Texans Host CB Martin Emerson Jr.
After missing the entire 2025 campaign, Martin Emerson Jr. is eyeing a new team for his comeback season. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the free agent cornerback visited the Texans today.
Emerson emerged as a key defender during his time with the Browns. The 2022 third-round pick got into at least 70 percent of his team’s defensive snaps in each of his three healthy seasons. This culminated in a 2024 campaign where he started 15 of his 17 appearances.
His best statistical season came in 2023, when he finished with four interceptions and 14 passes defended, with PFF grading him 61st among 128 qualifying cornerbacks. While he was basically a full-time starter in 2024, PFF only ranked him 113th among 117 qualifiers.
Emerson was heading into the final season of his rookie contract in 2025. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn Achilles during training camp that ended his season before it began.
The 25-year-old could have a chance to revive his career in Houston. The Texans could use some depth behind Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter. 2025 third-round pick Jaylin Smith is currently penciled in for that key backup role, although he’s coming off a rookie campaign that ended early thanks to a torn meniscus.
Raiders Sign QB Kirk Cousins
APRIL 6: The move is official, as the Raiders have announced the signing.
APRIL 2: The Raiders’ interest in Kirk Cousins has indeed produced an agreement. A deal is in place, agent Mike McCartney announced on Thursday.
Vegas was identified yesterday as a suitor in Cousins’ case. The team remains on course to select Fernando Mendoza first overall in this month’s draft, but adding veteran insurance has been a goal this offseason. Head coach Klint Kubiak recently noted his preference for having Mendoza sit at the beginning of his NFL career, pointing to a signing such as this.
[RELATED: Details On Raiders’ Cousins Agreement]
Cousins has been on the market since his long-expected Falcons release. The four-time Pro Bowler did not wind up being traded during the 2025 offseason, setting up a second campaign in Atlanta. Cousins still wound up making eight starts this past season despite Michael Penix Jr. opening the year atop the depth chart. The Falcons proceeded with a cut in Cousins’ case, ending his tenure with the team halfway through a four-year, $160MM contract. Penix and Tua Tagovailoa will compete for the QB1 gig in Atlanta this summer.
No such training camp battle should be anticipated in Vegas given today’s news. Cousins will be tasked with handling starting duties while Mendoza begins his NFL acclimation period. A stint atop the depth chart at some point during the 2026 campaign can of course be expected for the Heisman winner, considering the timeline along which rookie quarterbacks enter the lineup in the modern NFL. For now, though, Cousins will prepare for a period where he is positioned to lead an offense.
Vegas traded for Geno Smith last offseason, reuniting him with head coach Pete Carroll. Nothing went according to plan on offense in 2025, though, and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly did not last the full season. It came as no surprise when Carroll was fired immediately after the campaign ended, nor when it became clear Smith would not return for 2026. He was traded to the Jets, creating the need for a veteran acquisition. Cousins, who will be 38 by the start of next season, certainly fits the bill.
Prior to today’s Raiders agreement, the Packers, Rams and Steelers had been linked to Cousins. Each of those teams could stand to add an experienced passer to their depth chart, with Pittsburgh’s QB1 role uncertain until Aaron Rodgers‘ decision on his playing future is made. The backup spots in Green Bay and Los Angeles, meanwhile, will need to be filled by another free agent or a draft pick.
Cousins’ six-year Vikings tenure came to an abrupt end when he suffered an Achilles tear midway through the 2023 season. His preference would have been to remain in Minnesota, but the potential for a multiyear starting spot in Atlanta led to his free agent departure. Things changed unexpectedly when Penix was drafted shortly thereafter, and Cousins was replaced atop the Falcons’ depth chart late in his debut season with the team. In all, he made 22 starts with Atlanta and posted several numbers below his career average while totaling 28 touchdown passes and 21 interceptions.
Expectations will be tempered upon arrival in Vegas for Cousins as a result. He is already owed $10MM from the Falcons for 2026, however, so this deal may not require a major financial commitment on the part of the Raiders.
Buccaneers Sign OT Justin Skule
Following a one-year stop in Minnesota, Justin Skule is heading back to Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers announced today that they’ve signed the veteran offensive tackle. Greg Auman of FOX Sports passes along that it’s a one-year deal for Skule.
