February 25, 2026
Sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday that the San Francisco 49ers and All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams are "struggling to find a contractual situation." General manager John Lynch told reporters at the NFL combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday that the team has had "productive" meetings with Williams' representation recently, and the team is "optimistic" that they'll be able to work something out. The 37-year-old veteran is entering the final year of a three-year, $82.66 million restructured deal he signed with the team in September of 2024 and carries a salary cap number of $38.84 million in 2026, which includes a base salary of $22.21 million. He also has a $10 million option bonus due in the coming weeks. Williams' current contract includes no more guaranteed money as of Tuesday and contains three void years remaining beyond this year. He held out for more than a month in training camp back in 2024 before inking an extension, so this might not be a simple restructure. Williams is still an above-average left tackle, but he's entering his age-38 campaign in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
February 25, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni thinks running back
Saquon Barkley will "be exceptional" in the new offensive system in 2026, according to Zach Berman and Brooks Kubena of The Athletic. Barkley had a down year by his standards in 2025, coming off a season in which he led the league in carries (345), rushing yards (2,005), and rushing yards per game (125.3). The 29-year-old had 1,140 yards and seven touchdowns on 280 rushing attempts in 16 regular-season games last year, when the Eagles had lows in yards per rush (4.2), average yards before contact (1.52), total rush EPA (minus-24.81), and rush-success rate (39.1) under Sirianni. The new offensive staff under Sirianni, led by offensive coordinator
Sean Mannion, is expected to install "more zone-blocking concepts" that originate from the Shanahan tree. Barkley should still be considered an RB1 in fantasy despite his down 2025 season, and a bounce-back could be coming if he stays healthy.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Zach Berman and Brooks Kubena
February 25, 2026
Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said on Tuesday that running back
Jonathon Brooks (knee) is "making a lot of progress" in his rehab from the torn right ACL that he suffered in December of 2024, according to Darin Gantt of Panthers.com. The Panthers are cautiously optimistic that Brooks will be able to contribute to their backfield in 2026 after he appeared in just three games in his two NFL seasons due to multiple ACL tears. The 22-year-old could have a path to being Carolina's RB2 behind
Chuba Hubbard next season, too, if
Rico Dowdle departs in free agency. Brooks, a former second-rounder in 2024 out of the University of Texas, will need to prove he still has the same pre-injury explosiveness, and the Panthers will undoubtedly ease him back in when he returns to the field. Brooks will be a big question mark going into the 2026 season.
--Keith HernandezSource: Panthers.com - Darin Gantt
February 25, 2026
The NFL announced on Wednesday that the Jacksonville Jaguars will host two games in London during the 2026 season, according to Demetrius Harvey of The Florida Times-Union. The Jaguars have played in London annually every year since 2013, except for 2020, but this will be the first time they've played two games there in one season. They will play one contest at Wembley Stadium and another at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against unnamed opponents. Jacksonville is expected to play back-to-back weeks in London in October. It will be the 15th time the Jags have played in London, with all but three games taking place at Wembley. They have gone 7-7, including going 2-1 at Tottenham. Jacksonville will be looking to build on a strong 2025 season that saw them finish first in the AFC South with a 13-4 regular-season record, only to fall to the Bills in the Wild-Card round of the postseason.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Florida Times-Union - Demetrius Harvey
February 25, 2026
The Washington Commanders announced on Wednesday that they will have a regular-season game in London in 2026. The Commanders will be the host team at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against an unnamed opponent. It will be Washington's third international game. They lost to the Miami Dolphins in their last international game in Madrid, Spain, in 2025 and tied with the Cincinnati Bengals at Wembley Stadium in London in 2016. The Commanders surprised everyone by making it to the NFC Championship in 2024 in quarterback
Jayden Daniels' rookie season. Daniels struggled with injuries last year, though, and the team finished 5-12 and in third place in the NFC East to miss the postseason in 2025. Washington's game in London will be one of three that the NFL hosts there next season, with the Jacksonville Jaguars serving as the host team in the other two.
--Keith HernandezSource: Washington Commanders
February 25, 2026
Dallas Cowboys All-Pro left guard Tyler Smith (knee) had minor cleanup surgery on his right knee after the Pro Bowl, sources told Todd Archer of ESPN. Smith said he will be 100% healthy before the start of the team's offseason program in April. The 24-year-old appeared in 16 games for Dallas in 2025 and was named to the Pro Bowl for the third straight season. Smith's knee injury initially flared up in training camp last summer, but he was able to manage it throughout the season. The former 24th overall pick in 2022 out of Tulsa has missed just five total games in his four years in the NFL. Smith signed a four-year, $96 million contract extension with the team in September of last year, and he could be asked to move from left guard to left tackle in 2026 to fill in for the injured Tyler Guyton (ankle).
