Von Miller Interested In Rejoining Bills
For the second straight offseason, future Hall of Famer Von Miller is taking his time in free agency. After the Bills released Miller in a cost-cutting move in March 2025, the edge defender took until July to join the Commanders on a one-year agreement worth up to $6.1MM.
Miller expressed interest in re-signing with the Commanders last November, but almost six months later, nothing has come together with them or anyone else. The 37-year-old is now turning his attention back to Buffalo.
“Man, I would love to go back to the Buffalo Bills,” Miller said on a recent live stream (video via Built in Buffalo).
Miller went on to make a bold prediction: The Bills will win the Super Bowl next season. Rewinding to March 2022, the Bills expected to finally get over the hump when they won the Miller derby in free agency.
Buffalo added the Super Bowl 50 MVP and two-time Lombardi Trophy winner (one apiece with the Broncos and Rams) on a six-year, $120MM contract, though the gamble did not pay off as hoped. Miller looked like his typical self over his first 12 games with the Bills, but he tore his ACL in a Thanksgiving Day win over Detroit and missed the rest of the season, including a second-round playoff loss to the Bengals.
After beginning his second Bills season on the PUP list, Miller returned to log another 12-game slate. However, for the only time in what is now a 14-year career, Miller failed to register a sack. He also went without a sack in a two-game playoff run that ended with a loss to the Chiefs in the divisional round.
Miller went through a third straight limited season in 2024, but injuries were not the issue. Rather, he served a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. The ban came as a result of a November 2023 arrest on a domestic violence charge. Miller denied the allegations, and charges were never filed.
On the field, Miller bounced back to a degree during a six-sack regular season. He also chipped in a crucial 39-yard fumble return in a 27-25 divisional-round win over the Ravens. The Bills advanced to the AFC title game, but they once again could not get past the Chiefs. That proved to be Miller’s last game with Buffalo, which moved on after the season and replaced him with another accomplished veteran pass rusher in Joey Bosa.
While the Bills’ big-money bet on Miller did not yield the desired results, his modest deal with the Commanders was a clear success. For one, Miller enjoyed his first full season since 2018. Although he was only on the field for 36.87% of defensive plays, Miller easily led the Commanders with nine sacks. He ranked 19th in the league in that category and 20th in pressure rate (per Pro Football Focus).
Despite his quality pass-rushing production in Washington, there is no indication the team plans to re-sign Miller. The Commanders may have closed the door on Miller when they reeled in Odafe Oweh (four years, $100MM) and K’Lavon Chaisson (one year, $12MM) at the outset of free agency.
Like the Commanders, the Bills have been active in addressing their pass rush this offseason. They signed Bradley Chubb, who teamed with Miller in Denver from 2018-21, to a three-year, $43.5MM pact and used their first draft pick (No. 35 overall) on former Clemson edge defender T.J. Parker.
Jim Leonhard, another of Miller’s former Denver teammates, is now Buffalo’s defensive coordinator. With the Bills transitioning from a 4-3 base to a 3-4 under Leonhard, they will turn to Chubb and Greg Rousseau as their starting outside linebackers. Parker and Michael Hoecht are next on the depth chart. Hoecht tore his Achilles last November, leaving his status for the start of next season uncertain. Javon Solomon and Andre Jones are the Bills’ only other options at the position, though they may be content with the group after picking up Chubb and Parker.
A reunion with the Bills may not be in the cards for Miller, but the eight-time Pro Bowler should land a contract before next season. Assuming Miller plays in 2026, the Broncos icon will look to build on his career sack total of 138.5. Miller is 13th on the all-time list, but he is just three sacks away from tying Michael Strahan for 10th.
Ravens To Sign Calais Campbell
Future Hall of Fame defensive lineman Calais Campbell will play his age-40 season in 2026. Campbell is reuniting with the Ravens on a one-year pact, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Eighteen years since the Cardinals took him in the second round of the 2008 draft, Campbell has suited up for five teams. Also a former Jaguar, Falcon and Dolphin, Campbell previously played for the Ravens from 2020-22. He earned one of his six Pro Bowl nods in their uniform. The Ravens nearly brought him back in a 2024 deal with the Dolphins, but it fell apart before the trade deadline.
