Cowboys To Sign WR Tyler Johnson, LB Curtis Robinson
The Cowboys made the NFL’s first high-profile post-draft move by signing veteran wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
They have now added another player at the position – 2020 fifth-round pick Tyler Johnson – as well as former 49ers linebacker Curtis Robinson, according to Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star Telegram. Both players were in Dallas for visits on Monday, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.
Johnson, 27, played for four different teams in his six year career. He appeared in 12 games with the Jets in 2025, catching 12 of his 18 targets for 197 yards. He was originally drafted by the Buccaneers, where he played for two years, before spending time with the Texans, Raiders, and Rams. He saw significant usage in 2021 in Tampa Bay (612 snaps, 55 targets) and 2024 in Los Angeles (361 snaps, 41 targets), but has been unable to sustain that volume in subsequent seasons.
In Dallas, he will join Valdes-Scantling, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, KaVontae Turpin, and Jonathan Mingo in the Cowboys’ wide receiver room. Lamb and Pickens are the clear-cut top two options, but a pecking order behind them has not been established. Turpin should stay in his slot/gadget role, leaving Johnson to compete for a backup role on the outside.
Robinson, 27, signed with the Broncos as an undrafted rooke in 2021. He appeared in three games as a practice squad elevation in Denver and did the same in San Francisco later in the year. He then spent the next four years on the 49ers’ practice squad, using up his maximum of three elevations each season and playing almost exclusively on special teams. In 2025, he again began the season on the practice squad, but he was promoted to the active roster in September after injuries in the team’s linebacker room. Those continued throughout the season, resulting in career-high participation on defense (248 snaps) and special teams (194 snaps).
Robinson is the second 49ers linebacker to move to Dallas this offseason – 2023 fifth-rounder Dee Winters was traded to the Cowboys just before the draft. The two will now join a linebacker room that currently features DeMarvion Overshown as a clear No. 1 starter and little clarity behind him. Marist Liufau and Shemar James are both returning from last year’s squad, though both struggled to thold down the middle of the team’s defense. After getting his first major taste of regular season action in 2025, Robinson will be looking to establish a role for himself in Dallas this year.
Packers ‘Absolutely’ Interested In Christian Watson Extension
The Packer signed Jayden Reed to an extension last week, raising some questions about Christian Watson‘s future on a team that seemingly prefers to draft and develop young receiers rather than paying veterans.
However, three days of the 2026 NFL Draft came and went, and the Packers did not add another receiver. That is not necessarily indicative of Watson’s status – the team also has second-year wideouts Matthew Golden and Savion Williams as well as Bo Melton on the roster. But general manager Brian Gutekunst said after the draft that an extension for Watson was “absolutely” on the table, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.
The 2022 second-round pick out of North Dakota State impressed as a rookie with 41 catches for 611 yards and seven touchdowns across 14 appearances. He maintained similar per-game production in 2023, but only appeared in nine games due to recurrent hamstring injuries. Watson returned for 15 games in 2024, averaging an impressive 11.7 yards per target and 21.4 yards per catch before tearing his ACL in the Packers’ regular season finale.
Green Bay signed Watson to a one-year, $11MM extension, giving him some financial security as he rehabbed and ensuring he would remain under contract through the 2026 season. Now, the two sides could soon be returning to the negotiating table to hammer out a multi-year deal.
Watson’s injury history may limit the amount of guarantees that the risk-averse Packers are willing to offer. However, his past injuries showed no signs of lingering effects last year, as the 26-year-old wideout posted a 11.1 yards per target and a career-high 61.1 receiving yards per game. Those numbers are comparable to the performances of Jameson Williams and Alec Pierce, who are making between $26.7MM and $28.5MM per year, respectively. However, that is far too expensive for a receiver who has never reached 16 appearances, 45 catches, or 650 receiving yards in one year.
The Packers will certainly be looking for a cheaper price tag on a Watson extension in the coming months, potentially closer to Reed’s three-year, $50MM deal. But after receiving one smaller short-term payday, the 6-foot-4 wideout could instead choose to bet on himself in 2026 in the hopes of cashing in next year.
