The Miami Dolphins, with new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley, made a change at quarterback this offseason, replacing Tua Tagovailoa with Malik Willis.

While they have faith in Willis, who signed a three-year deal, Miami shouldn't stop looking for a long-term solution at the position. And, if things go poorly this year, they'll likely have a top pick in the 2027 NFL draft, putting them in position to grab a franchise quarterback.

In a recent mock draft, CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson projected that the Dolphins will do just that, as he has them taking Oregon quarterback Dante Moore with the first-overall pick.

"Moore would've been the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft had he not decided to return to Oregon. He plays with high-end pocket composure, handles pressure well and once the play breaks down, is elite out of structure."

Moore, 20, was a five-star recruit out of Martin Luther King High School in Detroit, Michigan, before committing to UCLA and transferring to Oregon just a year later.

In 29 games between the two schools so far, he's completed 65.9% of his passes for 5,224 yards, 41 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. His 2025 season was his best by far, completing 71.8% of his passes for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on his way to All-Big Ten honors.

If Moore has another great year, he'll be around the top of the draft, where the Dolphins will likely be picking, so there's a real chance that this happens. However, there's a lot of time between now and the 2027 draft, and a lot could happen.

More Dolphins: Why Dolphins owner is knowingly sacrificing chance to host Super Bowls

This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins select franchise QB in new mock for 2027 NFL draft

The NFL has introduced two rule changes this offseason that fans will notice right away. The league has approved a one-year trial allowing the replay center to correct clear errors during referee stoppages, as well as a new kickoff rule that lets teams declare an onside kick at any point, regardless of score. These changes aren’t just procedural; they give coaches new options late in games.

The onside kick rule is a more significant change than people realise

In the past, it was up to the team that was behind to decide when an onside kick could happen. Now, anyone can choose to do it. This doesn’t mean coaches will start taking unnecessary risks, but it does remove the old restrictions tied to the score. Teams will now have to consider unexpected decisions, which changes how special teams coordinators and hands units need to prepare.

Strategy evolves, not just changes

The real shift isn’t about frequency – teams won’t be declaring onside kicks every week. It’s about flexibility. Coaches now have an earlier option if they want to protect a narrow lead or steal a possession, without waiting for the typical late-game scenario. Even if it doesn’t happen often, just the possibility forces opponents to prepare differently.

Replay centre steps in for officiating stoppages

If there is an official work stoppage, the NFL has given the replay centre authority to step in and correct clear errors. This isn’t a constant presence; it’s designed as a backup plan to keep things on track if normal oversight isn’t possible.

Stronger review of ejections

That’s how the NFL finds a bit more control around what it can see and fix, whether it happens on or off the field. It is another small but useful attempt to keep the league’s decisions balanced when an official might miss something like that in the moment.

Why coaches won’t need long to notice the difference

Rules only really matter when they change the choices coaches have to make, and these ones do just that. One widens the window for taking risks with possession. The other gives referees more leeway to clean up big mistakes, even when things are getting chaotic. So, coaches are going to need to adapt early, even before there’s enough game tape to fully understand how teams are using these new rules.

Read more:

The Vikings' selection of Caleb Banks is going to be debated for months until he steps on the field in a regular season game. Given the injury concerns, folks will want to see how sustainable his play is, but, of course, they will hope for the best.

The Athletic's Alec Lewis wrote up some additional takeaways from the Vikings' 2026 NFL Draft class. Beyond what the fans are worried about, there is someone throwing their voice into the arena to allow fans to feel better about the selection of Caleb Banks.

His former head coach at Florida, Billy Napier, spoke to Lewis and offered up his two cents on Banks as a player. Napier told Lewis, “I would just tell you that, within the last decade or 20 years, this is a generational height, length, twitch and intelligence type of guy who also has a competitive streak that makes him different.”

Banks earning high praise from his coach should help fans feel better about the pick. Again, if Banks is healthy, this pick is going to be the steal of the draft. Once October rolls around and he has played every game, everyone can look back at this moment and laugh, right?

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Billy Napier offers his praises to Caleb Banks after the NFL Draft

Cuevas Embracing Competition in Tight End Room

There's always competition in an NFL position room—but the best players know how to turn that into something productive. For Josh Cuevas, that's exactly how he's approaching things alongside fellow tight end Matt Hibner.

When asked how the two are being used early on, Cuevas made it clear that this isn’t just about competing; it’s about growing together.

“I can't really say much about that right now. I'm still trying to fit into my role and see kind of where they see me at mostly out here. They're kind of using both of [Matt Hibner and I] everywhere, a little bit in line, a little bit spread out. But one thing's for sure, ‘Hibby’ and I are going to work off of each other, and we're going to help each other out wherever we can and see where that works out.” 

That flexibility reflects Baltimore’s broader offensive approach, where tight ends are often asked to contribute in multiple ways—blocking, receiving, and creating mismatches across the formation. Despite the natural competition, Cuevas made it clear that collaboration will be just as important.

For the Ravens, that balance between competition and cooperation could be key. As both rookies continue to develop, their ability to push each other while growing within the system may ultimately determine how the position group evolves heading into the season.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Josh Cuevas embraces tight end competition with Matt Hibner

Dak Prescott pulled into wild Cowboys fan ‘curse’ on Steelers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Dallas Cowboys are heading into a rebuilding period after a disappointing 2025 season in which they failed to make the playoffs. Dak Prescott and the roster are working to break through their postseason struggles, with a major defensive overhaul designed to support the quarterback better.

In a video posted by ML Football, NFL fans were seen placing and burying a card featuring Prescott on the field at the Steelers’ stadium. The stunt seems to be a superstition-driven attempt to transfer the Cowboys’ long-standing playoff woes onto Pittsburgh. Fan curses are actually a familiar part of NFL culture, but stadium staff usually discover and remove such items during routine field upkeep.

THIS IS WILD…

These #NFL fans buried a card of #Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott at the grounds of the #Steelers stadium inside the field.

😳😳😳

These fans were attempting to curse Pittsburgh for the upcoming season. pic.twitter.com/rbA7UYZpYh

— MLFootball (@MLFootball) May 4, 2026

As for the Cowboys' postseason struggles, they remain a frequent topic of discussion in the NFL. Since their last Super Bowl title in the 1995 season, Dallas has often entered the postseason with strong records and high seeds, only to suffer early exits. The team has one of the highest regular-season winning percentages in the league over the last three decades, but it has not reached an NFC Championship Game since January 1996.

Meanwhile, the Steelers are preparing for the 2026 season under new head coach Mike McCarthy, who returns to his hometown after leaving the Cowboys following the 2024 season. He was named the 17th head coach in franchise history after posting a 49–35 record in Dallas over five seasons.

It is funny and ironic that the fan video attempts to curse Pittsburgh with Cowboys-like playoff struggles, even though the Steelers just hired the coach most associated with that very era in Dallas. Even the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016.

More NFL news:

• Saints still have an Alvin Kamara decision to make
• What's going on with Aaron Rodgers and the Cardinals?
• Eagles might have a DeVonta Smith problem
• Patriots give another A.J. Brown signal
• From Falcons to Cardinals, Tyler Allgeier can't catch a break

Barring an injury, or an unforeseen opportunity to add an upgrade following training camp, the Green Bay Packers appear to have finally settled their quarterback room into the three distinct tiers after Monday's signing of veteran Tyrod Taylor.

Jordan Love is the starter. Taylor is the backup. And Kyle McCord and rookie Kyron Drones will now compete to be the developmental third quarterback likely stashed on the practice squad. The preferred hierarchy is in place.

Signing Taylor and releasing Desmond Ridder added much needed clarity to the backup situation behind Love in a post-Malik Willis era. Out is Ridder, who ended last season on the 53-man roster, and in is Taylor, who is entering Year 16 in the NFL after spending the better part of the last decade as a journeyman backup quarterback. Unless Taylor is injured at some point this summer, he will go into Week 1 of 2026 as Love's backup -- giving the Packers a highly experienced No. 2 option who was a starter and has won games as a backup.

While now 36 years old and not nearly as mobile or dangerous with his legs as Willis, Taylor is no statue at quarterback (20 career rushing touchdowns, once ran 4.51), and he's generally protected the football, throwing only 34 career interceptions over 100 career games and 62 starts.

Taylor has had recent success as a backup, too. Over a 224-dropback season with the New York Giants in 2023, Taylor averaged 7.5 yards per attempt, finished with 17 "big time throws," per PFF, and tossed only three interceptions. His PFF passer grade was 73.4. Even in spot duty behind Aaron Rodgers in 2024, he threw three touchdown passes and zero picks.

Taylor was not successful as a backup last season, but it's hard to imagine any professional quarterback succeeding in the dumpster fire situation presented by the 2025 New York Jets.

After three seasons with a developing young quarterback behind him, Love will get the luxury of an experienced veteran in the backup chair. Now a decade and a half in at the pro level, Taylor could provide valuable day to day insight for Love in a quarterback room that lost assistant coach Sean Mannion this offseason.

With Taylor all but locked in as the No. 2 quarterback in Green Bay, McCord (a sixth-round pick of the Eagles in 2025) and Drones (an undrafted free agent who visited Green Bay before 2026 draft) will battle to win the third spot. The Packers are generally patient with this role, understanding the difficulties of developing a young, inexperienced quarterback in the NFL. But it may be fluid considering McCord was jettisoned from Philadelphia after just one year on the practice squad, and Drones -- while featuring Willis-like physical abilities -- needs substantial development as a passer in a pro style system.

Just last summer, the Packers went from Sean Clifford and Taylor Elgersma battling in training camp to opening the season with Clayton Tune as the third quarterback on the practice squad. Brian Gutekunst will keep churning this roster spot if necessary.

But now the important pair -- the starter and the backup -- are locked in.

The Packers exited free agency and the draft with a fairly important question mark at quarterback, given the fact that Love has missed starts during each of the last two years. But the signing of Taylor provides answers and creates stability behind Love, and puts in place the desired hierarchy of starter, backup and developmental players at the game's most important position.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers: Tyrod Taylor signing likely locks in QB hierarchy for 2026

In the sixth round of the 2026 NFL draft, the Indianapolis Colts selected Ohio State defensive end Caden Curry. Let's take a closer look at Curry's game with what a few draft experts had to say in their final scouting reports.

Curry saw a big jump in production last season, posting 46 pressures and 12 sacks, according to PFF. He was also one of PFF's highest graded run defenders at this position group.

Curry also joins the Colts,with ample special teams experience at the college level, playing over 600 career snaps over four seasons.

"He's a really good, hard-playing football player," said GM Chris Ballard about Curry.

Here is what a few draft analysts think of Curry's game.

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

"The tape doesn’t quite match the production, but with only one season as a starter, Curry’s play should continue to improve. He has good size and can play edge in even or odd fronts. He uses lower-body power to help access the pocket but his rush lacks explosiveness and a healthy set of go-to moves to open the protection up. He can rush from the interior, allowing teams to get more speed on the field. He’s built to hold up at the point but would benefit from an uptick in aggression to better command both his positioning and the block. Curry is athletic dropping into space and fits the mold of a stand-up edge with special-teams value."

Pro Football Network

"Curry will likely never be an NFL starter, but he has functionality as an alignment-versatile rotational presence with high-quality run defense, a reliable leverage profile, and motorized playmaking in pursuit."

Dane Brugler, The Athletic

"Curry is a sawed-off, face-up pass rusher with a basic approach, but he plays alert and physical, and affects the game with his white-hot motor (his best attribute). He projects as a versatile NFL backup who can be moved up and down the line of scrimmage — reminiscent of John Simon, another former Ohio State edge defender."

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: 2026 NFL draft: Scouting reports for new Colts' DE Caden Curry

NFL Network has been dark on Comcast’s Xfinity cable systems for five days as the cable provider negotiates a fresh carriage agreement with Disney, the new owner of NFL Network.

It appears there are two primary holdups stalling negotiations, according to a new report by Austin Karp in Sports Business Journal. First, Comcast wants assurances that the NFL Network will continue to carry seven exclusive NFL games throughout the entirety of its new carriage deal. And second, Disney is seeking to return NFL Network to a more basic tier of Xfinity offerings. NFL Network has been moved to higher, more expensive packages on Xfinity in recent years.

As for the first issue, NFL Network has long guaranteed distributors like Comcast that it would carry at least seven exclusive NFL games each season. These games drive much of the value for the network when negotiating deals with distributors; without the seven-game package, NFL Network would simply be a supplemental channel filled with ancillary NFL programming rather than a must-have network with exclusive games during key portions of the NFL season.

Assurances that the network would fulfill its seven-game minimum were never much of an issue under league ownership. But under Disney ownership, it’s possible these NFL Network games could shift to other Disney-owned networks like ESPN or ABC in the future.

This won’t be an issue next season, per Karp, who reports NFL Network will be allocated a seven-game slate as normal. However, Disney has not given Comcast “a guarantee that NFL Network would continue to have a slate of seven exclusive games into the future of any longer-term carriage deal.”

The second issue, tiering, has been a common refrain in sports-focused carriage disputes recently. Comcast would like to keep NFL Network in the higher tier, where it can pay fewer per-subscriber fees to Disney and avoid passing the channel’s costs onto consumers that may not watch the network. Disney, on the other hand, likely sees NFL Network as on-par with channels like ESPN or ESPN2, both of which are included in more basic tiers, and believes it should be compensated as such.

Karp cites sources suggesting the cyclical nature of NFL Network content, particularly the fact that there is little worthwhile programming between the NFL Draft and the start of the season in September, as reason the channel should remain on the higher tier with other specialty sports channels.

That very programming gap gives Comcast quite a bit of leverage in this negotiation. The company can reasonably hold out for a few months without its customers missing any important NFL Network programming, all the while Comcast doesn’t have to pay for NFL Network during the least-important months on the football calendar. Of course, there’s no guarantee Comcast could get a better deal from Disney in August than it can right now. In fact, the opposite is likely true.

Regardless, these negotiations could well determine the future of the exclusive seven-game slate on NFL Network, which itself is important to how all NFL fans, not just Comcast customers, will consume games in the coming years.

The post Comcast concerned about future of exclusive NFL Network games amid carriage dispute appeared first on Awful Announcing.

The 2026 NFL Draft concluded nearly two weeks ago, but we still haven't finished examining grades from various media outlets. For the most part, the Atlanta Falcons' six-player draft class has not been well received around the NFL.

Since the team did not have a first-round pick, Atlanta had to wait until Day 2 to select Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell with the 48th overall pick. Then in Round 3, the team added Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch. While the Falcons were praised for these Day 2 picks, their overall draft class failed to impress.

SI released its 2026 NFL Draft grades and the Falcons were ranked 28th in the league with a "C" grade for their 2026 class.

Falcons' draft class receives C grade from SI

"Drafting Avieon Terrell and reuniting him with his brother A.J. Terrell is more than a good story," wrote SI's Justin Melo. "The Atlanta Falcons landed an instant contributor at cornerback. Third-round pick Zachariah Branch must prove he possesses the play strength required to be more than a gadget weapon. Harold Perkins Jr. was a value sixth-round selection, but the overall grade here suffers from not having a first-round pick."

The Falcons did not earn many points with their four selections on Day 3. Atlanta took safety-turned-linebacker Kendal Daniels out of Oklahoma after trading down in the fourth round, followed by Washington defensive lineman Anterio Thompson, LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. and offensive lineman Ethan Onianwa in the seventh round.

Heading into the draft, the Falcons were in a tough spot having just five total picks. Even after adding an additional sixth-round pick via trade, the team had no choice but to focus on adding depth in the first draft under general manager Ian Cunningham.

Considering the Falcons were able to land two potential starters in Terrell and Branch, they have to be happy with how the draft unfolded.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons draft grades: Atlanta receives 'C' grade from SI

Now that the 2026 NFL Draft is over, the next order of business for the Atlanta Falcons front office will be locking up some of their top assets with long-term deals.

At the top of the list is star wide receiver Drake London, who's currently scheduled to play out the 2026 season under his fifth-year option, which will cost the team just under $17 million.

The Falcons can cut into that number and create some cap space by signing London to a new contract, though. According to Over the Cap, Atlanta can save up to $12.5 million by extending him.

So, how much will a London extension cost the Falcons? According to Josh Kendall at The Athletic, London's deal will likely echo that of New York Jets receiver Garrett Wilson, which came in at four years and $130 million. The devil is of course in the details, though - especially guaranteed money.

"Wilson signed a four-year, $130 million deal last summer. If I were to guess at London’s new deal, I’d guess four years for $135 million, but the real number to watch will be the fully guaranteed money. Wilson’s total of $38.3 million fully guaranteed ranks just 15th among wide receivers in the league, according to Overthecap.com."

So far London has lived up to expectations since Atlanta picked him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. In 62 career games he's totaled 309 catches, 3,961 yards and 22 touchdowns. He missed five games with a PCL strain last season but has had no major injuries so far. London still managed to post 919 yards and seven touchdowns.

London is the best receiver the Falcons have had on their roster since Julio Jones' prime, and it's a no-brainer to give him a lucrative long-term deal with the intention of him leading their receiving game for the foreseeable future.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons: Drake London estimated contract terms

The Vikings selected Demond Claiborne in the sixth round of the NFL draft. What is his realistic 2026 fantasy outlook, and how might his presence impact Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, and Zavier Scott?

An ideal landing spot for a late-round pick? Quite possibly. On paper, this backfield looks pretty packed. But in reality, a lot could go wrong in a hurry, which could propel the rookie to fantasy legitimacy.

Jones will turn 32 in December, will be a free agent after this season, and is fully post-prime. While Minnesota will still lean on him when possible, his durability is now a major question mark. Jones’s over/under on games played is probably around 12 or 13. Fantasy managers should be prepared to snag at least one of his backups.

Mason, of course, is the most obvious backup. At this stage of his and Jones’s careers, Mason almost certainly will be the better bargain, and his over/under on games played is closer to 15. He can manage a fairly full workload when healthy, though his modest usage in the passing game limits his ceiling.

Scott is a prototypical #3 or #4 RB, or at least his usage makes him seem that way. A former college wideout, Scott’s realistic ceiling is capped at around the top 55-60, and that assumes he gets 35+ targets.

Claiborne, Minnesota, has a college bell cow with long-term NFL appeal if he can add a little more to his frame (his listed weight is between 188 and 195 pounds). If he can leapfrog Scott on the depth chart, he should be in line for at least a few games as Mason’s handcuff (assuming Jones misses time), and that would make him a decent deep-league add after fantasy drafts.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Demond Claiborne rookie fantasy outlook and impact on RB teammates

The New York Giants selected linebacker Arvell Reese with the fifth overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft, adding yet another young star to an already impressive defensive core.

Reese is a dynamic linebacker who can play multiple roles in the Giants’ defense. The rookie was nothing short of a superstar during his three seasons at Ohio State and was widely regarded as the top defensive prospect in the draft.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds, Reese excelled as both an inside linebacker and edge rusher at the college level. The rising star will help the Giants’ defense in numerous ways next season.

Giants general manager Joe Schoen recently outlined the team’s plans for using Reese in his rookie campaign.

.@Giants GM Joe Schoen on how they were ecstatic to select LB Arvell Reese with the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and his fit in the defense.

📻 https://t.co/2rqLCIqNX3#Giants | #NYGiantspic.twitter.com/DEZuX9dtSM

— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) May 4, 2026

"Coach (John Harbaugh) mentioned it in our press conference the other night, just position-less defense," Schoen said. "We see him as an off-ball linebacker; he'll be playing next to Tremaine off the ball, and obviously, the versatility he has from what you saw on the college field. Being able to play some edge, being able to rush, blitz, and some of the cover stuff.

"You talk about the size that he and Tremaine give us in the middle of the field, just think about guys throwing between two 6-foot-4 linebackers with really good length. So, it should be fun to see, but right now he’s going to be our WILL linebacker."

Reese recorded 112 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, and 7.0 sacks across three seasons with the Buckeyes. The talented linebacker should benefit quickly from playing alongside Tremaine Edmunds, an eight-year veteran and two-time Pro Bowler who will serve as an excellent mentor for Reese in 2026.

Reese will put his talents on full display during the Giants’ rookie minicamp this weekend, and the linebacker should begin contributing on New York’s defense in short order.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Joe Schoen breaks down how New York Giants intend to use Arvell Reese

The Denver Broncos made the final pick in the 2026 NFL draft last month, giving the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" to Buffalo linebacker Red Murdock.

Murdock (6-1, 232 pounds) was actually a very relevant player in college, breaking an NCAA record with 17 career forced fumbles (Khalil Mack previously held the record with 16).

"Meticulous intent and being kind of being obsessed with it," Murdock said when asked in a post-draft conference call about his ability to force fumbles. "Now I’m just ready to go do that on the field and help us get some wins.”

Six of those forced fumbles came in 2025, and Murdock also racked up 142 tackles last fall. He was named a second-team All-American and a first-team All-MAC defender following his final year at Buffalo.

"Murdock, just man, he’s a tackling machine," Broncos general manager George Paton said after the draft. "Just really instinctive. Really good against the run. He may hold the record — you guys may know — for forced fumbles. Everyone talked about the Texas Tech guy [Jacob Rodriguez], and he was amazing, but this guy — oh my gosh, if you look at his career and all the forced fumbles he had. Just a nose for the ball, relentless motor. Think he could be a good special teamer. Great makeup, all of these guys I think have great makeup.”

Seventh-round draft picks are never a lock to make the active roster, but Murdock has clearly impressed Denver's front office, and he might have better odds to make it than a typical late-round pick. As Paton noted, Murdock can contribute right away on special teams, and he'll compete to win rotational playing time at linebacker. Murdock is a very relevant player to track going into the summer.

Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.

This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Denver Broncos: Red Murdock holds NCAA record for most forced fumbles

Dolphins part ways with 7 players in post-draft roster moves originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

NFL offseason rosters can be a bit of an adventure, especially so soon after the NFL Draft.

That was definitely true for the Miami Dolphins on Monday as they cut seven players.

Officially, one of the cuts was a release, long snapper Taybor Pepper.

The other six are players who are being waived: punter Seth Vernon, inside linebacker K.C. Ossai, edge rusher Derrick McLendon, cornerback Jason Maitre, tight end Zack Kuntz and cornerback Isaiah Johnson.

Johnson and Maitre were both waived officially with a failed physical designation.

Most recently, Johnson got into four games with the Dolphins in 2025 as a special teams player.

McLendon also has played for the Dolphins, although in just a single game.

The most-tenured NFL player on the list is Pepper, the long snapper. He has played 100 games across time with the Packers, Dolphins and 49ers -- and he snapped in nine playoff games for San Francisco, too.

Kuntz played part of two seasons with the Jets.

Ossai and Maitre have yet to appear in a regular season NFL game.

Vernon has most recently punted in the UFL in 2025 for the Michigan Panthers, although he's not in that spring league at the moment -- maybe this move will push him back in that direction.

These won't be the last moves for the Dolphins by any means, because the large offseason rosters in the NFL result in plenty of churn.

With the Jacksonville Jaguars' roster for the 2026 season mostly set following free agency and the NFL draft, let's project what the Week 1 starting offensive lineup could look like.

We recently went through this same exercise of the defensive side of the ball.

Let's dive in.

Quarterback

Trevor Lawrence

No mystery here.

Running back

Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez

I'm going to cheat a bit with this one. On paper, there will be a starter, but my early guess is that these two share the workload out of the backfield. One week, Tuten may have more carries, and then the next week, Rodriguez might.

Wide receiver

Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers

Travis Hunter will be factored in as well, but these three will sit at the top of the depth chart and be the steady contributors.

Tight end

Brenton Strange

The real competition will be taking place behind Strange, with Quintin Morris and Nate Boerkircher competing for snaps. Tanner Koziol could also push Hunter Long off the roster.

Offensive line

Cole Van Lanen, Ezra Cleveland, Robert Hainsey, Patrick Mekari, Anton Harrison

I do think that Emmanuel Pregnon could push Mekari, specifically, for playing time. But for now, I'll go with Mekari's experience as the differentiator. But if Pregnon is starting Week 1, I won't be surprised.

This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 2026 NFL draft: What does Jaguars' starting offense now look like?

Steelers sign 24-year old TE with Patriots experience who Eagles just parted ways with originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

In very unsurprising news, the Pittsburgh Steelers have signed another tight end.

At times, it seems like their favorite position on the entire roster. They can't have too deep a TE depth chart.

The new guy is Jaheim Bell, who the Steelers announced the signing of on Monday.

Bell was most recently with the Philadelphia Eagles, but they waived him last week, which sent him into the free agent pool and allowed for Bell's signing by Pittsburgh.

He entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots after splitting his college career at South Carolina and Florida State.

Bell is listed at 6-foot-2 and 241 pounds and will turn 25 on June 14.

MORE: Shilo Sanders under fire for telling female reporter to 'make a sandwich'

All his regular season NFL experience came in the 2024 season. He appeared in 15 games for the Pats and caught a pair of passes for 20 yards.

The Patriots kept Bell through the 2025 summer but released him late in the preseason in August.

He didn't get a new contract until October 2025, when the Eagles brought him aboard the practice squad, but he lasted just a week before being released.

The Steelers brought Bell onto the practice squad in late December, then cut him in mid-January.

The Eagles signed Bell to a futures contract soon after his Pittsburgh release, but they eventually waived him about three months after that deal.

That set Bell up to sign with Pittsburgh, where he'll hope to spend the rest of the offseason and try to make a good impression.

More NFL news:

• Saints still have an Alvin Kamara decision to make
• What's going on with Aaron Rodgers and the Cardinals?
• Eagles might have a DeVonta Smith problem
• Patriots give another A.J. Brown signal
• From Falcons to Cardinals, Tyler Allgeier can't catch a break

With the Indianapolis Colts' roster for the 2026 season mostly set following free agency and the NFL draft, let's project what the Week 1 starting offensive lineup could look like.

We recently went through this same exercise of the defensive side of the ball.

Let's dive in.

Quarterback

Daniel Jones

Jones is still working his way back from an Achilles injury, but Shane Steichen recently provided a very positive update.

Running back

Jonathan Taylor

No mystery here. The question at running back is whether DJ Giddens or Seth McGowan ends up as RB2.

Wide receiver

Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, Ashton Dulin

Dulin, along with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Deion Burks, could all end up competing for the WR3 role. For now, Dulin's experience in Steichens' offense gives him the early advantage.

Tight end

Tyler Warren

Along with Warren, we will continue to see a lot of two tight end sets under Steichen, paving the way for Mo Alie-Cox to see his share of playing time as well.

Offensive line

Bernhard Raimann, Quenton Nelson, Tanor Bortolini, Matt Goncalves, Jalen Travis

I do think that Jalen Farmer could push Goncavles for snaps, and if he is the Week 1 starter, I won't be surprised. But for now, with training camp still needing to take place, I'll give Goncalves and his experience the benefit of the doubt.

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: 2026 NFL draft: What does Colts starting offense look like after picks?

Raiders sign Fernando Mendoza's national champion WR teammate originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Las Vegas Raiders certainly didn't stop with Fernando Mendoza.

They've been quite active in bringing aboard various Indiana Hoosiers in recent days.

The latest is wide receiver Jonathan Brady. The Raiders announced on Monday that they've signed him to a contract.

Brady went undrafted before impressing the Raiders in the post-draft process.

He played just one season at Indiana, 2025, and ended it as a national champion.

Brady caught 14 passes for 115 yards and three touchdowns.

MORE: Shilo Sanders under fire for telling female reporter to 'make a sandwich'

His best skill, and one most likely to translate to the NFL, is punt returning. Brady averaged a ridiculous 16.5 yards per punt return for the Hoosiers, and he took one back for a touchdown.

Brady had previously spent college time at both New Mexico State and at Cal -- so he's got the Golden Bears connection with Mendoza, too.

He's not the first undrafted Hoosiers offensive player the Raiders have signed, either.

They previously brought aboard Roman Hemby, who was one of IU's running backs en route to the title, and wide receiver E.J. Williams Jr.

Vegas is definitely taking on a bit of a Bloomington flavor, and given how things went for the Hoosiers in 2025, that might not be a bad thing at all.

More NFL news:

• Saints still have an Alvin Kamara decision to make
• What's going on with Aaron Rodgers and the Cardinals?
• Eagles might have a DeVonta Smith problem
• Patriots give another A.J. Brown signal
• From Falcons to Cardinals, Tyler Allgeier can't catch a break

Patriots predictions add edge rusher, wide receiver to bolster offense and defense originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New England Patriots have Super Bowl aspirations in 2026 after falling just short in 2025.

Well, saying they fell "just short" is up for debate. Yes, New England made it to the Super Bowl  in 2025, but they also got their doors blown off by a clearly superior team in the Seattle Seahawks.

That said, it's a reminder that the Patriots should be looking to add as much talent as possible before the start of the season to have a better chance to compete and edge rusher and wide receiver are two positions that could use more love.

New England added Dre'Mont Jones in free agency and Gabe Jacas in the draft, but the Pats could use more depth behind those two and Harold Landry, as Jacas is a total wild card as a rookie and Landry dealt with injury last season.

At wide receiver, the A.J. Brown saga remains unsettled and right now the Patriots have only added Romeo Doubs to replace the void left by the Stefon Diggs release. Even if the Pats had kept Diggs, they still needed more help at receiver.

Patriots predicted to sign Reddick, Aiyuk

In an article predicting landing spots for the top free agents left on the open market, Pro Football & Sports Network's Jacob Infante has the Patriots signing wideout Brandon Aiyuk and edge rusher Haason Reddick.

Of course, Aiyuk is still under contract with the San Francisco 49ers, but the expectation is they will cut him if they can't find a trade partner, which is considered unlikely.

"Haason Reddick reached double-digit sack totals every season from 2020 to 2023, earning two Pro Bowl honors in the process. In the two succeeding years, though, he’s combined for just 3.5 sacks," Infante said. "The chances he returns to that elite level of production at this stage seem slim, but an NFL team will take a chance on him to bounce back in their rotation."

"Brandon Aiyuk played only 7 games in 2024 and missed the entire 2025 season. What level of production he’d bring to a team at this point is anyone’s guess, but it’s worth noting that in 2023, he was a second-team All-Pro with 1,342 receiving yards in his last healthy season," Infante wrote. "Those highs should give him a starting shot wherever he ends up next."

Reddick would be a fine depth addition for the Patriots. Granted, he isn't the alpha edge rusher he once was after posting just 3.5 sacks over his last 23 games, but New England doesn't need him to be that with Jones and Harold Landry on the roster. As a rotational EDGE, Reddick would be an ideal fit to give the Patriots extra juice in the pass-rush on obvious passing downs.

