NFL free agency rumors 2018: The latest reports before the new league year begins

We’re keeping track of all of the news and rumors about this year’s crop of free agents.

by Jeanna Kelley

Updated Mar 14, 2018, 11:28 PM UTC

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NFL: Denver Broncos at Washington Redskins

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Jeanna Kelley has been covering the Falcons for The Falcoholic since 2011 and the NFL for SB Nation since 2015.

Free agency is almost upon us. That means it’s time to try to keep up with all of the rumors about where the best players are going to land this offseason.

Kirk Cousins was the hottest name in free agency this year, and his fully guaranteed contract with the Vikings could set the standard for how players negotiate future deals.

Cousins was the main free agent people wanted to talk about. But he isn’t our No. 1 ranked free agent. That honor belongs to Le’Veon Bell, the best running back in the league and arguably the most versatile. He would’ve been at the top of many teams’ wish lists — alas, the Steelers gave him the franchise tag for the second straight year.

The Seahawks could look a lot different next year. Michael Bennett was traded to the Eagles, and Richard Sherman was released and signed with the rival 49ers.

The Browns will too — and for the better. All in one afternoon, they traded for quarterback Tyrod Taylor, Damarious Randall, and receiver Jarvis Landry, who had been franchise-tagged by the Miami Dolphins.

The legal tampering period starts on March 12 and wraps up on March 14 at 4 p.m. ET. That’s when the 2018 league year starts and teams can start officially inking new deals with players.

As the free agency and trade rumors start to fly, we’ll keep track of everything you need to know right here.

Free agency rumors

March 10

That didn’t take long: Richard Sherman is a 49er.
Richard Sherman is discussing a three-year deal with the 49ers, he tells ESPN’s Josina Anderson.
Former Cowboys defensive end Benson Mayowa has reportedly drawn interest from the Jets, Seahawks, Colts, Raiders and Washington.
Richard Sherman reportedly has a visit scheduled with the Lions next week. His free agent tour began Friday night with the 49ers.
The Raiders are reportedly interested in free agent defensive tackle Muhammad Wilkerson, who is spending Saturday with the Chiefs. Oakland will probably have to wait their turn after Washington too, who is scheduled to meet with Wilkerson next.
Richard Sherman listed seven teams that have shown interest, but he’s starting his free agency with a visit to meet with 49ers brass.

March 9

The Broncos tried to trade for Tyrod Taylor before the Browns pulled it off. Is that a bad sign in their pursuit of Kirk Cousins?
The 49ers won’t exercise Elvis Dumervil’s option. The veteran LB will now be a free agent.
If your team is looking for a long snapper, then sorry, but Pro Bowler Jake McQuaide re-signed with the Rams for three years.
The Bengals decided not to pick up Adam Jones’ option, sending him to free agency. They’re still interested in bringing him back, however.
Sure sounds like Jon Gruden wants the Raiders to pursue Doug Martin.
The Steelers plan to release Mike Mitchell next week, but they could bring him back on a cheaper deal.
It really happened: the Seahawks released Richard Sherman, putting another high-caliber cornerback on the market.
The Seahawks are also officially releasing Jeremy Lane today.
Tavon Austin could be interested in playing for the Texans or Eagles.
Ricky Jean Francois does not plan to be back with the Patriots.
Another safety is on the open market after the Titans released Da’Norris Searcy. They also parted ways with QB Matt Cassel and WR Eric Weems.
Fitzmagic back: The Bucs officially re-signed Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Jon Gruden will meet with former Bucs running back Doug Martin.

March 8

Fresh off a visit with the Packers, Muhammad Wilkerson will take a trip to New Orleans next.
The Rams signed cornerback Sam Shields, who is attempting a comeback after dealing with concussions during his time with the Packers.
The Bills signed free agent DE Owa Odighizuwa to a one-year deal.
The Dolphins aren’t being shy, showing interest in Teddy Bridgewater, tight ends Trey Burton and Ed Dickson, and tackle Chris Hubbard.
The Bucs plan to keep Ryan Fitzpatrick to back up Jameis Winston.
Add another running back to the list of free agents: the Titans released DeMarco Murray.
The Seahawks keep shedding players. They’re expected to release cornerback Jeremy Lane.
To no surprise, the Broncos exercised their option on cornerback Chris Harris Jr.
Veteran running back Jonathan Stewart is visiting with the Seahawks.
Jarvis Landry signed his franchise tag tender.
Ageless punter Shane Lechler will stay off the free agent market: the Texans re-signed him to a one-year deal.
Aqib Talib wants to get released by the Broncos so he can rejoin the Patriots, according to ESPN’s Dianna Russini.
The Texans re-signed safety Corey Moore before he could hit the open market.
It’s no longer a sure thing that LT Nate Solder returns to the Patriots. Dion Lewis is unlikely to as well.

