Raiders Optimistic CB Jermod McCoy Can Play In 2026, Avoid Immediate Surgery
MAY 25: McCoy worked off to the side during rookie minicamp, but The Athletic’s Sam Warren notes he participated in all aspects of the Raiders’ early OTA work. That is of course an encouraging sign regarding his health leading up to training camp and his debut season in the NFL.
MAY 3: As the 2026 draft rolled along, cornerback Jermod McCoy‘s continued slide down the board became one of the event’s biggest storylines. That was not a surprising development; an obvious first-round talent, predraft reports indicated McCoy’s stock could be undermined by the long-term prognosis for his medically-repaired knee.
Eventually, the Raiders put an end to McCoy’s free fall by selecting the Oregon State and Tennessee product with the first pick of Round 4 (No. 101 overall). Naturally, Las Vegas did plenty of research on the knee, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes. Fowler says the club is optimistic about McCoy’s chances to suit up in 2026 and to avoid immediate surgery, even if he will need some sort of operation in the future.
But it was not McCoy’s short-term availability that gave teams pause. Despite missing the entirety of the 2025 slate due to an ACL tear, McCoy performed well at Tennessee’s pro day in March. He ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash, logged a 38-inch vertical jump, and registered a 10-foot, 7-inch broad jump. His ACL is reportedly a non-issue; the bigger concern is a bone plug that was used to repair a cartilage defect in his knee, a plug that may need to be replaced down the road. Such a procedure could sideline McCoy for an entire season, and an unsuccessful surgery could end his career.
Fowler polled eight teams after Day 2 of the draft, and five of them said they had removed McCoy from their draft boards entirely. The Raiders clearly believed McCoy’s upside was worth a Day 3 gamble, and if his knee holds up, Las Vegas may have gotten a steal.
McCoy solidified his status as one of the most talented CBs in the country with a tremendous 2024 campaign in which he had more interceptions (four) than touchdowns allowed (two). He also limited opposing passers to a miniscule 53.6 passer rating, and his performance led to second-team All-American and second-team All-SEC honors.
The rebuilding Raiders also acquired Taron Johnson to bolster their secondary this offseason, although Johnson is ticketed for the slot. If healthy, McCoy will join Eric Stokes and Darien Porter as Vegas’ top boundary options.
In his report on McCoy, Fowler quoted a rival executive who said, “this felt like [general manager] John Spytek’s draft.” Given that Spytek’s first draft in the GM chair was heavily influenced by one-and-done head coach Pete Carroll, that is considered positive news.
Eagles Eyeing 2027 First-Rounder For WR A.J. Brown; Rams No Longer Suitors
A.J. Brown will remain a member of the Eagles through at least June 1. A trade after that upcoming date is still expected, although an agreement between Philadelphia and Brown’s long-presumed next team does not appear to be in place.
[RELATED: Chiefs Have Not Pursued Brown]
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirms (video link) the Patriots are still considered the likeliest team to swing a trade in this case. Negotiations have taken place throughout the offseason on a swap which would see Brown reunite with head coach Mike Vrabel. To no surprise, though, the matter of the price in a trade is still unresolved.
The Patriots have not previously been willing to part with a first-round pick to acquire Brown. Rapoport notes Philadelphia continues to seek a Day 1 selection in the 2027 draft, one projected to be much stronger than the class from last month’s event. New England’s preference, meanwhile, remains a lower price to finalize the trade. It will be interesting to see the Patriots’ efforts to avoid outbidding themselves ultimately result in an agreement relatively soon.
The Rams have loomed as a strong Brown suitor at times this spring. Rapoport adds Los Angeles was the three-time Pro Bowler’s preferred destination, but he will not be heading there. Despite the fact previous talks between the Eagles and Rams went further than they did with the Patriots, Rapoport confirms Los Angeles is no longer in the running for Brown. Once the Rams elected to retain Davante Adams, the expectation emerged that he would spend a second season with the team as a complement to Puka Nacua.