Aiyuk was once on a star trajectory after posting back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, including a 2023 campaign in which he broke 1,300 yards, but a torn ACL in 2024 and his sitting out all of last season under some weird circumstances has no doubt hurt his stock.

While the Patriots shouldn't depend on Aiyuk for a significant role, he could offer a fantastic second or third option in New England's offense alongside Doubs and Brown, assuming the Patriots actually do acquire the latter.

If the Patriots don't end up trading for Brown, signing someone like Aiyuk would be even more crucial, although he shouldn't be relied upon as anything more than the Pats' third option in the offense.

While we could see the Patriots signing Reddick, all signs point to Aiyuk joining the Washington Commanders if he hits the open market, so signing the veteran wideout seems less likely for New England.

More NFL News

• NFL commissioner Roger Goodell blown away by Fernando Mendoza
• Why Packers are signing veteran QB Tyrod Taylor in free agency
• Panthers WR trade candidate should interest Chiefs, Raiders, Dolphins
• Steelers fans show excitement for 2026 draft pick through jersey sales
• Commanders listed among most likely landing spots for free-agent WR

Why Steelers' QB target Aaron Rodgers is being linked to the Cardinals originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The assumption all along has been that if Aaron Rodgers doesn't retire, he'll play for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026.

Lately, there've been rumors -- more like speculation -- linking him to the Arizona Cardinals.

That would be a major twist in the tale, for sure.

If Rodgers ended up in Arizona, it would really hurt Pittsburgh's QB situation for the season ahead.

For now, though, no such decisions have been made.

MORE: Shilo Sanders under fire for telling female reporter to 'make a sandwich'

What's going on with Aaron Rodgers and the Cardinals?

The reality is that there hasn't been any real reporting on this, just speculation.

"In recent days, some in the media have connected dots that had been hiding in plain sight for weeks," Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio wrote. "Even after drafting quarterback Carson Beck, the Cardinals don’t have an obvious answer at the position... Regardless, nearly two months into free agency, there’s been no indication that the Cardinals are eyeing Rodgers or that Rodgers is eyeing the Cardinals. Could it still happen? Sure. Would it make sense at one level? Absolutely. At another level, it would make no sense."

The Cardinals currently have Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew and the aforementioned Carson Beck. That's clearly not that good, but as Florio writes, their goal this season probably isn't to be all that good.

There are some familiar faces in Arizona, which is part of why the speculation at least makes some sense.

"Nathaniel Hackett, his former offensive coordinator with the Packers and the Jets, has that same role in Arizona now," Florio writes. "And Mike LaFleur, brother of Packers head coach Matt LaFleur (with whom Rodgers won a pair of NFL MVP awards), is the Cardinals’ head coach. Last year, Mike LaFleur was the Rams’ offensive coordinator. They viewed Rodgers as a potential Plan B, if Matthew Stafford had been traded to the Giants or the Raiders."

The good news for the Steelers is that despite those connections, there hasn't seemed to be any pursuit.

Rodgers probably wouldn't want to go to a non-contending Cardinals team, anyway.

It still seems most likely he picks the Steelers, as long as he doesn't retire.

More NFL news:

• Saints still have an Alvin Kamara decision to make
• How the Steelers are setting up for Arch Manning
• Eagles might have a DeVonta Smith problem
• Patriots give another A.J. Brown signal
• From Falcons to Cardinals, Tyler Allgeier can't catch a break

Following free agency and the NFL draft, where have the Jacksonville Jaguars improved the most this offseason?

Each of ESPN's NFL Nation reporters answered that question for their respective teams. When it came to the Jaguars, Michael DiRocco selected the cornerback position.

The main reason for DiRocco's selection? Travis Hunter being healthy.

"The Jaguars believe Hunter was their best corner despite the smaller workload on defense," DiRocco wrote. "Re-signing Montaric Brown to start on the other side is a major plus, too. If Jourdan Lewis returns to his level of play before his Week 16 foot injury, cornerback will be the Jaguars' strongest position group."

As DiRocco notes, Hunter played only 37% of the defensive snaps last season before his injury. However, he brings impressive ball skills and an innate coverage ability to the Jacksonville secondary. Those abilities can be maximized with him taking on a larger role defensively.

Along with Hunter, re-signing Montaric Brown was key to providing stability at this unit. Following a breakout season in 2025, Brown will start opposite of Hunter. At the nickel will be Jourdan Lewis, and the versatile Jarrian Jones will be the first option off the bench.

The Jaguars were already one of the best at taking the ball away last season. Sticky coverage on the back end will also go a long way in helping out the pass rush, as Josh Hines-Allen described recently.

This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 2026 NFL offseason: Cornerback named Jaguars most improved position

With all of the changes made by the Tennessee Titans this offseason, it is easy to see why everything feels different, and there is a tangible air of excitement surrounding the organization.

But, for the Titans to take the next step and see a massive jump in performance in 2026, Cam Ward must take a significant step forward in his second season. That being said, it’s no surprise that Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports believes Wards’ development is the biggest post-draft question for the Titans.

Tennessee TitansQuestion: Will Cam Ward enjoy a Year 2 breakout?

Cam Ward sneakily started to break out at the tail end of last season. Over his final seven games, his completion percentage (62%), total touchdowns to turnover ratio (11-2), and passer rating (90.5) all saw a noticeable tick up. The Titans also averaged 20.1 points over that stretch compared to the 14.3 points per game they averaged over his first 10 games.

The former No. 1 overall pick will try to keep that momentum rolling into 2026 with a totally new cast around him. Tennessee hired Robert Saleh as head coach and brought in Brian Daboll as the offensive coordinator, while adding veteran receiver Wan'Dale Robinson in free agency and using the No. 4 overall pick at the 2026 NFL Draft on Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate.

That's the type of firepower that Ward was missing over his rookie season and could help him fully break out in Year 2. If he does, Tennessee could surprise teams in 2026.

Ward and the Titans’ offense took off after the team parted ways with Brian Callahan, and they looked like one of the more complete units in the league, even though they lacked established playmakers on that side of the ball. Now with a new staff and added talent, Ward should be in a position to take that step forward in 2026.

This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans: What is the biggest remaining post-draft question?

Pro Football Focus has released a new way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft, and the Pittsburgh Steelers were predicted to select a quarterback within the top 10.

In the new mock draft created by PFF's Daire Carragher, the Steelers selected Brendan Sorsby with the No. 8 overall pick.

"There is a strong possibility that four quarterbacks go in the top 10 next season, heightened by the fact that none of the obvious quarterback-needy teams selected Ty Simpson this year. Sorsby could be one of several quarterbacks to emerge in 2026, and the Steelers are among the teams in search of a franchise option," Carragher wrote. "Teams will value his decision-making and composure under pressure — he took just seven sacks on 114 pressures last season at Cincinnati."

While Sorsby would be a terrific pickup, it's difficult to imagine the Steelers heavily targeting a quarterback in 2027 over other positional needs, especially when the team is seemingly committed to Will Howard and Drew Allar's development.

For up-to-date Steelers coverage, including any offseason moves, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers select Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby in 2027 nfl mock draft

Strength of schedule for all 32 NFL teams: Which teams have the hardest, easiest schedule for 2026? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Free agency and the draft have come and passed. That means just one more significant event is on the way for the NFL's offseason: the schedule release.

While teams do know which opponents they'll play this fall, they do not know the order of those games quite yet. It may be a bit early to start game planning — but because opponents are already pre-determined, all 32 squads do have an idea of how difficult their path to the playoffs may be.

Things are sure to change by the time the 2026 season begins, but by using each team's 2025 record, an early strength of schedule can be assessed.

Here's a look at the hardest and easiest projected NFL schedules for the 2026 season. 

MORE:Grading every 2026 NFL draft class from each team

Toughest NFL schedule 2026

Chicago Bears (.550 opponent win percentage)

Last season, the Bears returned to the top spot in the NFC North behind Caleb Williams and first-year head coach Ben Johnson. Their path back to the playoffs, however, could prove difficult.

Chicago's 2026 opponents had a collective .550 win percentage last year, which can partially be attributed to a strong NFC North division, but also because the Bears are set to host the Patriots, Eagles, Jaguars and Buccaneers, then travel to face the Bills, Panthers and Seahawks.

MORE: Who were the winners and losers from the 2026 NFL Draft?

Who has the easiest NFL schedule in 2026?

Cleveland Browns (.429)

Based purely on teams' 2025 win percentage, the Cleveland Browns would appear to have a favorable path to a good 2026 season behind new head coach Todd Monken.

Outside of AFC North play, Cleveland is set to face plenty of non-playoff teams from last year, including hosting the Colts, Falcons and Raiders, then traveling to face the Titans, Saints, Giants and Jets. 

MORE: 2026 NFL Draft picks by college: Which schools topped the list?

2026 NFL strength of schedule rankings

Here is the strength of schedule rankings for 2026. No. 1 is the toughest strength of schedule based on 2025 win percentages, while No. 32 is the easiest.

Last season's win percentage isn't always a perfect way to assess a team's schedule, however —a lot changes between offseasons, between coaching changes, signings, trades and the draft. 

Below is a look at Sharp Football Analysis' strength of schedule rankings based on their opponents' projected 2026 win total from oddmakers, from easiest (Lions) to hardest (Cardinals). 

MORE:First look at 2027 NFL Draft big board

How is the NFL schedule determined?

Virtually every aspect of the NFL schedule process, outside of when the games are played, is predetermined — opponents are decided upon long before the schedule is released, which is why every team already knows its 2026 home and road opponents.

The NFL uses this formula to put together each team's schedule:

1. Each team plays six divisional games, facing each divisional opponent three times at home and three times on the road (six games).
2. Each team faces all four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year cycle (four games).
3. Each team faces all four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle (four games)
4. Each team faces two more intraconference opponents based on the prior year’s standings. For example, because the Browns already play the entire AFC North and AFC South in 2026, they face the teams in the AFC West and AFC East that finished in the same spot in the standings as Cleveland did (fourth) the previous season. In their case, it's the Jets and Raiders (two games).
5. Each team plays one additional game against a team from the other conference based on the prior year's standings on a rotating four-year cycle. These games match a first-place team from one division against a first-place team in an opposite conference division that the team is not scheduled to play that season. The second-place, third-place, and fourth-place teams in each division are similarly paired. The home conference for this game rotates each season (one game). Using the Browns example, they will travel to face the NFC East's Giants in 2026. 

Browns’ Shedeur Sanders warned entering 2026 NFL season, given bad news about future in Cleveland originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The writing seems to be on the wall for the Cleveland Browns and their quarterback situation long term, as many expect the organization to go in a different direction than the players currently on the roster. 

Right now, Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are the top guys, and both should have an opportunity to win the job throughout the year. 

If the Browns do what's needed on both sides of the football and win games with one of them under center, returning them for another year as the starting quarterback would make sense.

However, if Watson continues to struggle after these injuries and Sanders isn't the guy again, it's all but certain that the Browns will go in a different direction. When examining that, some believe that's very bad news for Sanders because of how good the upcoming 2027 NFL Draft will be at the quarterback position.

“Oh, and to make matters even more confusing for Sanders and Browns fans, the upcoming 2027 NFL Draft might be one of the richest in terms of QB prospects we've ever seen… And if Sanders, Watson, Gabriel, and Green don't show enough to lock down that spot in 2026, they might add a new Carr to the ranks as well next offseason,” Tyler Erzberger of Newsweek wrote.

It's always tough to look ahead in the NFL, but this is what teams do. A lot of media members have suggested that the Browns have a strong interest in Arch Manning, who some predict will be the first pick in next year's draft.

If the Browns have that selection, the season obviously didn't go as planned, so it would make a lot of sense to take somebody like Manning and hope things work out.

More NFL news:

• Browns predicted to end Shedeur Sanders experiment by landing Notre Dame star that no one is talking about
• Dolphins predicted to add Ohio State star in move that would change Malik Willis’ future in Miami
• Mark Zuckerberg reportedly not interested in purchasing Seahawks after rumors about Meta owner buying team
• Vikings get update on free agency saga with 49ers’ Jauan Jennings after visit
• Steelers bashed by long-time analyst, and the Jets caught the worst end of it
• Bears suddenly linked to 16-sack star in non-Maxx Crosby or Myles Garrett deal

Browns predicted to end Shedeur Sanders experiment by landing Notre Dame star that no one is talking about originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It's all but certain that at some point over the next year or so, if the Cleveland Browns don't find their answer at the quarterback position, they're going to have to draft another young signal-caller. 

Whether that means taking one in the first round, trying to find a late-round option as they did with Shedeur Sanders and others, or making a trade, the Browns definitely need to get better on the quarterback side of things and will hopefully do just that this year.

In the event that they don't, which most expect to happen, there will be some intriguing names for Cleveland to go after next year in the 2027 NFL Draft. That includes Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr, who was recently predicted to go fourth overall to the Browns in the next draft.

“Every year a QB ascends from the pack and shoots up the draft. Carr could be that guy in 2027 after an encouraging first season as a starter. He finished last season with 2,741 passing yards and 24 touchdowns to six interceptions. He has a snappy release and excellent command at the line. And Carr has polished throwing mechanics, with his eyes, base and throwing motion all tying together.

“The sample is small (12 starts), but expanding on his 2025 season would put him in position to be taken by a team such as the Browns, who will likely be willing to take a swing at a QB early despite selecting three in the past two drafts,” Jordan Reid of ESPN wrote.

Carr is a very good player and someone who would make a lot of sense for Cleveland if he's as good as he looked at times throughout his college career. It's tough to say that he's the perfect option right now, as he doesn't have a ton of experience, but he'd be a nice option for Cleveland if things go as planned.

More NFL news:

• Dolphins predicted to add Ohio State star in move that would change Malik Willis’ future in Miami
• Mark Zuckerberg reportedly not interested in purchasing Seahawks after rumors about Meta owner buying team
• Vikings get update on free agency saga with 49ers’ Jauan Jennings after visit
• Steelers bashed by long-time analyst, and the Jets caught the worst end of it
• Bears suddenly linked to 16-sack star in non-Maxx Crosby or Myles Garrett deal
• 49ers predicted to add brother of star player in what could completely change San Francisco’s defense

Dolphins predicted to add Ohio State star in move that would change Malik Willis’ future in Miami originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Entering the 2026 season, the Miami Dolphins have a lot to be excited about. The hope is that Malik Willis proves he can be a franchise quarterback for this organization, and if that happens, building around him in the future will be the plan.

A lot of what the Dolphins' future looks like revolves around Willis. If he can be the guy the Dolphins are looking for, it'll make their lives a lot easier. If the Dolphins don't have the answer at the quarterback position, something they've been searching for for a very long time now, the decisions will be a lot different. 

In the event that things go as planned, the Dolphins will need to add a few decent options around Willis, with ESPN recently predicting them to do so in the 2027 NFL Draft by taking Jeremiah Smith, the Ohio State star wide receiver.

“Quarterback would be a consideration if the Dolphins pick this high, but getting a truly elite receiver would be hard to pass up, especially with the Dolphins moving on from Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle this offseason. Smith has a great blend of size and speed. He's a swift vertical mover who eats up coverages in a hurry while showing exceptional strength at the catch point. 

“Eight of Smith's 12 receiving touchdowns last season came in the red zone, as he's an upper-echelon player in that area. But he can also make big plays down the field. Andre Johnson and Julio Jones come to mind as easy NFL comparisons,” Jordan Reid of ESPN wrote.

Smith has a very good chance to be the first non-quarterback selected next year, with many expecting that to be the case. Depending on what happens with the quarterback class, which is viewed as generational, Smith even has a chance to be the first overall pick, something the Dolphins will hope not to receive

More NFL news:

• Mark Zuckerberg reportedly not interested in purchasing Seahawks after rumors about Meta owner buying team
• Vikings get update on free agency saga with 49ers’ Jauan Jennings after visit
• Steelers bashed by long-time analyst, and the Jets caught the worst end of it
• Bears suddenly linked to 16-sack star in non-Maxx Crosby or Myles Garrett deal
• 49ers predicted to add brother of star player in what could completely change San Francisco’s defense
• Lamar Jackson predicted to finally have a star wide receiver on his side in late blockbuster free agency deal

Mark Zuckerberg reportedly not interested in purchasing Seahawks after rumors about Meta owner buying team originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Seattle Seahawks announced they’re interested in selling the franchise, with some suggesting there are massive buyers out there at the moment. 

The Seahawks are one of the top franchises in the NFL, winning a Super Bowl a season ago.

Reports indicated last week that names such as Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, Apple's Tim Cook, and others had an interest in potentially buying the Seahawks.

“At least four potential majority buyers have expressed interest, including two very familiar names: tech titans Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg and Apple’s Tim Cook, who recently announced he will step down as CEO and become EVP of the company’s board of directors,” Ben Horney wrote of the Seahawks' expected sale.

“Five sources familiar with the matter tell Front Office Sports they’ve heard Zuckerberg is considering a bid, while four say Cook is separately weighing an offer. The identities of the other two potential bidders were not clear, nor was it known whether any formal offers had been made.”

It remains uncertain what buyers would be looking for at the moment, as there's a lot of money to be made in the NFL, but there would also be a hope that they would continue to put together the best possible team for Seattle, as the city deserves it, especially after winning a Super Bowl.

While many questions remain about what could happen in this sale, it was reported on Monday that Zuckerberg is not interested, taking at least one name off the list of potential big buyers.

“Glad we could intercept the rumors on this one: Mark is not making any investment or bid for the Seattle Seahawks,” a Meta spokesperson told Bloomberg.

More NFL news:

• Vikings get update on free agency saga with 49ers’ Jauan Jennings after visit
• Steelers bashed by long-time analyst, and the Jets caught the worst end of it
• Bears suddenly linked to 16-sack star in non-Maxx Crosby or Myles Garrett deal
• 49ers predicted to add brother of star player in what could completely change San Francisco’s defense
• Lamar Jackson predicted to finally have a star wide receiver on his side in late blockbuster free agency deal
• Ex-Dolphins star Tyreek Hill gets Chiefs prediction that just makes too much sense

Vikings get update on free agency saga with 49ers’ Jauan Jennings after visit originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

San Francisco 49ers free agent Jauan Jennings is surprisingly still there for the taking. 

Jennings, who proved during his time in San Francisco that he can be a wide receiver who makes plays at a very high level, hasn't gotten a ton of love on the free agent market. It's a bit surprising that he is unsigned just yet, but he also might be looking for a lot more money or a better system than what's out there.

According to the latest report, as Jennings recently visited with the Minnesota Vikings, it doesn't sound like there's much urgency to get a deal done right now. According to The Athletic's Alec Lewis, the visit was more about the Vikings getting a feel for where Jennings stands in free agency and what they can offer him.

“That visit was always kind of an exploratory type of feel,” Lewis said, per Heavy. “It was never billed as ‘Jauan Jennings is coming here, it’s signing, done deal, over with and done for.’ It was always more of a, ‘Hey, you come meet us.

“We’re going to spend time with you, see where you’re at, talk through everything, fit, role, what we’re about, what this building is about, and then, obviously, some of the financial ideas with where both sides stand.”

There's a lot that has to happen over the next few weeks to days for Jennings to likely sign a contract, though him visiting Minnesota is a step in the right direction for his free agency case. The Vikings can use another decent wide receiver, as Jennings would likely fit in as their WR3.

More NFL news:

• Steelers bashed by long-time analyst, and the Jets caught the worst end of it
• Bears suddenly linked to 16-sack star in non-Maxx Crosby or Myles Garrett deal
• 49ers predicted to add brother of star player in what could completely change San Francisco’s defense
• Lamar Jackson predicted to finally have a star wide receiver on his side in late blockbuster free agency deal
• Ex-Dolphins star Tyreek Hill gets Chiefs prediction that just makes too much sense
• Steelers strangely linked to Browns’ Shedeur Sanders after Aaron Rodgers decision

Steelers bashed by long-time analyst, and the Jets caught the worst end of it originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New York Jets are typically viewed as one of the worst organizations in the NFL, and at times, that's tough to argue with. 

The Jets just haven't done enough over much of their existence to suggest that they're a good football team. 

As things currently stand, New York is certainly trying to change its ways, hoping that this most recent draft class and other decisions over the past year or so with head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey can put them in a position to succeed.

Around the league, there are a lot of very impressive franchises, including the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, the Steelers haven't played the type of football that anybody expects out of them in recent years, and they were recently criticized for some of the decisions they've made, with Colin Cowherd saying that the Steelers are closer to the Jets than they are to an elite franchise.

“The Steelers view themselves, because of their history, as an elite franchise. The Steelers are much closer to the Jets… but they’re a more functional version,” Cowherd said, H/T Heavy. “The idea that the good teams in the league would just allow a 41-year-old quarterback to string them along is laughable. Eagles aren’t doing that. Rams aren’t doing that. Chiefs aren’t doing that.”

I wouldn't say a team that is always in the playoffs is any bit close to the Jets, but that's just my opinion. 

I understand what Cowherd is saying, as the Steelers haven't necessarily been in a position to win a Super Bowl despite making the playoffs, but there's still something to be said about some of the success they've found over the past few decades.

More NFL news:

• Bears suddenly linked to 16-sack star in non-Maxx Crosby or Myles Garrett deal
• 49ers predicted to add brother of star player in what could completely change San Francisco’s defense
• Lamar Jackson predicted to finally have a star wide receiver on his side in late blockbuster free agency deal
• Ex-Dolphins star Tyreek Hill gets Chiefs prediction that just makes too much sense
• Steelers strangely linked to Browns’ Shedeur Sanders after Aaron Rodgers decision
• Browns trade proposal moves on from Shedeur Sanders in intriguing move to Green Bay Packers

A.J. Brown is still officially a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, but in many ways, it feels like his time with the team is coming to an end.

Eagles First-Team All-Pro cornerback Cooper DeJean was asked about the holding pattern with Brown during a recent appearance on Takeoff. DeJean admitted the NFL is a business with each player doing what's best for them in their personal situation.

“We talk pretty often still. Obviously, he’s a great teammate, a great friend of mine. Nothing will change the way I think about A.J.," DeJean told NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark. "Obviously, it’s a business, and everybody has to do what’s best for them. I know whatever happens, he'll always be a close friend of mine. ...I’m going to miss just seeing him in the building, if he's gone. Just seeing him out on the practice field and talking trash, those are some fun times. And just learning from him, too. He instilled confidence in me. That is something I will always appreciate.”

“We talk pretty often still. Obviously, he’s a great teammate, a great friend of mine. Nothing will change the way I feel about AJ. Obviously it’s a business and everybody has to do what’s best for them. I know whatever happens, he will always be a close friend of mine. I’m going… pic.twitter.com/qUrQ1IJPZB

— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) May 4, 2026

The Eagles are expected to trade Brown on or after June 1, when they would avoid a dead cap hit north of $40 million. As of right now, the New England Patriots are viewed as the likeliest destination for the three-time All-Pro wide receiver.

Things could obviously change if another team gets in on the negotiations, but everything has pointed in the Patriots' direction throughout the offseason. Both teams even drafted like a deal was already done behind the scenes, even though it reportedly isn't.

The Eagles used a first-round draft pick on rookie receiver Makai Lemon, which probably isn't a move they would have made if they thought Brown would still be on their roster for the season. Meanwhile, the Patriots didn't draft a receiver at all—another fishy move from a team that cut its leading receiver, Stefon Diggs, in the offseason.

The Brown drama is entering spoiler territory at this point, and everyone can see the writing on the wall. It all feels like a waiting game before the inevitable happens.

Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Eagles DB shares brutally honest truth about A.J. Brown trade talk

Jaguars' historic $46 million two-way stud named prime breakout candidate originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The future is bright for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

After back-to-back disappointing seasons, Jacksonville enjoyed one of its best campaigns in recent memory, securing 13 regular-season wins and getting a home playoff game. 

The Jaguars lost a heartbreaker to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card round, but there’s no question the franchise is headed in the right direction. 

Judging by the fact that Fox Sports’ Greg Auman believes that the Jaguars’ 22-year-old historic two-way stud (he became the first player in Pro Football Focus history to record the highest-graded rookies list in a single week last season) is a prime breakout candidate for the 2026-27 campaign, it’s safe to say he’s also under the impression that Jacksonville is in good shape moving forward. 

“(Travis) Hunter's debut season was disappointing on both sides of the ball (wide receiver and cornerback),” Auman wrote Monday. “He had 28 catches for 298 yards and a single touchdown at receiver and had even less production at corner, posting 15 tackles and zero interceptions. After seven games, his rookie season ended early with a knee injury, watching as the Jaguars finished 13-4 and won a division title.”

“Hunter's on course to be fully recovered by the start of training camp, and it should be a simpler second season for him. It remains to be seen how much work he'll get on offense — the Jaguars traded for Jakobi Meyers during last season and gave him a lucrative extension, and they've held off on trading third-year receiver Brian Thomas Jr., with Parker Washington enjoying a breakout season last year. 

“Hunter should be an every-down corner, and that side of the ball should be his focus and the best chance for him to shine. Jacksonville let Greg Newsome leave in free agency and didn't draft a corner, setting Hunter up for a central role.”

Hunter is one of the most intriguing players in the league. It’s not every day that NFL fans are fortunate enough to witness a player contribute on both ends of the field and possess the physical tools/traits necessary to do it at a high level. 

As Auman noted, Hunter’s rookie campaign with the Jaguars didn’t go as planned, as a significant lower-body injury limited him to just seven games. That said, a healthy version of Hunter in 2026-27 should be exhilarating to watch from start to finish, as he’s bound to excel in at least one of his specialties during his sophomore campaign.

More NFL: 

• Packers named best fit for ex-Eagles $45 million 16-sack star

• Cowboys predicted to cut ties with George Pickens in favor of declining $10 million Bills WR

• Eagles named top landing spot for former Cowboys $21 million starter

Summer is here, sort of, and it is everyone’s favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Vikings fans, but also give them an idea of names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Minnesota. 

Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Vikings, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Vikings fans can be the most informed fans. 

So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall.

Film

• Ole Miss
• Florida
• Miss State

Background Info

• Listed at 6-4, 320 lbs.
• 4-Star Recruit according to 247 Sports
• Won State Title as a Sophomore
• Invited to the HS All-American Bowl
• All-SEC Freshman Team in 2023
• Son of former NFL OL Earnest Greene Jr.

Notable career stats heading into 2026

• Played in 34 Games
• 822 Run Blocking Snaps
• 1,095 Pass Blocking Snaps
• 3 Sacks Allowed
• Called for 5 Penalties on 1,917 Snaps

Notable numbers from PFF heading into 2026

• 57 Career Run Blocking Grade
• 70.9 Career Pass Blocking Grade
• 38 Pressures Allowed
• 3.5% Pressure Rate

Strengths

• Shows quick feet to catch speed rushers off the edge
• Can seal the edge as a run blocker to create lanes
• Powerful grip to keep defenders in front of him
• Good size for the position, can handle NFL pass rushers
• Has the power to handle NFL defenders as well

Player Summary

Full disclosure, Earnest Greene didn’t get me excited too much when watching his film back. If anything I started to see a but why Monroe Freeling had the rise he did, but opposite him with Greene I was left wanting more out of his reps. What I did see was some ability to overpower defenders, quick feet for his size, and a powerful grip to make sure he maintains leverage. He certainly has the tools to develop a bit more in 2026 so I am not counting him out by any means, but I need to see a bit more. 

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: 2027 NFL Draft: Summer scouting report on Georgia OT Earnest Greene

The New Orleans Saints brought in a new top running back to the fold when they signed former Jacksonville Jaguars star Travis Etienne Jr. to a four-year, $52 million contract in free agency.

The team's incumbent backfield leader – Alvin Kamara – made it clear he is in full support of New Orleans' decision to add to its backfield.

Kamara was asked about teaming up with Etienne in a May 4 appearance on Terron Armstead's "The Set" podcast. Kamara told his former teammate he was "excited" about partnering with Etienne for the 2026 season.

"I've watched him in Jacksonville these past couple years," Kamara said of Etienne. "He's explosive. He hits home runs. He did it in college. Strong dude, seems smart. I'm excited to see what we can do together."

NFL SCHEDULE: Home and away matchups for all 32 teams

Kamara has largely operated as the Saints' starter since the team selected him in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. However, the 30-year-old handled a career-low 164 touches across 11 games last season while averaging just 4 yards per touch, which was also a career-worst mark.

That prompted the Saints to bring in Etienne – a 27-year-old Louisiana native who racked up 1,399 total yards and 13 total touchdowns with the Jaguars last season – to potentially start for the team.

Kamara made it clear he has no issue with New Orleans' move, and he remains happy to be a Saint.

"I think a lot of people be thinking there's beef or something when moves like this happen. And it's like – shoot, man – I couldn't be happier," Kamara said. "One, my boy got paid. And two, it ain't nothing but some help in the backfield. That's the name of the game. Depth. He got paid and we got help in the backfield. I'm cool with it. One person can't do it by themselves. So, I'm cool with it, man."

Kamara didn't clarify whether he expects to be a starter or if he believes that role will ultimately belong to Etienne.

He and Armstead discussed the possibility of New Orleans' new running back duo becoming an effective, two-headed monster, like the one the Saints enjoyed when Kamara and Mark Ingram topped the team's backfield depth chart.

"I think that's what we're trying to find," Kamara said. "I think me and Mark set the bar very high. That's what efficiency looks like on a very high level. I'm 100% for it. If that's the direction we're going in, I'm with it."

Soon enough, Saints fans will see exactly how the backfield rotation between Kamara and Etienne pans out. Until then, they can share the excitement their long-time running back has about his new running mate.

"I haven't had really a chance too much to talk to him, but I'm definitely excited he's got a 'fleur-de-lis' on his helmet," Kamara said of Etienne.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Alvin Kamara is 'excited' to play with Travis Etienne Jr.

Broncos' best pick in 2026 NFL Draft may prove to be the last one team made originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Now that we have had over one week to digest the 2026 NFL Draft, we have a little bit more clarity with the selections that were made. 

The Denver Broncos only had seven picks in the draft, but they addressed positions of need with each of them, including selecting two tight ends. But in the seventh round, with the final pick of the draft at No. 257 overall, the Broncos chose Buffalo linebacker Khalil "Red" Murdock. 

That pick may end up meaning much more than just any old "Mr. Irrelevant". 