The 2019 sixth-round pick out of Vanderbilt spent the first chunk of his career in San Francisco. He got occasional looks in the starting lineup, starting 12 of his 31 appearances through his first two NFL seasons. His 2021 campaign was wiped out due to a torn ACL, and he was cut by the 49ers at the end of the 2022 preseason.
He caught on with the Buccaneers and proceeded to spend the next three seasons with the organization. He only got into one game during his first year in Tampa Bay, and he mostly played special teams in 2023. However, he saw a more significant role in 2024, starting five of his 17 appearances while getting into about one third of his team’s offensive snaps.
The Vikings brought him on last offseason, and the veteran proceeded to start a career-high nine games in Minnesota. Pro Football Focus graded him 45th among 84 qualifying offensive tackles, with the site preferring his pass-blocking ability to his run-blocking prowess.
Skule would have come in handy last year in Tampa Bay, as starting OTs Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke both missed time with injuries, forcing Charlie Heck to start six games. Skule will once again serve as a key backup to those two starters, although he’ll face some competition from 2025 UDFA Ben Chukwuma, who started two games as a rookie.
Browns Sign DB Myles Bryant
The Browns have added a veteran piece to their secondary. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston reports that Cleveland has agreed to a deal with defensive back Myles Bryant.
The 2020 undrafted free agent out of Washington spent the first four seasons of his career in New England. His role progressively got bigger during his time with the Patriots, culminating in a 2023 campaign where he started nine of his 17 appearances. He finished that season with 77 tackles, seven passes defended, an interception, and a pair of forced fumbles. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus ranked him 54th among 127 qualifying cornerbacks.
He left for the Texans in 2024 but mostly played special teams during his first season in Houston. He saw a more significant role this past season, starting three of his 11 appearances. He finished the year with 40 stops while getting into 343 defensive snaps.
Bryant has shown an ability to play multiple roles in the secondary. Just this past season, he spent time as a free safety, slot cornerback, wide cornerback, and in the box. That should afford him a role on any team, although he may still have to fight for reps in Cleveland.
The Browns will return their same secondary as 2024, including their cornerbacks (Denzel Ward, Tyson Campbell, Myles Harden) and safeties (Ronnie Hickman, Grant Delpit). The team has also already acquired some depth in safety Daniel Thomas, who was added via free agency. At CB, Bryant will be competing with the likes of Dom Jones, D’Angelo Ross, and Tre Avery for reps, while Thomas and Donovan McMillon represent the acquisition’s main competition at safety.
Chiefs Still Monitoring Trent Williams; Taylor Decker On Radar?
The Chiefs aimed to stop their post-Eric Fisher revolving door at left tackle by drafting Josh Simmons in last year’s first round. Simmons impressed during training camp to win the Week 1 LT gig, but multiple issues intervened for the rookie talent.
Simmons left the Chiefs to address an undisclosed matter midway through the season; that hiatus forced the Chiefs to get by without him for four games. Simmons then suffered a season-ending wrist injury that required surgery, knocking him out for the season on Thanksgiving. While players chosen in Round 1 certainly receive their fair share of chances, the Chiefs continue to be linked to a player who would supplant Simmons as a starter.
Trent Williams remains on Kansas City’s radar, according to Casino.com’s Jason La Canfora, who hears the Chiefs would be “ready to pounce” in a trade should the future Hall of Famer’s latest talks with the 49ers go south. This follows a link that surfaced on Day 1 of free agency, but the 49ers remain intent on working another deal out with their six-year LT.
Williams, 38 in July, has been embroiled in another wave of contract talks for several weeks. Two years after the 49ers reworked Williams’ deal to provide a guarantee influx, the sides are negotiating again ahead of the decorated LT’s contract year. While talks appear to be picking up once again, no resolution looks imminent.
Kansas City finished second for Williams in 2021, seeing San Francisco win out with a six-year deal worth $138.1MM. The Chiefs pivoted to Orlando Brown Jr., and while that required a first-round pick and more in a trade with the Ravens, the mammoth blocker — a converted right tackle — was a plus option with the Chiefs for two seasons. But Brown turned down a Williams-like six-year extension while on the franchise tag in 2022 and signed with the Bengals in 2023. The Chiefs got by with stopgap Donovan Smith in their Super Bowl LVIII-winning season but did not re-sign him in 2024, instead turning to four starters — including converted guard Joe Thuney — in a season in which this position became a flashpoint concern.
