DeCosta: Ravens Planned On Signing Trey Hendrickson In Addition To Maxx Crosby
The Ravens remain at the heart of the NFL’s most notable (and controversial) storyline of the offseason. Shortly after backing out of the trade agreement which would have sent Maxx Crosby to Baltimore, the team agreed to terms with free agent Trey Hendrickson. 
GM Eric DeCosta spoke about the matter recently at a press conference. Notably, he said (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley) the Ravens’ initial plan was to sign Hendrickson while also following through on the Crosby trade. Baltimore’s push to sign the former Bengals sack artist picked up late Tuesday, a point well after the free agent negotiating window opened but before – officially, at least – the Crosby trade fell through.
DeCosta said he was “gutted” about the fact his agreement with Raiders counterpart John Spytek was not finalized. The Ravens were set to send their first-round pick in 2026 and ’27 to Vegas for Crosby, who now remains under contract with Vegas.
The All-Pro’s future is once again in question, although he appears to be on course to continue his decorated run with the franchise. Crosby continues to rehab surgery following a meniscus repair; a failed physical led to the trade being called off, though DeCosta did not specifically reference Crosby’s medical testing when reflecting on this high-profile saga.
The timing of this matter proved to be impactful, with Monday marking (as usual) the busiest point on the calendar with respect to free agent deals being agreed to. Vegas in particular was active, with edge rusher Kwity Paye among the players set to be brought in. As Hensley’s colleague Jeremy Fowler notes, Crosby’s Baltimore physical did not take place until Tuesday. Many dominoes had already (unofficially) fallen by then, a sore spot for critics of how this situation has been handled.
While no league rules were broken, the Ravens’ decision to back out of the Crosby deal has led many to expect backlash from other GMs. DeCosta said, however, that his phone has not stopped ringing with the new league year continuing to unfold. It will nevertheless be interesting to see how future dealings with Baltimore take place moving forward.
Sack production was a major issue for Baltimore in 2025, making it no surprise the Crosby trade was worked out in the first place or that a big-ticket Hendrickson deal was signed. Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports Baltimore planned on restructuring Crosby’s contract (which runs through 2029 and is based heavily on base salaries) upon arrival. She adds, however, that doing so would have moved him near the top of the pass rush market and thus made a Hendrickson pact difficult to arrange given Baltimore’s cap situation.
Of course, that is now a moot point with Crosby set to continue with the Raiders or be traded to another team. Nonetheless, DeCosta’s remarks are certainly noteworthy in the wake of the criticism he has faced. Whether or not Hendrickson winds up being paired with one of the few low-cost EDGE options still on the market or a high draft choice in April will make for a storyline worth following.
Bears Confirm Maxx Crosby Pursuit; Cowboys’ Door Not Closed
As the countdown to free agency progressed last week, the trade rumors concerning Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby reached a fever pitch with the Ravens, Cowboys, and Bears being identified as Crosby’s top suitors. Obviously, there’s no need to recap everything that’s gone down since then (unless you’ve been living under a rock), but the failed trade to the Ravens has left Crosby’s future in a sort of limbo as Las Vegas attempts to determine if it still has a way to move him without giving up too much of the value it thought it had received last Friday night. 
There were several teams rumored to be involved in trade talks for Crosby, but the Raiders were pretty tight-lipped about any specifics. As we got into February, the league’s conference champions in Seattle and New England were noted as potential teams interested in the veteran edge defender. Entering March, the Bears and Cowboys were added to the list of potentially interested teams, but by Friday, Dallas and Baltimore were the only ones confirmed to be involved, while the Bears were “believed to be in the mix.”
Confirmation was delivered yesterday, when Bears general manager Ryan Poles told reporters (via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin), “We were involved. We checked into it. We looked to see if it made sense, had some dialogue. I’ll leave it at that.”
After their first full year with defensive end Montez Sweat, in which he recorded his second-lowest career sack total (5.5), Chicago made the move to pair him with Dayo Odeyingbo, signing Odeyingbo to a big deal in free agency. While the move benefitted Sweat, who turned in a 10.0-sack 2025 campaign, Odeyingbo followed Sweat’s lead from his first year and gave the Bears his lowest single-season sack total since his rookie year (1.0), playing only eight games before tearing his Achilles tendon.
