Seahawks Place Nick Emmanwori, Two Others On PUP List
The Seahawks have placed defensive back Nick Emmanwori on the active/physically unable to perform list, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Running back Kenny McIntosh and cornerback Tyrone Broden are also going on active/PUP ahead of training camp. Seahawks veterans will report July 24.
There is no word on why Emmanwori landed on the list, as Brady Henderson of ESPN notes the second-year man took part in OTAs and minicamp. McIntosh is still on the mend from the ACL tear he suffered last July, while Broden is working back from an undisclosed injury he incurred last November. All three players are eligible to come off active/PUP and begin practicing at any time. However, if they are still on the list when teams finalize their rosters on Aug. 30, they will move to reserve/PUP and miss at least the first four games of the regular season.
Emmanwori, the most notable player in this trio, finished as the runner-up to Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting last season. Taken 35th overall in the 2025 draft, the former South Carolina star tallied 81 tackles, 18 pressures (most among safeties), 11 passes defensed, nine TFL, four QB hits, 2.5 sacks and an interception over 14 games and 11 starts.
While playing 768 snaps, the seventh-highest total on an elite defense, the versatile Emmanwori saw significant time as a slot corner and a box safety. He also played 113 snaps near the line of scrimmage. Emmanwori added another 13 tackles, four PDs and a fumble recovery in three playoff games. He notched five tackles in the Seahawks’ Super Bowl LX win over the Patriots. Between the regular season and playoffs, he was the only safety in the league to rack up at least 15 pressures and 10 PDs, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
Barring a serious injury, Emmanwori will once again fill a major role as a chess piece under head coach Mike Macdonald and defensive coordinator Aden Durde in 2026. Thanks in part to Emmanwori’s efforts, Seattle’s defense finished last season first in scoring and 10th against the pass.
Latest On Bengals DE Myles Murphy
Earlier this offseason, the Bengals opted to decline Myles Murphy‘s fifth-year option. 2026 thus represents a potential walk year for the edge rusher.
The spring saw Cincinnati make a number of investments along the defensive front, including most notably the trade acquisition of Dexter Lawrence. As Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic writes, the finances required to add – and extend – Lawrence was a key factor in Murphy’s 2027 option being declined. In May, the former No. 28 pick nevertheless indicated de fact general manager Duke Tobin expressed an interest in keeping him beyond 2026.
As such, Year 4 will be critical in Murphy’s case. Dehner notes a strong finish to the 2025 campaign was encouraging, and it helped Murphy set a new career high with 5.5 sacks on the year. If the Clemson product can take another step forward (something which should be feasible if he operates as a full-time defensive starter), a major raise will be in store. As Dehner notes, a second contract averaging $20MM or more per year could be in Murphy’s future provided 2026 goes to plan.
Of course, it would be interesting to see if that pact were to come from the Bengals or an outside suitor next spring. Alternatively, a season closer to Murphy’s first two with Cincinnati – just three sacks and four tackles for loss across 20 games – would greatly hinder his market. A step back in terms of production would obviously, as Dehner writes, make a prove-pact far more likely than a big-ticket commitment.
The Bengals’ pass rush was anchored by Trey Hendrickson from 2021-25. The four-time Pro Bowler saw his Cincinnati tenure come to an expected end this spring, though, with Joseph Ossai departing in free agency as well. Boye Mafe was added on the open market, and Cincinnati selected Cashius Howell during April’s draft. Those two newcomers will have roles to play along the edge, with the same being true of Murphy and 2025 first-rounder Shemar Stewart.
While preparing for his age-24 campaign, Murphy has offered praise for the manner in which his future has been discussed with the team. It will be interesting to see if that cordial relationship helps result in a new deal being worked out or if 2026 will prove to be his last year in Cincinnati.
Packers, DT Devonte Wyatt Agree To Extension
Devonte Wyatt was set to enter 2026 as a pending free agent, but that will no longer be the case. The Packers have worked out an extension with the former first-round defensive tackle.
Wyatt has agreed to a three-year deal, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. The pact is worth $57MM and includes a $20MM signing bonus. 2026 was initially going to represent Wyatt’s fifth-year option campaign, with him due to collect $12.94MM.
