Almost immediately after free agents could agree to contracts with new teams on Monday, quarterback Malik Willis agreed to sign with the Dolphins. Willis said it didn’t take long to decide, because of his relationship with new Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley and G.M. Jon-Eric Sullivan.
Willis spent the last two years in Green Bay, as did Hafley and Sullivan, and he said he completely buys into what they want to build in Miami.
“I’m super excited to be down there,” Willis told Pat McAfee. “Guys I know, Hafley and Sully, I’m real familiar with those guys, and excited to go to work and try to do something special. It’s a blessing.”
Willis said he learned the importance of stability in Green Bay, where he felt he was able to grow into his role as an effective backup quarterback over the last two years.
“It’s my first time being in a system for more than a year since I’ve been in the league,” Willis said. “It was great having that familiarity.”
Willis didn’t directly answer when asked whether he considered any other teams, but he made clear he believes he’s ready to lead the Dolphins.
“All you can do is be genuinely yourself and do what you can to put everything you have on the table,” Willis said.
Packers Clips
The Packers re-signed linebacker Kristian Welch to a one-year deal, Bill Huber of SI.com reports.
Welch, who turns 28 next month, is a Wisconsin native who played for the Packers in 2023 and last season.
In 2025, he totaled three tackles in eight games. Welch saw action on two defensive snaps and 87 on special teams.
He began his career with the Ravens in 2020 and has also played for the Broncos.
In his career, Welch has recorded 43 tackles in 80 games.
The Raiders’ big signings continue, with Quay Walker the latest addition.
The former Packers linebacker reached agreement with the Raiders on a three-year, $40.5 million deal that includes $28 million guaranteed, according to multiple reports.
Walker joins cornerback Eric Stokes, wide receiver Jalen Nailor, defensive end Kwity Paye, center Tyler Linderbaum, linebacker Quay Walker, linebacker Nakobe Dean and defensive end Malcolm Koonce as deals Las Vegas has completed. The Raiders also traded for cornerback Taron Johnson.
He ranks 19th on PFT’s list of top-100 free agents.
Walker, 25, entered the NFL as a first-round pick of the Packers in 2022, and he spent his first four seasons in Green Bay.
In his career, Walker has totaled 469 tackles, nine sacks, one interception, three forced fumbles and 19 quarterback hits.
Quarterback Malik Willis has parlayed two years as a Green Bay backup into a three-year deal to serve as Miami’s starter.
Reported as being worth $22.5 million annually, we’ve gotten a preliminary look at the terms.
Here they are:
1. Signing bonus: $22.5 million.
2. 2026 base salary: $1.25 million, fully guaranteed.
3. 2027 base salary: $21.5 million, fully guaranteed.
4. 2028 offseason roster bonus: $2 million.
5. 2028 base salary: $20.5 million.
It’s a firm, two-year commitment, with a payout of $45 million. The third year is at the team’s option, with a $2 million trigger on the third day of the league year.
The average is indeed $22.5 million — smack dab in the middle of the expected range of $20 million to $25 million.
The Packers are moving on from one of their veteran offensive linemen.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Green Bay is releasing Elgton Jenkins.
Jenkins, 30, was moved to center to start the 2025 season. But he suffered a season-ending lower-leg fracture in November, also suffering ligament damage with the injury.
The Packers recently agreed to re-sign Sean Rhyan to a three-year contract after he started at center following Jenkins’ injury.
The move to release Jenkins will save the Packers $19.53 million against the cap in 2026 with a $4.8 million dead cap charge. Jenkins was set to enter the last year of his contract.
A two-time Pro Bowler, Jenkins appeared in 96 games with 94 starts for the Packers, who had selected him in the second round of the 2019 draft.
The Jets have agreed to make a couple of additions to their defensive line early in free agency.
Defensive ends Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare have both agreed to deals with the team. According to multiple reports, Ossai has agreed to a three-year, $36 million deal with the team and Enagbare has agreed to sign a one-year, $10 million pact.