Mike Vrabel Back With Patriots Following Draft, Did Not Communicate With Team On Day 3 Picks
Last week injected a football element to the Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini saga, bringing it to the PFR pages. The second-year Patriots HC said he would miss Day 3 of the draft, spending time with his family as he confirmed he would begin counseling.
Vrabel’s announcement came after the New York Post dropped more incriminating photos of he and Russini, the latest batch showing them together at a New York City bar in March 2020. Vrabel spoke briefly at a news conference before Day 1 of the draft but has not been available to the media since. Coaches speak after draft days, and the Patriots made six picks on Day 3.
Although Vrabel was away from the team Saturday, NBC Sports Boston’s Phil Perry notes the 2025 Coach of the Year has returned to the Pats’ facility Monday as voluntary workouts continue.
ESPN’s Peter Schrager indicated Saturday that Vrabel was in contact with the Patriots, but the veteran reporter later backtracked, indicating that while an expectation existed the HC would be in contact with the team during the draft the sides ultimately were not in communication. De facto GM Eliot Wolf said Saturday that he and Vrabel did not communicate regarding draft matters.
“Last night we kind of talked through things and made the decision that the time away really needs to be time away,” Wolf said, via MassLive.com’s Karen Guregian, “so we were not in contact with Mike today other than some just, ‘Hope everything’s going OK’ kind of texts early this morning.”
The initial photographs from 2026 released by the Post showed Vrabel and Russini hugging and holding hands at a resort in Arizona. The Post’s subsequent photo drop came hours after Vrabel announced he would be away from the Patriots on Day 3 of the draft. The 2020 photos showed Vrabel and Russini kissing at a New York bar. Vrabel, 50, was the Titans’ HC in March 2020; Russini was an ESPN reporter at that time. Vrabel and his wife, Jen, have two sons; the couple has been married since 1999. Russini has been married since September 2020. She had been The Athletic’s top NFL insider in recent years but resigned her post this month as an internal investigation began.
Vrabel was with Wolf, Ryan Cowden and Co. in the Pats’ draft room on Thursday and Friday; still, his Day 3 absence became the story coming out of the defending AFC champions’ draft. Vrabel said (via the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed) he could not confirm whether he would miss more football-related activities because of this scandal.
“I can’t answer that. I can only say that whatever my family needs, that’s what I’m going to provide,” Vrabel said. “But I also understand what’s needed for me here.”
Wolf held final say on Day 3 of the draft, he confirmed (via Guregian). Vrabel and Wolf work collaboratively, but when the Patriots won the Vrabel derby last year, it was understood he would hold significant sway regarding personnel. Both Vrabel and Wolf report to ownership. It is worth wondering if Wolf will take on more responsibility as Vrabel navigates continued fallout from these reports.
The Patriots will begin OTAs May 27; their mandatory minicamp will run from June 15-17. It will be interesting to see how available to the media Vrabel will be during those periods, as a lengthy break falls annually between mid-June and training camp in late July. This scandal has not shown signs of slowing down yet, and Vrabel beginning counseling during the draft made this one of the stranger draft-weekend storylines in recent NFL history. The Patriots backed their successful HC when he revealed he would be absent for Day 3. While Vrabel’s high-profile off-field issue has the potential to overshadow more Pats matters, he will certainly be expected to attend OTAs and minicamp before the midsummer hiatus.
Eagles Exercise DT Jalen Carter’s Fifth-Year Option
Both the Eagles’ 2023 first-round picks will see their fifth-year options exercised. With Nolan Smith‘s 2027 salary now fully guaranteed, The Athletic’s Zach Berman reports Jalen Carter‘s will be as well.
Carter’s 2027 compensation will be more than double Smith’s expected option number, being a two-time Pro Bowler. Players chosen for two more more Pro Bowls on the original ballot match the franchise tag value at their positions. The defensive tackle tag came in at $27.13MM this year. Teams have until 3pm CT on Friday to exercise options on 2023 first-rounders.