Murdock is the holder of the all-time record for forced fumbles in NCAA history, breaking Khalil Mack's record to get to the top. That could bode well for a player who joins a linebacker group in Denver that is in need of depth. 

Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad are projected to be the starting inside linebackers for the Broncos in 2026 after the team chose to part ways with Dre Greenlaw this offseason. But questions come with both of those players. Singleton is now 32 years old and he struggles at times against the pass. Strnad has been a solid backup, but he's never been a starter in his career. 

Behind them, the Broncos will look at moving Jonah Elliss to the inside while seeing what former undrafted players Levelle Bailey, Karene Reid and Jordan Turner can bring. But that's it. That is sure to be a boom-or-bust group. 

Murdock is a patient, but calculated, linebacker who is quite solid at making plays at the line of scrimmage. He could be an effective option against the run for this team and even offers something as a blitzer up the middle. He's a strong tackler who can also offer something in pass coverage. 

The Broncos needed an inside linebacker and while most of Broncos Country wanted to see that position addressed early, a run on them in the second round may have forced a different approach. However, how fortunate would the Broncos be if Murdock plays as well as many think he could?

Red Murdock may offer immediate help to Broncos

The inside linebacker position has been a weakness for the Broncos for several seasons. The team took a bit of a risk, by moving on from Greenlaw as quickly as it did, but the Broncos need players who are available, and Greenlaw just couldn't be available often enough. 

Murdock may offer more of an immediate upside than Bailey, Reid or Turner and have a chance to be an instant contributor for this team. With the issues the Broncos have had at the inside linebacker position in recent years, it should not be a surprise to see him not only make the 53-man roster but even make some starts this coming season. 

HOT READ: 4 Broncos players who could easily be on trade block ahead of 2026 season

The Broncos may have gotten incredible value with the draft's final pick. 

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The NFL has concluded the 2026 NFL Draft following a successful event in Pittsburgh. Teams have now shifted their focus to preparing for minicamps and training camp.

Before those camps begin, however, the league still needs to release the full 2026 NFL schedule. The NFL typically announces this date during the first round of the draft.

This year, the league has only stated that it will release the schedule sometime in May. Earlier speculation pointed to May 13, but that date now appears unlikely. So when will the schedule be released?

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According to a recent report, the NFL may delay the release until at least the week of May 18. While that timeline could change at any moment, something has already pushed the expected May 13 date back.

Better late than never?

The delay reportedly stems from an ongoing bidding war between Netflix, YouTube, and FOX for a five-game package. The specifics of those games will likely play a major role in both the bids and the final schedule.

The league has already set the regular season kickoff for Wednesday, September 9. The defending champion Seattle Seahawks will open their 2026 campaign, though their opponent remains unknown.

The NFL made this scheduling adjustment to accommodate the Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers game in Australia, which will air on September 10. That matchup will mark the league’s first game in Australia, hosted at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne.

MORE: Packers sign new Jordan Love insurance plan after Malik Willis exit

While the dates for Week 1 are set and a few games are known, the remaining 272 games still need to be finalized. Teams already know their opponents—a list the league finalized immediately after the 2025 regular season.

At one point, speculation suggested the NFL might expand to an 18-game schedule in 2026, but the NFLPA has made it clear that will not happen.

Now the big question remains: Will the NFL stick to the projected week of May 18, or will it surprise fans and media by releasing the schedule sooner?

CBS gives the Cleveland Browns a low Power Ranking score post-draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cleveland Browns have a long road ahead of them. After 27 seasons since they returned in 1999, the Browns remain a squad that has yet to have back-to-back winning seasons. Things had been going better under Kevin Stefanski's watch, getting to the playoffs twice, double the number of times they had been before his arrival. Yet, Stefanski's success wasn't enough, and he was soon replaced by rookie head coach Todd Monken. 

Now, the Browns are in a bit of a rebuild. They've let several key veterans go this offseason, had on paper a second strong rookie draft class, and are desperately trying to find their quarterback of the future. Some believe that the player may be on the roster in the form of Shedeur Sanders; others don't. 

That conflict over the quarterback spot helps reflect a major issue with the Browns: a lack of confidence with the man under center. If it's not Sanders, it'll be Deshaun Watson, a once Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback who has now had more major injuries than he's had winning seasons, and is likely on his last legs as a pro. 

More: Browns predicted to make franchise-altering move after 2026 season

Not having a firm handle on who's the starting quarterback is going to affect how the rest of the world views you, so it's not surprising that CBS isn't too high on the Browns as a whole. Even after what many see as a strong draft class, CBS has the Browns at just 30th in their recent Power Rankings list.

"For the second consecutive year, they had a really good draft," CBS's Peter Prisco writes. "This team has talent. But we know it's all about the quarterback position. I think Deshaun Watson will start."

The lack of certainty at quarterback is concerning and will hinder any time, but it should also be noted that Monken, despite being 60 years old, is only now becoming an NFL head coach for the first time. In fact, for his career, he's only been a head coach once, down at Southern Mississippi, where he went 13-25 with one winning record during his three years at the institution. 

Combine his inexperience with a super young, new core of players, and the uncertainty with key veterans, and it's fair to see why the Browns are still so low. It's not a position they're going to get out of anytime soon until they find their quarterback of the future. 

More NFL news:

• Is Carnell Tate going to be a WR1 for the Titans?
• Will the Cardinals give up on Carson Beck quickly?
• Jets get good and bad news regarding the 2027 draft
• One analyst loved what the Cowboys did in 2026 draft
• Vikings roasted for questionable 2026 draft
• Jaguars, James Gladstone's 2026 draft graded harshly

As the month of May arrives, the Detroit Lions are headed into the heart of their offseason workout program. Rookies are set to report on Monday, May 11, though things are going to operate differently this year in Allen Park.

The Lions revealed during the 2026 NFL Draft that they have scrapped their traditional rookie minicamp, though Detroit general manager Brad Holmes says Lions rookies will still will take part in a full development program.

While the extent of the Lions' rookie development program is a bit of an unknown, one thing is for certain: This is a massive season coming up for Detroit.

The Lions slipped back to 9-8 last year after consecutive NFC North titles and after they entered the 2024 postseason with the NFC's No. 1 seed.

As CBS looks around the league after the 2026 NFL Draft, CBS shared its post-draft question facing the Lions: Has Detroit missed its Super Bowl window?

This is more of a big-picture topic than some of the nitty-gritty angles we'll cover with other clubs, but it's maybe the most noteworthy of the bunch. The Lions had been in the thick of the Super Bowl conversation for the last few years, but the furthest they've advanced was the NFC Championship in 2023. Last season, Detroit's ascent hit a roadblock in the form of a 9-8 campaign that saw them finish last in the NFC North.

The division is increasingly more competitive with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers rising, and if Kyler Murray hits with the Vikings, they'll make the path tougher for the Lions as well. At DraftKings Sportsbook, Detroit is the betting favorite to win the NFC North in 2026, but it's a pretty slim margin. They're +180, with the Packers right behind them at +190. If they don't bounce back in 2026, it's fair to wonder if their best chances of reaching the Super Bowl with this core have come and gone. - Tyler Sullivan, CBS

The DraftKings odds would indicate that the Lions' Super Bowl window hasn't closed. And Detroit drafted in a way that indicated it was still in win-now mode.

Blake Miller might wind up as one of the top offensive tackles in this 2026 NFL Draft class, but he was also regarded as arguably the most plug-and-play. The Lions' decision to draft Miller is one illustration that Campbell, Holmes and the Lions' front office believes its Super Bowl window is still very much alive and well.

But, CBS' post-draft question is one that some Lions fans are wondering as well.

For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Josh on X, @JoshOnLions

This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: CBS shares Detroit Lions' most pressing post-NFL draft question

The Los Angeles Rams could be a victim of their own success. Despite only finishing second in the NFC West, the Rams will have one of the toughest schedules for the 2026 season.

The Rams have the 28th-hardest strength of schedule, according to Sharp Football Analytics. This determination was made using projected win totals from Vegas oddsmakers.

Not only will the Rams play a second-place schedule, but they'll also take on some of the most competitive divisions in the league this year in the NFC North, NFC East and AFC West. Not to mention they'll still face the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers twice each.

Coincidentally, this is the same strength of schedule that the Rams finished the 2025 season with, per Sharp.

The Rams kick off the season in Australia for a Week 1 match with the 49ers, but the rest of their slate is yet to be determined. However, they could face a gauntlet of teams throughout the year that include the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers. Six of those teams made the postseason, while the Chiefs and Lions had down years and the Cowboys finished with a top-two passing offense.

L.A. prepped for a hard schedule, though. The team is loaded on both sides of the ball after bringing back key players. While the draft didn't include any immediate contributors, the Rams will lean on the guidance of its veterans on both side of the ball to face the tough schedule head on.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams have one of the hardest schedules for 2026

Falcons president reveals 1 mantra he believes in ahead of 2026 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Atlanta Falcons president of football Matt Ryan is getting acclimated to his new position after being in the media, and he is getting an idea of how things are done.

Having been in the league for decades, Ryan knows what it takes to build a roster capable of winning a Super Bowl.

And as the NFL Draft has come and gone, along with the first wave of free agency, Ryan has detailed the one thing that he believes in.

And that is having roster depth across every position.

"I like the signing of Jahan Dotson, I'm a massive believer in depth," Ryan said on 680 The Fan via NFL.com. "I think Kevin Stefanski, Ian Cunningham, we're all aligned on that. It takes everybody. The best teams I was a part of had the best depth.

"Of course, you've got to have these premier players, but if you're going to be successful long-term and you're going to be consistent year in and year out, depth is paramount. So, excited about what he can do. You add Zachariah Branch to it. He's a different skill set, something that's unique. I think that's always a good thing."

MORE:Texans owner makes defiant statement on C.J. Stroud's future

Falcons poised for improved 2026?

With Stefanski at the helm, along with key offensive weapons in Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Bijan Robinson, Jahan Dotson, and a stout defense, there is every reason to think that the 2026 season could be fruitful for Atlanta.

Now, I'm not saying Super Bowl, but a playoff appearance, or two, isn't out of the realm of possibility, nor is a division title, either.

Yes, there will be some bumps in the road as the roster gets acclimated to Stefanski's scheme and who eventually wins the starting quarterback role, but there is enough talent on the roster for the Falcons to be playoff-bound.

With their roster depth being a big reason for that playoff push.

More NFL news:

• Texans owner makes defiant statement on C.J. Stroud's future
• Browns WR KC Concepcion given big 2026 projection
• Do Chiefs have unrealistic expectations for Mansoor Delane?
• Bills gain plaudits for underrated draft selection
• Analyst offers Rueben Bain Jr. Buccaneers rookie season projection

Detroit Lions fans are hopeful that Dan Campbell, Jared Goff and Co. can author a bounce back 2026 campaign.

After addressing some of its key needs in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Lions enter offseason workouts with their sights set upon reentering the championship conversation.

After back-to-back NFC North crowns in 2023 and 2024, Detroit slumped to a 9-8 record and last-place finish in the division in 2025. But, that did bring one positive for 2026: The Lions are facing a fourth-place schedule.

And, after crunching some numbers, Warren Sharp says it's even better than that. Using Vegas oddsmakers' forecasted win totals, Sharp reports that the Lions have the easiest NFL schedule next season.

NEW: NFL strength of schedule for 2026!

5 easiest schedules:

1️⃣ Lions
2️⃣ Saints
3️⃣ Bengals
4️⃣ Browns
5️⃣ Jets

5 hardest schedules:

2️⃣8️⃣ Rams
2️⃣9️⃣ Cowboys
3️⃣0️⃣ Panthers
3️⃣1️⃣ Dolphins
3️⃣2️⃣ Cardinals

1-32 with insight & analysis:https://t.co/iS1PFqfcxx

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) May 4, 2026

Sharp's strength of schedule rankings were ranked from easiest (No. 1) to hardest (No. 32). The rest of the NFC North's strength of schedule rankings shake out like this according to Warren Sharp:

• Minnesota Vikings: No. 16 strength of schedule
• Green Bay Packers: No. 17 strength of schedule
• Chicago Bears: No. 27 strength of schedule

Sharp notes that strength of schedule rankings are not based on teams' records from the previous season. Sharp argues that predicted win totals incorporate current information about team strength, including offseason acquisitions, injuries, and coaching changes and therefore are a better indicator of future performance.

The Lions' Vegas win total is set at 10.5. The Packers' win total is also 10.5, the Bears' win total is 9.5 and the Vikings' win total is 8.5.

For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Josh on X, @JoshOnLions

This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Detroit Lions projected to have easiest 2026 NFL schedule

Much like last offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers have Aaron Rodgers’ decision on whether to retire or suit up for the season looming over the franchise. Steelers President and owner Art Rooney II stated last week that the franchise and Rodgers have been in regular communication.

“We’ve been in contact with Aaron on a regular basis,” Rooney said, according to ESPN. “He’s been keeping us up to date on his plans. And even though I thought it probably would have been concluded by now, I think we will come to a conclusion here in the next few weeks.”

However, there have been reports that Pittsburgh’s patience for Rodgers and his decision is on the verge of wearing thin, and the franchise used the rarely-used UFA tender on him, which guarantees that Pittsburgh would receive a compensatory pick if Rodgers returned to the league but signed with a different team.

Now, buzz is building around Rodgers joining a QB-needy team in the NFC.

“Instead of giving Brissett more money, the Cardinals could simply call Rodgers and offer that money to him,” CBS Sports’ John Breech noted.

The Cardinals have rookie Carson Beck and veteran Gardner Minshew on the roster as well, but amid contract tensions with Jacoby Brissett, neither Minshew or Beck has solidified themselves as a long-term option for the franchise, per Complex Sports.

The notion of Rodgers signing with Arizona even caught the attention of former wide receiver Dez Bryant.

I really like this move! https://t.co/irwjvgma3O

— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) May 4, 2026

It’s an interesting scenario to consider, as the Cardinals are hoping to fully unlock young wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., whose professional career has been a mixed bag thus far. It would also allow Pittsburgh to fully embrace building for the future and finding its next franchise quarterback.

The post Buzz builds around Aaron Rodgers joining Cardinals appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.

Being in the right situation with the right NFL team makes all the difference. Here are five rookies who are best positioned to succeed in their first year:

5. Makai Lemon, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

College: USC

Drafted: No. 20 overall

Let’s assume A.J. Brown will be traded soon, which seems reasonable given the Philadelphia Eagles’ offseason moves and Brown’s complaints about the offense. Makai Lemon is joining a loaded offense that underperformed last season for several reasons. The Eagles remain a run-first team, and with opponents selling out to stop Saquon Barkley, Lemon should see plenty of opportunities in single coverage. With DeVonta Smith moving into the WR1 slot, Lemon will face less pressure.

4. Jordyn Tyson, WR, New Orleans Saints

College: Arizona State

Drafted: No. 8 overall

If — and that’s a big if — Jordyn Tyson is healthy, he’s landing in a promising situation. The Saints have the makings of a strong 2026 offense. Quarterback Tyler Shough finished second in the Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. Chris Olave (100 catches, 1163 yards, nine touchdowns) is coming off a career-best season. The Saints also added free-agent running back Travis Etienne Jr. from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tyson will be surrounded by other good skill players, which should make it easier for him to fit into Kellen Moore’s offense. His history of injuries is the biggest concern.

3. Sonny Styles, LB, Washington Commanders

College: Ohio State

Drafted: No. 7 overall

On an Ohio State defense that included fellow first-round picks Arvell Reese and Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles might be the best of them. A former safety, this linebacker brings versatility and production to a Washington defense that needs an infusion of talent (26.5 points allowed per game, 27th in the league). Commanders coach Dan Quinn has developed star linebackers before, including Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright, and Micah Parsons. Styles, a do-it-all defender, could be his next success story. Expect Styles to play all over the field.

2. Jadarian Price, RB, Seattle Seahawks

College: Notre Dame

Drafted: No. 32 overall

The easiest position for a rookie to make an impact is running back. You don’t have to be a three-down player, and you don’t even need to know the entire playbook. Jadarian Price will likely start for the defending Super Bowl champion and will be surrounded by an excellent cast. He’ll replace Seattle’s top rusher, Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, who left as a free agent for the Kansas City Chiefs. While Price was a backup to Notre Dame star Jeremiyah Love, he might be more explosive. If he can avoid fumbles, he should provide immediate help for the Seahawks.

1. Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

College: Miami

Drafted: No. 15 overall

Rueben Bain Jr. was expected to be a top-10 pick, but character concerns and short arms might have hurt his stock. However, his draft-day slide might turn out to be the best thing for him. Bain gets to stay in his home state of Florida. He’s also going to play for one of the league’s best defensive minds. Todd Bowles knows how to build an effective defense, and Tampa Bay needs more of a pass rush (37 sacks, 19th in the league). Bain should be the type of player who can help the Buccaneers close out games.

The post Which 5 NFL rookies are in the best position to succeed in 2026? appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.

Let one set of numbers tell it, the Cincinnati Bengals have one of the easiest schedules in the entire NFL next year. 

According to Warren Sharp, going by projected win totals, the Bengals have the third-easiest schedule in the NFL next season. 

Sharp also explained why predicted win totals, not last season’s win-loss totals, are a more reliable metric: “From 2010 to 2018, only 5.7% of a team's actual SOS was explained by opponents' prior-year records, and this correlation dropped to just 3.9% in more recent years.”

Long story short? Far too many changes for 32 teams over the course of an offseason to let last year’s results reliably predict the future. 

Projected win totals, on the other hand, attempt to take into account those offseaosn changes. There’s a reason Las Vegas does those, folks. 

The Bengals play host to teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans next year, plus visit rebuilders like the Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins. The AFC North outside of Baltimore appears vulnerable, too. 

According ot at least one metric, tha that outlook crafts one of the best possible schedules for the Bengals. 

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals' strength of schedule before official release is a surprise

Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener will be looking for a new home after being waived by the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday. The 2023 fourth-round pick had hoped to develop behind star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but that opportunity will have to wait, at least for now.

Haener signed a reserve/futures contract with Kansas City earlier this year after spending the regular season on the New Orleans Saints practice squad. During his time in New Orleans last season, he found himself on the outside of a competitive quarterback battle between Spencer Rattler and rookie Tyler Shough as the two emerged as primary contenders for the starting role.

Former #Saints QB Jake Haener back on the free agent market. https://t.co/QGhhoj7gqJ

— Ross Jackson (@RossJacksonNOLA) May 4, 2026

While Haener ultimately fell short of securing a long-term opportunity in both New Orleans and Kansas City, he'll continue to be viewed as a player with high football intellect at the quarterback position. His unique understanding of the game should allow him to contribute to a supporting role in the future, making him an appealing option for teams looking to add value to their room.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: NFL news and rumors: Chiefs cut former Saints QB Jake Haener

With rookie minicamp set to get underway this weekend, the Los Angeles Rams will welcome their 2026 draft picks to their facility in Woodland Hills. Before they hit the practice field, they’ll need jersey numbers.

On Monday, the Rams announced which number each draft pick will wear, from Ty Simpson to Tim Keenan III. Of the five incoming draft picks, four of them will wear the same numbers they wore in college last season. The only exception? CJ Daniels, who’s going down one digit from No. 7 to 6.

Below is the full list of jersey numbers for the Rams’ five draftees this year.

• WR CJ Daniels - 6
• QB Ty Simpson - 15
• OT Keagen Trost - 79
• TE Max Klare - 86
• DT Tim Keenan III - 96

2026 Rookie Numbers just dropped ‼️ pic.twitter.com/jXBA9d3ntg

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) May 4, 2026

Simpson is taking Konata Mumpfield’s old number, which means the second-year receiver is changing his number from 15 to 4. Keir Thomas previously wore No. 96, but he’s switching to No. 11.

The Rams also announced jersey numbers for their 18 undrafted rookies:

• QB Matthew Caldwell - 2
• CB Nyzier Fourqurean - 25
• CB Drey Norwood - 26
• CB Al'Zillion Hamilton - 31
• RB Dean Connors - 33
• TE Dan Villari - 38
• S Nick Andersen - 45
• TE Rohan Jones - 46
• OLB Wesley Bailey - 47
• OLB Eddie Walls III - 51
• ILB Nikhai Hill-Green - 54
• OLB Darryl Peterson III - 59
• OL Austin Blaske - 64
• OL Chad Lindberg - 66
• OL Bryce Henderson - 70
• DL Jalen Logan-Redding - 72
• DL Payton Zdroik - 93
• DL Jaxson Moi - 98

The Rams will have their full team on the field for the start of OTAs, which begin May 26 in Woodland Hills. Their offseason program will conclude in June with mandatory minicamp before the team returns in July for training camp.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: LA Rams rookie jersey numbers for 2026 draft picks

The Miami Dolphins, after taking 13 players in the 2026 NFL draft, agreed to deals with several undrafted players after the conclusion of the three-day, seven-round event in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Before many of those moves could become official, the Dolphins needed to make some room on their roster, and Miami did just that on Monday, releasing long snapper Taybor Pepper and waiving cornerback Isaiah Johnson, tight end Zack Kuntz, cornerback Jason Maitre, edge Derrick McLendon, inside linebacker K.C. Ossai and punter Seth Vernon.

Pepper is definitely the most accomplished of the group, playing 100 games in the NFL with several teams, including a five-year stint with the San Francisco 49ers. He sat out the 2025 season before signing with Miami earlier this offseason.

Most of these seven players were considered to be at the bottom of the roster and would've been fighting for spots on the practice squad throughout Miami's offseason program.

Now, the Dolphins can sign some undrafted free agents and bring in new competition that they hope will make their team better.

More Dolphins: Former Dolphins WR attempting NFL comeback with NFC North team

This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins release Taybor Pepper, six others on Monday

It’s May, and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has yet to announce whether or not he plans to return this season, and some are saying the team is getting tired of waiting.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac, the team is getting frustrated with the delays from Rodgers. 

"After watching two of their 'expected' deadlines come and go — and insisting this isn’t the same situation as last year — the Steelers might not be so understanding if this drags on for two more weeks," Dulac reported.

"If Rodgers hasn’t given them a decision by the start of organized team activities on May 18 — their latest, uh, deadline — their patience will start to turn into frustration, and maybe something more."

There were already rumors that the team had planned to draft a quarterback even if Rodgers returned, but it was thought they would probably draft Ty Simpson.

Simpson, of course, ended up with the LA Rams, and the Steelers drafted Drew Allar out of Penn State, who was a top quarterback prospect before he injured himself last year. 

It will be interesting to see if the Steelers will actually follow through with their deadline or continue to wait. 

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Steelers may be losing patience with Aaron Rodgers

Yesterday, the Raiders wrapped up their rookie minicamp. In so doing, they locked in all of their undrafted free agents. It was a whopping 20 they added when all was said and done. With such a large number of undrafted rookies on the offseason roster, you'd have to figure the odds of a few of them cracking the regular season roster is pretty good.

1. Tyler Duzanski, LS, Penn State

Duzanski was considered the number one long snapper in the country. The only other long snapper on the Raiders offseason roster is Alex Ward who was released last season by the Rams. I'd say Duzanski is a shoo in for being the Raiders' next long snapper.

2. Xavien Sorey Jr, LB, Arkansas

The Raiders came into this draft desperately in need of depth at linebacker. And then they didn't take any. Sorey joins the team with a pretty good shot at making the roster for that reason alone. But he was also ranked as a late round draftable player. The Georgia transfer put up big number at Arkansas the past two years. He has the makings of a solid depth player and standout special teamer.

3. Kansei Matsuzawa, K, Hawaii

The Japanese-born kicker makes for a great story as he didn't pick up a football until age 19 after coming to Oakland to watch a Raiders game. Now at the age of 27, he was the most accurate kicker in college football last year and got the call from the team that inspired his journey. He will get every opportunity to be the kicker for this team, competing with NFL veteran Matt Gay who the past two seasons has missed more field goals outside 50 yards (11) than he's made (seven).

4. Roman Hemby, RB, Indiana

There's a fourth running back spot up for grabs on this team. And if all things are equal, it would be a cool thing for Fernando Mendoza to have one of his Indiana teammates in Las Vegas with him. He was in the shadow of fellow back Kaelon Black, but Hemby put up 1120 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. He is a one-cut-and-go back which works well in the zone blocking scheme. He also offers return abilities.

5. Chase Roberts, WR, BYU

The Raiders have a quantity over quality thing happening at the wide receiver spot. Which means it may not take much for Roberts to find a way onto the roster. Dane Brugler gave him a draftable grade as the 39th WR prospect in the draft.

6. Gary Smith III, DT, UCLA

Another position the Raiders needed in this draft was nose tackle. They selected Brandon Cleveland with their final pick at 229 overall in the seventh round. Smith is also a nose tackle and the spot is wide open if he can take it. He was considered draftable as the 26th DT on Dane Brugler's board.

7. EJ Williams, WR, Indiana

Another Hoosier joining the Raiders. I'd imagine he got the Mendoza seal of approval and the Raiders made the call. One thing is for sure; no one on this Raiders team is going to be more in sync with Mendoza right away than EJ Williams. That should help him hit the ground running. He his also 6-3, 203 so if he can perform as an X receiver type, the Raiders could use him.

8. Jacob Clark, QB, Missouri State

The Raiders like Clark enough to sign him over Baylor QB Sawyer Robertson who had a draftable grade. With Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza taking the top two QB spots, the third QB spot will be available. I think the team knows what to expect from Aidan O'Connell. And it ain't much. If they see potential in Clark, it could be worth it to hold onto him to find out if he can develop.

9. Cian Slone, EDGE, NC State

The Raiders cleaned some house at edge rusher recently, trading Tyree Wilson during the draft and cuttin Charle Snowden. While they are set for the top 3-4 edge rushers, there may be room for someone to prove they are worthy of cracking the roster at this position. The Raiders drafted Slone's linemate Brandon Cleveland in the seventh round. Did they notice something in Slone while they were watching tape to prompt his signing? He got a draftable grade from Dane Brugler as the 38th edge rusher in this draft.

10. Niklas Henning, OT, Queens University

Henning is one of those classic cases of a player who was late to football and therefore did all his developing at the college level. Also, as he is Canadian, he seems to have slipped past the NFL Draft radar. But the CFL knew who he was, leading to him being the number two overall pick in the CFL Draft last week. A few days later, he tried out for the Raiders and earned a contract. I could definitely see someone like him continuing to rise and cracking this roster.

11. Tanner Wall, S, BYU

12. Isaiah Jatta, OT, BYU

13. Justin Pickett, G, Duke

14. Caleb Offord, CB, Kennesaw State

15. Corey Rucker Jr, WR, Arkansas State

16. Kamar Missouri, T, UTSA

17. Patrick Gurd, TE, Cincinnati

18. Devin Lafayette, S, Troy

19. Devyn Perkins, S, Utah Tech

20. Chris Thomas, LB, Maine

This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Ranking Raiders undrafted rookies by most likely to make roster

Broderick Jones’ fifth-year option was never the Steelers’ real problem.

Broderick Jones’ fifth-year option was always going to be a complicated call, but a series of events leading up to the May 3 deadline made Pittsburgh’s choice less about contract structure and more about immediate concerns.

By then, two other factors had entered the picture. First, Jones hadn’t fully recovered from neck surgery to address nerve issues, which included a spinal fusion procedure. Second, he failed his preseason physical.

The situation worsened after Jones underwent neck surgery in February. Not only did he miss all of training camp while recovering from spinal fusion, but he also failed his preseason physical.

Guaranteed money only matters if you know what you’re paying for

If Jones had been healthy and settled as the long-term option, this would have been a straightforward decision for the Steelers. Instead, they were looking at a player with 38 career starts, an uncertain recovery ahead, and a contract that would have been guaranteed before he’d even proven he could reclaim his spot in the lineup.

This move goes beyond just saving cash. Pittsburgh chose flexibility because the roster no longer supports blind confidence at one of the most important positions on offence.

Taking Max Iheanachor with the 21st pick makes a lot more sense now. Rather than just adding depth, it looks like the Steelers were already preparing for life without Jones.

Spending a first-rounder on a tackle while passing on a contract option for an existing player sends a clear signal. It’s no longer about future potential—left tackle is an immediate issue for the Steelers’ roster.

Pittsburgh’s line issues are spreading to the rest of the attack

The Steelers once hoped Jones would eventually settle in as a reliable option, especially after moving between tackle spots early in his career. Now, the team is set to start camp with no clear pecking order, only an open competition.

That doesn’t just impact left tackle. Uncertainty in that role can slow down how quickly you build the passing game and add pressure across the rest of the offence.

Jones’ future in Pittsburgh isn’t over because of the declined option. Instead, 2026 is shaping up as a pivotal year where he’ll need to re-establish his value to the team. A strong return could shift opinions back in his favour, but if he struggles, the Steelers are already moving forward with other options.

That’s what stands out about this decision. It wasn’t just about the finances—Pittsburgh has now made left tackle one of the most closely watched competitions on the roster.

Read more:

The Minnesota Vikings missed the playoffs last year in large part because of their ineffective quarterback play. They are expecting Kyler Murray to elevate their passing attack back into a respectable operation.

Unfortunately, the lack of other major free agent moves and a draft class that left people scratching their heads initially when Caleb Banks' name was called has left some critics skeptical. Sure, the Vikings finished the 2025 season 9-8, but they entered December 4-8 with question marks across the roster.

Count Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport as one of those skeptics.

He has Minnesota ranked 23rd in his latest Power Rankings, but says Murray's effectiveness could not only improve the Vikings but also make them a problem for the rest of the NFC.

"But whether or not the Vikings climb out of the NFC North basement in 2026 is going to come down to how that one major free-agent addition pans out. The Vikings will no doubt talk up a quarterback competition this summer, but it will be an upset if Kyler Murray isn't the starter in Week 1 over J.J. McCarthy. The question then becomes whether Kevin O'Connell can highlight Murray's strengths and get the 2019 first overall pick playing like the signal-caller who made two Pro Bowls earlier in his career. If O'Connell can do that, this team could be dangerous."

Murray himself has questions to answer. He has missed 30 games the last five seasons, and speculation about a potential "soft-benching" lingered last year after Murray reportedly suffered a foot injury.

But if he can get back to his Pro Bowl form from 2021, the Vikings could be once again battling for the NFC North crown.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Vikings not in a good spot in Bleacher Report's power rankings

The Mentality That Could Earn Ja’Kobi Lane Early Trust

Earning trust as a young receiver isn’t easy, especially in a competitive offense. But the mindset Ja’Kobi Lane brings could help him get there faster.

