NFC Staff Updates: Falcons, Cardinals, Panthers, 49ers, Cowboys
With the draft in the rearview, new Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham has gotten to work reshaping the front office staff to his liking. To that effect, Atlanta has hired Keith Earle as a mid-Atlantic area scout, per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. Earle’s first taste of NFL work came as a camp intern in player personnel for the Eagles in 2021. After a similar internship in Chicago the next year, Earle was hired on as a scouting assistant in the first year of Ryan Poles‘ tenure as GM. He spent the past two seasons as the midlands area scout for the Bears but has now followed Cunningham to Atlanta for his new gig.
Thanks to Neil Stratton of SucceedInFootball.com, we also learn that the new title in Atlanta for Justin Hickman will be national scout. After the conclusion of a playing career that took him through the NFL and CFL, Hickman has gained some uniquely vast experience working as an XFL executive, an analyst at Pro Football Focus, a coach, and until recently, an area scout with the Patriots. Earle and Hickman could just be the start as the front office begins to reflect the new GM.
Here are a few other staff updates from around the NFL:
- In Arizona, the Cardinals have promoted one new staffer and said goodbye to another. According to Stratton, Alfonza Knight has been promoted to assistant director, college scouting. After initial NFL jobs as an equipment intern for the Titans and a staffer with the Senior Bowl, Knight first joined the Cardinals as a scouting assistant in 2014, getting promoted to NFS scout in 2017 and spending the last eight years as an area scout. Leaving the front office, per Stratton, is veteran scout Chris Culmer. Starting as a scouting intern for the Seahawks in 2000, Culmer worked his way up to scouting assistant and pro scout over nearly nine years in Seattle. He stayed within the division with his next job, joining the Cardinals as a west area scout. He was promoted to director college scouting for a couple years but has spent the last 12 seasons as a western regional scout.
- On the coaching side of things, the Panthers awarded a promotion this week to a member of their defensive staff, per Joe Person of The Athletic. Linebackers coach Pete Hansen has had the moniker of assistant defensive coordinator added to his title. After going from strength and conditioning coach to defensive assistant at Stanford in 2009, Hansen first dipped his toe in the NFL waters as a defensive assistant/quality control coach with the nearby 49ers. After rejoining the Cardinal as an inside linebackers coach for six years and working as defensive coordinator at UNLV for two, Hansen got his first NFL position coaching gig as a linebackers coach for the Broncos in 2022. The fast-rising assistant has earned his new title after three seasons in Carolina.
- Moving towards analytics, ESPN’s Seth Walder reported this week that the 49ers will no longer employ R&D analyst Meredith Manley after she opted to leave following the conclusion of her contract with the team. Manley worked in the role for the past four years following a three-year stint as a football analytics assistant in Arizona.
- Lastly, the Cowboys have hired a new pair of strategic football fellows, per Walder. Nick Fullerton is taking the fellowship after previously working as a research analyst at NFL Next Gen Stats. Vincent Etherton will be the other new fellow following his time as a data analytics student assistant with the Princeton football team.
5 Key Stories: 5/17/26 – 5/24/26
Organized Team Activities are underway around the NFL. Voluntary spring workouts are often a sign of the less impactful period of the league’s calendar, but plenty of noteworthy developments have taken place in recent days. In case you missed any of this week’s top stories, here is a quick recap:
- Stafford Lands Latest Rams Extension: Matthew Stafford was already on the books with guaranteed money for 2026, but the reigning MVP has lined up his newest commitment from the Rams. A one-year extension has been worked out in this case. As such, Stafford is due to collect between $55MM and $60MM in 2027. That total will be combined with the money already set to be paid out to result in up to $105MM being paid out across the next two seasons. Stafford, 38, will continue to face retirement questions over that span. Los Angeles’ succession plan at the quarterback spot will also be a talking point with No. 13 pick Ty Simpson in the fold. Nevertheless, the Rams remain committed to Stafford over the short term, and his immense career earnings figure is set to grow considerably.
