Bills Likely To Release WR Curtis Samuel?
Following a 2025 campaign where he was limited to only six regular season appearances, Curtis Samuel may soon be out of a job. As Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic writes, the Bills wide receiver is a clear release candidate heading into the offseason.
Following a solid final two seasons in Washington, Samuel caught on with the Bills in 2024 via a three-year, $24MM deal. He didn’t put up especially big numbers during his first season in Buffalo (31 catches, 253 yards, one touchdown), although he did have some key moments in the postseason. He caught three passes for 68 yards and a touchdown in the Bills’ opening-round win over the Broncos, and he added another score in Buffalo’s AFC Championship loss to the Chiefs.
With the departures of Amari Cooper and Mack Hollins and few reinforcements at the position, there was hope that Samuel could take another step in 2025. Instead, the veteran got into about 40 percent of Buffalo’s offensive snaps in his six appearances, finishing with only seven receptions for 81 yards and one touchdown. He also had a special teams role, where he returned nine kickoffs for 223 yards. He suffered an elbow injury in November that landed him on injured reserve, although he did manage to return for the Bills’ playoff matchup against the Broncos. He finished that eventual loss with a two-yard reception on three targets.
If the Bills made Samuel a post-June 1 cut, he’d save the team around $6MM against the cap. While this would only be modest savings, it’s still significant for a cap sheet that’s currently operating in the red. Even with the understanding that the Bills would find some cap machinations to open up breathing room, Samuel’s savings could go a long way, especially if the front office reinvests that money into a WR upgrade.
As for Samuel, the wideout will be entering his age-30 season in 2026. He was good for at least 500 yards when healthy between 2018 and 2023, but the last two years have surely hurt his free agent stock. He’d presumably get a chance from some WR-needy team, but it would have to come via a prove-it deal.
Offseason Outlook: Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals were one of this offseason's teams to split up an HC-GM combo that arrived together. Hired in 2023, the Jonathan Gannon-Monti Ossenfort duo separated after a 3-14 season. Like the Ravens, Bills, Giants, Titans, Raiders and Browns, the Cardinals will give their GM more time after canning their HC.
Arizona certainly was not at the front of this year's line when it came to luring coaches. Rumored to want Klint Kubiak, the Cardinals pivoted once the Seahawks' OC chose the Raiders. Enter Mike LaFleur, who will become the fourth Sean McVay OC to land a head coaching job. As Ossenfort and LaFleur face an uphill battle in a loaded NFC West, they have a big decision to make; Kyler Murray's days in the desert may be numbered, but a quarterback upgrade will not be easy to make this year. How will the Cards proceed with the former No. 1 overall pick?
Coaching/front office:
- Fired head coach Jonathan Gannon
- Hired Mike LaFleur as HC replacement
- Added Nathaniel Hackett as offensive coordinator
- Retained Nick Rallis as defensive coordinator, Justin Frye as O-line coach
- Hired Matt Schaub as quarterbacks coach
- Hired Michael Ghobrial as special teams coordinator
- Pass-game specialist Connor Senger interviewed for Bears, Seahawks' OC jobs
While a pre-Week 18 report had Gannon on the right side of the bubble, it was certainly not shocking to see a team fire a coach after a three-win season. Following a 2-0 start, the Cardinals took a historic tumble. Close losses gave way to blowouts. After the Cardinals had shown improvement during an 8-9 2024, they nosedived in a season when Murray was limited to five games. The Cards looked to be OK shelving Murray while starting Jacoby Brissett, but their defense cratered as well. This proved too much for Gannon to overcome.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 2/19/26
Today’s reserve/futures moves:
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams officially announced the signing of 15 players to reserve/futures contracts today, 14 of which were reported previously. The newest addition to the list is running back Jordan Waters. The former Duke standout spent his final collegiate season at NC State before going undrafted in 2025. He quickly caught on with the Rams, but he didn’t make it to the regular season with his new squad. Now, he’ll have another chance to make the squad in 2026.
Seahawks Promote Justin Outten, Hire Thomas Hammock As RBs Coach
Seahawks assistant coach Justin Outten missed out on the team’s offensive coordinator job, but he will still get a promotion after his success in 2025.
Formerly Seattle’s run game specialist and assistant offensive line coach, Outten is set to become the team’s run game coordinator, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, a title bump that is likely to come with a pay raise. It seems to be well-deserved, as the Seahawks ranked third in rushing yards, second in rushing touchdowns, and first in yards per attempt last year, his first on the coaching staff.
