Kenneth Walker III joins Mahomes in
KC and Malik Willis starts QB reset in Miami, AP sources say
[March 10, 2026]
By SCHUYLER DIXON
Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III is the new running back for
Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City, Miami settled on Malik Willis for a
reset at quarterback and receiver Mike Evans is headed to San
Francisco after 12 years in Tampa Bay.
People with knowledge of the agreements told The Associated Press on
Monday, the opening day of NFL free agency, that Walker was leaving
Seattle after winning a championship and the Dolphins reached a deal
with Willis after announcing earlier in the day that they were
releasing Tua Tagovailoa.
The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because
contracts can't be signed until Wednesday, the first day of the new
league year.
The negotiating window opened with a flurry of significant deals,
including the Indianapolis Colts keeping their top free agent in
receiver Alec Pierce.
Edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and the Carolina Panthers agreed on a
four-year, $120 million contract with $80 million guaranteed.
Philadelphia was hoping to retain Phillips after sending a
third-round pick to Miami for him at the trade deadline last season.
Phillips had five sacks combined for the Dolphins and the Eagles.
The Dallas Cowboys added edge rusher Rashan Gary in a trade with
Green Bay for a 2027 fourth-round pick. The Packers acquired star
Micah Parsons from the Cowboys a week before the season started last
year. Gary was the 12th overall pick in the draft in 2019, two years
before Dallas drafted Parsons in the same spot.
Tennessee was among the teams with the most to spend going into free
agency and tapped connections to first-year coach Robert Saleh and
new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll on a busy day for the Titans.
Walker and the Chiefs agreed to a three-year deal worth up to $45
million, with $28.7 million guaranteed. The 25-year-old fills
perhaps the biggest need as the Chiefs try to bounce back from a
6-11 season. Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco, their top two running
backs, are both free agents.
The deal came as Kansas City was nearing an agreement to bring back
four-time All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce for his 14th season.
Walker is the fourth Super Bowl MVP to change teams the following
season: Larry Brown went from the Cowboys to the Raiders in 1996,
Desmond Howard from the Packers to the Raiders in 1997 and Dexter
Jackson from Tampa Bay to Arizona in 2003.
The Dolphins reached an agreement with Willis a few hours after
dumping Tagovailoa, who later agreed to a one-year deal with
Atlanta, and incurring a record $99 million hit on their salary cap.
Willis will reunite with general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and
first-year coach Jeff Hafley. They were together in Green Bay, where
Willis spent the past two seasons.
Miami made another move by agreeing to trade safety Minkah
Fitzpatrick to the New York Jets for a seventh-round pick.
The Jets further revamped their defense by agreeing to deals with
former Saints linebacker Demario Davis, who will return for a third
stint in New York, former Falcons defensive tackle David Onyemata,
former Bengals edge rusher Joseph Ossai and former Packers pass
rusher Kingsley Enagbare.
The 49ers added a proven pass catcher in Evans for quarterback Brock
Purdy, agreeing to a three-year contract with a player who had 1,000
yards receiving in each of his first 11 seasons before injuries
limited Evans to eight games in 2025.
The move for the 32-year-old comes with the Niners planning to
release Brandon Aiyuk; they placed him on the reserve/left squad
list last season after he stopped showing up to rehabilitate a knee
injury that had sidelined him for a year.
The Colts keeping Pierce on a $116 million, four-year deal coincided
with them sending Michael Pittman Jr. to Pittsburgh for a late-round
draft pick. Pittman spent his first six seasons with Indianapolis.
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Tennessee's headliners were defensive end John
Franklin-Myers and cornerback Alontae Taylor on deals with annual
average values of at least $20 million. Franklin-Myers played for
the Jets when Saleh was head coach.
The Titans filled a need at receiver by adding Wan’Dale Robinson,
who was drafted by the Giants when Daboll was a rookie head coach in
2022. Daboll was fired by the Giants last season.
Another former Giants player, cornerback Cor’Dale Flott, also is
headed to the Titans, who are rebuilding a battered secondary and
have a decision looming on L’Jarius Sneed’s future.
The 25-year-old Robinson was the first player 5-foot-8 or shorter
with 1,000 yards receiving since 5-7 Richard Johnson in 1989 and the
third since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Robinson had 1,014 yards on 92
catches.
Davis was drafted in the third round by the Jets in 2012 and
returned in 2017 after a year in Cleveland. The 37-year-old played
the last eight seasons for the Saints — including three with current
Jets coach Aaron Glenn as the defensive backs coach.
Onyemata, a fourth-round pick of the Saints in 2016, also knows
Glenn from their time in New Orleans. He played the past three years
in Atlanta and has 31 career sacks and 401 tackles.
Ossai had five sacks in each of the last two seasons for Cincinnati.
The Vikings kept one of their unrestricted free agents off the
market with a new contract for 10th-year veteran linebacker Eric
Wilson, and they agreed to terms with former Pittsburgh Steelers
cornerback James Pierre.
Wilson, who returned to his original team last season, had career
highs in tackles for loss (17), sacks (6 1/2), quarterback hits (10)
and forced fumbles (four).
Cleveland added guard Zion Johnson, a 2022 first-round pick who
spent his first four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers. The
Browns are looking at an overhaul in the offense, with several
starters in free agency.
Running back J.K. Dobbins is returning to Denver on a two-year
contract. He ran for 772 yards and four touchdowns over 10 games
before a foot injury in November ended his season. Dobbins returned
to practice before the AFC championship game but didn’t dress for
the Broncos' 10-7 loss to New England.
Detroit agreed to a contract with Larry Borom, the likely
replacement for Taylor Decker after he asked for his release before
the start of free agency. Borom has 38 starts over five seasons with
Miami and Chicago. The Lions also added Cade Mays, who started 20
games at center the past two seasons in Carolina.
Buffalo has a starting need at cornerback and agreed to a three-year
deal with Dee Alford. He has 23 starts in 64 games over four seasons
with Atlanta. Alford could start opposite Christian Benford. The
Bills also agreed to sign quarterback Kyle Allen to a two-year
contract, bringing him back for a second stint as Josh Allen’s
backup following Mitch Trubisky's departure to Tennessee.
The Giants brought in two players familiar to new coach John
Harbaugh from his time in Baltimore, adding tight end Isaiah Likely
and All-Pro punter Jordan Stout. They also filled a defensive need
with linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
Looking to bounce back from a 5-12 season, Washington spent big
money in free agency to sign edge rusher Odafe Oweh, while also
bringing back starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Oweh’s contract is
worth $100 million over four years, with $68 million guaranteed.
The Cowboys made another move for a beleaguered defense that was
among the NFL's worst last season, agreeing on a three-year deal
with safety Jalen Thompson, who spent his first seven seasons in
Arizona.
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