March 9, 2026
The Carolina Panthers have signed edge rusher Jaelan Phillips to a four-year, $120 million contract, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Phillips is a former first-round pick who spent 4.5 years in Miami before being dealt to the Philadelphia Eagles at the 2025 trade deadline. He was healthy for all 17 games last season and made a career-high 17 starts while amassing five sacks, 14 quarterback hits, 53 tackles, and two fumble recoveries. Giving Phillips such a lucrative contract reaffirms Carolina's desire to invest in its defense, just a few months after winning the NFC South and being eliminated in the first round of the NFL playoffs. Phillips will immediately fill an impact role on defense as the Panthers look to slow down the likes of
Michael Penix Jr.,
Tyler Shough, and
Baker Mayfield within their own division.
--Andersen PickardSource: Ian Rapoport
March 9, 2026
The Las Vegas Raiders have made two key upgrades on defense, signing linebackers Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. Walker spent his first four NFL seasons in Green Bay, amassing 2.5 sacks and 128 total tackles in 2025. His new deal with Vegas pays him $40.5 million over three seasons, and it includes $28 million guaranteed. Meanwhile, Dean heads to the Raiders after four seasons in Philadelphia. Like Walker, he is also a member of the 2022 rookie linebacker class. He tallied 55 tackles and a career-high four sacks across 10 games (eight starts) in 2025. After a solid stint with the Eagles, he'll cash in and get $36 million over three years (with $20 million guaranteed) from the Raiders. It's an admirable effort from Vegas, which is looking to erase the misery of last year's last-place finish and improve both sides of the football under first-year head coach Klint Kubiak.
--Andersen PickardSource: Tom Pelissero
March 9, 2026
The Las Vegas Raiders have signed free-agent center Tyler Linderbaum to a three-year, $81 million deal that includes $60 million guaranteed, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. The contract makes Linderbaum the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history. Linderbaum is coming off an impressive stint with the Baltimore Ravens, including a strong 2025 season in which he posted an 80.2 PFF grade (fifth-best among centers) and an 83.7 PFF run blocking grade (fourth-best among centers). His departure is big news for the Ravens, who evidently weren't willing to match Vegas' offer to keep a key protector in the trenches. With the Raiders, Linderbaum will offer key blocking in front of running back
Ashton Jeanty and this year's consensus No. 1 draft pick, quarterback
Fernando Mendoza.
--Andersen PickardSource: Adam Schefter
March 9, 2026
The Las Vegas Raiders are signing veteran free-agent kicker
Matt Gay to an undisclosed deal on Monday evening, his agents told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. The move to bring Gay in pretty much seals previous placekicker
Daniel Carlson leaving in unrestricted free agency. The 31-year-old Gay was cut by the Washington Commanders last year after going 13-for-19 on his field-goal attempts in 10 games. He was picked up by the San Francisco 49ers and went 4-for-4 on field goals and 4-for-4 on extra-point attempts in just two games before
Eddy Pineiro returned from injury. The former fifth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019 out of Utah has made 84.3% of his 216 career field-goal attempts, including going 32-for-54 from 50-plus yards in his seven NFL seasons. The Raiders' offense could be much improved in 2026, even with a rookie signal-caller most likely starting most of the games. Still, Gay shouldn't be drafted in 12-team fantasy leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
March 9, 2026
The San Francisco 49ers are now said to be open to trading Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams if "the situation doesn't get resolved," sources told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Williams is due $32 million in salary in 2026 and carries a $38 million salary cap number. If the 49ers were to trade the 37-year-old veteran, it would free up around $5 million of cap space this year. General manager John Lynch expressed optimism in late February that the two sides would be able to work something out. He carries three void years on his contract beyond this year with no guaranteed money. The Niners are likely hesitant to give Williams too much on a new extension. He's still one of the top left tackles in the game, but his advanced age suggests a decline is likely coming soon. If Williams is traded, it would be a pretty notable downgrade for quarterback
Brock Purdy and the rest of San Fran's offense.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
March 9, 2026
The Atlanta Falcons announced on Monday that veteran tight end
Hayden Hurst is announcing his retirement from professional football. Hurst will hang up his cleats after not being signed with a team during the 2025 season. In his final NFL campaign in 2024 with the Los Angeles Chargers, the 32-year-old caught a career-low eight passes for 73 yards and no touchdowns on 13 targets in nine regular-season games. Hurst was originally the 25th overall pick in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens in 2018 out of South Carolina. He finishes his seven-year NFL career with 203 receptions (294 targets) for 1,975 yards and 15 touchdowns in 88 regular-season games (41 starts). In addition to the Chargers and Ravens, Hurst suited up with the Atlanta Falcons (two years), Cincinnati Bengals (one year), and Carolina Panthers (one year). He was at his best in 202 in Atlanta, posting a 56-571-6 line in 16 games.
