NFL Player News
-
Trey Benson RB | ARI
Cardinals' Trey Benson: Backfield growing crowded
Benson (knee) faces increased competition for touches in 2026 after the Cardinals signed Tyler Allgeier and restructured James Conner's contract, Darren Urban of the team's official site reports.
Benson could potentially be the odd man out of a big-bodied 1-2 punch featuring Allgeier and Conner, as Donnie Druin of SI.com reports, though Benson's big-play potential could make him effective in a change-of-pace role. The 2024 third-round pick had a big opportunity last year following Conner's season-ending foot injury, but Benson then suffered a meniscus injury in Week 4, ultimately missing the rest of the season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery at the beginning of October. While the exact split of Arizona's 2026 backfield remains to be seen, Allgeier and Conner have established themselves as more consistent rushers than Benson, who will need to prove his health and then compete for a roster spot under new head coach Mike LaFleur.
-
Rome Odunze WR | CHI
Bears' Rome Odunze: Reduced competition for targets
Odunze and Luther Burden are Chicago's unquestioned top WRs after the team traded DJ Moore to Buffalo, Patrick Finley of The Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Moore might've only been the No. 3 receiver anyway if he'd returned to Chicago after plummeting to a 16.0 percent target rate in 2025 while easily leading the team in routes run (512). The Bears also lost WR Oladime Zaccheaus (305 routes), who is signing with Atlanta. There's plenty of time to add competition behind Odunze and Burden, but it does seem clear that those two and TE Colston Loveland will lead the team in targets in 2026 if they stay relatively healthy. Odunze said in January that he didn't anticipate needing surgery for the foot injury that cost him five games at the end of the regular season (he returned for two postseason games, posting 2-44-0 receiving lines in both). He failed to maintain a hot start in 2025, his second pro season, but there were still some promising signs overall, including a 24.4 percent target rate and six TDs in 12 regular-season games. Odunze, Burden and Loveland are all popular fantasy breakout candidates for 2026.
-
Jack Stoll TE | CLE
Browns' Jack Stoll: Moving on to Cleveland
Stoll (knee) agreed to terms Wednesday on a one-year contract with the Browns, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Stoll, who appears back to full health after ending the 2025 season on IR due to a knee issue, will provide depth behind breakout rookie tight end Harold Fannin (groin) for Cleveland. Across 15 regular-season appearances with the Saints last year, Stoll secured six of 11 targets for 46 yards and one touchdown.
-
James Mitchell TE | CAR
Panthers' James Mitchell: Re-signs with Panthers
Mitchell has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Carolina, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
Mitchell will continue to provide depth in a tight end room that also houses Ja'Tavion Sanders (lower leg), Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans. Across five regular-season games in 2025, Mitchell secured all three of his targets for 28 yards.
-
K.J. Britt LB | NE
Patriots' K.J. Britt: Heading to New England
Britt is slated to sign a one-year contract with the Patriots, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Britt heads to a division rival after his one-year stint with the Dolphins. He handled a depth role across 17 regular-season appearances in 2025, totaling 35 tackles (12 solo). He projects to handle a similar rotational role in New England, while also potentially acting as a significant contributor on special teams.
-
Anfernee Jennings LB | NE
Anfernee Jennings: Time up in New England
Jennings is slated to be released by the Patriots, Mike Reiss of ESPN reports.
Jennings departs New England as the team's longest tenured player, as Reiss reports, having played for a trio of head coaches during his time with the team. The Patriots create roughly $3.8 million in salary cap space with his release. Now heading into his age-29 season, Jennings will likely find a home elsewhere in the league as a rotational pass rusher.
-
K'Lavon Chaisson LB | WAS
Commanders' K'Lavon Chaisson: Joins forces with Commanders
Washington agreed to terms on a one-year, $11 million contract with Chaisson on Wednesday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
Chaisson is coming off a breakout campaign in New England and will spend his seventh season in the NFL as a focal point of the Commanders' revamped pass rush. Across 16 regular-season appearances in 2025, he totaled 71 tackles (18 solo), including a career-high 7.5 sacks. Chaisson projects to start opposite fellow free-agent signee Odafe Oweh in 2026.
-
Bryce Oliver WR | TEN
Titans' Bryce Oliver: Tendered by Titans
Tennessee tendered Oliver as an exclusive rights free agent on Wednesday.
Oliver will return to the Titans on a one-year league minimum contract for 2026. A knee injury he suffered Week 2 cause him to miss most of the 2025 campaign, though he was activated from IR and retook the field Week 18. Across his minimal action last season, Oliver secured his only target for eight yards and operated as a notable special-teams contributor.
-
Del'Shawn Phillips LB | LAC
Chargers' Del'Shawn Phillips: Special-teams ace stays with Bolts
The Chargers are re-signing Phillips to a two-year, $7.5 million contract, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Phillips suited up for all 17 of Los Angeles' regular-season games in 2025 as well as the team's wild-card round loss to New England, operating as a depth option at linebacker and a key playmaker on special teams. As Pelissero notes, Phillips led the league in special teams tackles in 2025, earning second-team All-Pro honors. He'll work to continue making plays on special teams over the next two seasons.
-
Luther Burden III WR | CHI
Bears' Luther Burden: Primed for key role
Burden has less competition for playing time and targets after the Bears traded DJ Moore to Buffalo, Patrick Finley of The Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Burden would've been a popular 2026 breakout candidate even if the Bears had kept Moore, who was targeted on just 16.0 percent of his routes last season. Burden had a team-high 26.1 percent target rate while ranking fourth among all qualified pass catchers with 2.83 yards per route, but with a mere 41 percent route share across 15 regular-season games. His playing time and production improved as the season progressed, with Burden catching at least three passes in each of his final 10 appearances (including two playoff games). With Moore and Olamide Zaccheaus (Falcons) no longer playing for Chicago, the passing attack figures to flow through Burden, WR Rome Odunze and TE Colston Loveland.