner, who has not missed a game during his two Commanders seasons. Chenal will be poised to become a full-time linebacker for the first time, regardless of who Washington puts around him on its defensive second level.
The Chiefs how lost Chenal, Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Bryan Cook and Joshua Williams off their defense. The team released defensive lineman Mike Danna recently as well. Spagnuolo’s eighth Kansas City unit will look drastically different than his seventh.
Patriots To Sign WR Romeo Doubs
Wide receiver Romeo Doubs is leaving Green Bay for New England. The Patriots are signing Doubs to a four-year, $80MM contract, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports. The deal comes with a base value of $68MM, Albert Breer of SI.com relays.
The Commanders were among the teams the Patriots beat out for the 6-foot-2, 204-pound Doubs, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. It was a “very close” race between the two, per Schultz, but the Commanders will have to look elsewhere for a complement to No. 1 receiver Terry McLaurin.
The Patriots have come up most frequently in trade rumors centering on Eagles receiver A.J. Brown. The Doubs signing does not rule out a Brown acquisition, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. But the Patriots may now be “less inclined” to meet the Eagles’ asking price, writes McLane, who adds there has been a “gulf” in negotiations.
Doubs is not on Brown’s level, but the four-year veteran has nonetheless put together a solid career. The 2022 fourth-rounder from Nevada started in 50 of 59 games in Green Bay. Doubs has averaged roughly 15 games, 51 catches, 80 targets, 606 yards and five touchdowns per season. He started in 15 of 16 games in 2025 and hauled in 55 of 85 targets for a career-best 724 yards and six scores.
Only two members of last season’s AFC champion Patriots, receiver Stefon Diggs and tight end Hunter Henry, caught more passes and totaled more yards than Doubs. The Patriots informed Diggs of his release last week, making it all the more obvious they would target receiving help for quarterback Drake Maye this spring. The team was in on Alec Pierce before he re-signed with the Colts on a four-year, $116MM contract on Monday. It pivoted to Doubs, PFR’s 11th-ranked free agent, on a less lucrative agreement a day later.
Further acquisitions could be in store for the Patriots’ receiving corps between today and the draft. As of now, though, Doubs will join Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, DeMario Douglas and Efton Chism to comprise the group.
As for the Packers, they are losing the receiver they relied on most in 2025. Doubs easily paced their wideouts in snap share (74.22%) and led the team in most major pass-catching categories.
The Doubs-less Packers still have a number of in-house options, including a pair of high 2025 picks in first-rounder Matthew Golden and third-rounder Savion Williams. Although their rookie production fell flat, they are in line to rejoin veterans Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks in 2026. The Packers will also count on a healthier season for tight end Tucker Kraft, who thrived before tearing his ACL in Week 9.
Colts To Re-Sign Alec Pierce
Highly touted wide receiver Alec Pierce will not hit the open market. The Colts and Pierce have agreed to a deal, Jordan Schultz reports. It’s a four-year, $114MM pact, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The contract contains $84MM in guarantees and $60MM fully guaranteed at signing, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network relays.
This is a best-case scenario for the Colts, who are now in position to keep their top receiver and starting quarterback Daniel Jones. After the Colts placed the transition tag on Jones last Tuesday, there was fear Pierce would exit. The 25-year-old even suggested he would test the market. The 2022 second-round pick from Cincinnati will instead continue his career in Indianapolis.
[RELATED: Colts To Trade Michael Pittman Jr. To Steelers]
As PFR’s second-ranked free agent, Pierce drew substantial interest before agreeing to stick with the Colts. The Patriots, Raiders, 49ers and Chargers all eyed Pierce, but he turned down more money to remain in Indianapolis, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The Commanders were also “aggressive” in the derby, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN adds.
New England was not willing to match Indy’s bid, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports. The Patriots will now turn their attention elsewhere (perhaps an A.J. Brown trade) as they seek a difference-making receiver to replace the released Stefon Diggs.
Although Pierce has never reached 50 catches in a season, he has emerged as one of the game’s elite downfield threats. The 6-foot-3, 211-pounder led the NFL in yards per catch in each of the past two seasons. During a career year in 2025, he caught 47 balls for 1,003 yards (21.3 YPC) and six touchdowns over 15 games. It was the first time the durable Pierce has missed more than one game in a season.
On a per-year basis, Pierce has averaged around 39 catches, 734 yards and four touchdowns. That is not No. 1-caliber production, but Pierce will benefit from the league’s significant cap increase. He now ranks ninth at his position in total money, right behind the Bengals’ Tee Higgins. Pierce checks in at 10th in yearly average, once again just behind Higgins. An $84MM guarantee would put him in a fifth-place tie with Brown.
With Pierce under wraps, the Colts will likely put more focus on a long-term deal with Jones. Otherwise, they could risk losing him to an offer sheet. General manager Chris Ballard has until July 15 to reach an agreement with Jones.