Panthers Re-Sign LS J.J. Jansen
Once again, J.J. Jansen has agreed to continue his career. The longtime Panthers long snapper signed another new deal on Tuesday, per a team announcement. 
To no surprise, this is the latest in a long line of one-year pacts. Jansen has been operating on a year-to-year basis since 2021, and that will no doubt continue until his career ends. Now 40, Jansen will extend his lead in terms of the franchise’s games player leader list by playing his 18th NFL season.
Acquired via trade in 2009, the Notre Dame product has yet to miss a contest in his career. Jansen played out a five-year deal during the middle stages of his Carolina career, but he has been a special teams mainstay far beyond the expiration of that pact. The one-time Pro Bowler has played 277 games in the regular season, good for 27th in NFL history. Only Marcedes Lewis and Calais Campbell have played more among active players.
Jansen already leads the way in terms of games played by long snappers, and he will now extend his advantage in that regard. A move into the top 20 in league history (at all positions) will take place provided he manages to play a full campaign in 2026. As Carolina’s wild-card game approached, Jansen expressed a willingness to continue his career. Today’s news thus comes as no surprise.
Carolina relied on another veteran in the form of Sam Martin to handle punting duties in 2025. He is a pending free agent, so change could be seen at that position this offseason. Rookie Ryan Fitzgerald served as the team’s kicker this past season, and that can be expected to continue into 2026. Jansen will provide stability to the Panthers’ special teams battery yet again as he adds further to his career totals.
Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson Unlikely To Generate Strong Tag-And-Trade Market
The nature of Trey Hendrickson‘s Bengals future is once again in doubt this year. A free agent departure looms unless Cincinnati uses the franchise tag in this case. 
After playing a one-year agreement in 2025, Hendrickson has long been expected to find a new home this spring. A departure would set the Bengals up for a compensatory pick in 2027, but they could instead aim for immediate draft capital by tagging Hendrickson and then trading him to an interested team. Taking that route would likely not yield a notable return.
The Bengals will use the upcoming Combine to evaluate Hendrickson’s market, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. That comes as no surprise, as many major roster decisions are informed when front office executives and player agents gather in Indianapolis. The Bengals will gauge the willingness of suitors to acquire Hendrickson in a tag-and-trade scenario, but the presence of other pass rushers on the market will lessen the willingness of outside teams to pursue a trade in this case.
An executive Conway spoke with predicted teams will be prepared to spend no more than a third-round pick in a Hendrickson trade. Any acquiring team will be required to work out a long-term pact with the four-time Pro Bowler, something which the Bengals have – in highly public fashion – been unable to do for quite some time. That will limit the number of genuine contenders to acquire Hendrickson, who was previously the subject of much stronger trade offers.
The pending free agent class includes a number of younger options than Hendrickson, who is approaching his age-31 season. The likes of Jaelan Phillips, Odafe Oweh and Kwity Paye are each on course to reach the open market for the first time in their careers. The list of free agents will also include another veteran in the form of Bradley Chubb, whose Dolphins release was learned of on Monday, while a blockbuster Maxx Crosby trade remains a possibility. The depth of alternative targets, coupled with Hendrickson’s injury-shortened 2025 campaign, could limit the Bengals’ ability to line up a significant trade package.
Hendrickson was limited to just seven games this past season due to core muscle surgery. The former Saint was highly productive during his healthy campaigns, though; in 72 Bengals contests, Hendrickson racked up 61 sacks. A parting of ways would come as no surprise with this largely successful Cincinnati partnership having run its course in the eyes of many. Nonetheless, the team may have a difficult time finding adequate value as part of its reset on the edge.
Offseason Outlook: Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons entered last season aiming to break a seven-year playoff drought. At the very least, finishing above .500 for the first time since 2017 would have represented a modicum of progress. It turns out that's all it would have taken to win an underwhelming NFC South in 2025. The Falcons still couldn't do it. While their subpar 8-9 record matched the top mark in the division, tiebreakers doomed the Falcons to a third-place finish behind the Panthers and Buccaneers.
