Jets Host QB Drew Allar
The Jets have their 2026 starting quarterback in the form of Geno Smith. His return to New York came about via trade, the same route taken to move on from Justin Fields. 
Another veteran could be added this offseason. Tyrod Taylor remains unsigned at this time, and most free agents have lined up a new arrangement by this point in the new league year. That could leave the Jets to focus on the upcoming draft with respect to a depth QB addition.
Like all teams, New York is in the early stages of hosting prospects on top 30 visits. Several Penn State players visited the Jets recently, Connor Hughes of SNY reports. Among them was quarterback Drew Allar. That will no doubt prove to be one of many private workouts Allar participates in during the build-up to the draft.
An October ankle injury brought an abrupt end to Allar’s senior season. His performances up to that point had left plenty to be desired, something which wound up being true in 2025 of many signal-callers. Allar totaled 49 touchdowns and 10 interceptions across the 2023 and ’24 seasons, leading to high expectations for this past campaign. Before the injury, he posted a completion percentage of 64.8% along with a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 8:3.
The Jets own two first-round picks in this year’s draft. New York will not be able to select Fernando Mendoza provided the Raiders take the expected route of drafting the Heisman winner first overall. Whether or not another quarterback is taken on Day 1 remains a question at this point, although Ty Simpson and Cole Payton are considered the top QB2 candidates. Allar, like LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and Miami’s Carson Beck, will enter the NFL with plenty of experience but a tempered outlook with respect to his ceiling at the pro level.
New York also has a pair of second-round selections in 2026 along with five Day 3 picks. Using one of those on a developmental option would come as no surprise. Based on how the team’s evaluation process plays out over the coming weeks, Allar could be among the quarterback prospects receiving consideration.
NFL Draft Rumors: Cardinals, RBs, Downs, Woods, Terrell
As free agency slows, the general focus of the NFL is starting to shift to the 2026 NFL Draft. For one team, though, the focus appears to be the 2027 NFL Draft, per Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom. As several teams work to secure optimal situations in their quarterbacks rooms, the Cardinals appear to be working around it.
After cutting veteran quarterback Kyler Murray, Arizona seems content to move forward in 2026 with journeyman backup Jacoby Brissett, who went 1-11 as the Cardinals’ starter last year. They supplemented the room with another frequent flier with starting experience in Gardner Minshew. Neither passer is viewed as the team’s future at the position but more as bridge options until that future comes along. The prevailing opinion throughout league circles appears to be that Arizona is tanking the 2026 season in hopes of setting themselves up well for a draft projected to be a bit more rich in quarterback prospects than this year’s draft.
With that in mind, the remainder of their offseason will be focused on building an offense around their future quarterback, starting with the construction of a reliable wall in front of him. For this reason, there’s belief the Cardinals will be targeting an offensive lineman with their No. 3 overall pick, and the popular opinion is that Hurricanes top tackle prospect Francis Mauigoa could be that target. The three-year starter out of Miami (FL) has a strong chance of being available as Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is expected to go No. 1 to Las Vegas, and the Jets are expected to add to their defense with the second overall pick.
Here are a few other draft rumors from around the NFL:
- While only one or two running backs project to be top prospects in the draft, there are plenty of options for teams looking to build depth or add some fresher legs to their room. With Alvin Kamara‘s future in New Orleans in doubt, Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports reports that the Saints have shown interest in Arkansas running back Mike Washington. A Buffalo- and New Mexico State-transfer, Washington rushed for 1,070 yards and eight touchdowns for the Razorbacks last year.
- When it was thought that Aaron Jones would be departing from Minnesota, some at ESPN believed the team would go to the draft, as opposed to the free agent market, to fill out the room. With Jones returning on a re-worked contract that expires after this year, running back may still be a focus for the Vikings in this year’s draft.
- Despite re-signing J.K. Dobbins and restricted free agent Jaleel McLaughlin and having spent a second-round pick on RJ Harvey last year, the Broncos are doing research on the draft’s offerings at the position. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, the team hosted Indiana running back Kaelon Black for a top 30 visit. The national champion rushed for 1,040 yards and 10 touchdowns and has visited the Jets with visits with the Panthers, Bengals, and Raiders set in the future.
