February 24, 2026
Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said on Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine that the team is hoping that impending free-agent tight end
Travis Kelce returns for a 14th NFL season, according to Nate Taylor of ESPN. At the same time, Veach said the Chiefs are "prepared for either scenario" when discussing Kelce's future. The 36-year-old future Hall of Famer is contemplating retirement for the second straight offseason, but the general feeling is that he will return in 2026. Kelce was still plenty productive last year despite the Chiefs not making the playoffs for the first time in a decade. He finished as the TE4 in half-PPR scoring with 76 receptions on 108 targets for 851 yards and five touchdowns in 17 games played. If Kelce does come back for a 14th season, it will likely be in KC. Durability will continue to be a concern for Kelce near the end of his career, but if he's back next season, he should still be firmly on the TE1 radar in fantasy drafts.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Nate Taylor
February 24, 2026
Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio said that any talk about trading quarterback
C.J. Stroud is "moronic," according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. Caserio said that Stroud will be the team's starting QB in 2026. Stroud was a Pro Bowler in his rookie campaign in 2023, but he has regressed each of the last two seasons. The 24-year-old former second overall pick in 2023 out of Ohio State completed 64.5% of his passes for 3,041 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 14 regular-season games in 2025 to finish as the QB21 in overall fantasy points. He was much worse in two playoff games, going 41-for-79 passing for 462 yards, two touchdowns, and five interceptions. He also lost two fumbles. The one positive takeaway from 2025 is that Stroud had a career-high completion percentage. He's still young enough to bounce back, but fantasy managers shouldn't feel comfortable rolling with him as their QB1 in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: Houston Chronicle - Jonathan M. Alexander
February 24, 2026
ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacque reports that the Miami Dolphins are not actively shopping running back
De'Von Achane or wide receiver
Jaylen Waddle for trades this offseason. The Dolphins view Achane and Waddle as "important parts of their franchise," which is in a rebuild with a new front office and coaching staff going into the 2026 season. The Dolphins will listen to offers for both players, but the plan is for them both to remain in Miami, according to general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. The team already released receiver
Tyreek Hill (knee) and is expected to trade or release quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa, but they'd like to build around Achane and Waddle after they both had big seasons in 2025. Achane, 24, had his best season in Year 3, rushing for 1,350 yards and eight TDs on 238 carries while adding 67 catches for 488 yards and four more scores in 16 games. Waddle, meanwhile, bounced back in 2025 as the team's leading receiver with a 64-910-6 line in 16 games played.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Marcel Louis-Jacques
February 24, 2026
Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said that "everything is on the table, including the possibility of a trade," when asked about quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa's status this offseason, according to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network. Sullivan said that Tagovailoa hasn't requested a trade. The Dolphins are in the process of finding a new franchise signal-caller, and their preference is a trade over a release. The 27-year-old former first-rounder hasn't officially asked for a trade, but he's made it pretty clear he's on board with a change of scenery after being benched late last season for
Quinn Ewers. Tagovailoa threw for just 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions in 14 games last year after signing a four-year, $212.4 million contract in July of 2024. Along with his declining play, Tagovailo has a concerning history with concussions, and at best, he'll most likely be competing for a starting job somewhere else this summer.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Cameron Wolfe
February 24, 2026
Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan said on Tuesday that the team has not set a deadline for impending free-agent quarterback
Aaron Rodgers to decide whether he will play in 2026, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. However, Khan told reporters that he's been in communication with Rodgers and doesn't "foresee this going like it did last year." The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer was considering retirement last offseason and didn't agree to a one-year deal with Pittsburgh until just before mandatory minicamp in June. Rodgers led the Steelers to the postseason last year, but he finished as the QB19 in overall fantasy points with 3,322 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 16 regular-season games. It remains to be seen if new head coach Mike McCarthy, who won a Super Bowl with Rodgers in Green Bay, will be able to persuade Rodgers to continue his career in the Steel City. If Rodgers does return to the Steelers in 2026, he'll be more of a midrange QB2 in fantasy, at best.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Mike DeFabo
February 24, 2026
Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta told reporters on Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine that he's "confident" the team will get a contract extension done with quarterback
Lamar Jackson, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The Ravens are looking to get something new done with Jackson since his salary cap hit will jump to $74.5 million for 2026 and 2027 after he signed a five-year, $260 million contract extension in April of 2023. The 29-year-old two-time MVP only played in 13 games in 2025 due to injury and finished with a disappointing 2,549 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also had a career-low 67 rushing attempts for 349 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson will need to bounce back for Baltimore to have a shot at returning to the postseason, and with better health in 2026, he could easily be back in the high-end QB1 tier for fantasy managers.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
February 24, 2026
The Detroit Lions will face a yet-to-be-determined opponent in Munich, Germany, in 2026, according to NFL Deutschland. The 2026 NFL Munich game will be the sixth regular-season game that will be played in Germany. It will be the Lions' first time playing in Germany. The game will be played at the FC Bayern Munich Stadium and will mark Detroit's first international contest in over a decade. Their last international game was on Nov. 1, 2015, against the Kansas City Chiefs at London's Wembley Stadium. Lions wide receiver
Amon-Ra St. Brown's mother hails from Cologne, and he has been waiting for a return trip to Germany. The Lions will be looking to get back to the postseason in 2026 after finishing 9-8 and tied for fourth in the NFC North in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Deutschland
February 24, 2026
Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) won't take part in any on-field workouts or testing at this week's NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, sources told Dane Brugler of The Athletic. Tyson continues to work his way back from a season-ending hamstring injury last year. The former Sun Devil is considered one of the top playmakers at his position in this year's draft class, but his lingering hamstring injury could negatively affect his draft stock in April. In nine games played in his final collegiate season last year before his injury, Tyson caught 61 passes for 711 yards and eight touchdowns. The previous year, he had 75 catches for 1,101 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns in 12 games played. Tyson could be ready to perform on-field activities for scouts at Arizona State's pro day in March.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Dane Brugler
February 24, 2026
Atlanta Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham said that the team plans to release veteran quarterback
Kirk Cousins on the first day of the new league year on March 11. If Cousins were on the roster for the start of the new league year, the Falcons would owe him $67.9 million guaranteed. It's highly unlikely that the Falcons will find a trade partner for Cousins before the start of the new league year. The 37-year-old veteran lost his starting job to
Michael Penix Jr. (knee) late in the 2024 season and was the backup last year until Penix suffered a season-ending knee injury. In 10 games (eight starts) in 2025, Cousins completed a career-low 61.7% of his passes for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions for Atlanta. The four-time Pro Bowler is nearing the twilight of his career, although he could have a chance to compete for a starting job in 2026, depending on where he lands in free agency.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL.com
February 24, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said there is mutual interest between wide receiver
A.J. Brown and the team in continuing his career with the Eagles, but he also "can't guarantee how anything is going to play out into next season," according to Tim McManus of ESPN. Brown openly expressed frustration with the 2025 offensive operation and his role in it, leading to considerable trade speculation this offseason. Despite his frustrations, Brown called Philadelphia "home" and said he was "fortunate" to be one of the leaders of the offense. Although the Eagles want the 28-year-old three-time Pro Bowler back, general manager Howie Roseman indicated the team would entertain trade offers for him. Brown had two 1,400-yard seasons while helping Philly to two Super Bowl appearances in four years, and caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven TDs in 2025 to finish as the WR12 in half-PPR scoring. There's no guarantee a trade out of town will be a boost to Brown's fantasy value in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Tim McManus
February 24, 2026
Three-time Pro Bowl tight end
Zach Ertz (knee) plans to return in 2026 for a 14th NFL season and is expected to be cleared right around Week 1, sources told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Ertz, who will be a free agent next month, is two months into rehab from a torn ACL. The 35-year-old veteran ranks fifth in catches and eighth in yards among tight ends in NFL history, including 50 catches for 504 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games last before before suffering his season-ending knee injury in Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 7. Given his age and uncertainty about whether he'll actually be 100% ready to play in the season opener this fall, Ertz's fantasy stock will drop considerably going into the 2026 season. In his first year in Washington in 2024, Ertz had a 66-654-7 line in 17 games played.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
February 23, 2026
The Kansas City Chiefs released veteran defensive end Mike Danna on Monday to free up more salary cap space before the official start of the new league year, according to ESPN. The move to release Danna saves the Chiefs $9 million on their 2026 cap. The Chiefs entered the offseason more than $57 million over the cap before releasing Danna and restructuring quarterback
Patrick Mahomes' deal. The 28-year-old Danna started 32 games for KC over the last three seasons. In 15 contests in 2025, the 28-year-old former fifth-rounder in 2020 out of Michigan had only 25 tackles (eight solo), one sack, his first career interception, and a pass breakup. Danna has 194 tackles (96 solo), 21.5 sacks, and 25 tackles for loss in his six NFL seasons, all with the Chiefs. He won two Super Bowl titles with KC but will now look to latch on with another team as he heads into his seventh year in the league.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com
February 23, 2026
Los Angeles Chargers center Bradley Bozeman announced his retirement from professional football on Monday on his Instagram account, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. Bozeman will hang up his cleats after playing for three different teams (Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers) over his eight seasons. The 31-year-old was drafted in the sixth round in 2018 out of Alabama by the Ravens, and he played in Baltimore for the first four seasons of his career. He spent 2022 and 2023 with the Panthers before joining the Chargers each of the last two years. Bozeman played in at least 14 games in all eight of his NFL seasons and started 110 of the 129 games he appeared in over the course of his career. Offensive line was already a big area of need for L.A. this offseason before Bozeman's retirement. The Bolts are expected to target center Tyler Linderbaum in free agency to help bolster their O-line.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Kris Rhim
February 23, 2026
Green Bay Packers impending free-agent quarterback
Malik Willis and Alabama QB Ty Simpson are among the "external quarterbacks" on the Cleveland Browns' radar with the NFL scouting combine kicking off this week, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Meanwhile, the Browns are still trying to decide if they think one of
Shedeur Sanders or
Deshaun Watson (Achilles) can be their starter in 2026. Watson has more experience in the NFL, but he didn't play at all last year due to a torn Achilles he suffered in 2024, and he's rarely been available for Cleveland since signing a massive five-year, $230 million contract with the team in March of 2022. Sanders, a fifth-rounder, predictably in his first eight games (seven starts) last year, completing 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. The Browns bringing in Willis or Simpson would signal their lack of faith in both Watson and Sanders going into the 2026 season.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Mary Kay Cabot
February 23, 2026
The New England Patriots released running back
Antonio Gibson (knee) on Monday, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. Gibson had a lost season in 2025 with New England, suffering a season-ending torn ACL in Week 5. The 27-year-old finished with a career-low 25 carries for 106 yards and one touchdown in his five games last year in his second season with the Pats. He'll head to the open market this offseason, most likely searching for a depth role in the backfield. Gibson's lone 1,000-yard season in the NFL came in his second year in the league in 2021 with the Washington Commanders. Since his first two years in the league, Gibson has struggled to be productive, gaining a total of 1,455 yards on the ground and six rushing touchdowns on 359 carries over four seasons. Gibson also has experience as a return man on special teams, which will make him more attractive on the open market.
--Keith HernandezSource: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
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