Carter, Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs and Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers are eligible for the top option tier at their respective positions among the 2023 draftees. Carter and Flowers’ prices lead the pack among ’23 first-rounders, surpassing even the numbers going to C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young. Flowers’ $27.3MM number leads the way, as the wide receiver franchise tag checked in just north of the D-tackle number this year.
Although Carter came into the NFL with considerable baggage — which allowed the Eagles to land the impact defender at No. 9 overall — he has delivered, becoming one of the league’s top D-tackles. Carter earned Pro Bowl invites in 2024 and ’25, boosting his option price. He earned second-team All-Pro acclaim in 2024, as he helped the Eagles to a Super Bowl LIX rout despite Fletcher Cox retiring the previous offseason. The Eagles have moved on from Josh Sweat, Haason Reddick and Jaelan Phillips; Carter, however, figures to be prioritized in the way Jordan Davis was when he signed a March extension.
The Eagles gave Davis a three-year, $78MM extension. Because Carter is a three technique responsible for backfield disruption, he may become the candidate to unseat Chris Jones atop the NFL’s D-tackle salary hierarchy. Jones has held that distinction since signing a five-year, $158.75MM Chiefs deal in March 2024. The Bengals gave Dexter Lawrence a one-year, $28MM extension to bridge the gap between Jones and the field. But Davis sits as the next-closest DT on a multiyear accord.
Carter’s asking price figures to be lofty, pointing to a future in which the Eagles have two players among the top-five DT earners. Jones signed his latest Chiefs contract when the cap stood at $255.4MM; it now resides at $301.2MM, providing Carter’s camp with more ammo. Even though Carter came into the league with baggage and was effectively suspended for a game — being ejected before the Cowboys’ first offensive play on opening night last year — for spitting on Dak Prescott, he has become a cornerstone player for the Eagles.
A January report suggested Davis and Carter were atop Howie Roseman‘s extension priority list. The Eagles have been known to act early on deals, as their O-line dealings and the 2024 DeVonta Smith extension (the first Round 1 wide receiver extended with two rookie-deal years left on a contract in the option era) illustrated. Acting this offseason with Carter would make sense, as the cap — based on recent growth — will likely be north of $320MM in 2027. Carter could also boost his case for a deal well beyond $30MM per year with an All-Pro-caliber season.
The Eagles traded up one spot for Carter in 2023, with the Bears sliding down to No. 10 and drafting All-Pro right tackle Darnell Wright. Viewed as perhaps the 2023 class’ top talent, Carter fell due to character concerns. A handful of teams passed on Carter after he was hit with misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing. These charges came in connection with the accident that killed Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy on Jan. 15, 2023 (LeCroy and Willock were in a separate vehicle). Carter reached a plea deal in this case, avoiding jail time, but some teams removed him from their draft boards as a result of the accident.
Beyond the spitting incident, Carter has avoided controversy in the NFL. He finished with six sacks as a rookie and totaled 4.5 (to go with a career-high 12 tackles for loss) in 2024. ESPN’s pass rush win rate metric ranked Carter fourth in 2024 and 18th in 2025. He missed more time in 2025 because of procedures on both shoulders. The Eagles did not place Carter on IR, though, and he returned in Week 17. The 2025 absences are unlikely to impact a Carter extension push.
Eagles To Exercise OLB Nolan Smith’s Fifth-Year Option
Although Nolan Smith is coming off a down season, he remains a key part of the Eagles’ defense. The team acquired Jonathan Greenard from the Vikings during the draft, extending the Pro Bowl edge rusher, but Smith is slated to remain on the team’s payroll for two more seasons.
The Eagles are exercising Smith’s fifth-year option, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports. This will fully guarantee his 2027 salary. Smith is expected to be classified as a linebacker, per Fowler and OverTheCap. He is eligible for the bottom-tier option figure; for linebackers, that comes out to $13.75MM.
