Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza Learning Raiders’ Offense
We at Pro Football Rumors have been careful with our wording, making sure not to promise or guarantee anything that isn’t confirmed or complete. According to something Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network said recently in an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, we may be able to start speaking with a bit more certainty. 
For instance, since the season came to an end, we’ve said Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the “likely No. 1 overall pick,” “the anticipated No. 1 pick,” and “the overwhelming favorite to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.” We’ve also often tied a specific team to him, saying the Raiders No. 1 overall pick is “virtually unattainable” and that the team drafting Mendoza is “all but a sure thing,” “all but certain,” and “an overwhelming expectation.”
In his guest appearance on the show, Jeremiah was asked if the Raiders are “100 percent locked in” on taking Mendoza with the first pick of the draft. Jeremiah laid out Mendoza’s recent schedule in an attempt to paint a clear picture. Per Jeremiah, Mendoza has been working recently with former NFL quarterback and quarterbacks coach Brian Griese, a fellow Miami-native and Columbus HS (FL) grad.
He explained that Mendoza isn’t just working on mechanics with Griese, cleaning up footwork or release motions. No, Jeremiah asserted that Griese and Mendoza are working on “installing the Raiders’ offense.” Jeremiah equated the situation to that of former No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow, who was cemented into his draft position early enough that he was able to utilize the time leading up to the NFL draft learning his future team’s offensive concepts and verbiage.
Jeremiah’s assertions served to confirm what we’ve been dancing around for months. This is, essentially, a done deal. The draft expert told his hosts he’d be “shocked, stunned, (and) astonished if (Mendoza) is not the first overall pick.” He concluded by asserting that he doesn’t see it going in any other direction.
Florida Attorney General Threatens Legal Action Over NFL’s Rooney Rule
The Rooney Rule has been the centerpiece of the NFL’s initiative to expand opportunities for minority coaches and front office executives for more than two decades. Now, it is under attack.
Florida attorney general James Uthmeier called on the NFL to suspend the Rooney Rule in a social media post and a letter sent to commissioner Roger Goodell this week. Uthmeier characterized the policy as “blatant race and sex discrimination” and threatened legal action if the league does not comply by May 1.
The NFL acknowledged receipt of the letter and responded with a statement from executive vice president Jeff Miller (via ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler): “We believe our policies are consistent with the law and reflect our commitment to fairness, opportunity, and building the strongest possible teams.”
The Rooney Rule, named for late Steelers owner and then-chair of the league’s Workplace Diversity Committee, was instituted in 2002. Tony Dungy and Dennis Green, two of the league’s three minority coaches, had just been fired – Dungy after a winning season and Green after his first losing season in a decade. The original rule required teams to interview one ethnic-minority candidate for head coaching vacancies. It has since expanded in a number of ways to cover other positions and include women in the definition of minority candidate.
Teams are now required to in-person interviews with two minority candidates for head coaching, general manager, and primary football executive positions. Two candidates are also required for coordinator jobs, though they may be conducted virtually. One minority candidate must be interviewed for quarterback coach openings, as the position has become a popular pipeline for future head coaches.
The league also introduced a system to reward teams who developed minority talent. If a minority coach or executive leaves for head coaching or general manager jobs with another team, the original club will third-round compensatory picks in future drafts.
The results are undeniable. Seven teams hired a total of seven minority coaches from the start of the NFL’s modern era in 1970 to the institution of the rule in 2002. The Colts hired Dungy as their head coach that offseason, and the Bengals hired Marvin Lewis the year after. Green returned to a top job with the Cardinals in 2004, and by 2005, there were six minority head coaches in the league. Previously, there were never more than three at a time; since then, there have not been fewer than four.
The NFL has clearly accomplished its goal of expanding coaching and front office opportunities for minorities, but the Rooney Rule is still not perfect. Brian Flores‘ lawsuit brought the issue of sham interviews – conducted only to fulfill league requirements as opposed to legitimate consideration to be hired – into the spotlight, and the 2026 hiring cycle represented significant regression for minority candidates. Despite 10 openings, tied for the most in league history, Robert Saleh was the only minority to land a head coaching job.
