Browns’ Deal For DE A.J. Epenesa Falls Through After Physical Concerns
The AFC North is becoming a tough division to get into. In the wake of the Ravens-Maxx Crosby reversed trade, the Browns have decided not to sign former Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa. The two sides came to a one-year, $5MM agreement about a week and a half ago. Per ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi, the team was not “comfortable finalizing the deal after his physical.” 
The news comes as a bit of a surprise as the six-year veteran has never missed more than three games in an NFL season. While he’s only appeared in every game of a season once, Epenesa’s absences each year have, for the most part, been limited to one or two games. No injury information accompanied today’s announcement, so any specifics will have to be disclosed in future reports.
Epenesa joined the Bills as a second-round pick in 2020. Coming out of Iowa, Epenesa brought experience in a role off the bench from his time as a sophomore Hawkeye, when he registered 10.5 sacks, 16.5 tackles for loss, four batted passes, and four forced fumbles without making a single start. After putting up similar numbers as a junior year starter, Epenesa declared for the NFL draft and found his way to Buffalo.
Over the course of his rookie contract, Epenesa’s experience contributing off the bench came in handy. Entrenched behind a starting lineup that, over the years, featured Mario Addison, Jerry Hughes, Greg Rousseau, Shaq Lawson, Von Miller, Leonard Floyd, and Joey Bosa, Epenesa only saw more than two starts in one of his six seasons in Buffalo. After a slow rookie year, Epenesa began to generate more pressures with his opportunities in Year 2. Over the final two years of his rookie contract, Epenesa logged 6.5 sacks each year despite only starting two of 30 game appearances.
Epenesa’s best season came two years ago, when he was tasked with a bigger role. Appearing in every game for the only time in his career and making 13 starts, Epenesa recorded six sacks and saw career highs in tackles (39), tackles for loss (8), and quarterback hits (11), tacking on a safety, as well, for good measure. The arrival of Bosa last year pushed Epenesa back to a rotation role, and he saw his lowest pass rushing production since his first two years in the league.
Without a deal with the Browns, Epenesa will head back to the open market where several teams are still looking for pass rush help. Any future deal will depend on him passing a physical, though, so it will be interesting to see if we get any more information on what concerns caused Cleveland to back out here.
49ers Likely To Draft Competition For Left Guard Job
The 49ers started three different players at left guard last season, and the leader – 2022 fourth-round pick Spencer Burford – signed with the Raiders in free agency.
That left 2025 seventh-rounder Connor Colby (six starts, 454 snaps) and veteran Ben Bartch (two starts, 195 snaps) as the main candidates for the starting job in 2026. The team then signed former Dolphins starter Robert Jones in free agency as additional competition, and more is expected to come.
“We’re not done yet,” general manager John Lynch said (via The Athletic’s Vic Tafur), indicating that San Francisco could target the position in the draft.
It is a good year to need guard talent. Penn State’s Vega Ioane is considered an elite prospect at the position, and Utah tackle Spencer Fano has been tabbed for a move to the interior due to his arm length. Both are expected to be drafted in the first round, with a slew of guards (or potential tackle-guard converts) available on Days 2 and 3 as well.
With a starting competition on tap, the 49ers may not feel compelled to use their first-round pick (No. 27 overall) on a guard, if Ioane or Fano are even available. Their second-rounder (No. 58 overall) might make sense for Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon or Texas A&M’s Chase Bisontis, but both will likely be drafted by that point.
But Lynch has indicated that one of the 49ers’ four Day 3 picks – all in the fourth round – will be used on an offensive lineman who can factor in the guard competition. There are no shortage of options, though San Francisco will no doubt be looking for fleet-footed blockers who best fit Kyle Shanahan‘s zone scheme.
Browns GM Andrew Berry: ‘Wholly Realistic’ To Add Young QB
Last year’s draft class was underwhelming at the quarterback position outside of No. 1 pick Cam Ward. As a result, the Browns opted to trade down from the No. 3 pick and select defensive tackle Mason Graham rather than the best quarterback available.
The deal with the Jaguars added another 2026 first-rounder to Cleveland’s cache of picks, suggesting that they were amassing capital to secure a quarterback from that class. But they also drafted Dillon Gabriel in the third round and Shedeur Sanders in the fifth, with both getting playing time as rookies. Neither emerged as a clear long-term starter, and Deshaun Watson does not fall into that category, either. None of the three have shown enough for the Browns to pass up on an elite quarterback in the draft.
