Bengals

• When taking a look at the odds of different impending free agents possibly returning, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic gives Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson a “1 percent” chance to be back. 
• Dehner writes that bridges have been burned with Hendrickson after their recent contract dispute, and there is “no realistic path” for him to be back. 
• Denher gives DE Joseph Ossai a 20 percent chance to be back, given DEs Myles Murphy and Shemar Stewart fit the mold of a second pass rusher. In the end, Cincinnati can invest its first-round pick in an edge rusher if needed. 
• Although Dehner lists S Geno Stone at 15 percent, he doesn’t expect a market for him, meaning it leaves a chance he could return on a cheap contract as a reserve role player. 
• Dehner also gives CB Cam Taylor-Britt 20 percent odds after landing on injured reserve and spending five days for reckless driving and driving without a license charges. If Taylor-Britt is brought back, Dehner thinks it would be to a reserve role. 
• Dehner lists TE Noah Fant at 10 percent, given TEs Drew Sample and Mike Gesicki are under contract. 
• As for fellow TE Tanner Hudson, Dehner gives him a 90 percent chance to be back, pointing out that he’s highly valued in Cincinnati’s offense. 
• Dehner gives G Dalton Risner 75 percent odds, writing there is an “obvious desire on all sides” for his return. 
• Regarding QB Joe Flacco, Dehner gives him 33 percent chances but expects there to be a long waiting game on Flacco’s decision. 
• Dehner thinks fellow QB Jake Browning has an eight percent chance to be back as a restricted free agent after things ended poorly for him. 
• Dehner likes RFA CB Jalen Davis‘ chances of being back with 90 percent odds after showing leadership in practice last season. 

Browns

Heading into an offseason with question marks at quarterback and head coach, Browns GM Andrew Berry said the new coach will have input on the direction they go at the position. He left their options open for the Week 1 starter to be an internal or external option. 

“We’re going to do our work on the quarterback market,” Berry said, via ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi. “It’s too important of a position, and it’s something that has to be solidified. I can’t sit here and tell you today whether the starter in 2026 is internal or external, but it’s something that we’re going to work through over the next several weeks, and quite honestly, the new head coach will also have a lot of input into that as well.”

Regarding QB Shedeur Sanders, Berry admitted he has work to do, but believes he showed strong progress from the beginning of the year. 

“I think we saw a lot of progress with Shedeur this year. I think that’s both mentally and physically playing the position. He’s still very much a work in progress, like many rookie quarterbacks are. But I think we saw some really good things in terms of his playmaking, his accuracy, his ability to extend with his feet. And I think I’d also give him credit, as well as our offensive staff, for bringing him along in terms of his pocket management, his situational awareness and things of that nature.”

Cleveland QB Deshaun Watson had his practice window opened but wasn’t activated to the 53-man roster. Heading into the final year of his five-year deal, Berry was asked what their plans are for him in 2026. 

“We’re very pleased with how Deshaun went through and attacked his rehab this past year, how he engaged with the team, what he did in the meeting rooms. Very pleased with the progress that he made in that regard. I can never predict the future, but right now we do anticipate him being on the 2026 team. But we have a long way to go before we get to that point with any player.”

Ultimately, Berry was clear that they will use a significant amount of their assets this offseason on revamping the offensive side of the ball. 

“I think there’s a lot of work that we still need to do on the offense, from a personnel standpoint. I think that we have a number of players that will continue to be pillars and are players that will continue to develop and invest in, but the offense is going to have significant investment this offseason.”

Steelers

Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers said that he feels good about helping HC Mike Tomlin get back into the playoffs and dispelling rumors about him being let go from his position.

“At 6-6, there were a lot of people thinking we were going to be stumbling to the finish, and then who knows what was going to happen,” Rodgers said, via Around The NFL. “A lot of you probably in this group, either publicly or privately, were talking about Mike T getting axed. So it feels good to shut all those comments down.“