March 2, 2026
The Detroit Lions acquired offensive guard Juice Scruggs, a fourth-round pick, and a seventh-round pick on Monday from the Houston Texans in exchange for running back
David Montgomery, a source told Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Scruggs, 26, was originally selected 62nd overall in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft by the Texans out of Penn State. He played in a career-high 17 games in 2025 in Houston, but he started just one game and wasn't very efficient on the offensive line for the Texans. In his new home in Detroit, Scruggs will most likely serve as offensive-line depth as he enters his fourth year in the league. Scruggs has started 20 of the 37 games he's appeared in over his first three seasons in the NFL in Houston.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Dianna Russini
March 2, 2026
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku (hip) is five weeks removed from hip surgery that will "prevent him from being a full participant in the offseason program," a source told Todd Archer of ESPN. Ezeiruaku is expected to be ready for training camp at the end of July. The 22-year-old former second-rounder last year out of Boston College should be ready for the start of the 2026 season this fall, barring a setback this offseason. He played in 17 games (nine starts) for the Cowboys in his first year in the NFL in 2025 and finished with 40 tackles (20 solo), two sacks, nine tackles for loss, 12 QB hits, and a forced fumble. Dallas will be hoping that Ezeiruaku will be able to take a step forward in his sophomore season once he's fully recovered from his hip injury.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN Dallas - Todd Archer
March 2, 2026
The Pittsburgh Steelers "have little if no intention of taking a quarterback with their top pick" in this year's NFL draft, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Dulac goes on to say that "it's more than likely it wouldn't be until the third round" when they would consider taking a signal-caller. It's unclear if future Hall of Famer
Aaron Rodgers even wants to play again next season, let alone return to the Steelers to reunite with head coach Mike McCarthy. The Steelers took
Will Howard in the sixth round in 2025, and Dulac writes that the Steelers will only take a QB in this year's draft if they think he has a higher ceiling than Howard. Pittsburgh met with Penn State's
Drew Allar, Miami's
Carson Beck, and Alabama's
Ty Simpson at last week's NFL scouting combine. The Steelers like Howard a lot, so if Rodgers doesn't return in 2026, it's very possible they're comfortable going into the regular season with Howard as their starter under center.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Gerry Dulac
March 2, 2026
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer writes that he would "lean toward a Maxx Crosby trade happening maybe this week." It seems optimistic, as the Raiders are hoping to get something similar to the return that the Dallas Cowboys got for All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons last year, which included two first-rounders and defensive tackle Kenny Clark. Most reports suggest that the Raiders are unlikely to get that type of return for Crosby, who is three years older than Parsons and is coming off a knee injury that ended his 2025 campaign early. The 28-year-old Crosby hasn't requested a trade and isn't expected to, but there have been plenty of reports floating around that suggest he's not interested in going through another rebuild in Vegas. There should be no shortage of suitors for Crosby if the Raiders are serious about trading him, and Breer mentions the Cowboys, Bears, Ravens, Bills, Patriots, Eagles, and Rams as teams that are "keeping tabs on his availability." Regardless of where Crosby is playing in 2026, he'll be a high-end starting defensive lineman in IDP fantasy leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sports Illustrated - Albert Breer
March 2, 2026
ESPN's Adam Schefter said on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday that he was told "it's 50/50" that the Indianapolis Colts will be able to get a deal done with impending free-agent quarterback
Daniel Jones (Achilles) by Tuesday's deadline. If a long-term deal isn't done, Schefter thinks "the transition tag is in play here." If the Colts have to use the tag on Jones, it means that wide receiver
Alec Pierce could make it to the open market when the new league year begins. The 28-year-old Jones was in the midst of a career year in Indy in 2025 before he suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Colts have made it clear that they want Danny Dimes back as their starter in 2026, but it remains to be seen if his injury will affect the length of a potential new contract. The next thing to focus on will be whether Jones will actually be 100% for the start of the regular season this fall after throwing for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in his 13 starts last year.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
March 2, 2026