A raise has now been worked out, however, and Wyatt will remain in Green Bay beyond the coming season. The Georgia product was identified in March as a logical candidate for a multiyear commitment. That was also the case for wideout Christian Watson (who has since landed a new deal) and tight end Tucker Kraft (who is expected to finalize a big-money extension in the near future).
Upon joining the Packers, Wyatt handled a small snap share during his rookie season. His workload more than doubled during the 2023 season, although it was reduced the following year among inconsistent showings against the run. Nevertheless, he has managed to produce in the pass rush department, totaling 14.5 sacks and 36 pressures across the past three seasons. Wyatt was a key figure along the defensive front in 2025, logging a 60% snap share. A November ankle fracture limited him to just 10 games, though.
In spite of the injury – which is not expected to hinder Wyatt’s training camp participation – another notable financial commitment as been made by Green Bay. Four members of the team’s 2022 draft class (Watson, Wyatt and offensive linemen Sean Rhyan and Zach Tom) are now attached to long-term deals. General manager Brian Gutekunst has a history of finalizing deals shortly before the onset of training camp, and 2026 has proven to be no different. Last week, a one-year extension was worked out with linebacker Isaiah McDuffie to keep him in place beyond the coming season.
The defensive tackle market has reached new heights this offseason, and it currently includes 17 players attached to an average annual value of $20MM or more. Wyatt has landed $19MM in AAV on this deal, representing a notable raise but not a figure which will lead to increased expectations in terms of the 28-year-old establishing himself as one of the league’s premier players at his position. Wyatt joins free agent addition Javon Hargrave as a defensive tackle attached to an eight-figure-per-year contract for Green Bay.
With training camp not far away, attention will increasingly turn to the possibility of a Kraft extension. Regardless of how things play out on that front, though, Wyatt’s future will not be a talking point for at least the next few years.
Buccaneers, Baker Mayfield Set To Resume Extension Talks
Time is running out for the Buccaneers to work out a Baker Mayfield extension if he holds firm on his self-imposed negotiating deadline. Training camp is approaching, but another round of contract talks should be forthcoming.
Tampa Bay is “prepared to dive in on” negotiations this week, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports. Earlier this offseason, Mayfield stated he would not discuss an extension once training camp started. As Breer notes, though, the Buccaneers have a history under general manager Jason Licht of finalizing deals during camp.
If that trend is to continue in Mayfield’s case, progress will need to be made in short order. The Bucs’ initial extension offer was not close to the asking price from Mayfield’s camp, and a gap remains between the two sides at this point. Per Breer, a counteroffer had not been presented when Tampa’s QB1 spoke about contract talks last month. Needless to say, it will be interesting to see if traction can be gained over the coming days.
Mayfield thrived during his Bucs campaign, substantially outperforming the $4MM flier Tampa Bay took on him. That deal was followed by a three-year, $100MM pact which is set to expire after the 2026 season. Mayfield is in line for a raise on his next contract, one which could add him to the list of passers averaging $50MM or more per year. There are currently 12 signal-callers carrying an average annual value of at least $51MM.
Across his three Tampa Bay seasons, Mayfield has yet to miss a start. Injuries are a factor being weighed by the team, however, and the 31-year-old dealt with a number of nagging ailments last season. A strong start in 2025 was ultimately undone, and the Buccaneers missed the playoffs with a record of 8-9. Better health on offense would go a long way in helping Tampa Bay rebound, but Mayfield’s level of play would become a major talking point during the season if he were enter the year as a pending free agent.
Breer predicts a deal will indeed get done this summer. Another three-year accord, this time worth $165MM (or a similar figure) likely represents a logical baseline in this case, he adds. A desire to finalize an extension has long been mutual, and a new effort to finish negotiations with an agreement being reached will take place over the coming days.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Unlikely To Sign Extension Before 2027?
JULY 20: Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero notes (video link) a new Jackson extension remains a Ravens priority deep into the offseason, although he adds the leverage generated by cashflow and a no-tag clause gives Jackson considerable leverage. With no timeline in place, it remains unclear – but increasingly unlikely – a deal will be struck in the immediate future.
