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.
Patriots To Sign CB Kindle Vildor
Kindle Vildor has lined up his next NFL gig. The veteran cornerback has agreed to terms with the Patriots, per his agents (h/t ESPN’s Adam Schefter). 
New England will be the fifth team Vildor plays for provided he makes the team’s roster. The 28-year-old began his career with the Bears, and it was during that span that he earned most of his 27 career starts. Since then, Vildor has seen time with the Titans, Lions and Buccaneers.
During his brief 2023 spell in Detroit, the former fifth-rounder saw a notable workload with the team managing a slew of injuries in the secondary. The Lions re-signed Vildor, who made 17 appearances the following year. He saw much more time on special teams than on defense that year, however. The same was true this past season during his time with Tampa Bay.
Vildor will now join a Patriots secondary which has undergone plenty of changes early in the new league year. Jaylinn Hawkins and Alex Austin have departed in free agency, while New England has brought in Kevin Byard and Mike Brown on one-year contracts. Vildor will look to provide depth to a CB group led by Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis and Marcus Jones.
A heavy special teams role will likely be in store provided New England’s top options at the cornerback spot remain healthy. If needed, though, Vildor will be able to fill in as a defensive presence. His last three contracts have ranged from $1.01MM to $1.34MM, and this Pats agreement will no doubt be similar in value. That will leave the team with plenty of cap space to make other offseason additions.
Panthers Sign LT Rasheed Walker
MARCH 19: Walker’s pact carries a base value of $4MM, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. $3.22MM is guaranteed, including a $2MM signing bonus. Per-game active roster bonuses and incentives will help Walker approach the $10MM maximum he can earn in 2026.
MARCH 13: Rasheed Walker entered free agency as one of the top options, representing a prime-years player with multiple seasons of left tackle experience. The ex-Packers starter is heading to the Panthers, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport report.
Carolina lost LT starter Ikem Ekwonu to a torn patellar tendon during their wild-card loss to the Rams. Walker will be poised to open the season as the team’s replacement. This is a one-year deal, per Pelissero, likely giving Walker a chance to reset with an aim toward doing better on the 2027 market. This contract features a $10MM max value, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets.
This year’s free agent class, as some tend to be, was light on left tackle talent. Walker appeared poised to follow Dan Moore Jr. in fetching an upper-crust contract as a young LT with significant starter seasoning. Instead, this free agency has followed Cam Robinson‘s 2025 path. Robinson ended up settling for a one-year, $12MM Texans deal — one later traded to the Browns. While Walker’s precise terms are not in, a one-year contract represents a disappointment for a player universally expected to be one of this year’s biggest FA winners.
Walker, 26, ranked 11th in pass block win rate last season and 14th in 2024. Pro Football Focus was a bit less bullish due largely to the Penn State product’s run blocking. The advanced metrics site never ranked Walker higher than 40th overall among tackles. Connections to the Browns, Chiefs and Patriots emerged; though, Pats GM Eliot Wolf shot down the New England rumor.
The Packers had hoped David Bakhtiari could reemerge as a consistent starter in 2023, but he lasted just one game. With the former All-Pro quickly out of the picture that season, the Pack plugged in Walker despite having waited until Round 7 to draft him in 2022. He has since started 48 games. The Packers are on track to give the LT keys to 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan, who has been an O-line nomad in Green Bay. Walker beat out the Arizona alum for the 2025 first-string gig, following in Moore’s footsteps by holding off a first-round challenger (as Moore did with Broderick Jones in Pittsburgh).
Despite trouble in pass protection with the Steelers, Moore received a four-year deal worth $82MM ($42.51MM guaranteed at signing). It appears teams had reservations about Walker. Considering LT being a premium position and a 48-game starter being available at 26, this represents perhaps the biggest value surprise on the 2026 market. But Walker will work toward making a better impression on teams soon. Ekwonu’s injury should provide a runway to do so.
Drafted in the 2022 first round, Ekwonu has stopped a decade-long Panthers LT carousel. A locked-in starter throughout his career, Ekwonu looked to be moving toward an extension. But the Panthers may wait now; the former No. 6 overall pick is almost certainly ticketed for the reserve/PUP list to open next season. As a three-year starter who was expected to do much better on this year’s market, Walker represents a high-end insurance option. It will be interesting to learn Ekwonu’s timetable. The Bears have a similar situation, with Ozzy Trapilo suffering a patellar tendon tear in the wild-card round, but they opted to bring back Braxton Jones on a one-year, $5MM deal.