Todd Heap explained that approach when he joined The Lounge podcast.

“He's going to bail a lot more quarterbacks out. Hey, if you're a receiver, that's the other thing I'd tell Jacoby. I was like, You know, in practice every day. Quarterbacks are going to throw you the ball. They're not all going to be perfect. In fact, most of them aren't perfect. It's a rare few passes that are perfect, perfect. Especially when you're in competition. And what I'd preach to the young guys, especially guys that you know are capable, is go for everything. Try to catch everything. I don't care if it's under shoelaces. I don't care if it's 10 feet, 12 feet high. Go for everything.”

That’s how quarterbacks start to trust you, by seeing it every day. And if Ja’Kobi Lane shows that consistently, the opportunities will come.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ja'Kobi Lane's mindset could earn him early trust

When the Chicago Bears hired head coach Ben Johnson, they were putting a lot of trust in him to right the ship and get the franchise back on the winning track. He managed to accomplish that in just one season, so it's no surprise that he's garnered immense trust from general manager Ryan Poles.

Looking at the Bears' most impactful rookies from last season, tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III, those selections had Johnson's fingerprints all over them. Many questioned Chicago for drafting Loveland at 10th overall, and others wondered why they selected Burden when receiver was far from a big need. But Johnson knew exactly what he was doing.

While it's too early to gauge the impact of this 2026 rookie class, there are some selections where it's clear that Poles trusted Johnson's judgement, notably on offense with second-round center Logan Jones, as well as tight end Sam Roush and wide receiver Zavion Thomas, both selected in the third round.

While there was some concern about adding to their tight end room, one of the biggest strengths, and selecting a receiver many had pegged as a late Day 3 pick, it's all about trusting Johnson. And that's exactly what Poles did during the draft process.

“When you hope for that level of creativity and you can put guys in position to really highlight their specific trait to create an advantage, you welcome that all the time," Poles said. "So yeah, his ability to do that, it reminds me of where I came from. He has a vision. You’ll look at him next to you, and he is like sketching out plays and things like that. So, when you go through that, and he can see it, and there's a vision for it, you have confidence. Obviously, the players have to do their part and there's development, things like that. It's not overnight, but anytime there's clarity on how we're going to use players and not only just there, but also (Special Teams Coordinator Richard) Hightower, with the return game. Again, all of these things can create an advantage and put us in a good spot.”

When the Bears hired Johnson, there was little question that he'd have a vast influence in the direction of the team, and it's clear that Poles trusts him. And, so far, Johnson hasn't steered them wrong. So while there might be some concern about going all-offense on Day 2 of the draft, that could likely change after season's end.

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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears GM Ryan Poles on trusting Ben Johnson during draft process

The Philadelphia Eagles have begun week three of their nine-week offseason workout program, and they'll be joined by eight NFL draft picks and about 10 undrafted free agents after the record-setting weekend. Philadelphia talked about swinging the pendulum towards the offense, and the Eagles finished Saturday with five offensive players, with their first five picks going to offensive players who'll play key roles in the future. Of the five, only Makai Lemon and Eli Stowers appear set for Day 1 roles. Markel Bell, Micah Morris, and others may not seed the field until 2027 at the earliest. On defense, the Eagles added Texas Tech safety Cole Wisniewski and New Mexico pass rusher Keyshawn James-Newby, with an intriguing International Pathway Program participant, Uar Bernard, sandwiched in between.

With the rookie minicamp and OTAs fast approaching, here's an updated look at the Eagles' 90-man roster.

90-man roster following the NFL Draft

Quarterback: 4

#1 Jalen Hurts#14 Tanner McKee#16 Andy Dalton

#10 Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State

Jalen Hurts has begun his work with Sean Mannion, and the quarterback will benefit from having the former quarterback, along with Josh Grizzard (pass game coordinator) and another former quarterback, Jerrod Johnson, on staff as senior assistants. Tanner McKee returns, while the Eagles traded a 7th-round pick to Carolina to acquire veteran quarterback Andy Dalton. Former North Dakota State signal caller Cole Payton joins the roster, and all four players could make the 53-man cuts.

Running back: 5

#26 Saquon Barkley#8 Tank Bigsby#28 Will Shipley#39 Dameon Pierce#34 Carson Steele

#36 Cameron Latu (FB/TE)

Barkley played in 16 games (16 starts), running for 1,140 yards on 280 carries (4.1 avg.) with 7 TDs, adding 273 receiving yards on 37 catches (7.4 avg.) With two touchdowns, he became the first Eagle since LeSean McCoy in 2013-14 to post back-to-back 1,000+ yard rushing seasons. A key trade acquisition, the hard-running Bigsby participated in 16 contests (one start) with the Eagles, recording 356 rushing yards on 63 carries (5.7 avg.) and 2 touchdowns. Will Shipley will try to regain his momentum, while the Eagles added former Texans running back Dameon Pierce for more competition.

Wide receiver: 11

#11 A.J. Brown#6 DeVonta Smith

#9 Makai Lemon, WR, Southern Cal#0 Hollywood Brown#80 Darius Cooper#89 Johnny Wilson#86 Quez Watkins#82 Danny Gray

#18 Britain Covey

#19 Elijah Moore -signed March 24

#13 Dontayvion Wicks-- Acquired via trade

DeVonta Smith (1,008) and A.J. Brown (1,003) are the only Eagles WR duo to produce 1,000+ receiving yards each in the same season, but the duo will be split up at some point after June 1. Looking to add more to the offense, the Eagles traded up to secure Makai Lemon. The explosive Hollywood Brown had 49 catches for 587 yards and 5 TDs last season. Darius Cooper is the player most impacted by Brown joining the roster. At the same time, Johnny Wilson will look to regain his training camp form from 2025, before he suffered a significant knee injury. This depth chart could drastically change around June 1. The addition of Dontayvion Wicks via trade makes things even more interesting.

Tight end: 8

#88 Dallas Goedert

#87 Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt#83 Johnny Mundt#81 Grant Calcaterra#87 Stone Smartt#84 E.J. Jenkins

#36 Cameron Latu

#45 Dae'Quan Wright

Dallas Goedert is back on a one-year deal. Goedert started 15 games, catching 60 passes for 591 yards and a career-high and Eagles franchise high 11 touchdown catches. Philadelphia drafted his successor, landing Eli Stowers in the second round. A Former college teammate of Jalen Hurts at Oklahoma, eaching the end of his rookie contract. Calcaterra played in 62 games with 22 starts. Mundt will play the third tight end, run-blocking role. Cameron Latu will assume the role of fullback. In a reduced role behind Mason Taylor, Smartt caught seven of nine targets for 52 yards while appearing in 15 games for the Jets in the 2025 season.

Smartt played mostly on special teams and drew at least one target in only three of his 15 appearances for the Jets. He spent the previous three seasons with the Chargers and has just one touchdown catch in 53 regular-season NFL games.

Offensive line: 17

LT: #68 Jordan MailataLG: #69 Landon DickersonC: #51 Cam JurgensRG: #56 Tyler SteenRT: #65 Lane Johnson

#72 Markel Bell, T, Miami

#76 Micah Morris, G, Georgia

#74 Fred Johnson, #78 Myles Hinton, #73 Cameron Williams, #67 John Ojukwu, #66 Drew Kendall, #61 Willie Lampkin, #75 Jake Majors, #63 Hollin Pierce, #64 Jaeden Roberts, #67 John Ojukwu

The Eagles' offensive line suffered multiple injuries in 2025 but will look to rebound under the new offensive line coach. The Eagles have hired Chris Kuper as offensive line coach. The Vikings didn't retain Kuper after four years in the same position. During Kuper's tenure, Minnesota ranked 32nd in pressure rate allowed on the interior in three of the last four seasons, including 2025, a ranking that led to his dismissal. Landon Dickerson was excellent in 2024 but finished the 2025 regular season with a 60.3 PFF pass-blocking grade, which ranked only 51st among 81 qualifying guards. Jordan Mailata didn't replicate his elite 2024 campaign, but he was still Philadelphia's best offensive lineman. His 83.8 PFF overall grade ranked seventh among all offensive tackles. Lane Johnson, 35, is a future Hall of Famer with a resume that includes six Pro Bowls, two first-team All-Pro nods, and a pair of Super Bowl wins. Johnson's value is clear: the Eagles were 8-2 with him in the lineup this season, versus 3-4 without him. During his tenure in Philadelphia, the team's record is 94-41-1 when he plays and 15-27 when he doesn't.

Defensive line: 6

#98 Jalen Carter#90 Jordan Davis#97 Moro Ojomo#95 Ty Robinson#94 Byron Young#96 Gabe Hall

Philadelphia has an elite trio with Carter, Jordan Davis, and Moro Ojomo, with Byron Young and Ty Robinson as capable backups. Despite two badly injured shoulders, Carter was the Eagles' lone Pro Bowl starter. In 12 games this season, he had 33 tackles, 41 QB pressures, 11 quarterback hits, and three sacks. Ojomo's 71.0 PFF grade was the 80th best in the NFL last season, but he's much improved, and Ojomo saw his snap count increase to 60 percent in his third year. He started nine games for the Eagles this season and played in all 17, finishing second on the team in sacks.

Ojomo will enter the final year of his deal with a $3,624,446 cap hit. Jordan Davis just signed a three-year, $78 million deal.

Edge rusher: 10

Jonathan Greenard

#58 Jalyx Hunt#3 Nolan Smith#17 Arnold Ebiketie

#93 Uar Bernard, DT, Nigeria

#52 Joe Tryon-Shoyinka#43 Jose Ramirez

#77 Ta'Quon Graham

#50 Keyshawn James-Newby, Edge, New Mexico

#46 Joshua Weru UDFA

Ebiketie joins Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka as athletic, hybrid pass rushers who can get after the opposing quarterbacks. The Eagles could still add Brandon Graham to this group. A solid run defender and explosive pass rusher, Smith missed seven games in 2025, logging 31 tackles, 3 sacks, one forced fumble, 33 QB pressures, 24 QB hurries, and a 67.7 PFF grade in 12 games. The 5th-year option, as it currently stands, is $14 million for 2027. Hunt became the first Eagle to lead the team in both sacks (6.5) and INTs (3) in the same season. He is the second Eagle to have 6.0+ sacks and 3.0+ INTs in a season, joining Seth Joyner (1991-92). Tryon-Shoyinka earned a 72.2 overall PFF defensive grade, and a pass-rush grade of 67.6, with a run-defense grade of 66.2. Tryon-Shoyinka generated 8 total pressures, 0 sacks, 6 hurries, and 2 QB hits. Against the run, he recorded 10 solo tackles. Tryon-Shoyinka has never produced more than 5.0 sacks in a single season and logged only 2.0 in 2024. The former Washington first-round pick only played 142 snaps in 2025.

Linebacker: 7

#53 Zack Baun#30 Jihaad Campbell#54 Jeremiah Trotter Jr.#42 Smael Mondon Jr.#59 Chance Campbell

#45 Chandler Martin

#47 Deontae Lawson

Last spring, the Eagles traded up a spot in the draft to pick Jihaad Campbell, whose playing time slowed when Dean returned to the lineup. Dean has departed, and Campbell will miss the off-season due to shoulder surgery. Linebacker depth is one of the strengths for the Eagles, and they'll have Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Smael Mondon Jr. looking for breakout moments. Chance Campbell is on the roster, and the Eagles just added former Ravens linebacker Chandler Martin on a two-year deal.

Cornerback: 10

# 27 Quinyon Mitchell#33 Cooper DeJean#2 Riq Woolen#7 Kelee Ringo#23 Jakorian Bennett#32 Jonathan Jones#22 Mac McWilliams#41 Tariq Castro-Fields

#34 Kapena Gushiken#38 Ambry Thomas

After losing Jaelan Phillips, Reed Blankenship, and Nakobe Dean, the strength of this defense will be at cornerback. Philadelphia has gone from uncertainty at the position to being absolutely loaded after landing Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen on a one-year deal worth up to $15 million. The move allows Cooper DeJean to remain a versatile weapon. At the same time, Michael Carter II could transition to safety, which allows the Birds to keep Jakorian Bennett and Kelee Ringo in reserve roles.

The Eagles' revamped defense will give some of the top passing offenses a run for their money, matching up with outside pass catchers and in the slot. Woolen possesses unmatched measurables for a cornerback as he's tall, athletic, physical, fast, and has top-flight ball skills. Even more impressive, he produced the second-highest lockdown percentage (65%) in the NFL this past season. According to NBC Sports Philadelphia and Sharp Football, the Eagles used man coverage on 24.5% of their snaps last season. That ranked 12th in the NFL, whereas the Seahawks' man usage (15.2%) ranked 27th.

Safety: 9

#24 Drew Mukuba#35 Michael Carter II#29 Marcus Epps#48 J.T. Gray#31 Andre' Sam#49 Brandon Johnson

#21 Cole Wisniewski, S, Texas Tech

#37 Tucker Large

#36 Maximus Pulley

Before last Friday, Philadelphia had Mukuba, Sydney Brown, Andre Sam, and Brandon Johnson on the roster. On Friday afternoon, the Eagles traded Brown to Atlanta and quickly re-signed Marcus Epps and added J.T. Gray. Mukuba is a guaranteed starter in Year 2, despite returning from a season-ending injury as a rookie. The second safety spot is up for grabs after Reed Blankenship's departure. Epps is a solid contributor, but he's aging and not a dominant game-changer. Gray is a special teams standout, while Sam and Johnson are back after spending 2025 on the practice squad.

Specialists: 3

Kicker: #4 Jake ElliottPunter: #10 Braden MannLong snapper: #37 Rocco Underwood

Mann signed a four-year contract to return to the Eagles, bringing back one of the best punters in the NFL. Elliott reworked his contract, and the team guaranteed his 2026 salary, but he could see competition. The Eagles signed an undrafted free agent long snapper, Rocco Underwood, out of Florida.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Philadelphia Eagles' 90-man roster following the rookie minicamp

Chiefs sign All-Pro WR's nephew to contract after rookie minicamp originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Xavier Loyd's only chance to make an NFL roster after going undrafted was as an invite to the Kansas City Chiefs' rookie minicamp.

He made the opportunity count. On Monday, the Chiefs announced that they had signed Loyd to a contract. He'll be sticking around into the rest of the offseason and, he hopes, beyond.

There are multiple reasons to be intrigued by Loyd, but one stands out.

He's the nephew of former All-Pro NFL wide receiver Brandon Lloyd (yes, the last names are spelled differently).

Lloyd played for the 49ers, Redskins, Bears, Broncos, Rams and Patriots and had both a second-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowl honor to his name. He had been a standout wide receiver at Illinois before entering the NFL.

Loyd began his college football career with three seasons at Kansas State, but he didn't really break through until transferring to Illinois State for the 2024 season.

There, he had 66 catches for 912 yards and six touchdowns.

MORE: Shilo Sanders under fire for telling female reporter to 'make a sandwich'

That season earned him a transfer to Mizzou, where he played in all 13 games but had only two catches for 21 yards for the entire season.

That lack of offensive contribution actually makes Loyd more fascinating, because he must have traits that stood out at a minicamp despite a lack of high-level college football experience.

The genes are good, but they don't get a guy an NFL contract.

Loyd was listed at 6-foot-2, 196 pounds by Missouri, and he'll be hoping to continue to surprise as this offseason goes along and training camp and the preseason arrive soon enough.

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• Eagles might have a DeVonta Smith problem
• Patriots give another A.J. Brown signal
• From Falcons to Cardinals, Tyler Allgeier can't catch a break

The Titans selected Nicholas Singleton in the fifth round of the NFL draft. What is his realistic 2026 fantasy outlook, and how might his presence impact Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears?

This is a terrific landing spot for a rookie running back with three-down bell cow abilities. Singleton was never a true workhorse at Penn State, but he has four years of solid-workload experience -- and not too much of a workload to worry that he’s overextended.

Tennessee has an ascending offense and two starter-caliber running backs. However, both Pollard and Spears enter 2026 with yellow flags. Pollard is now 29 years old and on the cusp of the downside of his career. He will be overvalued this summer because he’ll have been so productive in an otherwise fantasy-unfriendly Tennessee offense.

He had 300+ touches in 2023 and 2024, hitting 275 last year. While he’s capable of handling high volume, he’s in the final year of his contract, and it’s hard to imagine this franchise re-upping with a 30-year-old free agent who will want starter money. There’s a path where the rebuilding Titans reduce Pollard’s workload to see what they have in Singleton.

Spears also is headed toward free agency. But unlike Pollard, Spears has struggled to stay healthy, missing nine contests these past two seasons. As a near-elite pass-catcher who’s still only 24 years old, he should maintain top-50 numbers even if he doesn’t get as much work on the ground.

Still, Singleton’s arrival signals that this team is looking to 2027, and one more Spears injury -- even if it’s short-term -- would give the rookie an opportunity to push past him (if he looks NFL-ready) on the depth chart.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Nicholas Singleton rookie fantasy outlook and impact on RB teammates

The reviews continue to pour in for the Atlanta Falcons' 2026 NFL draft class. For the most part, analysts don't like what they did and most rankings and grades have been on the lower end compared to the rest of the league.

One exception to the rule is Ryan Wilson at CBS Sports, who gave the Falcons an A- for their haul and ranked their class 14th-best in the NFL. However, he does have serious doubts about Atlanta's third-round pick, Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch - who he named their most-surprising pick.

"There's no denying that Zachariah Branch has game-changing talent. My issue is that he's 5-foot-8, didn't run a lot of routes at Georgia, and he's a body catcher, which effectively makes his already-small catch radius even smaller. But look, I get it – get him the ball and let him do the rest, and in an offense with Penix Jr. and/or Tagovailoa under center, Branch makes a lot of sense."

These are all fair points to make - and it seems Wilson believes the Falcons seriously reached for Branch, who he had ranked 147th overall but came off the board at No. 79.

Branch is small for an NFL receiver and he was mostly targeted at the line of scrimmage at Georgia - so he will need to prove that he can run a more diverse route tree at the next level to make the kind of impact the Falcons need from him.

That being said, even smaller players than Branch have made great careers for themselves. Darren Sproles was 5-foot-6, 190 pounds and made three Pro Bowls. Meanwhile, Brandin Cooks is the same size as Branch and he's just a couple of games away from reaching 10,000 receiving yards.

The point is there's no guarantee Branch's lack of size will be a deal-breaker, but it is fair to question the pick - especially since there were several much-larger receivers still on the board at the time.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: CBS analyst shares doubts about Zachariah Branch for Falcons

The Buffalo Bills will have Skyler Bell representing the team at the 2026 NFL Rookie Premiere.

The event will be held on May 14-17 in Los Angeles. It provides rookies a chance to meet with potential sponsors, get photographed for rookie trading cards, learn about marketing and business opportunities, and hear from NFLPA leadership.

Each year, 40 rookies are selected to attend the event from the 32 teams around the league.

The full 2026 list of rookies can be found below:

The list of players invited to attend this year’s NFL Players Rookie Premiere in LA May 14-17. pic.twitter.com/Nz2VIPksfr

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 30, 2026

This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: Skyler Bell to represent Bills at 2026 NFL Rookie Premiere

The New York Jets will have multiple players representing the team at the 2026 NFL Rookie Premiere.

All three of the Jets' first-round picks: edge defender David Bailey, tight end Kenyon Sadiq and wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. will take part. In addition, quarterback Cade Klubnik will attend as well.

The event will be held on May 14-17 in Los Angeles. It provides rookies a chance to meet with potential sponsors, get photographed for rookie trading cards, learn about marketing and business opportunities, and hear from NFLPA leadership.

Each year, 40 rookies are selected to attend the event from the 32 teams around the league.

The full 2026 list of rookies can be found below:

The list of players invited to attend this year’s NFL Players Rookie Premiere in LA May 14-17. pic.twitter.com/Nz2VIPksfr

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 30, 2026

This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Jets represented by multiple players at 2026 NFL Rookie Premiere

The Buffalo Bills got at least one player at the 2026 NFL Draft scouts are raving about.

ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler found intel on all 32 teams in the league following the draft. In terms of the Bills, there was positive reaction found.

Observers around the NFL did not knock Buffalo's decision to trade three times and out of Round 1. However, the more interesting commentary on the Bills came via Skyler Bell.

Selected in the fourth round, Bell was viewed as a bit of a steal by Buffalo. Per Fowler, NFL scouts believe Bell could be a rookie starter despite his Day 3 draft status.

The full breakdown on the Bills can be found below:

This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: NFL scouts rave to ESPN about Bills' Skyler Bell

The Green Bay Packers selected Florida kicker Trey Smack in the sixth round (No. 216 overall) of the 2026 NFL draft.

Profile

• Height: 6-1
• Weight: 188
• Age: 22 (birthday: July 12, 2003)
• From: Severna Park, MD

Florida school profile

Breakdown: Strong-legged kicker who connected on 10-of-13 kicks of at least 50 yards, a school record. Made 83 percent of career field goal attempts over three seasons as Florida's kicker. Made 24 of 32 kicks of at least 40 yards, or 75 percent. Only missed one extra point. Range out to 65 yards. Kicked on big stages in the SEC. Two-time Lou Groza award semi-finalist. The consensus top-rated kicker in the 2026 draft class.

Scouting reports

Lance Zierlein's scouting report: "Smack has a strong leg and can deliver beyond 50 yards at a high rate without having to drive balls with a lower trajectory. His repeatable process and consistent placement give him an above-average chance of making it in the league."

Scouts Inc.: "Smack served as the primary kicker for Florida for three seasons, finishing with an 82.8% career field goal accuracy. He gets adequate height on his kicks, having only one blocked. Smack has accuracy and leg strength, making 10 of 13 attempts from 50-plus yards. His career long of 56 yards came in 2025. Smack also handled kickoff duties in college, with just over 75% of his kicks resulting in touchbacks last season."From Justis Mosqueda of Acme Packing Co: Breaking down the numbersThey said it: "We thought he was the best kicker in the draft. Cam (Achord) had a strong opinion about that, and so did I. Felt fortunate to be able to acquire him…he has a good chance to be a good kicker in the National Football League." -- GM Brian Gutekunst

New uniform number: 28

RAS card

Packers video

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Green Bay Packers 2026 sixth-round pick: K Trey Smack

This story initially appeared on SteelersNow.com

The Pittsburgh Steelers are still waiting on quarterbackAaron Rodgersto decide whether or not he wants to continue playing football, but that doesn’t mean he’s not influencing how the team is operating this offseason.

In fact, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero believes Rodgers had a big impact on the Steelers selections in the 2026 NFL Draft.

“He has talked to them since the draft,” Pelissero said on The Rich Eisen Show. “Everything the Steelers did in the draft may not have been designed for Aaron Rodgers, but certainly, if you were saying, ‘What might Aaron Rodgers want?’ A tackle, a guard who’s a bar room brawler, and a big slot receiver. Those are three things that Aaron Rodgers likes. So everything seems to have been built in that direction.”

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If Jared Verse doesn’t already have a workout bucket list, he should probably make one. After already going through an insanely tough session with Aaron Donald last summer, Verse then challenged himself to a U.S. Navy SEAL-inspired workout.

He finished the Murph workout, which consists of a one-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats and another one-mile run. Oh, and all while wearing a 20-pound weighted vest.

Verse comes from a military family, as his dad was a Marine, so he knows all about discipline and hard work.

He and retired U.S. Navy SEAL Kaj Larsen went through the Murph workout and Verse crushed it. Take a look at the video from Whistle Sports below.

Verse is an incredible athlete and is already one of the strongest players in the NFL, despite only entering his third season in the league. He and Braden Fiske are always competing in the weight room, pushing each other to get better every day.

Verse also said he changed his workout routine after training with Donald, taking most of his workouts from the future Hall of Famer. That just shows the impact Donald has had on the young pass rusher.

The Rams got themselves a good one in the 2024 draft.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams' Jared Verse goes through intense workout with U.S. Navy SEAL

The Pittsburgh Steelers traded up at the end of the third round of the NFL Draft, from 99th to 96th, to snag a gentleman with quite the look, personality, and aura who may make him the perfect Steeler.

Offensive lineman out of the University of Iowa, Gennings Dunker, will absolutely become a fan favorite in Pittsburgh, not only due to his physical style of play that the Steelers love, but also his luxurious locks of a mullet and a big personality.

At the NFL level, he will make the adjustment from right tackle to guard. While at Iowa, he won the Joe Moore Award as the best offensive line in the country last season.

Dunker was fired up to land in Pittsburgh and reunite with some of his old college teammates, and spoke about his sponsorship with Casey's, who catered his NFL Draft party. While speaking to Pittsburgh Steelers on SI, Dunker would say, "My hometown is like 2,600 people. So, when we got a Casey's maybe ten years ago, it was a big deal. It's right in the middle of our town, and it's the gas station that everybody uses for everything," Dunker said. "Growing up, we would eat it all the time. So it was kind of like, 'This is awesome. I would love to do that.' Everyone was fired up."

"My draft party was like an open draft party for the community, just because I'm from such a small town," Dunker said. "I know everybody, I know their cousins, I know where they live. There was also a tornado that went through, so I thought it would be cool to have a community event and raise money for that. It was awesome to celebrate that with my community, have my football coaches there and my family and all my friends. I'm glad the community got to enjoy it."

Dunker is very excited to be a Steeler, and when asked what Steeler Nation could expect, he said, "Just somebody that likes to run and hit," Dunker said. "Not the most gifted guy or the most talented, but I'll let it rip."

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Gennings Dunker: A sure-to-be Pittsburgh Steelers fan favorite

The New York Giants traded back into the third round of the 2026 NFL draft to select Notre Dame wide receiver Malachi Fields.

Fields was nothing short of a star over the past five seasons at Virginia and Notre Dame. The Giants selected the talented receiver with the No. 74 overall pick after a trade with the Cleveland Browns. Fields could quickly emerge as a key contributor to the Giants' offense during training camp this summer.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 223 pounds, Fields is an athletic playmaker who should bring a new level of physicality to the Giants' wide receiver room in 2026.

General manager Joe Schoen was recently asked about Fields' potential role on the Giants' offense during his rookie season. Schoen views Fields as the "power forward" of the wide receiver room.

Giants GM Joe Schoen on the role Malachi Fields will play in the offense:

“He will be the power forward” in the WR room. pic.twitter.com/qUDricPz4o

— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) May 3, 2026

Fields recorded 2,479 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns across his five college seasons. Schoen's description aptly captures Fields' playing style, and it should not be long before the former Notre Dame star showcases his physicality on the field.

Fields and the rest of the Giants' draft class will participate in rookie minicamp from May 8-10. The talented receiver will look to make a strong impression ahead of training camp later this summer.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants' Joe Schoen views WR Malachi Fields as a 'power forward'

The Lions had a medically-safe, low-risk draft. So, let's take a look at how it compares to our NFC North division rivals.

Here is the Chicago Bears draft recap from my NFC North division 2026 NFL Draft roundup:

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information.)

Chicago Bears 2026 NFL Draft

• Round 1, #25: Dillon Thieneman, S (22): remote MCL - 1/10 medical concern
• Round 2, #57: Logan Jones, C (24): major knee, ankles, hand fracture, age - 5/10 medical concern
• Round 3, #69: Sam Roush, TE (23): clean, perfect reliability - 0/10 medical concern
• Round 3, #89: Zavion Thomas, WR (22)
• Round 4, #124: Malik Muhammad, CB (21)
• Round 4, #166: Keyshaun Elliott, LB (22)
• Round 6, #213: Jordan van den Berg, DT (24)

Da Bears stayed very medically safe with their first-round selection in Thieneman. However, their second-rounder, Logan Jones, ratcheted up the risk to moderate levels in terms of injury history and age.

In the third round, they grabbed a very clean prospect in Sam Roush, who I had hoped might fill the Lions’ tight end need. A quick review of fellow third-rounder, Zavion Thomas, shows that he is very medically clean as well.

From an age standpoint, the Bears were willing to draft a couple 24-year-old prospects, but four of their seven picks were 22 or younger.

Overall, the Bears appear to have prioritized a medically low-risk draft. Maybe Ben Johnson’s injury-filled experience (Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill, et al) in his final year with the Lions was a factor.

For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMD

This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Bears' 2026 NFL Draft: What injury risks did NFC North rival select?

During a recent appearance on ESPN’s ‘The Pat McAfee Show, ’ Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach opened up about Travis Kelce’s decision to return to the team for a 14th season. He reveals that Kelce made his intentions known much earlier than expected.

“We played our last game of the season in Vegas, and when we got back, Trav (Travis Kelce) came in and he basically said ‘I’m going to take a few weeks off here, but I’m not going out like this, We knew basically the day after our last game (he was coming back).” said Veach “If this is the last dance, hopefully we make it special, but you knew Travis Kelce wasn’t going to go out with the season we had last year.”

"When we got back after our last game of the season Travis Kelce told us he wasn't going out like this..

We knew basically the day after our last game that he was gonna come back..

If this is the last dance hopefully we make it special" ~ Brett Veach #PMSLivehttps://t.co/hBbKj4aA4Mpic.twitter.com/jOe1V6cSn4

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 1, 2026

Kelce agreed to a 3-year, $54.735 million deal to return to the Chiefs that can be worth up to $57.735 million ($18.245 million average). The first year is $12 million plus 3 million in incentives. The expectation is that 2026 will be his final season in the league, with his assumed retirement draining his remaining cap hits over future years.

The eleven-time Pro Bowler enters 2026 third all-time behind Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten, and 2,126 yards behind Gonzalez for the most for a tight end in league history, with only 45 behind Witten in second place.

This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Brett Veach knew Travis Kelce’s status weeks before re-signing

Just like that, offseason workouts have arrived.

The Denver Broncos are set to begin their spring training today, but it should be noted that the first month will be limited to strength training and conditioning. Denver's not scheduled to hit the field for organized team activities (OTAs) begin in early June. While we wait for the on-field action to kick off, we've put together a quick offensive depth chart projection going into the spring.

Note that this is a projection, not an official depth chart from the club. The Broncos are not required to release an official depth chart until preseason begins this summer (and they still call that an "unofficial" depth chart).

Broncos offense depth chart

Quarterback (3)

• QB1: Bo Nix
• QB2: Jarrett Stidham OR Sam Ehlinger

Stidham and Ehlinger are set to battle for the backup QB job this summer, and Nix (ankle) might not be ready to practice before training camp, creating more reps for Stidham and Ehlinger this spring.