JULY 12: Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is under club control through the 2027 season, recently expressed his desire to remain in Baltimore for the long haul. But this offseason has produced no public news of tangible progress on that front, and that reality, combined with a prior report that Jackson will not be with the Ravens beyond 2026 if he and the team do not agree to an extension before Week 1, have led to increased speculation about the two-time MVP’s future.
Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic (subscription required) points out that the strained nature of the parties’ previous extension talks and the fact that Jackson and the Ravens did not appear to be “on the same page” for portions of the 2025 season have also driven the speculation. However, he believes a lack of news should not be interpreted as an omen of an imminent separation. After all, Jackson’s circle does not leak anything to the media, and the club likewise remains tight-lipped about matters involving the face of the franchise out of respect for him. As such, Zrebiec considers it impossible to handicap the status of the negotiations, though he says owner Steve Bisciotti has made it very clear to Jackson the Ravens want to extend him.
Zrebiec goes on to say there appears to be a “general understanding” between player and team as to the timing of the discussions and that the Ravens will be ready to fully engage if and when Jackson is ready. However, it would not be surprising if a new deal is pushed back to 2027.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link) suggested as much at the end of May, and he reiterated his report shortly thereafter (notwithstanding the graphic on the video clip which stated an extension is expected to be finalized this year). As Rapoport observes, it is unusual for a team to restructure a player’s contract and then extend that player in the same offseason, and the Ravens finalized a maximum restructure of Jackson’s current deal in March in order to give themselves the cap space to transact offseason business. Rapoport also suggests Jackson may not be particularly anxious for a new contract at this point since he is due to earn over $50MM in ’26.
Plus, Jackson’s 2025 performance was marred by injury and a subpar level of play (by his standards). Therefore, while he has tremendous leverage by virtue of the restructure and the $84.34MM cap number it created for 2027, he may want to come to the negotiating table on the heels of a better season.
Rapoport does not suggest the 2026 campaign will be Jackson’s last in Baltimore. He simply believes – as does our Adam La Rose – that an extension is more likely to be finalized in 2027. Despite next year’s ominous cap charge, Baltimore could release or trade Jackson even in a pre-June 1 maneuver and create a modicum of cap savings (roughly $9.5MM, albeit with a corresponding dead money hit of $74.81MM). A post-June 1 transaction would allow the Ravens to spread out the dead money and realize 2027 cap savings of $52MM.
Speculatively, it is difficult to imagine the Ravens going that route unless Jackson completely underperforms in 2026 or the relationship between him and the team truly sours. At present, a new commitment sometime next offseason would seem to be a fair expectation.
NFL Owners Expected To Finalize Roger Goodell Extension
Last May, it was reported NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was expected to receive another contract extension. That has yet to take place, but a deal is still likely in his case.
A new Goodell contract is expected to be finalized within the coming months, Mark Maske of Front Office Sports reports. No firm timeline is in place, but four sources he spoke with stated confidence an agreement will be reached in time for the upcoming round of CBA negotiations as well as discussions on new broadcast deals. Goodell’s most recent extension was signed in 2023, and it runs through next March.
The NFL opted to wait until a new NFLPA executive director was in place to begin talks on the latest collective bargaining agreement extension. J.C. Tretter returned to the union as its new ED earlier this year, although he is still in the process of polling players on their top priorities with respect to CBA talks. As a result, formal negotiations have still not begun. Meanwhile, the NFL is widely expected to reopen its broadcast deals early given the likelihood of securing more lucrative terms with an ever-expanding number of media partners.
An owners’ meeting has been set for August 26. It is on that date that the sale of the Seahawks – for a record-shattering $9.61 billion – is set to receive formal approval. Goodell’s contract status could also be discussed at that point, although Maske points to October’s quarterly meeting as a logical point for his extension to be finalized. It was in October 2023 that he is current deal was approved; when it expires, Goodell will be 68.
In place since 2006, Goodell succeeded the late Paul Tagliabue as the NFL’s second commissioner since Pete Rozelle. His tenure has seen the finances of the league benefit to an unprecedented degree, as evidenced by (among other things) the soaring prices of franchise sales. Domestic revenue has increased through a broadening of broadcast agreements, while international growth targeting a wide range of overseas markets has been a central league priority for several years. The next CBA – whenever it is finalized – is expected to include a further expansion of the regular season from 17 games per team to 18.