The Washington Commanders and veteran offensive lineman Nick Allegretti agreed to a new two-year deal on Monday, a source told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Allegretti, a three-time Super Bowl winner with the Kansas City Chiefs, started the last two games for Washington at center in 2025 in place of the injured Tyler Biadasz (ankle, knee), who is being released. The 29-year-old was originally selected withthe 216th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL draft by the Chiefs out of Illinois. Allegretti played the first five years of his NFL career in Kansas City before joining Washington in 2024. He started only 13 of the 74 games he appeared in with the Chiefs, but he has started 21 of 33 games for the Commanders over the last two seasons. It looks like Allegretti will at least be competing for starting center duties this summer.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
March 2, 2026
The Cincinnati Bengals and offensive guard Dalton Risner agreed to a new, undisclosed contract extension on Monday, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Risner started 11 games for the Bengals last season and fit in perfectly on their offensive line. Getting him back in the fold for 2026 and beyond was a priority for Cincy this offseason, and now it's done. The 30-year-old former second-round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2019 out of Kansas State spent the first four years of his NFL career in Denver before playing with the Minnesota Vikings in 2023 and 2024. Risner has started 92 of the 101 games he's appeared in over his seven NFL seasons. He started 11 of the 14 games he was active for in 2025 with the Bengals. Risner's return is ultimately good news for Cincy's offense as they look to return to the postseason this fall.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX Sports - Jordan Schultz
March 2, 2026
SNY's Connor Hughes writes that New York Giants impending free-agent wide receiver
Wan'Dale Robinson "could be the most difficult to retain." After the strong season that Robinson had in 2025, his market is expected to be strong, and the Tennessee Titans have "significant interest" as they look to give quarterback
Cameron Ward more weapons. Sources that SNY spoke with "believed Robinson is more likely to play elsewhere than return to New York." The 25-year-old former second-rounder in 2022 out of Kentucky had a career year for the G-Men in 2025 in his fourth NFL season, catching 92 of his 140 targets for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games played. Robinson has 90-plus catches in back-to-back seasons and had exactly 140 targets each of the last two years. He's a receiver on the rise, but a move out of New York may not be great for his fantasy value going into 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: SNY - Connor Hughes
March 2, 2026
The Kansas City Chiefs have informed offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor (elbow) that he will be released this month, barring a trade, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Taylor was due to enter the fourth and final year of his $80 million contract. His release will create $20 million in cap space while accounting for nearly $7.4 million in dead money. The 29-year-old has started 45 games since joining the Chiefs, but he missed the last five weeks of the 2025 season due to a shoulder injury. Kansas City could replace Taylor in free agency or the draft, but if they choose to look internally, the most realistic candidate to take over at right tackle is Jaylon Moore, who signed a two-year, $30 million contract with the Chiefs last offseason.
--Andersen PickardSource: Adam Schefter
March 2, 2026
Arizona Cardinals quarterback
Kyler Murray's name has "surfaced repeatedly" in the New York Jets' offseason discussions, according to Connor Hughes of SNY. The Jets are reportedly keeping all options open when exploring a quarterback upgrade, but the idea of Murray heading to New York has gained plenty of traction. The veteran signal-caller and former No. 1 pick is in the middle of a five-year, $230.5 million contract with Arizona, but he's expected to be released this offseason. He had seven touchdowns and four turnovers through five games in his injury-shortened 2025 campaign, which was preceded by an ugly 15-turnover total in 2024. Despite injury and performance concerns, one source told Hughes that Murray offers athleticism and upside that the Jets won't find anywhere else. Specifically, that source said, "If the goal is basic competence, Murray can get you there." On the other hand, plenty of question marks persist. A different source reportedly told Hughes that signing Murray "would be a disaster" because of concerns about work ethic, leadership, and locker-room connectivity. We might not see any movement on the Murray front until the new league year begins later this month. However, once he's released by the Cardinals, we should at least keep an eye on the Jets as a potential suitor. The Minnesota Vikings, who might be looking to move on from
J.J. McCarthy, have also been linked to Murray.