- According to ESPN’s Matt Miller, some post-combine conversations with scouts revealed a dramatic range of opinions for Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods. The former five-star recruit took over a full-time starting position in his sophomore season and grabbed the attention of scouts everywhere with three sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss in 11 games while proving to be an elite run-stopper. His production declined in his junior year, which Pro Football Focus (subscription required) still saw as good but graded as his worst campaign in Clemson. As a result, some scouts still see the potential and view him as a top 15 prospect, while others have him “solidly” as a Day 2 prospect.
- The Giants have had an incredibly busy (and in many views productive) offseason thus far, so many are eager to see what approach they will take with their fifth overall pick in the draft. According to La Canfora, despite their success rebuilding so far, New York still has a glaring hole in the secondary. New head coach John Harbaugh‘s former organization invested heavily in the safety position over the course of his tenure with the team, and it’s believed that that mentality has followed him to New York. Ohio State’s Caleb Downs has been tied to the Giants before, and La Canfora doubles down on the opinion that he could be the selection at No. 5 overall.
- Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell, the younger brother of Falcons first-round cornerback and one-time second-team All-Pro AJ Terrell, is widely viewed as a top five prospect at his position. After suffering a minor hamstring injury at the combine, though, the younger Terrell will not be participating in the Tigers’ pro day, according to Jordan Reid of ESPN. Instead, he has scheduled a separate workout for scouts that will take place March 30.
Coaching Notes: Wink, Jets, Bisaccia, Broncos, Eagles, Martin
Former NFL defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale was a strong candidate to take the same role with the Jets this offseason. Martindale was the only coach to fly in for an interview and meet with the Jets twice, but talks fell apart after head coach Aaron Glenn decided he would rather call the plays than allow someone else to do it for the second straight year. Glenn wound up hiring first-time coordinator Brian Duker, the ninth and final candidate to interview for the position. Addressing the Jets’ DC choice with Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News, Martindale implied it was not Glenn’s call.
“I think it was close. I’ve always respected and I like Aaron Glenn. He’s a good dude, and we think a lot alike on a lot of similar things defensively,” Martindale said. “But just to be honest with you, I think it was one of those decisions that was out of his hands, and we’ll just leave it at that. But that’s OK. Wherever you’re at is where you’re supposed to be.”
It would be easy to infer from Martindale’s comments that owner Woody Johnson meddled in the hiring process. Regardless, it will primarily be up to Glenn to turn the Jets’ defense around in 2026. With Steve Wilks and then Chris Harris in charge last year, the unit ranked 31st in scoring and somehow failed to intercept a single pass.
In other coaching news…
- Clemson hired longtime NFL special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia for the same job earlier this month. Bisaccia has previous experience at Clemson, where he coached special teams and running backs from 1994-98. The 65-year-old spent the past four seasons running the Packers’ special teams unit, leaving them surprised when he stepped down in February. Bisaccia has also been an ST coordinator with the Raiders, Chargers and Cowboys. After Jon Gruden‘s resignation in 2021, Bisaccia took over as the Raiders’ interim head coach and led them to a 7-5 record. The Raiders earned their most recent playoff berth under Bisaccia, but they did not promote him to the full-time post after the season. They instead hired Josh McDaniels, who stumbled to a 9-16 mark during his year and a half in Las Vegas.
- As part of an NFL career that spanned from 2014-24, former receiver Willie Snead spent three seasons playing for Sean Payton in New Orleans. The two are reuniting in Denver in 2026. Payton, now the Broncos’ head coach, hired Snead in an offensive quality control role, per Mike Klis of 9News. Payton also promoted Chris Morgan from assistant offensive line coach to O-line coach and added former NFL linebacker Zaviar Gooden as an assistant strength and conditioning coach (via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network and Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2).
- Briefly an Eagles quarterback in 2011, Jerrod Johnson interviewed twice for their offensive coordinator vacancy in January. The job went to Sean Mannion, but the Eagles still added Johnson to their staff earlier this month (via Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia). After a three-year run as the Texans’ QBs coach, Johnson will serve as senior offensive assistant/special projects for the head coach in Philadelphia.
- Tee Martin was on the Ravens’ staff for the past half-decade, working as John Harbaugh‘s wide receivers coach for two years and then his quarterbacks coach for three. New head coach Jesse Minter did not retain Martin, who is now joining Lane Kiffin‘s LSU staff as an offensive analyst, insider Jordan Schultz reports. Martin, a former national title-winning QB at Tennessee, garnered over a decade of experience coaching at the college level before he moved to Baltimore.
