Browns Modify Myles Garrett’s Contract
A slight change has been made to Myles Garrett‘s Browns contract. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year has agreed to push back the payment dates on his option bonuses, ESPN’s Field Yates reports. 
Garrett was originally owed those payments on the 15th day of the league year each season from 2026-28. In the case of this year, that fell on Wednesday, with Yates noting this revision was finalized one day earlier. Now, Garrett is in line to collect the money one week before the start of the regular season in each year (bringing his contract in line with other Cleveland pacts in that respect).
[RELATED: Browns Propose Trading Picks Five Years Into Future]
As detailed by Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap, this move will not yield any cap savings for the Browns unless the value of the option bonuses ($10MM in 2026, $13MM in 2027 and $7MM in 2028) have been changed. It would certainly come as a surprise if that were to be the case. Per Yates, the changes have nevertheless taken place in a way “that has benefit” to Garrett, who inked a four-year, $160MM extension last offseason. Yates adds that $8MM in base salary has been converted to roster bonuses for 2029 and ’30; they are scheduled to be paid out early in those league years.
Some observers have noted this tweak to Garrett’s deal would make a hypothetical trade more viable. Delaying option payments until just before the start of the season would indeed widen Cleveland’s window of opportunity to work out a trade with interested teams. The 30-year-old’s 2025 extension contains a no-trade clause, however, so he would need to approve of any potential swap. Garrett’s current focus will remain on helping lead the Browns to a rebound in 2026. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com confirms no thought is currently being given to a trade.
The five-time All-Pro broke the single-season sack record (23) in 2025, leading to his second career Defensive Player of the Year nod. Strong defensive showings will be expected once again for the Browns moving forward, and Garrett will of course be counted on the lead the way for years to come. In the event of continued struggles on the team’s part, though, trade speculation will no doubt pick up once more.
Robert Griffin III Named To American Flag Football Roster
Several active NFL players have publicly expressed a desire to play in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. That will mark the first time in which flag football will be played as an Olympic event. 
The NFL will allow active players to compete in the Los Angeles games, although there a number of logistical issues still to be worked out on that front. There is also the question of whether or not professionals would be better equipped for success than full-time flag players given the differences which exist in the two versions of the games. At least one ex-NFL player will receive a look in advance of the Olympics.
Robert Griffin III is on Team USA’s 24-man national flag football roster. The former Heisman winner will thus take part in a training camp which will be staged before a 12-man team will be selected for this year’s IFAF Flag Football World Championship. That event will take place in August.
The recent Fanatics Flag Football Classic brought renewed attention to the matter of NFL players potentially taking the place of long-time flag veterans. Questions about that were raised when Team USA handily won the event, however, beating out two teams largely comprised of active and recently retired NFL players along the way. Griffin did not participate in the event, but he will look to acclimate himself to the flag game in short order.
The 36-year-old last played in 2020. Since then, Griffin has shown interest on multiple occasions, attempting to return to an NFL roster as recently as 2023. A resumption of his career would certainly come as a surprise at this point for the Fox Sports analyst, but flag football could present a unique opportunity.
Expanding the reach of flag football has long been a major NFL priority, and funding was recently approved for the launch of a professional league. Having active (or at least former) NFL players taking part in the Olympics would be welcomed on the league’s part, and it will be interesting to see if more opportunities arise for players in a position similar to Griffin’s.
Raiders’ Tom Brady Explored Comeback As Player/Owner
Seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady agreed to buy a piece of the Raiders in May 2023, but it took until October 2024 for the NFL to approve his purchase. At some point, the longtime Patriot and short-term Buccaneer asked the league about playing quarterback for the Raiders while owning part of the franchise. The league shot it down.
“I actually have inquired, and they don’t like that idea very much,” Brady revealed to CNBC Sport this week. “We explored a lot of different things, and I’m very happily retired. Let me just say that, too.”
An NFL spokesperson confirmed to CNBC it does not allow such an arrangement, saying that Brady would have had to divest his 5% ownership stake before coming out of retirement.