But this year’s crop of prospects thinned significantly after a number of top college passers opted to stay in school for another year. That left Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza alone atop draft boards with Alabama’s Ty Simpson generally considered a distant QB2.
Despite calls from the Giants, the Titans were unwilling to move off Ward last year, and the Raiders likely have the same mindset with Mendoza, their widely-projected No. 1 pick. If the Browns wanted to draft Mendoza, they would likely have to trade their two first-round picks this year plus their first-rounders in 2027 and 2028 – and Las Vegas may not even accept that. (Notably, the Browns recently proposed a rule change that would allow teams to trade picks up to five years in the future. Currently, they are limited to three.)
But even with Mendoza off the table, Browns general manager Andrew Berry said on Sunday (via Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) that it is “wholly realistic” to add another young quarterback to the team. He did not explicitly say that player would be a rookie, but outside of an Anthony Richardson trade, no other names fit his description. That has increased speculation that the Browns could target Simpson next month, especially given that the 23-year-old visited Cleveland at the beginning of the month.
“I have spent time with Ty,” Berry said. “I think that’s obvious and we’ll continue to do so. But I think he has a bright NFL future.”
Is it bright enough for the sixth overall pick? The current consensus is no, but the Browns have plenty of time to be convinced. They also hold the No. 24th selection and could hope that Simpson falls there, though they will run the obvious risk of quarterback-needy teams snapping him up first.
But Berry chooses his words carefully. Just because something is realistic does not mean that it is likely or a priority. The 2027 class is significantly stronger at the quarterback position, and waiting another year would also give new head coach Todd Monken a chance to see what he has in his current trio.
Giants Will Release K Graham Gano
7:20pm: Though the transaction has yet to be officially processed, Gano is indeed set to be released, SNY’s Connor Hughes confirms. That will end his six-year tenure in New York and leave him looking for another kicking job, provided he can stay healthy.
1:56pm: Graham Gano was limited to five games in 2025. The veteran kicker still finds himself on the Giants’ roster at this time, but it remains unlikely he will play again for the team. 
Gano is dealing with the neck injury which cut short his 2025 campaign. He has yet to recover, something which The Athletic’s Dan Duggan recently surmised was the reason a release has not yet taken place in this case. His latest piece on the matter confirms Gano is still recovering from surgery. Duggan maintains a cut will be coming at some point, but likely not until the 16-year veteran is able to pass a physical.
Due to the Injury Protection Benefit, a release followed by Gano not signing anywhere could leave the Giants with a $2.1MM cap charge, as Duggan notes. As such, the team can afford to wait until a return to full health in this case. Cutting Gano, 39 next month, any time before or after June 1 will generate $4.5MM in savings against just $1.25MM in dead money. That added flexibility will help a New York team which is currently near the bottom of the NFL in terms of cap space.
Gano has spent the past six seasons kicking for the Giants. He has largely remained one of the league’s more accurate kickers when available during that time, but injuries have increasingly become an issue. Gano has only played 23 games since the start of the 2023 campaign. To no surprise, then, the Giants were among the teams which added a kicker in free agency, signing Jason Sanders. The former Dolphin is joined by Ben Sauls on the roster.
In other roster news, Duggan notes recent addition Greg Newsome is in line to handle the starting cornerback spot vacated when Cor’Dale Flott departed on the open market. With Paulson Adebo in position to operate as a perimeter starter once again, that will relegate former first-rounder Deonte Banks to backup duties. Banks was a starter during his first two seasons, but his playing time dropped sharply in 2025. He could be in store for another year spent without a notable defensive role.
Eagles Agree To Sign OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
After failing to retain top free agent pass rusher Jaelan Phillips, the Eagles continue to address his position. According to Zach Berman of The Athletic, Philadelphia is adding Joe Tryon-Shoyinka to its defense. He will be joining the Eagles on a one-year deal, per Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com. 