AFC Notes: Raiders, Bengals, Fields
The Raiders landed PFR’s No. 1-ranked free agent, former Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum, when the negotiating window opened March 9. To reel in Linderbaum, the Raiders submitted a three-year, $81MM offer – the richest in the history of his position. Former Raiders head coach Pete Carroll wishes they would have been that aggressive in addressing their offensive line last offseason. During Carroll’s lone season in Las Vegas, the team finished 3-14 and allowed the most sacks in the NFL (64).
Discussing the Raiders’ 2025 O-line with ESPN’s Rich Cimini, Carroll observed: “Our offensive guys up front, from the last couple of years, we got murdered. We needed to upgrade that more than we did. It didn’t happen in the draft, and it didn’t happen in the offseason.”
The Raiders signed veteran interior lineman Alex Cappa for two years and $11MM last offseason, but they have already bailed on that investment. Meanwhile, third-round rookies Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant combined for just 15 appearances. Rogers started in all six games at right guard, but Grant – a tackle – was on the field for a mere 59 offensive snaps.
Now looking to further improve a line that Pro Football Focus rated as the worst in the league, the Raiders are expected to focus on the area in the draft. “They’re going to draft a tackle day one, and they’ll add a guard,” one general manager told Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom. “The line was terrible. They couldn’t (run) block or (pass) protect.”
The GM made those comments before the Raiders’ trade with the Ravens for Maxx Crosby collapsed. Had it gone through, the Raiders would have collected two first-rounders for Crosby, including the 14th overall pick this year. They are now out of the running for a Day 1 offensive tackle unless they acquire another first-rounder. The Raiders are considered shoo-ins to use their top pick, No. 1 overall, on former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
The Raiders have an established left tackle in Kolton Miller, though the 30-year-old missed 13 games in 2025 with a high ankle sprain and a hairline fracture. Miller is on schedule in his recovery, however, and should be ready for OTAs, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the California Post. Right tackle DJ Glaze has started in 31 of career 34 games, including all 17 last year, though the Raiders could attempt to upgrade on the former third-rounder in the draft.
At guard, Las Vegas lost a starter when Dylan Parham chose the Jets in free agency, but the team brought in former 49er Spencer Burford to compete for a spot. Rogers, Burford, Jackson Powers-Johnson and Jordan Meredith are all candidates for the two starting guard jobs, which could change depending on how the draft unfolds. It would be optimal for the Raiders to continue building up their line to benefit Mendoza and second-year running back Ashton Jeanty.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- There was a changing of the guard at linebacker in Cincinnati in 2025. Not only did the Bengals release Germaine Pratt prior to the season, but they traded the now-retired Logan Wilson to the Cowboys before the Nov. 4 deadline. The Wilson swap came after rookies Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter took over as the Bengals’ primary linebackers. Considering the Bengals have not made any notable moves at the position this offseason, it appears Knight and Carter will continue to lead their LBs in 2026, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic writes. Kaden Elliss and Leo Chenal were among potential free agent options, but the Bengals did not aggressively pursue either player, according to Dehner. Elliss signed with the Saints on a three-year, $33MM deal, while Chenal took the Commanders’ three-year, $24.75MM offer.
- Quarterback Justin Fields would have played 2026 on a $20MM base salary had there been no adjustments to the two-year, $40MM pact the Jets gave him last offseason. Instead, after the Jets traded Fields to the Chiefs for a sixth-rounder on Monday, he will earn $11MM. The Jets will give Fields an $8MM signing bonus, while the Chiefs will pay his fully guaranteed $3MM salary, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
- Wide receiver Jalen Tolbert‘s one-year pact with the Dolphins is a veteran salary benefit deal worth $1.4MM, including $1.26MM in guarantees, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 relays. Despite the minor investment, the former Cowboy could play a big role in a Miami receiving corps that no longer includes the traded Jaylen Waddle or the released Tyreek Hill. Tolbert put up career highs with 49 catches, 610 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024, but his numbers plummeted last season thanks to the Cowboys’ addition of George Pickens.
