Cardinals Intend To Release Kyler Murray
Quarterback Kyler Murray‘s time in Arizona is up. Barring a trade, the Cardinals informed Murray they will release him on the first day of the league year, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.
The Cardinals have hoped to pull off a Murray trade for at least several weeks, but they have had no luck finding a taker. Not only is Murray on a pricey contract, but he sat out 12 games last season with a mid-foot sprain and did not play past Week 5. It was the second significant injury during Murray’s seven-year career. The former No. 1 pick previously tore his ACL in 2022.
[RELATED: Vikings Expected To Pursue Murray As FA]
A release is the preferred outcome for Murray, who will have the freedom to choose his second NFL employer once the Cardinals officially cut him. On the other hand, it’s less than ideal for the team. Along with receiving no compensation for Murray, Arizona will take on a mammoth amount of dead money.
If Murray is not designated a post-June 1 release, the Cardinals will absorb a $54.72MM charge and lose over $2MM in cap space in 2026. A post-June 1 release would spread $77.25MM in dead money over two years (including $70.05MM in 2026). The Cardinals would also lose $17.39MM in cap space next season. The only silver lining for Arizona is that it will escape paying Murray a $19.5MM salary for 2027 that would have vested on the fifth day of the upcoming league year.
Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort was not part of the organization when Murray signed a five-year, $230MM extension in July 2022. Steve Keim was at the helm then, at which point Murray’s stock was at an all-time high. The former Oklahoma Heisman Trophy winner took home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in his NFL debut before earning back-to-back original-ballot Pro Bowl nods from 2020-21.
The Cardinals won 11 games to break a five-year playoff drought in Murray’s third season, but the Rams leveled them in the wild-card round. While Murray’s extension came several months later, he and the organization have fallen off dramatically since then. The descent began before Murray’s Week 14 ACL tear in 2022. The Cardinals had already lost eight of their first 12 games by then. They went on to finish 4-13. Jonathan Gannon replaced Kliff Kingsbury as the Cardinals’ head coach after the season.
With Murray’s recovery dragging into November 2023, the Cardinals were 1-8 when he returned to make his first start in Week 10. Murray spent the last eight weeks of the year shaking off the rust, and the Cardinals logged their second straight four-win season to begin the Gannon era.
Murray and the Cardinals showed some signs of a rebound in 2024. In Murray’s lone 17-game season to date, the 5-foot-10, 207-pounder completed 68.8% of passes for 3,851 yards (7.1 per attempt), 21 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, a 93.5 passer rating and a career-best 63.4 QBR. As a runner, the mobile Murray piled up 572 yards on a lofty 7.3 per carry and scored five more TDs. The Cardinals went 8-9 with a plus-21 point differential.
Any progress the Cardinals may have made two years ago vanished during Murray’s injury-wrecked final season in their uniform. After Murray and backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett combined for a 3-14 mark, Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill retained Ossenfort but fired Gannon. Mike LaFleur is now in place as the Cardinals’ head coach. He will either work with Brissett or a different starter in his first year in charge.
Set to turn 29 in August, Murray should draw a decent amount of interest in free agency on a prove-it contract. The Vikings are rumored to have interest in Murray, but they’re just one of several teams in the market for a potential starter.
Colts Place Transition Tag On Daniel Jones
To no surprise, Colts pending free agent quarterback Daniel Jones will not reach the open market unfettered. The Colts are placing the $37.833MM transition tag on Jones, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network was among those to report.
This has been the expected outcome for at least a few days, though it will prevent the Colts from placing either the franchise or transition tag on pending free agent wide receiver Alec Pierce. Teams are only allowed to tag one player. The Colts and Pierce are progressing toward a multiyear deal. Indianapolis will have exclusive negotiating rights with Pierce until the legal tampering period opens March 9.
The 28-year-old Jones follows Jeff George (Falcons, 1996) as the second quarterback to receive the transition tag since the NFL introduced it in 1993. Unlike the franchise tag, a team that loses a transition player to an offer sheet is not entitled to any compensation. The Colts still have the right to match any offer that may come in, though, and they have until July 15 to continue working toward a multiyear agreement.