The Falcons rattled off four straight victories to end the season, but it was a hollow winning streak for a team that was eliminated from playoff contention in Week 14. Fed up with another season of unsatisfactory results, owner Arthur Blank hit the reset button on his front office and coaching staff.
In an effort to lead Atlanta back to relevance, Blank lured 14-year Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan from his CBS gig with a newly created position: president of football. Ryan has since steered the Falcons to a new GM and head coach, but not everything has gone according to plan. With foundational edge rusher James Pearce Jr. facing five felony charges, Ryan has already encountered unexpected adversity in his first several weeks atop the Falcons' front office.
Coaching/front office:
- Fired general manager Terry Fontenot, head coach Raheem Morris
- Hired Matt Ryan as president of football
- Hired Ian Cunningham as general manager
- Hired Kevin Stefanski as head coach
- Hired Tommy Rees as offensive coordinator, replacing Zac Robinson
- Retained defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich
- Hired Craig Aukerman as ST coordinator, replacing Marquice Williams
- Hired Alex Van Pelt as QBs coach, replacing D.J. Williams
- Hired Bill Callahan as O-line coach, replacing Dwayne Ledford
- Hired Tanner Engstrand as pass-game coordinator
- Hired Robert Prince as wide receivers coach, replacing T.J. Yates
- Defensive pass-game coordinator Mike Rutenberg became Browns' DC
Seahawks Unlikely To Tag Kenneth Walker
Kenneth Walker is one of the top pending free agents at the running back position. A mutual interest exists in this case for a new Seahawks deal to be worked out, while the franchise tag looms as a stopgap option. 
The window for teams to apply franchise or transition tags opens today. The Seahawks could be a team to watch with respect to Walker on that front, but it appears as though nothing is imminent. Seattle is “unlikely” to use either tag on the Super Bowl MVP, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
[RELATED: Seahawks Among Potential Maxx Crosby Suitors?]
The franchise tag is projected to cost $14.53MM for running backs in 2026. That figure for transition tags is $11.73MM. Both one-year totals would be guaranteed in full in the event the tag were to be used and Walker were to play on the tender in 2026. Tagged players have until July 15 to work out a long-term deal, but the window for applying the tag will close one week before the start of the legal tampering period in March.
A report from last week indicated the Seahawks were likely to keep Walker in the fold for at least next season, either through the tag or a new contract. The running back market is currently topped by Saquon Barkley, and he is one of three backs with an average annual value of $15MM or more (a list which could grow if Bijan Robinson and/or Jahmyr Gibbs sign extensions this spring). Walker, 25, has shown an ability to operate as a lead back and thrived during the postseason; nevertheless, he does not have the resume of the league’s highest-paid players at the position.
That could land the former second-rounder in the group of backs attached to a deal averaging between $10MM and $14MM per year. Seattle also has Zach Charbonnet in place for 2026, but his status for the start of next year is uncertain as he recovers from an ACL tear. Walker will continue to be leaned on heavily in the event he finds himself in the Emerald City next season.
As Schefter notes, the Seahawks have a number of other priorities on the roster leading up to free agency. Retaining as many key members of their Super Bowl core, along with attempting to work out extensions with several ascending players, is a central goal at this point of the offseason. How that affects Walker will be interesting to monitor.
Dolphins Release WR Tyreek Hill
As expected, Tyreek Hill‘s tenure with the Dolphins is ending. The All-Pro wideout is among the veterans being let go on Monday. 
Hill is being released, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This marks an end to his four-year run in Miami. As Hill continues to recover from the season-ending knee injury he suffered in Week 4, he will now become a free agent. The Dolphins have since confirmed the news.
[RELATED: Hill Plans To Play 11th NFL Season]
2026 was set to include $36MM in compensation in this case. Hill was due to collect a $5MM roster bonus as part of that figure in March, but many expected a release to take place well before that point. Miami has been busy on Monday, with the team’s list of veteran cuts including edge rusher Bradley Chubb and others. His release, along with that of Hill, will substantially alter the Dolphins’ cap situation.
