March 5, 2026
The Chicago Bears are releasing Pro Bowl linebacker Tremaine Edmunds on Thursday, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. Edmunds will enter free agency this offseason after being a full-time starter in each of his first eight seasons in the NFL. The 27-year-old former 16th overall pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2018 out of Virginia Tech played in a career-low 13 games for the Chicago Bears in 2025 in his third year with the team. Despite missing four regular-season games, Edmunds still tallied 112 tackles (61 solo), one sack, a career-high four interceptions, nine pass breakups, and a fumble recovery. Edmunds has had over 100 combined tackles in all eight of his NFL seasons, and he should generate plenty of interest on the open market. Cutting Edmunds will free up $15 million on this year's salary cap for the Bears. Edmunds has exactly 900 combined tackles as he heads into his ninth year in the league in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
March 5, 2026
The Houston Texans and five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter agreed to a one-year, $40.1 million contract extension on Thursday that includes a $30.7 million signing bonus, sources told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. The extension ties Hunter to the team through the 2027 season. The 31-year-old former third-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2015 out of LSU had 54 tackles (28 solo), 15 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, 22 QB hits, three forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery in 17 regular-season starts last year in his second year in Houston. Hunter has recorded double-digit sacks in each of the last four seasons and in seven of his 10 NFL campaigns. Starting opposite pass-rusher Will Anderson, Hunter led the charge for the NFL's top-ranked defense in 2025. Hunter has 27 sacks in his two seasons in Houston and will be a clear top-10 defensive lineman target in IDP fantasy leagues in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
March 5, 2026
The Washington Commanders will rank in the top five for most salary cap space available this offseason, and ESPN's John Keim writes that they would like to add another tight end. Tennessee Titans impending free-agent tight end
Chig Okonkwo is a possibility. Okonkwo led the Titans in receiving in 2025 with 56 catches on 79 targets for a career-high 560 yards and only two touchdowns in 17 games played in his fourth year in the league. However, the 26-year-old only ranked as the No. 22 tight end in half-PPR scoring last year, losing valuable targets and playing time to rookie
Gunnar Helm, especially in the second half of the season. The Titans are expected to move forward with Helm as their pass-catching TE in 2026 and into the future, leaving Okonkwo to find a new team.
Zach Ertz is a free agent, so if Okonkwo were to land in D.C., he could have a clearer path to TE1 utility in fantasy leagues this fall.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - John Keim
March 5, 2026
The Washington Commanders could opt to sign wide receiver
Brandon Aiyuk (knee), who is expected to be cut by the San Francisco 49ers, according to John Keim of ESPN. Aiyuk is close friends with Commanders quarterback
Jayden Daniels and has said he wants to play with him. If the Commanders were to take a chance on Aiyuk, who didn't play at all in 2025, it would be "for a one-year prove-it deal," and they'd still likely go after another receiver to pair with
Terry McLaurin. It doesn't sound like the Commanders plan to attempt to bring
Deebo Samuel Sr. back. Other options that Washington could pursue are
Jauan Jennings,
Romeo Doubs,
Alec Pierce, and
Rashid Shaheed. Aiyuk, a former first-rounder in 2020, wore out his welcome in the Bay Area and will have to prove his health and fit with a new organization before most fantasy managers will take a look at him again. He did have back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Niners before his season-ending knee injury in 2024, though.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - John Keim
March 5, 2026
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said on Seattle Sports on Thursday that Los Angeles Chargers impending free-agent outside linebacker Khalil Mack could be a "great fit" with the Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks. The nine-time Pro Bowler is an elite run defender and has ranked among the top 10 edge rushers at Pro Football Focus in each of the last three seasons. Mack has a total of 113 sacks and 36 forced fumbles in his 12-year career with the Raiders, Chicago Bears, and Chargers, including a career-high 17 sacks in 2023. The 35-year-old veteran and former fifth overall pick by the Raiders in 2014 out of Buffalo only played in 12 games last year due to an elbow injury and finished with 32 tackles (19 solo), 5.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, 11 QB hits, and four forced fumbles. Mack recently announced that he plans on playing in 2026, and he's ranked by ESPN as the No. 4 edge rusher and the No. 20 overall player available in free agency this offseason.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
March 5, 2026
The Houston Texans restructured cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.'s contract on Thursday, converting $20.38 million of his $21.59 million salary cap figure into a signing bonus, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. The move will save the Texans around $16 million in 2026, according to a league source. Stingley signed a three-year, $90 million contract with the Texans in March of last year. The 24-year-old former third overall pick in 2022 out of LSU was a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler for the second straight year in 2025, finishing with 36 tackles (26 solo), four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 15 pass breakups, and a forced fumble in 17 regular-season starts. Stingley isn't really on the map in IDP fantasy leagues, but he was a big reason why the Texans had the top overall defense last year.
