Bills Decline To Match Vikings’ Ryan Van Demark Offer Sheet
After signing an offer sheet with the Vikings on Wednesday, offensive tackle Ryan Van Demark will officially leave Buffalo for Minnesota. The Bills have declined to match the Vikings’ one-year offer worth a fully guaranteed $4.2MM, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The deal includes a $2.5MM signing bonus, per Pelissero.
Van Demark, who will turn 28 on Sunday, entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2022. Because the Bills gave Van Demark an original-round tender worth $3.52MM, they will not receive compensation for losing him.
The Bills were in a similar position in 2022 when they tendered former undrafted lineman Ryan Bates at the original-round level. The Bears signed Bates to an offer sheet, but the Bills matched in his case. Now, with just $9.85MM in cap space, the Bills will let Van Demark depart.
A 43-game starter at UConn, Van Demark began his career with the Colts, though he did not survive final roster cuts as a rookie. The 6-foot-6, 307-pounder wound up spending his first year on the Bills’ practice squad. He made his pro debut the next season and has since registered 43 appearances and six starts. In 2025, his first 17-game season, Van Demark racked up a career-high 312 offensive snaps and added another 75 on special teams. Pro Football Focus gave Van Demark, who primarily played right tackle last year, a strong 74.4 grade.
The Bills will continue with Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown locked in at tackle, but their depth will take a hit with the loss of Van Demark. They are down to the inexperienced Tylan Grable–Chase Lundt–Travis Clayton trio behind Dawkins and Brown. Grable, Lundt and Clayton have combined to play in just seven NFL games.
As is the case with the Bills, the Vikings have starting tackles in place. Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill are effective players, but neither has been the picture of health in recent years. Darrisaw has missed at least two games in all five of his seasons, including 10 in 2024 and seven last year. O’Neill logged a 17-game season as recently as 2024, but he missed three games the year before and another three last season.
With Darrisaw and O’Neill struggling to stay healthy in 2025, swing tackle Justin Skule stepped in for 578 snaps and nine starts. Skule is now a free agent, paving the way for Van Demark to replace him in Minnesota.
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.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/19/26
Thursday’s minor moves from around the NFL…
Detroit Lions
- Re-signed: DL Myles Adams
Indianapolis Colts
- Re-signed: CB Cameron Mitchell
A fifth-round pick in 2023, Mitchell was a backup with the Browns until they cut him at the end of September last year. He caught on with the Colts’ practice squad a few days later and wound up playing in eight of their games. As the Colts dealt with injuries to top cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward, Mitchell notched 18 tackles and four passes defensed. The 24-year-old will remain in Indianapolis as depth.
Former Eagles RB Boston Scott Retires
Running back Boston Scott spent almost two full seasons out of football after the Steelers waived him with an injury settlement in September 2024. Set to turn 31 in April, Scott announced his retirement on X on Wednesday.
“I’m thankful for everything the game has given me and my family,” Scott wrote. “I’m thankful for the coaches, teammates, and staff throughout my career that believed in me even when it wasn’t popular.”
Fresh off his lone 1,000-yard rushing season at Louisiana Tech, Scott entered the NFL as a Saints sixth-round pick in 2018. However, the Baton Rouge, La., native never played a meaningful snap for his local team.
The Saints cut Scott before his rookie season. He wound up spending a couple months on their practice squad before they waived him again in December 2018. Scott quickly landed on the Eagles’ taxi squad and went on to log two appearances in his first year. While the 5-foot-6, 204-pounder did not touch the ball on offense, he returned four kicks for 96 yards.
Scott became much more involved in the Eagles’ offense in his second season, the beginning of a five-year run in which he combined for 373 touches (302 carries, 71 receptions). He set career highs in carries (87) and rushing touchdowns (seven) in 2021. Over 75 games and 12 starts with the Eagles, Scott ran for 1,295 yards and 16 TDs on 4.3 YPC. As a pass catcher, Scott added 566 yards and another score. He chipped in a 22.8-yard average on 66 kick returns.
Scott’s tenure in Philadelphia ended when he signed with the Rams in the spring of 2024, but he did not make their roster. Although Scott worked out for the Ravens and Colts last summer, he was unable to land another contract.
Saints Bring Back DE Chris Rumph
Former Charger Chris Rumph joined the Saints on a one-year contract last spring. After posting his first career 17-game season in 2025, the defensive end will remain in New Orleans. Rumph has agreed to a new deal with the Saints, the team announced (via Katherine Terrell of ESPN).
