BROWNS QB COMPETITION TO PIT DESHAUN WATSON VS. SHEDEUR SANDERS
Hitting home runs in the 2025 draft likely spared general manager Andrew Berry his job when owner Jimmy Haslam fired head coach Kevin Stefanski in January.
He’s anxious to find more youthful talent for an encore but cautioned a “targeted” approach was more likely in free agency.
“Realistically we may be one more offseason away from being hyper-aggressive in that window,” Berry said Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine.
The Browns are not certain how the quarterback situation will shake out, but Berry said Deshaun Watson — who missed last season recovering from two Achilles surgeries — and Shedeur Sanders would be part of the competition.
“We don’t have to make that decision anytime soon,” Berry said.
The Browns have two picks in the first round, sixth and 24th overall, and some significant roster needs. Berry pointed to a focus on repairing the offensive line and locating playmakers for Cleveland. Berry said offensive lineman Joel Bitonio is “still working through” a decision on his potential retirement.
“A year ago at this time, I wouldn’t have guessed the draft would have played out the way it did,” Berry said. “You have to be flexible and adaptable. You have to be open to the fact that it may not look exactly like you’d hoped coming out of it.”
Berry said first-time head coach Todd Monken would make the decision on how to handle the quarterback position. Specific to Sanders, Berry said the organizational viewpoint on his goals for the offseason starts with working on his body and eradicating high-risk throws that lead to turnovers.
“I think the biggest thing that we want to see from Shedeur is just continued growth. He grew a lot from start one to start seven,” Berry said. “Certainly playing more efficiently, not putting the ball in harm’s way as much would be important while maintaining the ability to produce out of structure and generate explosive plays.”
Berry was honored earlier Tuesday as the winner of the Buddy Teevens Forward Progress Award. He has hired more women in football-related roles than any individual or organization in NFL history.
JETS PLAN TO USE FRANCHISE TAG ON RB BREECE HALL IF DEAL NOT REACHED
New York Jets general manager Darren Mougey made it clear the team intends to retain Breece Hall one way or another this offseason.
The Jets plan to use either the franchise tag or transition tag on their standout running back if a long-term deal can’t be reached by the March 3 deadline, Mougey said on Tuesday at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
“We’ll find a way to keep Breece here if we can’t get a deal done,” Mougey said.
Hall, 24, has rushed for 3,398 yards and 18 touchdowns in four seasons since the Jets selected him in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Iowa State. He amassed a career-high 1,065 yards in 2025, becoming the first Jet since 2015 to surpass 1,000 rushing yards. He was retained at the trade deadline despite New York shipping off a number of other top players.
The franchise tag, which pays a player a one-year deal at the rate of the average of the top five salaries at his position, would be worth $14.5 million for Hall in 2026. The transition tag, which pays the average of the top 10 positional salaries, would be worth approximately $11.7 million.
The difference between the two is that the Jets would not be eligible for draft compensation on a transition tag should they elect not to match an offer from another team to Hall.
Even if the Jets were to tag Hall, the two sides could continue to work toward a new contract up until July 15, at which point he would play under the tag and be a pending free agent once more next offseason.
CHIEFS NOT PUSHING, PREPARED FOR TRAVIS KELCE DECISION
Travis Kelce earned patience from the Kansas City Chiefs, who are uncertain two months prior to the NFL draft if their 37-year-old tight end will be on the roster by training camp.
Kelce is weighing whether to return for this 14th season in the league and has debated retirement for the past two offseasons.
“We’ve kind of prepared for either scenario,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday. “We’re trying to position ourselves that either way, we have a plan moving forward.”
Veach said he would be meeting with Kelce’s representatives this week and “you need some sort of timeline and deadline,” but called conversations with his camp “positive.”
Head coach Andy Reid said he routinely is in touch with Kelce. Kelce is owed a $12.5 million roster bonus next month and has a cap number of almost $20 million the Chiefs likely would adjust with any commitment to play in 2026.