After short stints in Atlanta and Miami, Campbell returned to Arizona on a one-year, $5.5MM deal in 2025. Despite his advanced age, the 6-foot-8, 315-pounder remained durable and productive. During his third straight 17-start season, Campbell played 45.72% of defensive snaps and notched 43 tackles, 16 QB hits, nine TFL and 6.5 sacks. Campbell ended the year as Pro Football Focus’ 23rd-ranked interior defensive lineman among 122 qualifiers, suggesting he has plenty left in the tank.
Although he remained a quality contributor last year, the 2010s All-Decade Team member seriously contemplated retirement after the season. Campbell said last August he was likely entering his last year, but he has had a change of heart eight months later. Now that Campbell is coming back, he will be in position to vault to No. 1 on the all-time list of games played by a defensive lineman. At 278, Campbell is third behind Jim Marshall (282) and Bruce Smith (279). Campbell is also 34th on the all-time sack list (117).
Campbell is signing up to join a new regime in Baltimore, which replaced longtime head coach John Harbaugh with Jesse Minter earlier in the offseason. While Minter was the Chargers’ defensive coordinator over the previous two seasons, he and Campbell have some familiarity with each other. Minter was the Ravens’ defensive backs coach during Campbell’s first year in Baltimore.
As a rookie head coach, one of Minter’s key tasks will be to help orchestrate a defensive turnaround. The Ravens finished a disappointing 24th in total defense last year, largely because standout D-tackle Nnamdi Madubuike missed 15 games with a neck injury. Madubuike is expected to return next season. If that happens, Campbell will provide a solid complement. If not, Campbell should give the Ravens a nice fallback option up front.
Along with Madubuike, there is uncertainty surrounding Broderick Washington, who is working back from an Achilles injury that cost him 14 games in 2025. Before agreeing to terms with Campbell, the Ravens’ other options included Travis Jones, John Jenkins, C.J. Okoye, Aeneas Peebles and 2026 seventh-round pick Rayshaun Benny. It was clear a post-draft D-line addition was in order, and the Ravens have now picked up one of the most accomplished players left on the market.
Texans, LB Azeez Al-Shaair Agree To Extension
APRIL 30: The deal includes $34.2MM in new guarantees and $45.75M in total guarantees, per Wilson. Al-Shaair now ranks third at his position in guarantees, trailing the Ravens’ Roquan Smith ($60MM) and the 49ers’ Fred Warner ($56.7MM).
APRIL 29, 11:15pm: This Al-Shaair extension is worth $54MM, Rapoport and Garafolo report. That $18MM average annual value ranks third in the NFL among inside linebackers. Al-Shaair will be counted on to remain one of Houston’s most impactful defenders for the foreseeable future with this new deal in hand.
12:20pm: The Texans are signing linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair to a three-year extension, per Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, keeping the leader of Houston’s defense under contract through the 2029 season.
Al-Shaair, 28, first arrived in Houston in 2024 on a three-year, $34MM deal and immediately took over a starting role in DeMeco Ryans‘ defense. He only appeared in 11 games in his first year – due in part to a three-game suspension – but made 16 starts in 2025 with a team-high 103 tackles. The ex-49er did not stuff the stat sheet otherwise, but his consistency in the middle of the Texans’ league-leading defense earned him his first career Pro Bowl selection. That gave Al-Shaair significant leverage when negotiating his new deal, which should be a solid raise over his first contract with the team.
The Texans are certainly happy to keep their star linebacker and defensive green-dot wearer around for a few more years. Today’s agreement represents their continued commitment to their elite defense after signing edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter to new deals this offseason.
It was reported in March that Al-Shaair and the Texans had mutual interest in reaching an extension as he entered a contract year. The Cowboys still made an attempt to trade for the seven-year veteran during their pursuit of linebackers this offseason, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. Houston, though, had no desire to move Al-Shaair, according to KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson, and Dallas pivoted to former 49ers Dee Winters and Curtis Robinson.
Al-Shaair will continue to partner with 2023 fifth-round pick Henry To’oTo’o as the Texans’ starting linebackers. To’oTo’o is entering the final year of his rookie deal and could be another extension candidate, as Houston has demonstrated a clear desire to retain their top defenders. The 25-year-old has racked up 200 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, seven passes defended, and four sacks over the last two years, making him a solid all-around complement to his veteran teammate.
