NFL

As Schottenheimer made sure to point out, mini-camp and OTAs are all voluntary, but Pickens, who is currently set to play out 2026 under the franchise tag, could be at risk of missing mandatory activities when training camp kicks off this summer. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported back in February that “unless and until there is a long term deal” in place with Pickens, that he would not expect the star receiver to report to the team’s facilities. Pickens turned in a career year in his first season with the Cowboys, catching 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. Schottenheimer sounded optimistic about a long-term deal eventually getting done with Pickens, but with the Cowboys being notoriously slow at extending their players, it wouldn’t be surprising if it was a few months before they reach an agreement with Pickens.

This move was expected all along, but speaking at the league meetings in Arizona, GM Brandon Beane confirmed that Kincaid’s option has been picked up. The former No. 25 overall pick caught 39 passes for 571 yards and five touchdowns last season while appearing in 12 games, and has appeared in just 25 regular season games over the last two seasons due to a myriad of injuries. He will now be under contract through the 2027 season, but could be in line for an extension if he’s able to stay healthy in turn out a career-year this upcoming season. Kincaid has turned in eight top-12 fantasy finishes since 2024, and will enter this season as a boom-or-bust fantasy option at the position.

It’s not the first time we’ve heard this, and it certainly won’t be the last, but it’s understandable that Shanny would want to dial back McCaffrey’s workload this season. The star running back is entering his age-30 season and coming off a 2025 in which he saw a career-high 311 carries while rushing for 1,202 yards and 10 scores. McCaffrey also caught 102 passes for 924 yards and another seven touchdowns, turning in one of his best seasons as a pro while eclipsing 2,000 scrimmage yards for the third time in his career. It’s possible the 49ers find a way to delegate more work to second-year back Jordan James or a player not yet on the roster, but this shouldn’t change how we view McCaffrey’s fantasy stock this season. As long as he’s healthy, CMC remains one of the most dynamic weapons in the league and should see plenty of touches funneled his way, making him one of the most valuable assets in all formats.

It was reported early this month that the Vikings were open to trading Greenard, who has generated interest from a handful of suitors. Greenard, who is in search of a new contract, has two years left on his current deal and is coming off a season in which he totaled 38 tackles, three sacks, and 10 TFLs in 12 games. It was a down season for the six-year vet, who totaled 24.5 sacks in the previous two seasons, but at only 28 years old, there’s hope he can regain his form this season. While it’s still possible the two sides split this offseason, O’Connell’s comments seem fairly definitive at this point.

McVay said Garoppolo is “working through his process right now,” as the veteran QB remains unsigned nearly a month into free agency. Cousins and McVay spent five seasons together in Washington, with McVay serving as Cousins’ offensive coordinator for three of those seasons. As Cousins seems more and more unlikely to land a starting job before the start of this season, a reunion with McVay in Los Angeles as Matthew Stafford’s backup could make a ton of sense for both sides, and give the Rams two solid veteran options at the position.

Just days after OBJ said he would like to return in 2026, Harbaugh was asked about the possibility of a reunion with Beckham and the Giants. The 33-year-old receiver spent the 2023 season with Harbaugh and the Ravens, so there’s some familiarity there. Enough, that Harbaugh said Beckham is “one of my favorite people in the world” when discussing the two sides joining forces in 2026. Harbaugh clearly has an affinity for Beckham, but whether or not he’s a fit with a young, up and coming roster is to be determined. If Beckham did secure a contract with the Giants or another team, it would likely come as a one-year prove-it deal.

Shanahan was speaking in the context of a trade for the embattled receiver at league meetings, but the delayed decision to release him suggests the team is in no rush to get him off its roster. Shanahan said at the league meetings that the team hopes to find a way to trade Aiyuk for something in return, but the much-publicized divorce between the two sides makes that highly unlikely. Aiyuk’s future contract guarantees were voided by the 49ers in January after he failed to meet certain contractual obligations this past season while recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in 2024. It’s only a matter of time before the two sides officially split, but with the team truly in no rush to do something, we won’t hold our breath waiting for something to get done.

Given the nature of Penix’s injury, its timing (Week 11), and his lengthy history of significant lower-body injuries, the decision not to rush him back is probably a good one. Stefanski, who is now with his second team and still in search of an answer at quarterback at either of his stops, went out and added Tua Tagovailoa to his quarterback room this offseason. Tagovailoa figures to have the inside edge on being named the Week 1 starter due to Penix’s injury, but barring a spectacular development in which Tagovailoa cements himself as the unquestioned QB1 on the team, we would still expect to see Penix on the field at some point in 2026 when healthy. Penix is only four months removed from his surgery for a torn ACL, which can take anywhere from six to 12 months to come back from. He could be a candidate to open camp on the PUP list depending on how the next few months go.

If we’re reading between the lines, Moore didn’t exactly give a “yes” or “no” answer, but he did say that Kamara is “part of the running back room” and added that the combination of Kamara and Travis Etienne is “a great situation” for the team. Moore was evasive about Kamara’s future with the team when asked about it earlier this month, and there have been rumors that the soon-to-be 31-year-old back may opt to retire this offseason. Kamara’s opportunities are expected to drop significantly with Etienne now in the building, but he could still see plenty of usage as a third-down option if he remains on the team in 2026. For now, Kamara is a Saint, but Moore’s quote didn’t exactly instill confidence that he’ll remain with the team this season.

Roseman says this will be “my answer to any question on A.J. Brown” during league meetings in Arizona this week. It’s a slight diversion from Roseman’s comments in January, when he said it was “hard to find great players in the NFL” like Brown, but we’re roughly three months into this trade saga, and with no end in sight, it makes sense that Roseman would prefer to avoid the much-discussed topic. Rumors of a trade between the Patriots and Eagles for Browns services have been the most notable, but the Eagles’ steep asking price for Brown, which reportedly involves a first-round pick, has been a deterrent for interested teams thus far. Brown caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns last season and has eclipsed 1,000 yards in all four of his seasons with the Eagles. The soon-to-be 29-year-old receiver, however, has become disgruntled with his role in the offense and would prefer to play with a team that will better utilize his skill set. We’ll see if we get any more out of Roseman at league meetings, but the early comments suggest he’s dug in on avoiding the topic.