NFL Player News
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Jowon Briggs DE | NYJ
Jets' Jowon Briggs: Retained by Jets
The Jets exercised their exclusive rights tender on Briggs on Thursday, Eric Allen of the team's official site reports.
New York extended the contract tender to the defensive tackle, meaning Briggs either has to accept the one-year offer or sit out. Briggs grew into a rotational player for New York in 2025, playing 586 defensive snaps and recording 38 tackles (19 solo), including 4.0 sacks, and a forced fumble.
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Jelani Woods TE | NYJ
Jets' Jelani Woods: Staying with Jets
Woods re-signed with the Jets on Thursday, Eric Allen of the team's official site reports.
The tight end appeared in four regular-season games for New York last season, catching one pass for four yards. Woods spent the previous two seasons on injured reserve with the Colts due to hamstring and toe injuries.
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Emari Demercado RB | KC
Cardinals' Emari Demercado: Will not be tendered as RFA
The Cardinals will not tender an offer to restricted free agent Demercado prior to the start of the new league year next Wednesday, NFL reporter Jordan Schultz reports.
Arizona seemingly doesn't deem Demercado worth the value of the low RFA tender at $3.52 million. Demercado appeared in 13 regular-season games last season, rushing 44 times for 312 scoreless yards. He added 13 catches for 101 yards and one touchdown on 20 targets in the passing game. Demercado could still be brought back at a lower cost, but he'll be free to test the open market.
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Sione Vaki RB | DET
Lions' Sione Vaki: Could compete for No. 2 job
Vaki could have an opportunity to compete for the No. 2 spot at running back with the Lions in 2026.
Vaki was scarcely used during the 2025 campaign, logging just two offensive snaps over 11 games, turning his only carry into a four-yard gain. With primary backup David Montgomery being dealt to the Texans on Monday, Vaki currently sits as the most experienced reserve option behind starter Jahmyr Gibbs in Detroit's backfield. The Lions will almost certainly bring in competition for the 2024 fourth-rounder in free agency or the 2026 NFL Draft, but he will have his clearest path toward playing time ahead of his third season with the Lions.
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DJ Moore WR | BUF
Bills' DJ Moore: Getting traded to Buffalo
The Bears agreed to trade Moore to the Bills on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Buffalo will send a second-round draft pick to Chicago in exchange for Moore and 2026 fifth-round pick.
Moore should instantly slot in as the top receiving option for Josh Allen under head coach Joe Brady. The veteran wide receiver had at least 1,157 receiving yards in both the 2020 and 2021 regular seasons with the Panthers, where Brady was the offensive coordinator at the time. Moore's 682 regular-season receiving yards with the Bears in 2025 marked the lowest total of his eight-year career, as he lost target share to recent draft picks Rome Odunze, Luther Burden and Colston Loveland (concussion). Khalil Shakir led the Bills in targets and receiving yards each of the past two regular seasons, compiling 148 catches for 1,540 receiving yards on 195 targets over that span.
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Sean Tucker RB | TB
Buccaneers' Sean Tucker: Set to hit free agency
Tucker won't be tendered a contract by the Buccaneers as a restricted free agent, so he will become an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins March 11, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
Tucker had only 320 rushing yards in 2025 as part of a backfield that also included Bucky Irving and Rachaad White, but the 24-year-old running back out of Syracuse led the team with seven rushing touchdowns. Given Tucker's effectiveness in the red zone in 2025 after he averaged 6.2 yards per carry on 50 regular-season rushing attempts in 2024, he should garner some interest on the open market and could work his way into part of a backfield platoon depending on his landing spot.
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Alex Austin DB | MIA
Patriots' Alex Austin: Not tendered by New England
Austin was informed Wednesday by the Patriots that they will not tender him a contract as a restricted free agent, so he will become an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins March 11, Mark Daniels of Masslive.com reports.
Austin appeared in 12 regular-season games for the Patriots in 2025. The 2023 seventh-round draft pick of the Bills has registered 31 tackles (25 solo) and eight passes defensed in 29 NFL appearances split between Buffalo and New England. Austin is likely to land a depth cornerback role somewhere on the open market.
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Drake Jackson DE | WAS
Commanders' Drake Jackson: Re-ups with Washington
Jackson agreed to a one-year extension with the Commanders on Thursday, per his agent Drew Rosenhaus, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Jackson appeared in three regular-season games with Washington in 2025 and recorded three tackles (one solo). He's likely to remain in a backup role while contributing on special teams during his age-25 season in 2026.
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Trent Brown OT | HOU
Texans' Trent Brown: Re-signs with Texans for one year
Brown (ankle) re-signed Thursday with the Texans on a one-year contract worth up to $7 million, per his agent Drew Rosenhaus, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Brown was limited to seven appearances in the 2025 regular season, returned for the wild-card round but sat out due to an ankle injury as the Texans were eliminated in the AFC divisional round. The veteran offensive tackle will return to the Texans for his age-33 season, and Brown's expected to reprise his role as the team's starting right tackle when healthy.
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Xavier McKinney SAF | GB
Packers' Xavier McKinney: Restructuring contract
McKinney's $4.25 million salary will be converted to a bonus for 2026, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
The Packers are restructuring McKinney's contract to free up cap space. McKinney is entering the third year of a four-year, $67 million contract he signed with Green Bay in March of 2024. He has compiled 10 interceptions and 195 tackles in his first two regular seasons with the Packers as one of the NFL's best safeties.