Now, the rule is in danger, at least in Florida. The NFL is reviewing Uthmeier’s letter, which was also sent to the league’s three teams within his jurisdiction: the Buccaneers, Dolphins, and Jaguars. But other states could follow suit, especially those with leadership from the Republican Party, which has been leading nationwide efforts to end diversity-based hiring policies.
Art Rooney II – who succeeded his father in Pittsburgh and as the chair of the the NFL’s renamed DEI Committee – said (via Kahler) that the league has “an obligation to make sure that our policies comply with the laws.”
“That’s just the environment we’re existing in today,” he added.
Cowboys Considered Trading For Steelers LB Patrick Queen
After a dismal defensive showing in 2025, the Cowboys entered the offseason looking to upgrade their roster on that side of the ball.
Among their top priorities was the linebacker position. Kenneth Murray and Shemar James both finished the season with sub-40.0 grades from Pro Football Focus (subscription required), putting them right alongside the Bengals for the worst starting duo in the league. Rotational contributors like Jack Sanborn, Logan Wilson, and Marist Liufau could not step up and fill the games, though DeMarvion Overshown played well upon his return from injury in November.
Dallas let Murray, Sanborn, and Wilson hit free agency, with Wilson electing to retire. Overshown will start in 2026, the final year of his rookie deal, but the Cowboys need to find a running mate and potential successor. The team considered three options (via Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News): Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker, and Patrick Queen.
Dean and Walker, who started together at Georgia, reunited in Las Vegas. The Cowboys could have afforded to match or even beat the Raiders’ offers, but the former Bulldogs have said that the opportunity to once again play next to each other was a key motivator in their decision. The same opportunity was not available in Dallas with Overshown locked in as a starter.
That left Queen, the Ravens’ first-round pick in 2020 who signed with their AFC North rivals in free agency in 2024. His grades from PFF have slipped in Pittsburgh relative to his last two years in Baltimore, with a significant step back from 2024 to 2025. Queen’s 20.4 % missed tackle rate was the highest of his career, as were his 829 yards and 11.2 yards per reception allowed when targeted in coverage.
Queen was owed $13.33MM in 2026, per OverTheCap, with $2.5MM getting paid out as a roster bonus on March 15. With his declining performance, 2026 compensation, and a new coaching staff, Pittsburgh could have considered moving the 6-foot-1 linebacker, but the Cowboys decided not to pursue a deal. It is unknown if the Steelers even would have been open to such a deal.
Dallas has yet to add a linebacker this offseason, with James, Liufau, and Justin Barron as the returning candidates to start next to Overshown. There are still a few proven veterans available – Bobby Okereke and Germaine Pratt chief among them – as well as a strong crop of linebacker prospects in April’s draft. The Cowboys should be able to find a starter on Day 1 or 2 with the option of making a post-draft veteran addition or two to round out the room.
Ravens Optimistic DT Nnamdi Madubuike Will Recover From Neck Injury
Nnamdi Madubuike was limited to just two games in 2025. A neck injury resulted in a move to injured reserve early in the season, and it eventually became clear a return to action would not be possible by the end of the year. 
Since then, very few updates regarding Madubuike’s status have emerged. The Pro Bowl defensive tackle has offered hints a full recovery could be possible, however. It appears that feeling is in place within the organization as well. ESPN’s Jamison Hensley writes there has been “growing optimism” with respect to Madubuike being able to return.
A full recovery would of course be welcomed by all involved. Madubuike established himself as one of the league’s top pass rushing defensive linemen while playing out his rookie contract in Baltimore. He received the franchise tag in 2024 before signing an extension averaging $24.5MM per year. The former third-rounder played a full campaign during the first season of that contract, but his early 2025 neck injury resulted in a much different story.