He had 851 yards and five touchdowns last season, but a total of 76 receptions was Kelce’s lowest total since he had 72 in 2015. No. 2 tight end Noah Gray also is an unrestricted free agent.
“Travis is the best, he’s an icon and hopefully he comes back,” Veach said. “We’ll just kind of let that process play out. It’s not your typical 27-year-old first-time-in-free agency.
“Travis has done everything. He’s accomplished everything. He’s about to get married, got a lot going on. We’re just going to continue to have positive dialogue and see where this thing ends.”
STEELERS CONFIRM ‘DOOR OPEN’ FOR REUNION WITH AARON RODGERS
If the Steelers know the options on the table for 42-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh general manager Omar Khan wasn’t ready to reveal any of the cards in play for either side.
Khan wouldn’t say whether Rodgers is considering retirement or other offers as an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins March 11.
“That’s a question for Aaron. He knows how we feel. I think we know how he feels about us,” Khan said Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. “It was a good experience for both sides. Unfortunately we didn’t reach our goals on winning the games we wanted to at the end. But there’s a mutual respect there.”
Pittsburgh hosts the 2026 NFL Draft in April and Khan said he’s been working at warp speed to get on the same page with new head coach Mike McCarthy. McCarthy returned to the NFL sideline after one season away.
Khan said McCarthy, who last coached with the Cowboys, was a fan of quarterback Will Howard coming out of Ohio State and is excited to work with him. Howard was Pittsburgh’s sixth-round pick in 2025 but landed on injured reserve in August because of a fractured hand. He returned to practice in November.
“We mentioned Aaron, but we all agree that we’re looking for that next franchise guy,” Khan said. “We’re not there yet, and we may have the guy on the roster, we don’t know, in Will, and we’re excited to work with Will. We all know that has to be addressed, and we’re all looking for the same thing, we’re just not there yet.”
Rodgers came to Pittsburgh to play for Mike Tomlin, who resigned after the Steelers’ loss to the Houston Texans in the playoffs. But he won a Super Bowl with McCarthy during his prodigious run as quarterback of the Packers.
Khan said he spoke to Rodgers last week and the Steelers made it clear “the door is open to have Aaron back.”
Last offseason, Tomlin and the Steelers kept the door open for Rodgers until he finally made his signing official on June 6. Khan said neither side wants to delay a deal or “see it drag on like it did last year.”
REPORT: TE ZACH ERTZ (ACL) EYES 14TH NFL SEASON
Free agent tight end Zach Ertz intends to play in 2026 and is expected to be cleared from his rehab following a torn ACL around the season opener, NFL Network reported on Tuesday.
Ertz, 35, is two months into his rehab after injuring his right knee during the Washington Commanders’ 31-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 7.
A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Ertz posted 50 receptions for 504 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games (all starts) last season while playing on a one-year contract with the Commanders.
Ertz won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles following the 2017 season.
His 825 career receptions are fifth all-time among tight ends, while his 8,592 yards rank eighth at the position.
Ertz has 57 touchdowns in 181 regular-season games (143 starts) with the Eagles (2013-21), Arizona Cardinals (2021-23) and Commanders.
QB WHO? BEARS CLAIM TRADE INTEREST HIGH IN BACKUP TYSON BAGENT
Nobody predicted a quarterback quandary for the Chicago Bears this offseason.
With Caleb Williams leading a revival alongside first-year head coach Ben Johnson, the Bears won their first playoff game in 15 years and have the firepower behind their third-year quarterback to remain competitive in the near term.
But general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson said Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine they are indeed wrestling with a weighty decision at QB: whether or not to listen to trade calls for backup Tyson Bagent.
“It’s a really tough decision for us,” Poles said Tuesday, speaking an hour before Johnson took the podium at the Indiana Convention Center adjacent to Lucas Oil Stadium. “Obviously the tough thing is with what Ben thinks about Tyson, what I think about Tyson, what our locker room thinks about Tyson, it’s a tough decision for us. I think he would have an opportunity to go and perform for a team and do some really good things. You’ve got to weigh the short-term and long-term. So now, what’s the cost for a replacement to get someone like Tyson? Interesting dynamic there that we’re going to have to work through.
