Chiefs To Resume Trent McDuffie Extension Talks
Known for letting cornerbacks serve as one-contract players in the Andy Reid era, the Chiefs will strongly consider making an exception. Trent McDuffie extension talks, which began last year, are set to resume.
The Chiefs and their top defensive back negotiated during the 2025 offseason but could not come to terms on an extension prior to Week 1. While Kansas City hammered out a deal with fellow 2022 first-round pick George Karlaftis, McDuffie is on a higher level at his respective position. The prospect of McDuffie pursuing a market-setting contract came up in November, and his camp will have another chance to present a sales pitch to the Chiefs.
[RELATED: Assessing Chiefs’ Offseason Blueprint]
“We had a lot of dialogue with Trent last spring, last summer. He’s first out of the gate,” Chiefs GM Brett Veach said, via Fox4’s Jared Bush. “Looking forward to get with him and obviously Trent’s a great player. We’d certainly love to have Trent back for the long term.”
Going back to Marcus Peters, the Chiefs have not shown interest in paying corners over the past decade. They traded Peters and L’Jarius Sneed and let Steven Nelson, Kendall Fuller and Charvarius Ward walk. Jaylen Watson is expected to join that one-contract group, being set for free agency next month. One season remains on McDuffie’s rookie deal, which the team extended through 2026 via the fifth-year option.
McDuffie, 25, has been the Chiefs’ top cornerback since arriving in the 2022 first round. Chosen with the first-round pick obtained from the Dolphins in the Tyreek Hill trade, McDuffie has played well outside and in the slot. He is a two-time All-Pro, but because no original-ballot Pro Bowl honors have come his way, the Chiefs landed a discount on his fifth-year option (which checks in at $13.63MM).
Even after the Chiefs completed their latest Patrick Mahomes restructure, they are still projected to be more than $3MM over the cap. It would behoove Kansas City to extend McDuffie and reduce his cap number. The Chiefs’ history at this position should keep a potential blockbuster trade on the radar, in the event McDuffie’s price point (as Hill’s did amid 2022 negotiations) exceeds the team’s comfort zone. Though, the Chiefs could also string this process out — as they did with Orlando Brown Jr. in ’22 — via a franchise tag next year.
But the team, which re-signed its D-line and linebacker pillars (Chris Jones, Nick Bolton) over the past two offseasons, will explore what it will take to extend its secondary ace this week in Indianapolis.
Jets Prepared To Tag RB Breece Hall
Breece Hall does not have a new Jets deal in hand at this point. Nevertheless, a departure should not be expected in his case. 
When speaking to reporters at the Combine on Tuesday, general manager Darren Mougey reiterated his desire for a Hall agreement to be reached in time for free agency. Failing that, Mougey said (via Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano) a tag will be used to ensure no departure will take place.
The franchise tag for running backs is projected to cost $14.54MM in 2026, while the transition tag is set to carry a value of $11.73MM. The latter option has been mentioned as a strong possibility in Hall’s case, so Mougey’s comments come as little surprise. Coming off a career-high 1,065 rushing yards, Hall would have been one of the top RB options on the open market had the Jets opted to go in a different direction.
Instead, the 24-year-old will remain in the fold for at least one season. Hall was not the subject of extension talks when Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn arrived last year, and uncertainty has loomed over his future ever since. During his latest public comments on the matter, Hall indicated an ambivalence toward remaining in New York or landing a notable pact elsewhere.
“You know, I don’t know,” the former second-rounder said during an interview with the New York Post. “I’ve addressed this for the last six, seven months now. But now I’m just kind of like whatever happens, happens.”
Hall added a level confidence that he will ultimately “get everything that’s coming” to him from a compensation standpoint. That could take the form of a long-term deal, but there have been no indications an agreement is imminent on this front. The running back market includes nine deals averaging at least $10MM per year, but that figure outpaces what Javonte Williams landed on his new Cowboys contract.
Connor Hughes of SNY notes Hall would likely not be willing to accept a three-year, $24MM offer like the one Williams took. The Jets could nonetheless remain close to those terms during negotiations knowing the one-year tag is still a fallback option. With nearly $80MM in cap space, the team will easily be able to afford either tag figure if applying one becomes necessary.
Ravens Have Submitted Market-Topping Offer To C Tyler Linderbaum
Aside from lowering Lamar Jackson‘s cap charge for 2026, the Ravens’ No. 1 priority is retaining Tyler Linderbaum. The top pending free agent at the center position (and many others) is in line for a massive raise regardless of where it comes from. 
