NFL free agency isn’t here quite yet — but the NFL news cycle never sleeps.
Coming out of the 2026 NFL combine, now with less than a week to go before the start of the legal tampering period (set for Monday, March 9 at 12 p.m. ET), the news cycle is heating up.
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The week opened up with a couple of trades from the Houston Texans, having reportedly acquired veteran running back David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions in exchange for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs and a fourth- and sixth-round pick. The team also reportedly agreed to trade starting right tackle Tytus Howard to the Cleveland Browns, who subsequently agreed to terms on a three-year, $63 million extension.
The week leading up to the official start of free agency on March 12 will also be a busy time for the release of NFL veterans, as each team makes moves to become compliant with the salary cap, which is officially set at $301.2 million per club.
Among players who will reportedly be released are Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, Vikings veterans Aaron Jones and Javon Hargrave, as well as Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore.
Also on the horizon is Tuesday’s official franchise tag deadline, with three offensive stars having received the tag so far, including Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts and Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens. The Jets will reportedly place the franchise tag on running back Breece Hall as the two sides continue to negotiate a long-term contract.
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The Seahawks reportedly won’t be tagging Kenneth Walker III, and the Bengals won’t tag Trey Hendrickson, setting him up to become a free agent.
The Indianapolis Colts, meanwhile, will place the lesser-known transition tag on veteran quarterback Daniel Jones. The tag, worth a fully-guaranteed $37.833 million, per Over The Cap, will allow him to negotiate with other NFL teams and provide the Colts the opportunity to match any offer sheet Jones signs.
Teams have until Tuesday, March 3, at 4 p.m. ET to place the franchise tag on one pending free agent, essentially preventing them from hitting the open market. That tag ensures the player a fully guaranteed, one-year contract, though teams are able to negotiate a long-term deal with any tagged player until July 15 at 4 p.m. ET. If no long-term deal has been negotiated at that point, the player will play on the tag.
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for the latest NFL news, reports and rumors in the week leading up to the start of free agency.
Live27 updates
Tue, March 3, 2026 at 12:58 PM PST
Tarohn Finley
The Kyler Murray era in Arizona is over.
The Cardinals are set to release the quarterback on the first day of the new league year next week, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Murray confirmed the news on social media, too, and apologized for failing during his seven seasons in Arizona.
The Cardinals already owe Murray $36.8 million in guaranteed money in 2026. Releasing Murray before March 15 gets them out of another $19.5 million that would have been triggered for the 2027 campaign.
Tue, March 3, 2026 at 12:06 PM PST
Kate Magdziuk
The Indianapolis Colts will reportedly place the transition tag on quarterback Daniel Jones after the two sides failed to come to terms on a long-term contract, the team announced.
Indianapolis got off to a hot 7-1 start with Jones under center last season; now, he has the opportunity to negotiate with other teams under the transition tag.
Should he sign an offer sheet with a new team, the Colts will have the opportunity to match the offer within five days of signing. If he does not sign an offer sheet with a new team, he will play the 2026 season under the transition tag, which will pay him a fully guaranteed $37.833 million, per Over The Cap.
Tue, March 3, 2026 at 12:04 PM PST
Chris Cwik
Last March, the Chicago Bears made one of the key offseason moves that would propel their team from worst to first in the NFC North, signing center Drew Dalman to a three-year, $42 million deal. A year later, and the 27-year-old will reportedly retire after just five seasons in the NFL, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The move comes as a massive surprise considering Dalman’s age, contract and on-field excellence.
Read more on the shocking news here.
Tue, March 3, 2026 at 12:04 PM PST
Kate Magdziuk
One of the top edge rushers in this upcoming free agency class appears likely to hit the open market, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Tuesday.
The Los Angeles Chargers have reportedly “given no indication” that they will use either the franchise tag or transition tag on pass rusher Odafe Oweh ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, meaning he will hit free agency for the first time in his career.
Tue, March 3, 2026 at 11:47 AM PST
Chris Cwik
The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t franchise tagging standout pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, according to multiple reports Tuesday.
As a result, Hendrickson will reportedly become an unrestricted free agent.
That’s quite a change from last offseason when he found himself in a contract dispute that dragged into the summer and dominated headlines.
Tue, March 3, 2026 at 10:37 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Greenard just finished his second season with the Vikings. He played in 12 games last season, recording 38 total tackles, three sacks, three passes defensed and one forced fumble, a slight dropoff from his 2024 Pro Bowl season.
Tue, March 3, 2026 at 9:30 AM PST
Jason Fitz, Caroline Fenton
Tue, March 3, 2026 at 9:14 AM PST
Kate Magdziuk
The reigning Super Bowl MVP is reportedly expected to hit free agency.