Cutting Hill immediately would generate a slightly higher dead money charge ($28.25MM) than the cap savings it would create ($22.89MM). Like in Chubb’s case, a post-June 1 designation would be much more beneficial for the Dolphins. Taking that route would yield over $35MM in savings against while spreading out the dead cap charges across the next two years. In either case, Miami is well into cost-shedding season given the team’s actions today.
Hill is free to join another team, but since his injury there have been questions raised about his future. It will be interesting to see how much of a market forms in this case given the eight-time Pro Bowler’s health status. Hill is also the subject of an NFL investigation into domestic violence allegations. His history regarding other off-the-field issues represents another factor which could hinder Hill’s value.
The Dolphins received notable trade interest in Jaylen Waddle leading up to the 2025 deadline. To little surprise, Miami retained him. Waddle – who is under contract through the 2028 campaign – is now in line to handle WR1 duties moving forward. The rest of the team’s depth chart at the receiver position could see several changes this offseason.
Hill established himself as one of the league’s most productive players over the course of his Chiefs tenure. The former fifth-rounder was named a member of the 2010s All-Decade team based on his showings in Kansas City, and expectations were high upon arrival in Miami. The 2022 blockbuster deal which saw the Dolphins acquire Hill brought about five picks for the Chiefs and helped them reset their core. With the Dolphins, Hill proved to be a highly productive contributor.
In 2022, he broke the 1,700-yard threshold. Hill matched that feat the following season, leading the league in yards and touchdowns. A drop-off was suffered in 2024, a year in which the Dolphins dealt with quarterback injuries. Hill could be seen as a viable target in certain cases if suitors consider him a bounce-back candidate. Otherwise, his health status and intentions with respect to his future will be a major storyline.
The Dolphins are in position to usher in a new, young core during the opening year of the Jon-Eric Sullivan-Jeff Hafley era. Further changes can be expected, but several veteran contracts are already coming off the books in a sign of the wide berth granted by owner Stephen Ross. Inexpensive receivers will be targeted during the spring for Miami, while Hill will weigh his options.
Seahawks, Patriots Among Potential Maxx Crosby Suitors?
With the new league year approaching, Maxx Crosby‘s uncertain future remains a major storyline around the NFL. The star edge rusher is still in place with the Raiders for now, but teams are aware of the possibility of a trade. 
During the latest edition of the Breer Report (video link), Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated noted Crosby could still be willing to continue his Raiders tenure. In place with the team since being drafted in 2019, Crosby has repeatedly indicated a preference for spending his entire career with one team (although he has not shot down the latest round of trade speculation). Owner Mark Davis, meanwhile, has remained consistent in his messaging about wanting to keep the five-time Pro Bowler in the fold.
As Breer notes, Crosby and Davis continue to have a strong relationship. He adds Crosby and new head coach Klint Kubiak have already met briefly, with their initial encounter going well. Since then, Kubiak promoted Rob Leonard to the role of defensive coordinator. Leonard previously worked as Vegas’ defensive line coach and run-game coordinator, making him a familiar face for Crosby in particular. It will be interesting to see if that makes a difference in the 28-year-old’s stance or the team’s willingness to accept anything less than a blockbuster trade price to consider moving on.
Any team in the NFL would of course be upgraded with Crosby in the fold. Breer identifies the Seahawks and Patriots as being among the teams which have an interest on this front (although the list of potential suitors who have reached out is much longer). Both Seattle and New England are in a strong position with respect to projected 2026 cap space. Each team could see changes along the edge this offseason, though.
Boye Mafe is set to see his Seahawks rookie contract expire in March, and he is not high on the team’s priority list in terms of retaining members of its Super Bowl-winning roster. K’Lavon Chaisson, meanwhile, is also a pending free agent. The former first-rounder thrived during his debut New England campaign, posting a career-high 7.5 sacks during the regular season. Chaisson added another three sacks in the playoffs, and at the age of 26 he is set to cash in during free agency.