AFC Contract Details: Colts, Pierce, Patriots, Doubs, Kelce, Chiefs, Jets, Titans, Raiders, Browns, Bengals, Texans
Here are the latest details from contracts agreed to around the AFC:
- Alec Pierce, WR (Colts). Four years, $114MM. In addition to a previously reported $60MM full guarantee, Pierce will see $10MM of his $27MM 2028 base salary shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the 2027 league year, according to OverTheCap. Another $14MM of Pierce’s 2028 base salary becomes guaranteed on Day 5 of the 2028 league year. He will be due a $2MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2029 league year. One void year is in place to spread out the cap hits, the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson tweets.
- Romeo Doubs, WR (Patriots). Four years, $68MM. Doubs secured $35MM fully guaranteed. After fully guaranteed 2026 and ’27 base salaries, Doubs has a $4MM injury guarantee on his $14MM 2028 salary, the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin tweets.
- Cor’Dale Flott, CB (Titans). Three years, $45MM. In addition to the previously reported $32MM fully guaranteed, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes Flott is in line for a $2MM roster bonus on Day 3 of the 2028 league year.
- Bryan Cook, S (Bengals). Three years, $40.25MM. Cook will see $14MM fully guaranteed, per OverTheCap. Roster bonuses of $4MM and $1MM are due on Day 5 of the 2027 and ’28 league years, respectively, according to Spotrac.
- Minkah Fitzpatrick, S (Jets). Three years, $40MM. Fitzpatrick’s second extension will bring $20.5MM guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap. The $13.33MM AAV is a reduction from the All-Pro’s 2022 Steelers deal (four years, $72.99MM), but the former first-rounder is entering an age-30 season.
- Dre’Mont Jones, DE (Patriots). Three years, $36.5MM. Jones will see $23.28MM fully guaranteed, Wilson tweets. A $1MM playing time incentive is in place on this deal as well, with OverTheCap noting the guarantees cover Jones’ 2026 and 2027 compensation.
- Jalen Nailor, WR (Raiders). Three years, $35MM. Nailor’s previously covered $23MM at-signing guarantee includes $6.5MM of his 2027 base salary ($11.5MM); the remaining $5MM locks in on Day 3 of the 2027 league year, Wilson adds.
- Orlando Brown Jr., LT (Bengals). Two years, $32MM. Brown secured $14MM fully guaranteed, according to OverTheCap, which indicates he is due a $2.15MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2027 league year. This extension did not drop Brown’s 2026 cap number by much, as it dropped from $21.99MM to $19.29MM.
- Reed Blankenship, S (Texans). Three years, $24.75MM. Blankenship landed $16.75MM fully guaranteed, Wilson tweets. That covers the ex-Eagle’s 2026 and ’27 compensation.
- Dylan Parham, G (Jets). Two years, $16MM. The ex-Raider starter secured $7.49MM fully guaranteed, Wilson adds. Three void years are included in the deal, leaving Parham’s 2026 cap number at just $3.97MM.
- Quincy Williams, LB (Browns). Two years, $13MM. Williams landed $9MM fully guaranteed, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The veteran linebacker will see $2.5MM of his 2027 compensation guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap.
- Travis Kelce, TE (Chiefs). One year, $12MM. The deal is fully guaranteed. Two void years are included in this contract, keeping Kelce’s 2026 cap hit at $4.9MM. A $40MM guarantee for 2028 is in place for June 8, 2027, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. This is designed to allow the Chiefs to designate Kelce a post-June 1 cut — a tactic the Eagles used with brother Jason Kelce in 2024 — thus defraying dead money ($7.13MM) over two years. If the Chiefs make the playoffs and Kelce plays 60% of their offensive snaps, Breer adds a $750K incentive triggers. Playing 70% of the offensive snaps in a playoff year would earn Kelce $1MM; an 80%-plus snap share for a postseason Chiefs team would bring $2MM. Kelce played 81% of the Chiefs’ offensive snaps in 2025.
OL Notes: Lions, Linderbaum, Steelers, Texans, Giants, Panthers, Browns, Saints
Winning a 49ers starting guard job to open last season, Ben Bartch ran into injury trouble and ultimately lost his job. The veteran interior O-lineman suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 2, being part of another injury-riddled 49ers season. Upon return, Bartch did not reacquire his starting job. Bartch ended up suffering a foot sprain, after the 49ers used an IR activation on him, and played out his contract. The Lions have him on their radar, however, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson noting the NFC North team conducted a visit recently. A 24-game starter with Jacksonville and San Francisco, Bartch is heading into an age-28 season. Detroit signed Cade Mays to fill in at center, and the team returns starters Tate Ratledge and Christian Mahogany from last season.
