Cowboys Pursued LB Devin Lloyd
The Cowboys entered the offseason with a need at middle linebacker, but they have done nothing to address it so far. It hasn’t been for lack of effort. Along with the previously reported pursuits of Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker, the Cowboys “made a push” to sign Devin Lloyd at the outset of free agency, per Todd Archer of ESPN.
The Cowboys lost out on Dean and Walker to the Raiders, who pulled in the duo as part of their big-money shopping spree in the first wave of free agency. Meanwhile, Lloyd left the Jaguars for the Panthers. All three players secured three-year deals worth between $36MM and $42MM.
With Dean, Walker, Lloyd and several other free agent possibilities off the board, inside linebacker options have dwindled. But the open market still features at least a few notable veterans. To name two prominent examples, Commanders free agent Bobby Wagner and career-long Buccaneer Lavonte David remain unsigned. However, the Cowboys have not gone after either member of the grizled duo, according to Archer. Bobby Okereke, Germaine Pratt and Shaq Thompson are a few others without teams, but it is unclear if the Cowboys have interest.
In 2025, a year in which the Cowboys’ defense allowed the most points and third-most yards in the NFL, Kenneth Murray recorded the highest snap share (78.86%) among their linebackers. Murray is also among current free agents, but the Cowboys are not expected to re-sign him, Archer reports. He and in-season trade pickup Logan Wilson will go down as one-and-done additions for Dallas.
The Cowboys acquired Murray from the Titans in a late-round pick swap last March, but Pro Football Focus wound up ranking him a ghastly 86th among 88 off-ball LBs in 2025. While Wilson only cost the Cowboys a seventh-rounder, they were so unimpressed with the former Bengal’s work that they waived him last month. Although Wilson is just 29, he retired earlier this week.
As things stand, DeMarvion Overshown, Shemar James and Justin Barron are new defensive coordinator Christian Parker‘s in-house choices as he transitions the Cowboys to a 3-4 base. Overshown is a shoo-in to start if healthy, but injuries have undermined him throughout his three-year career. He has played in just 19 of a possible 51 games. James posted a 49.14% snap share and made a team-high 91 tackles as a fifth-round rookie, though PFF placed him just two spots higher than Murray in its rankings. Meanwhile, as an undrafted rookie last year, Barron did not play a defensive snap in either of his two appearances.
Considering what they have on hand, Dallas seems likely to pick up another starting-caliber off-ball linebacker in either free agency, a trade or the draft. With the Cowboys owning two first-round picks (No. 12 and 20), they could be waiting until late April to land an impact player at the position.
Bengals Eyeing Extensions For CBs DJ Turner, Dax Hill
The Bengals recently took care of one notable extension priority by finalizing a new deal with left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. Attention is expected to now turn to the secondary. 
Cornerbacks DJ Turner and Dax Hill are approaching the final year of their respective contracts. Hill is due to collect $12.68MM in 2026 on his fifth-year option. Turner, meanwhile, will see his rookie deal expire next spring. Keeping both in the fold beyond the coming campaign is viewed as a priority, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic writes.
Nothing is imminent on either front, and that could remain the case well into the spring. Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer also notes an extension in both cases may need to wait until after the draft and closer to the start of training camp. She adds, however, that the organization “has made it clear” already that Turner and Hill are high on the priority list with respect to new deals being worked out. The former Michigan teammates share the same agent.
That could prove to be a complicating factor once negotiations begin. On the other hand, joint new pacts could be worked out, as was the case last spring with wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. In any event, raises for bother Turner and Hill will be in store. The latter was used in a number of ways early in his NFL career before taking on perimeter corner duties. Hill, 25, rebounded well from an injury-shortened 2024 campaign and played all 17 games this past season. He recorded 11 pass deflections and enjoyed his best year to date in terms of completion percentage (63.6%) and passer rating (86.9) allowed in coverage.
Turner was a regular defensive presence during his first two years, but he handled a career-high snap share of 89% in 2025. The former second-rounder secured a pair of interceptions and comfortably set a new personal mark with 18 pass deflections. Turner also made strides in terms of his performance in coverage. His stock will be high entering contract talks this spring.