- Giants Keeping Schoen Past 2026: With the Giants undergoing a number of organizational changes this offseason, general manager Joe Schoen‘s job security increasingly became a question mark. Instead of having Schoen finish out the final year of his pact, though, New York has authorized an extension. Schoen – who has been in place since 2022 – has overseen just one winning season so far as an NFL GM. The arrival of new head coach John Harbaugh is widely thought to have limited Schoen’s power in the front office, but the two have expressed a willingness to work alongside one another. That will be put to the test over the coming years with the Giants aiming to rebuild around Harbaugh and a number of new core players. Schoen’s status past 2026 will no doubt be tied in large part to the success seen during the upcoming campaign.
- Lions Extend Campbell: The Lions recently chose to decline linebacker Jack Campbell‘s fifth-year option. The decision did not close the door to a long-term pact, though, and one has indeed been finalized. Campbell signed a four-year, $81MM extension which will keep him under team control through 2030. Coming off an All-Pro season, Campbell has moved into second place in terms of average annual compensation at the LB position. The 25-year-old also managed to secure $51.5MM in guarantees, a figure which illustrates Detroit’s level of commitment in this case. Of course, the presence of this pact will lead to questions about whether or not the Lions will be able to also work out long-term extensions with other 2022 draftees Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch. In any case, Campbell will be counted on to anchor the second level of the team’s defense for the foreseeable future.
- Rodgers Plans To Retire After Second Steelers Season: The lengthy wait for Aaron Rodgers to officially re-join the Steelers came to an end in time for OTAs. To no surprise, his new Pittsburgh deal is one year in length. That will set Rodgers up to end his career after the 2026 campaign. During his first media availability since coming back, the future Hall of Famer confirmed he plans to make this season his last. Rodgers will turn 43 late in the 2026 slate, and retirement has been a talking point through the latter stages of his career. His first Steelers season produced a playoff appearance, and expectations for a similar showing will be in place this time around. Pittsburgh has Drew Allar and Will Howard in place as potential successors, but for one more year Rodgers will look to add to his career accolades.
- Chiefs’ Rice Facing Jail Time: Rashee Rice‘s probationary period was recently violated when he tested positive for THC. As a result, the Chiefs wideout has been ordered to serve 30 days in prison. That sentence was originally due to take place at a time of Rice’s choosing, but he is now set to serve it right away. As such, he will miss out on Kansas City’s OTA practices and the team’s mandatory minicamp in June. 2026 represents the final year of Rice’s rookie contract, and he is currently recovering from knee surgery. The Chiefs are not considering an extension at this time, so plenty will be on the line when Rice returns to action following his latest legal matter.
Pro Football Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat: 5/24/26
Pro Football Rumors' Sam Robinson will be holding a live chat at 4pm Central today, exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers!
Jets S Andre Cisco On Roster Bubble?
Andre Cisco joined the Jets during his first trip to free agency. The veteran safety elected to remain in place with New York this past March, but he may not be assured of a second season with the team.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini names Cisco as one of the players “who could be in trouble” with respect to a roster spot ahead of the 2026 campaign. Following a four-year run in Jacksonville, Cisco took a deal worth $8.5MM to join the Jets. As expected, the Syracuse product handled a starting role in 2025. Cisco was limited to just eight games, however, due to a pectoral tear.
That limited the 26-year-old’s market value, and it came as no surprise when he accepted a less lucrative offer to re-sign with the Jets. Team and player agreed to another one-year pact, this time worth $2.5MM. Of that figure, $500K has already been paid out as a signing bonus. Cutting Cisco before or after June 1 would result in a dead cap charge of $1.25MM and $980K in savings.
The safety position has seen plenty of turnover in the case of the Jets this offseason. Minkah Fitzpatrick was acquired via trade, and the five-time Pro Bowler will be counted on to operate as a full-time starter. Free agency also brought about the arrival of Dane Belton. He too signed a low-cost deal for 2026, but a strong showing during training camp in his case could result in Cisco being knocked down the depth chart.
Defensive tackle Mazi Smith is another player Cimini writes may be in danger during roster cuts. The former Cowboys first-rounder was included in part of the trade which sent Quinnen Williams to Dallas at the 2025 deadline. Smith is a pending free agent, although the final year of his rookie contract (which will pay out $2.56MM) is already guaranteed in full. It will be interesting to see if Cisco and Smith help their respective stocks during training camp or if the Jets show a willingness to move on at the end of the summer.
Michael Penix Jr. Limited In OTAs; HC Kevin Stefanski Addresses Falcons’ Pending QB Competition
Michael Penix Jr. has resumed throwing in time to take part in the Falcons’ early OTA practices. Full participation is the next checkpoint in his case, but that may not be reached until the summer.