The details of Al-Shaair’s contract have yet to be reported, but a raise over his current $11.33MM AAV would almost certainly propel him into top-10 linebacker pay. That is an excellent result for the former 49ers undrafted free agent, who developed under Ryans in San Francisco with a one-year stint in Tennessee before the two reunited in Houston.
Bengals To Decline Myles Murphy’s Fifth-Year Option
The Bengals are not picking up defensive end Myles Murphy‘s fifth-year option, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. Murphy is now on track to reach free agency next year, though the Bengals hope to extend him before then, per Conway.
As the 28th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Murphy’s option would have cost the Bengals $14.48MM in 2027. They did not see enough over Murphy’s first three years to lock in that salary. Murphy has totaled just 10 starts (all last season) and 8.5 sacks in 47 games.
Murphy, a former Clemson standout, logged his first of two 17-game seasons as a rookie. Stuck behind Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard and Cameron Sample on the depth chart, Murphy played just 27.8% of defensive snaps. He ended the year with 20 tackles and three sacks.
A knee injury limited Murphy to 13 games in his second season, though his defensive snap share increased to 31.02%. However, Murphy failed to record a sack during a second straight 20-tackle campaign.
While Murphy’s 2024 was a disappointment, he took obvious steps forward last year. The Bengals lost Hubbard to retirement last offseason, and injuries held Hendrickson to just seven games. Murphy stayed healthy and led Bengals defensive ends in snap share (62.62%). Along the way, the 24-year-old notched career highs in tackles (52), QB hits (10), TFL (six) and sacks (5.5). Pro Football Focus ranked Murphy’s performance a middle-of-the-pack 63rd among 119 edge defenders and credited him with the league’s 27th-most hurries (31).
Regardless of whether Murphy lands a new contract before next season, he will once again take on a significant role in their defense. Hendrickson exited for the Ravens’ mammoth free agent offer (four years, $112MM), while Joseph Ossai joined the Jets on a three-year, $36MM agreement. The Bengals replaced them to some extent with former Seahawk Boye Mafe, whom they inked to a three-year, $60MM pact, and second-round pick Cashius Howell. Murphy, Mafe, Howell, 2025 first-rounder Shemar Stewart and the rest of the team’s defensive linemen should benefit from the arrival of ex-Giants nose tackle Dexter Lawrence, whom the Bengals acquired for the 10th overall pick.
Panthers RB Jonathon Brooks Cleared For Offseason Program
The Panthers spent a 2024 second-round pick on running back Jonathon Brooks, but multiple knee injuries have prevented him from contributing in the NFL. There is optimism that will change in Year 3 for Brooks, who has been cleared for the Panthers’ offseason program, Joe Person of The Athletic relays.
Despite suffering a torn right ACL in November 2023, Brooks became the first running back off the board in his draft class. The Panthers took the former Texas Longhorn 46th overall, but the recovery process dragged well into his rookie year. The team finally activated Brooks from the NFI list in November, though he totaled just nine carries over three games before tearing his right ACL again. Now almost 17 months removed from the injury, Brooks says he is “close to 100 percent.”
With Brooks unavailable for the bulk of his first season, Chuba Hubbard easily led Panthers running backs in carries (250), yards (1,195) and touchdowns (10) during a career year. The Panthers gave Chubbard a four-year, $33.2MM extension on Nov. 7, 2004, the day after they activated Brooks.
Hubbard remained atop the depth chart entering last season, but it ended up a disappointing campaign for the 26-year-old. Over 15 games, he accrued just 511 yards and a touchdown on 143 carries (3.8 per attempt, down from 4.8 the previous season). Free agent pickup Rico Dowdle took the starting job from Hubbard and amassed 1,076 yards, but he is no longer on the roster. Dowdle hit the open market again this spring and parlayed his Carolina production into a two-year, $12.25MM pact with the Steelers.