Jones, whom the Giants drafted sixth overall in 2019, has already signed one massive contract in his career. With the Giants of the belief Jones was a franchise QB, they inked him to a four-year, $160MM extension in March 2023. That wound up a regrettable decision for New York, which waived a struggling Jones in November 2024. He quickly joined the Vikings’ practice squad, but with Sam Darnold their starter then, Jones saw no game action.
The Vikings allowed Darnold to leave for Seattle in free agency last March. Jones exited for Indianapolis’ $14MM payday, but not before he turned down a richer offer from Minnesota. He believed he had a better path to playing time with the Colts than the Vikings, who were prepared to hand the reins to 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy. The Colts also have a recent first-round QB in Anthony Richardson, though his stock has dropped considerably since he went fourth in the 2023 draft. Jones had little trouble beating out Richardson to become the Colts’ starter entering last season.
While expectations were low for the Jones-led Colts at the outset of the season, they stormed to a 7-2 start before the Nov. 4 trade deadline. Jones looked like a far better player than the one who regularly underwhelmed with the Giants. With the Colts in contention for the No. 1 seed in the AFC at the time, general manager Chris Ballard traded his 2026 and ’27 first-round picks to the Jets for star cornerback Sauce Gardner. The gamble blew up in Ballard’s face during an injury-ravaged second half for the Colts.
Gardner, No. 2 corner Charvarius Ward and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner all missed significant time down the stretch. Worst of all, Jones tore his Achilles in a Week 14 loss to the AFC South rival Jaguars. That proved to be a fatal blow for the Colts, who lost their third straight game that day and did not win again.
Bringing 44-year-old Philip Rivers out of retirement to help cover for season-ending injuries to Jones and Richardson (orbital fracture) did not stop the bleeding for the Colts. Once 8-2, they closed the year on a seven-game skid and finished 8-9 for the second season in a row. Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon nonetheless retained Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen.
Although Jones is just three months removed from a serious injury, the Colts are optimistic enough about his recovery to risk a $37.833MM guarantee for next season. Richardson, who has requested a trade, and 2025 sixth-round pick Riley Leonard are the only other passers on the Colts’ roster. There is still at least some chance the Colts will lose Jones (the Vikings are reportedly interested in a reunion), which will continue to make this an interesting situation to watch.
Jets Place Franchise Tag On Breece Hall
Hours before the tag deadline, the Jets have made their call with respect to Breece Hall. The franchise tag will be applied, as first reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz. The Jets have since announced the news, with the non-exclusive tag being used. 
Conversations on a long-term deal were ongoing, and today’s move will buy time for further negotiations to take place. The transition tag had been floated as a potential route for the Jets to take in this case, but SNY’s Connor Hughes reports multiple teams made it clear at last week’s Combine they would be prepared to move forward with an offer sheet in that event. To prevent such a scenario, the franchise tag will be used instead.
As a result, Hall is now on course to collect $14.29MM in 2026. That figure will be fully guaranteed, and it will match the 24-year-old’s cap charge for next season. Hughes reports the Jets expect Hall to play on the tag, but there are now several months of runway for team and player to work out an extension.
A report from earlier today indicated an agreement on that front was not close, pointing toward the tag being used. GM Darren Mougey had already made it clear New York would be tagging Hall in one fashion or another, and choosing the more common option ensures he will remain in place. Attention will now turn to the progress of extension talks through the spring. July 15 is the deadline for all tagged players to work out a long-term agreement with their respective teams.
This is the first time the Jets have used the franchise tag since 2021 when they did so with safety Marcus Maye. No multiyear accord wound up being agreed to in that case, and Maye departed the following year. Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn have shown a willingness to trade away players they inherited upon arrival in 2024, and more moves in that regard could be coming. Hall did not find himself in position to land an extension last spring, but today’s news confirms he is still at least in New York’s short-term plans.