--Keith HernandezSource: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
March 5, 2026
The Indianapolis Colts are talking with teams about a trade for former Pro Bowl linebacker Zaire Franklin as they look to get under the salary cap before the start of the new league year next week, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Franklin led the NFL with 173 total tackles in 2024 and was a first-time Pro Bowler. The former seventh-round pick in 2018 out of Syracuse took a step back in 2025 in his eighth year in the league, but he still had 125 tackles (62 solo), two sacks, seven tackles for loss, six QB hits, five pass breakups, and a forced fumble in 17 starts. In fantasy scoring, he finished as the No. 27 linebacker in IDP leagues. Franklin has two years left on the three-year, $31.3 million contract that he signed in March of 2024. If he's not traded, the Colts have an out with Franklin for only $2.5 million in dead-cap money.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
March 5, 2026
The New York Giants re-signed wide receiver/special-teamer
Gunner Olszewski to an undisclosed one-year deal on Thursday, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN. Olszewski is mostly used as a punt/kick returner on special teams, as his 10 catches (13 targets) on offense for 145 yards and one touchdown in 16 games were a career high in his sixth year in the NFL. On special teams, the 29-year-old returned 26 kickoffs for 682 yards and 24 punts for 216 yards. The former undrafted free agent out of Bemidji State has a grand total of 25 receptions for 325 yards and two touchdowns on 33 targets as a receiver in 81 regular-season games (five starts). Olszewski is highly unlikely to make an impact on offense for the G-Men in 2026, making him avoidable in all fantasy football leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
March 5, 2026
The Los Angeles Rams and tight end
Tyler Higbee agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal on Thursday, agent Erik Burkhardt told Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Higbee has struggled to stay healthy the last two years, playing in a combined 13 regular-season games, but the 33-year-old veteran will return to L.A. In 10 regular-season contests last year, he caught 25 passes for 281 yards and three touchdowns on 36 targets. The 10-year-old veteran has never topped 734 receiving yards or five touchdowns in a single season since being taken in the fourth round by the Rams in 2016 out of Western Kentucky, and that's unlikely to happen in his 11th season in 2026. Higbee has plenty of chemistry with quarterback
Matthew Stafford, but the Rams will likely continue to run a lot of two-tight-end sets that also include
Colby Parkinson and
Terrance Ferguson. Higbee will have a limited ceiling and low floor while sharing targets with Parkinson and Ferguson again next season.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
March 5, 2026
The New York Jets re-signed tight end
Jelani Woods to an undisclosed deal on Thursday, according to Eric Allen of NewYorkJets.com. Woods was initially claimed off waivers from the Indianapolis Colts last August. The 27-year-old played 60 offensive snaps and 12 special teams snaps over four games with the Jets in 2025, catching just one of three targets for four yards. He missed the 2023 and 2024 seasons with Indy due to hamstring and turf-toe injuries. Woods was the 73rd overall pick in the third round by the Colts in 2022 out of the University of Virginia. He caught 25 of his 40 targets for 312 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games (two starts) in his rookie year before the injuries hit. At best, Woods will enter the 2026 campaign in New York as the TE3 behind
Mason Taylor and
Jeremy Ruckert. He's off the fantasy radar in all formats.