Simmons’ rookie contract runs through 2028, and it would be odd if the Chiefs brought in a veteran to essentially replace him. But an anonymous GM informed La Canfora Andy Reid would “prefer a veteran” here. The Chiefs have Jaylon Moore as an option, having given him a two-year deal worth $30MM in 2025, but he could also be needed at right tackle. Kansas City cut three-year starter Jawaan Taylor for cap savings and has not replaced him. Moving parts exist for a Chiefs team that saw would-be 2024 LT answer Kingsley Suamataia successfully kick inside to LG last season.
Williams might not be the only Chiefs option if, in fact, a veteran is to be acquired at left tackle. La Canfora also mentions Taylor Decker as a potential solution, though it does not appear the Chiefs are as high on him as they are Williams. Decker, 33 in August, requested a Lions release after rework talks did not progress. The 10-year Lions LT starter has not been connected to a team yet, but after considering retirement this winter, the Ohio State alum is on track to play an 11th season.
Decker (140 career starts) missed 2025 time with a shoulder injury that ended up hampering him upon return. A healthy version of the Pro Bowl tackle would stand to be an upgrade on Simmons, but it is certainly worth wondering if the Chiefs would go as far as to bench a player they drafted 32nd overall last year.
That would be a notable development for a team that has not used the same LT starter in three straight seasons since Fisher’s eight-year tenure wrapped after the 2020 season. For now, Simmons and Moore are the Chiefs’ starters at tackle. But that could certainly change in the coming weeks and months.
Dolphins Informed Malik Willis Of Jaylen Waddle Trade Before Deal Became Official
The Dolphins’ receiving corps does not look like it did when Malik Willis committed to Miami. The Broncos now have Jaylen Waddle in place as a Bo Nix weapon, strengthening a long-Courtland Sutton-reliant skill-position corps while depleting the Dolphins’ offense.
Miami dealt Waddle to Denver eight days after Willis committed to follow Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley to South Beach. While the new Dolphins GM could not exactly inform Willis a trade was imminent when the team gave him a three-year deal worth $67MM, the new Miami starting QB did receive advance notice shortly before Waddle was dealt.
“I’m not going to ever make it a habit to call and feel like I need to explain myself to players in the locker room for the moves that I’m going to make. That’s not how this position works,” Sullivan said, via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. “I think they would respect me less if I did. I’m going to do what I think is right for the Miami Dolphins, not what a player or players want me to do.”
While this is not exactly Kirk Cousins not being informed the Falcons were eyeing a quarterback at No. 8 overall, Willis certainly has a different picture of the Dolphins’ receiving corps compared to when he signed. The Dolphins had released Tyreek Hill when they added Willis, but Waddle was in place as the team’s top wideout. After deploying an elite Hill-Waddle tandem for three-plus seasons, Miami now may have the NFL’s worst receiver array.
The Dolphins will surely address the position in the draft, but the rebuilding team has a few other needs that could warrant a first-round investment. The team rosters holdover Malik Washington to go with midlevel free agency additions Tutu Atwell and Jalen Tolbert. Both players enjoyed inconsistent tenures with their initial NFL clubs, while Washington (317 receiving yards, three touchdowns in Year 2) does not profile as a No. 1 target.
We heard last month Miami did not aggressively shop Waddle, and Sullivan confirmed (via the Herald’s Omar Kelly) that was the case. Kelly labeled the Broncos as “persistent” in pursuing the speedy wideout, whom Denver also looked into before last year’s deadline. The Broncos traded Nos. 30, 94 and 130 for Waddle and No. 111. This gives the Dolphins additional first- and third-round selections as they attempt to launch another rebuild.
“Whenever you’re sitting in this seat you always bite your lip when you see good players walk about the door, for whatever reason they leave,” Sullivan said. “Waddle is 27 years old. We’re in an era where the market for receivers is through the roof.”
