Jake Bailey will be on the move in 2026. Bailey has agreed to a three-year deal with the Falcons, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. This will be a $9MM pact with $5MM in full guarantees. Bailey's career to date had been spent in the AFC East, but that will no longer be the case.
One key player who is set to be a free agent this offseason is K'Lavon Chaisson, who joined the Patriots on a bargain deal worth just $3 million and had a crazy year in New England. The 20th overall pick in the 2020 draft spent four years in Jacksonville before signing with the Raiders for a year and then the Patriots. His one year in New England was a good one, as he tallied 7.5 sacks and 18 QB hits during the regular season.
His first season in Washington was a godsend. Luvu was signed on a bargain after stops with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, and he became the heart and soul of the Commanders' defense in 2024. The formidable linebacker had eight sacks, 14 quarterback hits, and was named a second-team All-Pro while helping lead the team to the NFC Championship game.
Although the Dallas Cowboys' season was cut short due to a disappointing 7-9-1 record, the offense still thrived. Two of their new additions, Javonte Williams and George Pickens, produced in their first season with the Dallas Cowboys, with the latter being named a second-team All-Pro. Coincidentally, both players did it just at the right time and are set for new contracts at the beginning of the new league year.
Lastly, we have Terence Steele, the Cowboys' starting right tackle since essentially the 2020 NFL season. In December 2022, he tore his ACL and MCL in a major knee injury; not even a year later, Dallas gave him a five-year, $86M extension. It was a huge gamble that banked on Steele returning to form. They tied themselves to him until 2028 without seeing him on the field after the injury.
But there is plenty of time, and much to play and figure out, before either side gets to that spot. For starters, Murray was placed on injured reserve Wednesday with a mid-foot sprain, which ensures that he will miss at least four games while Arizona starts Jacoby Brissett at quarterback. Editor's Picks It is another opportunity for Brissett, who some around the league believe has operated the Cardinals offense at a higher and more efficient level than Murray.
"I think we're two of the very best," Garrett said. "I think we're two of the very best in this generation, so just got to continue to lead the way. There are definitely some other names in that conversation, but I think saying that he's in it and that I'm in it is not out of the norm."
Williams was a first-round pick out of Alabama in 2022, the Lions taking the speedster 12th overall. Injuries and suspensions have meant he has struggled to live up to that draft status, though he helped the Lions to the NFC Championship Game in 2023 and had the best season of his career so far in 2024. Indeed, Williams racked up 1,001 receiving yards and scored eight total touchdowns, averaging a gaudy 17.1 yards per reception.
The new extension, which keeps Mills in Houston through the 2026 season, is worth $7 million and is fully guaranteed, sources said. Last year's extension was worth $5 million. Mills' last start came against the Indianapolis Colts in January 2023, when he threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns, as well as the game-winning two-point conversion pass to tight end Jordan Akins.
The Dallas Cowboys are trading Pro Bowl pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers, according to sources who spoke to ESPN. Dallas will receive two first-round draft picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark in return, according to sources who spoke to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Parsons and the Packers have already reached an agreement on a four-year, $188 million contract extension that includes $120 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
Chicago Bears backup quarterback Tyson Bagent was reduced to tears after signing a $10 million contract extension that made him take a moment to realize how far he and his family have come in his unlikely NFL journey. Bagent, 25, an undrafted player from a Division II school entering his third NFL season, became overwhelmed on Aug. 20 when speaking at a press conference about the two-year, $10 million extension he signed with the Bears. "As far as where I came from, I really can't even get too much into it without crying," he said. Moments later, he put his head down and wiped away tears when talking about his father.
Fan excitement is highest for the drafted rookies, overshadowing returning second-year players, with RB Bill Croskey-Merritt generating notable buzz despite limited prior performance. When asked about which player fans wanted to return in 2026, Deebo Samuel dominated the votes, indicating strong interest in his potential impact compared to veterans like Bobby Wagner and Austin Ekeler.