[RELATED: 2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
Situations like this have led to disagreements on edge rushers’ positions. This year, the defensive end position’s fourth-tier option number checks in at $14.48MM. Teams have regularly used the linebacker tag on 3-4 OLBs, even though the players spend more time rushing as a defensive end in sub-packages. Smith saw minimal playing time as a rookie in 2023 but moved to a regular role in 2024. A five-game injury absence limited his development last season.
The 2023 season marked the second and final campaign featuring Josh Sweat and Haason Reddick co-anchoring Philly’s pass rush. The Eagles traded Reddick to the Jets and gave Sweat a pay cut in 2024, eyeing a bigger role for Smith. After sitting behind the two veterans in 2023, Smith joined Sweat as a regular. He moved into Philly’s starting lineup around midseason and finished with 6.5 sacks. As Sweat upped his free agency stock with a solid season to anchor the Eagles’ edge rush during a Super Bowl-winning season, Smith was a key playoff contributor after registering four postseason sacks.
Smith, 25, has not necessarily justified his first-round draft slot just yet. He finished last season with just three sacks and one tackle for loss. Asked to be the Eagles’ top edge rusher entering the season — after Brandon Graham‘s retirement and Sweat’s Cardinals defection — Smith did not impress in that role and suffered a triceps strain in September. The undersized pass rusher returned from IR in Week 9 and did finish the season with 11 QB hits, but Greenard now serves as the Eagles’ EDGE linchpin.
Greenard essentially replaces Jaelan Phillips, whom the Eagles tried to re-sign. A four-year, $120MM Panthers contract lured the 2025 trade pickup away from Pennsylvania, but Greenard is now on a 4/100 deal that runs through the 2029 season. Smith may be more qualified for an OLB2-type role, and Greenard is positioned to be the team’s top outside ‘backer next season. The Eagles also signed Arnold Ebiketie from the Falcons last month, and two years remain on Jalyx Hunt‘s third-round contract (the unretired Graham is also interested in playing a 17th season). Hunt outplayed Smith in 2025, recording 6.5 sacks and a team-high 24 QB hits. It will be interesting to see how the Eagles divide playing time between their Greenard sidekicks in 2026.
The Eagles also picked up Jalen Carter‘s fifth-year option today, and Smith’s ex-Georgia teammate is viewed as an extension candidate. Carter should be expected to take precedence, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane notes. Considering Carter’s two Pro Bowl nods and place as an upper-crust defensive tackle, that is unsurprising.
It would surprise a bit if Smith were viewed as a clear-cut extension candidate, considering he did not build on his impressive 2024. The Eagles, though, now have more time to observe Smith in Vic Fangio‘s defense. This option decision locks him down for two more years. Philly will have a clearer picture of what a second Smith contract would look like after the 2026 campaign.
Cowboys To Sign WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
The Cowboys have one of the NFL’s premier receiving duos, rostering CeeDee Lamb and the franchise-tagged George Pickens. The team lost auxiliary pass catcher Jalen Tolbert in free agency and will make a depth addition Monday.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling is joining Dallas on a one-year deal, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. The journeyman wide receiver spent last year with a few teams, moving from the Seahawks to the 49ers to the Steelers. The Cowboys are the ex-Packer draftee’s eighth NFL team. The contract will count $1.26MM on the Cowboys’ cap sheet and come with $188K guaranteed, ESPN’s Todd Archer adds.
[RELATED: Cowboys Have ‘Zero Intention’ To Trade Pickens]
The first six years of Valdes-Scantling’s career featured stability. He joined the Chiefs in free agency shortly after they traded Tyreek Hill, collecting two Super Bowl rings and making some crucial plays for both Kansas City championship iterations in 2022 and ’23. The Chiefs cut MVS in 2024, however, sending him on a nomadic course.