The Iowa State product set a new career high in rushing yards this past season, topping 1,000 for the first time. Hall has remained a focal point on offense since recovering from an ACL tear in his rookie campaign, handling between 266 and 299 touches each of the past three seasons. Even if the Jets manage to make needed improvements on offense this spring, Hall figures to once again be a major presence for the unit. Another strong showing would boost his market value for 2027 (if applicable).
The Jets entered Tuesday with nearly $88MM in cap space, so absorbing the cap hit of this tag will not be difficult even if no long-term agreement winds up being finalized. Aside from Hall negotiations, New York’s attention will turn to the matter of finding a new starting quarterback. Despite owning the second overall pick in April’s draft (along with another first-rounder), bringing in a rookie capable of handling QB1 duties right away may not be feasible. As such, at least one veteran addition when free agency opens next week will be something to watch for.
Only three running back contracts currently carry an average annual value higher than the price of Hall’s tag. It will be interesting to see if he manages to land security beyond 2026 as negotiations continue or if he will enter next season as a pending free agent.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/3/26
No teams placed tenders on any of their restricted free agents on Tuesday, but three made decisions on exclusive rights free agents:
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Texans: CB Ja’Marcus Ingram
- 49ers: OT Austen Pleasants
Nontendered:
- Buccaneers: OLB Markees Watts
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/3/26
Today featured several major moves around the NFL, but only one minor one:
Cleveland Browns
- Released: C Justin Osborne
As if letting their entire starting offensive line was not enough, the Browns have now released reserve center Justin Osborne, who missed the entire 2025 season with a back injury.
Bears C Drew Dalman To Retire
With free agency approaching, the Bears are suddenly in need of a center. Drew Dalman has informed the team he is retiring at the age of 27, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Dalman joined the Bears on a three-year, $42MM contract in free agency last March. The fact that he is walking away from the game 12 months later comes as a shock. Dalman’s retirement could save the Bears upward of $10MM in cap room, Courtney Cronin of ESPN notes, but it’s a brutal blow to their offensive line.
Dalman started all 17 games for the NFC North champions last season. He earned a Pro Bowl nod for the first time and ranked as Pro Football Focus’ seventh-best center out of 37 qualifiers.
Dalman’s agreement with Chicago came after he spent the first four years of his career in Atlanta. The 2021 fourth-round pick from Stanford spent his rookie year as a backup and played just 68 offensive snaps in 17 games. Dalman turned into a full-time starter in his second year and never looked back. Injuries limited him to 23 games from 2023-24, including just nine in the second of those seasons. That didn’t deter Chicago from making Dalman one of the game’s highest-paid centers. Before deciding to hang up his cleats, Dalman ranked top five at his position in total value, yearly salary and guarantees ($28MM).
The Dalman signing was just part of an offseason O-line makeover for the Bears. They also acquired guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson in trades and spent a second-round pick on tackle Ozzy Trapilo. Dalman, Thuney and Jackson joined right tackle Darnell Wright as full-time starters on what PFF ranked as the league’s third-best unit in 2025. Trapilo took the starting left tackle job from Theo Benedet in Week 12, though the rookie went on to suffer a torn patellar tendon in a wild-card round win over the Packers.
After undergoing surgery, Trapilo is expected to miss a sizable chunk of next season. Between Dalman’s retirement and Trapilo’s recovery, the Bears now have serious work to do up front for the second straight offseason.
The Bears may already have a potential Dalman replacement in mind in free agent Tyler Biadasz. The former Cowboy and Commander has lined up a visit with the Bears, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. A one-time Pro Bowler, the 28-year-old has started in 84 of 92 games since the Cowboys used a fourth-rounder on him in 2020. Biadasz started in all 31 appearances with the Commanders over the previous two seasons, but they cut him on Feb. 26. PFF graded Biadasz a respectable 12th at his position last season.
Biadasz is a credible starting option on the open market, but the Ravens’ Tyler Linderbaum is the prize among pending free agent centers. While the Ravens have already made Linderbaum a market-topping offer, he is inching closer to the March 9 legal tampering period without a deal. The Bills’ Connor McGovern and the Panthers’ Cade Mays are likely next in the pecking order of unsigned centers. Any of them could land on the radar of Bears general manager Ryan Poles, who unexpectedly needs a starting center heading into the new league year.