Continued success at that level will likely make Outten an offensive coordinator candidate in future hiring cycles. His previous play-calling experience as the Broncos’ OC in 2022 went poorly, but Nathaniel Hackett and Russell Wilson seemed to be more foundational problems with that team. Outten also has served under a number of notable head coaches, including Dan Quinn, Mike LaFleur, and Mike Vrabel, in addition to his current boss, Mike Macdonald. His strong coaching network may help him garner more interest for OC jobs and fill his staff if he lands one.
The Seahawks are also hiring Northern Illinois head coach Thomas Hammock as their running backs coach, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Hammock will replace Kennedy Polamalu, who suddenly left the team before the playoffs. Outten, along with offensive assistant Michael Byrne, filled Polamalu’s role in the interim. Hammock will now take on the full-time gig after receiving interest from multiple NFL teams, and he will do so as the highest paid RBs coach in the league.
Hammock, 44, was a star running back at NIU before a medical condition forced him to retire after his senior year. He immediately went into coaching, starting as a graduate assistant at Wisconsin. He then served as the RBs coach at his alma mater and Minnesota before returning to Wisconsin in 2011. Hammock then got his first NFL job as the Ravens’ RBs coach, a position he held from 2013 until 2018, when a head coaching offer from NIU drew him back into the college ranks.
Though the Seahawks hope to keep Kenneth Walker, they are not expected to use the franchise tag on him. If he leaves Seattle this offseason Outten and Hammock would be tasked with getting Zach Charbonnet ready for a lead back role in 2026.
Chargers Expected To Retain WR Coach Sanjay Lal, QB Coach Shane Day
While the Chargers offensive coaching staff has seen some significant change this offseason, the organization is planning to stick with two key assistants. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Chargers plan to retain wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal and quarterbacks coach Shane Day.
Lal has spent the majority of his NFL career coaching wide receivers, including stops with the Raiders, Jets, Bills, Colts, Cowboys, Seahawks, Jaguars, and Chargers. During his time in Dallas, he helped guide a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup, and he later achieved the same feat with D.K. Metcalfand Tyler Lockett in Seattle.
He joined Jim Harbaugh‘s staff in Los Angeles ahead of the 2024 campaign and has spent the past two seasons coaching Chargers wideouts. He got a standout performance from a rookie Ladd McConkey in 2024, and he saw three of his WRs (McConkey, Keenan Allen, and Quentin Johnston) top 700 receiving yards in 2025.
Day’s responsibilities have evolved throughout his coaching career, but he’s most recently been in charge of guiding quarterbacks. He got a career year out of Jimmy Garoppolo in 2019 before dealing with an inconsistent QB grouping in 2020. He took a job with the Chargers in 2021 and helped guide a sophomore Justin Herbert to a still-career-high 38 passing touchdowns. He was fired alongside offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi following the 2022 campaign and spent a year in Houston before returning to the Chargers in 2024. Day has spent the past two years guiding the team’s QBs.
The Chargers were quick to move on from offensive coordinator Greg Roman following the offense’s no-show performance in their playoff loss to the Patriots. Harbaugh eventually recruited Mike McDaniel to Los Angeles, and the former Dolphins head coach is expected to shape his offensive staff. However, the new OC seems content in maintaining some continuity in the QBs room and WRs room.
Patriots Unlikely To Retain Harold Landry?
Harold Landry paced the Patriots with 8.5 sacks this past season, but the linebacker’s stay in New England may only last one year. When asked about the status of the veteran defender, Christopher Price of the Boston Globe opined that the player wouldn’t be back with the Patriots in 2026 (via Patriots on CLNS).
Price points to the player’s age and injuries as a reason for why the Patriots may look to move on. The 29-year-old suffered a knee injury back in Week 6, didn’t miss a game, and then reinjured the same knee in Week 12. The Patriots didn’t push the veteran in practices, and they later held him out of the team’s final two regular season games.
Landry returned for New England’s playoff opener but saw a drop in reps, as his 43.3 percent snap share represented a season low. That number dropped to 14.7 percent (11 snaps) in the second round before Landry was ruled out for the AFC Championship. He returned for the Super Bowl but was once again limited, appearing in only 14 defensive snaps.
As Price notes, the Patriots will likely be seeking some youth and consistency on the edge, putting Landry’s roster status in doubt. Working in the player’s favor is his relationship with head coach Mike Vrabel. Landry was one of the coach’s most dependable defenders when the two were in Tennessee, and Vrabel was quick to recruit the linebacker to New England via a three-year, $43.5MM deal.
Landry has still shown an ability to get after the QB in recent years. After missing the 2022 campaign due to a torn ACL, he averaged more than nine sacks per season between 2023 and 2025. The player’s contract makes it seem like he’s all but locked into a spot on the 2026 roster; the Patriots would clear just over $1MM in savings while being left with $15MM in dead cap (via a post-June 1 designation). The more likely path sees the Patriots rework the contract to keep Landry around on a more affordable pact, although if the organization believes he may not be able to recover from his knee issues, perhaps Price’s prediction may come to fruition.