After a Bills signing, Valdes-Scantling played seldomly and was released. He made his way to the Saints and helped a depleted receiving corps to close the 2024 season. Those contributions led Seattle, which had hired 2024 New Orleans OC Klint Kubiak as its new play-caller, to sign off on a one-year deal worth $4MM. Valdes-Scantling, however, did not make the Seahawks’ 53-man roster and ended up on the 49ers’ practice squad. After San Francisco released MVS with an injury settlement in mid-October, a Steelers workout led to a reunion with Aaron Rodgers — as Pittsburgh searched for post-Pickens production alongside D.K. Metcalf.
Dallas did not draft a wideout until Round 7 (East Carolina’s Anthony Smith), and Tolbert signed with the Dolphins (one year, $1.4MM). Even with Pickens on a franchise tag — likely for all of 2026 — the Cowboys did not bring back Tolbert despite the low Miami salary. The team returns Ryan Flournoy as a supplementary target while also rostering All-Pro returner KaVontae Turpin and veterans Parris Campbell and Jonathan Mingo. The latter, a former second-round pick acquired in a trade, accepted a pay cut to stay in Dallas last month.
Mingo’s reworked deal includes no guaranteed money for 2026. Campbell also has no guarantees on his contract. That leaves the door open for Valdes-Scantling to earn a backup role. All three figure to be options for Dallas’ 16-man practice squad as well.
Valdes-Scantling, 31, caught 14 passes between his time in San Francisco and Pittsburgh last season. The Steelers turned to the former Rodgers Green Bay deep threat late in the season. With Metcalf suspended for the final two regular-season games, the Steelers used MVS on at least 81% of their offensive snaps in Weeks 17 and 18. He helped the team to a division-clinching win over the Ravens with five receptions for 34 yards.
The NFL’s yards per reception leader in 2020 (20.9), Valdes-Scantling topped 100 receiving yards in the 2022 AFC championship game — as the Chiefs deployed a skeleton crew at WR by game’s end — and then made some pivotal catches against the Bills, Ravens and 49ers to help the Chiefs to the Super Bowl LVIII title. MVS averaged 22.6 yards per catch in eight Saints games (all starts) two seasons ago, scoring four touchdowns. The Cowboys will hope to see some of that form this offseason.
Saints Decline OLB Tyree Wilson’s Fifth-Year Option
The Raiders sending Tyree Wilson to the Saints during the draft gave New Orleans the responsibility of exercising his fifth-year option. As expected based on the former top-10 pick’s track record to date, the Saints are passing.
New Orleans will decline Wilson’s 2027 option, GM Mickey Loomis said (via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The longtime Saints GM indicates this will be a one-year trial run for Wilson, who is now in a contract year.
[RELATED: 2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
Wilson has not come close to justifying his draft slot. The Raiders, who did extensive quarterback work in 2023, chose the Texas Tech EDGE prospect seventh overall. At the time, rumors had Wilson as a possible pick over Will Anderson Jr. But the Big 12 product did not end up going above the future star, whom the Texans correctly pegged as a defensive cornerstone at No. 3 overall. Injury issues have plagued Wilson, but he and Anderson reside several tiers apart based purely on performance through three seasons.
Coming off a foot injury that ended his Texas Tech career early, Wilson came off the active/NFI list during his first Raiders training camp. At the time, Wilson was set to be a rotational rusher behind Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones. But the latter’s strange Las Vegas exit stripped the Raiders of a former All-Pro soon after. Wilson, though, did not become a Crosby sidekick liked the Raiders hoped. Ownership fired Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler hours after the 2023 trade deadline, and the team has since churned through more regimes after firing Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco before canning Pete Carroll a year later.
John Spytek remains in the GM chair for a second year, but he did not draft Wilson. The bottom-rung option number for linebackers checks in at $13.75MM; for defensive ends, Tier 4 on the option ladder comes in at $14.48MM. OverTheCap classifies Wilson as a D-end, though the Raiders used a 3-4 scheme throughout his time with the team. The Saints also now use a 3-4 base alignment under DC Brandon Staley. This is immaterial relating to Wilson, however, as he likely did not generate much discussion about this option being exercised in either Vegas or New Orleans.