A first-round pick out of Washington in 2021, Tryon-Shoyinka was the Buccaneers’ top pick the year after winning the Super Bowl. Working behind starters Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul, Tryon-Shoyinka produced decent contributions as a rookie, logging four sacks, five tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits, and three batted passes. As Pierre-Paul moved on, Tryon-Shoyinka earned a starting role in Year 2 but failed to produce much more despite the increase in opportunities.
In Tryon-Shoyinka’s third year in Tampa, he started the 2023 season as a starter, once again, but by the end of the season, third-round rookie YaYa Diaby had taken over a starting role across from from Barrett. Tryon-Shoyinka had started with four, four, and five sacks in his first three seasons, respectively, and Diaby topped his single-season best in his rookie year alone. In the final year of his rookie contract, Tryon-Shoyinka began the year again as a starter, this time across from Diaby. After logging only two sacks in 11 games, the Buccaneers began putting veteran Anthony Nelson in a starting role in his place.
Tampa Bay allowed Tryon-Shoyinka to walk in free agency after his rookie contract expired. He signed a one-year, $4.75MM with the Browns but saw more time on special teams than on defense in Cleveland. Halfway through the season, the Bears opted to send a sixth-round pick to the Browns in exchange for Tryon-Shoyinka and a seventh-rounder, and though he saw bit more time on defense in Chicago, he wasn’t able to contribute much on to the stat sheet.
In Philadelphia, Tryon-Shoyinka joins a position group that returns only Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt, and he’ll actually reunite with Jose Ramirez who played with him on the Buccaneers in 2024. Further upgrades to the pass rush are likely still needed, but based on the level of free agent the team has been able to sign at the position (Tryon-Shoyinka and former Falcons second-round pick Arnold Ebiketie), the draft may need to be the source of the team’s answers at the position.
5 Key Stories: 3/22/26 – 3/29/26
The coming days will be worth watching closely as aways thanks to the annual league meeting taking place. This past week has nevertheless seen a few notable developments as well, though. Here is a quick recap of the top stories from the past few days:
- Smith-Njigba Lands Record-Breaking Seahawks Extension: One of the top Seahawks priorities for this offseason was extending former first-rounders Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon. One of those was taken care of, with Smith-Njigba agreeing to a record-breaking receiver deal. The 2025 Offensive Player of the Year landed $42.15MM in average annual value on a four-year extension. As such, he is on the books with Seattle through 2031. The pact contains over $69MM fully guaranteed at signing and ensures Smith-Njigba, 24, will remain a focal point on offense for years to come. Attention will now turn to Witherspoon, whose next contract could reset the cornerback market.
- Buccaneers Icon David Retires: The Buccaneers will be without a franchise icon at the heart of their defense in 2026. Linebacker Lavonte David announced his retirement at the age of 36, bringing an end to his 14-year career. All of that decorated span was spent with Tampa Bay, and the former second-rounder remained a foundational member of the team’s defense throughout that span. David only collected one Pro Bowl nod and a single appearance on the first All-Pro team, but he will go down as one of the best players in franchise history and one of the most accomplished linebackers of his generation. He won a Super Bowl and collected over $103MM in career earnings. The Bucs will now prepare for a season without David or Mike Evans in the fold.
- Mendoza Preparing For Raiders Selection: Since the Raiders clinched the first overall pick in April’s draft, they have been universally expected to select Fernando Mendoza. Signs continue to point in that direction, with the Heisman-winning quarterback spending time alongside Brian Griese to acclimate to the offense Vegas will be running in 2026. Mendoza has understandably scheduled a top 3o visit with the Raiders, and there will be little need for him to speak with other teams in the build-up to the draft. Vegas is in position to start over at the QB spot, and a new coaching staff along with a revamped roster will soon be officially joined by Mendoza.
- Flacco Staying With Bengals: During the early stages of free agency, Joe Flacco examined his options with respect to an opportunity to compete for a starting gig in 2026. With none presenting themselves, the journeyman made the expected decision to re-sign with the Bengals. Flacco filled in for an injured Joe Burrow midway through this past season. He will be counted on to do the same if Burrow is once again unable to remain healthy. At the age of 41, Flacco will extend his career for at least one more year. The former Super Bowl MVP has racked up 209 career appearances, and a notable QB2 role will once again be in store in his case.
