Minor NFL Transactions: 3/17/26
Tuesday’s minor moves from around the NFL…
Cleveland Browns
- Re-signed: CB D’Angelo Ross
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed ERFA tender: CB Reddy Steward
- Signed RFA tender: G T.J. Bass
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed RFA tender: DT Thomas Booker
New Orleans Saints
- Suspended: CB Beanie Bishop
Seattle Seahawks
- Re-signed: LB Chazz Surratt
Tennessee Titans
- Re-signed: RB Julius Chestnut
- Signed: OL Austin Deculus
Since signing with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2023, Bass has started in just 10 of 48 games. Nevertheless, the Cowboys placed a second-round tender on Bass on March 7. The Cowboys would have received a second-rounder had they passed on matching an offer sheet, but nobody presented one to Bass over the past week and a half. The 26-year-old signed his tender with Dallas on Tuesday and will collect a substantial raise as a result. After earning a base salary of $1.03MM in 2025, Bass will rake in $5.75MM next season. As Tommy Yarrish of DallasCowboys.com notes, Bass could be a candidate to start at left guard if Tyler Smith moves to left tackle.
The league has issued a three-game suspension to Bishop for violating its substances of abuse policy, according to Mike Tripplett of NewOrleans.Football. As an undrafted rookie with the Steelers in 2024, Bishop surprisingly picked off four passes in 17 games. But Bishop did not survive the Steelers’ final cuts last August, and though he returned to their practice squad, they waived the 5-foot-9, 182-pounder in November. Bishop joined the Saints’ practice squad in December, but he did not see any action with them down the stretch. The Saints kept Bishop around after the season on a reserve/futures deal.
Deculus, whom the Texans drafted in the sixth round in 2022, has played in 26 games over his four years in the league. He notched career highs in games (13) and starts (five) during his lone season with the Chargers in 2025. Deculus stepped in for 498 tackle snaps (476 on the left side, 22 on the right) as O-line cornerstones Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt dealt with major injuries, but it did not go well. Pro Football Focus ranked Deculus’ performance last among 84 tackles. He will now compete for a spot behind Titans tackles Dan Moore Jr. and JC Latham.
Vikings To Sign P Johnny Hekker
The Vikings boasted one of the league’s best punting units in 2025, but they were set to take a hit with the departure of punter Ryan Wright, who signed a four-year, $14MM deal with the Saints last week.
Minnesota has now found a replacement, and a good one at that. Four-time Pro Bowler Johnny Hekker is set to join the Vikings on a one-year deal, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Hekker, 36, is the most decorated punter in the league. He originally signed with the Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2012 and broke out in 2013 with Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors. That kicked off one of the more impressive specialist stretches in recent memory. Hekker added three more Pro Bowls and five All-Pro selections (three first-team, two second-team) in the next five years and was rightfully named to the Hall of Fame’s All-2010s Team at the end of the decade.
The Rams won the Super Bowl in 2021, Hekker’s last year in Los Angeles. He signed a three-year deal with the Panthers and set a new career-high in his debut season in Carolina with 48.5 yards per punt. The 14-year veteran saw some regression in the next two years and spent the 2025 season with the Titans, during which he averaged the fewest net yards per punt of his career.
In addition to his punting duties in Minnesota, Hekker will also become the holder in the Vikings’ kicking battery with kicker Will Reichard and long snapper Andrew DePaola. Reicard, a 2024 sixth-round pick, earned a first-team All-Pro nod in his sophomore season – like his new teammate – after making 33 of his 35 field goal attempts and all of his extra points. His only two misses came from over 50 yards, and he made another 13 kicks from that distance or longer. DePaola is in the midst of his own impressive run with three Pro Bowls and four All-Pro (two first-team, two second-team) nods in the last four years.
The trio will look to continue the Vikings’ special teams success into 2026 with the entire team hungry for a playoff berth after a disappointing 2025 campaign.
Raiders Sign G Spencer Burford
The Raiders remain active into the second week of free agency. The team announced the signing of guard Spencer Burford on Tuesday. It’s a one-year deal, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 first reported an agreement was in the works.
Burford, 25, spent the first four years of his career in San Francisco. The 2022 fourth-rounder from Texas-San Antonio started in 29 of 30 games at right guard in his first two seasons. However, the addition of 2024 third-rounder Dominick Puni relegated Burford to the bench in his third year. Burford did not start in any of his 15 games then, but he returned to a regular role during a truncated 2025.