“In addition, there would be salary cap issues involving a player/owner,” the spokesperson added.
The NFL put this policy in place in 2023, a year after it levied punishment against the Dolphins and owner Stephen Ross for tampering with Brady. The league found that the Dolphins engaged in “impermissible communications” with Brady late in his 20-year Patriots run and during his three-season stint in Tampa Bay. Ross wanted to bring Brady aboard as a player/part-owner, but former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores blew the whistle in a 2022 racial discrimination lawsuit that is still ongoing.
Six months after Flores filed his suit against the NFL, the Dolphins, the Giants and the Broncos, the league suspended and fined Ross and Dolphins vice chairman/TB12 board member Bruce Beal. It also docked the Dolphins a first-round pick in 2023 and a third-rounder in ’24.
Brady, who came out of retirement once during his illustrious career, last played in the NFL in 2022. The soon-to-be 49-year-old participated in last weekend’s Fanatics Flag Football Classic, but he told CNBC that doing so “reconfirmed to me that I’m very happy in my retirement.” Although he is done as a player, Brady will continue to serve a key role with the Raiders and work as Fox’s lead color commentator.
G Chase Bisontis Drawing Vast Interest
As one of the premier guard prospects in the 2026 draft class, Texas A&M’s Chase Bisontis has the potential to come off the board in the first two rounds. There is widespread interest in Bisontis, who has scheduled over a dozen visits, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. The Chargers, Panthers and Falcons are among the clubs that will host Bisontis.
As a freshman in 2023, Bisontis began his three-year run in College Station as the Aggies’ starting right tackle. He worked at left guard during his last two seasons, in which he allowed a total of two sacks. The 6-foot-5, 315-pounder earned third-team All-SEC honors in 2025.
In ranking Bisontis as the 49th-best prospect available, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com notes “short arms” could negatively affect the 21-year-old’s stock. But Bisontis assuaged some concerns when his arms measured 32 inches at Texas A&M’s pro day on Wednesday, per Garafolo. The average guard checks in around 33 inches.
Whether it’s Bisontis or another high-end prospect (Penn State’s Vega Ioane, for example), it would not be a surprise to see the Chargers grab a guard at either No. 22 or 55. While free agent addition Cole Strange is expected to start on the right side, the Chargers do not have a clear replacement for departed left guard Zion Johnson. Trevor Penning and newcomer Kayode Awosika are in-house options to succeed Johnson, but neither comes with a strong history as a starter.
The Chargers have an obvious need at guard, but that is not the case for either the Panthers or Falcons. Carolina has two expensive starters in Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt. A 16-game starter for the fourth straight season in 2025, the 29-year-old Lewis finished as Pro Football Focus’ seventh-ranked guard. Playing the second season of a five-year, $100MM pact, Hunt missed 15 games with a torn biceps, but he returned for a wild-card round loss to the Rams. With Lewis and Hunt sticking around next year, the Panthers may be more inclined to upgrade elsewhere with picks 19 and 51.
As a result of ex-general manager Terry Fontenot‘s James Pearce Jr. gamble last April, the Falcons do not have a first-rounder this year. Atlanta’s first selection is scheduled for No. 48, where president of football Matt Ryan and GM Ian Cunningham could consider Bisontis if he is still available. The Falcons already have two quality starting guards in Chris Lindstrom and Matthew Bergeron, however, leaving the long-struggling franchise with more pressing areas to address.
Lindstrom, who inked a five-year, $105MM extension in 2023, is coming off his second 17-start season in a row. PFF ranked Lindstrom a superb second among guards, while Bergergon finished 20th. Bergeron missed two games, but they were the first absences of the three-year veteran’s career. Although Bergeron is eligible for an extension, spending a second-rounder on a guard may indicate Atlanta does not plan to dole out another big payday at the position.