- Jets Among Simpson’s Suitors: Mendoza’s situation is not subject to doubt at this point, but the draft range for fellow quarterback Ty Simpson remains the subject of considerable speculation. The Alabama product recently visited the Jets, a team in position to select a long-term option under center next month. New York owns pick Nos. 2 and 16, so there will be opportunities to bring in Simpson during the first round. Whether or not that will take place remains to be seen, and with the countdown to the draft continuing there is still a wide range of opinions on when his name will be called. Interest from the Jets and other suitors will be worth monitoring closely over the coming weeks.
Contract Talks Between 49ers, LT Trent Williams Picking Up
No resolution has been reached yet between Trent Williams and the 49ers. That situation may change in the near future. 
When speaking to the media upon arrival at this year’s league meeting, general manager John Lynch expressed optimism about a deal being struck. He said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner) talks between the sides have “intensified” over the past week. Progress could result in a new deal being agreed to.
Lynch added he believes the team is “on the precipice” of an agreement with Williams (h/t Matt Barrows of The Athletic). He did caution, however, that a similar level of optimism has existed previously in this situation. As things stand, Williams is under contract for one more year. The 12-time Pro Bowler is due to carry a cap charge of $46.34MM, and none of his scheduled base salary ($32.21MM) is guaranteed.
An expectation has thus long existed that an extension lowering Williams’ 2026 cap figure while supplying new locked-in money will be worked out. Since the team declined to exercise his option bonus, however, speculation has picked up about a trade being possible. As of this past Monday, the sides were believed to still be far apart. Based on Lynch’s latest comments, notable progress seems to have been made since then.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan has echoed Lynch in expressing confidence that a resolution will ultimately be found in this case. Williams, 37, has spent the past six years in the Bay Area. During that time, he has remained an anchor along the offensive line and logged-double digit appearances every time. The three-time All-Pro will be counted on to serve as a core figure once more in 2026 and quite possibly beyond depending on whether or not an extension can be agreed to.
The 49ers added a veteran tackle in the form of Vederian Lowe during the early stages of free agency. He inked a two-year pact, offering the team insurance against missed time on Williams’ part due to a contract impasse. If ongoing talks remain productive, though, San Francisco’s preferred left tackle setup will have a strong chance of being in place by the start of the 2026 season.
Patriots More Likely To Draft QB Or Sign Priority UDFA After Joshua Dobbs Release
The Patriots recently re-signed quarterback Tommy DeVito and released fellow signal-caller Joshua Dobbs. DeVito therefore appears to be in the driver’s seat for New England’s QB2 post behind MVP runner-up Drake Maye, but he will not go unchallenged.
ESPN’s Mike Reiss says the Dobbs release makes it more likely that the Patriots will draft a passer or sign one as a priority UDFA. While the team was always going to add another quarterback or two to its depth chart and was not going to carry only Maye and DeVito, it is notable that a team that just won the AFC may be content to have largely unproven options behind its starter instead of a more established talent (like old friend Jimmy Garoppolo, who is still a free agent).
If New England does choose to add a quarterback via the draft or the UDFA pool, ESPN’s Jordan Reid (via Reiss) offers several possibilities. Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, whose performance in a losing effort in the first round of the 2024 College Football Playoff led Reid to consider him a Day 1 talent, was less impressive in his final season on campus. That said, he is a three-year starter with experience under center and in the shotgun who is lauded for his character. Reid projects him as a fourth- or fifth-round option in next month’s draft.
Luke Altmyer, meanwhile, should be available in the fifth or sixth round. Reid praised the Illinois product’s Senior Bowl performance along with his arm strength, accuracy, mobility, and decisiveness. The Patriots may feel that offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and quarterbacks coach Ashton Grant can help Klubnik, Altmyer, or a player with a similar draft projection to reach their ceiling sooner rather than later and thus create – along with DeVito – a comfortable enough quarterback situation behind Maye.
Maye, whose breakout second professional campaign ended with a disappointing performance in Super Bowl LX, will of course be counted upon to lead the Patriots on another deep postseason run. If he is forced to miss any length of time, New England’s chances of such a run will suffer a major blow regardless of whether the club adds a player on the free agent or trade markets or takes a chance on a rookie.
49ers TE George Kittle Suffered Two Torn Ligaments In Ankle In Week 16
49ers tight end George Kittle earned his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl nod for his 2025 work despite playing in just 11 regular season games due to injury. He was forced out of the club’s wildcard-round win over the Eagles due to a right Achilles tear, and he recently revealed his thoughts as to the source of that injury.
