Samwise NFL Newsletter
Saturday, May 30, 2026
Mahomes Returns to Practice Field, Targets Week 1 Start for Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes returned to the field Thursday at the team’s organized team activities for the first time since tearing the ACL and LCL in his left knee during a December game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Mahomes participated in individual drills while wearing a brace on his left knee and told reporters he is in “a good spot” with his rehabilitation, though he is not yet running or cutting. He confirmed his goal is to start Kansas City’s Week 1 Monday Night Football home opener against the Denver Broncos on September 14. Chiefs GM Brett Veach has said Mahomes is “way ahead of schedule.”
Sources: NFL.com
Giants’ Achilles Epidemic Grows: Olszewski Is Third Player Hurt This Spring
Wide receiver Gunner Olszewski is feared to have suffered a torn Achilles during New York Giants organized team activities on Friday, sources told ESPN. The injury occurred in a non-contact drill, and Olszewski will undergo further testing to confirm the diagnosis. He becomes the third Giants player to suffer a torn Achilles in spring workouts this year. Defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris and cornerback Thaddeus Dixon suffered the same injury in earlier OTA sessions. All three New York injuries were non-contact occurrences. The Giants face an extraordinary cluster of identical injuries across a single offseason program with the 2026 regular season still months away.
Sources: ESPN
A.J. Brown Trade to Patriots Expected After June 1 Cap Deadline
The Philadelphia Eagles are expected to trade wide receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots, but the deal is being deliberately timed to close after June 1 for salary cap purposes. Trading Brown before that date would charge the Eagles an additional $20 million in 2026 cap space, rather than spreading the obligation into 2027. Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel coached Brown for three seasons with the Tennessee Titans from 2019 through 2021. New England personnel executive Eliot Wolf said the team plans to keep the door open “to anything that we think may improve our roster.” Multiple reports have identified New England as the leading destination.
Sources: CBS Sports
Murray Outshines McCarthy at Vikings’ First Open OTA Session
At the Minnesota Vikings’ first organized team activities open to local media, veteran quarterback Kyler Murray outperformed J.J. McCarthy, making all the best throws of the practice and demonstrating superior downfield touch and accuracy. Both quarterbacks received equal snaps with projected starters against the first-team defense. Murray signed a one-year, league-minimum deal after the Arizona Cardinals released him, with Arizona covering the majority of his $36.8 million contract. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has not named a starter. McCarthy told reporters there is no “awkwardness” in the competition, while Murray described the situation as two competitors who “want what’s best for the team.”
Sources: ESPN
Ravens HC Minter ‘Very, Very, Very Pleased’ with Hendrickson After OTAs
Baltimore Ravens head coach Jesse Minter praised new pass rusher Trey Hendrickson following organized team activities, saying he is “very, very, very pleased” with the veteran’s fit on the roster. Hendrickson signed a four-year, $112 million deal with Baltimore this offseason, with $60 million fully guaranteed and a maximum value of $120 million. Minter called Hendrickson “an extremely well-defined technical rusher” who “uses his hands really, really well.” Hendrickson ranks second in the NFL in fourth-quarter sacks since 2021 with 26.5. The 2026 season is Minter’s first as an NFL head coach, having been hired from the Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator position.
Sources: NFL.com
Daniel Jones ‘Absolutely’ Expects to Start Week 1 for Colts
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones told reporters he “absolutely” expects to be ready for the start of the 2026 NFL season, approximately seven months after suffering a torn Achilles in a 2025 regular-season game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jones has returned to throwing during the team’s organized team activities. The Colts re-signed Jones this offseason to a contract with a base value of $88 million and a maximum value of $100 million through incentives, demonstrating their commitment to the quarterback despite the injury. Jones said his recovery has progressed well and he sees no obstacle to being ready for Week 1.
Sources: NFL.com
Steelers Part Ways with New Hire Swinton for Policy Violation
The Pittsburgh Steelers parted ways with special teams assistant Derius Swinton II on Friday due to a violation of club policy, the team announced. Swinton was hired this offseason as part of new head coach Mike McCarthy’s staff and was set to work under special teams coordinator Danny Crossman. ESPN reported the dismissal resulted from workplace misconduct. The 2026 season would have been Swinton’s 16th in the NFL and first with Pittsburgh. He previously spent three seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders from 2022 through 2025, serving as interim special teams coordinator during part of the 2025 season after Tom McMahon was dismissed in Week 10.
Sources: ESPN
Patriots’ Onwenu Lands $10M in Guarantees with Revised Contract
New England Patriots right guard Mike Onwenu signed a revised contract for the 2026 season on Friday, earning him $10 million in guarantees and bonuses while reducing his salary cap charge by $7.5 million. Onwenu had no guaranteed money remaining on his previous contract prior to the revision. The restructuring provides the right guard with financial security while freeing up cap room for the Patriots as they enter the 2026 season. The NFL reported the move Friday in its daily transactions roundup. Onwenu enters the final year of the deal following the revision.
Sources: NFL.com
Giants’ Andrew Thomas Restructures Deal, Frees Up $6.46M in Cap Room
New York Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas agreed to restructure his contract on Friday, converting a portion of his base salary into a signing bonus that creates $6.46 million in additional salary cap space for the club in 2026, per the NFL’s daily transactions report. The restructuring keeps Thomas under contract with New York while providing immediate cap relief to the franchise. The move comes on the same day the Giants reported that wide receiver Gunner Olszewski is feared to have suffered a torn Achilles at organized team activities, adding to a difficult week for the club’s roster management.
Sources: NFL.com
AFC Divisions — 2025 Final
AFC East
1. New England Patriots — 13–4–0
2. Buffalo Bills — 13–4–0
3. Miami Dolphins — 6–11–0
4. New York Jets — 3–14–0
AFC North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers — 10–7–0
2. Baltimore Ravens — 8–9–0
3. Cincinnati Bengals — 5–12–0
4. Cleveland Browns — 4–13–0
AFC South
1. Jacksonville Jaguars — 13–4–0
2. Houston Texans — 10–7–0
3. Indianapolis Colts — 8–9–0
4. Tennessee Titans — 3–14–0
AFC West
1. Denver Broncos — 14–3–0
2. Los Angeles Chargers — 11–6–0
3. Kansas City Chiefs — 6–11–0
4. Las Vegas Raiders — 3–14–0
NFC Divisions — 2025 Final
NFC East
1. Philadelphia Eagles — 11–6–0
2. Washington Commanders — 12–5–0
3. New York Giants — 8–9–0
4. Dallas Cowboys — 7–10–0
NFC North
1. Chicago Bears — 12–5–0
2. Green Bay Packers — 11–6–0
3. Detroit Lions — 10–7–0
4. Minnesota Vikings — 8–9–0
NFC South
1. Carolina Panthers — 8–9–0
2. Atlanta Falcons — 8–9–0
3. New Orleans Saints — 8–9–0
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 7–10–0
NFC West
1. Seattle Seahawks — 14–3–0 🏆
2. Los Angeles Rams — 11–6–0
3. San Francisco 49ers — 10–7–0
4. Arizona Cardinals — 6–11–0
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.