Jets Contract Details: Davis, Onyemata, Enagbare, Wright, Belton
The Jets have signed 12 players since free agency opened on March 11. Here are the details on several of those contracts…
- Demario Davis, LB (two years, $22MM): Returning to the Jets for a third stint, the 37-year-old standout secured $15MM in guaranteed money and a $7.5MM signing bonus, Katherine Terrell of ESPN reports. Davis’ $3.5MM base salary for 2026 is fully guaranteed; $4MM of his $11MM base in ’27 is fully guaranteed.
- David Onyemata, DT (one year, $10.5MM): The former Saint and Falcon received a $7.5MM signing bonus and will earn a $2.15MM salary, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Onyemata will make another $50K for each game he’s active (up to $850K). The Jets tacked four void years on his deal.
- Kingsley Enagbare, OLB (one year, $10MM): The ex-Packer will rake in $8.49MM in guaranteed money and a $5MM signing bonus, according to Spotrac. Enagbare’s 2026 base salary will check in at $3.49MM.
- Nahshon Wright, CB (one year, $5.5MM): Despite leading the NFL last year with 10 turnovers (five interceptions, three fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles), the former Bear settled for a relatively inexpensive deal. The Jets will pay Wright a fully guaranteed $3.5MM, per Wilson. His accord features a $2MM signing bonus and a salary of $1.5MM.
- Dane Belton, S (one year, $4MM): In leaving the Giants for the Jets, Belton landed $3.5MM in guarantees and a $2.5MM signing bonus, Wilson relays. His contract features up to $2MM in incentives based on playing time, interceptions, a playoff appearance and a Pro Bowl nod. Belton will also collect $30k in per game roster bonuses (up to $510K).
- Andre Cisco, S (one year, $2.5MM): Cisco re-upped with the Jets for a $1.49MM salary, $1.25MM in guarantees and a $500K signing bonus (via Wilson).
- Max Mitchell, OT (one year, $2MM): Set for his fifth year with the Jets in 2026, Mitchell will play on a $1.81MM salary with $1MM in fully guaranteed money, according to Wilson.
Alabama T Kadyn Proctor To Visit Chiefs
The Chiefs spent a first-round pick on an offensive tackle last April, and they may consider doing it again this year. The team will host Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor this week, Field Yates of ESPN reports.
Thanks to an impressive college career and Combine performance, Proctor was already considered a potential first-round pick before Alabama’s pro day on Wednesday. The 6-foot-7, 358-pounder’s stock is now even higher after he “seemed to steal the show” in front of representatives from all 32 NFL teams, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic. Teams were “very impressed” with Proctor, per Howe, who notes the lineman has maintained a consistent weight for the past four to five months. Proctor was north of 400 pounds during his freshman year.
A 40-game starter at left tackle in college, Proctor collected plenty of accolades over three seasons at Alabama. He was a freshman All-American in 2023, a second-team All-SEC performer in 2024, and a consensus All-American and first-team all-conference player last season. While Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network, Dane Brugler of The Athletic and ESPN’s Mel Kiper currently rank Proctor just outside of the top 15 prospects in this year’s class, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said this week that he could come off the board as high as No. 3 overall (via Thomas Goldkamp of On3).
Unless the Chiefs trade up, their first shot at Proctor will not come until No. 9. The 20-year-old may be an option then, but the way he’s trending, he could be gone when the Chiefs make their second selection at No. 29. Either way, the team could use one of those choices to address an O-line that added tackle Josh Simmons at 32nd overall in 2025. Simmons started in each of his rookie appearances at left tackle, but a personal matter and then a wrist injury limited him to eight games.
While Simmons will return in a No. 1 role next season, the Chiefs released three-year right tackle starter Jawaan Taylor in early March. Jaylon Moore is the favorite to start opposite Simmons, but that could change if Kansas City makes a sizable investment in Proctor or another tackle early in the draft.
Ravens Host DT D.J. Reader
6:23pm: There are other teams with interest in Reader, who is expected to sign somewhere after the draft, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports.
5:20pm: Defensive tackle D.J. Reader is among several established veterans still waiting for a contract two-plus weeks into free agency, but there is interest in the 31-year-old. Reader visited the Ravens on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network relays.