While in the midst of a strong performance against the Colts in Week 16, Kittle suffered a left ankle injury that knocked him out of the rest of that game and kept him on the shelf for San Francisco’s Week 17 contest versus the Bears. A report from ESPN’s Nick Wagoner after the Indianapolis game characterized the ailment as a “mid to low ankle sprain,” and while a sprain by definition can include a tear, that description appears to have undersold the extent of the injury.
In an appearance on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast (video link) earlier this month, Kittle revealed that he tore two ligaments in his left ankle during the Colts matchup (h/t Coach Yac). He compensated by running with most of his weight on his right side, and he attributes his Achilles tear to that added pressure.
“My biggest thing on what I thought it was, when I played the Colts, I tore two ligaments in my ankle and then I hurt it again because I kept playing on it,” Kittle said. “I was very lopsided. I was compensating really bad. So, I think that was a big part of it to [sic] because I was compensating for it the past [three] weeks on one ankle. All the weight was on my right side so I was basically running with all the weight on my right side. That would be my best guess.”
Kittle does not suggest the ankle injury will present a problem moving forward. The Achilles tear, regardless of whether it was the result of the ligament damage to his opposite ankle, remains the bigger worry.
It was assumed that the Achilles malady would sideline Kittle for a significant portion of the 2026 campaign, but when discussing the details of his surgery and recovery in January, the 32-year-old suggested he could push for a Week 1 return and at least expects to be back before November.
The 49ers plodded through another injury-ravaged season in ‘25 to post a 12-5 record, and they advanced to the second round of the playoffs before being overwhelmed by the Seahawks. An earlier-than-expected Kittle return would obviously be a welcome development for a club that has struggled with health concerns in recent history but that can compete for a championship when at or near full strength.
In his 11 regular season contests last year, Kittle – who is under club control through 2029 – posted 57 catches for 628 yards and seven TDs.
Latest On Panthers’ Kenny Pickett Acquisition, Andy Dalton Trade
Earlier this month, the Panthers signed quarterback and former first-round pick Kenny Pickett. That transaction seemed to point Andy Dalton out of Charlotte, and indeed, the club dealt the veteran passer to the Eagles shortly after the Pickett signing.
According to Panthers vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis (via ESPN’s David Newton), the motivation behind the QB room shakeup was simple: the team wanted Pickett to work as starter Bryce Young’s backup in 2026, and Dalton – who had served as Young’s backup over the past three seasons – still wants to compete for a QB2 opportunity. Philadelphia offers such an opportunity, and a trade was consummated.
The guaranteed money in Pickett’s Carolina contract ($4MM) is actually identical to what Dalton is due to earn in the last year of his current deal ($3.9MM base salary plus $100K workout bonus). Clearly, the Pickett-for-Dalton switch was not motivated by finances and was driven instead by other factors.
Getting younger is one such factor, but there could also be a belief in Pickett’s upside at play here. Although the Panthers finished the 2025 regular season with an 8-9 record, that was good enough to win the NFC South, and Carolina nearly toppled the Rams in the wildcard round of the playoffs. As such, if there were not a certain amount of faith in Pickett, it would have made sense for a team that has designs on another postseason run to keep the more established Dalton rather than replace him with a player who has not yet found much success at the professional level.
On the other hand, Dalton has posted a 1-6 record as a starter during his Carolina tenure, along with an 84.5 quarterback rating. Those underwhelming figures could have led Panthers brass to believe Pickett at least will be no worse than Dalton if he is pressed into action, and since Pickett – the No. 20 overall pick of the 2022 draft – is nearly 11 years younger than his 38-year-old predecessor, there still may be another level for him to unlock.
At present, there are no other signal-callers on the Panthers’ depth chart, while the Eagles are still rostering Tanner McKee. A sixth-round pick in 2023, McKee has started just two games in his NFL career, though he has shown enough promise to pop up in trade rumors concerning QB-needy clubs. For now, he and Dalton are poised to battle for the backup job behind Jalen Hurts, but ever-opportunistic GM Howie Roseman has a highly-experienced insurance policy in Dalton should he receive an acceptable offer for McKee.