Penix has been cleared for individual drills along with seven-on-seven work for the spring. He has not yet participated in 11-on-11 practices so far, however. It remains to seen if the third-year quarterback will be fully available during minicamp next month as Atlanta continues to proceed with caution. If not, Penix will aim to avoid any setbacks in time for a complete workload during training camp.
“But that time is coming,” Stefanski said (via The Athletic’s Josh Kendall) when speaking about Penix being cleared for team drills. “His main focus is getting healthy, and he’s doing that. As a staff and definitely for Mike, we kind of have the blinders on and are really just looking at what’s in front of us.”
Penix’s 2025 campaign ended with the latest ACL tear of his career. The former No. 8 pick has been limited to 12 starts so far, and it is uncertain if he will open the coming season atop the depth chart. Shortly after his Dolphins release, Tua Tagovailoa signed a one-year Falcons deal. A true competition between the two southpaws is set to take place this summer. Stefanski confirmed an even distribution of reps will be forthcoming during training camp.
“I think it’s our job — I think [offensive coordinator] Tommy Rees does an outstanding job of making sure that we’re intentional about how we want this to operate,” Stefanski said during his recent press conference. “One guy will be up first one period and then switch with the next period and rotate every single day and really almost every drill because the truth is we’re trying to get the best version of all of our players, so we want to mix and match guys in different spots.”
Penix’s showing in a number of categories was incrementally better in 2025 than it was during his rookie season. Nevertheless, further improvements will be sought out with the 26-year-old aiming to establish himself as Atlanta’s long-term answer under center. Penix’s performances working with Stefanski and a new coaching staff will be worth watching closely as the summer unfolds. At a minimum, he appears to be on course for a clean bill of health in time for padded practices during training camp.
New Deal For TE Greg Dulcich Was Top Priority For Dolphins; Latest On Miami’s PK Competition
If comments made by Dolphins staffers are any indication, fantasy coaches are going to want to keep an eye on Miami’s Greg Dulcich as they seek to fill the challenging tight end slot. GM Jon-Eric Sullivan recently identified Dulcich as the returning player he is most excited to see take a step forward in 2026, and TEs coach Rob Middleton also praised Dulcich during OTAs last week.
“He’s a talented, talented guy,” Middleton said of Dulcich (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). “The sky is the limit for the kid.”
The Dolphins had a large class (30 players) of their own free agents this offseason. While the club’s cap situation was a challenge in talent retention, Jackson says Dulcich was the one incumbent FA the ‘Fins seemed to prioritize over all the others. They re-upped the 26-year-old on a one-year, $3.25MM pact, most of which is guaranteed.
A former third-round pick of the Broncos, Dulcich joined the Giants via waiver claim in 2024. New York cut him last August, and he subsequently joined Miami’s practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster in late October as the corresponding move when fellow tight end Darren Waller was placed on injured reserve.
In 10 games (three starts) in 2025, Dulcich posted 26 catches for 335 yards and a touchdown, and he continued to have a role in the offense even after Waller returned from IR. The Dolphins did draft two TEs this year, adding Will Kacmarek in the third round and Seydou Traore in the fifth. Given his usage in college, however, Kacmarek is likely to make more of an impact as a blocker than receiver in the early stages of his pro career, while Traore is a talented but raw prospect who began playing football later in life than most of his fellow draftees (as C. Isaiah Smalls II of the Miami Herald details, Traore is the first graduate of the United Kingdom’s iteration of the NFL Academy to be drafted).
As such, Dulcich should have a golden opportunity to establish himself as a starting-caliber TE in 2026. He will represent one of new quarterback Malik Willis’ top options in a passing game that features a number of Day 2 and Day 3 rookies – along with veteran rebound hopefuls Tutu Atwell and Jalen Tolbert – and that is now without the high-profile duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Another player who showed promise for a mostly-disappointing Dolphins team in 2025 was kicker Riley Patterson, who converted 27 of 29 field goals and 34 of 35 extra points. His performance convinced Miami to bring him back, albeit on a veteran salary benefit deal worth just $1.4MM. That modest pact was not a barrier to signing Zane Gonzalez, who will now compete with Patterson for the PK job.