The timetable for Odeyingbo’s return is still not clear, but even if he is back in time for the regular season, it’s understandable that the Bears might have wanted to kick the tires on Crosby. While it’s hard to tell just how far those conversations went, what seems clear now is that they don’t still seem to be happening. The market has certainly cooled over the past 48 hours or so, and there hasn’t been any reported efforts to recontinue trade negotiations.
Initially, after Crosby became available again, the Cowboys looked unlikely to pursue the recovering pass rusher. Dallas had been the clear second-place finisher in the race, but something seemingly changed between last Friday and Wednesday. This was thought to be due, in part, to the fact that, in their evaluation of Crosby’s knee injury, the Ravens solicited the opinion of the Cowboys’ team physician, Dr. Daniel Cooper. After he advised on the scans, the Ravens backed out of the trade.
Because Cooper would then return to the Cowboys, it seemed likely that Cooper’s opinion would remain unchanged, and the team would opt out of the running for Crosby. Additionally, since missing out on him the first time around, Dallas had traded for Packers edge Rashan Gary and added a few free agents. But the Cowboys’ decision doesn’t lie ultimately with Cooper and doesn’t appear to be impacted by Gary’s arrival in Dallas.
No. Instead, it’s Cowboys owner/team president/general manager Jerry Jones who makes those kinds of calls, and when asked if everything was over and done in regard to Crosby, Jones, ever the entertainer, couldn’t help but to leave them wanting more. Per Jon Machota of The Athletic, he told the media, “We’re pretty far down the road relative to what our plans are (for Crosby), so while I don’t anticipate (pursuing him), I don’t want to rule anything out.”
So, Jones left the door cracked, keeping it open to another pursuit of Crosby. Things are expected to be quiet for a while, though. So soon after the failed trade, the Raiders don’t want to try to trade Crosby right this instant since his price tag has diminished a bit. They’ll instead work to get him closer to health, so that his improved medical outlook post-draft — when teams will have a better idea of what their rosters are going to look like — might bump his price back up a bit. On the other side of the table, the lack of interest in Crosby at this point is likely due to either genuine concern about Dr. Cooper and the Ravens’ conclusions or a hope that the longer they wait, the more desperate the Raiders will be to get Crosby moved even if at a lower cost than they anticipated.
NFL Mailbag: Crosby, Ravens, Murray, FA
This week's edition of the PFR Mailbag touches on plenty of free agency-related questions. Topics include the Ravens' controversial edge rush maneuvering, the Vikings' Kyler Murray addition, impacts on incumbent Patriots and Cardinals players and more.
Rick asks:
Re: [Maxx] Crosby. Who conducts the physical exams that are used in trades, signings, etc.? Are exams done in real-time or do teams swap medical evaluations? Thanks!
It’s no surprise this has come up given the events of recent days. I’ll finish with my overall thoughts on the Ravens’ handling of Crosby and Trey Hendrickson, but let’s get into this first.
Eagles Not Ready To Trade A.J. Brown
The Eagles’ A.J. Brown trade talks are on hold for the time being. After engaging in “serious conversations” with the Rams and Patriots, the Eagles have decided to retain Brown for now, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. If a trade materializes, it won’t happen until around June, Russini adds.
Dealing Brown before June would come at a severe cost to Philadelphia. The Eagles would absorb a $43.45MM dead cap charge, a record for a receiver. They would also lose $20.12MM in cap room.
A post-June 1 deal would be reminiscent of the Falcons trading star wideout Julio Jones to the Titans in 2021. With Jones then entering his age-32 season, the Falcons dealt him and a sixth-rounder for a second- and a fourth-rounder.
In the event general manager Howie Roseman pulls the trigger then, the Eagles would spread Brown’s dead money over two years. While the Eagles would face a $16.35MM charge in 2026 and a $27.1MM fee in ’27, they would save $7MM on their cap next season.
Roseman has reportedly held out for a package consisting of at least a first- and second-rounder for Brown, but it does not appear anyone will bite before April’s draft. The Rams already dealt their original first-round pick away in acquiring former Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie last week. Los Angeles still has another first-rounder (No. 13 overall, originally Atlanta’s selection), and GM Les Snead has never been shy to ship out top picks for immediate upgrades. However, that may be too pricey for the soon-to-be 29-year-old Brown.
If the Rams do acquire Brown before the season, it would give them an embarrassment of riches at receiver. Head coach Sean McVay, offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase and MVP-winning quarterback Matthew Stafford would have Brown, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams as a trio for at least one season. While Brown is under contract through 2029, Nacua and Adams are on schedule to become free agents next year. In all likelihood, though, the Rams will work out a massive extension with Nacua before then.