The 49ers dealt with injuries to Burford and Ben Bartch, both left guard options, last season. Although Burford was on IR with a knee injury from late September to early December, he started in nine of 11 appearances at left guard. Pro Football Focus rated Burford’s work 53rd among 79 qualified guards.
The Raiders lost four-year guard starter Dylan Parham last week in free agency. Burford visited with the Chargers on Sunday (via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN), but he will instead join the AFC West rival Raiders.
In heading to Las Vegas, Burford will reunite with rookie Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak, who was the 49ers’ pass-game coordinator in 2023. Burford will at least give the Raiders experienced depth at guard, though he could compete for a starting job with Jordan Meredith and Jackson Powers-Johnson.
Lions To Sign DE D.J. Wonnum
The Lions are adding some much-needed pass-rushing depth. The team has agreed to a one-year contract with defensive end D.J. Wonnum, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The deal is worth up to $6MM.
Wonnum is returning to the NFC North, where he spent the first four years of his career in Minnesota. The Vikings chose the former South Carolina standout in the fourth round of the 2020 draft. While playing 62 of a possible 67 games on his four-year rookie contract, Wonnum piled up 23 sacks. He totaled a career-high eight in 2021 and ’23.
After his Vikings tenure concluded, Wonnum joined the Panthers on a two-year, $12.5MM agreement in March 2024. He went on to start in 23 of 24 games in Carolina. While a quad injury limited Wonnum to eight games in his first season with the Panthers, he still managed four sacks.
Wonnum was much healthier last season, in which he made a career-high 15 starts in 16 games and recorded a 65.09% defensive snap share. However, his sack total fell to three, tying the lowest mark of his career. The 28-year-old posted 42 tackles (four TFL), four QB hits, three passes defensed and his first career interception. Pro Football Focus ranked Wonnum’s performance a subpar 96th among 119 edge rushers.
In dire need of edge-rushing complements to Aidan Hutchinson, the Lions are buying relatively low on Wonnum. Hutchinson led the team with 14.5 sacks last season. Al-Quadin Muhammad finished second with 11, but he relocated to Tampa Bay in free agency. The Lions have also said goodbye to Tyrus Wheat (Cowboys) and Josh Paschal (released), while Marcus Davenport remains a free agent after two injury-shortened years in Detroit.
Saints Add RB Ty Chandler
So far, the Saints’ biggest offseason splash has been the addition of former Jaguars running back Travis Etienne on a four-year, $52MM pact. They agreed to terms Tuesday with another veteran back, Ty Chandler, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. Contract details are not yet available.
Chandler entered the NFL as a Vikings fifth-round pick in 2022. Minnesota had been Chandler’s sole NFL stop until his deal with New Orleans came together.
The 5-foot-11, 205-pound speedster sandwiched a pair of 17-game campaigns between two three-game seasons during his four years with the Vikings. Chandler missed 14 contests last year as a result of a Week 1 knee injury that shelved him until Christmas Day. He finished 2025 with just 47 yards on 17 carries.
Chandler’s workload differed greatly in his two healthy seasons in Minnesota. During a career year in 2023, he played 307 offensive snaps and rushed 102 times for 461 yards (4.5 YPC) and three touchdowns. Chandler also chipped in 21 catches for 159 yards. The Vikings brought in Aaron Jones during the ensuing offseason, leading to less playing time for Chandler in 2024. Over 153 offensive snaps, he totaled 56 carries, 182 yards (3.3 YPC) and no scores; as a receiver, he caught six passes for 42 yards.
In addition to his backup role on offense, Chandler amassed over 300 special teams snaps and returned 15 kickoffs as a Viking. With Etienne and Alvin Kamara atop the Saints’ depth chart at running back, more special teams work is likely in store for Chandler. If the Saints trade or release Kamara, Chandler would be in line to compete for touches with Devin Neal, Audric Estime, Kendre Miller and Evan Hull. Having suffered a torn ACL in October, it is unclear if Miller will be ready for the start of the season.
Colts Sign CB Cam Taylor-Britt
A Colts secondary loaded with big-ticket contracts will add a former second-round pick to the mix. Cam Taylor-Britt will reunite with former Bengals DC Lou Anarumo.
The Colts announced the ex-Bengals cornerback is signing with the team, continuing a busy stretch for the AFC South club in terms of defensive depth additions. Taylor-Britt visited the Bengals on Tuesday, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, who adds the Nebraska alum is signing a one-year deal with the Colts.