In the event Seattle and/or New England lose those pass rushers on the open market, a Crosby acquisition would make even more sense. Both teams have a first-round pick, although the Patriots have 11 total selections in 2025’s draft compared to the Seahawks’ four. Whether or not either of the Super Bowl participants make a strong Crosby push will be worth monitoring over the coming weeks.
Dolphins Release OLB Bradley Chubb
Bradley Chubb‘s time in Miami is coming to an end. The veteran edge rusher is being released by the Dolphins, as first reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz. 
Chubb’s deal had one season remaining on it. However, none of his base pay for 2026 was guaranteed, leaving the door open to a release. It comes as little surprise Miami’s new regime is moving forward with this cut prior to March 12, when Chubb was due to collect a roster bonus. The Dolphins have since confirmed the move.
Roughly one year ago, Chubb agreed to a restructure which reduced his base salary for 2025. That move increased his cap hit for next year to over $31.5MM, though. Instead of attempting to work out another restructure or an extension, a release loomed as a logical direction for Miami. This move will generate a considerable dead money charge if it is processed immediately. On the other hand, a post-June 1 designation would create $20.23MM in savings for the Dolphins, one of the teams with work to do over the coming weeks to become cap compliant.
Chubb established himself as a productive sack artist during his time with the Broncos. Upon being acquired by the Dolphins via trade in 2022, the two-time Pro Bowler inked a five-year, $110MM extension. Chubb’s first full Miami campaign was stellar, as he racked up 11 sacks and six forced fumbles. An ACL tear suffered late in the season kept him sidelined for all of 2024, though.
Upon returning to full health, Chubb managed to remain in place for all 17 games in 2025. He recorded 8.5 sacks and 22 pressures while handling a full-time starting role. The Dolphins received considerable interest leading up to the trade deadline on multiple fronts, and Chubb was among the top targets for suitors. In the end, fellow pass rusher Jaelan Phillips was dealt while Chubb was retained. Both are now on track for free agency.
Entering his age-30 season, Chubb will be among the top edge rushers on the market. Interested teams could be cautious given his injury history, but the former No. 5 pick has shown an ability to produce when healthy. A contract similar to the one he landed in 2022 should not be expected, of course. Nevertheless, a strong market could emerge prior to the start of free agency.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, will remain a team to watch over the coming weeks. The new tandem of general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley is in line to move on from a number of expensive contracts. The fate of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa remains unclear, but other veterans could soon join Chubb in being on the move.
Browns To Hire Mike Rutenberg As DC
The Browns were known to be nearing a hire for their defensive coordinator vacancy. One of the finalists will indeed be heading to Cleveland. 
Mike Rutenberg is the Browns’ choice, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Not long after team and staffer interviewed, an agreement has been reached. Rutenberg’s tenure with the Falcons will now come to an end.
Retaining Jim Schwartz was a key priority for the Browns leading up to their head coaching search. The highly-regarded DC was in the running to be promoted to the role, but Todd Monken was hired instead. Over a brief period, Schwartz’s future was unclear but as many predicted he wound up resigning.
That decision left Cleveland in need of a new defensive coordinator for the first time since Schwartz arrived in 2023. A list of candidates quickly emerged, and while there were staffers who withdrew the team was able to generate a group of finalists late in the hiring cycle. Rutenberg was one of three candidates firmly in the mix, and his attention will now turn to the first coordinator gig of his coaching career.
The 44-year-old has worked in a number of capacities at the college and NFL levels. Rutenberg has experience as a defensive backs coach and a pass-game coordinator in both regards, but he has also worked with linebackers in the pros. He served as the Jets’ LBs coach prior to following Jeff Ulbrich from New York to Atlanta last offseason. After a one-year Falcons stint, Rutenberg will take charge of a defense which ranked fourth in yards allowed in 2025. Few staffing changes are expected in the wake of this move, per Tony Grossi of The Land on Demand.