Ossai was a 2021 third-round pick in Cincinnati and he had 14.5 sacks while playing a rotational role with the Bengals over the last four seasons. He also had 116 tackles, 44 quarterback hits, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Enagbare was a 2022 fifth-round pick and he appeared in every Packers game during his four years in Green Bay. He had 146 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 31 quarterback hits, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
The Jets also agreed to trade for veteran safety Minkah Fitzpatrick on Monday as they work to remake one of the league’s worst defenses.
The Dolphins now have a quarterback who can thrive in cold weather.
With Tua Tagovailoa due to be released on Wednesday, the Dolphins have agreed to terms with former Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis.
Per multiple reports, it’s a three-year, $67.5 million deal. The $22.5 million APY falls in the dead center of the $20 million to $25 million annual average we’d heard about from a G.M. at the Scouting Combine.
The benefit for the Dolphins is to get three years. Many believed it would be a two-year deal.
The fact that the Dolphins made a beeline for Willis makes it clear that both coach Jeff Hafley and G.M. Jon-Eric Sullivan believe in Willis. They had full access to him for the last two years, on the practice field, during meetings, etc. They have far more information than teams usually have about free agents, and they think Willis can play for the Dolphins like he did in limited duty for the Packers over the past two years.
Rashan Gary is heading to Dallas.
The Packers have agreed to trade Gary to the Cowboys for a 2027 fourth-round draft pick, according to multiple reports.
Gary, a veteran defensive lineman, was expected to be released unless the Packers could find a trade partner willing to take on his $19.5 million non-guaranteed pay for 2026. In the Cowboys, the Packers found that partner.
The 28-year-old Gary has played his entire seven-year career with the Packers and started 15 games last year. Last week, Gary posted a goodbye to Green Bay on Instagram, then deleted it. There were claims that Gary had been hacked, though few people believed those claims, as his initial post seemed consistent with a player who had been told he was on the way out.
After last year’s blockbuster trade that saw Micah Parsons go to the Packers for two first-round picks and Kenny Clark, the Cowboys and Packers have now made another deal, this time with the Cowboys trying to bolster their defense and the Packers shedding cap space.
With a trip to free agency roughly 12 hours away, linebacker Eric Wilson decided to stay where he has been.
Via Mike Garafolo of NFL Media, the Vikings and Wilson have agreed to terms on a three-year, $22.5 million deal. Of that amount, $12.5 million is fully guaranteed.
The 31-year-old Wilson appeared in all 17 regular-season games last season, starting 16 of them.
He arrived in Minnesota as an undrafted free agent in 2017. After four seasons with the Vikings, he signed a one-year deal with the Eagles. A Week 1 starter in 2021, he was released after only seven games. He finished the year with the Texans.
Wilson spent the next three seasons with the Packers. In his first two years, he appeared in 30 games with no starts. In 2024, he appeared in all 17 games, with 12 starts.
Last year, he signed a one-year, $2.6 million deal to return to Minnesota.
Not many guys see their biggest NFL payday on the other side of 30. Wilson has — and it ensures (given the guarantees) that he’ll have at least two more years with the Vikings.
With the so-called legal tampering period opening on Monday and with illegal tampering already running rampant, the Packers played beat-the-clock with one of their own.
Per multiple reports, the Packers have agreed to terms with offensive lineman Sean Rhyan on a three-year, $33 million deal with a maximum value of $39 million.
Rhyan opened the year as the starting right guard. He became the starting center after Elgton Jenkins suffered a season-ending injury in November.
The re-signing of Rhyan moves the Packers closer to a split with Jenkins, who is due to make $19.6 million in 2026, the final year of his contract. There has been talk of a potential trade, but it’s hard to imagine anyone taking on that financial obligation.
Rhyan arrived as a third-round pick in 2022. He started every game at right guard in 2024. For his career, Rhyan has 47 regular-season appearances and 28 regular-season starts.