Here is the latest from around the O-line groups:
- Not returning after a Week 12 neck injury, Broderick Jones underwent fusion surgery in his neck (according to the Pat McAfee Show‘s Mark Kaboly). It looked like a long shot Pittsburgh would exercise Jones’ fifth-year option ($19.07MM), and Omar Khan did not confirm Jones would be ready for training camp. That will make the left tackle position — in a stopgap scenario at the very least — one to monitor in Pittsburgh.
- Tyler Linderbaum‘s Raiders deal keeps looking more impressive. Already locked in to what is practically a three-year, $81MM fully guaranteed contract, the new Raiders center secured a no-tag clause for 2029, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. No center has been franchise- or transition-tagged since the Panthers cuffed Ryan Kalil with a franchise tag in 2011. Then again, no center (or guard) has approached Linderbaum’s $27MM-AAV accord. With tackles, guards and center grouped together on the tag, a 2029 Linderbaum tender would have been highly unlikely. But, showcasing the leverage the three-time Pro Bowler held in free agency, he secured this deal point anyway.
- The Giants re-signed Joshua Ezeudu earlier today; this came after the team hosted veteran guard Ryan Bates on a visit, Wilson adds. Bates spent the past two seasons with the Bears, starting only two games in two Chicago seasons, but he played out a four-year, $17MM Bills deal — one designed by Chicago via a 2022 RFA offer sheet — last season. The Giants have been stingy at guard despite making a strong push for Alijah Vera-Tucker, and options are dwindling. Though, ex-John Harbaugh Ravens charge Daniel Faalele remains available.
- Wyatt Teller played right guard throughout his Browns tenure, with LG staple Joel Bitonio in place on the other side for 12 seasons, but Wilson indicates a willingness on the new Texans signee’s part to switch sides. With 2025 Houston RG Ed Ingram re-signed, Wilson points to Teller playing left guard in 2026. Wilson also posits a scenario in which Evan Brown competes with incumbent Jake Andrews for the center position. While the Cardinals used Brown at guard over the past two seasons, he has logged full seasons at center — for the Seahawks and Lions — in the past.
- As Teller leaves Cleveland after six-plus seasons and Bitonio not certain to return, the Browns added three guard options (though, guard/tackle Tytus Howard is expected to play RT following a trade). Howard’s two-year, $45MM Browns extension includes $34.5MM guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap. Option bonuses exist in 2027 ($18.41MM) and ’28 ($14.36MM), and $13.5MM of Howard’s 2027 compensation is guaranteed at signing. Howard is due a $4MM roster bonus in 2028, per Spotrac. Zion Johnson‘s three-year, $49.5MM Browns deal includes $27.83MM fully guaranteed, Wilson tweets. Two option bonuses are in place here, with Wilson adding the ex-Chargers guard will be due a $3MM roster bonus if on Cleveland’s roster by Day 3 of the 2028 league year. $13.57MM of Johnson’s 2027 compensation is fully guaranteed.
- The Saints‘ Dillon Radunz deal is worth $6.9MM over two years, with ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell noting it includes $3.5MM guaranteed.
- Adding center Luke Fortner and tackle Stone Forsythe, the Panthers kept costs low for both. A 2025 Saints trade pickup, Fortner is tied to a one-year deal worth $2.75MM ($1.33MM guaranteed), Wilson adds. Coming over from the Raiders, Forsythe signed a one-year, $2MM pact with $500K guaranteed (per Wilson).
AFC Contract Details: Mafe, Titans, Raiders, Dean, Bills, Texans, Jets, Pats, Steelers, Jags, Ravens
With the first wave of free agency in the rearview mirror, it is time to take stock of the full numbers given to some of this year’s top targets. Here are the details on some of the top contracts awarded by AFC teams:
- Boye Mafe, DE (Bengals). Three years, $60MM. The Bengals gave Mafe $19MM guaranteed at signing, according to OverTheCap. The ex-Seahawk is projected to land $43.3MM over the deal’s first two seasons, ESPN.com’s Ben Baby tweets. A $2MM roster bonus is due on Day 5 of the 2027 league year.