[RELATED: Bengals Made Offer To Trey Hendrickson]
Taylor-Britt, 26, joins Sauce Gardner, Charvarius Ward, Kenny Moore and Camryn Bynum in Indianapolis’ talented (and expensive) secondary. The team, which lost Nick Cross to the Commanders last week, will reunite Taylor-Britt with Anarumo — his DC from 2022-24 in Cincinnati.
Playing out his rookie contract with the Bengals, Taylor-Britt will be looking for a chance to bounce back after a lost contract year. The Bengals used the 2022 second-rounder as a full-time starter for most of Anarumo’s time running the defense, but Al Golden did not see this equation the same way.
The Bengals benched Taylor-Britt early last season, when he started just two of the eight games he played. The 5-foot-11 corner still played a regular role after a Week 3 demotion, hamstring and foot trouble plagued him at a key point on his NFL timeline. The foot issue led to a midseason shutdown, effectively ruining his contract year. The Colts will provide him another opportunity, and solid system intel should help here — though, a starting role does not appear to be in play at present.
Prior to allowing an alarming 134.1 passer rating as the closest defender in 2025, Taylor-Britt posted more workable numbers (78.0, 98.0) in this category during the 2023 and ’24 seasons. He intercepted seven passes between those campaigns, though the Bengals fired Anarumo after the team’s 2024 defensive regression. Taylor-Britt’s best season came in 2023, when he allowed 56.7% of passes as the closest defender to be completed. Pro Football Focus, however, has never rated him as a top-50 CB option. Taylor-Britt also pleaded guilty to reckless driving in January, potentially opening the door to a 2026 suspension under the personal conduct policy.
Ward considered retirement after a three-concussion 2025, but the ex-Chiefs and 49ers starter is expected back to join Gardner. Moore remains in the slot on a three-year, $30MM contract. Taylor-Britt has worked primarily as a boundary corner throughout his career. He joins Justin Walley, a 2025 third-round pick who missed his rookie season with an ACL tear, as depth options for Anarumo. The Bengals still have CBs Daxton Hill and DJ Turner on their rookie contracts, though both are now in platform years.
Ravens To Sign OL Danny Pinter
Dealt a significant blow when Tyler Linderbaum rejected a market-topping offer to join the Raiders (on a deal that smashed through the center salary ceiling), the Ravens have not re-signed two-year left guard starter Daniel Faalele. The AFC North team is adding an experienced depth option, however.
Six-year Colts spot starter/swingman Danny Pinter is heading to the Ravens, the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson notes. The former fifth-round pick met with the Ravens recently, The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec adds.
The Colts had used Pinter as a Week 1 starter in 2022, after having let previous right guard regular Mark Glowinski join the Giants in free agency, but the experiment didn’t take. Although Indianapolis benched Pinter in Week 4 of that season, the sides continued to work together even as a new coaching staff arrived.
Pinter, 29, played on $1.22MM (2024) and $1.67MM (2025) contracts over the past two seasons. The Colts re-signed Pinter last year after he missed all of 2023 due to a broken ankle. Overall, the Ball State alum has made 10 career starts — including three over the past two seasons. Although Frank Reich‘s staff stationed Pinter at RG, Shane Steichen slotted him at center over the past two years. Pinter worked as a Ryan Kelly sub in 2024 and backed up Tanor Bortolini last season.
The Ravens would seem unlikely to give Pinter the first crack at replacing Linderbaum, but they are limited in terms of options presently. Baltimore did sign Jovaughn Gwyn, who played for new O-line coach Dwayne Ledford in Atlanta, and has third-year UDFA Corey Bullock at the position as well. Neither has made a career start. While the Ravens could be connected to centers in the draft, Linderbaum’s four-year employer has multiple veteran options in play a week after his Las Vegas defection.
Colts Sign DT Jerry Tillery, Add Ex-Notre Dame Hoops Starter Carson Towt
Already bringing in veteran defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi, the Colts are importing another former Chiefs interior D-lineman. Jerry Tillery signed with the team today.
Indianapolis returns starters DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart, but Nnadi and Tillery — the latter a 53-game starter and a former first-round pick — will be in place to supply depth.
The Colts are Tillery’s fifth NFL team. The former Chargers first-rounder — the No. 28 overall pick in 2019 — has also played for the Raiders and Vikings before a 2025 Chiefs commitment. Kansas City used Tillery mostly as a backup in its Chris Jones-fronted D-tackle corps, giving the 29-year-old defender three starts in 17 appearances. Tillery, though, started 11 games with the Vikings in 2024.