Not much criticism has come either team’s way for this move, with the Dolphins extracting considerable value for a player who has not eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards since 2023. Waddle did begin his career 3-for-3 in 1,000-yard seasons and offers a versatile skillset the Broncos had lacked during Nix’s first two seasons. Denver is certainly betting on Waddle upside shown earlier in his career, with the ex-Patrick Surtain college teammate set to team with Sutton to form a strong receiving duo in Nix’s third (and likely final) season on a rookie contract.
The Dolphins, who went through with an aggressive rebuild in 2019, will now have two first-rounders and four thirds in this draft. The team obtained the other two by dealing Jaelan Phillips to the Eagles at the 2025 deadline and sending a fourth-round pick to Houston during the 2025 draft; the Texans traded the 2026 third to draft Woody Marks 116th overall last year. With seven picks over the first three rounds, Sullivan has plenty to work with ahead of his first draft as a GM. He also has a lot of work to do to help a roster desperate for young talent.
Lions Re-Sign DB Avonte Maddox
Avonte Maddox is signing up for another season in Detroit. The Lions announced Monday they agreed to terms to bring back the veteran defensive back.
The longtime Eagles slot defender played 14 games, starting three, with the Lions last season. This will be Year 9 for Maddox in the NFL. Maddox played out a one-year, $1.42MM deal in 2025; the Lions received a nice return on that low investment.
Used mostly as a slot cornerback in Philly, Maddox played corner and safety during his first Detroit season. The Lions deployed Maddox more often as a safety, and Pro Football Focus viewed his work positively, grading the nine-year vet eighth at the position.
Detroit is loaded at safety, with Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph entrenched as starters, but both battled injuries in 2025. Branch suffered an Achilles tear late in the season; it is not a lock he is ready to return by Week 1. A nagging knee injury sidelined Joseph in October, and although the Lions waited until December to place the recently extended defender on IR, he only played six games last season — as a setback wrapped his slate early. In Maddox, Detroit reacquires some insurance.
Maddox, 30, saw a 37% snap share on defense last season. That came in well south of his top marks as an Eagle, with the NFC East team using the former fourth-round pick as its regular slot CB for many years. But Maddox intercepted a pass, broke up four more and added a forced fumble in his Lions debut. Maddox joins Christian Izien — signed to a one-year, $2MM deal ($1MM guaranteed) — as Lions safety insurance options with considerable cornerback experience.
The Lions gave Maddox a career-high 248 snaps at free safety last season. Although Maddox was given a shot there as a rookie in Philly, he had not eclipsed 21 FS snaps in a season since. Conversely, Detroit only stationed Maddox in the slot on 18 plays. That obviously pales in comparison to his Eagles usage. Maddox was the Eagles’ slot performer when they ventured to Super Bowl LVII, and although his usage decreased by the time the team returned to the top stage two years later, Maddox still came through with a crucial pass breakup on a fourth-down Patrick Mahomes toss.
Maddox and Izien seeing extensive time may not be a great development for the 2026 Lions, as it would mean trouble returning to full strength from Branch and Joseph. But the Lions are covering their bases. Even with Amik Robertson defecting to the Commanders in free agency, the Lions have a few options for the slot as well; ex-Titans slot Roger McCreary also signed with the team.
Bengals To Meet With RB Jeremiyah Love
The Bengals have seen 2023 fifth-round pick Chase Brown become a three-down player, and the sides have begun extension talks. Cincinnati also sits at No. 10 overall this year. That is not seen as optimal placement for grabbing this draft’s top running back.
But Cincinnati is playing host to Jeremiyah Love on a “30” visit, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicating that meeting is taking place today.
It would take a few teams passing on the impact talent for Love to reach Cincinnati, but the Notre Dame product does play a position that many teams devalue. That said, the Giants (No. 5) and Commanders (No. 7) have been closely connected to the dual-threat back. Love also visited the Titans recently. If the Bengals want to pair Love with Joe Burrow, they would likely need to trade up. The Jets met with Love recently as well, though they are being tied more closely to Ohio State hybrid linebacker Arvell Reese at No. 2.
Scoring 40 touchdowns over the past two seasons, Love amassed 1,652 scrimmage yards in 2025 and 1,362 in 2024. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry in both seasons. Love sits second on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, trailing only Fernando Mendoza there.