Bagent was undrafted in 2023 after five seasons as the starter at Division II Shepherd. He won a backup job in training camp before Johnson’s arrival in 2025.
He won two of his four starts as a rookie, including his first over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Bagent, who turns 26 in June, signed a two-year extension in August 2025 following Johnson’s first training camp with Bagent and the Bears.
“I love Tyson. We will always do what’s best for organization,” Johnson said. “I’m of the mind that he was one of the best 32 in the NFL.”
PATRIOTS NOT MOVING EMBATTLED LT WILL CAMPBELL, ANTICIPATE JUMP IN 2026
Before Patriots general manager Eliot Wolf dives into the 2026 draft class, he clarified his stance on 2025 first-round pick Will Campbell.
Heavily criticized for his playoff performance and the appearance he was overmatched in Super Bowl LX, the Patriots clarified Campbell was never fully recovered from a knee injury that sapped strength and agility.
“When he came back from that injury, I personally didn’t see the same level of lower-body strength you saw before the injury,” Wolf said Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. “Before that I think Will played really well all year. The film would attest to that. He probably had three of his four worst games in the playoffs.”
Campbell said a week after the Super Bowl the knee injury that sent him to IR after Week 12 wasn’t completely healed when he was activated Week 18. He said he “obviously wasn’t 100 percent” in the postseason.
“I mean, I don’t think when you tear a ligament in your knee, it’s not going to be how it was before, but I was healthy enough to go,” he said. “I’m not going to say that it held me back, but yeah, it wasn’t the same as it was before, obviously. But I was good.”
Wolf on Tuesday shut down suggestions the Patriots would consider sliding Campbell to guard. Campbell allowed double-digit pass-rush pressures — a league high for the 2025 season of 14 — against the Seahawks in the Super Bowl defeat.
“We’re not moving him to guard,” Wolf said. “He really couldn’t anchor the same way he did pre-injury. I know everybody talks about the arm length, but he has a set of skills that enable him to play with that arm length. He’s really quick out of his sets, he’s technically sound … again, he’s 22 years old and we expect some improvement out of him as well.”
Campbell was selected fourth overall in 2025. He was under the 33-inch mark most teams set as a minimum for offensive tackles for arm length — 32 5/8 inches at the 2025 NFL Combine — but at LSU’s pro day, the measurement came in at 33 inches.
Head coach Mike Vrabel said he’s not considering a move at left tackle. Campbell is similar to one of Tom Brady’s primary left tackles with the Patriots, former Purdue tight end and tackle Matt Light. His reach was similar — in the 33-inch range — and Light worked against Vrabel in practices when both played for New England. They were on the same three Super Bowl-winning teams — XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX — with the Patriots.
RAVENS AND QB LAMAR JACKSON TALKING EXTENSION
Lamar Jackson remains instrumental in shaping the future of the Baltimore Ravens.
General manager Eric DeCosta said Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis that Jackson was vocal in the team’s coaching search, and talks about a contract extension are underway.
Jackson, 29, has an NFL-high salary-cap figure of $73.5 million in 2026. An extension with the two-time MVP quarterback, who acts as his own agent, could significantly lower that figure and allow DeCosta to re-sign free agents — center Tyler Linderbaum is a priority — or add to the roster in free agency.
“Lamar and I have an agreement,” DeCosta said. “We handle business kind of in-house internally. That worked well for us last time and we will continue to have that policy moving forward. Have spoken to Lamar about a lot of different things over the last month. He’s been very engaged. He was a big value to us in the coaching search, but we’ll continue those conversations moving forward.”
DeCosta said the Ravens made a “market setting” offer to Linderbaum and are hopeful he’ll return. The Ravens rolled the dice on keeping Linderbaum long-term when they declined his fifth-year option for 2026.