- Alontae Taylor, CB (Titans). Three years, $58MM. Taylor received $42MM guaranteed at signing, according to OverTheCap. The ex-Saints CB will receive $22MM in 2026, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets.
- Wan’Dale Robinson, WR (Titans). Four years, $70MM. Robinson secured $36.98MM guaranteed at signing, Breer tweets. Neither of Robinson’s 2028 or ’29 base salaries contain guarantees or guarantee mechanisms. Each year carries $2MM in incentives, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.
- Kwity Paye, OLB (Raiders). Three years, $48MM. Paye secured $31.28MM guaranteed, per Wilson; of that total, $25.34MM is locked in at signing (according to OverTheCap). Paye landed $10MM of his $15.5MM 2027 salary guaranteed at signing; the remainder of his ’27 salary vests on Day 4 of 2027 league year.
- Bradley Chubb, OLB (Bills). Three years, $43.5MM. Of Chubb’s previously reported $29MM guarantee, Wilson notes $21.74MM is guaranteed at signing. Chubb will see a $4MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2028 league year, per OverTheCap.
- Alijah Vera-Tucker, G (Patriots). Three years, $42MM. Vera-Tucker’s $21MM signing bonus represents his guarantees at signing, Wilson tweets, though the team has included a notable wrinkle. Vera-Tucker will earn $250K for each game he is active, with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero noting this is among the highest per-game roster bonus figures in NFL history.
- Ed Ingram, G (Texans). Three years, $37.5MM. Receiving $20MM guaranteed at signing, the former second-round pick secured $5MM of his $8.5MM 2027 salary guaranteed at signing. The rest shifts from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the ’27 league year, per Spotrac.
- Jamel Dean, CB (Steelers). Three years, $36.75MM. Keeping with Steelers non-QB/T.J. Watt norms, Dean’s guarantee is his signing bonus ($12MM). Dean would receive a $4MM roster bonus on Day 3 of the 2027 league year, Wilson notes.
- Nakobe Dean, LB (Raiders). Three years, $36MM. Nakobe Dean scored $20MM guaranteed at signing, according to Wilson. The former Eagles linebacker, who missed 12 games due to injury in 2023 and six in ’25, will see $8.5MM of his $11.5MM 2027 salary guaranteed. The remainder becomes guarantee on Day 3 of the ’27 league year (via Spotrac).
- Joseph Ossai, OLB (Jets). Three years, $34.5MM. Ossai will receive $22.49MM guaranteed at signing, Wilson tweets. Ossai’s 2026 and ’27 base salaries are fully guaranteed.
- Montaric Brown, CB (Jaguars). Three years, $31.8MM. Brown landed $20.65MM fully guaranteed, Wilson tweets. The former seventh-round pick secured $8.15MM of his $9.5MM 2027 salary guaranteed at signing.
- John Simpson, G (Ravens). Three years, $30MM. Simpson secured $17.5MM fully guaranteed, Wilson notes. This includes $5.5MM of an $8MM 2027 salary.
Jets To Trade QB Justin Fields To Chiefs
As expected, Justin Fields‘ time in New York is coming to an end. A trade has been worked out which will send him from the Jets to the Chiefs, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. 
This trade will include a late-round pick swap. The Jets are dealing Fields and a seventh-round pick to the Chiefs in exchange for a sixth-round pick, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes. The sixth-rounder is in the 2027 draft, per colleague Tom Pelissero.
New York is retaining salary to facilitate this deal, SNY’s Connor Hughes reports. Per Pelissero, the Jets are taking on $7MM of the $10MM Fields was already guaranteed for the 2026 season. That will make him a cost-effective backup for the Chiefs, a team in need of insurance under center. Patrick Mahomes continues to recover from an ACL tear, leaving his Week 1 availability in question.
Gardner Minshew was in place as Kansas City’s backup, but he departed last week by agreeing to a free agent deal with the Cardinals. Fields will now be able to handle first-team reps through the offseason while Mahomes recovers. Other teams were interested in the former Bear and Steeler, per Schefter. He adds, however, that Fields’ preference was to join the Chiefs. With an immediate path to practice time in place with respect to Kansas City, that comes as no surprise.
