👋 Hello! The past week included Kirk Cousins landing a potential starting QB job, rule changes, and a superstar defender demanding a trade.
🗓️ What to know about the schedule
Last week’s NFL Annual League Meeting delivered a few noteworthy items when it comes to the schedule and rule changes.
Friday games are now treated like Saturday, Sunday, and Monday games. In other words, Friday games are not considered a “short week,” and we could be seeing Friday games more often moving forward.
The unpopular Monday Night Football doubleheaders have been eliminated and won’t be on the schedule this season.
The five rule changes for 2026 include allowing teams to declare an onside kick attempt at any time during the game.
Overall, the changes for 2026 will most affect how fans watch games—which could happen more often on new days like Thanksgiving Eve and Fridays. The bigger story for on-field play is the possibility of replacement officials being needed if there’s no agreement between current officials and the league.
Also, the first 2026 NFL workouts were kicked off with the Ravens reporting yesterday. Full offseason workout schedules for all 32 teams.
👀 Lawrence requests trade from NYG
Giants All-Pro DT Dexter Lawrence will not participate in the team’s offseason workout program starting this week and has requested a trade.
Lawrence and the team have not made progress on a contract extension the past two seasons, and it sounds like the star DT has had enough.
Of course, Giants GM Joe Schoen—who was by far the lowest-rated GM by his players in the leaked NFLPA report cards from this year—has a history of contract negotiations not going well.
Lawrence was drafted in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft by former GM Dave Gettleman and has been named a Second-team All-Pro as one of the NFL’s best defenders.
It’ll be interesting to watch how (and if) new HC John Harbaugh can work around the apparent higher degree of difficulty Schoen might have with retaining players. Expect heavy interest in Lawrence around the league if he is available.
✍️ Cousins, Walker headline moves
The Raiders are signing QB Kirk Cousins to what is essentially a one-year deal worth $20 million fully guaranteed (which, though unlikely to be picked up, has a two-year $80 million option for the Raiders the next two seasons). This marks the 11th straight season for Cousins to have a fully guaranteed contract.
The Jaguars signed former No. 1 overall pick EDGE Travon Walker to a four-year, $110 million extension.
More signings include the Chiefs adding a former first-round CB:
Chiefs: CB Kaiir Elam
Bengals: S Kyle Dugger
Lions: S Chuck Clark
Browns: DB Myles Bryant
Giants: OL Lucas Patrick
📰 More NFL news and notes
Retirements: Former NFL Defensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl champion CB Stephon Gilmore and veteran LB Anthony Walker Jr. officially retired.
The NFL says that Chiefs star WR Rashee Rice will not be disciplined after determining that he “has not engaged in conduct that violates the personal conduct policy.”
Rams star WR Puka Nacua has checked into rehab following allegations he bit a woman on New Year’s Eve, according to The California Post.
The Falcons unveiled their new uniforms, with red primary jerseys.
Orlando’s Camping World Stadium will host the Jaguars for the 2027 season while Jacksonville renovates its stadium.
49ers HC Kyle Shanahan says he knows for a fact that the Rams lobbied the NFL to play them in Australia instead of having Niners fans take over SoFi Stadium again.
Browns HC Todd Monken missed last week’s annual coaches photo because he was getting a haircut… for the photo.
Other Sports Updates
🏆 March Madness: Michigan defeated UConn in last night’s title game, while UCLA won on the women’s side. One Shining Moment.
📰 President Trump signed a new executive order “to Save College Sports.”
⛳️ Tiger Woods is stepping away from golf to seek treatment following his accident.
🏒 The Buffalo Sabres are in the playoffs for the first time since 2011, giving the New York Jets the current longest playoff drought in sports.
😳 Another NHL team fired their HC with an immediate replacement outside the organization, with the Islanders moving on from Patrick Roy and hiring Peter DeBoer.
😱 Angels OF Jo Addell robbed three HRs… in one game (a 1-0 victory).