The reigning AFC champion Patriots, meanwhile, are in line to keep the 31st pick. In heading to New England, Brown would reunite with Mike Vrabel, who was his coach in Tennessee from 2019-21. The two still have a strong relationship, but the Patriots have less urgency to meet the Eagles’ demands after adding former Packer Romeo Doubs on a four-year, $80MM contract in free agency.
If the Eagles are shutting down talks until the summer, other teams could enter the race for Brown by then. Aside from the Patriots, the three-time Pro Bowler’s wish list reportedly features the Bills, Chargers and Chiefs. None of those three clubs have pursued Brown with much gusto, but perhaps circumstances will change a few months from now.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/13/26
Here are Friday’s minor NFL moves as free agency continues into the weekend:
Arizona Cardinals
- Re-signed: WR Simi Fehoko
Carolina Panthers
- Re-signed: LB Claudin Cherelus
Chicago Bears
- Re-signed: CB Jaylon Jones
Cleveland Browns
- Re-signed: CB D’Angelo Ross
Dallas Cowboys
- Re-signed: TE Princeton Fant
Denver Broncos
- Signed RFA tender: CB Ja’Quan McMillian
Houston Texans
- Waived: DT Kurt Hinish
Miami Dolphins
- Signed ERFA tender: CB Ethan Bonner
- Signed: P Seth Vernon
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: C Zeke Correll
New York Giants
- Signed: S Elijah Campbell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Re-signed: TE Ko Kieft
After making the call not to tender him as a restricted free agent, the Panthers were able to come to an agreement to re-sign Cherelus. The undrafted linebacker has started six of 27 game appearances in his last two years with Carolina, logging 60 total tackles.
Unlike Cherelus, McMillian did get tendered in Denver. With 16 starts in 51 games appearances over four years with the Broncos, McMillian’s tender is worth $5.77MM for the 2026 season, per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette.
The Texans signed Hinish to a one-year deal last year, but the Notre Dame product spent the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list. Instead of holding on to him for the upcoming season, they’ve decided to cut him from the roster.
Browns, DL Kalia Davis Agree To Deal
Defensive lineman Kalia Davis was a 17-game starter for the playoff-bound 49ers in 2025, but they did not retain the restricted free agent. Davis is now joining the Browns on a one-year deal worth up to $3MM, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
The 49ers had the option of giving Davis a second-rounder tender ($6.26MM) or an original-round tender ($3.82MM). They passed in both cases, leading the 2022 sixth-rounder to his second organization.
Aside from last season, the 6-foot-2, 310-pound Davis did not see much action in San Francisco. The UCF product spent his entire rookie season on the reserve/non-football injury list. Davis picked up his first sack in 2023, but he played just three games and 54 defensive snaps. The 49ers became more reliant on Davis in 2023, a year in which he appeared in 13 games and was on the field for 260 defensive plays. Davis totaled 12 tackles and recorded the only interception of his career.
Dealing with a deluge of defensive injuries last season, the 49ers turned to Davis more than ever. Although Davis underwent surgery on a broken hand in early October, he did not miss any time. The 27-year-old amassed the third-most snaps (492) among 49ers D-linemen and finished with 28 tackles, four TFL and three passes defensed. While Davis’ availability was a positive for an injury-plagued defense, Pro Football Focus rated his play 122nd among 127 qualifying interior defensive linemen.
In moving to Cleveland, Davis will fall in behind Mason Graham and Maliek Collins in the club’s interior D-line mix. Michael Hall, a 2024 second-rounder,and Adin Huntington are also among the Browns’ options. Shelby Harris piled up over 500 defensive snaps last year, but he is now a free agent.
DT Da’Shawn Hand Signs With Falcons
With veteran defensive tackle David Onyemata departing in free agency, the Falcons had big shoes to fill in the middle. Atlanta addressed the position today, signing Da’Shawn Hand to a one-year, $3MM deal, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. 
Hand’s story is one of patience and determination. Finding his way to the NFL as a fourth-round pick out of Alabama, Hand found himself playing a big role as a rookie, starting eight games while appearing in 13. Injuries derailed Hand’s sophomore campaign; he missed the first six weeks of the season, made two starts in three appearances over the next seven, and spent the last three weeks on injured reserve.
