| NFC NORTH |
| GREEN BAYPackers RB JOSH JACOBS is a domestic abuser and strangler according to charges filed in Green Bay. The incident occurred Saturday night in a rural area west of Titletown. Green Bay Packers star running back Josh Jacobs was arrested Tuesday and booked on several domestic violence charges, according to the Hobart-Lawrence (Wisconsin) Police Department. Jacobs, 28, was booked on charges of battery (domestic abuse, criminal damage to property), domestic abuse, disorderly conduct (domestic abuse, strangulation and suffocation) and intimidation of a victim. According to Brown County jail records, the strangulation and suffocation charge is a felony, and the other four charges are misdemeanors. According to the records, Jacobs was being held without bond. The Hobart-Lawrence PD was dispatched to the alleged disturbance involving Jacobs on Saturday. “This remains an active and ongoing investigation. No further information will be released at this time,” Michael Renkas, chief of the Hobart-Lawrence PD said in a statement. Packers running back Josh Jacobs was arrested and booked on several domestic violence charges. He is denying the allegations through his attorneys. Kevin Sabitus/Getty ImagesJacobs, through his attorneys, denied the allegations. “Josh vehemently denies the allegations, and this matter is in the early stages of investigation with important evidence that has not yet been made public. We ask for fairness and restraint while the judicial process takes its course,” attorneys David Chesnoff, Richard Schonfeld and Clarence Duchac said in a statement. The Packers said they were aware of the matter involving Jacobs. “As it is an ongoing legal situation, we will withhold further comment,” the team said in a statement. The NFL said it was aware of the report and has been in contact with the Packers. Green Bay began OTAs on Tuesday, and coach Matt LaFleur has a scheduled availability with the media Wednesday. Jacobs, a first team All-Pro selection in 2022 while with the Las Vegas Raiders and a three-time Pro Bowl selection, is entering his third season with the Packers after signing with the team in free agency in 2024. Last season, he scored 14 total touchdowns (13 rushing) and totaled 1,211 yards in 15 games. |
| NFC EAST |
| DALLASHall of Fame RB Emmitt Smith likes the peace and quiet surrounding the Cowboys this spring. Grant Gordon of NFL.com: After the signing of a franchise tag and record-setting kicker contract, all is unseasonably quiet for this time of year on the Dallas Cowboys front. For a franchise usually working through contract standoffs and offseason histrionics, the quieter-than-the-norm spring is a great turn of events in the eyes of one of the franchise’s — and the NFL’s — all-time greats. “I think the bigger sign is that it’s been a slow, quiet offseason — the way it needs to be,” NFL all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith told USA TODAY Sports earlier this spring. “Now that we’ve gotten George Pickens out of the way, quietness is important, because it says the focus is where it needs to be — on the field.” It’s arduous to argue that focusing on football between the lines is a bad thing for a Cowboys club coming off a 7-10 season and infamously having gone without a Super Bowl berth since Smith and Dallas defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers to conclude the 1995 season. Since then, Dallas has yet to move past the Divisional Round, with offseason drama becoming far more prevalent than postseason glory. In recent years, star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb had his extension drama bleed into late August, commanding headlines and causing negative buzz through the 2024 offseason. Dak Prescott didn’t sign his most recent extension until the morning of the team’s season opener just weeks after Lamb’s signing in 2024. The 2025 offseason was perhaps the worst of it, as Micah Parsons, one of the decade’s most talented pass rushers, was traded to the Green Bay Packers following an ugly offseason and summer in which the parties never reached new contract terms. Perhaps that’s why this year’s been different, though it hardly began that way. Brandon Aubrey eventually signed an extension, but not before kicker negotiations drew attention in a true only-with-the-Cowboys news cycle. More prevalent was working out how to keep George Pickens around. The Cowboys applied the franchise tag and eventually Pickens signed it despite the club stating it would not be working on a long-term extension. So far so good — and different in Dallas, though. It’s a breath of fresh air in the eyes of Smith, who once held out into the season as he sought more money from Jerry Jones and the Cowboys. “It’s important for people to know, ‘We don’t need all that drama.’ We’re too good of an organization to be dealing with all that drama. Don’t need it,” Smith said. “Sometimes you have to rise above the fray, and this is one of those times where we need to rise above the fray. Because the last 31 years have not produced the things that we want to see. There’s no reason to be having drama when you don’t have to. You don’t have to create it.” Of course, it’s not even June yet. There is ample time for drama to arrive before the season kicks off in September. But the Cowboys’ three-time Super Bowl winner is a fan of what he’s seen — and more aptly hasn’t seen — so far. |
| NFC WEST |