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN Dallas - Todd Archer
February 25, 2026
Former Penn State quarterback Drew Allar (ankle), who has recovered from season-ending ankle surgery, will throw at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis this week, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Allar played in only six games in his senior year for the Nittany Lions in 2025, going 103-for-159 with 1,100 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions. In his junior year in 2024, Allar threw for a career-high 3,327 yards, 24 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 16 games played. He'll have a chance to improve his 2026 NFL draft stock this week and then again potentially at his school's pro day. Right now, Allar is considered a mid-round QB prospect as he begins his journey to the next level. He's not expected to land in a situation where an NFL team is relying on him to be their starter in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
February 25, 2026
The Minnesota Vikings are "exploring all possibilities" as they look to improve their quarterback play in 2026, executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski said on Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine. The Vikings are still hoping that former first-rounder
J.J. McCarthy can be their franchise QB, but his injury history and poor performance last year have led the team to consider options that will, at the very least, add competition going into 2026. ESPN's Kevin Seifert writes that neither Brzezinski nor head coach Kevin O'Connell committed to keeping McCarthy in the starter's role going into next season. Brzezinski termed the process "casting a wide net" and said, "I don't think we're ruling anything out." McCarthy had a strong training camp going into his rookie year, but then suffered a season-ending meniscus tear in his right knee. The bottom line is that McCarthy is going to need to stay healthy and perform better this summer to be named the Week 1 starter this fall in Minnesota.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Kevin Seifert
February 25, 2026
The San Francisco 49ers hired former Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as a personnel executive on Tuesday, general manager John Lynch told The Athletic's Matt Barrows. Adofo-Mensah was surprisingly fired by the Vikings after the 2025 season after four years as the team's GM. Minnesota went 14-3 during the regular season with
Sam Darnold as the quarterback in 2024, but they struggled last year as they handed over the keys to the offense to former first-rounder
J.J. McCarthy. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl with Darnold. It will be a reunion for Adofo-Mensah, as he spent 2013 to 2019 with the 49ers in the football research and development department. It's a big pickup for a team that already has a championship-caliber front office in place.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
February 25, 2026
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said on Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine that "nothing will happen until the new league year" when discussing parting ways with wide receiver
Brandon Aiyuk (knee), according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. We already know that Aiyuk won't be playing for the Niners in 2026, but he won't be officially released until the start of the new league year next month. The 27-year-old former first-rounder signed a four-year, $120 million contract with the team in August of 2024 and then played in only seven games that year, catching 25 of 47 targets for 374 yards and no touchdowns. Aiyuk didn't play at all in 2025 due to his knee injury and wasn't going to return to the Bay Area after the team voided guarantees in his contract. He'll certainly attract attention on the open market, but fantasy managers will be wary after all the missed time.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Matt Barrows
February 25, 2026
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch reiterated the team's desire to keep backup quarterback
Mac Jones at the NFL scouting combine on Tuesday, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. "He's really good for us, and we value that. And so somebody would have to come with something fairly strong for us to consider (trading him). And then I don't know what we do. Obviously, there's always something that would make you (do it), but I think we're a better team with him on it and we just like having him around," Lynch said. The 27-year-old signed a two-year, $8.41 million deal with San Fran in March of last year and ended up playing in 11 games (eight starts) with
Brock Purdy missing a good chunk of the season with a turf-toe injury. Jones played well, too, throwing for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six picks while going 5-3. QB-needy teams will come calling, but it sounds like the Niners will need to be blown away by a trade offer to even consider dealing him.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
February 25, 2026
Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard said on Tuesday that he's "hopeful" the team will be able to re-sign impending free-agent wide receiver
Alec Pierce and quarterback
Daniel Jones (Achilles) to new contracts before either of them can potentially hit the open market in mid-March. The Colts have until March 3 to decide if they will use the franchise or transition tag on either Pierce or Jones. At the moment, Ballard said the Colts aren't planning on tagging either player. If Pierce or Jones aren't signed by March 9, they can begin negotiations with all 31 other teams. Pierce, 25, led the NFL in yards per catch (21.3) for the second straight year and had his first career 1,000-yard season in 2025 while leading the team in receiving. He became the third player in the last 30 years to have 1,000 yards on 50 or fewer receptions. Pierce's fantasy stock is obviously rising after his big season in 2025, and he might have an even higher ceiling if he leaves Indy.
--Keith HernandezSource: Colts.com - JJ Stankevitz
February 25, 2026
Carolina Panthers impending free-agent running back
Rico Dowdle wasn't happy with the way the 2025 season ended and seemed like a man not interested in re-signing, but he "has sent out social-media messages since then suggesting he might," according to Darin Gantt of Panthers.com. General manager Dan Morgan said the "door was open" for Dowdle to return, but they will let him test the free-agent market. If Dowdle doesn't re-sign, the Panthers are happy with the rest of the RB room, which includes
Chuba Hubbard, former second-rounder
Jonathon Brooks, and last year's fourth-rounder,
Trevor Etienne. The 27-year-old Dowdle led Carolina in rushing last year, running for 1,076 yards and six touchdowns on 236 carries over 17 regular-season games. It was his second straight 1,000-yard season. He was involved in more of a timeshare down the stretch with Hubbard, though, and Dowdle has made it clear he wants an opportunity to be a lead back. That's unlikely to happen if he stays with the Panthers.
--Keith HernandezSource: Panthers.com - Darin Gantt
February 24, 2026
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales announced on Tuesday that offensive coordinator Brad Idzik will call offensive plays in 2026, according to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network. The 34-year-old will have more on his plate next season after having a big role in the team's offensive game-planning last year. It's a shift in strategy, as Canales was saying at the end of the 2025 season that he would remain the play-caller. Canales made the switch to allow him to broaden his ability to coach all aspects of the team instead of being too focused on the offense during games. Having veteran coach Darrell Bevell on the staff as an associate head coach and offensive assistant will help first-time coordinator Idzik. It remains to be seen how the change will affect quarterback
Bryce Young and the rest of the offense moving forward.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Cameron Wolfe
February 24, 2026
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said that offensive coordinator
Davis Webb will be the team's offensive play-caller in 2026, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. It's an interesting and notable move for Denver's offense and for Payton, who has always called the offensive plays as a head coach in the NFL. Webb, 31, is a former backup quarterback in the NFL and was a head-coaching candidate for a few teams this offseason before the Broncos fired former OC Joe Lombardi and promoted Webb, who was formerly the QBs coach. If the Broncos' offense goes backwards under Webb, Payton can always take back over. If Webb has a very tight relationship with QB
Bo Nix (ankle), this could ultimately be a good thing for the Broncos' offense moving forward. One of the top priorities for Webb in his first year as the OC will be to fix a running game that has been subpar the last two years.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
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