While he returned to health in his third year, he found himself coming off the bench, and injuries continued to plague his time in Detroit until it came to an early end partway through the final year of his rookie contract. Even in short stints with the Colts and Titans, his health continued to serve as a handicap. Injuries limited him to 10 games in 2020, four games in 2021, and a single game in 2022.
In 2023, Hand got a fresh start in Miami and reached a new best, playing in 16 games, his most in a season at that point in his career. He even improved upon that number with a fully healthy 2024 campaign, appearing in 17 games and even earning two starts. Those two improved seasons earned him an opportunity with the Chargers last year, and Hand made the best of it by earning a full-time starting role for the first time in his career and at the age of 30. He did, unfortunately, find his way back to IR for a short time, but after the four-game minimum had passed, Hand slid right back into his starting spot to finish the season with 13 games.
The Falcons will hope to continue building off that positive momentum of the last three seasons as it looks like Hand could compete with 2024 second-round defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro for snaps on the interior. Ohorhoro has struggled mightily in his first two years out of Clemson, and Hand may serve as a bit of insurance if Ohorhoro continues not to live up to his draft stock in Year 3.
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.
Jets To Re-Sign S Andre Cisco
The Jets have been active in adding starters from elsewhere this week, and now they will keep one of their own. The team will re-sign safety Andre Cisco, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The Queens native will ink a one-year deal worth up to $5.25MM.
Cisco, a five-year veteran, spent his first four seasons in Jacksonville. After the former third-rounder from Syracuse started in 47 of 63 games pulled in eight interceptions as a Jaguar, he joined the Jets on a one-year, $10MM pact last March. The soon-to-be 26-year-old is settling for less this time in the wake of an injury-limited season.
Cisco played eight games (all starts) on a defense that stunningly failed to record an interception in 2025. The 6-foot, 210-pounder suffered a pectoral tear in late October and underwent season-ending shoulder surgery days later. His year wrapped up with 41 tackles and one pass defensed. Cisco ranked as one of Pro Football Focus’ top 40 safeties in both 2022 and ’23, but he was in the 60s for the second straight season in 2025.
The Jets are expecting a bounce-back 2026 from Cisco, who will be part of a remade safety group in his second year with the team. At the outset of what has been an aggressive week for the Jets, they acquired five-time Pro Bowler/three-time first-team All-Pro Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Dolphins. They also brought in former Giant Dane Belton on a one-year, $4MM agreement. The Jets lost starter Tony Adams to the Titans on Thursday, but they have two holdovers in Cisco and Malachi Moore joining Fitzpatrick and Belton as options at the back of their defense.
Steelers To Sign DL Sebastian Joseph-Day
The Steelers are adding Sebastian Joseph-Day to their defensive line, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Joseph-Day has landed a two-year, $11MM contract. He will earn $6MM in 2026.
Joseph-Day, who will turn 31 on March 21, is headed to his fifth NFL organization. The Rutgers product has logged 90 starts in 105 games since he entered the league as a Rams sixth-round pick in 2018. Joseph-Day stayed with the Rams through 2021, their Super Bowl LVI-winning season, and has since played for the Chargers, 49ers and Titans.
Although Joseph-Day signed a three-year, $24MM deal with the Chargers in 2022, he did not make it through two full seasons on the pact. The Chargers cut him in late 2023. The 49ers scooped up Joseph-Day, who played two regular-season games with them and appeared in all three of their playoff matchups. San Francisco won the NFC, but Joseph-Day was on the field for just four defensive snaps in the team’s Super Bowl LVIII loss to the Chiefs.
After his brief 49ers stint, Joseph-Day joined the Titans on a one-year deal in 2024. He wound up starting in 12 of 17 games and picking up 44 tackles, six QB hits and 2.5 sacks. The Titans were impressed enough to give Joseph a raise on another one-year pact last March. Playing for a guaranteed $5MM in 2025, the 6-foot-4, 310-pounder logged another 17-game season and notched 41 tackles, six QB hits and a pair of sacks over 10 starts.
While Joseph-Day’s traditional numbers were similar in each of his two seasons in Tennessee, Pro Football Focus assigned him a much higher grade in 2024. He ranked 22nd among 132 qualifying interior defensive linemen then. Joseph-Day fell to a still-respectable 41st among 127 qualifiers last year.
A Stroudsburg, Pa., native, Joseph-Day will return to the Keystone State to join the likes of Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black on the Steelers’ defensive line. With new coordinator Patrick Graham at the helm, the Steelers have also added other notable defenders in cornerback Jamel Dean and safety Jaquan Brisker in free agency.