49ers Sign LS Jon Weeks To Extension
The 49ers have signed veteran long snapper Jon Weeks to a contract extension, general manager John Lynch announced on Tuesday.
Weeks, 40, was set to hit free agency in March after earning a Pro Bowl in 2025, his first season in San Francisco. He spent the previous 15 years in Houston, which featured his first Pro Bowl selection in 2015.
It is difficult to quantify his position’s impact, but he was a key part of the 49ers’ consistent kicking and punting operations last year. Eddy Piñeiro only missed one field goal all year with a league-high 96.6% conversion rate. Punter Thomas Morstead finished near the bottom of the NFL in yards per punt, but 50% of his punts were downed inside the 20-yard line, which ranked third.
Weeks earned $1.4MM on his first deal with the 49ers and should be set for a raise. (His first came in 2015 as a member of the Texans.) Chiefs long snapper James Winchester is currently the highest-paid player at his position with a $1.65MM APY, per OverTheCap. Weeks should be able to match or eclipse that number after a Pro Bowl year.
Weeks was the eighth-oldest player in the NFL in 2025 and will move up at least one spot with Philip Rivers‘ second retirement. Long snappers tend to have long careers – especially consistently good ones like Weeks – so he still may have a few years left in the tank.
Colts CB Charvarius Ward Expected To Play In 2026
Cornberback Charvarius Ward entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent from Middle Tennesee State in 2018, but it only took him until the next season to become a full-time starter. The former Chief and 49er was successful enough over his first seven seasons to earn a three-year, $54MM deal with the Colts last March.
Ward’s first year in Indianapolis did not go well, but it had nothing to do with his performance. Three concussions besieged Ward, who missed 10 of the Colts’ 17 games. Nearing his 30th birthday in May, Ward went into the offseason considering retirement. Ward’s father even advised him to walk away from the game, but it appears he will continue his career in 2026 (via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star).
“All indications are he’s wanting to move forward and play,” general manager Chris Ballard stated on Tuesday. Meanwhile, head coach Shane Steichen said he and Ward talked “a couple days ago,” adding that the defender is “feeling good.”
With Ward likely returning next season, the Colts will hope he and fellow starting corner Sauce Gardner team up far more often than they did in 2025. Gardner began the season as a Jet, but he ended it as a Colt after a massive trade deadline deal on Nov. 4. With his team then 7-2 and vying for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, Ballard dealt the Colts’ next two first-round picks away for the two-time first-team All-Pro.
On paper, with Gardner joining Ward and slot corner Kenny Moore, the Colts had a superb trio. Unfortunately for Ballard, they seldom played together down the stretch. While Ward was regularly out of the lineup because of his concussions, a calf strain sidelined Gardner for four games. Serious late-season injuries to Ward, Gardner, quarterback Daniel Jones and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner significantly contributed to a post-deadline collapse for Indianapolis. Having to go long stretches without those players against a brutal second-half schedule torpedoed the Colts’ season.
Once 8-2, the Colts lost seven in a row to finish 8-9 and miss the playoffs for the fourth year in a row. Healthier seasons from Ward, Gardner, Jones (a pending free agent who is in negotiations to re-sign) and Buckner would go a long way toward helping the Colts rebound in 2026.
Ravens Still Hope To Retain TE Isaiah Likely
Despite signing Mark Andrews during the season, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec) that the team would still like to retain Isaiah Likely.
The 25-year-old tight end is coming off a disappointing season with career-lows in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. He was in extension negotiations with the Ravens last summer, but broke his foot early in training camp before the two sides could make a deal. Likely struggled to make a consistent impact upon his return, though 2025 was a down year for the Ravens offense across the board.
The Ravens’ tight end depth, strong running game, and targets funneled to wide receiver Zay Flowers all limited Likely’s volume in Baltimore. But the 2022 fourth-rounder’s efficiency and red zone effectiveness compare to some of the top tight ends in the NFL, indicating he would have a much higher ceiling as a TE1 on another team. He was expected to have a strong market heading into his contract year, but his down seasons may have reduced his value.
Likely’s chemistry with Lamar Jackson, growth as a blocker, and ability to exploit mismatches are among the many reasons for the Ravens to re-sign him. New offensive coordinator Declan Doyle will likely use multiple tight ends as his mentor Ben Johnson did in Chicago and Detroit, but the Ravens offense already used heavy personnel at one of the highest rates in the league during Likely’s rookie contract. It may not be wise to sign a second tight end to a starting-level salary without a corresponding amount of targets available.