This marks a return to Indiana for Tillery, whose Notre Dame career booked him that first-round draft slot. A Louisiana native, Tillery played for the Fighting Irish from 2015-18 and closed his career with a second-team All-American nod. While Tillery racked up eight sacks during his final season in South Bend, he has not justified a first-round investment. The Colts have given chances to this type of player at this position recently, however, having employed Taven Bryan during the Chris Ballard regime.
Tillery has 14.5 career sacks in seven seasons, topping out at 4.5 with the 2021 Chargers. Pro Football Focus graded the veteran D-tackle outside the top 100 among qualified options during his season in Kansas City and 89th overall during his Minnesota season. Given a longer runway as a starter in Los Angeles (29 starts), the 295-pound defender logged 10 in Las Vegas from 2022-23.
Beyond the first-round investment, Tillery’s most notable NFL transaction came when the Raiders claimed him off waivers in November 2022. When the Bolts cut him, eight teams submitted claims. Then employing former Chargers DC Gus Bradley, the Colts were one of them. Now with Lou Anarumo running the defense, Ballard’s team will circle back. Indy has now added Nnadi, Tillery and Colby Wooden (from the Packers in a trade that sent Zaire Franklin to Green Bay) at DT this month.
On the subject of Notre Dame alums, former Fighting Irish basketball player Carson Towt also joined the team as a UDFA. The Colts announced that signing Tuesday as well. A seven-year college hoops career wrapped for Towt this month, as he closed out a 31-game season with the Fighting Irish. The Colts plan to try Towt at tight end.
Because Towt’s football eligibility expired before last year, per the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson, he can sign with a team before the draft. The 6-foot-7 forward started 31 games for the ACC team, averaging 5.9 points and nine rebounds per game.
The season prior with Northern Arizona, Towt pulled down a Big Sky-leading 12.4 boards per game to go with 13.3 points per contest. Granted, the Lumberjacks play in a lower-level conference, but the Colts have certainly experienced success with this type of investment before. Mo Alie-Cox, who played collegiately at VCU, is going into his 10th Indianapolis season. The veteran tight end re-signed with the team last week.
In other Colts contract news on the defensive line, Arden Key‘s recent agreement — reported as a $20MM max-value pact — is worth $16MM over two years. Fellow edge rusher Micheal Clemons is joining the team on a three-year, $17MM deal; the ex-Jet’s contract carries $5.99MM guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap. $1MM of Clemons’ $3.87MM 2027 base salary becomes fully guaranteed on Day 5 of the 2027 league year, with Erickson adding the fifth-year D-end is also due $1MM roster bonuses on Day 5 of the 2027 and ’28 league years.
Texans To Sign G Wyatt Teller
One of the top remaining free agents on the market has lined up a new deal. Guard Wyatt Teller is set to join the Texans. 
A two-year Houston deal was agreed to on Tuesday, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. Teller’s arrival will mark the latest change to the Texans’ offensive line, a unit which has been in flux for multiple offseasons. Teller will be counted on to serve as a starting presence along the interior.
According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, this deal has a base value of $16MM. Teller can earn up to $23MM from his latest team. That represents a step back in terms of AAV from his most recent contract, but it is nevertheless an indication he will be seen as a key figure up front for the short term.
The 31-year-old only spent one season with the Bills, but he thrived upon arrival in Cleveland. Teller made 94 starts as a Brown, receiving a Pro Bowl invitation every season from 2021-23. He also earned second-team All-Pro acclaim in 2020 and ’21. A return to that level of play will not be expected by Houston, but this addition should help improve the team’s O-line in general.
The Texans have been busy up front this spring. Each of tackle Trent Brown, guard Ed Ingram and depth option Jarrett Kingston have been re-signed. Meanwhile, Houston traded away longtime starter Tytus Howard as well as former second-rounder Juice Scruggs in separate trades leading up to free agency. On the open market, tackle Braden Smith and guard Evan Brown have been signed.
Teller enjoyed a strong run with Joel Bitonio during their time together with the Browns. He made it clear, however, that a departure would be taking place in March with a new coaching staff in the fold for Cleveland. The Browns’ main offseason priority was a full-scale rebuild up front; that included acquiring Howard from Houston. Bitonio is in danger of retiring, something which would add further to the need for additions at guard in Cleveland’s case.
In any event, Teller will look to provide stability once the Texans’ 2026 lineup is sorted out. Improved play along the O-line will be critical if the team is to progress beyond the divisional round after three straight eliminations at that stage of the playoffs. If all goes well, this addition could go a long way in achieving that goal.
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.