Nine cornerback deals are currently valued at $20.1MM or more per year. That figure will grow once the likes of Devon Witherspoon and Christian Gonzalez ink their own extensions, something which could happen as early as this offseason. Neither Turner nor Hill will likely find themselves in position to approach the top of the position’s market ($31MM annually, thanks to Trent McDuffie‘s recent Rams contract), but they will receive a notable payday if/when they have new Bengals deals in hand.
As both Dehner and Conway add, however, Cincinnati could stand to make further CB moves this offseason. Cam Taylor-Britt and Marco Wilson have departed in free agency with no outside additions taking place so far. Adding depth to replace those two, as well as a starting-caliber slot corner, will be needed before the 2026 season begins. As such, at least one notable draft investment can be expected on the part of the Bengals. Regardless of how things play out on that front, though, it will be interesting to see how extension talks with Turner and Hill play out during the time leading up to the start of the campaign.
Kirk Cousins Weighing All Options In Free Agency
MARCH 20: SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora echoes the sentiment that Cousins is in position to wait until deep into the spring to decide on his next move. A few more QB dominoes may need to fall before his latest NFL contract is in place.
MARCH 17: After attempting to force his way into free agency last offseason, Kirk Cousins finally got his wish last week. However, the veteran remains available after the first wave of signings and is still considering all of his options, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
One of the best landing spots would have been Kansas City. The Chiefs needed a starter until Patrick Mahomes completes his recovery from last December’s ACL tear, so Cousins could have had guaranteed playing time on a contending team to start the year. A successful season under Andy Reid certainly would have boosted his stock into 2027.
The Chiefs, however, traded for Justin Fields to bridge the gap until Mahomes’ return. The Falcons similarly signed Tua Tagovailoa to battle Michael Penix Jr. for a starting job, and the Colts have Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard behind Daniel Jones in the event he cannot recover from his Achilles tear by Week 1. No other team has an injured starter, though Cousins’ history with Sean McVay in Washington could make him a natural fit as Matt Stafford‘s backup in Los Angeles, especially with Gardner Minshew following Mike LaFleur to Arizona.
There are two starting jobs available, Breer notes, in Pittsburgh and Las Vegas. Both teams, though, are expected to go with different quarterbacks. The Steelers are poised to reunite Aaron Rodgers with new head coach Mike McCarthy, and Fernando Mendoza has been projected for the Raiders’ No. 1 overall pick since the regular season ended.
Cousins ending up in Pittsburgh would likely only happen if Rodgers retires, and he would probably have to win the job against Will Howard, Mason Rudolph, and potentially a rookie taken in April’s draft.
The Raiders may consider sitting Mendoza in his first year to continue his development, but quarterbacks drafted in the top-five picks typically start right away. The reigning Heisman winner will also turn 23 years old as a rookie and seems ready for the NFL after leading Indiana to a national championship. However, new head coach Klint Kubiak was the Vikings’ quarterbacks coach (2019-2020) and offensive coordinator (2021) for one of the best stretches of Cousins’ career and could see him as a valuable mentor and placeholder for Mendoza as he gets his pro footing.
Cousins could also wait, Breer adds. Other teams could have interest in Cousins if their quarterback situations were to suddenly change with an injury. This would remind of last year, when Cousins preferred to see how every team’s QB depth chart looked post-draft. But no trade commenced then. With the Falcons having cut the cord following an organizational overhaul, Cousins should have a lower-stakes free agency decision to make at some point this offseason.
WR Denzel Boston To Visit Browns
Denzel Boston is set to be among the busier prospects for the 2026 draft leading up to the event. One of his many scheduled pre-draft visits is set to take place today.
Boston will meet with the Browns, ESPN’s Field Yates notes. That comes as little surprise given the wideout’s draft stock and Cleveland’s positional needs as April approaches. Boston is viewed as a strong candidate to come off the board in the opening round of the draft.
Over the course of his final two seasons at Washington, the big-bodied wideout served as a focal point on offense. Boston totaled 125 catches, 1,715 yards and 20 touchdowns across the 2024 and ’25 seasons. Expectations will be high upon arrival in the NFL. Regular usage in the red zone in particular could allow for Boston to carve out a role during his rookie season, wherever he winds up.