As a result, Likely seems like a luxury the Ravens cannot afford with so many other players on expensive deals. The team will reduce Jackson’s $72.5MM cap hit via an extension or restructure, but their priority should be addressing the trenches on both sides of the ball.
It might make more sense for DeCosta to keep Charlie Kolar, who was drafted 11 picks before Likely in 2022. Kolar emerged as a key blocker over the last three years and still has untapped receiving potential. He could be retained in a smaller role on a cheaper deal, though capable run-blocking tight ends can still earn good money in the NFL. Former Raven Josh Oliver received a $7MM APY deal from the Vikings in 2023 despite little receiving production during his previous two years in Baltimore. As with Likely, the Ravens may not have a big enough role for Kolar to justify a second contract.
DeCosta was also asked about defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, who suffered a season-ending neck injury in Week 2, but he did not offer any updates regarding his status. Concern about Madubuike’s long-term future in the NFL has persisted since he went down in September with the Ravens declining to comment on specifics about the injury or a return timline.
New head coach Jesse Minter did say (via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio) that he talked to Madubuike – who was drafted in the final year of Minter’s first stint in Baltimore – at the team facility in recent weeks, adding that the 28-year-old was in “great spirits.”
Madubuike’s absence had a huge impact on the Ravens defense in 2025. Their pass rush virtually fell apart without their most productive interior rusher, and their run defense was not as dominant as in years past.
However, DeCosta does not expect the uncertainty around Madubuike would not significantly affect their offseason plans.
“I think if we have the chance to draft a great defensive tackle, of course we will,” he said. “It is one of the most important positions in football.”
DeCosta also downplayed the financial impact of Madubuike’s situation, but the veteran defensive linemen is still owed $22MM in guaranteed salary with a $30.975MM cap hit, per OverTheCap. The Ravens can restructure his deal to push money into the future, but his contract will still factor into the team’s cap picture for the next few years.
Steelers ‘Believe’ Aaron Rodgers Wants To Play; Door Remains Open For Return
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers became a free agent when the Jets released him last March, but finding his next team was a slow process. Retirement was a legitimate option before the future Hall of Famer caught on with the Steelers in the first week of June.
Rodgers’ preference last year was to join the Vikings, but after they didn’t reciprocate, he settled for the Steelers’ one-year, $13.65MM offer. The 42-year-old remained a serviceable starter in Pittsburgh, which he helped to 10 wins and an AFC North title. Longtime head coach Mike Tomlin resigned after an ugly loss to the Texans in the wild-card round, leaving Rodgers’ future up in the air.
For a little while, it seemed likely Rodgers would follow Tomlin out the door and either sign elsewhere as a free agent or retire. Walking away from the team or the game are still possible outcomes, but the Steelers are willing to reunite Rodgers with head coach Mike McCarthy. Rodgers played for McCarthy in Green Bay from 2006-18. The signal-caller won two of his four MVPs and the lone Super Bowl of his career under McCarthy.
Asked about Rodgers on Tuesday, Steelers general manager Omar Khan stated (via Myles Simmons of PFT): “The door’s open to have Aaron back. I’ve had conversations with him — I spoke to him last week. Mike McCarthy’s spoken to him. He knows how we feel about him. Right now, we’re proceeding [as if] he’s a free agent and he’s not on the roster. But, he knows how we feel about him.”
While the Steelers are awaiting an official decision from Rodgers, they “believe” he wants to play a 22nd season in 2026, according to Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show. Regardless of whether that proves to be the case, it does not appear Rodgers will leave the Steelers twisting in the wind for an extended period this offseason.
Based on his conversations with Rodgers, Khan said, “I think neither side wants to have this drag on like it did last year.”
Getting an answer sooner than later would be beneficial for the Steelers, who don’t have a clear-cut starting QB option on their roster. Mason Rudolph has not risen above decent backup status in his six-year career, while 2025 sixth-rounder Will Howard went through his rookie season without taking a snap.
Lions LT Taylor Decker Returning In 2026
Lions left tackle Taylor Decker headed into the offseason considering retirement, but he will return in 2026. In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Decker announced that he will stick around for an 11th season.