March 7

After trading Michael Bennett, the Seahawks will soon part ways with Richard Sherman, letting him hit free agency. Seattle would be open to bringing him back on a cheaper deal, according to NFL Network’s Mike Silver.
The Patriots cut Martellus Bennett, giving tight end-needy teams another option in free agency.
While the Seahawks continue to remake their defense, free agent linebacker Brian Cushing is visiting Seattle.
The Bengals want to re-sign DE Chris Smith in free agency.
Don’t expect the Broncos to get into a bidding war for Kirk Cousins.
The Falcons are not expected to bring back DE Adrian Clayborn.
Free agent DT Chris Baker visited the Bengals, and the Bengals signed him.
The Bucs picked up the options for S Chris Conte, OT Demar Dotson, and DB Josh Robinson, keeping them off the FA market.

March 6

Kirk Cousins’ agent told 9News’ Mike Klis that the quarterback is “keeping all his options open.”
Tom Pelissero reported that there’s “mutual interest” between the Vikings and Cousins, but no offers have been made.
The Patriots declined Alan Branch’s option, which means the veteran DT is a free agent.
The franchise tag deadline has passed and players like Kirk Cousins, Sammy Watkins, Sheldon Richardson, Allen Robinson, Andrew Norwell, and Case Keenum are officially free agents.
Another wide receiver who won’t hit free agency is Kenny Britt. The Patriots are picking up his option.
The Steelers officially tagged Le’Veon Bell for the second time.
The Bears used the transition tag on cornerback Kyle Fuller instead of the franchise tag. Any interested teams can still try to court him, but it keeps him from hitting free agency.
One more free agent is off the board: Kicker Graham Gano agreed to a new four-year deal with the Panthers.
The Rams placed the franchise tag on Lamarcus Joyner, which means Sammy Watkins will officially hit free agency. The Rams still want to try to re-sign Watkins, however.
The Chiefs have been linked to DT Star Lotulelei.
The Jaguars will not use the franchise tag on Allen Robinson, thought they have negotiating rights with him until March 12.
The Bills signed running back Chris Ivory to a two-year deal.
Manish Mehta of the NY Daily News reported that Kirk Cousins hasn’t ruled out any teams yet.
‏Ian Rapoport thinks Donte Moncrief and the Ravens could be a match.
Washington’s wide receiver wish list includes Allen Robinson and Paul Richardson.
The Rams likely won’t tag Sammy Watkins, but Lamarcus Joyner remains a possibility.
The Giants look like the frontrunner for guard Andrew Norwell’s services.

March 5

Former Packers cornerback Sam Shields is attempting a comeback and will start meeting with teams. One of those teams is the Browns.
If any team is looking for a kicker, it won’t be able to sign Matt Bryant. The 42-year-old re-upped with the Falcons for three years.
The Panthers will likely use their franchise tag on kicker Graham Gano if they can’t agree to a long-term deal.
The Rams are trying to decide whether to apply the franchise tag to Sammy Watkins or safety Lamarcus Joyner. That means that whichever player doesn’t get tagged will hit the market.
Jimmy Graham’s time in Seattle is probably done. One of the teams interested in him is his old team, the Saints.
Muhammad Wilkerson’s first visit is expected to be with the Packers.
The Bears are not expected to use the franchise tag on cornerback Kyle Fuller, though he wants to return to Chicago.
Trumaine Johnson is reportedly choosing between the Raiders and 49ers.
The Giants are eyeing cornerback Patrick Robinson.
The Jaguars are more likely to keep Marqise Lee than Allen Robinson.
The Steelers will likely give Le’Veon Bell the franchise tag before the March 6 deadline.
Hue Jackson still wants to bring AJ McCarron to the Browns (in addition to drafting a quarterback in the first round).
The Jaguars, Panthers, and Dolphins are all expected to be on the hunt for another quarterback in free agency.
Case Keenum could be the backup plan for whichever team misses out on Kirk Cousins.
The Eagles are set lose DT Beau Allen, LB Nigel Bradham and TE Trey Burton, but their chances are good for keeping DE Chris Long.
The Lions aren’t planning for center Travis Swanson to return.

March 4

It’s a busy day for Jets rumors. New York would like to hold on to Morris Claiborne, but they’re not close to a deal. The Jets also are one of what will surely be many teams that have an eye on pending free agent Malcolm Butler.
The Jets may not re-sign middle linebacker Demario Davis, who reportedly wants upwards of $8 million per year. They’re prepared to let him hit free agency if he doesn’t bring that price down, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
The Jets are worried that the Vikings will win the battle for Kirk Cousins. They can outbid the Vikings, but the team is concerned that Cousins just wants to play for the Vikings.