Baltimore made the expected move of declining Linderbaum’s fifth-year option last spring, setting up the need for a long-term pact to be worked out ahead of free agency. When speaking to reporters at the Combine on Tuesday, general manager Eric DeCosta made another unsurprising announcement by stating (via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic) the transition and franchise tags will not be in play in this case. Tags group all O-linemen together for valuation purposes, making them feasible for tackles but rare in the case of interior blockers.
That leaves a long-term commitment as the path forward with respect to Linderbaum, who is open to re-signing. DeCosta has been clear about a mutual desire existing for a new pact, and on Tuesday he made a notable but not unexpected revelation. The Ravens have submitted a “market-setting” offer to Linderbaum’s camp, DeCosta said (h/t Zrebiec). The top of the center market reached $18MM per year when Creed Humphrey signed his Chiefs extension in 2024.
The NFL’s salary cap saw another jump after that pact was signed, and a surge past $300MM is expected when the 2026 figure is finalized. That leaves Linderbaum as an obvious candidate to surpass Humphrey in terms of AAV. The Chiefs Pro Bowler secured over $50MM in new guarantees on his extension, with $35MM of that figure fully guaranteed at signing. It would stand to reason Baltimore’s latest offer surpasses each of those figures, but further details on the Linderbaum negotiations will be worth watching for in any event.
Daniel Faalele has operated as the Ravens’ starting right guard for each of the past two years, but he is a pending free agent. The team could also look to upgrade from left guard Andrew Vorhees as a starter, so losing Linderbaum on the open market would leave open the possibility of three replacements being sought out this spring. Baltimore will look to avoid such a scenario, but it remains to be seen if the ongoing efforts to work out a deal will be sufficient to reach an agreement.
Offseason Outlook: Los Angeles Rams
A playoff institution once again, the Rams played in what ultimately became a 1990s-style de facto Super Bowl. While this year's NFC championship went the Seahawks' way, before Seattle thrashed an overmatched Patriots team in Super Bowl LX, this Rams nucleus extended its season by a week for the second straight year.
Los Angeles' recent draft classes have done well to reopen the team's Sean McVay-era Super Bowl window, after a disastrous Super Bowl LVI title defense brought a speedbump. This offseason will bring a good problem of sorts for McVay and GM Les Snead, with a strong 2023 draft class now extension-eligible. Without a fifth-year option on any of those picks, the Rams have work to do with a batch of young players. Oh, and another Matthew Stafford negotiation. That will also carve out some space on the PFR pages.
Coaching/front office:
- Extended head coach Sean McVay, general manager Les Snead
- Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur became Cardinals' head coach
- Promoted pass-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase as OC replacement
- Hired Bubba Ventrone as special teams coordinator
- Senior offensive assistant Alex Van Pelt hired as Falcons' QBs coach
- Added Kliff Kingsbury as assistant head coach; Brian Johnson hired as senior offensive assistant
- Scheelhaase interviewed for Bills, Browns, Raiders, Ravens, Steelers' HC jobs, withdrew from Raiders search
- DC Chris Shula interviewed for Browns, Cardinals, Dolphins, Raiders, Ravens, Steelers' HC jobs
- Parted ways with DBs coach Aubrey Pleasant; Jimmy Lake named replacement
- Hired Robert Woods as assistant WRs coach, Brian Allen as assistant O-line coach
- Pleasant interviewed for Browns, Cardinals, Chargers, Raiders' DC jobs
- Assistant general manager John McKay interviewed for Dolphins' GM job
Few HC hires in NFL history have been as transformative as the Rams' 2017 McVay decision. The franchise had missed 12 straight playoff brackets, and the L.A. market was treated to a first-year dud as the Jeff Fisher era wrapped. McVay reinvigorated the relocated organization, and the Rams went 7-for-9 in postseason berths in the coach's 30s. This included three NFC championship game cameos, two Super Bowl berths and the franchise's first L.A. championship since 1951.
John Lynch: 49ers, Trent Williams ‘On The Same Page’
11:08pm: Speaking with the media on Tuesday, 49ers general manager John Lynch sounded optimistic about Williams’ future (via Clayton Holloway of NFL Network). “Good and productive meetings,” Lynch said. “Trent loves being a Niner. We love having Trent as a Niner. We’re all on the same page… I feel very positive where that’s going.”
3:09pm: Future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams still has one year left on his contract with the 49ers, but he could end up on the free agent market early. Williams and the 49ers are struggling to reach an agreement on an amended deal that would lower his $38.84MM cap hit, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. If they don’t find common ground, a release would be expected, per Schefter.