A former Duke Blue Devil, Rumph entered the pros as the Chargers’ fourth-round pick 2021. Rumph appeared in 37 games and totaled three sacks over his first three seasons, during which the Chargers counted on him as a core special teamer. However, they let Rumph go after he spent the entire 2024 campaign on injured reserve.
All of Rumph’s snaps in Los Angeles came with head coach Brandon Staley at the helm. Staley, whom the Chargers fired late in Rumph’s third season, became the Saints’ defensive coordinator last year.
Rumph followed Staley to New Orleans, where he piled up a personal-best 47 tackles and tied a career high with two sacks. He was on the field for 330 defensive snaps and another 351 on special teams. The 27-year-old’s 81.63% ST snap share ranked second on the Saints.
Rumph will continue to fill a similar role in New Orleans, though he could see more defensive work if free agent and franchise icon Cameron Jordan does not return. With Jordan unsigned, Carl Granderson and Chase Young are the Saints’ top defensive ends.
Eagles Sign RB Dameon Pierce
The Eagles signed running back Dameon Pierce, per a team announcement, adding depth to a backfield that lost AJ Dillon in free agency earlier this week.
Pierce, 26, appeared in four games for the Texans and one for the Chiefs in 2025 with just 28 total snaps on offense. Originally a fourth-round pick in 2022, the Florida product emerged as Houston’s lead back and ranked eighth in the NFL with 72.2 rushing yards per game.
Pierce’s rookie season ended in Week 13 due to an ankle injury, and he lost his starting job after a rough start to his sophomore campaign. He finished the year with just 2.9 yards per carry and was seen as an afterthought in 2024 after the Texans’ acquisition of Joe Mixon. But Pierce bounced back in a rotational role in the backfield. Even taking out his season-long rush of 92 yards, he averaged 5.2 yards per carry, but injuries again limited him to 11 games.
It was clear in 2025 that the Texans were finished with Pierce. Even with Mixon sidelined, he had virtually no role in the offense. He was active for four games with all 23 of his offensive snaps and 10 of his carries in Weeks 1 and 5. He later had kick return duties in Weeks 8 and 10 before being waived.
The Chiefs added Pierce to their practice squad and played him in Week 18. He will now look to carve out a role in Philadelphia behind Saquon Barkley. Tank Bigsby ran well when called upon in 2025, so he is likely the favorite for the No. 2 role, but 2024 fourth-rounder Will Shipley has yet to distinguish himself in the NFL. All three also have experience returning kicks, which will likely factor into the competition for roster spots and playing time.
The Eagles are also signing tight end Stone Smartt, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The former college quarterback appeared in 15 games for the Jets last season after three years with the Chargers. Smartt flashed some pass-catching ability in Los Angeles, but has primarily been a special teams contributor in his career and will likely continue in a similar role in Philadelphia.
Dolphins Sign LS Taybor Pepper
The Dolphins continue to add options as they sort out their special teams battery. The team announced on Thursday that long snapper Taybor Pepper has been signed. 
Pepper has seen time with three different NFL franchises, including Miami in 2019. His lone Dolphins campaign was followed by a five-year stretch with the 49ers. Pepper was cut last March, and he did not catch on with a team. He will now spend the summer aiming to return to NFL game action.
Pepper is joined on Miami’s roster by Tucker Addington at the long snapper position. Addington split his time between the Patriots and Dolphins in 2025, making three appearances for his current team. He has played 10 games in the NFL, a stark contrast to Pepper’s 100.
Pepper, 32 in May, has played on a pair of deals carrying a seven-figure AAV in his career. His 49ers contracts from 2021 and ’23 checked in at $1.04MM and $1.32MM, respectively, in that regard. A similar value would come as no surprise in this case. On the other hand, Pepper’s missed time from last year and the Dolphins’ tight cap situation could result in a slightly less lucrative agreement.
This signing comes shortly after Miami agreed to terms with punter Bradley Pinion. Once it becomes official, the team will have two players at each of the kicker, punter and long snapper positions. Needless to say, special teams competition will be a common theme throughout training camp.
Eagles, K Jake Elliott Agree To Revised Contract
Eagles kicker Jake Elliott accepted a revised contract, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, which reduces his 2026 pay by $1MM but ensures he will remain on the roster this season.
Elliott, 31, signed a four-year extension with the Eagles in 2024 worth $6MM per year with $9.7MM in guaranteed money. This year he was set to earn $6MM, but none of it was guaranteed.