Now the Lions’ longest-tenured player, Decker joined the franchise as the 16th overall pick in the 2016 draft. The former Ohio State Buckeye immediately became a full-time player in Detroit.
Decker has started in all 140 career appearances, including 14 last season, but a series of injuries have taken their toll on the 2024 Pro Bowler. Decker has missed at least two games in each season since 2022, his fourth and most recent full campaign, and has undergone five major surgeries as a pro.
Decker most recently went under the knife last offseason to address nagging shoulder issues. Although Decker opened training camp on the active/PUP list, he made it back in time for the Lions’ season opener. The 6-foot-7, 324-pounder continued battling shoulder trouble throughout the season, leading to three absences. The pain was severe enough that Decker required eight steroid injections to alleviate it.
Despite his latest injury-related adversity, Decker is in line to play the second season of the three-year, $60MM extension he signed in July 2024. The soon-to-be 33-year-old Decker and stalwart right tackle Penei Sewell will team up as the Lions’ bookends for at least another season. However, there is less certainty elsewhere on the line.
Graham Glasgow, the Lions’ starting center in 2025, may hang up his cleats after struggling to replace early retiree Frank Ragnow. Meanwhile, injuries have dogged left guard Christian Mahogany since his time at Boston College. The 2024 sixth-rounder has only played 18 games in two years, though he started in all 11 appearances last season.
Tate Ratledge was a bright spot as a second-round rookie last year, but it is unclear if he’ll stay at right guard or move to center in 2026. When he met with the media on Tuesday, Lions general manager Brad Holmes called Ratledge a “real option” to handle center. At the same time, though, he hinted at adding a veteran this offseason, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
“It’s a very important position,” Holmes said. “You’ve got to handle a lot of information. There’s some rookies that have been able to handle it. But you’ve just got to find the right one, whether it’s Day 1, Day 2, or Day 3. If you find the right one, he can. But really the kind of obvious way to (to plug that spot) is (to get) a player who has already done it.”
Baltimore’s Tyler Linderbaum will easily be the prized center on this year’s free agent market, but that’s only if he makes it there. The Ravens have already made Linderbaum a “market-setting” offer to stay, GM Eric DeCosta announced. The Bills’ Connor McGovern and the Panthers’ Cade Mays are not on Linderbaum’s level, but those two pending free agents won’t be cheap either. The Packers’ Sean Rhyan and the Saints’ Luke Fortner may represent a couple of less expensive possibilities for the Lions.
49ers Hire Kwesi Adofo-Mensah In Personnel Role
Former Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is returning to San Francisco’s front office, 49ers GM John Lynch announced on Tuesday.
“We’re bringing him back in a personnel executive role,” Lynch said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner), adding that an exact title would be determined after the draft.
Adofo-Mensah, 44, spent the last four years as Minnesota’s GM and was unexpectedly fired at the end of January, eight months after signing a multi-year contract extension. GMs do not get fired after 9-8 seasons, much less when their team went 34-17 in the three years prior. But the Vikings’ regression from their 14-win season led the team and a spotty draft record was enough to facilitate Adofo-Mensah’s ouster.
The former Wall Street trader’s lack of a traditional football background was a factor in his dismissal, but his reunion with the 49ers will bring him back to the first NFL team that took a chance on him. Adofo-Mensah arrived in San Francisco in 2013 under then-GM Trent Baalke as their manager of football development and research. Lynch promoted Adofo-Mensah to director of football development and research when he replaced Baalke in 2017.
Adofo-Mensah only worked with Lynch and new head coach Kyle Shanahan for three years before moving to Cleveland as the Browns’ vice president of football operations. Two years later, he was hired by the Vikings.
With their top-heavy salary cap, the 49ers will have need for Adofo-Mensah’s expertise in financial management over the next few years. They are currently working on an extension with Trent Williams, which would make their tight 2027 cap picture even tighter.
Adofo-Mensah’s success in Minnesota could keep him in conversations for open general manager positions in future years, but his poor history in the draft will be a black mark on his record that will be tough to ignore. Lynch, though, has been an excellent drafter and could mentor Adofo-Mensah as he searches for another GM opportunity.
