Kenneth Gainwell is set to join the Pittsburgh Steelers in a reshaped backfield without Najee Harris and no defined answer at quarterback.
Gainwell agreed to a one-year deal, according to multiple reports Wednesday, and gives the Steelers some insurance behind restricted free agent Jaylen Warren. Warren was given a second-round tender offer by the Steelers this week and is projected to be Pittsburgh’s starter in the absence of Harris. Harris, a 2021 first-round pick, agreed to a one-year deal with the Chargers in free agency.
Gainwell, who turns 26 on Friday, was a fifth-round pick in 2021 and averaged 4.2 yards per carry in four seasons with the Eagles. He’s capable of being a third-down back and averaged 7.1 yards per catch with 102 receptions for 721 yards. He had a total of 1,906 yards and 13 touchdowns with Philadelphia.
Warren, 26, averaged 4.8 yards per carry with 127 receptions in his first three seasons. He was expected to start the 2024 season in a co-No. 1 role with Harris until a hamstring injury slowed him down.
Other transactions on Wednesday, from multiple reports:
–The Bills continued the plunge into free agency, agreeing with defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi on a one-year, $8.3 million deal, with $8 million guaranteed. With incentives, Ogunjobi could earn $10 million on the contract.
A third-round 2017 NFL Draft choice by the Browns, he spent five seasons in Cleveland followed by three with the Steelers. Last season in Pittsburgh, he played in 15 games (12 starts) and made 41 tackles.
In eight seasons, he has 361 tackles (56 for loss), 27.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
–Also in Buffalo, former Commanders safety Darrick Forrest is signing a one-year contract with the Bills. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Forrest was a fifth-round draft pick in 2021 and was a valuable contributor on defense in 2022 and ’23, playing 81 percent and 99 percent of the snap counts defensively, respectively. In 2024, however, he was relegated to special teams, playing 53 percent of snap counts and only 12 percent on defense.
In 40 career games (17 starts), he has 137 tackles and four interceptions.
–The Chargers are re-signing linebacker Troy Dye to a two-year, $5.5 million deal that could be worth up to $8 million with incentives.
He has appeared in 77 games (13 starts) with the Vikings and Chargers over the past five seasons and has 137 tackles, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. The 28-year-old had a career-best 57 tackles in 17 games (five starts) last season i
The Chargers agreed on a deal to retain receiver Jalen Reagor. Terms were not disclosed.
Reagor, 26, caught seven passes for 100 yards in eight games (two starts) in 2024. Over five NFL seasons, the former first-round pick has 86 receptions for 1,037 yards and four touchdowns with the Philadelphia Eagles (2020-21), Minnesota Vikings (2022-23) and Chargers.
–Defensive tackle Greg Gaines re-signed with the Buccaneers.
Gaines reportedly will receive $3.5 million for the 2025 season, his third with the team. A backup nose tackle, he played in 15 games (three starts) in 2024 and had 17 tackles with one sack.
Gaines, 28, is entering his seventh season after four years with the Rams. He has 163 tackles and 12.5 sacks in 91 career games (30 starts).
–Defensive back Mike Ford is joining the Falcons on a two-year, $4 million contract after two seasons with the Browns.
It’s a return to Atlanta for Ford, who also has played with the Lions and Broncos since entering the league in 2019.
In the past two seasons with Cleveland, he appeared in 33 games (one starts) and made one interception, one fumble recovery and 41 tackles.
–The Colts are re-signing offensive lineman Danny Pinter to a one-year contract.
The Indiana native and Ball State alum played in 14 games for the Colts last season, including time on special teams. A fifth-round pick of the Colts in the 2020 draft, he has played in 60 games (nine starts).
–Van Jefferson is signing a one-year deal worth as much as $2.5 million with the Titans.
The wide receiver played in all 17 games (12 starts) with the Steelers last season and had 24 catches for 276 yards with two touchdowns in the regular season.
Jefferson won Super Bowl LVI with the Rams, who drafted him in the second round in 2020. In 78 career games (47 starts) with the Rams, Falcons and Steelers, he has 137 receptions for 1,876 yards and 12 touchdowns.
–The Denver Broncos re-signed offensive tackle Matt Peart to a two-year deal. The deal is reportedly worth $7 million.
Peart has played five seasons and saw action in all 17 games (two starts) for the Broncos in 2024. The former third-round pick spent his previous four seasons with the New York Giants and has started nine of 60 career NFL games.
–Wide receiver Mike Williams, who played his first seven NFL seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, is rejoining his former team. The deal is reportedly for one year and as much as $6 million.
Williams, 30, left the Chargers last spring to sign with the New York Jets, who wound up trading him to the Pittsburgh Steelers in November. Across a combined 18 games for the two teams, he had 21 receptions for 298 yards and one touchdown in 2024.
–The San Francisco 49ers added a backup quarterback, landing Mac Jones, reportedly for two years and $7 million, with $5 million guaranteed.
Jones, 26, backed up Trevor Lawrence with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season and wound up going 2-5 as a starter. He completed 65.3 percent of his passes for 1,672 yards and eight touchdowns with eight interceptions. A first-round pick (No. 15 overall) in 2021, Jones began his NFL career with three seasons as the New England Patriots’ top QB, and is 20-29 as a starter.