--Keith HernandezSource: NewYorkJets.com - Eric Allen
March 5, 2026
There were reports earlier on Thursday suggesting that the Chicago Bears might be in play to acquire All-Pro pass-rusher Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders, but ESPN's Adam Schefter doesn't see the Bears in the driver's seat for a deal right now, and he also isn't convinced that Crosby will actually be dealt. Schefter added that the Bears have no ties to Cincinnati Bengals impending free-agent defensive end Trey Hendrickson (hip, pelvis) as they look to improve their pass rush. Instead of trading for Crosby or going after Hendrickson, Chicago could go after centers Tyler Biadasz or Lloyd Cushenberry to help replace Drew Dalman, who surprisingly retired this week. Crosby has been rumored to be a trade candidate since he was unhappy with the Raiders shutting him down for the final two games of the 2025 season due to a knee injury. He hasn't publicly requested a trade, though, and the Raiders may only move him if they receive two first-round picks and a young impact player in return.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
March 5, 2026
The Denver Broncos are not expected to re-sign defensive lineman
John Franklin-Myers, a source told Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette. Franklin-Myers is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next Wednesday. There have not been any contract discussions with the 29-year-old pass-rusher since the end of the 2025 season. The former fourth-round selection by the Los Angeles Rams in 2018 out of Stephen F. Austin had a productive two years in Denver, totaling 14.5 sacks, 65 tackles (30 solo), 14 tackles for loss, and 33 QB hits in 33 regular-season games (31 starts). Franklin-Myers ranked third on the Broncos in sacks and was a big reason why they led the league in that department in 2025. He should have a healthy market in free agency among NFL teams looking to improve their pass rush in 2026 and beyond.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Denver Gazette - Chris Tomasson
March 5, 2026
The Dallas Cowboys thought they were close to a deal to acquire All-Pro pass-rusher Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders on Wednesday night, but since then, other teams have raised the ante and potentially are offering the Raiders two first-round picks, according to Trey Wingo. As a result, the Cowboys are expected to shift their focus to Cincinnati Bengals impending free-agent defensive end Trey Hendrickson (hip, pelvis). The Bengals didn't use another franchise tag on Hendrickson, so he will most likely walk in free agency after spending the last five years in Cincy. The 31-year-old veteran only played in seven games in 2025 due to hip/pelvis injuries that eventually led to core-muscle surgery. However, he will still be one of the top pass-rushers available in free agency after reaching 17.5 sacks in both 2023 and 2024. Hendrickson would help replace pass-rusher Micah Parsons, who was traded to the Packers last fall in exchange for two first-rounders and defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
--Keith HernandezSource: Trey Wingo
March 5, 2026
Trey Wingo reports that things are moving fast regarding Las Vegas Raiders All-Pro pass-rusher Maxx Crosby's trade market. The Dallas Cowboys thought they were close to a deal on Wednesday night, but since then, other teams have raised the ante and potentially are offering two first-round picks. Dallas traded pass-rusher Micah Parsons, who is three years younger than Crosby, to the Green Bay Packers last fall for two first-rounders and defensive tackle Kenny Clark, and the Raiders reportedly have been looking for a similar package for Crosby. The 28-year-old Crosby hasn't officially demanded a trade, but all signs point to him being dealt this offseason, potentially before the start of the new league year next week. The former fourth-rounder in 2019 out of Eastern Michigan is second in the league in tackles for loss in the last three years and also has 32 sacks in 44 games in that span. Whoever lands Crosby is going to get one of the premier pass-rushers in football.
--Keith HernandezSource: Trey Wingo
March 5, 2026
The New York Giants are high on Tampa Bay Buccaneers impending free-agent cornerback Jamel Dean, according to Connor Hughes of SNY. The Giants also made calls on cornerback Trent McDuffie before the Los Angeles Rams acquired him from the Kansas City Chiefs on Wednesday. Dean, 29, was a former third-round pick by the Bucs in 2019 out of Auburn. In his seven years in the NFL, he has accumulated 359 tackles (285 solo), one sack, seven tackles for loss, 11 interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), 61 pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 96 games (77 starts). Dean had 46 tackles (38 solo), his first career sack, a career-high three interceptions (one for a TD), nine pass breakups, and two forced fumbles in 14 starts in 2025. He should garner plenty of attention on the open market besides the Giants.
--Keith HernandezSource: SNY - Connor Hughes
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