The reworked contract includes a $1.3MM veteran-minimum salary and a $3.65MM signing bonus, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson – all guaranteed money. The Eagles also added three void years to the deal to fully prorate Elliott’s signing bonus (and option bonuses in 2027 and 2028).
As a result, Elliott’s cap hit was reduced by about $240k, and he can be safely removed from Philadelphia’s list of potential cut candidates.
Elliott’s pay cut comes after two down seasons for the veteran kicker. Originally a Bengals fifth-round pick in 2017, he signed with the Eagles early in his rookie year after not making the roster in Cincinnati. He quickly proved himself to be a reliable kicker and converted 86.2% of his field goal attempts in the first seven years of his career with just one season below 80%. Elliott also made 26 of his 37 attempts from over 50 yards, good for a 70% conversion rate from distance, and received a Pro Bowl nod in 2021 and a second-team All-Pro selection in 2023. He also won a Super Bowl in his rookie year and in 2024.
But in the last two years, Elliott has made just 76.2% of his field goals and just five of 15 from beyond 50 yards. The Eagles understandably did not want to pay him at the very top of the kicker market, but they felt that his history of consistency and reliability was still worth keeping in Philadelphia.
Commanders Extend S Jeremy Reaves
Jeremy Reaves was on course to spend 2026 as a pending free agent. That will no longer be the case, however. 
The veteran safety signed an extension on Thursday, per a team announcement. Terms of the deal were not announced. At a minimum, today’s news ensures Reaves will remain on the books through 2027. Every game in his eight-year career has been spent in Washington.
Reaves entered the league as an undrafted free agent of the Eagles, but he soon found himself in the nation’s capital. Over time, he has established himself as a useful contributor on defense and special teams. Reaves’ playing time has fluctuated over the years, with a notable safety snap share in place for 2020 and ’21. The following season, Reaves was used sparingly on defense but he earned first-team All-Pro acclaim and a Pro Bowl nod for his work on special teams.
The South Alabama product has played on a string of short-term deals over the course of his career. Reaves inked a two-year, $6MM contract in 2024; a one-year extension came about the following offseason. This latest accord will presumably carry a value similar to his recent ones without tying the Commanders to a lengthy commitment. Prior to today’s news, Reaves was set to collect $2.65MM in 2026, with a portion of that already guaranteed. A modest top-up in terms of locked-in compensation could be coming.
During Dan Quinn‘s first season leading the Commanders, Reaves was used almost exclusively on special teams. Things changed dramatically in 2025, though, as the 29-year-old logged 708 defensive snaps. That represented by far the most of his career in that regard. It will be interesting to see how Reaves is used moving forward.
Washington’s secondary has seen several changes early in free agency. The team has added Nick Cross at the safety spot, something which should put him in line for a first-team gig. If so, Reaves could return to third phase duties while offering the Commanders an experienced backup option.
Dolphins, P Bradley Pinion Agree To Deal
Punter Jake Bailey was among the players who lined up a deal during the opening day of the negotiating period, agreeing to terms with the Falcons. The Dolphins have found another candidate to replace him. 
Miami has a deal in place with Bradley Pinion, Mike Garafolo, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report. This will be a one-year contract, keeping in line with several of the team’s additions so far. With the Dolphins in the early stages of a full-scale rebuild, this is the latest short-term accord which will no doubt be an inexpensive one as well.
Bailey spent each of the past three seasons with the Dolphins. He is now headed to Atlanta, where Pinion was from 2022-25. The two veterans were nearly identical in terms of gross yards per punt average in 2024, but Bailey had an edge last season; that was also the case for net average. Pinion has a long track record of handling kickoff duties, and he could continue in that regard in the event he wins the full-time job with Miami.
The Dolphins also have former undrafted free agent Seth Vernon in the fold. He and Pinion are now in position for a training camp competition to determine the punting gig. The kicker position is in a similar situation. Having released Jason Sanders, Miami has Riley Patterson and Zane Gonzalez in place. If Gonzalez unseats Patterson, the Dolphins will have multiple new faces with respect to their special teams battery in 2026.
Finances remain a major factor in each of Miami’s roster moves given the team’s massive dead money charges stemming from the likes of Tua Tagovailoa‘s release and the decision to trade away Jaylen Waddle. Pinion’s second and final Falcons contract was a three-year pact averaging $2.88MM per season. This Dolphins accord will likely check in at a lower rate.