Running back (7)

• RB1: J.K. Dobbins
• RB2: RJ Harvey
• RB3: Jonah Coleman
• RB4: Tyler Badie
• Depth: Jaleel McLaughlin, Cody Schrader, Deuce Vaughn

Coleman's arrival is particularly bad news for Tyler Badie, who served as the team's primary passing-down back last season. Coleman is an upgrade over Badie as a runner and as a receiver, and he's also a skilled pass blocker, which was Badie's main role in 2025.

Wide receiver (12)

• X WR: Courtland Sutton, Pat Bryant
• Z WR: Jaylen Waddle, Troy Franklin
• Slot: Marvin Mims, Michael Bandy
• Depth: Lil'Jordan Humphrey
• UDFAs: Cam Ross, Kolbe Katsis, Dane Key, Sean Brown, Joseph Manjack

Waddle figures to immediately take on a large workload, but Sutton remains the "X" receiver in Denver. It will be interesting to see how involved Mims will be as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.

Tight end (7)

• TE1: Evan Engram
• TE2: Adam Trautman
• TE3: Justin Joly
• TE4: Nate Adkins
• Depth: Dallen Bentley, Lucas Krull, Caleb Lohner

Adkins is well-regarded in Denver, so he probably has a good chance to make the active roster again in 2026. Last year, the Broncos carried four tight ends on their initial 53-man roster. If that's the plan again this season, Adkins, Bentley, Krull and Lohner are set to have a fierce battle for one roster spot this summer.

Offensive line (17)

• LT: Garett Bolles, Frank Crum
• LG: Ben Powers, Kage Casey, Nick Gargiulo
• C: Luke Wattenberg, Alex Forsyth, Michael Deiter
• RG: Quinn Meinerz, Calvin Throckmorton, Matt Peart
• RT: Mike McGlinchey, Alex Palczewski
• Depth: Marques Cox, Tyler Miller, Gavin Ortega, Nash Jones

Several linemen will be backups at multiple positions, such as Palczewski and Casey providing cover at both tackle and guard. Throckmorton and Peart will be key veteran swing backups to watch this summer as younger linemen push for their spots.

The new arrivals will get their first opportunities to impress when the Broncos hold a rookie minicamp from May 8-10. After that, the next big events on Denver's offseason calendar will be OTAs (June 2-4; June 9-11) and mandatory minicamp (June 16-18). Players will then have a summer break until training camp, which usually begins in late July.

Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.

This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Denver Broncos: Offensive depth chart going into offseason program

The Indianapolis Colts declined to pick up Anthony Richardson's fifth-year option for the 2027 NFL season.

This decision didn't come as a surprise by any means, but out of the 31 first-round picks made in the 2023 NFL draft -- Miami forfeited their selection that year -- Richardson was one of only nine players to not have his option picked up.

All first-round draft picks earn a four-year rookie deal, but teams also have the ability to pick up or decline that player's fifth-year option. These decisions have to be made prior to that player's fourth NFL season. The deadline this offseason was May 1st.

Below are the nine players whose fifth-year options for the 2027 season were declined.

2023 NFL draft picks whose 5th-year options were declined

• 4. QB Anthony Richardson, Colts
• 7. DE Tyree Wilson, Saints
• 14. OL Broderick Jones, Steelers
• 16. CB Emmanuel Forbes, Rams
• 18. LB Jack Campbell, Lions
• 24. CB Deonte Banks, Giants
• 26. DT Mazi Smith, Jets
• 28. DE Myles Murphy, Bengals
• 31. DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Chiefs

The Colts are currently trying to trade Richardson. So for that reason, picking up this option was likely never in play, especially after agreeing to a multi-year deal with Daniel Jones. The team is also bullish on Riley Leonard as a backup quarterback option.

But in addition to all of that, as a quarterback, Richardson's fifth-year option amount came with a steep price tag of $22.4 million -- all of which would have been fully guaranteed.

Trading Richardson has proven to be difficult, with ESPN's Adam Schefter reporting before the draft that the quarterback had a "soft" market. Ballard also wants to ensure that he is getting a fair return for Richardson.

For now, it would seem that the Colts remain in wait-and-see mode. "We'll continue to work through that," GM Chris Ballard said while appearing on the 'Rich Eisen Show.'

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: List of nine 2023 NFL draft picks with 5th-year options declined

Before the deadline hit on May 1, the Los Angeles Rams made the decision to decline Emmanuel Forbes Jr.'s fifth-year option for 2027, setting the cornerback up to be a free agent next offseason. After the Rams added both Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson this offseason, Forbes finds himself in a peculiar place. Here are three takeaways from the Rams' decision.

Forbes' future in Los Angeles remains bright

While Forbes is out of contract after this season, his stock as a player has never been higher. A redemptive season in 2025, Forbes went toe to toe with the best, displaying a specialty against smaller route runners, rebounding from early narratives of his career. His performances against Jaxon Smith-Njigba speak for themselves.

Even if Forbes is entering the final year of his contract, he could be in a position to still make an impact as he'll likely be in rotation with McDuffie and Watson. Forbes might be offered a prove-it extension after the season, similar to the deal Kam Curl signed when he first came to the Rams. However, he could make a pretty penny on the free-agent market if he has another strong year.

The Rams have a massive question within their secondary

While Forbes will likely make the 53-man roster, the Rams do not have any notable depth at outside corner. The Rams also have an overall depth issue within their secondary. With Tank McCollough playing a high volume of snaps, the team does not have many depth options in case players get hurt. Josh Wallace is the only backup on the roster with legitimate, trustworthy NFL experience.

When Quentin Lake and Roger McCreary went out with injuries last season, the Rams were scrambling for coverage, especially with Ahkello Witherspoon's injury problems. Entering 2026, they have even less depth. Perhaps they might have a practice squad project that they have faith in.

Trent McDuffie should become a versatile weapon

With Forbes being set to be a free agent next offseason, the Rams are likely to use him as much as possible. McDuffie's ability to play slot corner and safety will allow defensive coordinator Chris Shula to mix and match coverages in order to create interceptions and turnovers.

Shula's system is built on inducing the pass, especially in second- or third-and-long situations. The NFC West has various shifty receivers, giving Shula every reason to play Forbes, while utilizing McDuffie's strong suits – especially since it can keep Watson on the field.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams decline Emmanuel Forbes' 5th-year option: 3 key takeaways

After identifying roles for each of the Indianapolis Colts' eight draft picks, let's discuss the level of overall impact that each player could have this season.

So from No. 8 to No. 1, let's rank the level of impact we expect each of these Colts' rookies to have in 2026.

8. RB Seth McGowan

McGowan will be competing with DJ Giddens for the RB2 role. Given Giddens' experience, I'll give him the advantage for the time being, which would then make McGowan the third running back on the depth chart.

T6. DE George Gumbs Jr. and DE Caden Curry

My guess is that both players see the bulk of their playing time come on special teams, and that is where their greatest impact will come from.

5. LB Bryce Boettcher

Boettcher should have the opportunity to compete for snaps with Akeem Davis-Gaither, but in the early going, I will again defer to experience, expecting Davis-Gaither to be one of the starters at linebacker. Boettcher, however, could be the first option off the bench.

4. WR Deion Burks

Burks could have the opportunity to carve out a role in the return game, and even if he doesn't beat out Ashton Dulin and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for the WR3 role, I could see Shane Steichen wanting to rotate him in on fairly regular basis.

3. OL Jalen Farmer

Farmer could be a backup, or he could end up starting at right guard or possibly even right tackle. GM Chris Ballard believes he can play both positions, potentially creating a competition with either Matt Goncalves or Jalen Travis. If Farmer ends up as a backup, he will likely be first off the bench at a position group that, league-wide, navigates a high attrition rate.

2. S AJ Haulcy

Haulcy will be competing for the starting role next to Cam Bynum. If he can earn those snaps, he brings added versatility and ball skills to the secondary, providing Lou Anarumo with additional flexibility as he builds out his game plans.

1. LB CJ Allen

Allen is the projected starting MIKE linebacker. In this role, he could be the signal caller for the entire defense and will fill a do-it-all role. At what was the Colts' biggest position of need going into the draft, the opportunity to provide a huge impact very much exists.

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: 2026 NFL draft: Which Colts' rookies will have greatest impact?

The Philadelphia Eagles completed their 2026 NFL draft, making slight overhauls to Sean Mannion's unit by adding five talented, versatile offensive players to the roster. The first two picks are future stars and likely 2025 starters, while all five players offer elite skill sets and the potential to develop into critical starters. Further signifying a change is coming at wide receiver, Philadelphia traded up to add Makai Lemon, all but officially signaling the end of the A.J. Brown era.

In all, the Birds made eight selections and three trades – including one that netted a Pro Bowl-caliber outside linebacker, Jonathan Greenard.

With the rookie minicamp complete, we're looking at a full breakdown of the Eagles' 2026 draft class, highlighting the best pick, top value, ideal scheme fit, and the most puzzling selection.

Best bang for buck

Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State

Consensus rank: 127

Pick number: 178

Difference:+51

A player who, according to some experts, might be a potential third or fourth round pick. Payton fell into the Eagles' lap, highlighting the value Philadelphia had to secure. Payton brings athleticism, mobility, and a versatile skill set that could fit well within the Eagles' new offensive system under first-year coordinator Sean Mannion. With the Bison, he showed the ability to make plays both through the air and on the ground, giving him potential value as a multi-dimensional quarterback at the next level.

The eyebrow-raiser

3d-68: Markel Bell, T, Miami

The Eagles aren't known to reach, but landed the giant offensive tackle 48 spots higher than expected. Bell brings size, length, and developmental upside to a unit that has long been the foundation of Philadelphia's roster-building philosophy, but has seen a change with Sean Mannion as offensive coordinator and Jeff Stoutland out as offensive line coach. Bell allowed zero sacks in 558 pass pro snaps for Markel Bell in 2025.

Best scheme fit

Makai Lemon, WR, Southern Cal

Considered one of the top pass catchers in the draft, Lemon was the third wide receiver selected and went eight picks later than he was ranked. Lemon is a gritty running back who plays receiver and utilizes his 5-11, 192-pound frame to dominate in yards after catch. His positional versatility will allow Lemon to mesh well with DeVonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks, and Hollywood Brown.

Day 3 pick who is most likely to start

Cole Wisniewski, S, Texas Tech

A talented, but stiff safety who could replicate Reed Blankenship's rise, Wisniewski fell into the Eagles' lap late in round seven. Wisniewski was named one of 15 semifinalists for the Comeback Player of the Year award after missing the entire 2024 season. He became a key player in the Red Raider defense, playing safety and starting all 14 games during his only season at Texas Tech. He finished as the third-leading tackler on the team with 78 total tackles (38 solo), leading all defensive backs and trailing only linebackers Jacob Rodriguez (128) and Ben Roberts (90). Wisniewski was one of four Red Raiders to record 70 or more tackles, marking a first for the team since 2015.

Best draft day phone call

Uar Bernard, DT, Nigeria

Grade: B+

A 300+ pound defensive player who can run faster than running backs, the International Pathway Program pick was scooped up by Philadelphia in the seventh round when most prognosticators didn't have him on draft boards.

When Howie Roseman called Nigerian DT Uar Bernard before the Eagles drafted him...

Uar said: "I'm gonna have to walk there."

Howie said: "You don't have to walk, we're going to get you a flight."

Incredible.#Eaglespic.twitter.com/3NaAwkF2Hl

— Chase Senior (@Chase_Senior) April 27, 2026

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles NFL draft analysis: Best value, scheme fit, head-scratcher

The Baltimore Ravens addressed multiple needs during the 2026 NFL Draft, but one glaring question remains unanswered: the center position. After selecting Vega Ioane in the first round and edge rusher Zion Young in the second, Baltimore watched two top center prospects come off the board before their next pick. Logan Jones was selected by the Chicago Bears at No. 57, followed by Jake Slaughter going to the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 63. When the Ravens were back on the clock at No. 80, they opted for wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane instead.

That decision has left league observers questioning Baltimore's plan in the middle of the offensive line. According to NFL executives via The Athletic, the Ravens may take a wide-open approach in the short term, allowing multiple players to compete for the starting role.

“Baltimore is going to let everybody who can snap the ball try,” one executive said, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the position.

One potential solution could come via trade. Garrett Bradbury, now with Chicago after an offseason move from New England, has been floated as a logical target via The Athletic. Bradbury's familiarity with Ravens offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford—dating back to their time together at NC State—adds another layer of intrigue. Still, any deal would depend heavily on how the Bears evaluate Jones, their second-round pick. As one executive noted, Chicago may be reluctant to move Bradbury until they are confident that Jones is ready to take over as the long-term starter.

For now, the Ravens appear content to sort things out internally, but with a playoff-caliber roster, the center position remains one of the few unresolved questions heading into the 2026 season.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens still searching for answer at center

The Carolina Panthers are still a ways away from capturing the first Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. But their work over the past few months, which has earned them a small (and unofficial) "accolade," may help them finally get there.

Pro Football Focus, in a recent Twitter/X post, has tabbed the Panthers as the offseason champions for 2026. The site holds their offseason activity in high regard, giving them an 'A-' grade for free agency and an 'A+' for the NFL draft.

General manager Dan Morgan and his front office began the legwork behind their NFC South title defense by reeling in two of the league's very top free agents—pass rusher Jaelan Phillips and Pro Bowl linebacker Devin Lloyd. Carolina would later add the top left tackle of the open market, Rasheed Walker, on a stunningly team-friendly one-year, $4 million pact.

Their focus on the blindside continued into the draft, where they grabbed Georgia's Monroe Freeling—the top true left tackle prospect—with this year's 19th overall selection. Here's what PFF had to say about their first-round choice:

Freeling is still a young tackle prospect with untapped potential, but he showed clear signs of improvement as a pass protector from 2024 (65.3 PFF grade) to 2025 (86.1). This provides Carolina with another starting option at left tackle, with Ikem Ekwonu coming off a major late-season injury.

Carolina then scooped up Texas Tech defensive lineman Lee Hunter in the second round, Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II in the third, Texas A&M cornerback Will Lee III in the fourth, Kansas State center Sam Hecht and Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley in the fifth and Miami of Ohio linebacker Jackson Kuwatch in the seventh.

PFF, with the exception of Kuwatch, marked every Panthers pick as a "steal" based off their big board.

Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.

This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers named offseason champions by PFF

The New York Giants added much-needed protection for star quarterback Jaxon Dart by selecting Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft.

Mauigoa was widely regarded as one of the top offensive linemen in college football throughout his three seasons at Miami. The talented lineman should provide an instant boost to the Giants' offense in 2026, as he is expected to play a crucial role in protecting Dart and strengthening New York’s run game this season.

The former Miami star was fired up on draft night, declaring that he would be willing to "die" behind his protection for Dart this season. The superstar quarterback responded to Mauigoa’s comments in a recent interview at the Kentucky Derby, appearing eager to work with the talented lineman in 2026.

.@JaxsonDart reacts to new @Giants OL Francis Mauigoa saying he will "die for" him 😤 pic.twitter.com/78bewZtkTc

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) May 3, 2026

"I'm pumped," he said. "We were watching that on TV. He fired me up. But that's exactly what you want. That's the kind of player that I want to play for, and I think that he’s an amazing addition for our team. Just his physicality, his toughness, all of his intangibles that he brings to the table—it's gonna be awesome for us."

Mauigoa was considered by many to be the top offensive lineman in this year’s draft. Dart will enter his sophomore campaign with significantly improved protection compared to last season, and Mauigoa could quickly elevate the star quarterback’s game as early as Week 1.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants' Jaxson Dart responds to Francis Mauigoa's viral draft comments

One Pittsburgh Steelers rookie has been going viral for his insane diet, leaving the NFL world shocked by the amount of food he consumes for game day.

Steelers third-round rookie Gennings Dunker, a talented offensive lineman out of Iowa, reportedly begins his game-day diet with two-to-three servings of pasta, meat sauce, bread rolls, steak, and two servings of fruit at 5:30 p.m. the night before he plays. Around three hours later, he follows this up by consuming three hamburgers, three bags of Baked Lay's, a hydration mix, and hot chocolate.

In the morning at approximately 7:15 a.m., Dunker consumes four servings of toast, two bowls of Wheaties, some pancakes, and two chicken breasts. He then follows it up with another four servings of toast and a chicken breast around two hours later.

Most people would quit at this point, but not Dunker — who finishes up his diet with a post-game meal at Culver's, featuring a Double Bacon Cheeseburger, family-sized cheese curds or onion rings, along with three sides of ranch.

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY WILD:

Pittsburgh #Steelers third round pick guard Gennings Dunker has the CRAZIEST DIET in #NFL history.

Game-day diet:

• Night before (5:30 PM): 2-3 pasta servings w/ meat marinara, bread rolls, 12oz steak, 2 fruit servings.
• Later (~8:30 PM): 3… pic.twitter.com/h0mPPSp1Y2

— MLFootball (@MLFootball) May 3, 2026

A standout offensive tackle at Iowa, Dunker is projected to move to offensive guard in the NFL, where the Steelers currently have a vacancy on the left side.

Dunker was considered one of the top offensive line prospects in the NFL Draft, and if his diet is any indication of how he maintains his massive frame, Steelers fans will be in for a show in 2026.

For up-to-date Steelers coverage, including any offseason moves, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers' Gennings Dunker goes viral for surprising game-day diet

The Atlanta Falcons are moving on from the 2026 NFL Draft to the next phase the offseason, but they've still yet to officially sign their undrafted free agent class. The team has reportedly agreed to terms with 16 undrafted free agents, many of whom play on the offensive side of the football.

Atlanta added one quarterback, one running back, two tight ends, five wide receivers, three offensive linemen, two defensive linemen, one specialist and one defensive back. Plus, several players have been invited to the team's rookie minicamp.

In today's undrafted free agent spotlight, we look at MSU-Moorhead quarterback Jack Strand.

Falcons UDFA profile: QB Jack Strand

• 2025 stats: 3,546 pass yards, 42 TD, 14 INT; 288 rush yards, 5 TD

Strand, a Division II legend, met with the Falcons prior to the draft and was one of the team's first reported undrafted free agent signings. The former Dragons signal-caller broke every school passing record during his four years at MSU-Moorhead (2022-2025), ending his career with 13,161 passing yards, 126 touchdowns and 50 interceptions.

While he's not exactly a dual-threat, Strand had nine career rushing touchdowns. Last season, he rushed for 288 yards and five touchdowns. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound quarterback has a sturdy frame and NFL-caliber arm. Strand still needs some polish, but he has enough physical tools to compete for a backup job at the NFL level.

"A big-boned, sturdy passer, Strand has a live arm but a funky, sidearmed release," wrote The Athletic's Dane Brugler. "His accuracy is adequate, but his ball placement must be more consistent when attacking small-window throws. He tends to arm most of his throws, especially to his left, and needs to be more aware of getting his footwork and hips aligned. He can throw with anticipation and isn’t shy about throwing to spots, although he needs to take better care of the ball."

The Falcons already have three quarterbacks on the roster -- Michael Penix Jr., Tua Tagovailoa and Trevor Siemian -- but Strand has a chance to compete with Siemian for that third quarterback job this season.

Jack Strand is a QB prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 9.17 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 94 out of 1126 QB from 1987 to 2026.https://t.co/uSbGBZ2Ue5pic.twitter.com/LbgldY8KLE

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 13, 2026

Check out the rest of Atlanta's undrafted free agent signings below.

Falcons' undrafted free agents (unofficial)

1. QB Jack Strand, MSU-Moorhead: According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Falcons are signing MSU-Moorhead quarterback Jack Strand. Atlanta met with Strand before the draft and now he joins the team as its fourth quarterback. Last season, Strand had 3,546 yards and 42 touchdowns with 14 interceptions.
2. RB Cash Jones, Georgia: The Falcons are signing undrafted Georgia running back Cash Jones, per SI draft expert Justin Melo. Jones met with the team ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. The pass-catching weapon is someone to watch in training camp.
3. TE Brandon Frazier, Auburn: According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Falcons are signing undrafted free agent Auburn tight end/h-back Brandon Frazier. A blocking specialist, Frazier gives the team some much-needed tight end depth.
4. TE Jack Velling, Michigan State: The Falcons are signing undrafted Michigan State tight end Jack Velling, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Last season, Velling had 36 catches for 359 receiving yards and three touchdowns over 12 games in East Lansing.
5. WR Keelan Marion, Miami: The Falcons are signing undrafted Miami wide receiver Keelan Marion, per report. Marion had 57 receptions for 746 receiving yards and two touchdowns for the Hurricanes last season.
6. WR Andrel Anthony, Duke: According to USA TODAY reporter Arye Pulli, the Falcons are signing undrafted Duke wide receiver Andrel Anthony. The former Blue Devil had 26 catches for 246 receiving yards and five touchdowns last season.
7. WR Malik Rutherford, Georgia Tech: The Falcons are signing Georgia Tech wide receiver Malik Rutherford according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. The 5-foot-9 wideout recorded 46 catches for 519 yards and three touchdowns last season.
8. WR Vinny Anthony, Wisconsin: According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Falcons are signing Wisconsin wide receiver Vinny Anthony. The former Badgers wideout will reportedly get $265,000 guaranteed to join Atlanta. Last season, he had 31 catches for 391 receiving yards and one touchdown.
9. WR Le'Meke Brockington, Minnesota: According to NFL insider Aaron Wilson, the Falcons are signing Minnesota wide receiver Le'Meke Brockington. Last season, he had 46 catches for 484 receiving yards and four touchdowns for the Golden Gophers.
10. CB Malcolm Dewalt, Akron: The Atlanta Falcons are signing Akron CB Malcolm Dewalt, according to NFL reporter Easton Butler. Dewalt had two interceptions, one forced fumble and eight passes defended last season.
11. OL Kam Dewberry, Texas A&M: The Falcons are signing Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman Kam Dewberry, per reporter Wyatt Fulton. Dewberry is another developmental guard prospect with some upside.
12. OL Riley Mahlman, Wisconsin: The Falcons are signing Wisconsin offensive lineman Riley Mahlman, per NFL reporter Aaron Wilson. The 6-foot-8 left tackle is an intriguing developmental prospect.
13. C James Brockermeyer, Miami: The Atlanta Falcons are signing Miami center James Brockermeyer, per NFL reporter Matt Zenitz reported. Brokermeyer can provide depth behind Ryan Neuzil in 2026.
14. DT Carlos Allen, Houston: "Former Houston DT Carlos Allen is signing with the Falcons, per source," NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported on Saturday evening. The Falcons needed help at defensive tackle and Allen is someone to watch in training camp.
15. DL CJ Nunnally, Purdue: The Falcons are expected to sign former Purdue defensive lineman CJ Nunnally, according to NFL reporter Matt Zenitz.
16. LSPhilip Florenzo, Clemson: The Falcons have signed long snapper Philip Florenzo, per report. Florenzo was one of just seven long snappers at the combine.

The Falcons begin OTAs on May 26 and mandatory minicamp kicks off on June 9.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons UDFA class: QB Jack Strand scouting report

The NFL schedule release is the one day every year that sports fans don't mind circling more dates on the calendar.

It just goes to show that games don't always matter in the sport that has become a year-round machine. The fall and winter are for the games. The spring is for player movement. The summer is for preparation. Interest and money only back that up, as the NFL's arrow only seems to point in one direction – up.

So while a schedule release doesn't come across as the most glamorous thing in the world, it actually represents one of the biggest dates on the NFL calendar during the offseason – if there even is one.

Social media teams will treat the event like the Super Bowl, content teams will churn out endless record predictions, and fans will run through more permutations than those working the results board on election night.

2026 NFL SCHEDULE: Here's what we already know

With the 2026 NFL Draft officially in the past, the schedule release is the next big thing. And since our experiment with artificial intelligence (AI) predicting the NFL draft produced a wide range of results, USA TODAY Sports decided to test its ability to craft a schedule.

On the bright side, it included matchups that can actually happen – which was a pleasant surprise that also included dates, times and TV channels. Here's what Google's chatbot, Gemini, predicted the NFL Week 1 schedule would look like.

2026 NFL schedule predictions: Gemini AI's Week 1 projection

New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks

• Date: Wednesday, Sept. 9
• Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC

The Seahawks are already confirmed to be hosting the season-opener on Wednesday, Sept. 9 and Gemini picked up on that. Apparently the chatbot enjoyed Super Bowl 60 so much that it's calling for an instant rematch to start the 2026 season.

Given that the Super Bowl was a blowout, fans might feel differently.

San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams

• Date: Thursday, Sept. 10
• Time: 8:35 p.m. ET
• TV: Prime Video

The NFL has confirmed this game is happening and it will be the league's first game in Australia. Nothing more to see here.

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
• Time: 1 p.m. ET
• TV: CBS

The Bengals host the Ravens in an AFC North matchup that also features Trey Hendrickson making his return to Cincinnati. This isn't your average early window kickoff game.

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
• Time: 1 p.m. ET
• TV: Fox

Speaking of divisional drama, how about one of the league's biggest rivalries kicking off the season? The chatbot is giving the Packers an immediate chance at redemption after the Bears comeback win over Green Bay in the wild-card round.

It's also a chance for Ben Johnson and Matt LaFleur to renew their personal rivalry. The chatbot cooked up a good matchup, but we'd probably see this in a later timeslot if it actually came to fruition.

Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
• Time: 1 p.m. ET
• TV: CBS

Another divisional matchup, but the hype for this one is nonexistent. Outside of the "Octo-box," this game probably won't be featured much on "NFL RedZone," given the struggles both teams experienced on offense at the end of last season.

New York Giants at Washington Commanders

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
• Time: 1 p.m. ET
• TV: Fox

The debut of John Harbaugh for the Giants and new uniforms for the Commanders. Jayden Daniels is looking for a return to form and Jaxson Dart is trying to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump. Both teams hope to be factors in the NFC East so it only makes sense for them to clash in Week 1.

Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
• Time: 1 p.m. ET
• TV: Fox

Gemini has loaded up the early window with divisional matchups and that remains the case as our tour continues in the Big Easy. Tyler Shough begins Year 2 in front of the home fans and Kevin Stefanski makes his Falcons coaching debut on the road in this clash between two NFC South hopefuls.

Cleveland Browns at Jacksonville Jaguars

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
• Time: 1 p.m. ET
• TV: CBS

Who will start at quarterback for the Browns in Week 1? Shedeur Sanders? Deshaun Watson? Who knows? The Dawg Pound will be a fascinating group to watch heading into the season opener against the Jags, who had a funky offseason of their own.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
• Time: 1 p.m. ET
• TV: CBS

Old faces in new places. Robert Saleh takes over on the Titans sideline and the Steelers feature a new coach of their own. After 19 seasons with Mike Tomlin on the sidelines, Mike McCarthy takes over for his hometown team. Will Aaron Rodgers be under center for Pittsburgh? One way or another, this would be a fun test for a young Tennessee team to begin Year 2 of the Cam Ward era.

Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
• Time: 1 p.m. ET
• TV: Fox

Another measuring stick game in the NFC South. Gemini isn't really going outside the box, but we will get an early look at how Baker Mayfield's team looks without Mike Evans against Bryce Young's frisky Panthers.

Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
• Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
• TV: Fox

The chatbot is kicking off the late window with Kyler Murray's debut for the Vikings. Aside from it being another division matchup, both teams are desperate to bounce back after missing the playoffs last season.

New York Jets at Arizona Cardinals

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
• Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
• TV: Fox

Welcome to the NFL, David Bailey and Jeremiyah Love. The No. 2 and No. 3 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft make their regular-season debut in the desert as each team tries to get out of the NFL's basement. At least for one week, that would be true.

Miami Dolphins at Denver Broncos

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
• Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
• TV: CBS

This is essentially the chatbot's way of saying, "Jaylen Waddle was going to Denver in Week 1 whether he wanted to or not." The former Dolphins receiver makes his Broncos debut in front of his former team as the Jeff Hafley era begins for Miami. Denver will have every opportunity to get off to a quick start.

Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
• Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
• TV: CBS

Fernando Mendoza or Kirk Cousins? Whoever the quarterback ends up being, it's not an easy start for the Raiders if the chatbot's prediction comes true. It's also a tough start for the Chargers fans, who should expect a hostile home environment as the silver-and-black take over SoFi Stadium.

Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
• Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC

The Bills open New Highmark Stadium in style with a battle against the Chiefs. Will Patrick Mahomes play? How will the Bills fare in the post-Sean McDermott era? What impact will the crowd have in the new building?

If you are in school, you'll want to finish that homework before this game kicks off. If you aren't, well, the Sunday scaries will just have to wait.

More: Andy Reid says Patrick Mahomes in 'good position' to get on field at Chiefs OTAs

Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles

• Date: Monday, Sept. 14
• Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN/ABC

Gemini put a bow on Week 1 with a heavyweight bout in the NFC East. The matchup that opened up the 2025 season will close out the opening week a year later.

When is the NFL schedule release 2026?

The NFL schedule is set to be released in May.

An exact date has not been announced, but history indicates that it should be expected about May 12-14. Leaks will trickle out in the days ahead, especially with an expanded international slate and some holiday games on the docket.

The league added games in Australia and Paris to the 2026 schedule, as well as a return to Mexico City for the first time since 2022.

There was also the elimination of Monday night doubleheaders, following Disney's acquisition of NFL Network. More games are set for streaming in 2026, along with other changes that will be revealed with the upcoming release.

In other words, the Wednesday night opening game in Seattle might not be the only adjustment fans will need to make this season.

When does the NFL regular season start in 2026?

The 2026 NFL regular season will begin on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington. Continuing tradition, the Super Bowl champions will kick off the season as the Seahawks get one last moment in the spotlight before turning the page to 2026.

While the kickoff game is typically set for the Thursday night after Labor Day, this season's was moved to Wednesday to accommodate a new international game. The Los Angeles Rams will host the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, Sept. 10 in the league's first-ever Australia game.

That means that fans can expect games to take place on Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday and Monday in Week 1.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL schedule release 2026: AI predicts every Week 1 game, matchups

The Kansas City Chiefs have done well in the undrafted free agent market during the Brett Veach era as general manager. Many players over the past few seasons have made significant contributions to Super Bowl title runs, adding to the belief that the draft doesn't end after round 7.

Byron Pringle was a former undrafted free agent signing out of Kansas State in 2018. He suffered an injury in the 2018 preseason and was stashed on injured reserve all year. He surprised many in 2019, making the initial 53-man roster for the Chiefs, primarily as a special teamer, but he eventually emerged as a reliable receiver.