Williams would be a shocking addition to this year’s class of free agents. Although the 12-time Pro Bowler is set to play his age-38 season in 2026, he would immediately become the best offensive tackle available. For now, the Packers’ Rasheed Walker is in line to lead the market. The 26-year-old Walker has age on his side, but he is not on Williams’ level as a blocker. Case in point: Pro Football Focus ranked Williams third among 84 qualifying tackles in 2025. Walker checked in at No. 53.
Williams has been consistently elite since he entered the NFL as Washington’s first-round pick (No. 4 overall) in 2010. The former Oklahoma Sooner came off the bench once in 14 games as a rookie, but he has started in every other one of his 204 career appearances. Williams made the Pro Bowl in seven straight seasons with the Commanders from 2012-18. He remained under contract in 2019, but a standoff with the team led Williams to sit out for the entire season.
Washington traded the disgruntled Williams to San Francisco for third- and fifth-round picks in April 2020. The 49ers did not hand Williams a new contract immediately, but he played out another Pro Bowl season and inked a six-year, $138MM extension in March 2021. The pact made Williams the game’s highest-paid offensive lineman.
After Williams posted three straight first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl seasons to begin his contract, the 49ers reworked it in September 2024. The three-year, $82.66MM agreement came with a guaranteed $48MM, a record for a non-quarterback over the age of 35. That deal is still in place, but it doesn’t appear that will be the case for much longer.
If there’s any knock on Williams (other than age), it’s durability issues. Excluding the year he held out, Williams has missed between one and seven games in every season since 2014. He played his third 16-game season in 2025, yet another Pro Bowl campaign, but it could go down as his last in San Francisco.
Not only would the 49ers subtract an O-line cornerstone in releasing Williams, but it would hurt from a cap standpoint. If done by April 1, it would yield $34.15MM in dead money and just $4.69MM in savings. Designating Williams a post-June 1 cut would save the 49ers $15.52MM in 2026, though they would have to spread approximately $44MM in dead money over the next two seasons.
Colts Working On Re-Signing Daniel Jones, Alec Pierce; Franchise Tag In Play
FEBRUARY 24: Colts general manager Chris Ballard said at the Combine (via Chappell) that the team was planning to retain both Jones and Pierce. He added that “both sides are driven to get it done,” and characterized the ongoing negotiations as “very positive.”
Ballard also acknowledged the possibility of using the franchise tag on one of the two players, saying “it’s not what we want to do, but it’s a tool we have.”
FEBRUARY 23: The Colts were one of the biggest stories in the NFL in 2025, for reasons good and bad.
The good was a surprising 8-2 start anchored by an even more surprising player: quarterback Daniel Jones. The bad was an 0-7 finish to the year, which included Jones’ fractured fibula and torn Achilles in Week 13 and Philip Rivers‘ dramatic return to the NFL as his replacement.
The Colts had vastly different strengths of schedule during the two halves of their season, with a relatively easy slate to start and a murderer’s row of opponents down the stretch. That, combined with Jones’ injury, makes it hard to know if the current iteration of the team can compete in 2026.
The Colts seem to think so. They are pursuing extensions with Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Both are slated to hit free agency in March after breakout years in Indianapolis.
Jones, 28, did not just put up the best numbers of his career in 2025. He finished the year ranked among the NFL’s top 10 quarterbacks in yards per attempt, yards per game, completion percentage, passer rating, and total QBR. He also led three game-winning drives and three fourth-quarter comebacks in just 13 starts.
The seven-year veteran’s play started to slip before his injuries, which are not expected to sideline him into the 2026 season. But his injury history is a concern, and he did not get the chance to prove himself against many top defenses.
That makes Jones’ valuation a little tricky, but somewhere in the region of $35MM would make sense. Fellow 2018 first-round reclamation projects Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield signed for similar amounts after re-establishing themselves as starting-caliber QBs. Jones and the Colts have mutual interest in reaching a deal, according to Pelissero.
Pierce, 25, posted career-highs of 47 receptions and 1,003 receiving yards. He also led the NFL in yards per reception for a second year in a row. With George Pickens likely to be tagged by the Cowboys, Pierce could be the top wideout available in free agency. The Colts will try to lock him up before he hits the open market, but that may require an offer well over $20MM per year.
Discussions with both players “have been good” thus far, per FOX 59’s Mike Chappell, with negotiations expected to continue at the Combine in Indianapolis this week.