Both Nacua and Adams are pending 2027 free agents as things stand. That led many to connect Los Angeles to wideout Makai Lemon ahead of the first round of the draft, but the Rams drafted quarterback Ty Simpson 13th overall instead. The Rams’ decision on that front helped allow the Eagles to trade up to No. 20 and draft Lemon, their latest move to bring in a new receiver and help soften the impact of the long-anticipated Brown departure.
The Patriots currently have roughly $35.5MM in cap space. Absorbing the remainder of Brown’s contract – which runs through 2029 – should be feasible as a result. The possibility of trade talks picking up between Philadelphia and New England will make for an intriguing storyline with the window of opportunity for a swap opening soon.
Browns HC Todd Monken Addresses Team’s QB1 Battle
The Browns’ next franchise passer does not appear to be on the roster yet, but for now, Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are competing for the starting quarterback job. While Sanders appeared to have the leg up on his veteran teammate earlier this spring, more recent reporting has suggested Watson will be under center in Week 1.
Watson and Sanders were still splitting first-team reps when OTAs opened last week, as ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi observes. Head coach Todd Monken previously expressed his preference to have a QB1 in place by the start of training camp, though he acknowledged that the depth chart could change throughout the course of the preseason slate.
Echoing those sentiments during OTAs, Monken said (via Oyefusi), “[y]ou’d love to have [an established depth chart] at every position at the end of spring, but you can’t guarantee that. We’ll have it set for Jacksonville [in Week 1].”
The first-year HC was predictably complimentary of both participants in the starting QB battle. With respect to Sanders, Monken said, “I think Shedeur’s come miles, in terms of his progressions, getting the ball out, his understanding of concepts. I think he’s really, really come a long way.”
Sanders, 24, dealt with plenty of growing pains as a rookie in 2025. He connected on 56.5% of passes, averaged 6.6 yards per attempt, and threw more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (seven). He posted a poor 68.1 traditional passer rating and an even worse 18.9 QBR in the process. On the other hand, it would not have been surprising to see him selected in the first round of last year’s draft, so if there is more than standard coach-speak to Monken’s comments, perhaps the former Colorado standout is on track for a breakthrough season.
Watson, who will turn 31 in September, has largely disappointed when on the field during his much-maligned Cleveland tenure, and a ruptured (and later re-ruptured) Achilles has kept him out of game action since Week 7 of the 2024 campaign. He did return to practice in the latter stages of the ‘25 slate, and he has since received full medical clearance. In addition to praising Sanders’ growth, Monken offered an encouraging update with respect to Watson’s health.
“Deshaun’s athleticism shows up,” Monken said. “Obviously he’s had that, but he’s had injuries that have set him back. I wouldn’t say it’s a surprise, but it’s exciting to see — it’s a weapon for him. It’s one of his superpowers, his athleticism.”
The Browns did select Taylen Green in the sixth round of this year’s draft, but they otherwise have focused on building up the rest of their roster in the hopes that – unless Watson or Sanders surprises in the upcoming season – they can drop a top 2027 draftee or quality veteran acquisition into a competitive lineup next year. Neither Green nor 2025 third-rounder Dillon Gabriel are candidates for the QB1 gig at the moment.
Brian Flores Amends Complaint Against NFL, Subpoenas 31 Teams
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores* recently amended his lawsuit against the NFL and six of its teams to include a Title VII claim, and now he has amended it again. Per Daniel Kaplan of Front Office Sports, Flores has added a new retaliation count.
The nature of the allegation is presently unclear, but based on the NFL’s response, it appears Flores is arguing the league’s effort to enforce the arbitration provisions in its contracts is itself retaliatory. If that’s the case, sports attorney Chris Deubert tells Kaplan it “makes no sense,” and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk concedes it will be difficult to prove.
Nonetheless, Flores has scored a series of key wins in this long-running saga, and he is striking while the iron is hot. The trial court has allowed his claims against all six teams (the Giants, Broncos, Texans, Dolphins, Titans, and Cardinals) to proceed to trial rather than remain in the NFL’s arbitration system, and the trial court has also allowed the case to move forward as normal even as the NFL seeks United States Supreme Court review of that issue.