Rebuilding the offensive line has been a clear point of emphasis for the Browns early in free agency. Even with multiple moves taking place on that front, Cleveland could still stand make an early draft investment at the left tackle spot. The same also applies to the receiver position. The Browns own picks No. 6 and 24, so adding at both spots could be a viable path to take.
In that event, Boston could very well be a feasible target. He is currently ranked 25th overall by NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah. Other wideouts like Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, Jordyn Tyson and Omar Cooper Jr. are also viewed as strong candidates to come off the board during Day 1. Some will likely hear their names called before Boston’s, but the Browns are among the teams which could find themselves in position to select him next month.
Titans To Host TE Jody Fortson
A major knee injury left Jody Fortson sidelined through the entire 2025 season. He has now recovered, though, and the free agent tight end is drawing interest from at least one suitor. 
Fortson is set to visit the Titans today, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Each of his 24 combined regular and postseason appearances have come as a member of the Chiefs, so this news comes as little surprise. Prior to his arrival in Tennessee as the team’s general manager, Mike Borgonzi worked in Kansas City’s front office.
Fortson registered four touchdowns on 14 receptions across the 2021 and ’22 seasons with the Chiefs. The following year was spent on injured reserve, however. The former undrafted free agent attempted a comeback by joining the Dolphins, but he did not survive roster cuts. Fortson wound up returning to Kansas City for 2024 and made three appearances in a depth role.
He remained on track to compete for a roster spot this past preseason before an ACL and meniscus tear led to a lengthy recovery. Per Rapoport, Fortson has now fully recovered. As a result, he could soon manage to line up a new deal. A Titans signing would allow him to offer depth to the tight end spot after the team lost Chig Okonkwo in free agency but added Daniel Bellinger and Kylen Granson.
Tennessee leads the league in cap space right now, so affording a Fortson pact will not be difficult. The 30-year-old’s next contract, regardless of where it comes from, will no doubt check in at or near the league minimum.
Jason Licht: Bucs Made ‘Significantly Higher’ Mike Evans Offer Than 49ers
Mike Evans‘ decorated Buccaneers tenure came to an end last week when he agreed to join the 49ers. His departure was not the result of Tampa Bay losing a bidding war, though. 
During his first public comments since losing Evans, general manager Jason Licht spoke about the negotiating process in this case. He said (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times) the Buccaneers made a “significantly higher” offer than the one Evans ultimately took with San Francisco. He noted that was applicable to Tampa Bay’s “first offer,” meaning further negotiations were something Licht and Co. were willing to pursue.
Instead, Evans had his 49ers agreement in place shortly after the legal tampering window opened. The six-time Pro Bowler took a three-year, $42.5MM deal to head to the Bay Area. In practice, though, his contract is for one year and $14.3MM with team options to follow. It is certainly not difficult to imagine the Buccaneers managing to submit a more competitive bid, especially in the case of a short-term offer.
Evans noted finances were not the main factor in his decision to leave. The 33-year-old will be counted on to handle a key role in San Francisco, something which may not have been as much of an assurance with Tampa Bay. The Bucs re-signed Chris Godwin last offseason, a move which was followed by the draft additions of Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson. Those three, along with Jalen McMillan, will form the bulk of the team’s WR room for 2026.
“[Evans] means everything to me,” Licht said (via Stroud). “But he means everything to the entire organization. Obviously, he’s the best offensive player we’ve ever had and an even better person than he is a player. So, it’s always tough… It became pretty clear that him and his family were just ready, like he said publicly, for another chapter.”
As the Bucs move on without Evans for the first time since his arrival in 2014, they will attempt to avoid the late-season struggles which kept them out of the playoffs. Tampa Bay went 2-7 after the bye in 2025, something Licht and Evans spoke about leading up to free agency. Both parties will look to enjoy a stronger showing down the stretch after going their separate ways.