| LOS ANGELES RAMSAs Mike Florio explains, the Rams gave QB MATTHEW STAFFORD $5 million for 2026 to keep him out of free agency next spring. When the first details of a new contract emerge, they usually lack key details and context. That’s because key details and context often don’t look as good as the broad-brush, big-picture numbers that are spoon-fed to those who then post the numbers on social media without asking questions. In time, the details and context inevitably come to light. With the Rams and Matthew Stafford, the more important detail is this: Stafford gets a $5 million raise in 2026, and the Rams get control of his rights in 2027 through a currently non-guaranteed compensation package. Albert Breer of SI posted the details on Tuesday. Stafford’s base pay for 2026 has increased from $40 million to $45 million, with another $5 million in playoff incentives available. The extra $5 million comes in the form of a guaranteed roster bonus due in 2028. Stafford is also due to make $45 million in 2027. But none of the money is currently guaranteed. As of March 2027, the payment becomes fully guaranteed. (The 2027 season also includes another $5 million in playoff incentives.) Tom Pelissero of NFL Network has added other details regarding the incentive package ($2.5 million for winning the NFC Championship and $2.5 million for winning the Super Bowl) and a phony $100 million compensation package for 2028, which becomes guaranteed on the 10th day of the league year. Ultimately, Stafford accepted the $5 million raise in base pay in lieu of embracing the possibility of becoming a free agent in 2027. The Rams, in exchange for the extra $5 million, have secured the ability to decide after 2026 whether to keep Stafford — with Stafford not having the ability to leave for another team. If Stafford would decide to move on after 2026, the Rams surely wouldn’t force him to stay. But the Rams would be in position to receive trade compensation for Stafford, if he decides it’s time to play elsewhere. The deeper message is that Stafford likely has no desire to play for another team. He had the chance last year to leave for the Raiders or the Giants, and he took less to stay with the Rams. So if he’s never going to play for another team, why not accept an extra $5 million (with a Super Bowl win unlocking $5 million more) in exchange for a one-way commitment through 2027? He has the freedom to retire after the upcoming season, and at this point it appears that his year-to-year options are to play for the Rams or not play at all. |
| SAN FRANCISCOThe 49ers give QB MAC JONES a bit more straight cash. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com: 49ers quarterback Mac Jones is set to make a little more money in 2026. According to multiple reports, Jones and the 49ers have agreed on a revised contract for the coming season. The reworked deal includes a $300,000 roster bonus for the backup to Brock Purdy. Jones is now due to make $3.55 million in total compensation for the final year of his contract with the NFC West team. There are another $2.25 million in incentives available as well. Jones started eight games for the 49ers while Purdy was sidelined with a toe injury during the 2025 season. The Niners would prefer to turn to him less often this year, but the team’s 5-3 record with Jones shows why they value having him on hand. |
| SEATTLECoach Mike Macdonald does not believe in the tired old “run it back” phraseology for repeating as champion. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com: When teams win a championship, it’s common to hear talk about running it back the next season but Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald is taking a different approach. The Seahawks are a few months removed from the second championship in franchise history and they have a lot of the key pieces of their Super Bowl team in place as they head into the 2026 season. Macdonald’s message is not to repeat what the Seahawks did on their way to beating the Patriots in February, but to use it as a starting point for even more growth. “We’re using the term, we want to run it forward, ‘it’ meaning our process and who we are,” Macdonald said, via the team’s website. “I think this is going to be a conversation that we’re going to talk about consistently. I don’t think it’s a one-and-done type of conversation. Really, it’s just how we talk about, how we operate all the time. It’s something that we’re having conversations with our team and our units every day about who we want to be and how we want to do things, and this situation is no different. It’s really nothing more or less than that.” Only two teams have been able to win back-to-back Super Bowls this century, which underscores the challenge that is in front of the Seahawks. Macdonald said he hasn’t “sensed an ounce of complacency” so far this offseason, which makes it likely that he’ll keep pushing the “run it forward” mantra in the coming months. |
| AFC WEST |
| LAS VEGASWhile Bill Barnwell likes a lot of the other offseason moves by the Raiders, he is concerned with a lack of wide receivers: Worst: The only significant upgrade at receiver coming in the form of Jalen Nailor. The Raiders upgraded the offense in a lot of ways this offseason. The biggest move was drafting Fernando Mendoza, of course, but Vegas also upgraded the backup role by bringing in Kirk Cousins. The Raiders paid a premium for center Tyler Linderbaum and added guard Spencer Burford off his best season as a pro. Coach Klint Kubiak should be an upgrade from the ill-fated Chip Kelly era on the sideline calling the offense. What’s missing is the one thing just about everybody expected the Raiders to hit this offseason: receiver. Sure, they return Brock Bowers, downfield threat Tre Tucker and a pair of 2025 top-115 picks in Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr., but we saw how limited this offense was when Bowers was compromised by his knee injury. With Mendoza coming in as the No. 1 pick, it seemed likely that the Raiders would consider adding multiple new starters at wide receiver. That never really happened. The one significant addition Vegas did make was signing former Vikings third wideout Nailor, whose three-year, $35 million deal has $18 million guaranteed at signing. Nailor has a role in the right offense as a second or third wideout who can do some dirty work and catch the occasional pass, but it would be a major surprise if he suddenly emerged as a legitimate second option in the offense behind Bowers. It’s possible that general manager John Spytek might have hoped to use some of the draft picks he was supposed to get for Crosby on wide receiver help, but the Raiders have had chances to add playmakers and been hesitant. Could they have signed Jauan Jennings as he lingered in free agency for months before taking Nailor’s old job in Minnesota? Should they be in the market for Stefon Diggs, who ranked second among all wideouts in ESPN’s receiver scores last season? There’s still time to add somebody between now and the start of the season, but this receiving corps feels incomplete at best. |