--Andersen PickardSource: Connor Hughes
March 2, 2026
Houston Texans running back
Woody Marks saw his outlook worsen on Monday after the team acquired
David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions. While it's too early to tell how Marks and Montgomery will split snaps and touches, it's fair to say that the veteran might be the early favorite for the lead-back role. Montgomery had 908 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns last year, ranking as the overall RB27 in PPR leagues. He posted an impressive 4.53 yards per carry, a mark that is significantly higher than Marks' 3.59 YPC as a rookie in 2025. Even with
Joe Mixon sidelined and
Nick Chubb taking a major step back, Marks was limited to just 911 scrimmage yards, two rushing touchdowns, and three receiving touchdowns. The USC product will continue to offer a change of pace and figures to play passing downs, but he will likely lose an enormous amount of early-down and goal-line work to Montgomery. Entering the 2026 NFL season, Montgomery ranks a bit higher in redraft leagues than dynasty formats due to his age, but he's still a strong RB2 or RB3 in both. Meanwhile, Marks drops to the low-end RB3/flex tier in redraft leagues. If there's any consolation here, Marks could be an intriguing buy-low candidate in dynasty leagues if the trade prompts managers to panic sell.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 2, 2026
Detroit Lions running back
Jahmyr Gibbs already entered this offseason atop the depth chart. Now, he essentially has the backfield all to himself after the Lions traded veteran running back
David Montgomery to the Houston Texans. Gibbs played exactly 67% of the Lions' snaps last season, while Montgomery played 37.1%. A significant portion of the veteran's vacated snaps and touches will go to Gibbs, who has consistently impressed as a ball-carrier and receiver. He was the overall RB1 in full-PPR leagues in 2024, and he finished 2025 as the overall RB3. Through 17 games last season, he tallied 1,223 rushing yards, 77 catches, 616 receiving yards, and 18 total touchdowns. We would expect the Lions to sign or draft another running back who can offer a decent change of pace behind or alongside Gibbs, but there's a strong chance it won't be anyone of Montgomery's caliber. Therefore, this trade is great news for Gibbs, who is once again trending up. The young running back has a chance to be the overall RB1 in fantasy football leagues during 2026.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
March 2, 2026
The Las Vegas Raiders are not expected to hire a quarterbacks coach for the 2026 season, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the California Post. Bonsignore said that the team reportedly "had candidates in mind, [but] it just didn't work out." On one hand, it's a bit of a perplexing development, given that the Raiders hold the No. 1 overall pick and are the heavy favorite to draft quarterback sensation
Fernando Mendoza. It would make sense to have a full-time coach on the staff committed to developing Mendoza and making his transition to the NFL as seamless as possible. On the other hand, Vegas does have plenty of offensive gurus on its staff. Head coach Klint Kubiak was most recently the offensive coordinator in Seattle, and the Raiders also have assistant head coach Mike McCoy, who helped develop No. 1 pick
Cameron Ward in Tennessee last season.
--Andersen PickardSource: Vincent Bonsignore
March 2, 2026
The Houston Texans have acquired running back
David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions in exchange for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, a fourth-round pick, and a seventh-round pick, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. Montgomery remains productive at 28 years old, as he's coming off a solid 2025 season in which he totaled 716 rushing yards, 192 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns. He was the overall RB27 in full-PPR leagues, which was actually the lowest finish of his career. Still, it's impressive that he has been RB27 or higher every year, even when sharing a backfield with superstar running back
Jahmyr Gibbs in Detroit. Montgomery will continue to share touches in Houston, where
Woody Marks is coming off his rookie season. The veteran presumably has a strong chance to earn the lead-back role after Marks was relatively inefficient with just 3.6 yards per carry and only scored two rushing touchdowns. As Pelissero notes, general manager Nick Caserio could be hoping that Montgomery enjoys a resurgence similar to that of
Joe Mixon, who had 1,325 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns after being traded to the Texans in 2024. Montgomery ranks a bit higher in redraft leagues than dynasty formats due to his age, but he's still a strong RB2 or RB3 in both. Meanwhile, Marks drops to the low-end RB3/flex tier in redraft leagues, but he could be an intriguing buy-low candidate in dynasty leagues if the Montgomery trade prompts managers to panic sell.
--Andersen PickardSource: Tom Pelissero
March 2, 2026
The New York Giants are "heavily involved" in the running back market this offseason, both in free agency and the NFL draft, and SNY's Connor Hughes says to expect a strong push for established free-agent options, including Seattle Seahawks impending free-agent RB
Kenneth Walker III. The Giants are also very interested in Notre Dame RB
Jeremiyah Love and are expected to discuss him deeper into the draft process. New York already has
Cam Skattebo (ankle) and
Tyrone Tracy Jr. in their backfield, but perhaps they're wondering how long Skattebo will be able to hold up, given his physical style of play. The 25-year-old Walker finally stayed healthy for a full season and had 1,027 rushing yards and a career-low five touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. He was even better in the playoffs, running for 313 yards and four touchdowns in three games, culminating in a Super Bowl MVP award. Walker will be one of the top available free-agent RBs this offseason, although a move to New York could put him in a three-headed monster backfield committee.
--Keith HernandezSource: SNY - Connor Hughes
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