While the Patriots front office will evaluate players who remain under contract, they’ll also have to consider their grouping of impending free agents. Two of the team’s key free agents come on the defensive side of the ball, as both pass rusher K’Lavon Chaisson and safety Jaylinn Hawkins are set to hit the open market.
A former first-round pick, Chaisson was brought to New England last offseason via a one-year deal. He ended up having one of the most productive seasons of his career, finishing with 7.5 sacks, 18 QB hits, and 10 tackles for loss. He’s destined to cash in on his performance this offseason, but considering New England’s lack of depth on the edge, there’s a chance his next contract comes from the Patriots.
Hawkins spent the past two seasons in New England, but the team’s new leadership was willing to give him a larger role than the former regime. Hawkins ended up leaping both Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers on the depth chart en route to a career season. The 28-year-old started all 15 of his appearances, finishing with 71 tackles, six passes defended, and 1.5 sacks.
While both players are eyeing raises, they may have interest in working out some kind of arrangement with the franchise. As ESPN’s Mike Reiss notes, both players have expressed interest in re-signing with the Patriots. Hawkins told reporters that he wants to “remain here for sure,” while Chaisson acknowledged the organization’s role in reviving his career.
Bears Promote Jeff King To Assistant GM
The Bears have landed on Ryan Poles‘ new top lieutenant. The team announced that Jeff King has been promoted to assistant general manager. The role was open after former AGM Ian Cunningham left Chicago to become the Falcons new GM.
[RELATED: Falcons To Hire Ian Cunningham As GM]
Following a playing career that saw him haul in 156 catches through eight professional seasons, King quickly took a role in the Bears front office. He’s worked his way up through the past decade-plus in Chicago. After spending several years as a scout, King was named director of pro scouting in 2021. The next year, he earned a promotion to co-director of player personnel, and he was later named senior director of player personnel. He’s spent the past two years in that latter role.
“We congratulate Jeff on his elevation within our football operations department,” Poles said. “Jeff has earned this promotion through his commitment to our team and his excellence within our operation, as well as the positive impact that he has created throughout our organization. We look forward to Jeff’s continued leadership and contributions as we work toward building a sustained winner.”
“I’m super lucky,” said King. “I’ve been here 12 years. That doesn’t happen. When I walked in here 12 years ago as an intern, I didn’t think it would go this far, but I’ve been very lucky and appreciative of this organization because it is special.”
King’s stint with the Bears preceded Poles’ hiring, which came in 2022. The Bears struggled through the first three years under their new GM, including a 2022 campaign where they finished with three wins. A shrewd trade with the Panthers delivered them the first-overall pick in 2024, which the organization used on Caleb Williams.
The 2025 hiring of Ben Johnson represented the culmination of the organization’s rebuild, and the Bears finished the 2025 campaign with 11 wins and their first playoff appearance since 2020. Now, King will be tasked with assisting Poles in a crucial offseason as the organization looks to carry over momentum into the 2026 campaign.
Bears Release LB Amen Ogbongbemiga
The Bears have released linebacker and special teamer Amen Ogbongbemiga, Courtney Cronin of ESPN reports. The 27-year-old will head to free agency early.
[RELATED: Bears Could Release Tremaine Edmunds, Cole Kmet]
The Nigerian-born Ogbongbemiga began his NFL career as an undrafted rookie with the Chargers in 2021. He made their roster that year and went on to appear in 15 games. Ogbongbemiga logged two starts along the way, but with 110 defensive snaps, the Oklahoma State product made a limited impact in that area.
With 260 special teams snaps, Ogbongbemiga played a far bigger role in that phase in his first season. That has remained the case throughout his five-year career.
After two more seasons working almost exclusively on special teams in Los Angeles, Ogbongbemiga signed with Chicago in March 2024. His 83.75% ST snap share ranked third on the Bears, leading general manager Ryan Poles to retain Ogbongbemiga on a two-year, $5MM deal last March.
The investment didn’t pay off for Chicago, which sent Ogbongbemiga to IR with a knee injury before the season. He wound up sitting out the first nine weeks of 2025. After the Bears activated him in early November, Ogbongbemiga went on to total 215 snaps (133 on special teams, 82 on defense) and 17 tackles in eight games. The 226-pounder also logged one start, his first since his rookie campaign.
The Bears entered Thursday $5.3MM over the salary cap (via OverTheCap). In moving on from Ogbongbemiga, they’ve freed up $2.07MM at the cost of just $375K in dead money.