| LOS ANGELES CHARGERSS DERWIN JAMES and the Chargers extend their mutual commitment. Daniel Popper and Jeff Howe of The Athletic: The Los Angeles Chargers and safety Derwin James have agreed to terms on a three-year extension worth $76.5 million, according to a league source. The $25.5 million average annual salary moves him past the Baltimore Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton as the highest-paid safety in the NFL. James was entering the final year of a market-setting contract he signed in 2022 and has now reset the safety market twice in back-to-back extensions. After two down years, James has rediscovered his All-Pro form under coach Jim Harbaugh. In particular, former defensive coordinator Jesse Minter helped by utilizing James closer to the line of scrimmage, including as a nickel player. Over the past two seasons, James has thrived in the role, which takes advantage of his skills as a blitzer, run defender and man coverage player. Minter left this offseason to take the Ravens’ head coaching job. Chris O’Leary, Minter’s replacement, was James’ safeties coach with the Chargers in 2024. O’Leary was paramount in James reestablishing himself as one of the league’s best safeties. Now, James will remain in this hybrid role as O’Leary takes over the defense. O’Leary will be running the same scheme as Minter and said he will be using James in a “similar” way. This proof of concept is an important aspect of the new lucrative contract. James is worth the money because his role in the Chargers’ defense fully harnesses his versatility. In addition, James’ vibrant, uplifting personality has helped shape Harbaugh’s culture in Los Angeles. “One of my favorite players I’ve ever worked with and coached, because of how contagious his energy is, how great he wants to be,” O’Leary said in February. Toward the end of 2023, this extension seemed unlikely. James had lost his way under former Chargers coach Brandon Staley. There was too much on James’ plate, and he was no longer playing his violent, fast brand of football. He was effectively benched in a Week 16 loss to the Buffalo Bills. That offseason, Minter came in with a clear goal for James. As he told the safety in the winter of 2024: “Let’s re-stake the claim as you being one of the best safeties in football.” James took that to heart. Part of it was a change in mentality. Part of it was how he was used in the scheme. “I just remember looking back and saying, ‘Man, how do I want to play?’” James told The Athletic in 2024. “I’m playing my best football when I’m having fun, not thinking, seeing the ball, seeing the check downs, going to kill them and just making plays on the ball. So I just really had to get back within myself. It wasn’t like I needed to go lift or get stronger. I’m still the same strength, still the same speed. It’s really just simplifying my mind and just saying, ‘Man, you Derwin James, bro. Get back to having fun.’” Over the past two seasons, James has done exactly what Minter projected and re-staked his claim as one of the best safeties in football. That was evident on the field in the myriad ways he impacted the game. James set a career high with 5.5 sacks in 2024. He tied his career high with three interceptions in 2025. He set his previous high as a rookie in 2018. It is now also evident in his contract. “The best safety I’ve ever seen in the history of the National Football League,” Harbaugh said in September. “I don’t think I’m going out on a limb there. He is one of the most incredible players I’ve ever watched.” |
| AFC NORTH |
| CINCINNATIBill Barnwell of ESPN.com did not like the Bengals deal to acquire DT DEXTER LAWRENCE: Cincinnati BengalsBest: Signing Bryan Cook to a three-year, $40.3 million deal. This might have been as much about who the Bengals replaced and who they brought in. Geno Stone became the emblem of what had gone wrong for the Bengals’ defense. After the Bengals struggled to replace star safety Jessie Bates III, who left for the Falcons in free agency, Stone was brought in as a veteran stopgap. With the Bengals committing so much money to offense, though, they couldn’t make a more meaningful addition — and so they had to hope that Stone would be a viable replacement for a player who was making significantly more money in Atlanta. Stone wasn’t able to be that player, and he was conspicuously a problem in open space. Stone had a 15.6% missed tackle rate in 2024 and then upped that to 20% in 2025, the sixth-worst mark in the league among NFL regulars. The Bengals as a team missed 170 tackles, 39 more than any other defense in 2025. Cook doesn’t have Bates’ instincts or playmaking ability, but one thing he can do is tackle. He had a 7% missed tackle rate during his time with Kansas City, including a 4.5% rate in 2025. Cook is not going to singlehandedly fix all of the problems that vexed the Bengals a year ago, but just having a more reliable last line of defense would be a huge step forward for Al Golden’s unit. No team gave up more gains of 20 or more yards than the Bengals, who gave up 79 such plays last season. Worst: Trading the No. 10 pick for Dexter Lawrence II. I wrote at length about the Lawrence trade and why it both did and did not make sense for the Bengals, so I’ll refer you there. I’m still blown away that a team traded a known top-10 pick for a veteran for only the third time in the past 25 years, after the Raiders did it for Randy Moss and the Broncos did it for Russell Wilson. The Bengals didn’t have to do as much financially to appease Lawrence as I would have expected at the time of the deal, which helps. And if they get the version of Lawrence they’re hoping for — an elite nose tackle who can control two gaps and get after the passer more than the vast majority of 0-technique linemen — they’ll be happy with the trade. But I’m nervous that Lawrence is coming off his worst season as a pro as part of a defense that was dismal against the run in New York. And though that can partially be chalked up to an elbow injury, Lawrence’s 2024 season was ended by that same elbow issue. Given how much they’re spending on their big three on offense (Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins) and a handful of other players (Cook, Boye Mafe, Orlando Brown Jr. and breakout cornerback DJ Turner II when he signs an extension), the Bengals need cost-controlled talent to make their roster construction work. Giving up the No. 10 pick to get a proven quantity like Lawrence feels like a win for Bengals fans who are sick of seeing the team whiff on first-round picks. But is it enough to propel the Bengals forward into Super Bowl contention? And if Lawrence isn’t as known of a quantity as it seems, this deal could be disastrous for Cincinnati. |