NFL Mailbag: Brown, Pats, Waddle, Crosby
This week's edition of the PFR Mailbag touches on questions related to A.J. Brown fellow potential spring trade candidate Maxx Crosby. The recent Jaylen Waddle swap is also addressed.
David asks:
Why is it a good idea for the Patriots to trade for A.J. Brown? From the outside looking in, it looks like he'll be a terrible fit personality-wise and while he's still playing at a top level, the cost in draft picks will be substantial.
I guess a good follow-up question would be: is there more value in trading for Brown knowing that you're trading picks from the end of each round instead of where we expected to be at the start of the season (i.e. a .500 team expected to draft around 15th)?
Both of those concerns are certainly valid. Anyone watching how things have gone in Philadelphia for the last two or so years would naturally worry about a similar situation emerging.
Vikings Bring Back QB Carson Wentz
As expected, a reunion between Carson Wentz and the Vikings will be taking place. Team and player agreed to terms on Thursday, Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network report. The team has since announced the news. 
It was recently reported a mutual interest existed between Minnesota and the veteran quarterback. Wentz saw time in 2025 filling in for J.J. McCarthy before a shoulder injury required season-ending surgery. McCarthy is still in the fold, but so is free agent signing Kyler Murray.
Murray is widely expected to win out a competition for the starting gig this summer as he looks to rebuild his value working with head coach Kevin O’Connell. McCarthy’s rookie contract runs through 2027, but a path to the QB1 spot may not exist with the Vikings if Murray’s debut campaign goes well. In any event, Wentz’s return will give the team another experienced option as it seeks out improved play under center. Wentz, 33, has totaled 99 starts in his career.
The former second overall pick was linked to the Jets earlier this month. Wentz has a history with Frank Reich, who became New York’s offensive coordinator during this year’s hiring cycle. Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic confirms the Jets had interest in Wentz. He adds, however, Wentz’s preference was to return to the Vikings. Today’s news limits the number of veteran passers still on the market for the Jets if they aim to add another one.
Wentz made a strong Vikings debut in Week 3, but the injury suffered two games later proved to be a major impediment. With McCarthy still sidelined at the time, Wentz made another two starts and struggled with accuracy. Surgery ended his campaign, one during which Minnesota was unable to find a sustainable answer under center. After falling short of a playoff spot at 9-8, increased efficiency on offense will be critical in 2026 for the Vikings. Murray will likely be tasked with helping the unit take a step forward, but it is certainly not a good sign for McCarthy’s prospects of playing time next season that another veteran has been acquired early in the new league year.
The Vikings entered Thursday near the bottom of the league in cap space. This Wentz deal will no doubt be a low-cost investment, and it will presumably be similar in terms to the one-year, $1.42MM pact he played on in 2025.
NFL Owners To Vote On Raiders Succession Plan
Raiders owner Mark Davis still has no intention of selling his majority stake in the franchise, but that won’t stop the NFL and the organization from preparing a succession plan.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, league owners will soon vote on a plan that would give Silver Lake co-CEO Egon Durban the first opportunity to buy the team. The vote is expected to take place at the annual league meeting on March 29.
Durban is currently a limited partner within the organization. Back in late 2024, NFL owners approved the sale of a 15 percent stake in the Raiders to Durban and fellow limited partner Michael Meldman, the founder of Discovery Land Co.. Durban and Meldman currently each own 7.5 percent of the franchise.
If the vote goes through, it would allow Durban to buy the Raiders if and when Davis or his heirs decided to sell. League owners would still have to approve that transaction, but the upcoming vote will signal whether the other 31 teams are open to letting Durban join their exclusive club. Per Schefter, the NFL’s Finance Committee has already approved the “option agreement.”
At the same time, owners will also vote on Davis immediately selling a roughly seven percent share of the franchise to Durban and Meldman. That would put the valuation for the franchise at around $10 billion. Last August, Forbes valued three organizations at more than $10 billion: the Cowboys ($13 billion), Rams ($10.5 billion), and Giants ($10.1 billion).