Dowdle’s exit should create an opportunity for a healthy Brooks, especially considering the Panthers did not draft a running back this year. Brooks’ primary competition for the No. 2 RB position could be 2025 fourth-rounder Trevor Etienne and AJ Dillon, who will turn 28 on Saturday. Etienne posted just 20 carries over a 17-game rookie season, while Dillon’s impact has fallen off since his 2021-23 heyday with Green Bay. After averaging 183 carries and 729 yards per year over that three-season span, Dillon missed all of 2024 with a neck injury and returned to tally just 12 rushes in seven games with the Eagles in 2025. The Panthers brought in Dillon on a cheap free agent deal, which suggests he is not a lock to make their roster.
Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby’s Gambling Problem Puts Future In Jeopardy
The NFL Draft has come and gone, and we ended up with two Day 1 quarterbacks when it was all said and done. When we were taking a look at potential first-round passers early on, former Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby‘s name was mentioned as a name to watch. Now at Texas Tech via transfer portal, Sorsby’s future could be in jeopardy due to a gambling problem that has landed him in an addiction program, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Sorsby’s entry in a treatment program came following news that the two-time transfer had made “thousands of online bets on a variety of sports via a gambling app,” putting his eligibility to play at his new school in danger. The NCAA forbids student athletes from betting on college and professional spots and are reportedly investigating Sorsby’s gambling activity. Per Thamel’s sources, that activity includes bets on a team for which Sorsby played at the time they were placed.
Sorsby began his collegiate career at Indiana, and in 2022, he was a true freshman for the Hoosiers in the process of redshirting. Thamel reports that Sorsby bet on the Hoosiers to win individual games that season, but none of those bets were placed on the singular game in which he made a brief appearance that year. Those with knowledge of the situation note that Sorsby has not been tied to any potential attempts to influence outcomes to profit off bets and that his gambling habits were not ever put on the radar of law enforcement.
As a Hoosier, Sorsby showed promise but left room for improvement with his overall accuracy. After transferring to Cincinnati, he saw big improvement in a full-time starting role and had his biggest year for the Bearcats last year as a redshirt junior, throwing for 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns, and only five interceptions. When he entered the transfer portal a second time, he immediately became one of the hottest names on the market. Following visits to LSU and Texas Tech, he committed to the Red Raiders on a reported NIL deal worth more than $5MM.
Texas Tech could be out of luck, though, as the NCAA’s strict policy against gambling could mean his time as QB1 in Lubbock is over before it ever began. With the onset of NIL and online sports betting in recent years, the NCAA amended its guidelines in 2023. The new guidelines dictate that wagers over $800 could lead to the loss of up to 30 percent of a season of eligibility. Cumulative bets greatly exceeding $800 could lead to permanent ineligibility. A college athlete betting on another school in their own sport could lead to 50 percent of a season suspension, while wagering “on their own games or on other sports at their own schools” could result in “permanent loss of collegiate eligibility in all sports.”
According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, every college football staffer he asked seemed to believe that the NCAA would revoke Sorsby’s eligibility. In order to continue his career in Lubbock, Sorsby would then have to “file a lawsuit and seek an injunction” to play. If ruled ineligible, Breer offered up that Sorsby could then head for the NFL by way of the supplemental NFL Draft. The supplemental draft is usually reserved for players who bypass the April draft in favor of extra years of eligibility they believe will be granted before the NCAA ultimately denies them. The early-summer event hasn’t taken place in either of the past two years due to no players declaring for it.
Breer and Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports laid out opposing viewpoints on the situation for Sorsby, who would have to be approved by the NFL for the supplemental draft. Breer mentioned the cases of former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who was banned from the university’s athletic program after withdrawing following allegations of making thousands of dollars for autographs, and former Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon who had been suspended by the team for his marijuana use. Both players were accepted into the supplemental draft and selected.
Breer believes that, based on these past cases and based on the league’s recent partnerships with gambling companies potentially altering their disposition, Sorsby may be able to move past the NCAA situation by opting for the NFL. Jones, though, is under the impression that, if the NCAA rules Sorsby ineligible by June and he’s able to apply for the supplemental draft, the NFL would not realistically approve him to enter, citing the league’s history of hard judgment of gambling players. He pointed out that, currently, players who bet on their own teams, as Sorsby has previously done, face a two-year ban as punishment.