“Obviously he’s proven to be, in my opinion, the best center of the league,” DeCosta said. “Hopefully we can get something done with him between now and the start of the new league year.”
DeCosta said the “trenches” are a high priority on both sides of the ball when free agency begins March 9.
The Ravens hired former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter as their new head coach last month, replacing John Harbaugh.
FALCONS GM CONFIRMS QB KIRK COUSINS TO BE RELEASED MARCH 11
Atlanta Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham said Tuesday he informed quarterback Kirk Cousins that the team would release him on March 11, the first day of the new league year.
“I did talk to Kirk and his representation, Mike McCartney, letting them know that would release him,” Cunningham said. “Just felt that was out of respect for Kirk, and Mike, his agent, for what he has done for his career. I owe that to him, we owe that to him, just allow him some clarity going into free agency.”
Cousins, 37, agreed to modify the final two seasons of a four-year, $180 million deal last month that lowered his 2026 base salary from a non-guaranteed $35 million to just $2.1 million. The difference of $32.9 million matches the increase of his 2027 salary.
A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Cousins completed 61.7% of his passes for 1,721 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions in 10 games (eight starts) this past season. Atlanta was 5-3 in Cousins’ starts.
Last Friday, Falcons team president Matt Ryan initially backed away from a full commitment to quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in his opening press conference in Atlanta. However, Ryan implied that the 2024 first-round pick wasn’t going anywhere.
Penix, 25, started nine games (3-6 record) last season before he tore his ACL, an injury that is all too familiar, as is the recovery and rehab to follow. Determined to get back sooner than projected from his third knee reconstruction, Penix said in early February that he’s “a little bit” ahead of schedule and expects to be ready for the first game of the 2026 season.
With Penix on injured reserve watching Cousins operate the offense, the Falcons missed the playoffs and finished 8-9. Since then, head coach Raheem Morris was fired, the Falcons overhauled their front office and hired Ryan as team president. Ryan went with former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski in Atlanta’s wide-ranging search, which multiplied questions about what the Falcons might do behind center.
RAIDERS GM KEEPING MAXX CROSBY, EAGER TO MEET WITH FERNANDO MENDOZA
Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek is spinning a lot of plates at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, where the franchise gets a first-hand look at 319 candidates to be the No. 1 pick in the draft.
The Raiders haven’t had the No. 1 pick since 2007 when they selected LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell.
What is Spytek looking for as the Raiders rebuild a roster that finished a league-worst 3-14 in 2026?
“All of it. We won three games last year,” Spytek said. “We’ve got to be super honest with where we’re at. We’ve got a lot of needs to address and a lot of capital to do it.”
Spytek shot down reports the Raiders are leaning toward trading 29-year-old defensive end Maxx Crosby. Crosby was disgruntled at the end of the regular season when the Raiders held him out because he was banged up. Crosby considered himself healthy.
After a coaching change with Klint Kubiak replacing Pete Carroll, Spytek said Tuesday he is confident Crosby will not be traded.
“I am. Maxx is an elite player and I’ve been very up front from the start when I got here. It’s hard to build a great team without elite players. Maxx and I have a great relationship. We talk all the time. We text, talk on the phone. He’s in the building everyday.”
The Raiders also are not “shopping” the No. 1 pick in the draft. But Spytek said he learned from his time with Howie Roseman in Philadelphia and Jason Licht in Tampa Bay that “you always listen.”
Without specifically naming Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Spytek said the Raiders are interested in quarterbacks who have “passion, humility and prepare for the game the right way.” He was in-person for multiple Indiana games in 2025 and attended the national championship game. NFL personnel is not allowed to talk to college players, so Spytek is interested in learning more about Mendoza and the other quarterbacks in the 2026 draft class.
“How they are going to handle the pressure of being 1 of 32 in the world,” Spytek said of the most critical evaluation of the position. “To us it’s about how much can they process, how hard do they work, how much do they remember.”
