The Cincinnati Bengals have reshaped their roster by extending Orlando Brown Jr. and adding two recent Super Bowl winners in free agency. The team announced a two-year extension for Brown through the 2028 season. The Bengals also have signed safety Bryan Cook to a three-year deal. Cook returns to his Cincinnati hometown and fills a hole at free safety. The team added defensive end Boye Mafe on a three-year contract. Mafe steps into the void left by Trey Hendrickson.
Daniel Jones spent his entire offseason rehabbing, letting his agents deal with the business side of football. Almost exactly four months after suffering a torn right Achilles tendon in a loss at Jacksonville, Jones returned to the Indianapolis Colts team complex with a new two-year contract worth up to $100 million and a timetable for his return to play. Jones says he remains hopeful he'll be ready to start the 2026 season opener. Jones says “I’m in a good spot, I’m on schedule. I think from everything the doctors are telling me — trainers, rehab, physical therapists — I think I’m in a good spot.”
NFL free agency spending has reshaped the early pecking order, with a few teams gaining real momentum and others taking hits. On Monday, big moves included the Panthers adding Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd to build an elite defense. The 49ers added Mike Evans and extra line help. The Patriots kept spending to upgrade key spots. The Jets brought Geno Smith back and loaded up on defense. The Rams strengthened their secondary. The Buccaneers slipped after losing Evans and defensive starters. The Eagles and Jaguars also dropped back after losing major pieces.
Daniel Jones is back with the Indianapolis Colts, and Alec Pierce couldn’t be happier. Two days after the 25-year-old Pierce agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $116 million, the Colts brought back their quarterback on a two-year deal worth up to $100 million. That's according to a person with knowledge of the deal who spoke to The Associated Press Wednesday on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. Later Wednesday, Pierce said he never wanted to leave Indy because he believes in the Colts after their success early last season with Jones behind center.
Conor Garland scored two goals for the second consecutive game and the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 on Tuesday. Kiril Marchenko, Dante Fabbro and Ivan Provorov also scored for Columbus, who improved to 15-2-3 in the past 20 games. Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins made 15 saves and registered his second assist of the season. Garland, who was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks at the trade deadline, had not scored a goal in his previous 24 games with Vancouver. But after scoring twice on Monday against Los Angeles, Garland had two more on Tuesday, including an insurance power-play goal in the third period.
The Cleveland Browns continued revamping their offensive line on Tuesday, agreeing to terms with center/guard Elgton Jenkins on a two-year contract worth $24 million, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the deal, which can not become official until the start of the NFL’s new league year on Wednesday. Jenkins quickly found a new home after being released by Green Bay after seven seasons on Monday. Jenkins was drafted in the second round by the Packers in 2019. Cleveland has made steady progress in rebuilding its offensive line where most of its starters are free agents. It started 10 different line combinations last season because of injuries.
Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III is the new running back for Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City, and Miami settled on Malik Willis for a reset at quarterback after releasing Tua Tagovailoa. Indianapolis is keeping its top free agent in receiver Alec Pierce. People with knowledge of the agreements said the deals were among those reached on the opening day of NFL free agency. Two edge rushers are on the move. Jaelan Phillips is joining Carolina after Philadelphia traded for him last season. Dallas added edge rusher Rashan Gary in a trade with Green Bay.
James Harden scored 21 points to become the ninth player in NBA history with more than 29,000 career points, Keon Ellis added 19, and the Cleveland Cavaliers cruised to a 115-101 victory over the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers. Donovan Mitchell had 17 points and Evan Mobley had 15 points for the Cavaliers. Quentin Grimes scored 17 points and Cameron Payne had 12 points for Philadelphia. The 76ers were without their top four scorers in All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Paul George and VJ Edgecombe, who are either injured or suspended. Cleveland is 8-1 at home since Jan. 23.
Indianapolis Colts receiver Alec Pierce is staying right where he said he wanted to be all along while teammate Michael Pittman Jr. is heading out of town. In a whirlwind few hours Monday, the Colts revamped their receiving group by keeping Pierce off the free-agent market then dealing their longtime No. 1 receiver, Pittman, to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a late-round draft pick. The Pittman deal clears nearly $24 million in salary cap space to help Indy get under the salary cap.
Ready, set, negotiate multi-million contracts. The NFL’s free agency period opens Monday with a 52-hour legal tampering period ahead of the official start of the new league year Wednesday. Edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III head the list of high-profile players who will be free to sign a contract with a new team. Quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Kyler Murray also will be seeking new teams because they’re going to be released by their teams.