The Raiders have agreed to terms with defensive end Kwity Paye on a three-year, $48 million deal, with $32 million guaranteed, according to multiple reports.
Paye, 27, was 55th on PFT’s top-100 free agents list.
The Colts made Paye a first-round pick in 2021, and he spent his first five seasons with the team. He played 75 of a possible 85 games in his time in Indianapolis, starting 74 of the games he played.
In his career, Paye has 209 tackles, 30.5 sacks, 50 quarterback hits, four forced fumbles and three pass breakups.
The Raiders left a huge hole in their defense when they traded Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby to the Ravens last week.
Colts Clips
The Colts have moved on to the defensive side of the pall after making a pair of wide receiver moves on Monday.
According to multiple reports, they have agreed to a two-year deal with edge rusher Arden Key. The contract is worth $20 million with $11 million in guaranteed money.
The Colts made waves early in the free agency negotiating window by agreeing to re-sign Alec Pierce and trade Michael Pittman Jr. to the Steelers.
Key had 16.5 sacks for the Titans over the last three seasons, so he’s familiar with life in the AFC South. The 2018 Raiders third-round pick has 30.5 sacks and has also played for the 49ers and Jaguars.
Michael Pittman was entering the last year of his contract.
He’ll get a new one on the way in the door with Pittsburgh.
According to multiple reports, Pittman has agreed to a three-year deal worth $59 million with the Steelers.
Pittman, 28, was set to make $22 million in base salary for 2026.
A second-round pick in 2020, Pittman had spent his entire career with Indianapolis. He caught 80 passes for 784 yards with a career-high seven touchdowns in 2025, playing all 17 games.
In 95 career games with 86 starts, Pittman has caught 485 passes for 5,254 yards with 25 touchdowns.
The Colts retained Alec Pierce and are apparently going to make him their top receiver.
That’s because Indianapolis will not have Michael Pittman Jr. back for 2026.
According to multiple reports, the Colts are trading Pittman to the Steelers for a late-round pick swap.
Pittman, 28, is entering the last year of his contract. By trading him, the Colts will save $24 million against the cap with $5 million in dead money.
A second-round pick in 2020, Pittman had spent his entire career with Indianapolis. He caught 80 passes for 784 yards with a career-high seven touchdowns in 2025, playing all 17 games.
Pittman’s best year came in 2023 when he caught 109 passes for 1,152 yards with four TDs.
Now Pittman will pair with DK Metcalf in Pittsburgh under new head coach Mike McCarthy.
The Colts have gotten it done with Alec Pierce.
Expected to be one of the top free agents on the market, Pierce has agreed to a four-year contract with the Colts, according to Pat McAfee of ESPN.
The initial reported numbers indicate Pierce will earn $116 million over the four-year deal, which works out to $29 million per year.
Pierce, 25, put together his best season for the Colts in 2025, recording 47 catches for 1,003 yards with six touchdowns. It was the first time he’d eclipsed 1,000 yards in his career.
The Colts had wanted to keep both Pierce and quarterback Daniel Jones heading into free agency. Now after using the transition tag on Jones, the club has also retained Pierce.
Blake Grupe closed out the 2025 season as the Colts’ kicker and he will have a chance to hold onto the job in 2026.
Grupe’s agent Mike Delle Donne told Mike Garafolo of NFL Media that Grupe has agreed to a one-year deal to remain in Indianapolis. The contract is worth up to $1.4 million.
Grupe opened last season with the Saints and was let go after appearing in 11 games for New Orleans. He was signed by the Colts to replace Michael Badgley and he was 11-of-11 on field goals over the final five games of the season.
Grupe made 57-of-75 field goal attempts in 45 games for the Saints. He’s also 96-of-98 on extra points over his entire career.
Spencer Shrader opened last season as the Colts’ kicker, but he tore his ACL and MCL during a Week 5 game. If he’s able to return in the preseason, he and Grupe will compete for the kicking job in Indianapolis.
On the eve of free agency, the Packers are bringing in a linebacker.
According to multiple reports, Indianapolis has agreed to trade Zaire Franklin to Green Bay in exchange for defensive tackle Colby Wooden.
Franklin, 29, recorded 125 total tackles with seven tackles for loss and six quarteback hits in 2025. He also had 2.0 sacks, five passes defensed, and a forced fumble.
Franklin led the league with 173 total tackles in 2024, earning his first Pro Bowl berth. He was also a second-team AP All-Pro selection.
Franklin has been remarkably durable in his eight-year career, missing just one game for which he was eligible since entering the league as a seventh-round pick in 2018.
He has two years remaining on his contract.
Wooden appeared in all 17 games with 16 starts in 2025. A fourth-round pick in 2023, Wooden has appeared in 47 career games with 17 starts. He’s entering the final year of his rookie contract.
Green Bay acquiring Franklin likely means the club will not retain pending free agent Quay Walker.
On Wednesday, the Cardinals will release Kyler Murray, the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft. Those inclined to bet on propositions like a player’s next team regard the Vikings as the clear favorites to sign him.
On DraftKings, Murray’s odds have moved from -110 to -295. The next team is the Jets at +350.
The Dolphins are at +550, with the Falcons at +650. The Browns are +800. The Steelers are +1300, the Colts are +1600. The Rams are +2000.
The offensive rookie of the year and two-time Pro Bowler had three solid seasons in Arizona. The next four seasons, which were marred by an ill-advised homework clause and a torn ACL suffered in December 2022, did not go nearly as well.
Making Murray more attractive is the possibility that he’ll do a one-year, $1.3 million contract, with the Cardinals paying him $35.5 million.
The first question is whether he wants to play right away, or whether he’s content to join a team like the Rams as a backup, with the goal of hitting the reset button in advance of 2027. Given his skills, why spend a season on the sideline? He should be looking to play now, with the goal of playing well enough that another big contract will come his way next March, if not sooner.
The Vikings will officially need a new center for 2026.
Ryan Kelly announced his retirement from pro football on Friday.
Kelly, 32, signed with Minnesota last offseason after spending the first nine seasons of his career with the Colts. Kelly started eight games for the Vikings in 2025, but was placed on injured reserve in December after suffering his third concussion of the year.
“Ten seasons,” Kelly posted in his announcement on social media. “What an incredible ride it was. I was blessed to be around some of the greatest people this sport has to offer. I always wanted to leave each place better than how I found it and with that I can hang my hat. Forever grateful for my family and brothers! Cheers.”
The No. 18 overall pick of the 2016 draft, Kelly was selected to four Pro Bowls in his career and was a second-team All-Pro in 2020. He started all 129 games he played in his career.
The Colts are talking with teams about a trade for linebacker Zaire Franklin, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
The team is $4.71 million over the $301.2 million salary cap, according to overthecap.com, and must comply by the start of the league year on Wednesday.
Franklin has no guaranteed money left on the three-year, $31.26 million contract extension he signed before the 2024 season. He is scheduled to count $8.255 million against the cap, and the Colts will save $5.755 million if they part ways.
Franklin, 29, made his only Pro Bowl in 2024 when he led the NFL in tackles with 173 and 3.5 sacks. (Tackles are an unofficial statistic.)
He totaled 125 tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble and five passes defensed in 2024.
Franklin has missed only one game in his NFL career.
The Cowboys are a team to watch as they need linebackers for the switch to the 3-4 under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