| CLEVELANDIs a Cleveland residence in the future for Taylor Swift? First, front row seats at the Cavs game (albeit in New York), now word that TE TRAVIS KELCE is investing in his hometown team. Nick Bromberg of YahooSports.com: Travis Kelce is set to be a minority owner in the Cleveland Guardians. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end and Cleveland native told ESPN that he would be joining the team’s ownership group. His teammate Patrick Mahomes has a minority stake in the Kansas City Royals. “I have so much love for this city,” Kelce told ESPN. “I say it all the time: I’m just a kid from the Heights living the dream. I credit every good thing in my life to Cleveland and being raised here with the values and the people and the work ethic. Cleveland Heights is such a diverse and dynamic place. Every friend, neighbor, teacher and teammate — they all made me the man I am today. It just fueled such a deep appreciation for life and community and service. That mentality of Cleveland against the world runs deep. “I’ve been lucky enough to have a front-row seat to good ownership in my career, and I know the best teams prioritize culture. Everyone is there to play their role, and right now, I’m here to observe and learn and really to support the team and the city when and where I can.” Kelce and Mahomes also joined the ownership group of the Formula 1 team Alpine as minority owners in the fall of 2023 along with Rory McIlroy and Anthony Joshua. The 36-year-old is a big fan of his hometown teams. Kelce was courtside with fiancée Taylor Swift for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals in Cleveland on Friday night, though the Cavaliers lost that game as they were swept by the New York Knicks. The 2026 season is widely expected to be Kelce’s last in the NFL. After pondering his NFL future each of the past two seasons, Kelce signed a new contract with the Chiefs following the 2025 season. He appeared in all 17 games in 2025 and had 76 catches for 851 yards and five scores. Those 76 grabs were the fewest he had in a single season since 2015, though the Chiefs struggled to a 6-11 record as Mahomes missed the end of the season thanks to a left knee injury. Will Swift’s immense wealth help infuse Guardians player contracts? Inquiring minds are hoping that’s the case. Chris Rosvoglu at The Spun: Once it was confirmed that Kelce is joining the Guardians’ ownership group, the MLB community asked if Swift will help chip in when it comes to the team’s finances. “I thought it was pretty sane to think it’s the year 2030, (Taylor Swift) is making $500 million on another tour, how much can they break off for Guardians payroll,” Ken Carman of 92.3 The Fan said. “This makes me happier than anyone can understand,” a Guardians fan wrote on social media. “My baseball team has Taylor Swift money.” “Is this Taylor’s wedding present to Travis?” another fan asked. “Taylor Swift bankrolled guardians running the AL Central for the next decade Swift, who is worth an estimated $2 billion, has not yet released a statement on her fiancé joining Cleveland’s ownership group. Taylor Swift (real name Taylor Swift) was born and raised in Phillies country near Reading, Pennsylvania, which is just under 400 miles from Cleveland as the Turnpike meanders through the mountains. |
| AFC SOUTH |
| JACKSONVILLEIs this a sign of weakness or depth? Time will tell. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com: It will be a while before the Jaguars have to submit any depth charts for the 2026 season and it sounds like the one they publish for the running back position is going to be subject to change at any moment. The Jags saw Travis Etienne leave as a free agent this offseason and they signed Chris Rodriguez to go with Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen in their offensive backfield. Etienne got the lion’s share of the work last season, but head coach Liam Coen said on Tuesday that no one has been moved into the No. 1 role yet and that the team will let things take shape organically heading into the fall. “It’s a group that has a lot of opportunities to them,” Coen said. “There’s a wide-open room. It’s truly wide open.” The Jaguars finished 20th in the league in rushing yards last season. If the new approach can improve on that total, it will help their bid for a second straight AFC South title.– – -Despite what we saw with our own eyes, QB TREVOR LAWRENCE did not cut his hair to celebrate the Jaguars schedule release. The Associated Press with the truth: – Trevor Lawrence received dozens of texts following his most recent haircut. Even his grandma weighed in. But no one had anything nice to say about what the Jacksonville Jaguars did — or seemingly did — to their franchise quarterback. The team’s schedule release video earlier this month featured Lawrence apparently getting his long blond locks chopped. It turned out to be a deep fake. “I got a lot of, ‘That’s not real, right?'” Lawrence said Tuesday after the Jacksonville Jaguars held their first of 10 organized team activities. “And I’m like, ‘No.’ They’re like, ‘Oh, thank God.’ Then they say how bad it was. But I wonder what they would have said if I was like, ‘Yeah.'” Jacksonville’s two-minute video titled “The Cut” got nearly 4 million views on X, formerly Twitter, and was in the top five among schedule videos dropped by NFL teams. It no doubt raised eyebrows, with many wondering whether Lawrence really opted for a haircut. “People my age, typically, they don’t really believe it,” Lawrence said. “But then the older and older it gets, it’s like they just can’t quite figure out the AI and the fakes out there.” The Jaguars cleared the air the following morning with a behind-the-scenes look at Lawrence getting fitted for a wig to wear in the video. One issue: The wig wasn’t anything that Lawrence would actually pick if he did cut his hair. “It didn’t look good, but it looked real,” he said. He added that he has no plans — “not anytime soon” — to change his signature look, especially not after his success last season. Lawrence threw for 4,007 yards and a career-high 29 touchdowns in 17 starts. He also ran for nine scores. The Jaguars finished 13-4 in coach Liam Coen’s first season, won the AFC South and secured the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs. Jacksonville returns 19 of 22 starters and hopes to make the postseason in consecutive years for the first time since 1998-99. One potential storyline to watch moving forward: free-agent running back Chris Rodriguez Jr., who signed a two-year, $10 million deal, was a no-show for the first voluntary workout, and Coen dodged details and said an “injury report will come out at some point.” Although Lawrence’s fake haircut was among the topics discussed on opening day, kicker Cam Little actually did get a new ‘do. He bleached his hair and even had to FaceTime his parents to convince them the photo he sent was real. “He’s like a Chia pet,” Lawrence quipped. “He does some goofy stuff, but he’s one of the only people that can pull off the stuff he does. He has great style. I could never do that and look cool.” |
| AFC EAST |
| BUFFALOESPN.com’s Bills correspondent Alaina Getzenberg analyzes, and rejects, four hypothetical offers for WR KEON COLEMAN: The latest on a potential Keon Coleman tradeSpeculation has swirled around Coleman’s standing with the team after Bills owner Terry Pegula voluntarily spoke about him after the firing of former head coach Sean McDermott. Pegula said Buffalo’s previous coaching staff “pushed to draft” Coleman with the 33rd pick in 2024, though general manager Brandon Beane clarified that he “made the pick.” Coleman has yet to hit his stride, with 38 catches for 404 yards in 2025. But any hint of a trade has been shut down by Beane, as he said the team intends for Coleman to remain in Buffalo and that the Bills have rebuffed any teams reaching out with interest. If something dramatically shifted, a post-June 1 trade would create $1.7 million in cap space and under $2.2 million in 2027. “Keon, it’s not lip service,” Beane said. “We’re excited about Keon.” — Alaina Getzenberg, Bills reporter Four hypothetical trade offers for Coleman Baltimore RavensJeremy Fowler’s offer: Bills get: 2027 fifth-round pickRavens get: ColemanWhy this deal makes sense: Buffalo seems content with keeping Coleman, but Baltimore can jump into the fray to improve its thin receiver depth. Coleman’s play style should fit with Jackson, as he’s a big receiver with catch radius. This would also allow Buffalo to develop fourth-round rookie Skyler Bell for a sizeable role in the offense. Washington CommandersDan Graziano’s offer: Bills get: 2028 fifth-round pickCommanders get: ColemanWhy this deal makes sense: The Commanders still might end up with Brandon Aiyuk once the 49ers give up and cut him, but that’s taking longer than expected. They need receiver depth behind Terry McLaurin, and this is a low-cost flyer on a player with good draft pedigree. Washington still hasn’t re-signed Deebo Samuel, who led the team in targets (99), receptions (72), receiving yards (727) and receiving touchdowns (five) last season. Las Vegas RaidersBen Solak’s offer: Bills get: 2028 fifth-round pickRaiders get: Coleman, 2028 seventh-round pickWhy this deal makes sense: The Raiders don’t have a big-framed receiver on their roster, which is one of the lone weaknesses of a skill position group that’s otherwise well constructed. Coleman would join the depth chart behind Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor, challenging second-year players Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. for snaps. Rookie QB Fernando Mendoza loved to throw back-shoulder balls to big-bodied receivers like Coleman during his time with the Hoosiers. Atlanta FalconsSeth Walder’s offer: Bills get: 2027 fourth-round pickFalcons get: Coleman, 2028 sixth-round pickWhy this deal makes sense: The Falcons are a logical fit because of where they are as a team — starting over at head coach and GM, with long-term uncertainty at quarterback. They can afford to take a shot on Coleman’s upside, and he would immediately add value to a receivers room that doesn’t feature much after Drake London (Olamide Zaccheaus, Jahan Dotson and third-round pick Zachariah Branch). And if Coleman breaks out in Year 3, the Falcons would have him under contract for 2027, too. The verdict: No offer gets the job doneWhile the Bills would be intrigued by Walder’s offer from the Falcons, the team is holding firm on Coleman remaining in Buffalo and rejecting all four offers. Coleman has said he understands what is on the line this season, and the Bills are currently committed to giving him this chance. Whether it can all come together in Buffalo, however, is still a big question. — Getzenberg |