Even if the league does allow Sorsby to enter the supplemental draft, he would need to be selected by an NFL team. Breer offered up that any of the several teams that punted on the quarterback position in the draft this year with the intention of investing in next year’s class might be willing to throw a second- or third-round pick in for Sorsby, but a source Jones has in the league reportedly called the 22-year-old “untouchable” at this point in time.
Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire and the school both expressed support for Sorsby and his decision to seek professional help through the addiction program in statements released to the media. At the time, their focus is on Sorsby “as a person” while he prioritizes his health, and any other concerns will have to wait for the future, after he receives the help he needs.
Panthers Pick Up Bryce Young’s Fifth-Year Option
The Panthers officially picked up quarterback Bryce Young‘s fifth year option, per a team announcement, locking the 2023 No. 1 overall pick into a fully guaranteed $25.9MM salary for the 2027 season.
Carolina was expected to make this move after Young demonstrated clear signs of development in 2025 and put up career-bests in nearly every statistical category. The 24-year-old benefitted from a stronger supporting cast, including first-round receiver Tetairoa McMillan and breakout running back Rico Dowdle, but he undoubtedly showed a much better command of head coach Dave Canales‘ offense, too.
[RELATED: 2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
Still, Young has a ways to go before fully living up to his draft slot by establishing himself as one of the league’s top quarterbacks. $25.9MM will be a fine price for a starting quarterback in 2027, but the two sides could get to work on an extension right away.
If the Panthers are already confident in Young’s ability to be their long-term starter, a multiyear deal now could look like a steal in a few seasons. That still carries significant risk, as the former Alabama star barely cracked 3,000 passing yards last season with 23 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and an 87.8 passer rating.
That is hardly the output of a high-end starting quarterback, so Carolina may want to wait another year before agreeing to a long-term contract with Young. He could absolutely play himself into a better deal, but even in that case, the Panthers will know they have their franchise QB. In other words, the risk of having to pay Young more next offseason might be preferable to the risk of ponying up significant guarantees right now without knowing if he is truly the future of their team.
The timing of a potential Young extension has been a talking point this spring. It was reported in February the Panthers were in position to wait until the 2026 season played out to make a big-money commitment. More recently, though, it has seemed as if Carolina would be willing to engage in contract talks now. Young’s approach on this front will be worth watching closely as the summer unfolds.
The Panthers eyed a change in the QB depth chart with Andy Dalton‘s tenure coming to an end. Dalton was traded to the Eagles shortly after Kenny Pickett was added in free agency. The latter will give Carolina a much younger backup signal-caller, while the team accomplished its goal of adding another quarterback shortly after the draft ended. Haynes King was signed as a UDFA on Saturday. Young has not always been the Panthers’ undisputed starter, but he will be expected to log QB1 duties once more in 2026.
How that setup plays out will be key in determining Carolina’s ability to reach the playoffs once again next year. It will also, of course, determine the value of a new Young contract in the event one is not finalized over the near future.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
QB Bo Nix Undergoes Follow-Up Ankle Procedure
The party line coming out of Denver pointed to Bo Nix being ready for OTAs; the most recent update from this situation tabbed the QB as being ahead of schedule on his ankle rehab. But it now looks quite possible the Broncos will be careful with their starting quarterback this offseason.
As Nix’s rehab from an ankle fracture continues, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo note the third-year passer underwent a follow-up procedure described as a cleanup. While the NFL.com duo indicates this is not an unexpected development, the prospect of the Broncos being careful with Nix this offseason also emerged.
This comes after Nix’s scheduled recheck last week. The Broncos are expected to be cautious with their signal-caller, but Rapoport and Garafolo note the QB is “firmly” expected to be ready for training camp. While Nix is going into his third season in the same system, the Broncos are changing play-callers — with Sean Payton giving the reins to QBs coach-turned-OC Davis Webb — this year.
Denver lost Nix at a rather inopportune moment, seeing the durable passer suffer his injury during the overtime period of a 33-30 divisional-round win over the Bills. Payton announced postgame it would be Jarrett Stidham making the start in the AFC championship game. Although the three-year Broncos backup started off well, an untimely fumble gave the Patriots vital early field position — in a game later mired in a blizzard — that helped them unravel a defense-oriented Broncos game plan.