The Browns have the reigning Defensive Player of the Year (Myles Garrett) along with 2025’s Defensive Rookie of the Year (Carson Schwesinger) in the fold. Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward and others round out what should be a strong unit once again in 2026. Rutenberg will certainly face high expectations upon arrival in Cleveland as the team aims to take needed steps forward on offense under Monken and Co.
Given today’s news, only one defensive coordinator opening remains around the NFL. The Patriots have a vacancy, although they are widely expected to continue with Zak Kuhr as their defensive play-caller after he handled those responsibilities in 2025. Provided Kuhr’s status is confirmed in the near future, it will bring an end to the DC hiring cycle for 2026.
Here is a final look at the Browns’ search:
- Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed 2/7
- Charlie Bullen, defensive pass-game coordinator (Giants): Interview requested; withdrew from search
- Jonathan Cooley, defensive pass-game coordinator (Panthers): Interview requested
- Aubrey Pleasant, defensive pass-game coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 2/9
- Mike Rutenberg, defensive pass-game coordinator (Falcons): Hired
- Jason Tarver, linebackers coach (Browns): Interviewed 2/7; finalist
- Cory Undlin, defensive pass-game coordinator (Texans): Held in-person interview 2/14; finalist
- Dino Vasso, defensive backs coach (Texans): Mentioned as candidate; withdrew from search
Titans’ Cam Ward Was Major Draw For OC Brian Daboll
Brian Daboll seemed to have a number of options during this year’s coaching carousel. He received interest regarding three head coaching jobs and three offensive coordinator positions, including a HC interview with his former team, the Bills.
Ultimately, Daboll took the Titans’ offensive coordinator job under new head coach Robert Saleh. One of his main reasons for doing so was the presence of quarterback Cam Ward, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. The former No. 1 pick loomed large over Tennessee’s search for a new leader, both in terms of candidates’ interest in the job and the Titans’ interest in hiring them.
Daboll’s excitement about Ward is hardly surprising considering the Giants’ attempts to trade up to the first overall pick and take him last year. Daboll clearly believes in the young passer’s potential and jumped at the opportunity to work with him. Ward had a rough rookie year, but it became clear that he was the least of the Titans’ concerns. He could still see a major turnaround with a new coaching staff, similar to Drake Maye‘s sophomore leap this past season.
Daboll also built his coaching bonafides in Buffalo developing Josh Allen, which he parlayed into the top job in New York. Similar success with Ward could give him another chance at a head coaching gig.
Raiders Add Travis Smith, Rick Dennison To Coaching Staff
The Raiders hired Travis Smith to be their defensive line coach under new head coach Klint Kubiak, per a team announcement.
Smith is returning to Las Vegas after three years in Chicago (defensive line coach) and one in Tennessee (defensive run game coordinator). He was announced as the Titans’ senior defensive assistant/pass rush specialist on Robert Saleh‘s staff, but is instead opting to reunite with the Raiders, for whom he coached from 2012 to 2021. He served in a variety of roles on the defensive side of the ball and worked closely with Maxx Crosby at the beginning of his career.
Also joining Kubiak’s staff is Rick Dennison, per CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. Dennison, 67, has spent the last three decades coaching in the NFL, primarily working with offensive linemen with coordinator stints in Denver, Houston, and Buffalo. He and Kubiak have worked together since 2016, Dennison’s last year as the Broncos’ OC and Kubiak’s first as an offensive assistant.
The two then overlapped in Minnesota from 2019 to 2021, after which Dennison stepped away from coaching. He returned to the NFL in 2024 to join Kubiak’s offensive staff in New Orleans as a senior assistant and followed him to Seattle last year. Dennison then served as the Seahawks’ run game coordinator/senior offensive advisor in 2025 and will now join the Raiders in a yet-to-be announced role.
Kubiak is still looking to fill the quarterbacks coach position on his staff, and Vikings asst. OC/asst. QBs coach Jordan Traylor is a candidate for the job, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. He previously worked under Kubiak in New Orleans in 2024, on the same staff as Dennison and now-Raiders OC Andrew Janocko.