| MIAMIBill Barnwell of ESPN.com thought the Dolphins should have traded RB De’VON ACHANE: Miami DolphinsBest: Signing Joshua Uche. The Dolphins are starting a lengthy rebuild. Though Miami unsurprisingly moved on from a number of veterans, including Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill, their only significant signing in free agency was Malik Willis. Greg Dulcich signed a one-year deal for $3 million, and every other one of their free agent signings was a one-year deal for at most $1.5 million. What teams like the Dolphins have to offer these veterans is opportunity. For Uche, that might be very appealing. He produced 11.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss with the Patriots in 2022 and appeared to be on the verge of potential stardom, but it never really came together. Uche didn’t do much over two ensuing years with the Pats and Chiefs, and he signed to be a rotational player for the Eagles last season; the former second-round pick was on the field for only 244 snaps, managing one sack and three knockdowns. Uche is still only 27, and he has had success at one of the league’s most important positions. Even in those limited snaps with the Eagles last year, Uche showed surprising power to drive tackles backward, especially given that he’s listed at only 227 pounds. There probably isn’t a superstar in the making here, but Uche could be a useful player if given the opportunity, both now and for several years to come. That’s a good bet to make, especially given that he’ll make just $1.4 million in 2026. Worst: Not getting big value on De’Von Achane. I don’t really think the Dolphins did many controversial or unreasonable things this offseason. Trading Jaylen Waddle was one of the few decisions that seemed debatable, and I felt like Miami came away with good value for its top wide receiver. All of the major releases the Dolphins made were logical, and signing players for the minimum can’t really go too wrong. And frankly, if the Dolphins were going to hold onto Achane, I thought general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan did well to get a deal done with his star back last weekend. Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs are both likely to sign new contracts this offseason, and when they do, they are likely to reset the top of the RB market to somewhere north of $20 million per season. Getting Achane for $16 million per year was reasonable enough, and I love what he can bring to the table in the right offense. Are the 2026, 2027 and 2028 Dolphins likely to be that offense? I’m not really sure that will be the case. Achane is coming off a career year in which he averaged 5.7 yards per carry and sat out only the final game of the season. His slight build is always going to raise questions about durability. Achane also thrived under Mike McDaniel, who might be the best run-game designer in the league. And his numbers were significantly less efficient without Tagovailoa on the field. Over the past three years, Achane averaged 0.1 EPA per rush attempt and a 45% success rate with Tagovailoa, but that fell to 0.02 EPA per carry and a 40% success rate with any other QB on the field. The Dolphins aren’t likely to field much of a passing attack anytime soon, and Willis probably will shoulder some of the rushing workload, which will combine to limit Achane’s ability to impact games. He’s a very good running back, and it’s reasonable for Sullivan to see Achane as a core component for the Dolphins moving forward, but I don’t know if these Dolphins will be able to get the most out of him. Achane could have thrived elsewhere. If the Dolphins could have landed a second-round pick for him, I would have preferred to see them move on and try to land the next Achane in the middle rounds of the draft over the years to come. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| FLORES MOVING FORWARDThe NFL’s arbitration process, highlighted by judge and jury Roger Goodell, continues to lose in court. Brian Flores lawsuit, over events, will grind its way to trial. Mike Florio ofProFootballTalk.com: Tuesday’s decision by the Supreme Court to not accept the NFL’s petition for appeal in the Brian Flores case means that all of his claims will be decided in court, not in arbitration. And Flores recently added some new factual allegations to the various legal theories raised in his four-year-old litigation against the league and various teams. In the third amendment to his initial civil complaint, Flores has added specific allegations of retaliation against the NFL. The 483-paragraph, 106-page document includes at paragraphs 298 through 312 allegations that the NFL has retaliated against Flores since the filing of his initial lawsuit. “Despite it being widely understood by the public and sports media that Mr. Flores should be considered one of the elite Head Coach candidates, Mr. Flores has not been offered a Head Coach job since starting this lawsuit,” the new complaint alleges at paragraph 311. From paragraph 312 of the new complaint: “The NFL teams’ failure to hire Mr. Flores is consistent with an NFL Head Coach hiring process that is [sic] has for decades treated Black candidates disparately to white candidates and led to significantly disparate impact. It is also consistent with a culture of retaliation in which NFL teams close ranks against those who raise complaints of discrimination.” The new factual allegations did not result in an additional cause of action; the existing lawsuit already includes multiple specific claims for retaliation. As to the concept of retaliation based on the failure of teams to hire Flores as its head coach, the current complaint lists only one team — the Texans. In 2022, Houston made Flores one of three finalists for the job (along with Josh McCown and Jonathan Gannon) before hiring Lovie Smith instead. Flores claims that the decision to not hire him was motivated by the filing of his lawsuit against the NFL and multiple teams. Although no specific other teams have been accused of failing to hire Flores in retaliation for filing and pursuing his lawsuit, the discovery process could lead to evidence that would support a finding that Flores was not given proper consideration by one or more teams with vacancies during the 2023, 2024, 2025, and/or 2026 hiring cycles. The contention that the NFL maintains a “culture of retaliation” shows that Flores suspects his failure to get more interviews and/or any offers resulted from retaliation. Time will tell whether other specific teams are added to the case as defendants. Flores’s current claims target the Dolphins, Texans, Broncos, and Giants. (His co-plaintiffs, Steve Wilks and Ray Horton, have sued the Cardinals and Titans, respectively.) Obviously, Flores won’t be able to force any team to hire him. His aggressive legal arguments won’t make that any easier. Throughout the litigation, however, he has chosen doing what he believes is right over what would be expedient for his career. And so he’ll continue to serve as Minnesota’s defensive coordinator, while waiting for a head-coaching opportunity that may never materialize. In the end, the NFL and/or specific teams could be on the wrong end of a verdict that requires them to pay Flores as if he has been a head coach since 2022. Even if Flores never becomes a head coach again. If you even interview him, he expects you to hand him the job and will sue you for everything you have is a hard way to get interviews. But now he will sue you if you don’t interview him. |