Cowboys Willing To Make Brandon Aubrey NFL’s Highest-Paid Kicker
As a pending restricted free agent, Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey does not have a contract for next season. It isn’t for lack of effort on the Cowboys’ part. The team has presented Aubrey an offer that would make him the highest-paid kicker in the NFL, Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS reports.
The length of the Cowboys’ proposal isn’t known, but they offered Aubrey around $7.5MM per year, according to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. With Aubrey seeking nearly $10MM per annum, there is a sizable gap between the two sides. Despite that, talks have been “positive,” Watkins writes. Their discussions date back to the summer.
The Chiefs’ Harrison Butker leads all kickers in total money, average annual value and guarantees on the extension he signed in August 2024. Butker was 29 when he agreed to a four-year, $25.6MM deal with $17.75MM in guarantees. Aubrey will play his age-31 season in 2026, though it works in his favor that the cap has risen significantly since Butker re-upped with the Chiefs.
Despite his advanced age, Aubrey is only a three-year NFL veteran. He began his professional athlete career as a soccer player before changing sports. After Aubrey spent two seasons with the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions, the Cowboys brought in Aubrey in July 2023. The move has been a huge success for both parties.
Aubrey, who has gone to the Pro Bowl in each of his three seasons, owns an 88.2% success rate (112 of 127 ) and a 97% mark on extra points (126 of 130). He nailed a career-best 65-yard try in 2024 and followed it up with a 64-yarder in 2025. But after hitting 94.7% of his field goals in his first year, he checked in just over 85% in each of the past two seasons.
In knocking in 36 of 42 kicks in 2025, Aubrey finished 21st in the league in conversion rate (85.7%). As of now, the Cowboys don’t believe that’s worth $10MM per year. They have other expensive priorities to address, including the future of pending free agent wide receiver George Pickens. The Cowboys will also focus on much-needed defensive upgrades this offseason.
If Dallas doesn’t have a new pact in place for Aubrey, the team figures to place either a first- or second-round tender on him by the March 11 deadline. Going the first-round route would cost a projected $8.11MM, while the second-rounder would come in at $5.81MM.
Offseason Outlook: Los Angeles Rams
A playoff institution once again, the Rams played in what ultimately became a 1990s-style de facto Super Bowl. While this year's NFC championship went the Seahawks' way, before Seattle thrashed an overmatched Patriots team in Super Bowl LX, this Rams nucleus extended its season by a week for the second straight year.
Los Angeles' recent draft classes have done well to reopen the team's Sean McVay-era Super Bowl window, after a disastrous Super Bowl LVI title defense brought a speedbump. This offseason will bring a good problem of sorts for McVay and GM Les Snead, with a strong 2023 draft class now extension-eligible. Without a fifth-year option on any of those picks, the Rams have work to do with a batch of young players. Oh, and another Matthew Stafford negotiation. That will also carve out some space on the PFR pages.
Coaching/front office:
- Extended head coach Sean McVay, general manager Les Snead
- Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur became Cardinals' head coach
- Promoted pass-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase as OC replacement
- Hired Bubba Ventrone as special teams coordinator
- Senior offensive assistant Alex Van Pelt hired as Falcons' QBs coach
- Added Kliff Kingsbury as assistant head coach; Brian Johnson hired as senior offensive assistant
- Scheelhaase interviewed for Bills, Browns, Raiders, Ravens, Steelers' HC jobs, withdrew from Raiders search
- DC Chris Shula interviewed for Browns, Cardinals, Dolphins, Raiders, Ravens, Steelers' HC jobs
- Parted ways with DBs coach Aubrey Pleasant; Jimmy Lake named replacement
- Hired Robert Woods as assistant WRs coach, Brian Allen as assistant O-line coach
- Pleasant interviewed for Browns, Cardinals, Chargers, Raiders' DC jobs
- Assistant general manager John McKay interviewed for Dolphins' GM job
Few HC hires in NFL history have been as transformative as the Rams' 2017 McVay decision. The franchise had missed 12 straight playoff brackets, and the L.A. market was treated to a first-year dud as the Jeff Fisher era wrapped. McVay reinvigorated the relocated organization, and the Rams went 7-for-9 in postseason berths in the coach's 30s. This included three NFC championship game cameos, two Super Bowl berths and the franchise's first L.A. championship since 1951.