Goodell has drawn criticism on a number of fronts, with inconsistent discipline decisions and a reversal of the NFL’s stance on gambling once it was legalized among the topics which have led to scandals. Nevertheless, ownership has remained willing to extend his tenure on several occasions with minimal opposition emerging. Per Maske, no stumbling blocks to another deal are believed to exist.
During Goodell’s last round of contract talks, the NFL’s finance committee was authorized to finalize the deal without approval from owners being necessary. Whether or not that will be the case again remains to be seen, but in any event a new contract should be in place relatively soon.
49ers Could Make Pass Rush Addition
Training camp will be critical for 49ers pass rushers Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams on the health front. Full clearance in both cases in time for Week 1 would not come as a surprise, although there is still progress to be made regarding ACL recoveries for that to take place.
Even in the event Bosa and Williams are at 100% in the near future, the 49ers’ EDGE depth chart could change shortly. Vic Tafur of The Athletic notes it “seems like” San Francisco will bring in a veteran this summer. Bryce Huff elected to retire in a move which allowed him to commit fully to his entrepreneurial efforts, leaving the team short on veteran pass rushers. There are a number of options available on the open market as things stand.
The likes of Jadeveon Clowney, Von Miller, Leonard Floyd and Denico Autry are unsigned with training camps not far away. Bosa’s brother Joey is also a free agent, but a deal sending him to the Bay Area has never seemed imminent this offseason. The elder Bosa could be a retirement candidate, although a final decision has yet to be made in his case.
The 49ers added Cameron Sample this spring, but Yetur Gross-Matos, Clelin Ferrell and Tarron Jackson have not been retained. Coupled with the Huff retirement, that should leave room for at least one veteran signing in time for the start of training camp. Third-round pick Romello Height – who signed his rookie contract earlier this month – could be in line for a regular defensive role early in his NFL career. Nevertheless, a free agent signing would be an understandable approach entering the 2026 campaign. It would also be affordable, since the 49ers lead the league with over $71MM in cap space.
In the case of Nick Bosa, Tafur adds the coming season will be critical for financial reasons. 2027 currently calls for a cap charge of $54.87MM, so an extension aimed at lowering that figure will likely be pursued next offseason. Of course, Bosa’s ability to deliver a healthy campaign and produce at his previous All-Pro levels will be key in determining how he and the 49ers proceed on that front.
In the meantime, San Francisco will remain a team to watch regarding an addition or two on the open market. If a move is to be made, bringing in additional edge rush depth would make for a logical priority.
Saints Expected To Extend WR Chris Olave Before Week 1
The Saints’ first training camp practice will take place on July 29. One of the team’s top storylines leading up to that point is the contract status of Chris Olave.
An extension has been a long-running discussion point between team and player in this case. As things stand, Olave is due to play on his fifth-year option in 2026. That would see him collect $15.49MM, a figure which doubles as his team-high cap charge for the coming season.
A long-term commitment would come as little surprise, though. As Larry Holder of The Athletic writes, an expectation exists that an extension agreement will be reached in time for Week 1. Olave himself said last month he is aiming to have a deal in place by the onset of training camp. The possibility of a multiyear commitment being in place within the next few days will remain something to watch closely as a result.
Olave was limited to eight games in 2024, but he managed to avoid any further concussion issues while remaining largely healthy last season. Lingering blood clot issues led to missed time during the spring, although the 26-year-old is cleared to participate in padded practices during camp. A hold-in could be staged in the event no deal is in place when summer work begins. Olave, though, has not indicated his plans in such a scenario.
New Orleans’ passing attack has leaned heavily on the Ohio State product during his career. Olave has received at least 119 targets in each of his three healthy campaigns, and he set new career highs across the board in 2025 with a 100-1,163-9 statline. Expectations will be high for another productive outing during quarterback Tyler Shough‘s first full year as the Saints’ starting quarterback, even with first-round rookie Jordyn Tyson in place as a new starting receiver.
The Saints have managed to clean up their cap relative to recent years with less dead money charges due in the future for aging veterans. Olave is a logical candidate to benefit from that additional spending power beyond 2026, something which could soon be realized in the form of an extension.