March 3

Adam Schefter reported that the four finalists for Kirk Cousins are the Broncos, Cardinals, Jets, and Vikings.
The Steelers are feeling good about their chances to re-sign Le’Veon Bell.
Center Weston Richburg has a very healthy market for his services.
Trey Burton is not expected to return to the Eagles. Luckily for the tight end, he has as many as 16 teams interested in him.
The Jets and Dolphins are coming after center Travis Swanson the hardest.
One free agent is already off the market. Former Panthers safety Kurt Coleman is staying in the NFC South, agreeing to a three-year deal with the Saints.

March 2

The Broncos are looking to sign a No. 3 cornerback, another sign that Aqib Talib will soon be out of Denver.
The Vikings want to bring back DT Tom Johnson but play him fewer snaps.
The Falcons have been linked to tight end Ed Dickson, who has spent the past four seasons in the NFC South with the Panthers.
If the Giants want to re-sign D.J. Fluker, they’ll have plenty of competition.
Marvin Lewis wants center Russell Bodine to re-sign with the Bengals.
The Patriots might try to bring Dion Lewis back, but they’d have to pony up. The running back will be highly sought-after once free agency begins.
Kurt Coleman met with the Bengals in Indianapolis.
Seahawks GM John Schneider said the team doesn’t plan to use the franchise tag on Sheldon Richardson, at least as of right now.
A new deal between the Saints and Drew Brees should be done soon.
Cornerback Patrick Robinson is drawing interest from the Raiders and Cardinals.
Frank Gore says he’s healthy and wants to play for a contender.
The Dolphins are looking at free agent center Travis Swanson.

March 1

A new report from Yahoo’s Charles Robinson says the Broncos are “all-in” on Kirk Cousins.
The Lions want to bring back RB Zach Zenner, just not with an RFA tender.
Dion Lewis will be a hot commodity for teams, like the Texans, Jets, and 49ers, looking for veteran RB help.
Cornerback Morris Claiborne will get lot of attention — as many as 10 teams could be after him — once free agency rolls around.
Days after he was released by the Panthers, Kurt Coleman dined with Saints officials. The Giants and Bills could also give the soon-to-be 30-year-old safety a look.
The Ravens have their eye on Frank Gore. The Browns could also be interested in the veteran RB.
The Saints are going to let safety Kenny Vaccaro walk.
Orleans Darkwa might not have to move. The Jets are showing interest in the Giants free agent RB.
The Bengals are keeping their options open for finding a backup QB to replace AJ McCarron.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins is reportedly looking for a $7 million payday. The tight end is expected to meet with the Jets soon.
The Bengals want to keep tight end Tyler Eifert around, but they know he’ll receive interest from other teams if he hits free agency.
Sean Payton isn’t worried about the Saints’ negotiations with Drew Brees. Like, at all.
Don’t expect Albert Wilson to re-sign with the Chiefs. When asked if the Chiefs planned to retain him, GM Brett Veach hinted that Wilson might land in Chicago with former Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy.
Anthony Lynn said the Chargers still have a role for veteran tight end Antonio Gates, if he decides to keep playing.
Nate Solder does not plan to retire. He hasn’t begun negotiating with the Patriots, but still may before free agency begins.
John Lynch says that contract talks with Carlos Hyde are “ongoing,” but that he “wouldn’t say anything is imminent there.”
Mike Zimmer says Case Keenum, Teddy Bridgewater, and Sam Bradford are all options at quarterback for the Vikings, though Zimmer doesn’t sound too sold on Keenum.
Kirk Cousins might be looking for a shorter deal — with a lot of guaranteed money.
The Giants could go after kicker Graham Gano in free agency, but the Panthers consider keeping him “a high priority.”
Danny Amendola said he wants to return to the Patriots, but they’ll have to give him a good offer.
T.J. Jones is coming off his best year with the Lions, but they won’t tender the wide receiver a restricted free agent offer.
Ron Rivera acknowledged that it won’t be easy for the Panthers to keep guard Andrew Norwell, who is set to earn a big payday on the free agent market.
Bills GM Brandon Beane said he thinks defensive tackle Kyle Williams plans to keep playing — and Buffalo wants him to return if he does.
The Packers have expressed interest in bringing back veteran tight end Richard Rodgers.
The Eagles and cornerback Patrick Robinson have talked about a long-term deal.