Allowing the case to move forward includes lifting the stay on discovery, so in addition to the amended complaint, Flores has subpoenaed 31 of the NFL’s 32 teams, as Kaplan details (presumably, only the Vikings have not been subpoenaed). ESPN’s Kris Rhim adds Flores has served more than 1,000 discovery requests, which the league has argued are punishingly overbroad.
“They’re obviously going scorched-earth,” Deubert said. “Presuming he’s asking about their employment hiring practices and policies, and even that can be difficult to just to respond to. … But those teams are probably going to object to the subpoenas, probably collectively through the league-friendly counsel, and say it’s not relevant, and there’ll be an interesting sort of fight there.”
The defendants will file a motion to dismiss in response to the latest amended complaint. As Rhim notes, the deadline for that is June 5. Pretrial briefs are due in late July/early August. A trial date likely will not be set until after the court rules on the motions to dismiss.
*Steve Wilks and Ray Horton are Flores’ co-plaintiffs, but for ease of reading, we will simply use Flores’ name when referring to the plaintiffs’ side of this matter.
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Lions Could Extend RB Jahmyr Gibbs Soon; Team Still Interested In New Deal For TE Sam LaPorta
One year ago (almost to the day), we noted the Lions were already looking ahead to an extension for running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who was entering his third professional season. After a standout 2025 campaign, the time for Gibbs’ second contract could be approaching.
Detroit recently extended linebacker Jack Campbell, who was selected six picks after Gibbs in the first round of the 2023 draft. Given that the NFL continues to group off-ball LBs and pass-rushing LBs together for valuation purposes, the Lions had no choice but to decline Campbell’s fifth-year option, which would have made 2026 a platform year if not for the new deal.
In terms of club control, there is not as much urgency for the Lions to extend Gibbs. Because they did exercise the RB’s fifth-year option, he is locked in through the 2027 slate, and Detroit theoretically could utilize some sort of tag after that. However, with Campbell’s future now addressed, ESPN’s Adam Schefter thinks Gibbs is next in line. In a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show (video link), Schefter expressed his belief that an agreement will be coming this summer.
Even though Falcons RB Bijan Robinson is expected to land a more lucrative contract than Gibbs, the Lions may want to beat Atlanta to the punch and finalize a Gibbs extension before Robinson adds another data point to the top of the RB market. Irrespective of Robinson’s status, Detroit’s three–time Pro Bowler is in line to score a deal paying him in excess of $15MM per year, which would place him no lower than third in the NFL’s running back hierarchy. At present, Saquon Barkley ($20.6MM/year), Christian McCaffrey ($19MM), and Derrick Henry ($15MM) lead the way in terms of average annual value.
And Gibbs has certainly earned a big payday. The dual-threat has found the end zone a whopping 49 times (39 rushing, 10 receiving) in as many games. A two-time 1,200-yard rusher, Gibbs has averaged a robust 5.3 YPC on 675 career attempts. The 24-year-old is also fresh off a 77-catch season, easily surpassing the respectable 52 he totaled in each of his first two years.
In addition to Gibbs and Campbell, the 2023 draft also produced tight end Sam LaPorta and defensive back Brian Branch. In January, GM Brad Holmes identified all four members of that high-impact quartet as priorities. Holmes has checked Campbell’s extension off his to-do list, and it sounds as if Gibbs’ deal could be done in fairly short order. Similarly, Schefter says Detroit still wants to work out a long-term pact with LaPorta.
Because LaPorta and Branch were not first-round picks, they were not eligible for a fifth-year option. As such, they will be out of contract at the end of the ‘26 season unless a new pact is worked out before then.
While it may not mean anything, Schefter does not reference Branch in his report. Holmes’ January remarks notwithstanding, we heard the versatile defender probably would not receive an extension this offseason, so he could be on track to hit free agency in 2027.
Titans’ Jackson Slater To Compete At RG
The Titans are returning three-fifths of their starting offensive line with left tackle Dan Moore Jr., left guard Peter Skoronski, and right tackle JC Latham returning to their 2025 posts.