| SEC NEWS – CUPCAKE WEEKEND NO MOREOne of the more annoying things about the SEC has been how their powerful teams beat up on cupcakes the week before the big rivalry games – all the while extolling the brutal nature of competing in the conference that has failed to put a team in the CFP Championship Game for three years running. Seth Emerson of The Athletic: The SEC is officially ending cupcake weekend. Or “SoCon Saturday,” as it was also derisively called. SEC athletic directors voted Tuesday to have everyone play a conference game on the penultimate week of the regular season. That will be effective for the 2027 season, ending a tradition that began two decades earlier. “I think that’s the end of cupcake weekend in late November,” commissioner Greg Sankey said, smiling. “We never got that one sponsored, though.” SEC teams became known for scheduling weaker opponents the week before Thanksgiving, sometimes from the Southern Conference of the Football Championship Subdivision, thus the “SoCon Saturday” moniker. It wasn’t always just that weekend, sometimes the previous weekend, but either way the programs saw it as a way to give their starters a late-season rest before rivalry games on Thanksgiving weekend. The practice became fodder for critics in other conferences, coupled with the SEC only playing an eight-game league schedule. The SEC adopted a nine-game schedule beginning this season, and SoCon weekend was already being phased out, thanks to the nine-game schedule and television’s desire to spread out good games. But Tuesday’s action formalizes it. “It’s (because of) nine conference games and a recognition that you’re populating more weekends,” Sankey said. “And so you really cannot have the odd numbers of open or nonconference dates later in the season. Because then that has a backward domino effect and really plays games early. And we ran into some of that in the 2026 schedule. So this allows more of the back-end scheduling and opens some things up so you don’t have that late conflict with either open dates or nonconference games. I think that’s the why.” This year, there are four such games scheduled for Nov. 20 (Week 12): Chattanooga at Alabama, Samford at Auburn, Wofford at Ole Miss and Tennessee Tech at Mississippi State. There are five conference games. In the future, they will all be conference games. |
| 2026 DRAFTAs we begin to look at 2027 Mock Drafts, Dane Brugler of The Athletic re-visits where he was on the Class of 2026 with his initial board last August – and how things shook out in April. Here are his top 20 prospects from then. The list below follows the initial top-50 ranking, plus notes where each prospect landed on my final top-300 board and their ultimate draft outcome (for those that turned pro): 1. Peter Woods, DT, ClemsonFinal ranking: No. 35Where he was drafted: No. 29 (Kansas City Chiefs)This didn’t age well. Based on exciting flashes in his 2024 season, Woods was trending toward becoming a top-five pick, which was my opinion and shared by many around the NFL. Unfortunately, Woods not only fell short of those expectations in 2025, but he also appeared to regress. That he still ended up a first-round pick speaks to his raw talent and potential, even if it is still unrealized at this point. 2. Arch Manning, QB, TexasFinal ranking: N/A (returned to school)This was an aggressive starting spot for a quarterback who hadn’t yet become a full-time starter. Despite a rocky start in 2025, Manning showed gradual improvement and played his best ball over the final month of the season (11 total touchdowns and zero turnovers in the final three games). Had he declared for the 2026 draft, Manning would have competed with Fernando Mendoza to be the No. 1 pick. Instead, he returned to Austin, where he will enter the season as the 2027 NFL Draft’s expected top pick. 3. Kadyn Proctor, OT, AlabamaFinal ranking: No. 19Where he was drafted: No. 12 (Miami Dolphins)With rare explosiveness for a 350-plus-pounder, Proctor would have been in the conversation to be the first non-quarterback drafted had teams felt better about his consistency. Despite Proctor’s 2025 season not always matching his talent, most teams still considered him a top-20 pick because of his exceptional physical traits. 4. Caleb Downs, S, Ohio StateFinal ranking: No. 5Where he was drafted: No. 11 (Dallas Cowboys)Downs was a top-five talent in the class, from start to finish. Although it was always a long shot that he would be drafted that early because of his position, I feel comfortable that Downs will live up to his ranking when we look back at this class. 5. Keldric Faulk, edge, AuburnFinal ranking: No. 15Where he was drafted: No. 31 (Tennessee Titans)Like Woods and Proctor, Faulk teased immense talent that earned him sky-high grades from NFL teams last summer. However, his final evaluation relied far too much on traits and upside, rather than consistent tape and on-field production. Also like Woods and Proctor, though, Faulk’s ability was too great to push him out of Round 1. 6. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre DameFinal ranking: No. 2Where he was drafted: No. 3 (Arizona Cardinals)Love made evaluating the entire process the easiest. It took about five plays last summer to understand he was going to be one of the best draft-eligible players in college football, and he never gave evaluators any reason to question that. 7. LaNorris Sellers, QB, South CarolinaFinal ranking: N/A (returned to school)Sellers makes for a talented yet complicated evaluation, and this high ranking reflects an optimistic view. He was on track to be a top-10 draft pick based on his 2024 season, but his 2025 season produced mixed results. His uneven supporting cast has complicated the evaluation even further, and NFL scouts are worried it will be more of the same this season. 