Rashid Shaheed ‘Would Love’ To Re-Sign With Seahawks
As the Saints’ offensive coordinator in 2024, Klint Kubiak coached Rashid Shaheed during an injury-limited season for the wide receiver. Kubiak left to take the same job with the Seahawks last year, but he and Shaheed reunited at the Nov. 4 trade deadline. Then 6-2 and seeking a field-stretching receiver/returner, the Seahawks sent a 2026 fourth- and fifth-round pick to the Saints for the speedy Shaheed.
Shaheed, who never caught more than 46 passes in a season from 2022-24, had already totaled 44 through nine games when the Seahawks acquired him. With 499 yards, he was also on pace to surpass the career-best 719 he notched in 2013. However, Shaheed’s offensive production dipped as a member of the Seahawks, with whom he caught 15 passes for 188 yards and no touchdowns in six regular-season games.
While Shaheed joined the Seahawks with a pair of touchdown catches, he didn’t add to that total after the trade. But the 6-foot, 180-pounder made up for it with three return TDs, including a crucial 58-yard runback against the NFC West rival Rams in Week 16.
The Seahawks trailed 30-14 when Shaheed lined up to catch the punt. His return set the wheels in motion on a furious comeback that led to a 38-37 win. It also played a major role in Seattle securing a division title. The Seahawks, who improved to 12-3 that night, finished 14-3 to earn the No. 1 seed in the conference.
Shaheed did not make a huge impact as a receiver during a three-game postseason in which he caught three of 10 targets for 78 yards. However, he set the tone in taking the opening kickoff to the house in a 41-6 blowout of the 49ers in the divisional round. That began a triumphant Seattle playoff run which culminated in a 29-13 victory over New England in Super Bowl LX.
Thanks to his blend of offensive and special teams skills, the 27-year-old Shaheed is on track to earn a significant raise in free agency next month. Kubiak is now gone, having taken the Raiders’ head coaching job, but Shaheed told NFL Network that he wants to “run it back” with the reigning champions (via Eric Edholm of NFL.com).
“Conversations are definitely going to be heating up towards March,” Shaheed said. “But you know, I would love to come back. I loved my experience here, I’m loving the Pacific Northwest, and obviously the organization is second to none.”
With a little under $62MM in salary cap space (via OverTheCap), the Seahawks have ample breathing room as free agency approaches. That could increase the odds of re-signing Shaheed, though general manager John Schneider also has decisions to make on several other important free agents-to-be.
Super Bowl MVP-winning running back Kenneth Walker III joins Shaheed as a high-profile offensive contributor without a contract. On the other side of the ball, key defensive backs Coby Bryant, Josh Jobe and Riq Woolen are all unsigned. The Seahawks are unlikely to retain all five of those players, which could lead to Shaheed exiting for a pay raise someplace else.
Broncos Set To Hire Ronald Curry As Wide Receivers Coach
Ronald Curry was on Buffalo’s staff for the last two seasons, but the 46-year-old has spent a sizable portion of his coaching career with Denver’s Sean Payton. After Curry and Payton worked together in New Orleans from 2016-21, they’re set to reunite next season. Curry is expected to take over as the Broncos’ wide receivers coach, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reports.
This would represent a role change for Curry, the Bills’ quarterbacks coach from 2024-25. Josh Allen won an MVP during that span, but it wasn’t enough for the Bills to retain Curry this offseason. A divisional-round loss to the Broncos convinced the Bills to fire head coach Sean McDermott and promote offensive coordinator Joe Brady as his replacement. Curry was on Brady’s offensive staff for both years in Buffalo, and the two were also Saints assistants together from 2017-18.
Despite his familiarity with Curry, Brady brought in a new face, Bo Hardegree, as his QBs coach. A few days before that, the Jets and Broncos interviewed Curry for their offensive coordinator jobs. The Jets wound up hiring Frank Reich, while the Broncos made the slam-dunk decision to promote Davis Webb from QBs coach/pass-game coordinator.
The Broncos are now poised to add an experienced Payton assistant and a former NFL receiver to Webb’s offensive staff. Curry, a former basketball player and QB at North Carolina, was a Raiders wideout who hit the 50-catch mark three times from 2002-08.
Curry’s career as an NFL coach began in 2014 as an offensive assistant in San Francisco, where he worked for two years. He went on to wear many hats with the Saints over eight seasons, five of which he spent with Payton. Curry was an offensive assistant for two years, a receivers coach for three, a QBs coach for three and a pass-game coordinator for two.
In rejoining Payton in Denver, Curry will replace fired receivers coach Keary Colbert. He’ll take charge of a group of wideouts featuring Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant and Marvin Mims. That’s a respectable quartet, but as PFR’s Sam Robinson wrote in his Broncos Offseason Outlook, the team could still explore receiver upgrades in the coming months.