A fifth-round pick of the Texans in 2016, the run-stuffing Reader has started in 128 of 137 career appearances. After a successful four seasons in Houston, Reader inked a four-year, $53MM pact with the Bengals in 2020. Although injuries sidelined Reader for 23 games in Cincinnati, he played out the contract as a key part of its defense, including during an AFC-winning 2021 campaign.
Heading into the 2024 season, Reader left the Bengals for another nice payday in Detroit, which handed him a two-year deal worth up to $27.25MM. The 6-foot-4, 330-pounder missed two games in his first Lions season, but he totaled a career-high three sacks. Pro Football Focus rated his play a solid 39th among 132nd qualified interior defenders. Reader is now coming off his first career 17-game season, in which he started each contest, logged 28 tackles and led Lions interior defenders in snaps (583). Although Reader did not register a sack, PFF rated his performance an impressive 30th out of 134 players at his position.
In joining the Ravens, Reader could provide a quality fallback option if Nnamdi Madubuike is unavailable for some or all of 2026. Madubuike suffered a season-ending neck injury in Week 2 last year, and it remains unclear if he will play again. The Ravens clearly felt the two-time Pro Bowler’s absence in 2025, but even if he returns, adding Reader would improve their situation up front. There is also uncertainty surrounding Broderick Washington, who sat out all but three games as a result of an Achilles injury last season. Previewing the Ravens’ offseason in early March, PFR’s Nikhil Mehta identified Washington as a release candidate.
Beyond Madubuike and Washington, Baltimore counts Travis Jones (the recipient of a three-year, $40.5MM extension last December), John Jenkins, Aeneas Peebles, CJ Okoye and David Olajiga among its options along the interior. We may find out soon if Reader will join the group.
Bills Sign C/G Austin Corbett, C Lloyd Cushenberry, WR Trent Sherfield
The Bills announced three veteran depth signings on Thursday. Guard/center Austin Corbett, center Lloyd Cushenberry and wide receiver Trent Sherfield are heading to Buffalo on one-year deals.
The addition of Corbett comes as no surprise after he visited the Bills on Monday. A second-round pick of the Browns in 2018, the 30-year-old Corbett is now joining his fourth team. With 94 games and 78 starts on his resume, Corbett will at least give the Bills established interior depth. He may also have a chance to compete with the fairly inexperienced Alec Anderson for the Bills’ starting left guard job. David Edwards, the Bills’ previous starter, left for New Orleans’ four-year, $61MM offer in free agency.
Corbett fell short of expectations in Cleveland, which traded him to the Rams for a fifth-rounder in his second season. But he spent two-plus years as a full-time starter in Los Angeles, where he played right guard for its Super Bowl-winning 2021 team (Edwards was the Rams’ left guard).
Corbett continued as a starter in Carolina over the past four years, though injuries were a problem from 2023-25. He missed 29 games in that span, including four last year. While Corbett began the season as the Panthers’ starting center, he lost the role to Cade Mays when he suffered an MCL injury in Week 2. After Corbett returned from IR, he handled right guard duties.
Since the Broncos used a third-rounder on him in 2020, Cushenberry has started in all 80 appearances at center, making it somewhat surprising that he landed in Buffalo. The 6-foot-4, 315-pounder has no path to a starting gig with the Bills, who re-signed center Connor McGovern to a four-year, $52MM pact before free agency opened. Cushenberry signed a similar deal (four years, $50MM) with the Titans in 2024, but it did not go as planned for either side.
A torn Achilles limited Cushenberry to eight games in 2024, and though he bounced back to play in 15 last season, Pro Football Focus ranked his performance 34th among 37 centers. The 28-year-old underwent shoulder surgery early in the offseason, leading the Titans to release him with a failed physical designation in February. If healthy, Cushenberry will presumably compete with Sedrick Van Pran-Granger to work as McGovern’s backup in 2026.
