Other Signings and Extensions19 of 19
Jaguars Extend Montaric Brown on Three-Year, $33 Million Deal
The Jacksonville Jaguars finished among the bottom half of the league in pass defense last season. The possibility of losing their top corner, Montaric Brown, wouldn’t have helped matters. Instead, Brown and the Jaguars reached an agreement Monday on a three-year $33 million contract extension, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Brown could have possibly received a bigger deal had he actually tested free agency, but the 26-year-old former seventh-round draft pick “didn’t want want to leave Jacksonville.”
While the cornerback may have left some money on the table, an opportunity to return to an ascending team that played as well as any over the second half of the 2025 regular season seems like a smart strategy, particularly if Jacksonville continues to add more pieces to its secondary.
Steelers Sign Asante Samuel Jr. to One-Year, $4 Million Contract
A year ago at this time, Asante Samuel Jr.’s NFL future remained up in the air after requiring spinal-fusion surgery. On Monday, he agreed to a new one-year, $4 million deal to stay with the Pittsburgh Steelers, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Originally, the Steelers signed Samuel to the practice squad in November. He became a starter by Week 15. This re-signing shows a level of confidence in Samuel that he’ll A) remain healthy and B) likely start opposite Joey Porter Jr. since James Pierre is set to enter free agency.
Texans Retain Sheldon Rankins With Two-Year Deal
The Houston Texans are putting in the work prior to the start of the NFL’s legal tampering period. The organization already traded offensive lineman Tytus Howard to the Cleveland Browns. It then re-signed offensive tackle Trent Brown and guard Ed Ingram. Afterward, attention shifted to the defensive line.
Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins and the Texans agreed to a two-year contract extension that included $12 million in guaranteed money, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Prior to Rankins’ retention, last year’s top-ranked defense didn’t have either of its Week 1 starting defensive tackles under contract. Now, Rankins, alongside Tommy Togiai, will keep Houston’s front four strong without being forced to draft a defensive tackle early in the process.
Buccaneers Keep TE Cade Otton
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are keeping an important, if often underrated, member of their offense. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Bucs are re-signing tight end Cade Otton.
Otton isn’t one of the league’s more prolific receiving tight ends, but he’s been a very capable pass-catcher during his four seasons. This past year, he recorded 59 catches for 572 yards and a touchdown.
The 26-year-old is also a fine blocker who can impact things in the running and passing games.
Raiders Sign CB Eric Stokes to Three-Year, $30 Million Deal
The Las Vegas Raiders took a flier on former first-round pick Eric Stokes this past season and got good results. While Stokes was often inconsistent in Green Bay, he performed well for the Raiders.
The 27-year-old started 16 games and allowed an opposing passer rating (OPR) of only 77.7 in coverage.
Las Vegas will now retain Stokes with a three-year, $30 million deal, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Buccaneers Sign RB Kenneth Gainwell to Two-Year, $14 Million Deal
The Buccaneers are adding a new dual-threat weapon to their offense in the form of running back Kenneth Gainwell. An explosive runner and shifty pass-catcher, Gainwell racked up 1,023 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns with the Steelers this past season.
The 26-year-old, who began his career with the Eagles, should be a strong complement to Bucky Irving in Tampa’s backfield.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Buccaneers are adding Gainwell on a two-year, $14 million deal. It’s a fair price for a player who may fill a large role over the next two seasons.
Jets Sign Joseph Ossai to Three-Year, $36 Million Deal
The Jets are boosting their pass-rushing rotation, adding Joseph Ossai on a three-year, $36 million deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Ossai, a 2021 third-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals, has never been a top-tier sack artist. However, he’s been a fine rotational player who has recorded 10 sacks over the past two seasons.
This past season, the 25-year-old appeared in 14 games with nine starts. He finished with 43 tackles, 5.0 sacks, and nine tackles for loss.
Ravens Sign John Simpson to Three-Year, $30 Million Contract
The Ravens may be losing center Tyler Linderbaum, but they’re bringing back a familiar face to help bolster their offensive interior. According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Baltimore is adding guard John Simpson on a three-year deal.
Simpson, who will turn 29 in August, started 17 games for the Ravens in 2023 before spending the past two years with the Jets. He spent his first three seasons with the Raiders and has started 72 games over the course of his career.
This past season, Pro Football Focus ranked Simpson 23rd overall among qualifying guards.