Chiefs Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke with Pringle in 2021 about his chemistry with Patrick Mahomes as an undrafted free agent wide receiver.

"It's a blessing to work with a guy like that because, you know, he can scan plays downfield. You know, you got to keep running and keep your eyes on the quarterback and be prepared to catch any ball," said Pringle, "No matter how it gets delivered to you, just know, just be prepared for how a ball will come your way at any moment. So just be prepared for that."

Pringle remained a key depth option for the team, playing both as a receiver and kick returner. He'd appear in 46 career regular-season games with the Chiefs, starting in eight games. Pringle won two Lamar Hunt Trophies and Super Bowl LIV with Kansas City. He also earned sponsorship with the "Pringles" potato chip brand, further demonstrating his value despite never being an NFL Draft selection.

This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs have a productive history of adding undrafted free agents

Bill Cowher knows defense. A starting linebacker at N.C. State, Cowher would spend six years in the NFL before turning to coaching. In 1985, Marty Schottenheimer hired Cowher as a defensive assistant, then promoted him to defensive coordinator in 1989, when Cowher was only 31. Three years later, the Pittsburgh Steelers hired Cowher as head coach, a position he held for 15 years before retiring after the 2006 season.

Since retirement, Cowher was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and has served as an analyst for CBS Sports since 2007. During the 2026 NFL Draft, Cowher joined Pat McAfee and others live in Pittsburgh for The Pat McAfee Show Draft Spectacular. Cowher and his co-hosts and guests provided analysis for each pick. One player Cowher really liked was Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, who went No. 7 overall to the Washington Commanders.

McAfee asked Cowher if he believed Styles would've been a "good Coach Cowher?" Cowher's response: "Sonny Styles? Oh, 100%?"

Cowher then

"Getting a guy that can operate your defense and make the adjustments, which he did for (Ohio State DC) Matt Patricia," Cowher said. "He would actually just make adjustments on the field. This guy is a general, a quarterback on the defensive side of the ball. He's a great pickup for Dan Quinn"

We told you Cowher knows defense.

Part of the excitement surrounding Styles goes beyond his athletic ability. He loves football. He has a high football IQ, as his dad played linebacker at Ohio State and won a Super Bowl in the NFL. Additionally, his NFL future isn't a projection. He's already played in an NFL-style defense for Patricia at Ohio State. Patricia is a former NFL head coach and a longtime defensive coordinator under Bill Belichick.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Hall of Fame coach loves Sonny Styles

The NFL offseason is rolling along with rookie minicamps popping up across the league. Next step, organized offseason team activities (OTAs).

The Tennessee Titans will head into OTAs when they start with a ton of new faces after an active offseason. Between free agency and the draft, they appear to be trending in the right direction, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t need areas. Matt Vanderame and Gilberto Manzano took a look at where the sit and revealed what they believe are their biggest remaining needs.

Tennessee Titans: IOL, TE, S

The Titans were incredibly active this offseason, spending lavishly to raise the floor of a team that went 3–14 last season. However, Tennessee still has areas to improve with new coach Robert Saleh.

Up front, the offensive line is still in flux. Guard Peter Skoronski is solid and right tackle JC Latham showed improvement in 2025, but center Austin Schlottmann and right guard Cordell Volson are better served as depth.

While the receiver room has been significantly bolstered by the addition of first-round pick Carnell Tate and free-agent signing Wan’Dale Robinson, tight end is still a weak spot. After losing Chig Okonkwo to the Commanders in free agency, Tennessee brought in Daniel Bellinger to compete with Gunnar Helm. It’s a functional pairing, but far from dynamic after combining for 643 receiving yards in 2025.

The Titans have made some significant upgrades, but could still use a solid veteran presence along the interior of the offensive line. As of now, second-year guard Jackson Slater, and rookies, Fernando Carmona and Pat Coogan, are scheduled to compete with Schlottmann and Volson, but that the team could still use more experienced depth. The front office is aware of this situation, and have been open that they could still add talent.

Safety and tight end are a little less of a need, especially tight end, where they have Gunnar Helm looking to take a big leap in his second season. Safety could be addressed, but it is likely not going to happen until they get closer to training camp.

This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans: Biggest remaining holes on roster

The 2026 Chargers defense enters the season with proven veterans, emerging young talent, and continuity under new defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary.

The unit features a stout defensive line anchored by Dalvin Tomlinson and Teair Tart, a solid edge-rusher trio in Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, and first-round pick Akheem Mesidor, and second- and third-level playmakers, including star safety Derwin James Jr.

While the regular season is still months away, here is our first projection of what the Week 1 starting defense will look like now that the roster-building process is about complete.

Projected Starting Defense

• DL: Dalvin Tomlinson
• DL: Teair Tart
• Edge: Tuli Tuipulotu
• Edge: Khalil Mack
• ILB: Denzel Perryman
• ILB: Daiyan Henley
• CB: Tarheeb Still
• CB: Cam Hart
• CB: Donte Jackson
• S: Derwin James Jr.
• S: Elijah Molden

This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Projecting the Chargers 2026 starting defense

It’s been more than a week for those that celebrated being selected in the NFL draft. For the 257 players and many that were undrafted, it’s time to get to work as they join their new teams with eight having rookie minicamps the past few days and the remaining 24, including the Arizona Cardinals, welcoming the newcomers next weekend.

For others, like former Cardinals linebacker Zack Walz, the shine hasn’t worn off after being part of the announcement of this year’s Tillman Pick along with Tillman Scholar Margo Darragh.

We chronicled their experience on this site a few days after the draft ended, but one story couldn’t do it justice.

Walz got emotional when he recalled Darragh’s reaction when handed the card for the pick shortly before the announcement of Navy defensive tackle Landon Robinson at pick 226. That’s because Darragh also attended the Naval Academy.

Walz said, “When she pulled it, the goosebumps that came over her, she couldn't believe it. She's like, “I can't believe it's a Naval Academy player.”

He added, “I haven't been choked up one time in the last week, but I think about it just like this whole week has been such a crazy week, and so many amazing things that happened.

“I’ve never really slowed down to pinch myself or to smell the roses. And now I'm thinking about all the things that have happened and kind of the timeline of how this thing has played out and it’s almost unexplainable.”

It was another example of the Circle of Life that we described last week. Call this, then, the tale of a high-school teammate, dog tags and a special T-shirt.

The Teammate

Walz thought immediately of Eric Lewis, who was a safety and running back at St. Francis High School in Mountain View, Calif. Lewis’ father, Sherman, was a longtime assistant coach in the NFL.

Walz said, “He's one of my closest friends from high school growing up.”

That’s where Walz relates how Lewis was co-player of the year in the Central Coast Section of California high schools as a senior.

And … the player he shared the award with was, yes, Pat Tillman of Leland High School in San Jose.

But, that’s not all, as Walz then says, “Eric Lewis is now the defensive coordinator at the Naval Academy.”

He adds, “It’s amazing. All these other connections where my friend Eric is watching the draft. I'm (helping) call out a Naval Academy guy. He's the defensive coordinator.”

The Dog Tags

Walz then reflects goes back to his third season with the Cardinals and with Tillman as a teammate. Glenn Pires, the team’s assistant linebackers coach, gave players “Tiffany-like” gold-plated engraved dog tags.

Knowing how some people have issues with football being compared to war, Walz said, “He (Pires) had the best intent, right? It was just to show solidarity through the linebackers. I think so many of the analogies, they ring pretty hollow when you think about it now, but the point (he was making) is you guys are soldiers, you're in this together, we're a team, we're laying it on the line. And I kind of said some of this during my eulogy, but he meant well with it.”

Not long after that, following 9/11, Tillman famously left football to become part of the Army special forces.

Walz said, “Then you got a guy who actually enlists and he's actually putting his life on the line, right? He's actually a soldier. And you know, here we are, millionaires for the most part, wearing these Tiffany's gold-plated dog tags as just a show of like, we are responsible to one another. It was an effort to bring us together.

“And when Pat enlisted, I called him, I talked to him, I want to say a month or two into his basic training or wherever he was at that point. He was on a break and we talked for an hour and a half, just about everything. And it just dawned on me. “Dude, like I've got these dog tags from my coach. Is there any way you can like send me a dog tag? I don't know how that works with the military. Do you get an extra pair? I'd rather wear your dog tag than the Tiffany's one that has my name on it.’ ”

Walz said he didn’t know what would happen, but not long afterward, a package arrived in the mail with an extra set of Pat Tillman dog tags that he then wore everywhere.

That changed after he told the story during his eulogy for Tillman following his death in 2004.

“I came home and everywhere I went in Arizona, people wanted to see them and they wanted to hold them,” Walz said. “They wanted to try them on. They wanted to take pictures with them. And it got a little bit scary. People were kind of grabbing them.”

He then decided “these things belong in a case and I have them preserved in a case with my trophies. They are the crown jewel of my trophy case for sure.”

But they came out in Pittsburgh and he wore them during the announcement.

“It’s very meaningful to me,” he said.

The T-shirt

It was only about a week before the draft that Walz was asked to be part of the Tillman Pick presentation. He knew he wanted to wear a shirt with Tillman’s face on it “that people haven’t seen. And I wanted it to be like a black and white one with an outline of his face.”

However, a few days passed and before he knew it, it was Wednesday evening, he was flying to Pittsburgh on Friday morning and “I still didn't have a shirt. I just sort of dropped the ball of putting it together.”

That’s when he sent an email to Shirt52 in Tempe and told them what he was doing.

“The owner (Zach Houser) called me in 30 seconds and he said, ‘Get down here.’ He worked until like 10 o'clock that night at his shop with a designer. He created the design that I gave to him. And we put it on a T-shirt.”

The silhouette design of Tillman’s face was based on a picture Walz believes was from his freshman season at Arizona State when he had a mullet.

Walz said, “That was the concept because even in silhouette everybody knows who it is.”

The reaction was instantaneous. People reached out to Walz on LinkedIn. Friends and strangers told him how cool it is. Tillman’s wife, Marie, told Walz, “I love the T-shirt.” People want one.

Walz hopes they can be produced to raise money for the Pat Tillman Foundation. He said, “I just want to raise awareness. I would love for this thing to take off because it sounds like it's kind of on its way.”

As famous radio personality Paul Harvey always said at the end of his broadcasts, "And now you know the rest of the story.”

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: The 'rest of the story' of the 2026 Pat Tillman draft pick

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Chargers are hosting veteran tight end David Njoku for a visit on Monday. After nine seasons with the Browns, the 29-year-old Njoku is searching for a new home and would bring a proven pass-catching presence to a tight end room currently featuring Oronde Gadsden and Charlie Kolar.

Njoku struggled with injuries in 2025, recording 33 catches for 293 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games. Still, he remains a high-upside target who made the Pro Bowl in 2023. Njoku's skill set could fill the team's need for a versatile tight end who can both block and excel in the passing game.

With the draft completed and the team aiming to be competitive in the 2026 season, Njoku would provide experienced depth. His ability to create favorable matchups could elevate the Chargers' offense under Mike McDaniel. If the visit goes well, the sides could move quickly to finalize a deal.

This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers hosting TE David Njoku on visit

The San Francisco 49ers made eight picks in the 2026 NFL draft, including two in the third round, taking Texas Tech defensive end Romello Height at No. 70 overall and Indiana running back Kaelon Black at No. 90 overall.

While San Francisco hopes that Height will make a significant impact as a rookie, the opposite is true of Black, as that would mean something happened to starting running back Christian McCaffrey.

With 2025 fifth-round pick Jordan James slated to be McCaffrey's backup, Black is probably two injuries away from starting, and while it's important to have backups, at least one person with ties to the 49ers doesn't see Black as a potential starter at any point.

“He just doesn’t have the ‘it’ factor,” former 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan told "The Athletic" last week. “Everything’s above average, but nothing is really good. And he split time (in Indiana’s backfield). And that coach (Curt Cignetti) is not going to split time if they’ve got a legit back.”

Black rushed for 2,261 yards and 16 touchdowns on 5.1 yards per attempt and caught 52 passes for 473 yards and six touchdowns in 51 games over four years between James Madison and Indiana.

McCloughan went on to explain why taking Black wasn't the right choice for the 49ers at the time.

“I wasn’t negative on (Black),” McCloughan said. “It was just, he’s not a starter. I would have rather taken an offensive lineman or a defensive lineman or a corner. Or a big wide receiver. Because they were on the board still. I think (the 49ers) could have waited (to take Black). But still — to each, their own. If you like somebody and you’ve got the pick and he’s on your board, take him.”

Texas A&M center Trey Zuhn III, Missouri offensive tackle Keagen Trost, Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell and Iowa offensive tackle Gennings Dunker all went within the six picks following the 49ers at No. 90. McCloughan likely would've preferred any of them, as they would've addressed other needs.

More 49ers: NFL analyst names this 49ers UDFA as the one to watch in 2026

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Former GM believes 49ers made wrong choice on Day 2 of 2026 NFL draft

Browns WR KC Concepcion given big 2026 projection originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cleveland Browns made their 2026 intentions clear in the NFL Draft, as the franchise's first three selections were offensive players.

An offensive lineman and two receivers come to Todd Monken's team, and one who is expected to be a big player straight away is KC Concepcion.

The first-round selection is expected to have a big role for whoever is the starting quarterback under Monken, but what can we expect from the big receiver?

Sports Illustrated's Eva Geitheim has offered a projection, and Browns fans will like it. KC is projected to have 61 catches, 784 yards, and seven touchdowns.

"KC Concepcion should be an immediate contributor on a Browns’ offense that was lacking in weapons heading into this draft," Geitheim wrote. "Concepcion will be competing for targets with Denzel Boston, who the Browns selected in the second round." 

More:Analyst offers Rueben Bain Jr. Buccaneers rookie season projection

Browns need top draft picks to hit

Spencer Fano is slated to be a Day 1 starter, along with Concepcion and fellow receiver Denzel Boston. 

In truth, all three are going to have big roles to play for Monken, and the trio could carry the offensive hopes for 2026.

Granted, that isn't ideal, but the Browns need an injection of hope and optimism, and who knows, they might be able to kickstart this new era of Browns football.

If KC can match Geitheim's projection and has over 700 yards and 7 TDs, that will be a good season from the rookie. Can he do it? There's no reason why not.

More NFL news:

• Browns' Todd Monken offers superb perspective of QB battle
• Texans get C.J. Stroud contract advice from NFC executive
• Do Chiefs have unrealistic expectations for Mansoor Delane?
• Bills gain plaudits for underrated draft selection
• Chargers face huge long-term Akheem Mesidor decision

Analyst offers Rueben Bain Jr. Buccaneers rookie season projection originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers desperately needed more pass rush help for Todd Bowles' defense, and in the NFL Draft, one of the best pass rushers fell into their laps.

The Buccaneers took Rueben Bain Jr. with the No. 15 overall pick, as Bowles now gets his dominant pass rusher.

But as with all rookies, projecting what they will do in their first season is a total guess.

However, Sports Illustrated's Eva Geitheim has given it a shot.

In Bain's first season, the analyst has him notching seven sacks and a forced fumble, along with 50 total tackles.

"The Buccaneers got the edge rush help they desperately needed in Rueben Bain Jr., who surprisingly fell to No. 15 in the draft," Geitheim wrote. "Bain notched 9.5 sacks in his final season at Miami, and should help improve Tampa’s edge rush as he reaches the NFL."

More:Browns' Todd Monken offers superb perspective of QB battle

Bain Jr. set for big 2026?

Well, if the Buccaneers want to get to where they want to be in 2026, he might have to get the stats that Geitheim has projected.

Plus, the Buccaneers' offense is going to have to come to the party as well.

Expecting the world from a rookie isn't ideal, but when that rookie is Bain Jr., well, the expectations get a little higher than most.

The Buccaneers need him to be productive from Day 1 and be a force multiplier on defense, as that was something the unit sorely missed last season.

Can Bain be "the" guy for Bowles? He might have to be.

More NFL news:

• Ravens offer truthful offseason message to Diego Pavia
• Texans get C.J. Stroud contract advice from NFC executive
• Do Chiefs have unrealistic expectations for Mansoor Delane?
• Bills gain plaudits for underrated draft selection
• Chargers face huge long-term Akheem Mesidor decision

With the 78th overall selection in the 2026 NFL draft, the Indianapolis Colts selected LSU safety AJ Haulcy.

Here is everything you need to know.

Profile

• Height: 5-116
• Weight: 215
• Age: 22

AJ Haulcy's LSU bio

Breakdown

Haulcy is an experienced defender, playing 2,823 career snaps, spending regular time at both free safety and in the box. He's been a sound run defender by PFF's metrics and has had very good ball production in coverage, logging eight interceptions and 10 pass breakups the last two seasons.

At each of Haulcy's stops in his college career, he found success. At New Mexico in 2022, Haulcy played in 12 games and made nine starts. In 2023 at Houston, he led the team in tackles. The following season, Haulcy was an All Big-12 selection. Then in 2025, he was a first-team All-SEC defender at LSU.

What draft experts had to say

"Haulcy, aka Mr. Give Me That, is a throwback safety with a compact, densely muscled frame and a pro feel for reading the field. He’s a rare blend of ballhawk and enforcer who can scurry into passing lanes for takeaways or run through a receiver to break up a pass. His pattern recognition and instincts are top-notch and he’s decisive in his reactions. A lack of sustained top-end speed could create mismatches in man coverage. He’s more effective playing forward than he is at guarding large spaces in deeper coverages. He’s rock-steady as a finisher but sees the missed tackle total tick higher as an open-field tackler. Haulcy’s frame and game are pro-ready, though. He projects as a good NFL starter in a zone-heavy scheme." - Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

AJ Haulcy's athletic profile

A.J. Haulcy was drafted in round 3 with pick 78 in the 2026 draft class. He does not qualify for a #RAS due to a lack of measurements.https://t.co/OL1vHFNHDbpic.twitter.com/MHTpERdQXV

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 25, 2026

They said it

GM Chris Ballard: "He's an interesting guy, and what I love the most is, especially in the transfer world, but goes to New Mexico, starts, goes to Houston, starts, goes to LSU, starts. Takes the ball away. He's physical. He's going to be a good addition. We think we got younger and faster on defense."

Colts' scout Mike Lacy: "So, he's strong, right? He's got a compact, muscular build, but I wouldn't say -- don't let that fool you because he's got a natural feel for coverage, too. And he's quick. He can change direction. Ran very well at the combine, so we feel good about his long speed and range in the passing game, and again, I mean, he's not scared to get his nose dirty in the run game, and he's got ball production on paper that tells you he can take it away."

AJ Haulcy's fit with the Colts

Haulcy will compete for playing time next to Cam Bynum with Jonathan Owens, Hunter Wohler, and Juanyeh Thomas. The Colts do not view him as just a box defender but as someone who can play deep as well, adding versatility to Lou Anarumo's defense -- a coveted trait in this scheme. Haulcy also brings a strong coverage presence and ballhawking skills to the secondary.

AJ Haulcy highlights

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: 2026 NFL draft: Full breakdown of Colts' S AJ Haulcy

Browns reporter under fire for subtle jab at Shedeur Sanders after Colorado graduation originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders made headlines on Saturday, but not for a football-related reason. 

The 24-year-old quarterback officially graduated from Colorado ahead of his second season with the Browns, an achievement for which he has been highly praised. Surprisingly, though, a popular Browns reporter took a subtle jab at Sanders following his graduation, and fans haven't responded well to it.

“Browns QB Shedeur Sanders returns to Colorado Saturday to receive his diploma,” Mary Kay Cabot reported on X/Twitter before receiving heavy criticism for her phrasing of the monumental life achievement.

“You know it's a college degree,” one user noted. Common, now you're just trying to disrespect the kid!  But, what you're really looking for is the drama you know this will bring. Be better, do better, Cleveland deserves better.”

“What a clown you are,” another individual noted. “The kid got his DEGREE, not a diploma. Imagine not being able to garner engagement without saying this guy's name, & you can’t even give him the proper respect while you capitalize off his likeness. Shameless & classless.”

Technically, Cabot is correct, as college graduates do, in fact, receive a diploma when they walk across the stage on their special day. That said, most outlets that have covered the topic have cited that Sanders returned to Colorado to receive his degree in an attempt to highlight the significance of the event.

Cabot’s failure to do so opened the door for loyal Sander supporters to come down hard on the veteran reporter on social media.

At the end of the day, though, it’s not as big a deal as they’re making it out to be, making it pointless for them to continue the attacks and blow the situation out of proportion.

More NFL: 

• Packers named best fit for ex-Eagles $45 million 16-sack star

• Cowboys predicted to cut ties with George Pickens in favor of declining $10 million Bills WR

• Eagles named top landing spot for former Cowboys $21 million starter

Ravens offer truthful offseason message to Diego Pavia originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Baltimore Ravens took a flier on undrafted quarterback Diego Pavia, who was a Heisman trophy runner-up in the NFL Draft.

With the Ravens signing him to a three-year deal, Pavia now has the chance to try to establish himself on the Ravens' quarterback depth chart.

Seen as a rather polarizing figure, Pavia has to reel that in because now that he's in the NFL, he's at the bottom of the depth chart, and he has to work his way up.

And head coach Jesse Minter isn't about to grant any favors.

"So now he's in the door and it's like, 'Show us what you can do,'" Minter said via ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "And just like all the undrafted rookies, that's what I would say."

More:Chargers handed outstanding NFL Draft grade

Pavia faces uphill battle

With Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley at the top of the depth chart, it is going to take something Herculean for Pavia to get on the field in 2026.

But as the third-string quarterback? That's a role that Pavia can take with both hands...if he's good enough, that is.

Set to battle it out with Joe Fagnano over the course of the offseason, there is going to be a chance for Pavia to prove his worth, and as Minter stated, the rookie has to show the franchise what he's got.

Whether that will be good enough remains to be seen.

More NFL news:

• Analyst has incredible scouting report for 1 Ravens draft selection
• Chiefs' Andy Reid offers eyebrow-raising comparison for rookie RB
• Analyst reveals surprising choice for favorite Chiefs draft selection
• Bills gain plaudits for underrated draft selection
• Raiders' Fernando Mendoza reveals ideal mentality ahead of rookie season

The Philadelphia Eagles' first-round trade with the Dallas Cowboys is set to receive national spotlight as part of The Pick Is In, ESPN's all-access documentary chronicling the drama of the 2026 NFL Draft. Premiering Sunday, May 3 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN and the ESPN App, the series offers an inside look at key moments that shaped draft weekend, including the pivotal NFC East deal that saw Philadelphia move up the board.

In a wild draft night moment caught on video, the Eagles traded up with the Cowboys to No. 20 and selected USC wide receiver Makai Lemon while he was on the phone with the Steelers at No. 21—prompting a stunned reaction: "Why is Philly calling me?" In the scene, Stephen Jones can be seen predicting that Roseman will call him after some Cowboys brass suggested that Dallas call Philadelphia. When examining who might be primed to move up, Jerry Jones and company were correct.

After watching the top offensive tackles come off the board, the Eagles traded picks No. 23, 114 & 137 to Dallas for pick 20 and a 7th round pick. With the move, Philadelphia is all but assured of trading A.J. Brown and rolling with a group of wide receivers that includes DeVonta Smith, Lemon, Hollywood Brown, Elijah Moore, Dontayvion Wicks, Johnny Wilson, and others.

The Thursday night draft trade between the Cowboys and Eagles.

The Pick Is In - 7PM ET on ESPN and The ESPN App. pic.twitter.com/6DOfTgWDno

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 3, 2026

USC WR Makai Lemon was on the phone with Steelers GM Omar Khan.

Everyone around him was celebrating.

Lemon then asks: “Why is Philly calling me?”

The Eagles traded up. Steelers were jumped. Crazy. pic.twitter.com/yOTFmnAcbG

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 24, 2026

Lemon was the best receiver in college football last season, taking home the Biletnikoff Award. His 90.8 PFF grade led all wideouts in college football. The USC junior wide receiver was dominant for the Trojans this season, while serving as Jayden Maiava's favorite target in the team's high-powered passing attack. He won the Biletnikoff Award as the most outstanding wide receiver in college football after he caught 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns. Lemon had just three touchdown catches in his first two college seasons combined.

Produced by NFL Films and Skydance Sports, the documentary captures the intensity, strategy, and emotion behind the scenes, with unprecedented access to team executives, coaches, and prospects. While the focus includes franchises like the Raiders, Browns, and Cowboys, the Eagles' aggressive move stands out as a defining moment, giving fans a rare glimpse into how high-stakes decisions unfold in real time.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles trade with Cowboys highlighted in ESPN draft documentary

Fans in Western Missouri didn't have to wait long to see video of Kansas City Chiefs first-round pick Peter Woods dominating at rookie camp this week.

A former Clemson Tiger, Woods was considered one of the top pass-rushers available in the 2026 NFL Draft and joined Kansas City as the No. 29 selection in Round 1. Chiefs general manager Brett Veach went all-in to add talented defenders to Kansas City's roster during the draft, and will need Woods to produce early in his career.

If this video from the Chiefs' rookie camp is any indication, Veach may have found a perfect prospect to pair with veteran pass-rusher Chris Jones:

Watch out for Woo! @35Pwoopic.twitter.com/plaCMUobc3

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) May 3, 2026

While Kansas City's coaching staff typically shies away from giving rookies significant playing time early in their NFL careers, Woods' raw talent and physical gifts should help force him onto the field earlier than some of the Chiefs' more developmental first-year additions.

This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs rookie camp: Watch first-rounder dominate in pass-rush drill

Chargers handed outstanding NFL Draft grade originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Most teams want to come out of the NFL Draft having multiple players be starters in their rookie season, and for the Los Angeles Chargers, they might have.

With Akheem Mesidor, Jake Slaughter, and Brenen Thompson, the franchise's top three draft choices, there is a good chance that come Week 1, all of them will be either starting or at the top of the rotation for Jim Harbaugh's team.

That would be a good outcome for a Chargers team under pressure to deliver in 2026, but the draft class can help.

And for CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson, he's given L.A. an A grade for their draft haul.

More: Bills gain plaudits for underrated draft selection

Chargers face defining 2026 season

It is Year 3 for Harbaugh in L.A. The Chargers have had back-to-back 11-win seasons, but Justin Herbert has yet to win a playoff game.

That has to change in 2026.

With Mike McDaniel calling the plays, this looms as Herbert's best chance to have the sort of season and year many have expected him to have since being drafted.

Of course, time will tell, but Herbert is 0-3 in the playoffs, and time is running out for him to shift the narrative around him. The 2026 draft class could help push the Chargers into the postseason yet again, but once there, Herbert has to deliver.

Will he?

More NFL news:

• Analyst has incredible scouting report for 1 Ravens draft selection
• Chiefs' Andy Reid offers eyebrow-raising comparison for rookie RB
• Analyst reveals surprising choice for favorite Chiefs draft selection
• Steelers owner reveals another Aaron Rodgers future deadline
• Raiders' Fernando Mendoza reveals ideal mentality ahead of rookie season

The Cincinnati Bengals are very happy with the Dexter Lawrence trade, to put it lightly. 

A straight-up swap of the 10th pick for one of the best interior defenders in the NFL, some around the NFL have likened the Bengals’ trade to an NBA deal. 

And when the goal is helping Joe Burrow, it’s hard to complain. 

Even so, one anonymous NFL executive recently chatted with The Athletic’s Mike Sando and wondered if the Bengals couldn’t have done a better job with the deal. 

Namely, the executive wondered if the Bengals couldn’t have recruited a third team into the mix to help them get some sort of draft pick back…and wondered if the Giants did that by design. 

“But I don’t think enough people were aware it was happening,” an exec told Sando, “and the Giants played it smart by making the Bengals think they had to give up the 10th pick.”

At the end of the day? The Bengals probably didn't want a bunch of other teams aware of what was going on with the deal. Adding a third party in the hopes of getting a mid-round pick or so in the deal wouldn’t have likely been worth it. 

The rebuilding Giants, too, were probably just happy to get out of the whole thing with a top-10 selection for a player who didn't want to be in town anymore. 

Overall, the “winner” of the deal is something only hindsight can say far down the road. 

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: NFL exec wonders if Giants fleeced Bengals a bit during Lawrence trade

Shilo Sanders, son of Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders and the brother of Cleveland Brown quarterback Shedeur Sanders, is not happy with Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot.

Cabot came out with a story on Shedeur Sanders and how he may be losing the quarterback battle to DeShaun Watson during the Browns’ OTAs. Shilo Sanders made a disparaging remark about Cabot.

Sanders told Cabot to, “Go make a sandwich, Mary,” he said via a screenshot from 92.3 The Fan’s Anthony Lima.

The great @MaryKayCabot (Bill Nunn Memorial Award winner) joins us at 8:20 on @923TheFanpic.twitter.com/yDMy7Z6p3x

— Anthony Lima (@SportsBoyTony) April 30, 2026

He continued his rant on Twitch, "This is to Mary Kay. If you’re gonna be a reporter, then report facts. Whenever you have your opinion, and your opinion is always something hateful to Shedeur, then it seems like there’s something weird. Like, there’s an agenda you have going on."

"There are plenty of women in this field who take this seriously…and actually do homework and study the game, get the statistics right, and get the news right,” Sanders said. “But with you, there’s so much emotion. We don’t care what you think is gonna happen… For all the women that actually take the time to do their research and actually be real reporters and real journalists, then that’s gonna make them look bad.".

New Browns head coach Todd Monken made it clear that this would be an open quarterback competition between Sanders, Watson, and Dillon Gabriel, but he has yet to say whom he thinks is in the lead.

Cabot responded by saying she knows she’s been an inspiration to young women and girls, and felt like she hoped she set the tone and opened doors for other females in the sports field.

"I know so many women who have joined the football world especially because of some of the things I've been able to do over the years, I'm happy about that."

📞@MaryKayCabot responds to Shilo Sanders comment https://t.co/nRz4q8ynTFpic.twitter.com/jmLiTCldDE

— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) April 30, 2026

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Shilo Sanders doubles down on criticism of Browns beat reporter

Minter ‘Stoked’ About Calais Campbell Return

The Ravens are bringing back a familiar presence, and Jesse Minter couldn't be more excited about it. With Calais Campbell agreeing to terms, Minter didn't hold back when describing what the veteran still brings to the table.

When asked about the move, Minter pointed to both Campbell's production and leadership as major additions.

