NFL free company isn’t right here fairly but — however the NFL information cycle by no means sleeps.
Coming out of the 2026 NFL mix, now with lower than per week to go earlier than the beginning of the authorized tampering interval (set for Monday, March 9 at 12 p.m. ET), the information cycle is heating up.
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The week opened up with a few trades from the Houston Texans, having reportedly acquired veteran running back David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions in alternate for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs and a fourth- and sixth-round decide. The workforce additionally reportedly agreed to trade starting right tackle Tytus Howard to the Cleveland Browns, who subsequently agreed to phrases on a three-year, $63 million extension.
The week main up to the official begin of free company on March 12 may also be a busy time for the discharge of NFL veterans, as every workforce makes strikes to grow to be compliant with the wage cap, which is officially set at $301.2 million per club. Among gamers who will reportedly be launched are Vikings veterans Aaron Jones and Javon Hargrave, in addition to Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore.
Also on the horizon is the official franchise tag deadline, with two offensive stars having acquired the tag to date, together with Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts and Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens.
Teams have till Tuesday, March 3, at 4 p.m. ET to place the franchise tag on one pending free agent, basically stopping them from hitting the open market. That tag ensures the participant a totally assured, one-year contract, although groups are in a position to negotiate a long-term take care of any tagged participant till July 15 at 4 p.m. ET. If no long-term deal has been negotiated at that time, the participant will play on the tag.
Follow together with Yahoo Sports for the most recent NFL information, experiences and rumors in the week main up to the beginning of free company.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
Glasgow was drafted by the Lions in the third spherical of the 2016 draft, spending 4 seasons in Detroit earlier than a three-year stint in Denver, after which touchdown again with the Lions for the previous three seasons.
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Tarohn Finley
Edge rusher Khalil Mack will reportedly play in 2026, in accordance to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The 35-year-old cross rusher is coming off a season with 32 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 4 compelled fumbles in 12 video games this season. He will reportedly discover all choices in free company after spending the final 4 seasons with the Chargers.
Mack was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in 2014 and likewise hung out with the Chicago Bears. He is a 9-time Pro Bowler and 3-time All-Pro.
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Tarohn Finley
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Tarohn Finley
No extra Sonic and Knuckles in the Motor City! Detroit Lions working again Jahmyr Gibbs posted an image of Sonic and Knuckles crying after David Montgomery was reportedly traded to the Houston Texans on Monday.
Gibbs and Montgomery embraced the “Sonic and Knuckles” comparability as a working again duo. Gibbs was dubbed “Sonic” for his pace and quickness, whereas Montgomery was referred to as “Knuckles” for his energy and physicality.
This will likely be Gibbs’s first season with out Montgomery after the 2 joined the Lions collectively in 2023.
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Chris Cwik
In an effort to get underneath the NFL wage cap forward of the brand new league 12 months, the Kansas City Chiefs are reportedly set to half methods with one in every of their beginning offensive linemen.
Jawaan Taylor was reportedly knowledgeable he could be lower if the workforce could not discover a trade associate for Taylor, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Taylor, 28, has proved extraordinarily sturdy over his profession, beginning 111 video games over seven seasons.
The transfer is crucial for the Chiefs, who’re presently estimated to be roughly $8.6 million over the 2026 wage cap. The Chiefs can save roughly $20 on the cap by parting methods with Taylor.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
The Detroit Lions are buying and selling veteran working again David Montgomery to the Houston Texans, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Monday.
The Texans will ship their 2026 fourth-round decide, offensive lineman Juice Scruggs and a seventh-round decide for Montgomery, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports. The deal will not formally undergo till the beginning of the brand new league 12 months on March 11.
The information comes simply someday after Montgomery denied reports that he “wanted out” of Detroit, refuting a report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that he was looking for a recent begin, additionally noting that the Lions would need “possibly a fifth-rounder” in return for the vet.
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Kate Magdziuk
Monday’s been an enormous day for offensive linemen, with guard Dalton Risner in the combo, reportedly signing a one-year contract extension with the Cincinnati Bengals value up to $5 million, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Risner, a seven-year veteran in the league, began his profession with the Denver Broncos as a second-round decide of the 2019 NFL Draft class. After a four-year stint in Denver, Risner performed two years with the Vikings earlier than signing with the Bengals as a free agent in 2025.
He began 11 video games for Cincinnati, with 9 begins at proper guard and two begins at left guard, showcasing a few of his versatility.
Per PFF, Risner allowed simply two complete sacks on 475 pass-blocking alternatives in 2025, incomes a 71.5 blocking grade that ranked seventeenth amongst guards (min. 500 snaps).
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Tarohn Finley
The Washington Commanders will reportedly launch cornerback Marshon Lattimore, in accordance to CBS Sports Matt Zenitz.
Lattimore, 29, made 9 begins for the Commanders final season after being acquired earlier than the trade deadline in 2024. He spent his first seven seasons with the New Orleans Saints.
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Chris Cwik
With the Cleveland Browns making an attempt to resolve on their quarterback of the long run, the workforce made a transfer Monday geared toward serving to whoever winds up getting the job heading into 2026.
The workforce reportedly acquired proper deal with Tytus Howard in a trade with the Houston Texans and instantly signed Howard to a three-year, $63 million extension, in accordance to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Howard, 29, has began 93 video games over his seven-year profession. In alternate for Howard, the Texans are reportedly receiving a fifth-round decide.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
Speaking on the NFL mix final week, Raiders GM John Spytek mentioned he “expects” star defensive end Maxx Crosby to be with the team in 2026.
But that hasn’t stopped the most recent spherical of trade rumors surrounding the five-time Pro Bowler.
The newest rumor stems from Sports Illustrated reporter Albert Breer, who notes that he’d “lean toward a Maxx Crosby trade happening, and maybe this week.”
Crosby has been on the heart of the trade rumor mill for a while now, as he continues to shine regardless of the Raiders struggling as a franchise over time. The workforce has had only one profitable season (2021, 10-7, misplaced in wild-card spherical) since Crosby was chosen in the fourth spherical of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Crosby totaled 10 sacks over 15 video games this previous season, nabbing his first profession interception with a career-best 28 tackles for loss, which ranked second in the league solely behind Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett (33).