The Seattle Seahawks are not expected to place the franchise or transition tag on running back Kenneth Walker III, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Tuesday. That means he will officially become a free agent.
With the Jets placing the franchise tag on pending free agent Breece Hall on Tuesday, that makes Walker the top prize on the RB market this offseason, Yahoo Sports’ Frank Schwab writes.
Tue, March 3, 2026 at 8:40 AM PST
Tarohn Finley
The New York Jets will reportedly place the franchise tag on running back Breece Hall ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
The two sides will continue to negotiate a “lucrative long-term deal,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
Tue, March 3, 2026 at 7:48 AM PST
Chris Cwik
After playing in Germany last season, the Atlanta Falcons will continue their European tour in 2026. The NFL announced Tuesday the Falcons will be one of the teams participating in the Madrid, Spain, game during the upcoming season.
The Falcons confirmed the news, posting a graphic featuring the team’s logo in front of some famous Spanish landmarks. The team will play the game at Bernabéu, home to Real Madrid.
Tue, March 3, 2026 at 6:39 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Mon, March 2, 2026 at 7:00 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
With the 2026 NFL scouting combine in the books, this year’s NFL Draft class is becoming clearer.
While the quarterbacks and wide receivers got the most attention at the combine, it was a group of defensive prospects that stood out this past week in Indianapolis. Specifically, Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese and linebacker Sonny Styles put together a fantastic series of workouts to move into the top three of our latest mock draft.
But there were plenty of other defenders who stood out. This mock draft is littered with them in a deep overall class of defensive linemen and defensive backs.
Mon, March 2, 2026 at 6:04 PM PST
Frank Schwab
The Houston Texans needed a better answer at running back. The Detroit Lions were seemingly on the outs with David Montgomery after a successful three seasons together.
Therefore, Monday’s trade between the Lions and Texans made sense. Montgomery goes to Houston for a fourth-round pick, a seventh-round pick and offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, according to NFL Media.
The additions might make sense, but the subtractions leave more questions as we grade each side of the trade.
Mon, March 2, 2026 at 3:45 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Mon, March 2, 2026 at 2:47 PM PST
Kate Magdziuk
The Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty of question marks regarding the make up of their offense in the 2026 season, most notably at quarterback as pending free agent Aaron Rodgers contemplates his future. One of the more underrated storylines worth watching surrounds veteran tight end Pat Freiermuth, however.
Freiermuth saw a diminished role in 2025, averaging a career-low 3.2 targets per game after averaging just under five targets per game over the four seasons prior.
Despite that decline in usage, Pittsburgh is reportedly not interested in moving the veteran, who has three years remaining on his current contract after signing a four-year, $48.4 million extension in 2024.
“At least six teams would be interested in exploring the idea of acquiring tight end Pat Freiermuth, according to a league source. However, at least right now, teams are being told he’s not available,” The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo writes.
Coming into play in that equation is the veteran Jonnu Smith, whom the team acquired via trade with the Dolphins last offseason. He and Freiermuth each had exactly 54 targets on the season. Smith, 31, has one year remaining on his contract with the Steelers after signing an extension at the time of his trade.
Mon, March 2, 2026 at 2:22 PM PST
Frank Schwab
The Houston Texans needed a better answer at running back. The Detroit Lions were seemingly on the outs with David Montgomery after a successful three seasons together.
Therefore, Monday’s trade between the Lions and Texans made sense. Montgomery goes to Houston for a fourth-round pick, a seventh-round pick and offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, according to NFL Media.
Mon, March 2, 2026 at 1:58 PM PST
Tarohn Finley
The Miami Dolphins will reportedly release offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Eichenberg missed all of last season due to an undisclosed injury.
Eichenberg was a former second-round pick and started 52 games for the Dolphins.
The Dolphins continue to clear cap space after releasing Tyreek Hill, Bradley Chubb, James Daniels and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine in February.
Mon, March 2, 2026 at 1:46 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Glasgow was drafted by the Lions in the third round of the 2016 draft, spending four seasons in Detroit before a three-year stint in Denver, and then landing back with the Lions for the past three seasons.
Mon, March 2, 2026 at 12:45 PM PST
Tarohn Finley
Edge rusher Khalil Mack will reportedly play in 2026, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The 35-year-old pass rusher is coming off a season with 32 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 4 forced fumbles in 12 games this season. He will reportedly explore all options in free agency after spending the last four seasons with the Chargers.
Mack was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in 2014 and also spent time with the Chicago Bears. He is a 9-time Pro Bowler and 3-time All-Pro.
Mon, March 2, 2026 at 11:55 AM PST
Tarohn Finley