Love is viewed as the only first-round-caliber RB in this year’s class, giving the teams that do not snag him in the top 10 needs that will need to be addressed on Days 2 and/or 3. Love’s Notre Dame backup last season, Jadarian Price, is viewed as this draft’s second-best back. Beyond the two former Fighting Irish teammates, no RBs reside in Jeremiah’s top 50. ESPN’s most recent mock sends Love to the Giants, while Price goes to the Vikings at No. 49. Illustrating the top-heavy construction of this RB crop, ESPN has no other backs going off the board until No. 96 (Arkansas’ Mike Washington).
One season remains on Brown’s rookie contract. He has outplayed his fifth-round slot, totaling 1,356 and 1,450 scrimmage yards over the past two seasons while scoring 11 TDs in each campaign. The Bengals reacquired Samaje Perine to back him up last year; one season remains on the veteran’s contract. The team also rosters 2025 sixth-rounder Tahj Brooks.
Giants Sign OL Lucas Patrick
Lucas Patrick has lined up his next NFL gig shortly before the draft. The veteran offensive lineman has agreed to a deal with the Giants, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. The move is now official, per a team announcement.
This will be a one-year pact, Wilson adds to no surprise. Adding along the offensive line was named as a goal by Giants general manager Joe Schoen during last week’s league meeting. Patrick will now be in place in time for the start of New York’s offseason program, which will begin tomorrow.
The nine-year veteran has made 113 appearances during the regular season over the course of his career; that includes 65 starts. Patrick spent his first five NFL seasons with Green Bay. He followed that with a two-year run in Chicago and then single campaigns with New Orleans and Cincinnati. The 32-year-old’s lone start in 2025 came at center, a familiar position. Patrick also has extensive experience at both guard spots, however.
The Giants are in position to return four of their five O-line starters from last season. Right guard Greg Van Roten remains unsigned at this point, and Patrick could serve as a replacement. The team has been open to a new deal with Van Roten, who operated as New York’s RG for each of the past two years, but it will be interesting to see if that remains the case with another veteran now in the fold. Finances are tight with respect to any moves the Giants make at this time.
New York entered Monday near the bottom of the league in terms of cap space, and affording the team’s incoming draft class will require further financial commitments. This Patrick contract will not alter the Giants’ situation to a large degree, though, as his past two deals were respectively worth $1.38MM and $2.1MM. A similar low-cost move can be expected this time around.
Unclear If James Pearce Jr. Will Report To Falcons’ Offseason Program
Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr. is the subject of three felony charges. As such, his immediate and long-term futures remain unclear at this point.
Pearce has been charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding police, and resisting an officer with violence to his or her person stemming from an incident which led to an arrest in early February. Pearce has been the subject of numerous domestic violence allegations from ex-girlfriend and WNBA player Rickea Jackson. Jackson filed a petition for a protective order, and it was granted; a permanent injunction hearing is scheduled for April 21.
As detailed by Josh Kendall of The Athletic, a docket sounding is set for April 23. That will mark the final opportunity for a plea agreement to be reached in this case. If that does not take place, Pearce – who also faces a charge of aggravated stalking which was reduced to a misdemeanor – will see his case proceed to trial. One is currently scheduled to begin on May 4.
Well before that point, the Falcons will start their offseason program. As one of the teams with a new head coach in place, Atlanta’s spring work will begin tomorrow. It remains to be seen, per Kendall, if Pearce will report to the team. The 22-year-old recorded 10.5 sacks in 2025 and was a finalist for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, but the allegations he faces have led to uncertainty regarding his situation. To little surprise, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports an absence is expected in this case.
Shortly after Pearce’s arrest, the NFL began reviewing the matter. That is still the case at this point, although a league representative declined to confirm to Kendall if a formal investigation has been opened yet. The NFL’s personal conduct policy carries a baseline suspension of six games for first-time offenses of domestic violence, with the potential for that figure to be raised or lowered based on mitigating or aggravating factors. The league often waits until a criminal proceeding takes its course before handing down any potential discipline; convictions are not required for a fine and/or suspension to be issued.
Atlanta’s other 2025 first-round pick, Jalon Walker, enjoyed a strong rookie season of his own and can be expected to remain a mainstay in the pass rush department for years to come. The same may not be true of Pearce, whose status will be worth monitoring closely over the coming days as well as the course of the offseason.