National Football League

National Football League

One of the biggest weaknesses the Patriots tried to improve, and seemed to until injuries plagued the defense, was their pass-rushing group, and unfortunately, that will remain a top need going into the 2026 offseason. That's why the possibility that the Raiders could trade away Maxx Crosby has become a fixation for New England fans, but it's looking less likely as the weeks go on.

We're less than a month from the start of the new NFL league year in early March, when we usually see the juiciest trades. Today, I'll put together 11 trade proposals, which involve veterans, that might make sense for both sides. You shouldn't be surprised -- the only thing I love more than a real trade is a mock one. Subscribe: 'The Bill Barnwell Show' Though it would be fun to put together some massive offer for Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson,

Although he was the first receiver in New England to reach 1,000+ receiving yards since Julian Edelman in 2019, there is considerable discussion about his fit for 2026 and beyond, particularly given his ongoing court case and his salary. Whatever happens to his tenure in Foxborough could depend on the outcome of his legal problems, but if not, NBC Sports Boston's Phil Perry believes there's plenty to suggest his salary isn't ideal for what the Patriots want to accomplish.

Tre' Johnson, the former standout Washington offensive lineman who went on to become a Maryland high school history teacher, died Sunday. He was 54. In a Facebook post, Johnson's wife, Irene, said he died during a short family trip. "It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that my husband, Tre' Johnson, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly ... during a brief family trip," she wrote. "His four children, Chloe, EJ, EZ and Eden, extended family, friends, and I are devastated and in shock."

Feb 15, 2026, 05:17 PM ET Seattle Seahawks quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko has been hired as the Las Vegas Raiders' offensive coordinator, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Sunday. Janocko once again will reunite with Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak, who he worked with in New Orleans and Seattle. The Raiders went 3-14 this past season, then fired first-year coach Pete Carroll.

The 2024 second-team All-Pro began his seventh year in Washington as a no-show in training camp and preseason during a dramatic contract standoff with general manager Adam Peters. The matter was resolved in time for the regular season, but he started slowly and then suffered a quad/hip flexor injury in Week 3 against the Las Vegas Raiders. McLaurin missed seven of Washington's next eight games, eventually finishing the season with 582 receiving yards and three touchdowns from 38 receptions.

The Commanders used two linebackers - Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu - on almost every snap. They usually had three defensive linemen and a standard two-corner/two-safety secondary on the field. That leaves two other defenders who floated. More often than not, those players were edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr., who was often tabbed as a linebacker, and big nickel safety Jeremy Chinn. Both could shift into the linebacker role, creating a de facto 3-4 front.

Despite the Super Bowl loss, the world once again saw Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez on full display. Over 40 coverage reps, Gonzalez was targeted five times, allowing just one catch for 16 yards. He almost made two of the best plays of the game regardless of team. Targeting Christian Gonzalez down the field is certainly a choice.He has allowed just a 28.6% completion rate when targeted 20+ yards downfield this season 🔒 pic.twitter.com/c7fVFwPVip- Mike Kennedy (@MikeKennedyNFL) February 9, 2026

For ESPN's NFL experts, Super Bowl LX was only the end of another chapter in the book that is the NFL. Immediately, 11 experts, from Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano to Aaron Schatz and Benjamin Solak, took their shots at predicting some of the biggest stories of the 2026 NFL season. From the NFL MVP to who's going to hoist the Lombardi next season, ESPN tasked these poor souls to put down some insanely-too-early hot takes in writing, and the results did not disappoint.

The Las Vegas Raiders are promoting run game coordinator/defensive line coach Rob Leonard to defensive coordinator, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Leonard worked closely last season with Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby, whose future in Las Vegas remains uncertain. Leonard joined the Raiders in 2023 after spending one season as the Baltimore Ravens outside linebackers coach. Prior to Baltimore, Leonard spent three years (2019-21) with the Miami Dolphins, where he held multiple positions during his tenure.

As the offense continues to build around Jayden Daniels, the Washington Commanders will continue to search for ways to add speed, flexibility, and mismatch potential to the middle of their offense. With an expected emphasis on spacing, pre-snap disguise, and forcing defenses into unfavorable personnel decisions from offensive coordinator David Blough in 2026, Washington profiles as a strong landing spot for an athletic tight end who can function as a movable chess piece.

Congratulations to Sam Darnold, the first USC quarterback to win the Super Bowl. I will always remember Sam's amazing performance in the 2017 Rose Bowl game against Penn State. Sam was a redshirt freshman that year. He had the heart of a champion then and still does now. Sam Darnold's odyssey, from first-round bust to Super Bowl champion, is straight out of a Hollywood movie.

New Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur will retain defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, a source confirmed to ESPN NFL Insider Jeremy Fowler. Rallis was brought to Arizona in 2023 by former head coach Jonathan Gannon, who was fired on Jan. 5 after a 3-14 season. Rallis will enter his fourth season as the Cardinals' defensive coordinator. Arizona also plans on hiring former Giants special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial in the same role, according to reports.

'Keep going. Steph Curry. Keep shooting,' Diggs said after the game, per MassLive's Mark Daniels. 'He's 23 years old. It's a team effort. From my standpoint, I wish I could've done more. It's hard playing quarterback.It's not a one-man band. He has a supporting cast. We needed to do a better job supporting him. He's young, he did what he could, fought long, fought hard... I'm just super proud of him.'

"I'll tell you what. I'm not firing this guy,"

An arbitrator found that the report cards violated the Collective Bargaining Agreement by "disparaging NFL clubs and individuals." According to the memo, the arbitrator found through hearings with the NFLPA's witness and counsel that the report cards were "designed by the union to advance its interests under the guise of a scientific exercise." The NFLPA refused to produce data related to previous surveys, and the union's witness and counsel admitted the union "cherry-picked" topics and responses to include in the report cards.

There's a lot of fence-mending that's going to need to happen if the Raiders are going to hang on to Maxx Crosby. It goes all the way to the top of the organization with Tom Brady and Alex Guerrero. The way the communication happened with the injury in December left a mark. This is a guy who's incredibly loyal to the Raiders organization, wanted to spend his entire career there, and is loyal to Mark Davis as well.