Gone are center Lloyd Cushenberry and right guard Kevin Zeitler, leaving two major holes in front of second-year quarterback Cam Ward.
Austin Schlottmann is likely atop the depth chart at center. He signed a two-year, $7MM deal to come to Tennessee this offseason from New York, where he played under Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll for the past two years.
Right guard is less clear. The Titans signed former Bengals starter Cordell Volson in free agency, but all 48 of his career starts came at left guard. He also did not play in 2025 due to season-ending shoulder surgery.
The only returning Titan who took any right guard snaps last year is Jackson Slater, a 2025 fourth-round pick. The 22-year-old played more than 95% of his college snaps at Sacramento State at left guard, but he played on both sides in the preseason and right guard for his lone regular season appearance.
Head coach Robert Saleh said (via veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky) that Slater would be competing at right guard this year as well, indicating the second-year lineman has a path to the starting job opposite Skoronski.
Steelers’ Rico Dowdle, Jaylen Warren Both RB1 Options
In an uncommon series of events, the Steelers have two running backs on similar multiyear deals each coming off career-best seasons. With both Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle having similar contracts and similar recent production, there doesn’t appear to be a clear RB1 in Pittsburgh at the moment.
Looking solely at the money, Dowdle’s two-year, $12.25MM free agent contract just outweighs the incumbent starter’s two-year, $11.9MM extension. Looking solely at production, Dowdle’s 1,373 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns once again just outshine Warren’s totals of 1,291 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns. Both comparisons are close enough, though, that it’s hard to come to any hard conclusions either way. Plus, the two are quite different in their styles of play.
An undrafted player out of Oklahoma State, Warren spent his first three years in Pittsburgh as a change-of-pace and third-down back behind starter Najee Harris. He displayed promising abilities catching passes out of the backfield early and often, and his 784 yards and four touchdowns while sharing touches with Harris in Year 2 showed he can handle a higher volume of rushing touches as an RB2.
Also an undrafted player to start his career, Dowdle saw very little time on the Cowboys offense in his first three years in the league as he sat behind Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard. In 2023, Dowdle stepped into the Cowboys’ RB2 role behind Pollard with Elliott no longer in the picture. Dowdle showed enough in his first look at extended time that Dallas tabbed him as RB1 after Pollard moved on in free agency. After recording a 1,000-yard season in his first starting opportunity, Dowdle landed in Carolina in free agency and started as RB2 behind Hubbard before taking over and completing a second straight 1,000-yard campaign.
One thing working in Dowdle’s favor is his history with the Steelers’ new head coach, Mike McCarthy. The two worked together when McCarthy was the head coach in Dallas, so Dowdle will have some familiarity with the offensive play-caller’s system. Having spent his entire career in Pittsburgh, though, Warren has existing chemistry with the returning players of the offense, including veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
In an appearance yesterday on the Steelers Collective, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette argued that he was looking forward to the possibility of Warren returning to a third-down, receiving back role as a change of pace to Dowdle. Fans have mourned the loss of Kenneth Gainwell to Tampa Bay in free agency after he filled that role last year, but Fittipaldo believes the combination of Dowdle and Warren could improve on the production of Warren and Gainwell last year.
The Steelers have two capable producers populating the backfield in Pittsburgh, and the coaches will have to figure out the ideal mixture for success by the time the regular season comes around. Both players have shown they have starting ability, but the potential that their skills may work in tandem could mean one former starter may be forced to embrace a lesser role on the offense.
Jets Evaluating Cade Klubnik Before Signing Veteran Backup QB
The Jets are entering OTAs without a clear backup for starting quarterback Geno Smith. In the coming weeks, they plan to evaluate their current trio of young passers before adding another veteran.
Leading that group is rookie Cade Klubnik who they traded up to select in the fourth round of April’s draft. The 22-year-old started for three years at Clemson with 241.7 passing yards per game and 71 touchdowns to 21 interceptions. A notable step back from 2024 to 2025 limited his draft stock, but his NFL-ready tools and experience (39 starts in the ACC) give him clear backup potential.