Designation Of Neeru Khosla As Controlling Owner May Have Impacted Seahawks Sale
Offering some context to previous reports regarding the two finalists that emerged to purchase the Seahawks – the winning group led by Vinod Khosla and the runner-up group led by Aditya Mittal – Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk says the endgame of the competition became a genuine auction. A source with knowledge of the situation described it as an “extremely close” back-and-forth affair in which one side would submit a bid, the other side would top it, and so on, until Khosla’s $9.6 billion offer convinced Mittal to keep his paddle down.
According to Florio’s source, Khosla’s pursuit of the franchise was also aided by the fact that his wife, Neeru, will serve as the controlling owner (assuming the purchase is approved by league owners). That appealed to Jody Allen, who had been running the Seahawks since her brother, Paul, passed away in 2018. Paul purchased the club in 1997, and his will provided that the team must be sold and the proceeds donated to charity.
The league memo issued in the wake of the sale indicated the Khosla group had become the Seahawks’ “preferred buyer.” Speculatively, that could be because of Neeru Khosla’s status as the prospective controlling owner, though a spokesperson for Paul Allen’s estate did not confirm as much to Florio. The spokesperson simply said they had “nothing to share beyond the statement we released last week about reaching a sale agreement with the Khosla family.”
Four of the league’s 31 other teams are run by female controlling owners: the Colts (Carlie Irsay-Gordon), the Lions (Sheila Ford Hamp), the Saints (Gayle Benson), and the Titans (Amy Adams Strunk). Jody Allen had served in that capacity for roughly eight years, and Neeru Khosla is now poised to take her place.
While the Mittal group and Khosla group ultimately led the charge, at least six suitors showed interest in the Seahawks, and at least four of them made offers. As such, interest in the defending champs was stronger than some prior reports had suggested, with the $9.6 billion purchase price comfortably shattering the previous record for the sale of an NFL franchise ($6.05 billion, which was Josh Harris’ winning bid for the Commanders in 2023).
League ownership will convene on August 26 to determine whether to approve the sale. It presently does not appear as if approval is in doubt.
Sam Ehlinger Could Unseat Jarrett Stidham As Broncos’ QB2?
After re-signing Sam Ehlinger in March, the Broncos have their three-man quarterback group from 2025 in place: Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, and Ehlinger. Stidham has worked as Denver’s second-string passer in each of the past three seasons, operating as Russell Wilson’s QB2 in 2023 and then as Nix’s backup over the 2024-25 campaigns.
According to Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post, that could change in 2026. In Gabriel’s opinion, Ehlinger will overtake Stidham for the backup job.
Gabriel makes it clear his prediction is not based on Stidham’s performance in last season’s AFC championship game, in which the former Patriots draftee was thrust into action due to the ankle injury Nix had suffered the week before. In that contest, which was ultimately derailed by snowy conditions, Stidham completed 17 of 31 passes for 133 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also committed a costly fumble, but MVP runner-up Drake Maye did not fare well either, and New England won the contest by a slim 10-7 margin.
Other teams do not seem to be holding his title game showing against Stidham, as he reportedly generated trade interest earlier this year. And, as Gabriel concedes, the soon-to-be 30-year-old has earned a great deal of equity with the Broncos during his three-year Denver stint.
But the Broncos’ staff – including newly-promoted offensive coordinator Davis Webb, as Gabriel observes in a separate piece – thinks highly of Ehlinger as well. Ehlinger impressed Webb & Co. last year, his first in Denver, with his mobility standing out as a particularly appealing trait. Even though he did not make the 53-man roster at the end of the 2025 preseason, he opted to remain with the team’s practice squad and continue working under Webb and head coach Sean Payton rather than accept an active-roster opportunity elsewhere.
The fact that Ehlinger did receive active-roster offers indicates the Broncos would not be overvaluing him if they were to elevate him to the top backup job. Indeed, Gabriel says whomever ends up as the third-stringer may be another team’s No. 2 by the end of August, thereby suggesting Denver could eventually entertain trade offers for one of its understudies.
Gabriel acknowledges he is going out on a bit of a limb with his projection and that Stidham is still seen as the favorite for the backup post. Of course, the Broncos will strongly consider keeping all three on the 53-man roster.
Stidham is due to earn just shy of $6MM in 2026, the last year of his current deal. Ehlinger’s new one-year accord is worth $2MM.