Turning to Malcolm Koonce as a Crosby sidekick over Wilson, the Raiders used the latter as a starter in just seven games during his three-season Nevada stint. For that low start number, Wilson did produce some interesting results under Patrick Graham. Wilson combined for 14 tackles for loss from 2024-25, totaling 8.5 sacks as an auxiliary rusher during that time period.
The Raiders used Wilson on 50% of their defensive snaps in 2024 and 41% of their plays, with Koonce back healthy after a missed 2024 season, last season. Wilson also saw scant action as an inside rusher as a Raider, giving Staley more options.
Crosby was all set to head to Baltimore via a blockbuster trade, but the Ravens nixed it after failing the All-Pro on a physical. During the time when it looked like Crosby would indeed become a Raven, the Raiders re-signed Koonce and added Kwity Paye. Crosby returning to the Raiders does not guarantee he will finish the season there, but entering the draft, Wilson had a narrower path to playing time. The fourth-year vet could see more work in New Orleans, which traded No. 150 overall to acquire him and a seventh-round pick.
The Saints have not re-signed Cameron Jordan, but they return Chase Young and Carl Granderson on the edge. Although the Saints were linked to potentially making a first-round investment at this position, that did not come to pass. Wilson joins post-draft signee Anfernee Jennings among Saints additions here, and the former college star will attempt to up his stock — for either a Saints extension or a 2027 free agency bid — in 2026.
Buccaneers Exercise DL Calijah Kancey’s Fifth-Year Option
Calijah Kancey missed most of last season, clouding his fifth-year option call. But the 2023 first-round pick’s lengthy injury-driven absence also reduced his option price, creating an interesting decision for the Buccaneers.
The team will bet on the Pittsburgh alum, announcing Monday it will exercise Kancey’s option. This tracks to bring a $14.48MM guarantee for the 2027 season. Kancey, who missed two games as a rookie and five in 2024, has not been especially reliable in Tampa. But he has impressed when on the field. The Bucs will hope for better health moving forward.
[RELATED: 2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
That 2024 12-game season brought 7.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss; Kancey’s rookie year featured four sacks and 10 TFLs. The Bucs, who lost 2022 second-round pick Logan Hall to the Texans in free agency, still have plenty of Kancey stock. While the team did re-sign Rakeem Nunez-Roches and add A’Shawn Robinson in free agency, Kancey still profiles as Vita Vea‘s top sidekick on this defensive line.
Had Kancey played 50% of the Bucs’ defensive snaps in each of his three seasons, he would have been eligible for the second tier on the option ladder. For defensive ends (where Kancey is technically classified in Todd Bowles‘ 3-4 scheme), that number checks in at $15.94MM.
If Kancey were to be labeled a D-tackle, his option number would come in at $13.93MM. Teams have used players’ base-set responsibilities against them in option cases in the past, with 3-4 edge rushers labeled true linebackers (which formerly carried lower option prices) ahead of disputes. Although OverTheCap lists this option at $14.48MM, it will be interesting to see if the Bucs end up classifying Kancey as a DT for option purposes. The team’s website labeled him a D-lineman in announcing his option had been picked up, adding some ambiguity here.
Kancey, 25, has played only 101 snaps as an outside rusher (per Pro Football Focus) as a pro. Considering the lower option price for DTs, it would not be surprising to see the Bucs classify him at that position and lock in a sub-$14MM 2027 guarantee. After all, Kancey will be — if he bounces back in 2026 — negotiating an extension while using D-tackle comps rather than those potential negotiations seeing any EDGE players’ salaries come into play.
The Bucs had not previously exercised a fifth-year option since picking up Tristan Wirfs‘ in 2023. That was a remarkably easy decision. The team declined Joe Tryon-Shoyinka‘s in 2024 and did not have an option call in 2025, with Hall arriving via the first pick of the 2022 second round.
In our Buccaneers Offseason Outlook offering, I viewed Kancey’s work before his September 2025 pectoral tear as sufficient to buy him an extra year with the franchise. The 2025 season stalled the former No. 19 overall pick’s development, but the Bucs have seen plenty from the inside rusher to use the option as an extended evaluation tool.