Browns To Release OT Cornelius Lucas
At the outset of free agency last March, veteran offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas joined the Browns on a two-year deal worth up to $10MM. The Browns are releasing Lucas a year later, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
A spot starter throughout his 12-year career, Lucas will return to the open market off a 10-game season with Cleveland. The 34-year-old started in five games along an injury-ravaged Browns line. The majority of his work came at right tackle, where he racked up 221 snaps. He also played 64 snaps at left tackle in a Week 3 upset over the Packers.
Lucas’ release will be part of a massive O-line overhaul for the Browns this offseason. Pending free agent guard Wyatt Teller has already said his goodbyes to Cleveland on social media. Fellow soon-to-be free agent guard Joel Bitonio is mulling retirement. Reserve guard Teven Jenkins is also unsigned, as are tackles Cam Robinson and Jack Conklin, and center Ethan Pocic.
While the Browns are poised to lose a handful of linemen, they made a significant addition to the unit in acquiring guard/tackle Tytus Howard from the Texans on Monday. Cleveland and Howard quickly agreed to a three-year, $63MM extension. Further notable pickups will be in order over the next couple of months.
The Browns entered the day approximately $17.31MM over the salary cap. Releasing Lucas will free up $2.045MM and leave the club with $1.6MM in dead money. Also a former Lion, Ram, Saint, Bear and Commander, the well-traveled Lucas will head back to free agency with 139 games and 59 starts on his resume.
Steelers Release T Calvin Anderson
Calvin Anderson‘s time in Pittsburgh has come to an end. The veteran offensive lineman has been released, per the transactions wire (h/t KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson). 
A recent report from Mike DeFabo of The Athletic indicated this move was coming. Anderson had one year remaining on his contract, but he is now headed to free agency early. This cut will create $2MM in cap savings while generating a dead money charge of only $415K.
Anderson played in Denver from 2020-22 before a one-year stint with New England. The former UDFA then joined the Steelers on a veteran minimum contract and made four appearances in 2024. Anderson remained on the market well past the start of free agency, but last April he signed a two-year pact to stay in Pittsburgh. Halfway through that contract, though, the Steelers have elected to move on.
This decision comes as little surprise. Anderson missed time early in the 2025 after recovering from an injury suffered in training camp and he landed on IR in mid-December. The Texas product was limited to just 73 combined snaps between offense and special teams as a result. Dylan Cook – who made four starts and five appearances in 2025 – was already ahead of Anderson on the depth chart prior to this move.
Cook is under contract for next year, and he figures to remain in Pittsburgh’s plans up front. The team currently has roughly $40MM in cap space, and some of that figure could be applied to additions along the offensive line. In any case, Anderson will be playing elsewhere in 2026.
Lions To Trade RB David Montgomery To Texans
The Texans are not finished on the trade front. A much-anticipated running back addition is now being lined up, with another member of their offensive line set to play elsewhere. 
David Montgomery is heading from Detroit to Houston, as first reported by Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. In return, the Lions will acquire offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, along with fourth- and seventh-round picks (h/t Pelissero). The seventh-round selection is for the 2027 draft, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes.
Houston was Montgomery’s preferred destination, Garafolo adds. He will now take on a prominent role in the backfield as the Texans look for improvements on the ground in 2026. Schefter’s colleague Dan Graziano recently named Houston as one of the teams likely to be active in March with respect to running back additions, so today’s news comes as no surprise. Montgomery in particular is a logical target in the Texans’ case given the fact he was seeking a fresh start.
Since the end of the 2025 campaign, a Montgomery trade has been a distinct possibility. Detroit has Jahmyr Gibbs in place, and his fifth-year option is likely to be exercised. That would ensure at least two more years in the Motor City, but a long-term extension at or near the top of the RB market is expected to be pursued. Keeping Gibbs and Montgomery on lucrative deals would not have been feasible given the Lions’ other financial commitments.