“Stoked. We've agreed to terms with Calais [Campbell]. He'll be here sometime this week to kind of finalize things, and [we’re] really excited about it. [Calais Campbell] had 6.5 sacks last year. He's still playing at such an unbelievable level. We all know what type of man and person and teammate and leader that he is, but this is because he's such a really good player at this age and where he's at. He'll really help us. He'll be great for the young guys, of course, because that's who Calais is, but I'm looking forward to seeing what he brings on the field [and] in between the lines.” 

For Minter, the excitement ultimately comes down to what Campbell can still deliver between the lines—both as a disruptive force and as a tone-setter for the defense. As Baltimore continues to build toward the 2026 season, Campbell's return adds both proven production and veteran leadership to a defense aiming to remain one of the league’s most physical and consistent units.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Jesse Minter is excited about Calais Campbell's Ravens return

Randall Ready to Learn from Derrick Henry

There's no shortcut to development in the NFL, but learning from elite talent helps. That's exactly how Adam Randall is approaching his opportunity alongside Derrick Henry. When asked what he's most looking forward to, Randall pointed to the chance to observe and absorb as much as he can.

“I'm just looking forward to being able to get in the room and see how [Derrick Henry] works. And also, all the other guys, just seeing how they are ‘pro’s pros,’ and just being at the Ravens organization. I know that they have great players and great men in their position rooms, and I'm just going to be a sponge and a fly on the wall in that meeting room, and I’ll take everything that I can and apply it to my game. With Derrick Henry having a taller stature like I am, I'm just going to continue to learn how to work on my pad level and shorten up my strides, just to continue to be a better running back.” 

Randall’s mindset reflects exactly what Baltimore values in its young players—humility, attention to detail, and a willingness to learn from proven veterans. By studying Henry's preparation and refining key aspects like pad level and stride efficiency, Randall is positioning himself to maximize his physical tools and carve out a role within a disciplined, veteran-led offense.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens rookie Adam Randall plans to study Derrick Henry closely

Chandler Rivers Credits Effort for Playmaking Ability

When it comes to making plays on the ball, some players point to instincts, film study, or natural ability. For Chandler Rivers, the explanation is a lot simpler than that. Early in rookie minicamp, Rivers has already shown the kind of mentality coaches look for in a young defensive back, one built around consistency, effort, and doing your job on every snap. It’s not about chasing highlights. It's about being in the right position and trusting that the results will follow.

When asked about his ability to create turnovers and make plays on the ball during his college career, Rivers didn't overcomplicate his answer.

“I mean, I feel like that just comes from playing hard, honestly, just playing hard, doing what you're supposed to do. Good things happen to those who do what they’re supposed to do.” 

That mindset aligns with the Ravens' defensive identity—one built on accountability, effort, and execution. Rather than chasing big plays, Rivers is focused on doing his job on every snap, trusting that the results will follow. As he begins his NFL career, that approach could serve him well. For a rookie trying to earn a role in a competitive secondary, consistency and effort are often the fastest path to making an impact.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Chandler Rivers brings an effort-based approach to football

Clear your schedule – the NFL schedule release is coming.

While NFL regular-season games are still months away, fans can begin planning their fall travel in due time when the NFL schedule is released in May.

While the remainder of the 2026 NFL schedule will be released soon, a number of games have already been announced, mainly across borders.

The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams are set to bring American football to Australia, the first game to be played in the country. Melbourne will host the game in Week 1, getting the international slate underway early.

More: Roger Goodell not worried about Kyle Shanahan's Australia game concerns

There are eight international games in addition to the Week 1 NFC West matchup "Down Under" – but that's not all we know about the schedule this upcoming season as we await official word.

Here's what else we already know about the NFL schedule ahead of its official release:

When does the NFL season start?

The defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks will open the 2026 NFL season and defend their home turf on Wednesday, Sept. 9, with their opponent TBA.

It's customary for the defending Super Bowl champs to open the season – what isn't is the fact that the Seahawks are set to take the field on a Wednesday rather than a Thursday.

The NFL is leaving some room for an international game the following day.

NFL international games, schedule in 2026

The league is set to play a record nine international games in 2026. The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams are set to play the first game in Australia, taking place in Week 1, on Thursday, Sept. 10.

A number of other games on international soil fill out the remaining eight, with most yet to be solidified. They are:

Australia game

• Week 1 (Sept. 10): Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers | Melbourne Cricket Ground | Melbourne

Brazil game

• Week 3 (Sept. 27): Dallas Cowboys vs. Baltimore Ravens | Maracaña Stadium | Rio de Janeiro

France game

• New Orleans Saints vs. TBA | Stade de France | Paris

Germany game

• Detroit Lions vs. TBA | Allianz Arena | Munich

London games

• Jacksonville Jaguars vs. TBA | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | London
• Washington Commanders vs. TBA | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | London
• Jacksonville Jaguars vs. TBA | Wembley Stadium | London

Mexico game

• San Francisco 49ers vs. TBA | Estadio Banorte | Mexico City

Spain game

• Atlanta Falcons vs. TBA | Bernabéu | Madrid

NFL opponents by team

Of course, opponents for all 32 teams have already been decided, as is the way the NFL schedule is formulated. For a look at every opponent for every team in the NFL, click here.

When is the 2026 NFL schedule release?

• Date: Between May 12 and May 14

The NFL is set to release its 2026 schedule between May 12 and May 14, with the date TBD. The NFL takes its schedule release up until the last minute, but the date is sure to come mid-May, per usual.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 NFL schedule release: When is it, and what we already know

NFL may decide to open Broncos' 2026 season off with a predictable primetime bang originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

With the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft, the calendar shifts to May, which means the next big event on the NFL calendar is the release of the schedule for the regular season. 

That generally takes place in mid-May, and an exact date should be announced soon. It's one of those things that fans look forward to and the NFL does a great job of mapping out the offseason to keep fans intrigued and engaged. 

We know which teams the Denver Broncos will face in 2026, but the release of the schedule will give us the answer to when those games will take place, and that's when fans start to get really excited, as it allows them to forecast how the season might go. 

Denver Broncos' 2026 opponents

Home: Chiefs, Chargers, Raiders, Bills, Dolphins, Jaguars, Seahawks, Rams
Away: Chiefs, Chargers, Raiders, Patriots, Jets, Steelers, 49ers, Cardinals, Panthers

Who will Broncos face in Week 1 of 2026 season?

If the Broncos open the season at home, there is a can't-miss opportunity for the NFL to kick the season off on a high note. 

In last year's divisional round, the Broncos and Buffalo Bills played in one of the most memorable games of the season. The game went to overtime with the Broncos winning 33-30, but it didn't end without some controversy. This play remains hotly debated by both teams' fanbases. 

JA'QUAN MCMILLIAN INTERCEPTION

BUFvsDEN on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/S3yuoRu30c

— NFL (@NFL) January 18, 2026

Ruled an interception by Denver defensive back Ja'Quan McMillian, every fan of the Bills will tell you that it was a catch by Brandin Cooks. In the end, it led to the Broncos getting the game-winning field goal and ending Buffalo's Super Bowl hopes. 

But the excitement didn't last long for Broncos Country. Shortly after the game ended, the team was notified that Bo Nix broke his ankle on one of the final plays of the game and would miss the rest of the postseason. That ultimately cost the Broncos their chance to get to the Super Bowl. 

The Broncos and Bills are expected to be two of the top teams in the AFC again this season and it would be a huge way to kick off the year. The NFL could put this game as the season opener on Sunday Night Football and that should be considered a strong possibility. 

HOT READ:Broncos predicted to replace starting cornerback in early 2027 mock draft

The Broncos have not opened a season on Sunday Night Football since the 2014 season. If you're predicting who the Broncos will face in Week 1, the Bills have to be considered one of the favorites. 

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The Las Vegas Raiders just freed up more playing time for rookie defensive end/edge rusher Keyron Crawford.

The Las Vegas Raiders surprised many people in the 2026 NFL Draft. They did so by drafting the amazing class they did, and by taking Keyron Crawford in the third round.

It didn't shock people because he's a bad player who shouldn't have been taken in the third round. He's a great player who could have been taken late in the second. It shocked people because the Raiders had far more pressing needs on their board, with players available who could fill them. Instead, they went with an edge rusher who likely won't even play the most at his position, at least, not until the end of the year. Well, that was the initial thought. Now, his path to playing more just got a bit easier.

On Saturday, the Raiders made a flurry of roster moves. They signed S Devyn Perkins, OT Niklas Henning, TE Patrick Gurd, and OT Kamar Missouri. Then, they waived DE Charles Snowden, OG McClendon Curtis, TE Matt Lauter, and OG Layden Robinson. The surprising one here is Snowden, who started 18 games for the Raiders over the last two seasons.

This comes as a surprise because you'd think they would just keep him as depth. Given his experience, he could be a great depth piece. But this opens up playing time for Crawford, who can be a legit pass rush ace on defense.

Kayron Crawford has insane potential as a pass rusher

Crawford's path to football was unconventional; he didn't start playing until his senior year of high school. Despite that, last year, many considered him a more promising prospect than teammate Keldrick Faulk, a first-round pick. He has insane potential, and tools the Raiders could tap into even this year.

Over the past two seasons, Crawford's pass rush win rates increased-from 15.8% on 152 snaps in 2024 to 19.7% on 240 snaps in 2025-ranking just behind Rueben Bain, David Bailey, Romello Height, Akheem Mesidor, and Derrick Moore, according to Tristen Kuhn. These numbers help explain why the Raiders are so high on him. Now, there is one less person standing in his way.

Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza told the media he will not be visiting the White House with his former team, the Indiana Hoosiers, to meet President Trump.

Mendoza says he doesn’t want to make a bad impression on his new teammates.

“As a rookie, I don't think that's a good look. I gotta prove myself. I can't miss practice."

Some fans understood where Mendoza was coming from; others didn’t, and they made it clear how disappointed they were in him. 

“His family immigrated…

A little appreciation to miss practice once won’t kill him.”

His family immigrated…

A little appreciation to miss practice once won’t kill him.#Ungrateful

— Xavier Mackman (@HoopAntics) May 3, 2026

“I love politics I LOVE POLITICS give me a person who I can debate with or chat with any day. But even I, if I were Fernando, I wouldn't say this stuff, ever. Why not just save it for your private conversations now? He's literally the #1 pick. With great power comes great responsibility.”

I love politics I LOVE POLITICS give me a person who I can debate with or chat with any day. But even I, if I were Fernando, I wouldn't say this stuff, ever. Why not just save it for your private conversations now? He's literally the #1 pick. With great power comes great…

— a n o n (@nymNYGnyr) May 3, 2026

This kid is turning out to be a total douche at every turn

— JustARegularGuy (@JustARegGuy77) May 3, 2026

A lot of other fans appreciated Mendoza’s dedication to his team.

“Why? Who would criticize him for that. The dude is the number 1 pick. He is absolutely right.”

Why? Who would criticize him for that. The dude is the number 1 pick. He is absolutely right

— Digger310 (@idiocracy310) May 3, 2026

“He's got a good excuse.  He's trying to make his bones in the NFL and it's good that he's taking it serious.”

He's got a good excuse. He's trying to make his bones in the NFL and it's good that he's taking it serious.

— Jenny (@LuckyOptimist) May 3, 2026

The right move. Gotta keep practicing

— DemPicks (@SolidPicks88) May 3, 2026

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Fernando Mendoza faces criticism after skipping White House visit

Hundreds of picks filed in during the 2026 NFL Draft, but the New Orleans Saints may have uncovered the biggest steal of the draft by signing edge rusher Michael Heldman from Central Michigan as an undrafted free agent. While he may not have the same level of hype as the drafted players, his college production speaks for itself. He is a strong candidate to secure a spot on the 53-man roster and could make an immediate impact.

The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner highlighted Heldman as a player to watch. He is not simply a developmental prospect with significant room for improvement — the Saints may be acquiring a polished and pro-ready defender right from the start.

"A complete edge in the MAC, Heldman (6-4, 268) had a dominant 2025 at Central Michigan (10 1/2 sacks and 16 1/2 tackles for loss)," Baumgardner wrote. "A savvy run defender with powerful hands, Heldman is an ascending talent who could surprise."

Heldman has the prototypical frame for a modern NFL defensive end at 6-foot-4 and 268 pounds. He's technically sound, which had plenty of scouts interested during the pre-draft process. His 10.5 sacks in 2025 were, in part, also thanks to his relentless motor.

As the Saints look to bolster their defensive front with the potential departure of Cameron Jordan looming, Heldman will be a name to watch. If he can adapt quickly to the next level, his dominance in the MAC could translate into becoming a consistent contributor in New Orleans. Don't be surprised if Heldman is brought up plenty of times as the 2026 NFL season approaches.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: The Athletic argues Michael Heldman is Saints' biggest UDFA sleeper

The Los Angeles Rams waited until the sixth round to add a wide receiver in the draft, but they got a good one in CJ Daniels. He was one of Miami’s top weapons last season during its run to the national championship game, showing reliable hands and the ability to make tough catches in traffic.

He’s exactly the type of receiver the Rams like to have on offense, and he’ll get a chance to compete for starting snaps right away. Pre-draft scouting reports paint a good picture of Daniels’ game, explaining what he does well and where he can improve.

Here are two breakdowns from revered draft analysts.

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

Daniels has a tremendous feel for creating catch opportunities with varied route tempo, body control and late separation tactics. He will struggle against a quality press and might need to be schemed into releases against certain corners. Daniels excels in putting himself between the throw and the defender, winning contested catches at a high rate during his time at LSU (2024) and Miami (2025). He’s confident, crafty and focused, but he’s average after the catch and unlikely to help on special teams, so his road to a roster spot will be challenging.

Dane Brugler, The Athletic

Daniels doesn’t have a true difference-making trait, but his package of skills is easy to appreciate. He has quality size and foot quickness with gliding movements to attack coverage. Whether wide open or double covered, he frames the ball with the same focus and prides himself on doing whatever is asked of him within the offense. Overall, Daniels might lack explosive speed, but he creates separation with crafty instincts and finishes with dependable ball skills. He projects best inside as a “big slot” in the NFL, who can rely on his awareness and toughness to be productive.

Daniels isn’t going to wow anyone with explosiveness or speed, but he runs good routes and has strong, reliable hands. That’ll help him on throws over the middle and in the red zone, where it can be tight quarters and close coverage.

Even though he’s a sixth-round rookie, he’s someone to watch this summer.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Scouting reports for new Rams WR CJ Daniels

The Miami Dolphins were set to make their first pick in the 2026 NFL draft at No. 11 overall, but after a trade, they actually picked at No. 12 and took Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor.

Ahead of the draft, Proctor worked extensively with the team at OL Masterminds and was even featured in some of their content, where he shared some of his goals for his NFL career.

"It's definitely such a blessing out there and to be known as one of the top guys," Proctor said. "It's the top of the top. It's been my dream. It's been the ultimate goal of everybody here. Working at Sports Academy, [the goal] is to go to the NFL. Now that it's right there, it's so exciting to me. Greatness, what it means to me, is being around those like-minded people, like Coach [Nick] Saban, being around Duke [Mayweather], other first-round picks, training with them... I want to be an All-Pro. I want to be All-Rookie team. I want to be a Hall of Famer by the time it’s all said and done. Obviously, I want to go win a Super Bowl with my team.”

After starting 39 games at left tackle for the Crimson Tide over the last three years, Proctor is set to begin his NFL career at left guard, with the Dolphins having Patrick Paul and Austin Jackson at left and right tackle, respectively.

If Proctor plays the full year at left guard, he'll have a strong chance to make the All-Rookie team. Olaivavega Ioane will probably be his biggest challenge, but the Dolphins' first-round pick should be in contention.

As far as the rest of the accolades and accomplishments go, he'll have to really prove himself. There were already many people questioning his draft position, so he should have some extra fuel on that fire. And, if he's part of the group that ends Miami's Super Bowl drought, he'll be remembered forever.

More Dolphins: Former Dolphins WR attempting NFL comeback with NFC North team

This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins OL Kadyn Proctor reveals extremely high goals for NFL career

After nine years in Cleveland with the Browns, tight end David Njoku is still trying to find a home for the 2026 NFL season, even after visiting the Baltimore Ravens last month.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that Njoku is scheduled to visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday. Njoku is one of the few big-name remaining free agents who have yet to find a home. He has been ranked No. 76 on PFT's list of this year's top free agents.

Last season in Cleveland, he had 33 catches for 293 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games. For his career, he has 384 catches for 4,062 yards and 34 touchdowns.

The Chargers could use a weapon at the tight end position to help quarterback Justin Herbert be more successful when it comes to winning playoff games. Currently, the tight ends on the roster for Los Angeles are Oronde Gadsden and Charlie Kolar.

Njoku is 6-foot-4 and can help protect Herbert, who takes too many sacks in the pocket.

In Cleveland, the yards per catch for Njoku have dropped off, but Los Angeles could be a stop to revitalize him in the passing game.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: David Njoku is scheduled to visit Chargers on Monday

Minter Praises Rookie Urgency Early in Camp

It's only the rookie minicamp, but the early signs are exactly what the Ravens wanted to see. From effort to attention to detail, Jesse Minter has already seen encouraging flashes from his rookie class.

When discussing his first impressions, Minter emphasized that the players expected to stand out are already doing just that and bringing the right mindset.

“Yes, I think the guys that you hope and want to look really good have done that. So, they've sort of met just that initial hope and expectation of what you kind of want Vega [Ioane] to look like coming off the ball or Zion [Young] to look like striking a sled or lining up across from people. So, it's a rookie minicamp in May, and we're not really in full gear. So, we're trying to be smart from a physicality standpoint. But I really just enjoyed the guys’ urgency, like their eagerness to want to learn, their eagerness to want to get better. They learn how we operate going from drill to drill and doing the different things that we try to do. So overall, I’m really pleased with the whole group. But especially just the guys that you want to look really good have looked really good, and so that's a great start for them.” 

For the Baltimore Ravens, early impressions only go so far, but the urgency and responsiveness shown by rookies like Vega Ioane and Zion Young provide exactly the kind of foundation the coaching staff hoped to see. As practices ramp up and the physical demands increase, sustaining that same energy and attention to detail will be the real test—but for now, it’s a promising start for a class expected to contribute sooner rather than later.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens rookies show eagerness, strong start at minicamp

At some point this offseason, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix was running.

Nix took to Instagram on Friday evening to share eight photos and one video from this spring. "Good times flying by," Nix captioned his post. The ninth and final slide on Nix's Instagram post was a video of him running, and he looked to be healthy following a season-ending ankle injury during the NFL playoffs in January.

However, the video is not dated. Nix posted it on Friday, but it's unclear when the footage was filmed. It is presumably a video from earlier this spring because Nix just underwent a cleanup procedure on his ankle last week, and it's hard to imagine him doing full-speed sprints just days after a cleanup procedure. We don't know Nix's ankle status, though, so it's impossible to say exactly when the footage as filmed without Nix's own confirmation.

Bo Nix’s latest Instagram post includes a video of him running: https://t.co/iYR2Joy1Lgpic.twitter.com/mQquUUZQpg

— Jon Heath (@ByJonHeath) May 1, 2026

NFL Network has reported that Nix is expected to be ready to go at or near the start of training camp, which typically begins in late July. Broncos fans will hope to see Nix healthy and fully recovered this summer.

Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.

This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: NFL news: Bo Nix (ankle) shares Instagram video showing QB running

Month after signing a $67.5 million deal with the Miami Dolphins, NFL quarterback Malik Willis found himself in the spotlight for an unexpected reason.

The Dolphins deal marked a major step in his career after previous stints in the league, and his arrival in Miami brought increased attention both on and off the field.

That attention shifted to baseball when Willis threw the ceremonial first pitch before the Miami Marlins faced the Philadelphia Phillies last Friday. The moment quickly became a talking point online.

Fans react as Malik Willis struggles with ceremonial first pitch

Willis’ throw before the Marlins’ 6-5 loss to the Phillies drew widespread reactions on social media. The pitch missed its target significantly, prompting a wave of comments on X.

“I’ll never understand why a quarterback can’t throw a baseball. It’s different but not that different,” one user wrote.

Others responded with humour. “What do you mean? That’s a 15-yard gain on the right side,” another fan posted ironically.

“Seems like we’re seeing this all the time now, otherwise good athletes who throw a baseball poorly,” read another comment, while a fourth person added, “Good thing this guy’s career doesn’t depend on being able to throw a ball with accuracy…”

Malik Willis offers simple explanation after viral moment

Willis addressed the situation briefly via Instagram after the game. His explanation focused on a single moment during the throw, as he wrote: “I slipped.”

Replays from different angles appear to support that claim. His plant foot visibly moved as he released the ball.

However, it remains unclear how much that slip affected the final result.

Read more:

Commanders listed among likeliest landing spots for free-agent WR Adam Peters knows well originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Washington Commanders have added to their wide receivers room this offseason, but the team still has more work to do.

The Commanders reunited with Dyami Brown and Treylon Burks, and they inked Van Jefferson in free agency. In the 2026 NFL Draft, Antonio Williams was taken in the third round to further bolster the room behind No. 1 target Terry McLaurin.

But none of those wide receivers are a legit No. 2 option, and it remains to be seen if Brandon Aiyuk will ever get cut by the San Francisco 49ers so the Commanders can scoop him up. Even if that happens, Aiyuk is hardly a sure thing himself after not playing at all last season.

In order to remedy the situation, the New York Post's Ryan Dunleavy thinks general manager Adam Peters and Co. could turn to former 49ers wideout, Jauan Jennings, who remains available on the open market.

Word is that Jennings, 28, overpriced himself in a market where five receivers secured at least $14 million per year, including his 49ers replacement Mike Evans. A physical run blocker, Jennings totaled 55 catches for 643 yards and nine touchdowns in 15 games.

Jennings already is visiting the Vikings, the Raiders didn’t draft a pass catcher for No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza until the sixth round, and the Commanders need a No. 2 receiver.

As Dunleavy notes, it's clear Jennings did not get what he was looking for on the open market, hence his availability at this late stage in free agency.

Putting that aside for now, Jennings, who was with Peters when he was in San Francisco, would be just what the doctor ordered for the Commanders.

Jennings had a down season in 2025, posting 643 yards, but he also scored nine touchdowns, showing just how deadly he can be in the red zone.

Even with those lackluster numbers, which were likely at least partly a result of his dealing with several injuries during the season, Jennings would've had the second-most receiving yards if he was on the Commanders in 2025.

For Jennings' best season, we have to go back to 2024, when he notched a career-high 975 receiving yards to go along with six touchdowns. Those numbers show Jennings is capable of being a very good No. 2 in an offense.

If the Commanders can secure Jennings and Aiyuk and combine them with McLaurin, they'll be good to go for the 2026 campaign.

The Atlanta Falcons landed arguably one of the biggest steals in the 2026 NFL Draft by taking Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell in the second round. However, just because Terrell was a projected first-round pick -- and A.J. Terrell's little brother -- doesn't mean he's guaranteed a starting job this season.

In 2025, fourth-round pick Billy Bowman Jr. won the team's starting nickel job out of training camp. The Falcons secondary has come a long way since then, and they won't have to rely on Terrell until he's ready. Aside from Atlanta's newest cornerback, the team had a new starting nose tackle in Maason Smith.

The Falcons also said goodbye to starting inside linebacker Kaden Elliss. We expect free-agent addition Christian Harris to replace Elliss this season, although Troy Anderson and rookie Kendal Daniels should be in the mix as well.

As for James Pearce Jr., he's expected to avoid legal troubles, although the NFL could still suspend the Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist. Other than that, we don't expect any major changes on defense.

Check out our starting lineup projection for the Falcons defense, including Pro Football Focus grades for each player.

Falcons starting defense with PFF grades

• DL Zach Harrison: 63.8
• DT Maason Smith: 49.1
• DL Brandon Dorlus: 63.4
• EDGE Jalon Walker: 71.6
• LB Divine Deablo: 77.7
• LB Christian Harris: 54.8
• EDGE James Pearce Jr.: 56.2
• CB A.J. Terrell: 57.7
• CB Mike Hughes: 58.6
• NB Billy Bowman Jr: 49.8
• S Jessie Bates III: 64.5
• S Xavier Watts: 72.4

Defensively, the team traded Ruke Orhorhoro to the Jacksonville Jaguars, acquiring Maason Smith in a rare player-for-player trade of two former second-round picks. Since the Falcons didn't add any potential Day 1 starters in the draft. Sixth-round pick Anterio Thompson should provide depth behind Brandon Dorlus this season.

While rookie Avieon Terrell should be in the mix for Atlanta's starting nickel job, we think he'll begin on the outside as the backup for Mike Hughes. However, Bowman's recovery from his Achilles injury could be a factor.

Falcons special teams with PFF grades

• K Nick Folk: 91.3
• P JakeBailey: 75.1
• LSLiam McCullough: 68.3

As you can see, the Falcons have two new starters, including the NFL's most accurate kicker in Nick Folk. Atlanta also signed veteran punter Jake Bailey. Meanwhile, long snapper Liam McCullough returns for another season.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons: Post-draft starting lineup on defense

The Pittsburgh Steelers put together an exciting 2026 NFL Draft class featuring 10 standout selections and six undrafted free agents, with fans getting their first glimpse of the talented players at the team's upcoming rookie minicamp.

On Thursday, the Steelers revealed a complete look at their rookie minicamp dates, with Day 1 kicking off on May 8, followed by Day 2 on May 9 and Day 3 on May 10.

Here is a projection of which players could attend next week's rookie minicamp:

Drafted rookies

• Offensive tackle Max Iheanachor
• Wide receiver Germie Bernard
• Quarterback Drew Allar
• Cornerback Daylen Everette
• Offensive guard Gennings Dunker
• Kick returner Kaden Wetjen
• Tight end/fullback Riley Nowakowski
• Defensive lineman Gabriel Rubio
• Safety Robert Spears-Jennings
• Runningback/wide receiver Eli Heidenreich

Undrafted rookies

• Defensive tackle Kevin Jobity Jr.
• Tight end Chamon Metayer
• Tight end Lake McRee
• Cornerback Devan Boykin
• Linebacker Daylan Carnell
• Kicker Laith Marjan

For up-to-date Steelers coverage, including any offseason moves, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers announce 2026 rookie minicamp schedule

The New England Patriots had one of the best defenses in the NFL in 2025. However, the Patriots will need to prove that they’re still among the best units in the league in a brand new season in 2026.

According to Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport, the Patriots approach next season with the sixth-best defense in the NFL.

The Patriots have retained most of their top performers from last year after free agency took its course. New England’s secondary is strong. The Patriots signed First-Team All-Pro safety Kevin Byard in free agency to replace Jaylinn Hawkins, who New England lost to the Baltimore Ravens in the open market.

New England also signed Dre’Mont Jones to replace K’Lavon Chaisson on the edge in 2026 with similar production, or better, as the franchise hopes for.

Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis form one of the best cornerback duos in the NFL. Milton Williams and Christian Barmore form a pairing in the interior that pressured opposing quarterbacks at an astounding rate in 2025.

Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss provide activity in the Patriots’ second line of defense, making New England’s outlook for next season in line with what they achieved in their run to the Super Bowl last season.

Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots land in top 10 in post-NFL draft defensive rankings

OWINGS MILLS, MD – It’s now been a full week since the 2026 NFL Draft began receding into the rearview mirror. Next, the league’s newcomers hit the road – fully embracing what they see through the windshield as they leave home, college campuses and/or pre-draft training sites to take the on-ramp for the unofficial starts of their pro football careers as 31 of the NFL’s 32 clubs conduct May's rookie minicamps – eight of them wrapping up this weekend, with 23 more set to be in full swing next weekend. (The Detroit Lions opted out of their rookie minicamp, altering the approach to their offseason.)

“The message for those guys is, like, every day has to be the most important day of your career now. If you really want to make it, and you really want to find that consistency – like every meeting and every rep is the most important rep and especially from a mental standpoint. It's not always going to be a thousand miles an hour physically. But every opportunity in the meeting room, in the weight room, in the walk-throughs, every rep is the most important rep of your career,” Ravens rookie head coach Jesse Minter said Saturday when asked about where he wants his rookies focused.

“For these guys, it's not always about gaining the trust of me or the coaches. It's really about gaining the trust of our veterans and our leaders – and they can do that over the course of the rest of the offseason program and in training camp. And most of the time, in my experience, even as just a defensive coach, the veteran players come to you and say, ‘Hey, that rookie is ready to help us,’ before you even say that as a coach.”

FIRST IMPRESSION? 'Foot in the door,' what Diego Pavia did at Ravens minicamp

Yet the NFL is a cruel zero-sum game. For every rookie who makes a strong enough impression – or gets drafted highly enough – to land on the 53-man roster, one of those veterans Minter mentioned is suddenly out of a job. And though the rooks and the vets haven’t mixed in practices yet, the older guys know plenty how this league works – and that they’re on notice amid the arrival of younger (and often cheaper) labor.

“I see a good room. But I want a great room. I want a dominant room. I want a bunch of pit bulls out there flying around making plays on the football,” new Giants coach John Harbaugh said specifically about his cornerbacks following the selection of Colton Hood in Round 2 − though almost any coach would apply that sentiment to each and every area of his roster.

“(H)e's going to light a fire in that room. You better be ready. You better be ready to compete.”

It’s a warning established players around the league should heed as the anticipatory aspect of the offseason gives way to an increasingly fraught one. As the 2026 season draws closer, here are 26 veterans who appear to be on thin ice in the aftermath of the 2026 draft:

QB Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals

Career QB2s are usually on shaky ground in some respect. However Brissett’s position could be increasingly tenuous given he’s angling for more money in 2026 … when the Cards could also turn to another capable understudy, Gardner Minshew II, if not third-rounder Carson Beck – who should get a long look at some point as this team assesses its QB plan for 2027 as well.

RB James Conner, Arizona Cardinals

He’s been the heartbeat of this team in the past. He’ll also be 31 this season, is coming back from a season-ending ankle injury and is probably ticketed for No. 3 on the depth chart following the signing of Tyler Allgeier in free agency and, certainly, the selection of RB Jeremiyah Love, maybe this draft’s best player, at No. 3 overall. Here’s hoping Conner maybe gets traded to a contender at some point this year as his impressive and inspiring career seemingly heads into its wind-down phase.

CB Mike Hughes, Atlanta Falcons

Never a star, the 2018 first-rounder has nevertheless hung around the league for a while. However he might not be much longer for the ATL as the Falcons prepare to team CB A.J. Terrell Jr. with his little brother, second-rounder Avieon Terrell, who’s comfortable lining up wide or in the slot.