Spytek said he’s “not necessarily in favor of running out” a rookie quarterback right away. Having a veteran — Geno Smith is under contract, Kenny Pickett is a free agent — sounding board who might play ahead of the prized passer is a priority. He said the 18-minute formal interviews this week at the combine will be important to determine “leadership traits, humility” but later sessions with prospects are more vital in making his final decision.
He’s also willing to lean on minority owner Tom Brady, who is playing a significant role in shaping the rebuild of the Raiders.
“He’s the best ever to do it,” Spytek said. “Whoever is playing quarterback for the Raiders has a great opportunity to learn from Tom. Tom is a great resource for them.”
NICK SIRIANNI: EAGLES CAN’T GUARANTEE A.J. BROWN’S RETURN
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said he “can’t guarantee” wide receiver A.J. Brown will play for Philadelphia next season.
Brown has topped 1,000 yards in all four of his seasons with the team but is the subject of trade speculation this offseason after repeatedly expressing his frustration with the offense in 2025.
Despite the frayed relationship, Sirianni said there is mutual interest in the three-time Pro Bowl selection continuing his career with Philadelphia.
“My expectation is he wants to be here. And obviously you want good players like that in your building,” Sirianni said during a session with local media, per ESPN.
“As (general manager) Howie (Roseman) said, it’s hard to get good players in this league. A.J.’s a great player and A.J. is a good teammate and A.J. is a good person. Does he want to be here? Yes. Do I want him to be here? Yes.”
When pressed about whether the 28-year-old Brown would be in an Eagles uniform in 2026, Sirianni provided a cautious answer.
“Will A.J. be here next season? I think we’re still in a spot, like, I can’t guarantee how anything is going to play out into next season,” Sirianni said. “I’m thinking I’m going to be the coach next season but you can’t guarantee anything past tomorrow.”
During a Super Bowl week appearance on Micah Parsons’ podcast, Brown called Philadelphia “home” and said he felt “fortunate” to be part of the team.
Brown has 339 catches for 5,034 yards and 32 touchdowns in 62 games in four seasons with the Eagles, winning a Super Bowl in the 2024 season and NFC East titles in 2022, 2024 and 2025.
Brown signed a three-year, $96 million extension ($84 million guaranteed) in April 2024. He carries a $23.4 million cap hit for the 2026 season.
LIONS SELECTED TO PLAY IN MUNICH IN 2026
The Detroit Lions will play a regular season game in 2026 in Munich, Germany, the NFL announced on Tuesday.
The Lions’ opponent and date will be announced when the full schedule is revealed in the spring.
The Munich game is one of a record nine international contests taking place across four continents next season.
Allianz Arena, the 70,000-seat home of Bundesliga powerhouse FC Bayern Munich, is the site of the game. The stadium will also host a game in 2028, with the NFL playing games in Berlin in 2027 and 2029.
“Germany continues to be a key market in the NFL’s international growth ambitions, with Europe’s largest fanbase,” said NFL Germany general manager Alexander Steinforth. “We are excited to welcome the Detroit Lions to play in the 2026 NFL Munich game — and in partnership with the Lions, FC Bayern Munich and the City of Munich, we look forward to bringing an incredible NFL experience to fans across the region in the NFL 2026 season.”
The Lions have marketing rights in Germany, Austria and Switzerland as part of the league’s global markets program.
“We are thrilled to be playing internationally and specifically in Munich for the 2026 season,” said Lions president and CEO Rod Wood. “As an organization, we have invested greatly in the German market and are excited to play in front of our passionate German fans.”
Playing in Germany holds special significance for Lions star Amon-Ra St. Brown.
“It has been a dream of mine to play a game in my mother’s home country of Germany since coming to the league,” the two-time All-Pro receiver said. “I cannot wait to play in front of the incredible fans that I’ve gotten to know through my visits and football camps in the country. Their support for me and the country’s instant connection to the Lions brand is inspiring, and I’m looking forward to our team getting to showcase Detroit football on an international scale.” The Lions’ two previous international games were played in London in 2014 and 2015.
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