Klubnik performed well at rookie minicamp, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini. but the pace and level of competition will increase drastically at OTAs. Proving himself could persuade the coaching staff they do not need another veteran quarterback, at least for now. The Jets are thought to be targeting a long-term franchise quarterback at the top of the 2027 draft, so giving Klubnik (or another young passer) some regular-season reps should Smith miss time might be more worthwhile than a stopgap veteran.
The Jets also have Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe in their quarterback room. Cook, 24, started four games as an undrafted rookie in 2025 amid New York’s quarterback injuries. He completed just 57.5% of his passes for just 4.8 yards per attempt, two touchdowns and seven interceptions. Cook’s with the organization is a plus, but his incumbency is less of an advantage with a new offensive system.
Zappe, a Patriots fourth-round pick in 2022, won both of his starts as a rookie but averaged just 127.2 yards per game and 6.0 yards per attempt in 2023. He started one game for the Browns in 2024 – a Week 18 drubbing by the Ravens – and spent last year on Cleveland’s practice squad.
The Jets could still elect to add a free agent quarterback. The team has been in contact with multiple veterans, including Russell Wilson, and others could come free as teams adjusting their rosters in the coming months.
Latest On Dolphins’ Position Battles
After moving on from Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle in the offseason, the Dolphins have essentially initiated a bit of a rebuild. A big part of that process is identifying which pieces are worth building around, so Miami will be keeping an eye on the outcome of a few key position battles this summer.
A year ago, the Dolphins exchanged third- and fourth-round picks for a fifth-rounder in order to move up 11 slots in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft to select Arizona offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea. As a rookie, Savaiinaea started every game of the season for the Dolphins at left guard, grading out as the worst of 79 players graded at the position last year, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Miami drafted Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor with its first of two first-round picks, but the college tackle will start his NFL career at Savaiinaea’s left guard spot. With starting right guard Cole Strange departing in free agency, the Dolphins have opted to move Savaiinaea over the right side of the line in the hope that he might play better on the side he played on in college. The team isn’t banking on that possibility, though.
According to Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald, if Savaiinaea continues to struggle through Year 2, the new front office/coaching regime will be perfectly willing to give an opportunity to their own roster additions in the sixth-round rookie out of Texas, DJ Campbell, or free agent addition Jamaree Salyer.
At running back, the Dolphins already worked this offseason to secure star rusher De’Von Achane to a four-year deal, but in order for him to be effective all four years, Miami needs him to have some help at the position. Last year, second-year back Jaylen Wright and rookie rusher Ollie Gordon both finished the season with 70 carries apiece. Wright didn’t get on the field until Week 7 due to injury but proved to be efficiently productive when he did play, averaging 4.1 yards per carry to the tune of 288 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Gordon was viewed as a fantasy sleeper early on in the season due to concerns about Achane’s durability, but the Oklahoma State product saw a difficult transition to the pro-level, averaging only 2.8 yards per carry to finish Year 1 with 199 yards and three touchdowns. Miami will hope that coming into the season healthy will help Wright make a bigger impact early in his third season of play or that Gordon will be able to recapture the big-play ability he displayed as the NCAA’s 2023 rushing yards leader as a sophomore with the Cowboys. They’ll rely, of course, on Achane first, but they’ll need change of pace to keep him effective.
Lastly, the Dolphins saw their top three cornerbacks depart in free agency this offseason, and the team will have to find new starters this summer. Miami spent their second first-round pick this year on San Diego State’s Chris Johnson, and the team expects the rookie corner to slot into one of the starting boundary positions. According to Kelly, the opposite boundary spot will see JuJu Brents, Storm Duck, and Ethan Bonner as the main contenders for a starting spot.
Brents and Duck have started a few games as part of the defensive rotation in recent years, and Bonner saw increased responsibility off the bench last year, as well. Kelly calls this “an open competition,” though, granting that any defensive back will have an opportunity to land starting honors. Recent free agent additions Darrell Baker Jr. and Marco Wilson are two names that stand an outside shot of earning a bigger role.