As Jackson writes in the piece linked above, Patterson did not object to the Gonzalez acquisition.
“Riley doesn’t mind,” special teams coach Chris Tabor said. “Obviously he had a great year, and he’s a really good player, as is [Gonzalez]. But if you looked at both of their careers, they’ve competed against a lot of guys all the time, so I think that’s nothing new. Any competitor will say, ‘if I’m in a competition, I play better.'”
Tabor, another new addition to the Dolphins’ coaching staff, worked with Gonzalez in Cleveland. Although Tabor says Gonzalez’s stance and approach have changed since their days with the Browns, it is fair to wonder if that familiarity will give Gonzalez an edge in his battle with Patterson.
Browns HC Todd Monken Addresses Team’s QB1 Battle
The Browns’ next franchise passer does not appear to be on the roster yet, but for now, Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are competing for the starting quarterback job. While Sanders appeared to have the leg up on his veteran teammate earlier this spring, more recent reporting has suggested Watson will be under center in Week 1.
Watson and Sanders were still splitting first-team reps when OTAs opened last week, as ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi observes. Head coach Todd Monken previously expressed his preference to have a QB1 in place by the start of training camp, though he acknowledged that the depth chart could change throughout the course of the preseason slate.
Echoing those sentiments during OTAs, Monken said (via Oyefusi), “[y]ou’d love to have [an established depth chart] at every position at the end of spring, but you can’t guarantee that. We’ll have it set for Jacksonville [in Week 1].”
The first-year HC was predictably complimentary of both participants in the starting QB battle. With respect to Sanders, Monken said, “I think Shedeur’s come miles, in terms of his progressions, getting the ball out, his understanding of concepts. I think he’s really, really come a long way.”
Sanders, 24, dealt with plenty of growing pains as a rookie in 2025. He connected on 56.5% of passes, averaged 6.6 yards per attempt, and threw more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (seven). He posted a poor 68.1 traditional passer rating and an even worse 18.9 QBR in the process. On the other hand, it would not have been surprising to see him selected in the first round of last year’s draft, so if there is more than standard coach-speak to Monken’s comments, perhaps the former Colorado standout is on track for a breakthrough season.
Watson, who will turn 31 in September, has largely disappointed when on the field during his much-maligned Cleveland tenure, and a ruptured (and later re-reruptured) Achilles has kept him out of game action since Week 7 of the 2024 campaign. He did return to practice in the latter stages of the ‘25 slate, and he has since received full medical clearance. In addition to praising Sanders’ growth, Monken offered an encouraging update with respect to Watson’s health.
“Deshaun’s athleticism shows up,” Monken said. “Obviously he’s had that, but he’s had injuries that have set him back. I wouldn’t say it’s a surprise, but it’s exciting to see — it’s a weapon for him. It’s one of his superpowers, his athleticism.”
The Browns did select Taylen Green in the sixth round of this year’s draft, but they otherwise have focused on building up the rest of their roster in the hopes that – unless Watson or Sanders surprises in the upcoming season – they can drop a top 2027 draftee or quality veteran acquisition into a competitive lineup next year. Neither Green nor 2025 third-rounder Dillon Gabriel are candidates for the QB1 gig at the moment.
Lions Could Extend RB Jahmyr Gibbs Soon; Team Still Interested In New Deal For TE Sam LaPorta
One year ago (almost to the day), we noted the Lions were already looking ahead to an extension for running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who was entering his third professional season. After a standout 2025 campaign, the time for Gibbs’ second contract could be approaching.
Detroit recently extended linebacker Jack Campbell, who was selected six picks after Gibbs in the first round of the 2023 draft. Given that the NFL continues to group off-ball LBs and pass-rushing LBs together for valuation purposes, the Lions had no choice but to decline Campbell’s fifth-year option, which would have made 2026 a platform year if not for the new deal.
In terms of club control, there is not as much urgency for the Lions to extend Gibbs. Because they did exercise the RB’s fifth-year option, he is locked in through the 2027 slate, and Detroit theoretically could utilize some sort of tag after that. However, with Campbell’s future now addressed, ESPN’s Adam Schefter thinks Gibbs is next in line. In a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show (video link), Schefter expressed his belief that an agreement will be coming this summer.