For the Jets, a Fields departure was made even more likely once a reunion with Geno Smith was worked out. New York traded for Smith last week, and his contract was also reworked as part of the deal. The Jets will only be responsible for $3.3MM of Smith’s compensation for 2026. Paying out a larger figure has allowed for a parting of ways in Fields’ case, something which seemed inevitable once his brief tenure atop the depth chart came to an end.
The former first-rounder secured $30MM guaranteed on a two-year free agent deal last spring. Fields served as New York’s starter for nine contests, averaging less than 140 passing yards per game with a career-low 6.2 yards per attempt average. He managed 383 rushing yards and four scores on the ground, but Fields and the Jets’ passing game was the subject of public criticism from owner Woody Johnson before head coach Aaron Glenn decided to bench him. Tyrod Taylor and Brady Cook saw time afterwards; Taylor is unsigned but Cook and Bailey Zappe are still in place for the Jets.
The cap savings ($11MM) and dead money charges ($12MM) generated by this trade are essentially a wash for New York. Kansas City, meanwhile, entered Monday with roughly $10MM in cap space – nowhere near as much as the Jets. Taking on Fields at a highly reduced rate will be key for the Chiefs as they sort out their QB depth chart. Fields will join Mahomes, Chris Oladokun and Jake Haener as signal-callers in Kansas City. The Ohio State product has expressed confidence he can still operate as a starter, and the opportunity to do so on a short-term basis may present itself in 2026.
Jets DL Jowon Briggs Signs ERFA Tender
Following a promising sophomore season in New York, Jowon Briggs is now definitively sticking with the Jets in 2026. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the defensive tackle inked his exclusive rights free agent tender today.
This was the expected move after the Jets initially placed the ERFA tender on Briggs earlier this month. By signing that deal, the defensive tackle is now attached to a non-guaranteed $1.075MM base salary for next season.
A 2024 seventh-round pick by the Browns, Briggs played sparingly as a rookie. The Jets picked him up via a late-round pick swap towards the end of the 2025 preseason, and the defender immediately saw a role for his new squad. Briggs had a part-time role on the Jets defensive line through the first half of the season, but following the Quinnen Williams deal, the defensive tackle saw a larger role down the stretch.
Briggs actually led the DL unit in snaps from Week 11 on, with the uptick corresponding with his move to the starting lineup. Over that stretch, the lineman compiled 25 tackles, five tackles for loss, and a pair of sacks. When all was said and done, Briggs had four sacks for the season, with Pro Football Focus ranking him 15th among 127 qualifying interior defenders.
The Jets have been busy adding to their defensive line this offseason, with T’Vondre Sweat and David Onyemata joining Harrison Phillips in the starting lineup. Still, the Jets regime clearly sees something in Briggs, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he sees an even larger role during his third NFL season.
Jets To Re-Sign RB/KR Kene Nwangwu
The Jets are re-signing return specialist Kene Nwangwu, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports. It’s a one-year, $2MM deal that includes $1MM in guaranteed money. The pact could be worth up to $3MM.
Nwangwu has totaled just 40 carries in his five-year career, but he has made a significant impact on special teams since the Vikings used a 2021 fourth-round pick on him. Despite playing only 11 games as a rookie, the Iowa State product returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. Nwangwu also averaged 32.2 yards per return on 18 tries, which would have led the league had he recorded enough attempts to qualify. While Nwangwu’s average dropped to 26.3 on a league-high 35 returns in 2022, he added another score and earned second-team All-Pro honors.
After starting 2023 on injured reserve, Nwangwu made just nine appearances on the season. The Vikings cut Nwangwu in August 2024. The Saints scooped Nwangwu up via waivers, but they quickly cut him with a failed physical designation.
Nwangwu has since impressed in New York, which added him to its practice squad a couple weeks after the Saints parted with him. Making his Jets debut in a Week 13 loss to the Seahawks in 2024, Nwangwu took back his first kickoff for a 99-yard touchdown. The Jets promoted Nwangwu to their active roster the next day, but a broken hand ended his season a week and a half later.
Exactly one year ago today, the Jets kept Nwangwu around on a one-year, $2.5MM agreement. He continued to produce over 12 games in 2025. Nwangwu’s 33.6 yards per return on 18 attempts was No. 1 in the league, and he chipped in another 99-yard TD in a special teams-driven win over the Browns in Week 10. The 28-year-old earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his efforts.