8. Spencer Fano, OT, UtahFinal ranking: No. 8Where he was drafted: No. 9 (Cleveland Browns)Fano started No. 8 in my rankings, finished No. 8 and was drafted No. 9. He was the best offensive line prospect throughout both the 2025 season and the draft process. Fans and media were too caught up with his arm length after the combine (remember how many mocks put Monroe Freeling at No. 6?). Still, NFL teams were buzzing about how Fano separated himself in Indianapolis. 9. T.J. Parker, edge, ClemsonFinal ranking: No. 31Where he was drafted: No. 35 (Buffalo Bills)Parker never boasted the difference-making traits you ideally target for a pass rusher in the top 10. However, with 19 1/2 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and six forced fumbles in 2024, his disruption earned him this high spot going into last season. Parker’s impact returned to earth during the 2025 season, which knocked him out of the first round. However, he’s still a quality player. 10. Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSUFinal ranking: No. 81Where he was drafted: No. 249 (Kansas City Chiefs)What a strange path for Nussmeier. He started building buzz during the 2024 season as a future NFL starter, and several teams gave him first-round grades last summer. He was the highest-graded senior by BLESTO scouting service. However, an injury that never properly healed sidetracked his 2025 season, affecting his productivity and development. Finally healthy again, Nussmeier was the best quarterback at the Senior Bowl. However, according to multiple team sources, his predraft interviews were less than stellar. Still, considering how many fans he had around the league a year ago, it was shocking to see him free-fall on draft weekend. 11. Jermod McCoy, CB, TennesseeFinal ranking: No. 14Where he was drafted: No. 101 (Las Vegas Raiders)McCoy was a potential top-10 pick in 2024, but an offseason knee injury clouded (and continues to cloud) his football future. When I put together my preseason top 50, Tennessee was hopeful that McCoy would return to the field by midseason, but that never happened. Now, the Raiders are crossing their fingers that McCoy can get on the field and stay there, despite long-term concerns about his knee. 12. Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona StateFinal ranking: No. 20Where he was drafted: No. 8 (New Orleans Saints)Tyson entered the season as the clear WR1 and was a top-12 prospect in all my rankings until the end, when I dropped him a little bit because of durability concerns. But teams were much more optimistic about his injury outlook. Had the Saints not selected him at No. 8, the Browns and Giants both might have been ready for Tyson at Nos. 9 and 10, respectively, depending on how the offensive line options played out. 13. Xavier Chaplin, OT, Auburn (transferred to Florida State)Final ranking: N/A (returned to school)While talking with a scout last summer, he told me his team had given Chaplin a preliminary first-round grade. And after watching Chaplin against Virginia Tech, I could see the path, because of his size and ability. However, Chaplin was up and down in 2025 after transferring to Auburn, and he made the smart choice by returning to college for further development. 14. Francis Mauigoa, OT/G, MiamiFinal ranking: No. 11Where he was drafted: No. 10 (New York Giants)While watching his 2024 clips, it didn’t take a trained eye to see Mauigoa had an NFL future. He continued to play at a high level throughout the 2025 season and cemented himself as a prospect who belonged in the top half of Round 1. As with Fano, his trajectory played out exactly as expected. 15. Caleb Lomu, OT, UtahFinal ranking: No. 25Where he was drafted: No. 28 (New England Patriots)Given his footwork and body control, Lomu entered the season with high expectations. His athletic traits lived up to the hype, although his lack of play strength remained an issue, knocking him down the board a tad. Regardless, Lomu was too talented to fall out of the first round. 16. Avieon Terrell, CB, ClemsonFinal ranking: No. 27Where he was drafted: No. 48 (Atlanta Falcons)Running in the mid-4.6-second range in the 40-yard dash is not what you want. However, even with that performance, Terrell was too good a player to fall as far as he did in the draft. On the plus side, he landed in Atlanta with his brother, A.J — a pick that gave us one of the best moments of draft weekend. 17. Kenyon Sadiq, TE, OregonFinal ranking: No. 16Where he was drafted: No. 16 (New York Jets)I was consistent with my Sadiq evaluation throughout the process. Even before he became a full-time starter for the Ducks, his athletic traits popped during the 2024 season. I went out on a limb a tad by putting him this high last preseason, but Sadiq lived up to expectations. 18. Matayo Uiagalelei, edge, OregonFinal ranking: N/A (returned to school)Uiagalelei played well in 2025 (52 pressures) but wasn’t a slam-dunk top-32 pick. He returned to Eugene for his senior season to convince NFL teams he belongs in the first round. 19. Caleb Banks, DT, FloridaFinal ranking: No. 52Where he was drafted: No. 18 (Minnesota Vikings)Before the draft, I asked an NFL scout for a draft range on Banks. His answer was “15 to 100,” which summed up the high-risk, high-reward nature of Banks’ evaluation. My preseason ranking was based on his exciting raw traits, while his final ranking highlighted the concerns about his injury history. The Vikings were willing to roll the dice on the best-case outcome. 20. Fernando Mendoza, QB, IndianaFinal ranking: No. 3Where he was drafted: No. 1 (Las Vegas Raiders)Based solely on his game versus Cal, I was comfortable calling Mendoza a future NFL starter and a player deserving of the first round. But the No. 1 pick? I wasn’t ready to go that far last summer. However, that changed in the 2025 season, given Mendoza’s play. From my first mock draft around Thanksgiving to the final projections on draft day, Mendoza was the clear pick at No. 1. |