Feb. 28

Carlos Hyde is set to hit free agency for the first time in his career this offseason. The 49ers have a meeting scheduled with Hyde’s agent during the NFL Combine to talk about his future.
The Colts are expected to let Frank Gore hit free agency while they get younger at the running back position.
Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff does not expect to re-sign DT Dontari Poe or WR Taylor Gabriel.
There’s one more veteran defensive end on the market. The Jets released Mo Wilkerson on Wednesday.
Center Joe Berger was considering retirement, but he’ll test free agency instead. He could return to the Vikings, or he might land with the Giants and his former offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur. Giants center Weston Richburg is also hitting free agency.
Washington is interested in keeping LB Zach Brown and CB Bashaud Breeland, but only at the right price. That might be tricky, because Brown wants to be compensated like a top-three inside linebacker.
Steelers GM Kevin Colbert confirmed that the team is in talks with pending free agent Le’Veon Bell. He said he hopes a deal is done before the March 6 franchise tag deadline.
The Jaguars have cleared enough cap space to re-sign both Allen Robinson and cornerback Aaron Colvin, GM Dave Caldwell said.
Bills GM Brandon Beane said the team’s decision to sign cornerback Vontae Davis has no bearing on E.J. Gaines’ future with the team.
Vikings GM Rick Spielman said no decision has been made on the quarterback situation.
Washington expects Terrelle Pryor to test the free agency market.
Rams head coach Sean McVay said that it’s a priority to keep safety Lamarcus Joyner. The Rams are also still interested in re-signing Trumaine Johnson despite trading for Marcus Peters.
Speaking of Trumaine Johnson, the Raiders are also planning to target him in free agency.
Bucs GM Jason Licht said they’d like to bring back veteran cornerback Brent Grimes.
Another QB is about to hit free agency. Bears GM Ryan Pace told reporters that Mike Glennon will be released once the new league year starts.

Feb. 27

Teddy Bridgewater is expected to hit free agency, per Ian Rapoport. Meanwhile, the Kirk Cousins to the Vikings speculation heats up.
The Bills hosted free agent running back Chris Ivory, a few days after he was released by the Jaguars. Ivory followed that up with a visit to the Browns, according to Rapoport.
The Jets could be interested in former Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler — for the right price, according to Calvin Watkins of Newsday.

Feb. 26

Pending free agent Tyler Eifert underwent micro-disc surgery last year, and he’s been cleared to participate in OTAs and beyond, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Jaguars are planning to hold on to Allen Robinson now that they’ve cleared up some cap space by cutting Chris Ivory and extending Blake Bortles, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
This year’s draft class is light on blocking tight ends, which will make players like Darren Fells, Virgil Green, and Lee Smith hotter commodities in free agency, per Rapoport.
The Vikings aren’t expected to franchise tag Case Keenum, per Rapoport. That heats up the quarterback market and leaves the Vikings with the choice of either retaining Teddy Bridgewater or Sam Bradford or joining the free agency fray.
The Vikings will be in the running to land Kirk Cousins. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo insists that’s the team’s plan, and his colleague Ian Rapoport agrees.
The Bills signed free agent cornerback Vontae Davis, who also visited with the 49ers, Raiders, Dolphins, and Browns.

Feb. 23

Martellus Bennett could be cut by the Patriots before they have to pay him a $2 million roster bonus on March 14. Even though Bennett considered retirement last year, he wants to keep playing, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. So he’ll either stay with the Pats or end up on the free agent market.

Feb. 22

The Panthers aren’t likely to tag guard Andrew Norwell because of the cost, so he’ll hit free agency, according to Ian Rapoport. They could tag kicker Graham Gano instead.
The Seahawks want to keep Sheldon Richardson around, but they’re not planning to tag him, according to Rapoport.

Feb. 21

The Jaguars are not expected to re-sign cornerback Aaron Colvin and will let him hit free agency, according to Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams.
Free agent cornerback Vontae Davis, who was cut by the Colts last season, has met with the Bills, Browns, 49ers, and Raiders. Up next is the Dolphins.

Feb. 20

The Jets are reportedly willing to take on a $60 million cap hit for Cousins in 2018 as part of a five-year, $150 million deal, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post.

Feb. 16

AJ McCarron won his grievance against the Bengals and will enter the league year as an unrestricted free agent.

Feb. 4

Washington is considering using the franchise tag on Cousins, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. If it does, the Washington Post’s Kimberley A. Martin says he is expected to file a grievance with the NFLPA on the grounds that Washington has no good faith intention of working out a long-term deal.

Trade rumors

March 14

The Vikings are finalizing a deal to trade for Trevor Siemian, who will back up Kirk Cousins.
The Bengals are talking with the Raiders about a potential trade for Vontaze Burfict.
The Broncos aren’t giving up on trying to trade Trevor Siemian.
The Eagles are shopping Mychal Kendricks. Again.

March 12

The Bills traded left tackle Cordy Glenn to the Bengals, swapping their first-round picks this year in the process.
The Chargers are giving Tyrell Williams a second-round tender, but they’d also be willing to trade him, per Adam Schefter.
The Broncos will listen to offers for C.J. Anderson.
Teams are shopping players who will probably end up being cap casualties if they don’t get traded. The list includes Tavon Austin, Vinny Curry, and Ja’Waun James.