Maryland Terrapins in the NFL: 2026 Free Agency Recap
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There are currently 25 active Maryland football alumni in the NFL, putting the Terrapins in the top quarter of representation from FBS teams.
While many of these Terps in the Pros remain on the same teams as last year, a few have moved to new organizations over the past three weeks. Now that the initial surge of free agency moves is over, here's a recap of what exactly went down.
Two Top Targets on the Move... But Not by Choice
WR D.J. Moore will start cashing in on a big payday this year, as he's set to begin a four-year, $110 million contract. But it won't be with the ones who gave him the extension.
The Chicago Bears traded Moore to the Buffalo Bills, also sending along a 6th-round pick in this year's Draft, in exchange for a 5th-rounder.
Moore is surprisingly coming off his worst offensive production in eight NFL seasons. He had a career-low 50 receptions and 682 yards in the regular season, along with six touchdowns.
In two playoff games, he added 11 catches for 116 yards and two TDs, including the game-winning grab in the Wild Card.
DJ MOORE FOR THE LEAD
— NFL (@NFL) January 11, 2026
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Moore had over 1,000 all-purpose yards in five of the previous six seasons before 2025. The Bills are banking on him returning to that WR 1 form and giving Josh Allen the top weapon he's sorely lacked without Stefon Diggs on the roster.
Speaking of Diggs... the New England Patriots chose to release their own thousand-yard receiver following a trip to the Super Bowl. Diggs had an excellent bounce back year, with 85 catches for 1,103 yards and four TDs prior to the playoffs.
It was the former first rounder's seventh 1,000-yard season. Prior to an injury-riddled 2024 campaign, he had six of them in a row.
However, Diggs is currently in a legal battle off the field, with strangulation and assault charges being pressed by his former personal chef. He remains a free agent as his attorneys prepare to go to a pre-trial hearing.
Trio of Terps Returning to DMV
Meanwhile, a one-year Maryland starter is getting a chance to compete for a spot on the Baltimore Ravens offensive line.
Corey Bullock spent his senior year in College Park and went on to sign with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2024. After two seasons in a backup role, Bullock is a candidate to replace Tyler Linderbaum at center after the four-year starter signed with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Two big free agents are also making their way home to the DMV. Tight end Chig Okonkwo and safety Nick Cross both signed with the Washington Commanders, reuniting the former Terrapins teammates in the closest NFL stadium.
Reunited in the DMV 🏈🐢@TerpsFootball ➡️ @Commanders pic.twitter.com/bwR717TwVa
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) March 18, 2026
Okonkwo had a strong final season with the Tennessee Titans, collecting 56 catches for 560 yards and two TDs. It speaks to the state of things in Nashville, however, that he was the team's leading receiver.
The Commanders chose to reward that performance with a three-year, $30 million, giving Jayden Daniels a long-term replacement for Zach Ertz and putting Okonkwo back in the building where he played his first college game.
first college game. first college catch. @ChigTweets is back in the stadium where it all started pic.twitter.com/6icx4V58Tj
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) March 15, 2026
Cross also excelled in 2025 with a second-straight 100-tackle season. He finished with 120 tackles, two-and-a-half sacks, five pass breakups, one interception, and one forced fumble.
His new term isn't as long - two years, $14 million - but it still puts the Bowie, MD native close to home for the near future.
There are two remaining free agent Terps. Linebacker Josh Woods, who had 14 tackles across 12 games for the Atlanta Falcons last year, is one of them. Woods has spent parts of seven seasons in the league, with prior stops in Chicago, Detroit, and Arizona.
The other is defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson, who most recently appeared with the Lions in Week 6 last fall. He began his NFL career in Seattle and has also spent time with Buffalo (twice), Las Vegas, the Jets, and Cleveland.
Other Pro Terps Staying Put
Here are the rest of the active Terrapins alumni and their current teams:
- Tommy Akingbesote, DT - Buffalo Bills
- Spencer Anderson, OG - Pittsburgh Steelers
- Deonte Banks, CB - New York Giants
- Jakorian Bennett, CB - Philadelphia Eagles
- Beau Brade, S - New York Giants
- Tai Felton, WR - Minnesota Vikings
- D.J. Glaze, OT - Las Vegas Raiders
- Ruben Hyppolite II, LB - Chicago Bears
- Ty Johnson, RB - Buffalo Bills
- Jeshaun Jones, WR - Minnesota Vikings
- Josh Kaltenberger, C - Los Angeles Chargers
- Durell Nchami, DE - Indianapolis Colts
- Sam Okuayinonu, DE - San Francisco 49ers
- Jordan Phillips, DT - Miami Dolphins
- Chad Ryland, K - Arizona Cardinals
- Darnell Savage, S - Pittsburgh Steelers
- Tarheeb Still, CB - Los Angeles Chargers
- Dante Trader Jr., S - Miami Dolphins
We'll see if the number of Pro Terps grows during (or following) the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, which will be held in Pittsburgh April 23-25. Maryland had two players invited to the NFL Scouting Combine this year.
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Mike joined Maryland On SI with over four years of sportswriting experience. He started off his career in Syracuse on the Orange football beat, where he was featured on CBS Sports' Cover 3 Podcast and local ESPN sports talk radio. After that, he had a brief stint reporting on Major League Baseball before returning to college sports.
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