--Keith HernandezSource: Atlanta Falcons
March 9, 2026
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reports that the Indianapolis Colts' initial offer to quarterback
Daniel Jones (Achilles) was in the range of
Sam Darnold's three-year, $100.5 million deal he signed with the Seattle Seahawks last offseason. Jones' camp countered and asked for a deal worth $50 million per year. Instead of franchise-tagging Jones, the Colts gave him the transition tag. The 28-year-old was having one of the best years of his career in his first year in Indy before his torn Achilles tendon in Week 14, throwing for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 13 starts. If Jones were to return to Indy in 2026 and play on the transition tender, he'd make $37.833 million. Breer suggests that Jones will likely have to come down on his demands with the Colts if he wants to return to a familiar place without having to learn a new offense. Jones' rehab is expected to cost him most of the offseason, which will make him a pretty risky QB2 in fantasy football drafts. The Colts bringing back wideout
Alec Pierce should help get Jones back in the building.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sports Illustrated - Albert Breer
March 9, 2026
New Orleans Saints running back
Alvin Kamara could hit the trade market after the team signed running back
Travis Etienne Jr. during free agency. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, "there now are questions around the league about whether Kamara will be moving on from New Orleans and whether the Saints would be willing [to] trade him." Several months ago, Kamara threatened to retire if the Saints traded him, but it's fair to wonder if he might feel differently after New Orleans brought in a clear every-down option in Etienne. Kamara, 30, is presumably in the final stages of his career anyway. He mustered just 471 rushing yards, 186 receiving yards, and one touchdown across 11 games last year, losing ground to players like
Devin Neal and
Kendre Miller. Now, the addition of Etienne massively shakes up New Orleans' backfield. Managers in dynasty leagues have probably missed their window to sell Kamara, but that opportunity could briefly reopen if he gets traded to a different team in the upcoming days or weeks.
--Andersen PickardSource: Adam Schefter
March 9, 2026
The Baltimore Ravens are not tendering an offer sheet to running back
Keaton Mitchell, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. He will hit free agency and is free to sign anywhere, with Fowler identifying the New York Giants as a potential landing spot. Mitchell was one of the hottest dynasty buys as a rookie in 2023, when he tallied 489 scrimmage yards across eight games. He continues to flash upside, but injuries have limited him from reaching his full potential. He tore his ACL in December 2023, and he dealt with a knee strain in December 2025. The 24-year-old will now bring his talent and speed elsewhere for the 2026 campaign. It's interesting that Fowler singled out the Giants as a potential landing spot, especially since New York has
Cam Skattebo (ankle),
Tyrone Tracy Jr., and
Devin Singletary under contract. Mitchell would remain a hold in most dynasty leagues if he does put pen to paper with the Giants, where his old Ravens head coach, John Harbaugh, is calling most of the shots.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jeremy Fowler
March 9, 2026
The Atlanta Falcons have signed kicker
Nick Folk to a two-year contract, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. Folk spent 2025 with the New York Jets and is now heading to Atlanta for his 20th season in the NFL. He has played for four teams over five years, making appearances with the Patriots, Titans, Jets, and Falcons. He was a rare bright spot for New York last year, going 28-for-29 on field goals and 22-for-22 on extra points. The 41-year-old should benefit from a move to Atlanta, where he'll spend at least half of his games kicking inside a dome. He'll also offer the Falcons a refreshing upgrade at kicker after they trotted out a combination of
Parker Romo and
Zane Gonzalez in the aftermath of
Younghoe Koo's early-season release.
