NFL Football 3d Briefing – Mar 11, 2026

103 articles summarized · Last updated: March 11, 2026 at 6:38 PM ET v397

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Free Agency Frenzy

The NFL's free agency period exploded with blockbuster moves as teams scrambled to upgrade rosters. The Raiders broke the bank espn.com for center Tyler Linderbaum, signing him to a record contract that sent shockwaves through the market. Not to be outdone, the Commanders committed $100M espn.com to defensive end Odafe Oweh, while the Chiefs landed Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III espn.com in a major backfield addition. The Bears made a splash espn.com with a $40 million deal for cornerback Coby Bryant, and the Seahawks secured wideout Rashid Shaheed espn.com for $51 million guaranteed.

The quarterback market saw significant movement as teams addressed their signal-caller needs. The Colts signed Daniel Jones espn.com to an $88 million deal, while the Cardinals brought in Gardner Minshew espn.com on a one-year, $8.25 million contract. The Panthers added Kenny Pickett espn.com for $7.5 million guaranteed, and the Bills signed Kyle Allen espn.com as Josh Allen's backup. Meanwhile, the Falcons released Darnell Mooney espn.com to free up $7.4 million in cap space, potentially clearing the way for further quarterback moves.

Teams invested heavily in protecting their quarterbacks, with the Browns signing Zion Johnson espn.com to a $49.5 million deal and the Chargers keeping Trey Pipkins espn.com for $10 million. The Jets added Dylan Parham espn.com at $20 million, while the Texans landed Braden Smith espn.com for $25 million. The Packers released Elgton Jenkins espn.com to save $19.5 million in cap space, and the Bears re-signed Teven Jenkins espn.com amid their offensive line overhaul.

Defensive spending was equally aggressive across the league. The Bills retained Dawson Knox espn.com with a new three-year deal, while the Ravens restructured Lamar Jackson's contract espn.com to create $40 million in cap space. The Texans made Ka'imi Fairbairn the NFL's highest-paid kicker espn.com with a $13 million extension, and the Bengals bolstered their defense espn.com by adding Boye Mafe and Bryan Cook. The Titans added Wan'Dale Robinson espn.com and lineman Franklin-Myers to their roster.

Several teams locked up key players with extensions. The Rams gave Trent McDuffie a record $124M deal espn.com, while the Commanders extended Laremy Tunsil espn.com with $60.2 million guaranteed. The Steelers kept Cameron Heyward espn.com with a one-year extension, and the Vikings retained Eric Wilson espn.com for $22.5 million. The Packers added Benjamin St-Juste espn.com and Skyy Moore to bolster their secondary and return game.

The NFL reinstated its front office and coaching accelerator program espn.com, expanding it to include non-minority participants. The Tisch family requested to transfer their Giants ownership stakes espn.com to their children's trusts, signaling a potential succession plan. The NFL labor talks with referees hit a rough patch espn.com, raising concerns about potential officiating disruptions in the upcoming season.

Teams worked to keep their own talent, with the Saints re-signing Kaden Elliss espn.com for $33 million and the Lions adding Isiah Pacheco espn.com to pair with Jahmyr Gibbs. The Buccaneers brought back Cade Otton espn.com and added Kenneth Gainwell and Alex Anzalone, while the Jaguars kept Montaric Brown espn.com with a $33 million deal. The Falcons signed Austin Hooper espn.com and the Bengals added offensive weapons espn.com to support their quarterback.

Special teams saw significant activity with the Texans making Fairbairn the NFL's highest-paid kicker espn.com, and the Chargers adding Alec Ingold espn.com to reunite with offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. The Bengals added specialists espn.com to support their special teams units, while several teams worked to upgrade their kicking and punting situations in the early free agency period.