John Lynch: 49ers, Trent Williams ‘On The Same Page’
4:46pm: Speaking with the media on Tuesday, 49ers general manager John Lynch sounded optimistic about Williams’ future (via Clayton Holloway of NFL Network). “Good and productive meetings,” Lynch said. “Trent loves being a Niner. We love having Trent as a Niner. We’re all on the same page… I feel very positive where that’s going.”
3:09pm: Future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams still has one year left on his contract with the 49ers, but he could end up on the free agent market early. Williams and the 49ers are struggling to reach an agreement on an amended deal that would lower his $38.84MM cap hit, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. If they don’t find common ground, a release would be expected, per Schefter.
Williams would be a shocking addition to this year’s class of free agents. Although the 12-time Pro Bowler is set to play his age-38 season in 2026, he would immediately become the best offensive tackle available. For now, the Packers’ Rasheed Walker is in line to lead the market. The 26-year-old Walker has age on his side, but he is not on Williams’ level as a blocker. Case in point: Pro Football Focus ranked Williams third among 84 qualifying tackles in 2025. Walker checked in at No. 53.
Williams has been consistently elite since he entered the NFL as Washington’s first-round pick (No. 4 overall) in 2010. The former Oklahoma Sooner came off the bench once in 14 games as a rookie, but he has started in every other one of his 204 career appearances. Williams made the Pro Bowl in seven straight seasons with the Commanders from 2012-18. He remained under contract in 2019, but a standoff with the team led Williams to sit out for the entire season.
Washington traded the disgruntled Williams to San Francisco for third- and fifth-round picks in April 2020. The 49ers did not hand Williams a new contract immediately, but he played out another Pro Bowl season and inked a six-year, $138MM extension in March 2021. The pact made Williams the game’s highest-paid offensive lineman.
After Williams posted three straight first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl seasons to begin his contract, the 49ers reworked it in September 2024. The three-year, $82.66MM agreement came with a guaranteed $48MM, a record for a non-quarterback over the age of 35. That deal is still in place, but it doesn’t appear that will be the case for much longer.
If there’s any knock on Williams (other than age), it’s durability issues. Excluding the year he held out, Williams has missed between one and seven games in every season since 2014. He played his third 16-game season in 2025, yet another Pro Bowl campaign, but it could go down as his last in San Francisco.
Not only would the 49ers subtract an O-line cornerstone in releasing Williams, but it would hurt from a cap standpoint. If done by April 1, it would yield $34.15MM in dead money and just $4.69MM in savings. Designating Williams a post-June 1 cut would save the 49ers $15.52MM in 2026, though they would have to spread approximately $44MM in dead money over the next two seasons.
Broncos OC Davis Webb To Call Plays
After an impressive three-year run as the Broncos’ quarterbacks coach, Davis Webb earned a promotion to offensive coordinator three weeks ago. There was initially no word on whether Webb or head coach Sean Payton would call offensive plays, but an answer came Tuesday. Payton revealed that he will pass primary play-calling duties to Webb in 2026, Mike Klis of 9News was among those to report.
While the 62-year-old said he still expects “to call some plays on game days” (via Klis), this move represents a seismic shift for Payton. Over his 18 years on the job (15 in New Orleans, three in Denver), the one-time Super Bowl winner has acted as the main play-caller. He first considered handing off those responsibilities to Webb during the 2025 season, according to James Palmer of The Athletic.
Payton noted that he has full trust in the 31-year-old Webb, a former NFL quarterback. He gave Webb a trial run as the Broncos’ play-caller in a preseason win over the Cardinals last August. While it was just an exhibition game, the results – 27 points, 562 yards – were stellar.
Before the Broncos promoted Webb to replace the fired Joe Lombardi, other teams gave him serious consideration as both a head coach and offensive coordinator candidate. The Ravens, Bills and Raiders all discussed their HC openings with Webb. He reached the second-interview stage with the Raiders before bowing out of the race. The Raiders also joined the Eagles in meeting with Webb for their OC gig.
Returning to Denver for his fourth year, Webb will take on a far bigger role than he had as a QBs coach/passing-game coordinator in 2025. He’ll grab the reins of an offense that ranked 10th in yards and 14th in points during an AFC West-winning season. If Webb holds his own calling plays for the Broncos’ Bo Nix-led offense in 2026, he could be an even more popular candidate in next winter’s HC hiring cycle.