--Andersen PickardSource: Tom Pelissero
March 9, 2026
The Buffalo Bills have signed quarterback
Kyle Allen to a two-year, $4.1 million deal that is worth up to $6.1 million, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Allen most recently backed up
Jared Goff in Detroit, and now he'll join Buffalo to back up his close friend,
Josh Allen. The 29-year-old instantly slots into the No. 2 role on the depth chart after the Bills watched
Mitch Trubisky depart for the Tennessee Titans in free agency. Buffalo will hope that Josh Allen stays healthy for all of 2026, but if he needs to miss any time, they'll feel comfortable about plugging Kyle Allen into the offensive system. The Houston product mostly just handled kneel-down situations for the Lions in 2025, but back in 2019 with the Panthers, he appeared in 13 games with 3,322 passing yards, 19 total touchdowns, and 23 total turnovers.
--Andersen PickardSource: Adam Schefter
March 9, 2026
The Chicago Bears have re-signed quarterback
Case Keenum to a two-year, $5.5 million deal with a maximum value of $8 million, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Keenum hasn't played an NFL snap since 2023, and he spent 2025 in the third-string role behind
Caleb Williams and
Tyson Bagent. The depth chart isn't expected to change much in 2026, so we're a bit surprised to see the Bears make such a financial commitment to a third-string quarterback. With that said, he offers indisputed experience, depth, and a veteran presence in an otherwise young quarterback room. Chicago will hope its investment in Keenum ends up being an exercise of caution, as he'd likely only get into a game if both Williams and Bagent were hurt (or if Bagent gets traded).
--Andersen PickardSource: Adam Schefter
March 9, 2026
The Los Angeles Chargers have signed free-agent tight end
Charlie Kolar to a three-year, $24.3 million deal that includes $17 million guaranteed, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. While Pelissero notes that this is the largest deal ever for a blocking tight end, we wouldn't be surprised to see Kolar step into more of a receiving role in Los Angeles. He showed flashes of pass-catching potential in Baltimore -- as much as he could while buried in the No. 3 tight end role behind
Mark Andrews and
Isaiah Likely. He had a career-high 10 catches for 142 yards in 2025, headlined by a two-game touchdown streak during the first half of the season. With the Bolts, he'll presumably operate as the No. 2 tight end behind
Oronde Gadsden. Despite the new contract and bump up the depth chart, Kolar likely still faces an uphill battle to fantasy relevance in a Mike McDaniel system that hasn't leaned super heavily on its No. 2 tight end in the past.
--Andersen PickardSource: Tom Pelissero
March 9, 2026
The Miami Dolphins have re-signed tight end
Greg Dulcich to a one-year deal worth $3.25 million, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Dulcich enjoyed a late-season breakout with Miami in 2025, capitalizing on an injury to fellow tight end
Darren Waller. The 25-year-old had multiple catches in each of his last seven games, including 11 catches over the final three weeks of the regular season. The highlight of his year came in Week 17 against the Patriots, when Dulcich caught five passes for 58 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 6.3 fantasy points per game across 10 contests; if you extrapolate that number over a 17-game season, he would've been the TE27 overall behind
T.J. Hockenson and ahead of
Sam LaPorta. It's a bit too premature to say that Dulcich has top-25 appeal for 2026, but we like his chances to get more involved if he's confirmed as the Dolphins' new No. 1 tight end with Waller gone.
--Andersen PickardSource: Jeremy Fowler
March 9, 2026
The Tennessee Titans signed former New York Giants tight end
Daniel Bellinger to an undisclosed deal on Monday, sources told Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The move reunites him with former head coach Brian Daboll, who is now the offensive coordinator in Tennessee. The 25-year-old is expected to help replace
Chig Okonkwo, who is most likely departing in free agency. Second-year tight end
Gunnar Helm is expected to move into the top pass-catching tight end role in Tennessee, with Bellinger likely being the No. 2. In his four years with the Giants and Daboll, Bellinger had 88 catches for 934 yards and four touchdowns in 62 regular-season games. The former fourth-rounder in 2022 out of San Diego State had a career-best 286 receiving yards on 19 catches last year, scoring only twice in 16 games. Unless Helm misses time due to injury in 2026, Bellinger should be on the waiver wire in standard 12-team leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Dianna Russini
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