A franchise or transition tag is an option for Jones or Pierce (though not both), per Pelissero, though the latter makes far more sense for their valuations. A transition tag for Jones would cost $40.8MM, while Pierce’s would cost $25MM. However, those numbers would be on the high-end for a potential long-term deal and the tagged player would be able to negotiate with other teams.
The Colts are currently projected to have $35.7MM in cap space in 2026, per OverTheCap, with ways to create upwards of $50MM more. The team could afford to extend both players, or extend one and tag the other while still having room to address other needs in free agency.
49ers Sign LS Jon Weeks To Extension
The 49ers have signed veteran long snapper Jon Weeks to a contract extension, general manager John Lynch announced on Tuesday.
Weeks, 40, was set to hit free agency in March after earning a Pro Bowl in 2025, his first season in San Francisco. He spent the previous 15 years in Houston, which featured his first Pro Bowl selection in 2015.
It is difficult to quantify his position’s impact, but he was a key part of the 49ers’ consistent kicking and punting operations last year. Eddy Piñeiro only missed one field goal all year with a league-high 96.6% conversion rate. Punter Thomas Morstead finished near the bottom of the NFL in yards per punt, but 50% of his punts were downed inside the 20-yard line, which ranked third.
Weeks earned $1.4MM on his first deal with the 49ers and should be set for a raise. (His first came in 2015 as a member of the Texans.) Chiefs long snapper James Winchester is currently the highest-paid player at his position with a $1.65MM APY, per OverTheCap. Weeks should be able to match or eclipse that number after a Pro Bowl year.
Weeks was the eighth-oldest player in the NFL in 2025 and will move up at least one spot with Philip Rivers‘ second retirement. Long snappers tend to have long careers – especially consistently good ones like Weeks – so he still may have a few years left in the tank.
Colts CB Charvarius Ward Expected To Play In 2026
Cornberback Charvarius Ward entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent from Middle Tennesee State in 2018, but it only took him until the next season to become a full-time starter. The former Chief and 49er was successful enough over his first seven seasons to earn a three-year, $54MM deal with the Colts last March.
Ward’s first year in Indianapolis did not go well, but it had nothing to do with his performance. Three concussions besieged Ward, who missed 10 of the Colts’ 17 games. Nearing his 30th birthday in May, Ward went into the offseason considering retirement. Ward’s father even advised him to walk away from the game, but it appears he will continue his career in 2026 (via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star).
“All indications are he’s wanting to move forward and play,” general manager Chris Ballard stated on Tuesday. Meanwhile, head coach Shane Steichen said he and Ward talked “a couple days ago,” adding that the defender is “feeling good.”
With Ward likely returning next season, the Colts will hope he and fellow starting corner Sauce Gardner team up far more often than they did in 2025. Gardner began the season as a Jet, but he ended it as a Colt after a massive trade deadline deal on Nov. 4. With his team then 7-2 and vying for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, Ballard dealt the Colts’ next two first-round picks away for the two-time first-team All-Pro.
On paper, with Gardner joining Ward and slot corner Kenny Moore, the Colts had a superb trio. Unfortunately for Ballard, they seldom played together down the stretch. While Ward was regularly out of the lineup because of his concussions, a calf strain sidelined Gardner for four games. Serious late-season injuries to Ward, Gardner, quarterback Daniel Jones and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner significantly contributed to a post-deadline collapse for Indianapolis. Having to go long stretches without those players against a brutal second-half schedule torpedoed the Colts’ season.
Once 8-2, the Colts lost seven in a row to finish 8-9 and miss the playoffs for the fourth year in a row. Healthier seasons from Ward, Gardner, Jones (a pending free agent who is in negotiations to re-sign) and Buckner would go a long way toward helping the Colts rebound in 2026.
Ravens Still Hope To Retain TE Isaiah Likely
Despite signing Mark Andrews during the season, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec) that the team would still like to retain Isaiah Likely.
The 25-year-old tight end is coming off a disappointing season with career-lows in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. He was in extension negotiations with the Ravens last summer, but broke his foot early in training camp before the two sides could make a deal. Likely struggled to make a consistent impact upon his return, though 2025 was a down year for the Ravens offense across the board.
The Ravens’ tight end depth, strong running game, and targets funneled to wide receiver Zay Flowers all limited Likely’s volume in Baltimore. But the 2022 fourth-rounder’s efficiency and red zone effectiveness compare to some of the top tight ends in the NFL, indicating he would have a much higher ceiling as a TE1 on another team. He was expected to have a strong market heading into his contract year, but his down seasons may have reduced his value.