WR Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens

He’s signed through the 2029 season, yet the cap hit to release him is fairly negligible a year from now. But 19 catches in 13 games, Bateman’s production in 2025, just isn’t going to cut it – especially after Baltimore selected WRs Ja'Kobi Lane (Round 3) and Elijah Sarratt (Round 4), who are both bigger than Bateman.

OLB Tavius Robinson, Baltimore Ravens

After trading for Maxx Crosby before bailing out of the deal, signing Trey Hendrickson and, now, drafting Zion Young in the second round, it’s pretty obvious Baltimore’s rebooting defense is looking for more production off the edge – which might also include a much stronger sophomore season from 2025 second-rounder Mike Green. None of it portends well for Robinson, who’s been unremarkable in three seasons.

LT Ickey Ekwonu, Carolina Panthers

Not only did he rupture a patellar tendon in the playoffs, not only did the Panthers sign veteran LT Rasheed Walker in free agency, but Carolina also picked OT Monroe Freeling in Round 1. Could be tough for Ekwonu, the sixth overall pick in 2022 (now entering his fifth-year option), to get a second contract in Charlotte.

C Garrett Bradbury, Chicago Bears

Obtained via trade after Drew Dalman’s surprise retirement, Bradbury is likely just a short-term fix – and his contract expires after this season – following the arrival of Logan Jones in the second round.

DE Myles Murphy, Cincinnati Bengals

The 2023 first-rounder has 8½ sacks and 92 pressures, per Next Gen Stats, through three seasons – middling production that led Cincy to decline his fifth-year option … and on the heels of drafting fastball Cashius Howell in the second round. Connect the dots.

S Grant Delpit, Cleveland Browns

How long can the plus-sized, hard-hitting former second-round safety hold off a plus-sized, hard-hitting newly drafted second round safety – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, who was widely expected to go in Round 1 this year?

QBs Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns

Watson, the lightning rod former Pro Bowler, has reached the final year of his controversial contract and Sanders is merely a former fifth-rounder despite the ability he showcased in college and flashed as a rookie. They’re now currently locked in a battle for the QB1 job, Watson perhaps pulling ahead. Regardless, given the amount of talent GM Andrew Berry has provided this year, both in terms of a radically revamped offensive line and two new wideouts in the draft – KC Concepcion (Round 1), Denzel Boston (Round 2) – one of the QBs better have a standout season if they’re going to dissuade Berry from taking another passer in the 2027 draft.

CB Keisean Nixon, Green Bay Packers

His age (29 by Week 1) and lame duck status with his contract set to expire in 2027 make Nixon the most vulnerable Pack corner – certainly in terms of his standing in 2027 – with talented Brandon Cisse onboarding via the second round.

G Patrick Mekari, Jacksonville Jaguars

There wasn’t much to like about the Jags’ draft, though third-round G Emmanuel Pregnon was perhaps the notable exception. Mekari didn’t distinguish himself last season, and his base salary balloons from $1.3 million in 2026 to $12 million in 2027. Whether or not Pregnon is the better player already, he’s most definitely the more cost effective one a year from now.

DT Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs

Be careful how much you teach the new guy, O.G. Jones is coming off his worst season in years, his 10.4% pressure rate the lowest he’s managed over the past eight seasons. He’ll also be 32 by Week 1, and has no guarantees in his contract after this season. And a Chiefs dynasty very much in a state of transition just overhauled its defense, including the selection of DT Peter Woods at the end of Round 1.

QB Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders

The soon-to-be 38-year-old knows he’s keeping the QB1 seat warm for No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. The only question is for how long.

OLB Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers

Once the 35-year-old stops taking one-year deals, the nine-time Pro Bowler’s Hall of Fame clock will start ticking. Will the arrival of first-rounder Akheem Mesidor, who’s even bigger than Mack and seems more likely to play inside as a rookie expedite the former Defensive Player of the Year’s departure? Stay tuned.

OT Austin Jackson, Miami Dolphins

A first-round pick in 2020, he’s never really lived up to that billing and is only under contract through this season. And while first-rounder Kadyn Proctor is set to play left guard in 2026, he played tackle exclusively at Alabama and seems destined to settle in there sooner or later.

LBs Jordyn Brooks and Tyrel Dodson, Miami Dolphins

The Fins’ projected starters at off-ball backer next season, both Brooks and Dodson are also on expiring contracts – though rookie GM Jon-Eric Sullivan has previously mentioned Brooks as a player he viewed as foundational. That was also before Sullivan drafted highly regarded ILB Jacob Rodriguez in the second round and seemed to get a steal by enlisting Kyle Louis in the fourth – though it remains to be seen if he’s a better fit at linebacker or safety, though he was drafted at the former position. Regardless, it seems inevitable that Rodriguez, a turnover-causing machine with strong leadership skills, will displace at least one of the vets currently ahead of him on the depth chart – and quite possibly this season.

OT Morgan Moses, New England Patriots

He’s been a solid player in the league for a long time, 175 regular-season starts under his belt. Moses is also 35 and struggled down the stretch last season, noticeably in the Super Bowl loss to Seattle. First-rounder Caleb Lomu mostly played on the left side in college but, with a bit of experience and added strength, he might be coming for Moses’ job sooner than later – if not displacing 2025 first-rounder Will Campbell on the left side and forcing him to shift into Moses’ post.

CB Deonte Banks, New York Giants

A first-rounder in 2023, he’s one of those corners Harbaugh is now keeping a close eye on. Banks’ fifth-year option is already gone and so, too, might be the bulk of his 2026 playing time given the arrival of second-rounder Colton Hood.

WR Darius Slayton, New York Giants

He’s hung around for a while as a third or fourth option for the G-Men. That might soon be third-rounder Malachi Fields’ role, whose 6-foot-4, 222-pound frame should immediately make him a candidate to play on third downs and in red-zone packages.

OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux, New York Giants

The G-Men haven’t unloaded the fifth overall pick of the 2022 draft. Yet. But when the first prominent pass rusher somewhere else in the league gets hurt, don’t be surprised if his team becomes the latest to inquire about Thibodeaux and his 23½ career sacks. After all, with the Giants able to roll out 2025 NFC sack leader Brian Burns, 2025 first-rounder Abdul Carter and Arvell Reese, this year’s No. 5 selection, Thibodeaux has become an expensive luxury – if one who can still be employed regularly if Reese breaks in at the second level rather than off the edge.

WR A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles

As if the acquisitions of veterans Hollywood Brown and Dontayvion Wicks didn’t signal EVP/GM Howie Roseman’s intent to move on from Brown – likely next month, when the salary cap softens the team’s contractual hit – then certainly the trade up for Makai Lemon in Round 1 of the draft did.

OT Broderick Jones, Pittsburgh Steelers

A Round 1 selection three years ago, he only played in 11 games last season, is trying to come back from neck surgery – which is already casting a pall over his availability for the 2026 season – and didn’t get his fifth-year option picked up. And with newly minted first-rounder Max Iheanachor poised to bookend with Troy Fautanu, Jones very much seems like he’ll soon be the odd man out.

RB Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks

He got a ring, but it’s been a tough year for Charbonnet, who tore his ACL in the playoffs, missed the Super Bowl, is entering the walk year of his contract and will be vying for snaps with first-rounder Jadarian Price, who seems likely to get the bulk of departed Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III’s workload.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shedeur Sanders among 26 NFL veterans on shaky ground after 2026 draft

A former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback-wide receiver hybrid has found a new home after his untimely release from the Steel City brand of football.

According to the UFL Communications Department's X account, ex-Steelers QB/WR John Rhys Plumlee signed with the Houston Gamblers following their Week 6 loss to the Columbus Aviators.

Termination Via Waiver System:
Birmingham
WR, Laviska Shenault Jr.

DC
OLB, Durrell Johnson

Free Agent Signing:
Houston
QB, John Rhys Plumlee

— UFL Communications Department (@UFL_PR) May 3, 2026

In April 2024, Plumlee signed with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent and spent the offseason with Pittsburgh before being waived in August 2024. He signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars' practice squad shortly after but was released in November 2024.

Plumlee signed with the Seattle Seahawks' practice squad one week later and would eventually be signed to the active roster as a wide receiver. In August 2025, he was waived by Seattle with an injury designation as a part of final roster cuts.

For up-to-date Steelers coverage, including any offseason moves, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Ex-Steelers QB/WR John Rhys Plumlee joins UFL's Houston Gamblers

Are you ready for an announcement of an upcoming announcement?

The NFL is expected to announce its 2026 schedule later this month. Last year, the league announced the date for its schedule announcement during the first round of the NFL draft in late April. No such announcement was made during the 2026 NFL draft last month.

Each year, select networks announce key games ahead of the official NFL announcement — usually in the same week, just a few days before the full announcement. As @OzzyNFL has pointed out, NBC, Fox and Amazon are set to announce select games on Monday, May 11. ESPN will make an announcement on Tuesday, May 12. So it seems reasonable to assume the full schedule will be announced sometime next week.

Last year, the league announced its schedule on a Wednesday. Assuming they do the same this year, Wednesday, May 13, seems like a good guess for the full schedule release. While we wait, fans can view the Denver Broncos' list of 2026 opponents. Dates, times and television channels are TBA.

Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.

This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: When will the NFL announce 2026 schedule?

The Jacksonville Jaguars were named a fit for free agent Jadeveon Clowney, who remains one of the best available pass rushers following the 2026 NFL draft.

With the dust having settled on the NFL draft, Zachary Pereles of CBS Sports highlighted the biggest position of need for all 32 teams and then noted a free agent to fill that need as well.

When it came to the Jaguars, Pereles believes that Jacksonville must still address their pass rush, and suggested that Clowney would be a good fit for that.

"The Jaguars have had a difficult offseason, losing Devin Lloyd and Trevis Etienne Jr. in free agency and having a baffling draft thereafter," Pereles wrote. "Offensive line could use an upgrade or two, even after the Emmanuel Pregnon selection, but Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker desperately need some help. Clowney continues to be productive against the run and the pass."

Clowney, a three-time Pro Bowler, has remained productive throughout his NFL career. Over the last two seasons, he's totaled 40-plus quarterback pressures with 14 total sacks. He's also not that far removed from a big 2023 season, when he recorded a career-high 78 pressures with Baltimore.

Bolstering the pass rush has been on the offseason to-do list for the Jaguars. Last season, Jacksonville ranked 18th in pressure rate and 27th in sacks.

In the draft, the Jaguars added Wesley Williams and Zach Durfee to the mix. They will compete with BJ Green and Danny Striggow for the rotational snaps behind Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker.

That said, those four players have little to no experience at the NFL level. So while there is competition for playing time, whether or not that turns to production remains to be seen. This is why adding a veteran presence, like Clowney, to the mix does make some sense.

On the flip side, rostering Clowney likely means parting with one of the team's young pass rushers during roster cutdowns. Rostering seven defensive ends isn't feasible. So another question is, are the Jaguars willing to do that for a veteran on what is likely a one-year deal?

The Jaguars do not have an abundance of salary cap space, but no signing at this stage of the offseason should break the bank either.

This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Jaguars named fit for free agent Jadeveon Clowney after NFL draft

Ravens Stick to Their Board on Lane, Hibner Picks

Not every Ravens pick lined up with public consensus, but that’s never been how they operate. On The Lounge Podcast, GM Eric DeCosta doubled down on their process when discussing selections like Ja'Kobi Lane and Matt Hibner.

“Our board is our board. We do months of work, and sometimes our evaluations differ from public consensus. Ja’Kobi Lane is a big receiver — 6’4”, ran a 4.46, excellent at contested catches with great hands. He has a connection through Todd Heap. We think he can be a real weapon for Lamar, especially adding big-bodied jump-ball guys after losing some speed.”

He also explained the aggressive move to go get Hibner:

“For Matt Hibner (tight end), we actually traded up 21 spots to get him. That’s rare for us, but we saw great value. He’s athletic and productive. We gave up a future sixth-round pick and felt it was worth it to move from the fifth to the fourth round.”

The aggressive move underscores how highly the Ravens view Hibner's combination of production and athleticism, as well as their desire to add versatility to the Declan Doyle-led offense. Together, the mid-round selections of Lane and Hibner reflect Baltimore's commitment to evolving its passing attack—adding size, physicality, and playmaking ability to complement its established offensive identity.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens GM details Ja'Kobi Lane fit, Matt Hibner move up value

The Atlanta Falcons have taken a cautious approach this offseason, which was essentially their only option due to a lack of salary cap space and draft capital. While the Falcons added six players in the 2026 NFL Draft, they won't be paying out a ton of money since their highest pick was No. 48 overall.

In terms of free agency spending, the team made several depth additions. The Falcons signed over a dozen players, targeting several veterans with starting experience while keeping their spending under control. Even quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is only getting the veteran minimum this season.

Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts signed his franchise tag, which takes up $15,045,000 this season. Wide receiver Jahan Dotson received the most money of the team's free agent class, but according to Over The Cap, he will only cost around $5 million against the cap in 2026.

So, how much cap space will the Falcons have after signing their 2026 NFL Draft class?

Falcons salary cap space: $19,117,655

• Effective cap space: $17,348,275

The Falcons have a little over $17 million in effective cap space, which is the amount after signing at least 51 players and their draft class to the roster. The team isn't exactly flush with cash, but there's enough money to sign a free agent or two.

Falcons dead money total: $43,860,329

• Kirk Cousins: $22,500,000
• Darnell Mooney: $11,000,000
• Kaleb McGary: $3,000,000
• David Onyemata: $2,425,000
• Ruke Orhorhoro: $2,015,864
• Younghoe Koo: $1,250,000
• Morgan Fox: $750,000
• KhaDarel Hodge: $625,000

The Falcons are paying over $43 million to eight different players. Trading defensive lineman Ruke Orhorhoro added over $2 million in dead money, but nobody is taking up more than Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins ($22.5 million). Former Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney is second on the list with $11 million in dead money followed by right tackle Kaleb McGary ($3 million).

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons salary cap: Post-draft cap numbers, dead money

Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Peter Woods spoke with reporters at Saturday's press conference during this weekend's rookie minicamp. He reflected on his rookie camp experience and shares his appreciation for the franchise's winning culture.

"It was great. I think the biggest part was just being able to be coached by (Defensive Line) Coach (Joe) Cullen for the first time," said Woods, "Just some of the relationships through the coaching world that I've had and heard about his coaching style and stuff like that, so I feel like we're going to have a great time together. It's going to be fun."

The Chiefs acquired the No. 29 pick to select Woods from the Los Angeles Rams at the start of the offseason in the blockbuster trade that involved cornerback Trent McDuffie. He was a Second-team Associated Press All-American in 2025, starting 12 games, finishing with 30 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks.

"I don't think there was much that I didn't know because the Chiefs do a lot of winning." said Woods, "I'd say that is probably what I learned too, that the Chiefs do a lot of winning and what went into it and I'm starting to see a little bit of that now, just how the practice goes and how the coaches coach and just the flow of everything. They've earned it at every corner, and we're looking to do that again."

The former Clemson standout's best season was in 2024, when he finished with 28 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and a forced fumble, earning Honorable Mention All-ACC honors. He played 5 snaps as a fullback in the jumbo package.

This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs DL Peter Woods appreciates Kansas City's winning culture

The Denver Broncos saw tight ends Eli Stowers (No. 54), Nate Boerkircher (No. 56), Marlin Klein (No. 59) and Max Klare (No. 61) all go off the board before they were scheduled to pick at No. 62 overall in the second round of the NFL draft last month.

Had there not been somewhat of a run on the position, Denver might have exited the second round with a new pass-catcher for quarterback Bo Nix. Instead, the Broncos decided to trade down into the third round.

"Denver explored taking a tight end somewhat early, but the board didn't fall that way," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported last week. "The Broncos would have considered Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers if he made it to No. 62 (he went eight picks earlier)."

Stowers was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles at pick No. 54 (and somebody at his draft party was wearing a Broncos hat). Alas, it wasn't meant to be for Stowers and Denver.

The Broncos did end up landing NC State tight end Justin Joly in the fifth round. "The Broncos really like his tape from 2024, when he played at a lighter weight," Fowler wrote for ESPN.

Some draft pundits had Joly graded as a fourth-round pick, so he could end up being a steal for Denver. After missing out on the top-ranked tight ends, the Broncos were still able to address the position with a high-upside prospect, so it may have worked out well in the end.

Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.

This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: NFL: Broncos would have considered Eli Stowers in NFL draft

Of the Jacksonville Jaguars 18 undrafted free agent signings, quarterback Joey Aguilar was one of the more highly-paid UDFAs across the NFL following the 2026 draft.

According to Spotrac, Aguilar earned $247,500 in guaranteed money. That guaranteed amount ranks 21st out of all UDFA signings, and isn't too far behind the highest mark of $310,000, set by Utah edge rusher Logan Fano, who signed with the Browns.

Could Joey Aguilar make a roster push with the Jaguars?

After spending a few years at Appalachian State, Aguilar made the jump to the SEC in 2025. Despite the elevated level of competition, Aguilar's completion rate increased significantly.

He also created more big plays through the air, while throwing 24 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. Following last year's draft, James Gladstone mentioned how impressed he was that Jalen McLeod made the jump in competition but remained productive.

Aguilar will be competing with Carter Bradley for the third quarterback spot on the depth chart behind Trevor Lawrence and Nick Mullens. Whether or not that position makes the 53-man roster remains to be seen.

Last season, Liam Coen rostered only two quarterbacks, with the third being on the practice squad. Aguilar's play this summer will have to convince Liam Coen to keep three this year.

Along with Aguilar, Colorado cornerback Preston Hodge received $67,500 in guaranteed money -- the second-most on the team.

This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 2026 NFL draft: Where Jaguars Joey Aguilar ranks among highest-paid UDFAs

How Kansas City's Peter Woods and Mansoor Delane plan to improve each other originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Kansas City Chiefs made two first-round picks on the defensive side in the 2026 NFL Draft, and somehow, both of them are already thinking about how to help the other one produce.

LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane went to Kansas City at sixth overall after the Chiefs traded up from No. 9 to land him, beating out the New Orleans Saints, who were reportedly lurking at that spot.

Kansas City turned around and picked Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods at No. 29. Two first-round picks on the same side of the ball, in the same draft, walking into the same building.

Already simpatico before camp starts

And according to Woods, they already have a system figured out. Asked about his friendship with Delane during the Chiefs' rookie minicamp, Woods kept his explanation compact: "I help him get interceptions and he helps me get sacks, we just keep it that simple."

#Chiefs rookie DT Peter Woods on his friendship with CB Mansoor Delane 🗣️

“I help him get interceptions and he helps me get sacks, we just keep it that simple” pic.twitter.com/L99jIJIK7Y

— SleeperChiefs (@SleeperChiefsKC) May 2, 2026

Kansas City addressed two real roster holes with these picks. After trading Trent McDuffie and letting Jaylen Watson walk in free agency, Delane walks into a CB1 role with the path largely clear in front of him.

Woods enters as an interior rusher playing alongside Chris Jones, one of the best at drawing double teams in the league, which should create single-coverage opportunities for the rookie from day one.

More news:

• Ravens reunite with Calais Campbell for what could be a final run
• Makai Lemon signs 4-year fully guaranteed Eagles contract

The New York Jets and their early slew of picks at the 2026 NFL Draft earned praise in a CBS Sports roundtable following the draft.

While the Jets did make three first-round selections, the second-round selection of cornerback D'Angelo Ponds was the standout one in the discussion. His all-around abilities in the secondary were called a strong fit for the Jets' defense.

CBS Sports' roundtable can be found below:

"I love what the Jets have done in two days. I think [D'Angelo Ponds] is the best football player pound-for pound."@BMac_SportsTalkpic.twitter.com/GWM3N1KNJl

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) April 25, 2026

This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: CBS Sports roundtable praise Jets' early picks

The Washington Commanders had only six picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. Washington traded its second- and fourth-round selections in the 2026 draft last March for left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Even though it's only been one season, that was a terrific trade for the Commanders, who recently signed Tunsil to a record-setting extension after an excellent 2025 season.

The Commanders did not make any draft-day trades, drafting six players, led by Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles at No. 7 overall. Most analysts liked Washington's draft, even though it had only two selections in the first 146 picks.

NFL draft analyst Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports recently ranked every 2026 NFL Draft class. He gave Washington a B+. He really liked Washington's selection of Clemson wide receiver Antonio Williams at No. 71 overall, saying he could quickly become a favorite of quarterback Jayden Daniels.

You may be surprised at who Wilson named as his best value pick for Washington: seventh-round QB Athan Kaliakmanis.

I have to mention Athan Kaliakmanis here only because I brought him on the Cover 3 podcast ahead of the draft as an off-the-radar QB who could get drafted. And he did. Ahead of Garrett Nussmeier. He was a fun watch for Rutgers last season, where he was asked to do a lot. He'll have a chance to make the roster in Washington though if he sees the field next season that means something has probably gone horribly wrong.

We've seen some criticize Washington for this pick. Why? First, it's a seventh-round pick. You're taking a shot, sort of like a lottery pick anyway. Kaliakmanis has some tools. He's also played a lot of football, between his time at Minnesota and Rutgers. Kaliakmanis has started 42 games in the Big Ten. That's impressive.

Whether the Commanders say it or not, this is a David Blough pick. Do you think the first-year coordinator had a say in this pick? Of course he did. A former college and NFL quarterback, Blough saw things he liked in Kaliakmanis and wanted to develop him.

It's a smart move for multiple reasons. Sam Hartman hasn't developed into the No. 3 quarterback yet, and with Marcus Mariota entering the year on another one-year deal, it's wise for the Commanders to look to develop a potential long-term backup for when Daniels becomes a lot more expensive.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Athan Kaliakmanis best draft value?

Despite the pending return of Aaron Rodgers and the early praise of Will Howard, the Pittsburgh Steelers still took a quarterback in the 2026 NFL draft. That quarterback was former Penn State signal-caller Drew Allar. Evaluations on Allar were all over the place ahead of the draft but for draft analyst Matt Waldman, There's no real upside to Allar and he really didn't hold back.

Allar’s acumen for processing coverage and managing the game. His accuracy and decision-making fall apart in moments that are remedial for NFL quarterbacks. The Steelers’ selection of Allar in their third round has influenced fantasy GMs to draft Allar as a fourth-round rookie pick. I gave Allar a pre-draft grade of 60.5, which is the equivalent of a low-end street free agent that wouldn’t be signed to a futures contract. It has been 22 years since the Steelers have drafted a successful NFL starter. They’ve drafted 10 quarterbacks during that span – 4 between the first and fourth rounds – without success.

Per @MattWaldman

"Allar’s acumen for processing coverage and managing the game. His accuracy and decision-making fall apart in moments that are remedial for NFL quarterbacks. The Steelers’ selection of Allar in their third round has influenced fantasy GMs to draft Allar as a…

— Matt Williamson (@WilliamsonNFL) May 2, 2026

We aren't ready to go as far as Waldman did, but it's clear from Allar's film that he has no real traits that stand out. And to paraphrase something former head coach Mike Tomlin used to say, Allar does not do routine things routinely.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: NFL draft analyst scathing evaluation of Steelers QB Drew Allar

With the 2026 NFL draft in the books, we have a fairly clear idea of what the Pittsburgh Steelers roster will look like at the start of the season. We obviously expect there to be some additional moves, including the eventual addition of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but the idea of any other spot getting a starter at this point in the offseason isn't likely.

So with that, here's our post-draft predictions for the Steelers Week One starting offense.

Quarterback

When Rodgers shows up, all will be forgiven and he will be the starter for better or worse.

Aaron Rodgers

Running back

We expect Jaylen Warren to be named the starter with Rico Dowdle as the No. 2 but look for the two guys to split carries fairly evenly in an offense that wants to run the Football

Jaylen Warren/Rico Dowdle

Wide receiver

We are listing three players here since running a third wide out is almost base offense in the NFL at this point. This is one area where we can see a rookie, Germie Bernard, see a fairly heavy workload in the right matchups.

DK Metcalf

Michael Pittman Jr.

Germie Bernard

Tight end

We are counting on 2026 to be a comeback year for Pat Freiermuth. We aren't sure why Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith didn't use Freiermuth, but we are counting on new head coach Mike McCarthy being smarter than them. Yes, Darnell Washington will see the field plenty, and the Steelers will use two tight end sets, but Freiermuth will be the man this season.

Pat Freiermuth

Offensive line

Here is where we expect the most significant amount of change this offseason. With Broderick Jones' injury issues, there will be a new starting left tackle and with Isaac Seumalo gone, there will also be a new left guard. These spots will be highly contested and could come down the final week of preseason.

LT - Troy Fautanu

LG - Spencer Anderson

C - Zach Frazier

RG - Mason McCormick

RT - Max Iheanachor

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Predicting the Steelers Week One starting offense after the NFL Draft

It was clear leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft that the Washington Commanders loved Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. If you ignore all the draft chatter leading up to Round 1, two names that stood out most often in connection to the Commanders were Styles and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.

Washington had come to the realization that neither would probably be there when it went on the clock at No. 7 overall. Love went No. 3 overall to the Arizona Cardinals, but things started to fall in place for the Commanders at No. 4, when the Tennessee Titans shockingly selected Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate. That led another former Buckeye, edge/linebacker Arvell Reese, to fall to the New York Giants at No. 5. Barring a trade at No. 6, Styles appeared on his way to Washington.

There was a trade, but the Kansas City Chiefs moved up for LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane, believing the Commanders and New Orleans Saints, who picked No. 8, were a threat to land the draft's top cornerback. While Washington liked Delane, there was no way GM Adam Peters was passing on Styles if he fell into their laps at No. 7.

He did. Everyone was thrilled with the pick. The selection of Styles has been universally praised around the NFL.

Mike Sando of The Athletic recently reviewed all 32 draft classes from the 2026 NFL Draft. For each team, he spoke with anonymous NFL executives. Let's just say that one NFL executive has a lofty comparison for Styles.

"He is Bobby Wagner, but bigger and faster," one exec said. "He has as good of traits for an inside ‘backer that I have ever seen."

Wagner isn't the only lofty comparison for Styles.

"Brian Urlacher, maybe,” the exec said when asked if there was a comparison. "He is 6-5, 240 pounds, gonna run 4.4. Really smart, makes all the calls, very instinctive and has some untapped pass-rush ability. He was top-five on our board all the way."

Wagner isn't in the Pro Football Hall of Fame because he's still an active player. The Commanders know him well, as he was their starter at middle linebacker over the last two years. But Wagner is a future first-ballot Hall of Famer.

As for Urlacher, that comparison makes a lot of sense. Urlacher was similarly sized (6-foot-4, 258), ran a fast 40-yard dash, and played some safety in college. He would play 13 years in the NFL, is a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, an eight-time Pro Bowler, a four-time first-team All-Pro, and much more. It's safe to say the Commanders would be thrilled if Styles comes close to matching Wagner or Urlacher's careers.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: NFL exec with lofty comparison for Sonny Styles

One of the highly debated questions on the 2026 Tennessee Titans is who is going to be the team's primary nickel heading into the season, and defensive coordinator Gus Bradley opened up on that subject during a minicamp press availability.

The Titans added some talent to their secondary with the signing of unrestricted free agents Alontae Taylor, Cordale Flott, and Joshua Williams, but even with that, it appears that a holdover, Marcus Harris, may have the inside track.

#Titans DC Gus Bradley with an endorsement of DB Marcus Harris and reasoning for Alontae Taylor playing more on the outside. pic.twitter.com/Aq17fIFYuB

— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) May 2, 2026

"He's been impressive now in meetings. You know, we say once you walk into the building, we're evaluating all the way through to the end of the day. And so, how he comes in is very consistent. How he comes in the building, everything he does; takes good notes, wants to be good. I mean, watch his film.” Bradley said. “Everything kind of checks out. Steps, then go out in the field; you see some movement. He's a bigger body. I mean, he's definitely caught our attention in that phase. So we're hoping he can develop into [a player we can use]. So you know, we'll see.”

The Tennessee front office and staff are hoping that the cornerback room holds up better than it is in 2025, when injuries and subpar performances hampered the team's defensive effort. Coming into 2026, Harris will be looking to build upon a solid rookie campaign, and now that he is healthy, it appears he will be given every opportunity to earn that job.

This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Titans DC Gus Bradley confident in Marcus Harris to handle nickel role

Could the Washington Commanders go from 5-12 to Super Bowl contenders in one year? Before you say no, remember, the Commanders were 4-13 in 2023, improved to 12-5 in 2024 and reached the NFC Championship Game.

General manager Adam Peters had a mission this offseason. He stated this mission right after the 2025 season ended, declaring his intent to make the Commanders "younger and faster" in 2026. Four months later, Peters accomplished that mission. Will that lead to an improved record in 2026? Well, that's a question that can't be answered until September, but, no question, Washington's roster is better.

Peters specifically focused on defense. Considering how bad that unit was last year, it was the correct decision. Washington completed its offseason defensive overhaul by selecting ridiculously athletic Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Adding Styles and Leo Chenal to Washington's linebacker group could make them the fastest unit in the league.

The true key to improvement in 2026 is the health of franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels. One year after carrying Washington on his back at times as a rookie, Daniels missed 10 games last season with three separate injuries. The offense suffered. He's healthy now. The Commanders also made some additions on offense, and they may not be done.

So, back to our original question: Could the Commanders be a Super Bowl contender? CBS Sports recently looked at five Super Bowl long shots who could suddenly thrust themselves into contendership in 2026. Washington was one of those five teams. Here's part of Tyler Sullivan said about the Commanders.

While Oweh and Chaisson should stabilize the edge positions, the true game-changer for this defense may be Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, whom Washington selected No. 7 overall. Styles has the talent to emerge as one of the best defensive players in this class and should make an immediate impact.

Meanwhile, Washington also prioritized giving Daniels more help offensively. Third-round Clemson receiver Antonio Williams is an intriguing addition, but former Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo may be one of the more underrated acquisitions of the offseason. There's also still a possibility Washington adds disgruntled 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

With Daniels healthy and the roster significantly improved, Washington appears primed for a bounce-back season that could once again land it in the NFC title picture.

In case you were wondering, two of Washington's NFC East rivals, the Cowboys and Giants, were among the five teams mentioned, along with the Bengals and the Vikings.

Injuries were a significant problem last season. If the Commanders can avoid the injury bug in 2026, they'll be significantly better. Is that enough for a 2024 repeat? We shall see.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: 1 of 5 teams that could impact Super Bowl race