Even though Falcons RB Bijan Robinson is expected to land a more lucrative contract than Gibbs, the Lions may want to beat Atlanta to the punch and finalize a Gibbs extension before Robinson adds another data point to the top of the RB market. Irrespective of Robinson’s status, Detroit’s three–time Pro Bowler is in line to score a deal paying him in excess of $15MM per year, which would place him no lower than third in the NFL’s running back hierarchy. At present, Saquon Barkley ($20.6MM/year), Christian McCaffrey ($19MM), and Derrick Henry ($15MM) lead the way in terms of average annual value.
And Gibbs has certainly earned a big payday. The dual-threat has found the end zone a whopping 49 times (39 rushing, 10 receiving) in as many games. A two-time 1,200-yard rusher, Gibbs has averaged a robust 5.3 YPC on 675 career attempts. The 24-year-old is also fresh off a 77-catch season, easily surpassing the respectable 52 he totaled in each of his first two years.
In addition to Gibbs and Campbell, the 2023 draft also produced tight end Sam LaPorta and defensive back Brian Branch. In January, GM Brad Holmes identified all four members of that high-impact quartet as priorities. Holmes has checked Campbell’s extension off his to-do list, and it sounds as if Gibbs’ deal could be done in fairly short order. Similarly, Schefter says Detroit still wants to work out a long-term pact with LaPorta.
Because LaPorta and Branch were not first-round picks, they were not eligible for a fifth-year option. As such, they will be out of contract at the end of the ‘26 season unless a new pact is worked out before then.
While it may not mean anything, Schefter does not reference Branch in his report. Holmes’ January remarks notwithstanding, we heard the versatile defender probably would not receive an extension this offseason, so he could be on track to hit free agency in 2027.
Brian Flores Amends Complaint Against NFL, Subpoenas 31 Teams
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores* recently amended his lawsuit against the NFL and six of its teams to include a Title VII claim, and now he has amended it again. Per Daniel Kaplan of Front Office Sports, Flores has added a new retaliation count.
The nature of the allegation is presently unclear, but based on the NFL’s response, it appears Flores is arguing the league’s effort to enforce the arbitration provisions in its contracts is itself retaliatory. If that’s the case, sports attorney Chris Deubert tells Kaplan it “makes no sense,” and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk concedes it will be difficult to prove.
Nonetheless, Flores has scored a series of key wins in this long-running saga, and he is striking while the iron is hot. The trial court has allowed his claims against all six teams (the Giants, Broncos, Texans, Dolphins, Titans, and Cardinals) to proceed to trial rather than remain in the NFL’s arbitration system, and the trial court has also allowed the case to move forward as normal even as the NFL seeks United States Supreme Court review of that issue.
Allowing the case to move forward includes lifting the stay on discovery, so in addition to the amended complaint, Flores has subpoenaed 31 of the NFL’s 32 teams, as Kaplan details (presumably, only the Vikings have not been subpoenaed). ESPN’s Kris Rhim adds Flores has served more than 1,000 discovery requests, which the league has argued are punishingly overbroad.
“They’re obviously going scorched-earth,” Deubert said. “Presuming he’s asking about their employment hiring practices and policies, and even that can be difficult to just to respond to. … But those teams are probably going to object to the subpoenas, probably collectively through the league-friendly counsel, and say it’s not relevant, and there’ll be an interesting sort of fight there.”
The defendants will file a motion to dismiss in response to the latest amended complaint. As Rhim notes, the deadline for that is June 5. Pretrial briefs are due in late July/early August. A trial date likely will not be set until after the court rules on the motions to dismiss.
*Steve Wilks and Ray Horton are Flores’ co-plaintiffs, but for ease of reading, we will simply use Flores’ name when referring to the plaintiffs’ side of this matter.
NFL Mailbag: Chiefs, Sorsby, Vikings, Bengals
This week's edition of the PFR mailbag answers questions related to the Chiefs' receiver situation, the potential for 2026 including a high-profile supplemental draft prospect, the Vikings' busy offseason and the Bengals' outlook for the coming season.
Joey asks:
Who do you think the Chiefs sign to help out at WR after this Rashee Rice news? Do you think he still has a chance to stay long term or are there just too many red flags?
The list of veteran receivers still available is fairly long. Kansas City can’t afford much at the position (or any other, for that matter) but there will be options to choose from.