Likely’s chemistry with Lamar Jackson, growth as a blocker, and ability to exploit mismatches are among the many reasons for the Ravens to re-sign him. New offensive coordinator Declan Doyle will likely use multiple tight ends as his mentor Ben Johnson did in Chicago and Detroit, but the Ravens offense already used heavy personnel at one of the highest rates in the league during Likely’s rookie contract. It may not be wise to sign a second tight end to a starting-level salary without a corresponding amount of targets available.
As a result, Likely seems like a luxury the Ravens cannot afford with so many other players on expensive deals. The team will reduce Jackson’s $72.5MM cap hit via an extension or restructure, but their priority should be addressing the trenches on both sides of the ball.
It might make more sense for DeCosta to keep Charlie Kolar, who was drafted 11 picks before Likely in 2022. Kolar emerged as a key blocker over the last three years and still has untapped receiving potential. He could be retained in a smaller role on a cheaper deal, though capable run-blocking tight ends can still earn good money in the NFL. Former Raven Josh Oliver received a $7MM APY deal from the Vikings in 2023 despite little receiving production during his previous two years in Baltimore. As with Likely, the Ravens may not have a big enough role for Kolar to justify a second contract.
DeCosta was also asked about defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, who suffered a season-ending neck injury in Week 2, but he did not offer any updates regarding his status. Concern about Madubuike’s long-term future in the NFL has persisted since he went down in September with the Ravens declining to comment on specifics about the injury or a return timline.
New head coach Jesse Minter did say (via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio) that he talked to Madubuike – who was drafted in the final year of Minter’s first stint in Baltimore – at the team facility in recent weeks, adding that the 28-year-old was in “great spirits.”
Madubuike’s absence had a huge impact on the Ravens defense in 2025. Their pass rush virtually fell apart without their most productive interior rusher, and their run defense was not as dominant as in years past.
However, DeCosta does not expect the uncertainty around Madubuike would not significantly affect their offseason plans.
“I think if we have the chance to draft a great defensive tackle, of course we will,” he said. “It is one of the most important positions in football.”
DeCosta also downplayed the financial impact of Madubuike’s situation, but the veteran defensive linemen is still owed $22MM in guaranteed salary with a $30.975MM cap hit, per OverTheCap. The Ravens can restructure his deal to push money into the future, but his contract will still factor into the team’s cap picture for the next few years.
Steelers ‘Believe’ Aaron Rodgers Wants To Play; Door Remains Open For Return
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers became a free agent when the Jets released him last March, but finding his next team was a slow process. Retirement was a legitimate option before the future Hall of Famer caught on with the Steelers in the first week of June.
Rodgers’ preference last year was to join the Vikings, but after they didn’t reciprocate, he settled for the Steelers’ one-year, $13.65MM offer. The 42-year-old remained a serviceable starter in Pittsburgh, which he helped to 10 wins and an AFC North title. Longtime head coach Mike Tomlin resigned after an ugly loss to the Texans in the wild-card round, leaving Rodgers’ future up in the air.
For a little while, it seemed likely Rodgers would follow Tomlin out the door and either sign elsewhere as a free agent or retire. Walking away from the team or the game are still possible outcomes, but the Steelers are willing to reunite Rodgers with head coach Mike McCarthy. Rodgers played for McCarthy in Green Bay from 2006-18. The signal-caller won two of his four MVPs and the lone Super Bowl of his career under McCarthy.
Asked about Rodgers on Tuesday, Steelers general manager Omar Khan stated (via Myles Simmons of PFT): “The door’s open to have Aaron back. I’ve had conversations with him — I spoke to him last week. Mike McCarthy’s spoken to him. He knows how we feel about him. Right now, we’re proceeding [as if] he’s a free agent and he’s not on the roster. But, he knows how we feel about him.”
While the Steelers are awaiting an official decision from Rodgers, they “believe” he wants to play a 22nd season in 2026, according to Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show. Regardless of whether that proves to be the case, it does not appear Rodgers will leave the Steelers twisting in the wind for an extended period this offseason.
Based on his conversations with Rodgers, Khan said, “I think neither side wants to have this drag on like it did last year.”
Getting an answer sooner than later would be beneficial for the Steelers, who don’t have a clear-cut starting QB option on their roster. Mason Rudolph has not risen above decent backup status in his six-year career, while 2025 sixth-rounder Will Howard went through his rookie season without taking a snap.