Kancey went down in Week 2 of last year, undergoing surgery. We have seen in recent years that September pectoral tears can offer hope for a late-season return, and rumblings Kancey could come back by the playoffs emerged. The Bucs’ season ultimately did not extend to the playoffs for the first time since 2019, but the team activated Kancey from IR ahead of the team’s pivotal Week 18 matchup with the Panthers. Kancey will attempt to continue that momentum into 2026, when he will be viewed as a starter once again.
Browns To Sign FB Michael Burton
Todd Monken‘s three Ravens offenses involved a fullback, with the former Baltimore OC overseeing Patrick Ricard during that span. The new Browns HC will add a veteran at the niche position ahead of OTAs.
Michael Burton spent the past three years of his lengthy career in Denver, but TheLandonDemand.com’s Tony Grossi notes he is signing with Cleveland. Burton, 34, missed all of last season due to a hamstring injury.
The Browns will be Burton’s seventh NFL team. Prior to Denver, he stopped through Detroit, Chicago, Washington, New Orleans and Kansas City. While he has cleared 20% usage on offense in just two seasons — as fullbacks have largely been phased out of NFL offenses — the Rutgers product has been a special teams regular as well.
Cleveland added two tight ends in the draft — Cincinnati’s Joe Royer and BYU’s Carsen Ryan — but Burton will be the team’s first true fullback addition this offseason. The Browns return 2025 draftees Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson; the team lost Jerome Ford in free agency (to Washington).
Earlier this offseason, a report revealed the Browns tried to sign Ricard in their search for a fullback. But Ricard opted to be part of a Baltimore-to-New York pipeline, following John Harbaugh to the Giants. Ricard was used far more than Burton offensively, seeing 39-64% snap shares on offense over the past six seasons. Burton moved between the Broncos’ practice squad and active roster during his second stint under Sean Payton and spent all of last season on IR, but it looks like he will have a bounce-back opportunity in one of the few offenses where a fullback sees regular usage.
Brandon Beane: Bills ‘Shut Down’ Keon Coleman Trade Calls
Keon Coleman has been floated as a Bills trade candidate, especially since ex-head coach Sean McDermott‘s role in drafting him was learned. Joe Brady is in place to continue working with the third-year wideout, though, and general manager Brandon Beane has offered further support for Coleman.
During a Monday appearance on WGR 550 radio, Beane said teams called him to gauge Coleman’s availability in a trade. Discussions took place between the Combine and the league meeting, he added. Beane made it clear, however, that Buffalo “shut down” talks during that period.
“Our intention is for Keon to be here, so the word was out, so no calls this weekend,” Beane said (via Sal Capaccio) when reflecting on the draft. “We’ve hit the reset button with him and hopefully the fanbase and everyone is behind him. I think his best year is yet to come here in 2026.”
Selected 33rd overall in 2024, Coleman arrived in Buffalo facing high expectations. He scored four touchdowns while averaging over 19 yards per catch as a rookie, but things did not go according to plan in Year 2. Instead of developing into a full-time contributor in the passing game, the Florida State product saw his playing time decrease. Coleman was also a healthy scratch on four occasions, with his professionalism being raised as a concern along the way.
Two years remain on Coleman’s rookie contract. His age-23 campaign will represent Brady’s first as an NFL head coach, along with the Buffalo debut of trade acquisition D.J. Moore. Veteran slot target Khalil Shakir is still in the fold, as is 2025 free agent signing Josh Palmer. Buffalo added 10 rookies via the draft this weekend, including Skylar Bell in the fourth round. He and Mecole Hardman will look to offer depth on offense in 2026.
How Coleman will fit into the Bills’ WR room will be interesting to monitor moving forward. The 6-4, 215-pounder can certainly offer the team a useful pass-catching presence on offense if things pan out, but it remains to be seen if that will be the case. Depending on how things develop, the possibility of renewed trade interest leading up to the 2026 deadline could become a storyline to follow.