The Broncos’ Nix-driven “what if?” regarding a Super Bowl LX berth represented the latest bad break for Payton in the playoffs, with the late-season QB injury coming years after the Minneapolis Miracle sequence and the infamous uncalled pass interference play in the Rams-Saints 2018 NFC championship game. Payton appears quite confident in his 2025 nucleus, with the Broncos having re-signed a host of players from that roster in free agency (to go with the Jaylen Waddle trade).
Stidham enters the second season of a two-year, $12MM contract, and the Broncos also included third-stringer Sam Ehlinger in their re-signing spree. That duo figures to see more work during OTAs and minicamp. Although it could be construed as a setback in that Nix was viewed as on track for OTAs before word of this second procedure surfaced, training camp is nearly three months away.
Eagles Assistant GM Alec Halabay Leaves Position
After 17 years in an NFL front office, all of them with the Eagles, assistant general manager Alec Halaby has made the decision to step away from his position with the team. According to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Halaby is leaving to “start a new professional chapter of his career.”
In a statement released to the media (via Zach Berman of The Athletic), Habalay said, “I am deeply grateful to the Eagles organization, especially (chairman/CEO Jeffrey Lurie) and (general manager/executive vice president Howie Roseman), for giving me a chance to work in the game I love. Jeffrey’s stewardship has created a first-class organization. Howie has been a mentor to me from Day One, for which I am greatly appreciative.
“It has been a rare privilege to contribute to building championship teams for the city of Philadelphia. The experience has been enriched by a set of special relationships with front office colleagues, coaches, and players. Football has been a core part of my life for as long as I can remember; that won’t change. Nevertheless, after 17 years in Philadelphia, I’ve decided to step away to start a new professional chapter. It has been a wonderful journey. Go Birds.”
A Harvard graduate, Halaby began his tenure with the Eagles with two separate internships in 2007 and 2009. In 2010, he was hired into his first official role with the team as a player personnel analyst. Two years later, Halaby was named special assistant to the general manager in Roseman’s third season in the GM role. In 2016, Halaby was promoted to vice president of football operations and strategy, a position he held for six years before finally completing the ascension from assistant to the general manager to assistant general manager.
Halaby walks away from that role now after four years, doing so with two Super Bowl rings. It will be interesting to see what the future has in store for the longtime Eagles staffer. He has seemingly been considered a general manager candidate in recent years, interviewing for open jobs in Carolina and Washington in 2024 and with the Jets in 2025. There is currently an open GM job in Minnesota, after the team made a late move to fire Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, but there’s also a chance Halaby could follow an old colleague.
A couple days ago, it was announced that former Eagles senior vice president/tertiary football executive Bryce Johnston would replace former Falcons senior director of football administration Chris Olsen. Johnston worked alongside the Eagles personnel department during his time in Philadelphia and may be open to welcoming a familiar face in Halaby to a quickly evolving front office, though that decision seems to be to up to new president of football Matt Ryan. Regardless, Halaby’s next chapter will be his first not with the Eagles.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/29/26
Wednesday’s midweek minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: FB Ben VanSumeren
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed franchise tender: WR George Pickens (story)
Detroit Lions
- Signed: LB Joe Bachie, DT Jay Tufele
Kansas City Chiefs
- Received international exemption: T Chukwuebuka Godrick
- Waived: RB ShunDerrick Powell
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: DT Leki Fotu
Los Angeles Chargers
- Received international exemption: TE Thomas Yassmin
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DT Eric Johnson II
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Harrison Bryant
The Seahawks are adding some depth in their tight ends room by bringing in the former Mackey Award winner out of FAU. Seattle relied heavily on a two-man crew featuring AJ Barner and Elijah Arroyo until a knee injury placed the second-round rookie, Arroyo, on injured reserve for most of the rest of the team’s Super Bowl run. When Arroyo went down, veteran Eric Saubert came in to supplement Barner with minimal contributions from undrafted Minnesota rookie Nick Kallerup.
In his rookie year, Bryant looked like he might displace David Njoku as TE2 behind Austin Hooper in Cleveland. He found himself third in the pecking order in Year 2, but returned to TE2 duties, this time behind Njoku, after Hooper was no longer on the team.