Instead, Montgomery will prepare to play for a third career team in anticipation of a heavy workload. The former third-rounder averaged fewer than 12 attempts per game for the first time in his career last season. 2025 was also the first season in which he fell short of 1,000 scrimmage yards. That could soon change with the Texans set to see Nick Chubb reach free agency next week. Fellow veteran Joe Mixon missed all of 2025 through injury and has since undergone surgery. A release in his case should be expected as a result.
Woody Marks has three years remaining on his rookie contract, but bringing in a veteran to split carries with him has long been expected. Montgomery, who turns 29 in June, will be tasked with doing so. He is owed a base salary of $5.49MM in 2026 with a scheduled cap hit of $6MM. Montgomery’s pact runs through 2027, but whether or not he lands a new commitment by that point will of course depend on his performance in Houston.
The Texans’ offensive line will certainly look much different next season. Houston agreed to trade Tytus Howard to the Browns earlier today, creating a vacancy in the starting lineup. Scruggs was not a first-team presence in 2025, but losing him will ensure Houston’s depth along the interior will be altered when next season begins. One year remains on Scruggs’ rookie contract.
The former second-rounder will now look to compete for playing time in Detroit. The Lions were known to be in the market for additions at the left tackle spot but also on the inside. Scruggs, 26, has primarily played at left guard during his career but he saw notable time at center as well in 2024. The future of Graham Glasgow is uncertain at this point, and a release or retirement in his case could open to door to playing time for Scruggs ahead of free agency.
The Lions will look to improve up front in 2026 knowing a stronger O-line will go a long way in helping their offense (a unit which finished fourth in scoring this past year) become even more effective. A running back addition of some kind will be required as well, though, with Gibbs now in need of a new backfield partner.
Browns To Acquire Tytus Howard From Texans; OL Agrees To Cleveland Extension
The Browns are taking the first of what will be many steps aimed at improving their offensive line this offseason. A trade agreement with the Texans has been reached. 
Houston is sending Tytus Howard to Cleveland, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. A fifth-round pick is heading the other way. This is the selection the Browns acquired from the Raiders in the Kenny Pickett trade in August, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer adds. Howard was set to enter the final year of his contract, but this trade is bringing with it a new deal.
Per Rapoport, a $63MM extension has been agreed to by Howard and the Browns with $45MM in new money being committed. As a result, the seven-year veteran will now be on the books through 2028. It remains to be seen if he will be used as a guard or tackle in Cleveland, but in any case Howard will aim to offer the Browns with stability somewhere up front as they renovate their offensive line.
“I wasn’t surprised,” the former first-rounder said in an interview with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson following the news. “They’re trying to get younger and pay some guys. I ain’t mad. I kind of knew it was going to happen.”
Houston’s financial planning needs to take into account a pending extension for edge rusher Will Anderson. A long-term pact for C.J. Stroud may not be coming this offseason, but his 2027 fifth-year option is set to be exercised. A reset along the offensive line will be a key priority, Wilson notes, after the Texans struggled to protect Stroud once again during the 2025 campaign.
Last offseason, Houston traded away left tackle Laremy Tunsil. This Howard move is another one aimed at bringing about a notable change up front as the team seeks out improved play from its O-line. Howard, 30 in May, spent each of his first seven NFL seasons with the Texans. He started all 93 of his regular-season appearances and each of his four playoff contests over that span.
The Browns will thus be adding plenty of experience with this move. Wyatt Teller has made it clear he will not be retuning, while fellow longtime guard Joel Bitonio is once again a strong candidate to retire. Howard could step into either guard spot, something which would be familiar based on his extensive LG experience in Houston. Alternatively, the right tackle position could be his landing spot in Cleveland depending on how Dawand Jones is used in 2026.
Howard secured an $18.67MM AAV on his first extension, signed in 2023. This two-year Browns top-up is worth $22.5MM per season, and expectations will be high upon arrival. Once the trade is finalized, Cleveland will still have nine selection in April’s draft (including its own fifth-rounder). The Texans, meanwhile, will increase their total to 10 draft picks in 2026. At least some of that capital will no doubt be used on offensive line additions, with the same also being true of the team’s free agent resources.