Davis still owns close to 75 percent of the franchise. Besides the sales to Durban and Meldman, Davis famously sold a five percent stake in the franchise to Tom Brady back in 2024. That transaction also saw Knighthead Capital Management co-founder Tom Wagner purchase a five percent stake, while Hall of Fame defensive end Richard Seymour purchased a 0.5 percent stake. As SI.com’s Albert Breer notes, Durban is “Brady’s guy,” so there’s clear support for the sale from within the organization.
The organization has been in the Davis family since Al Davis purchased the franchise back in 1972. The Raiders quickly emerged as one of the premier teams, winning three Super Bowls between 1972 and 1983. The team has only had 10 playoff appearances (including one Super Bowl loss) since. Mark Davis took over ownership when his father passed away in 2011. Under Mark’s leadership, the Raiders have had a pair of winning seasons and zero playoff wins, with the Raiders shuffling through eight head coaches (not including interim HCs) over that span.
Patriots Notes: Williams, Barmore, Hollins
Terrell Williams was hired by the Patriots last offseason to be the team’s defensive coordinator. He was away from the organization during minicamp while dealing with a medical issue, and it was later revealed that the 51-year-old had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Linebackers coach Zak Kuhr took over the defensive play-calling duties and retained that responsibility for the entire regular season and playoffs.
Williams returned late in the year but did not travel for away games, and he later announced that he was cancer-free. To avoid any confusion about roles heading into the 2026 offseason, Mike Vrabel quickly transitioned Williams to a “high-ranking” job on his staff, with Kuhr eventually being named the full-time DC.
We’ve now got clarity on Williams’ new role for next season, as the team announced that he’s been named assistant head coach. Williams actually held that same role with the Titans during Vrabel’s final season in Tennessee, and his familiarity with his boss clearly played a role in him sticking in New England. When recently describing his assistant’s new gig, Vrabel noted that Williams will continue to have a major influence on the defensive line.
“It’s going to be a strong role on the defense,” Vrabel said (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “He’s going to act as a coordinator in presenting information and ideas and making sure we’re really solid across the front from our edges to the interior. We have some guys inside that I think can continue to develop and grow, whether that’s Milt [Williams], Christian [Barmore] or anybody else. I think those guys can continue to get better; Terrell will have a large hand in that, but he’s also going to be able to help me and be an extension of me throughout our program.”
The Patriots announced the rest of their 2026 coaching staff the other day, with the team returning many of their coaches from last year. One name who wasn’t included on this year’s list was Ben McAdoo, who served as a senior assistant in 2025. Reiss recently wrote that the veteran coach didn’t have his contract option exercised, leading to some uncertainty about his status with the organization. McAdoo’s absence from the team’s announcement indicates that he won’t be back with the Patriots in 2026.
More notes out of New England…
- Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore was arrested on a domestic assault charge late last year, but prosecutors dropped the case last week, per a report from WCVB in Boston. The 26-year-old was in court for a potential arraignment, but the prosecutor eventually determined that the case was “not viable” since it featured a “delayed complaint” coupled with the victim’s “mixed emotions about whether she wanted to go forward.” The victim claimed she had an argument with Barmore in 2025 that ultimately led to a physical incident that caused bruising. Barmore could still be subject to discipline by the NFL based on the personal conduct policy.
- Last month, the Patriots handed Mack Hollins‘ $400K for a missed incentive, per OverTheCap.com. The wideout didn’t hit the bonus after his late-season stint on injured reserve, but the Patriots still decided to pay out the extra cash. The veteran’s first season in New England saw him haul in 46 catches for 550 yards and two touchdowns before adding another 129 yards and a score in two postseason games.
- We’ve got a handful of updates on New England’s recent free agent signings. Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, tight end Julian Hill got a three-year, $15MM deal from the Patriots that could hit up to $18MM via incentives. The contract contains $7.5MM in guaranteed money, including a $4.2MM signing bonus. Meanwhile, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reports that fullback Reggie Gilliam got a three-year deal worth a max value of $12MM, with $6MM in guaranteed money owed through the first two years. Finally, Reiss reports that safety Kevin Byard‘s one-year deal with the Patriots is worth $7MM, with the potential for up to $9MM in earnings. Byard got a $3.5MM signing bonus and will earn $6.17MM in guaranteed money.