The well-traveled Sherfield, 30, has had stints with seven organizations since going undrafted out of Vanderbilt in 2018. He is on his way to Buffalo for the second time, having spent the 2023 campaign there. Known more for his work on special teams than as a pass catcher, Sherfield finished with 11 receptions in 17 games during his first Bills season. He set career highs in catches (30) and yards (417) in Miami in 2022, but he has not approached those numbers in any other year. In a combined 12 games with the Cardinals and Broncos in 2025, Sherfield caught just three passes for 21 yards.
Commanders To Sign CB Ahkello Witherspoon
3:40pm: Witherspoon’s visit has indeed produced an agreement, Garafolo reports. Washington’s secondary will have another veteran in place leading up to the draft.
9:ooam: The Commanders have undergone a number of changes at the cornerback position so far in free agency. Another addition at that spot could be coming soon. 
Ahkello Witherspoon is set to visit Washington today, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports. The 10th-year veteran has never played for the Commanders, but he would be a familiar face to general manager Adam Peters. Peters was in the 49ers’ organization when Witherspoon was drafted by San Francisco in 2017.
After playing out his rookie contract in the Bay Area, the former third-rounder spent a pair of seasons with the Steelers. Witherspoon was limited to just 13 games during his Pittsburgh tenure, leading to his release halfway through a two-year contract in 2023. As a free agent for the second time, Witherspoon joined the Rams on what would prove to be the first of three consecutive one-year deals.
Over the course of his time in Los Angeles, Witherspoon saw his playing time decline. The Colorado product logged a career-high 1,060 defensive snaps in 2023 but saw that figure drop considerably in each of the following two years. In all, Witherspoon has made 64 starts and 96 appearances during the regular season. He is among the most experienced options still on the market at this point of free agency.
Changes in the secondary were seen as a key area for improvement entering the offseason in Washington’s case. The Commanders replaced Joe Whitt with Daronte Jones as defensive coordinator, and he will have a new-look cornerback room to work with in 2026. Jonathan Jones and Noah Igbinoghene have departed in free agency, while Marshon Lattimore and Antonio Hamilton remain unsigned. One addition (Amik Robertson) has already been made, and more are no doubt coming through free agency and/or the draft.
Washington has over $49MM in cap space as things stand. The Commanders could easily afford a number of new arrivals despite the money already spent on the open market as a result. If a deal is worked out in Witherspoon’s case, it will no doubt be an inexpensive one.
Commanders Arrange Visits With LB Sonny Styles, WR Denzel Boston
Set to select seventh overall in next month’s draft, the Commanders find themselves in an interesting position. A wide range of options could present itself by the time Washington is on the clock. 
The team has already been linked to a number of prospects as top 30 visits take place around the league. USC receiver Makai Lemon, Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, Miami cornerback Keionte Scott and Buckeyes wideout Carnell Tate have each been linked to the Commanders so far. Two more Day 1 candidates are on Washington’s radar.
Per veteran Commanders reporter Ben Standig, top 30 visits with Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and Washington receiver Denzel Boston have been arranged. This marks the first known link between Styles and an interested NFL team in terms of a formal visit. It will certainly not be the last.
Styles is one of several Buckeyes who are considered a lock to hear their names called in the first round. He transitioned from safety to linebacker midway through his Ohio State career, a move which proved fruitful. Styles racked up 182 tackles, seven sacks and 17 tackles for loss across the 2024 and ’25 seasons. He sits third overall in the latest rankings from NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah. A selection somewhere in the opening half of the first round is expected in this case.
Lemon and Tate are likewise in position to come off the board early on Day 1. Boston, on the other hand, is expected to be available toward the end of the round. A trade down the order would thus be feasible if the Commanders were to target the red zone target. Boston has been linked to the Browns, 49ers and Steelers in recent days and his list of suitors will no doubt continue to grow over the coming weeks.
Washington owns pick No. 7 but the team is not scheduled to select again until the third round. Both Styles and Boston will no doubt be well off the board by the Commanders’ second selection, but each will receive a look as they consider their options near the top of the order.