Madubuike managing to heal in time for next season would give the Ravens a key figure back in their front seven. As things stand, making at least one DT addition via the draft is seen as a necessity. The position is thin at the moment even with Madubuike projected to be available in the future. The 28-year-old will be counted on to reprise a full-time starting role if/when he is back in the fold.
Travis Jones and Broderick Washington are also on the books for next season, although the latter could be a release candidate. Moving on from Washington would increase the need for new arrivals along the D-line over the remainder of the offseason. No free agent signings have taken place yet, while Brent Urban and Taven Bryan remain on the open market. The draft could yield at least one new option on the interior, and the Ravens’ plans on that front will no doubt be partially driven by Madubuike’s prognosis.
The Texas A&M product notched 13.5 sacks in 2023, earning a second-team All-Pro nod along the way. A return to that level of production would pay major dividends for Baltimore’s defense, and it appears that could be possible barring a setback on the health front.
LB DeAngelo Malone Visits Buccaneers
DeAngelo Malone remains on the open market at this time. The veteran linebacker is on the radar of at least one team, however. 
Malone recently met with the Buccaneers, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports. He adds no signing is imminent in this case. In the event of a deal being worked out, Malone would offer depth to Tampa Bay along with special teams experience.
The 26-year-old played out his rookie contract as a member of the Falcons. In that time, Malone totaled 58 appearances. None of them were starts, and the former third-rounder’s defensive workload was sparse after his rookie season in particular. However, Malone has logged over 1,100 snaps on special teams to date during his NFL tenure. A heavy workload with respect to third phase duties can be expected wherever he winds up in free agency.
The Buccaneers’ plan at the linebacker position will need to account for Lavonte David‘s retirement. The franchise icon elected to hang up his cleats after 14 seasons, all of them with Tampa Bay. Malone or similar free agents who are still available at this point of the offseason will obviously not be able to replace David’s consistent production on defense, but they could offer depth at the second level. The Bucs have already brought in linebackers Alex Anzalone and Christian Rozeboom since the start of the new league year.
Malone was limited to nine games in 2025, a year in which he recorded his first career interception. The Western Kentucky product also notched three sacks across his time in Atlanta, but any significant addition to that total would require a larger defensive workload than what he has handled so far in the NFL. Presuming Malone continues to be viewed strictly as a special teams option, he could remain unsigned until after the upcoming draft.
The Bucs currently have over $14MM in cap space. Any Malone contract will not require a major financial commitment, but it will be interesting to see if his visit ultimately results in a signing.
Jaguars Could Release DT Arik Armstead
The Jaguars currently sit near the bottom of the NFL in terms of cap space. Jacksonville has less than $6MM in spending power at the moment, but that figure could rise later in the offseason. 
ESPN’s Michael DiRocco identifies Arik Armstead as a potential release candidate. The veteran defensive tackle has one year remaining on his contract. None of his scheduled base salary ($14MM) is guaranteed, however, and Armstead is due to carry a cap charge of $19.39MM in 2026.
A cut at this point in the offseason would not be feasible due to the dead money it would generate. Waiting until after June 1 to proceed with a release would, on the other hand, yield $14.49MM in cap savings while incurring a dead money charge of only $4.9MM. It will be interesting to see how the Jags proceed along the defensive interior during the draft as a result.
Jacksonville already has one notable contract (DaVon Hamilton) on the books at the defensive tackle position. The team’s financial planning in the front seven also has to take into account Josh Hines-Allen‘s $28.25MM-per-year extension and a potential big-money commitment to Travon Walker. The former No. 1 pick is set to play on his fifth-year option in 2026, so working out an extension this offseason would come as little surprise in his case.
The Jaguars were the NFL’s top run defense in 2025, but they struggled to generate a consistent pass rush. Armstead contributed 5.5 sacks during his second campaign in Duval County, a notable rebound from the two he posted the year before. Armstead will again be counted on as a key presence up front provided he remains in the fold for 2026 after he logged a 60% snap share this past season. He will turn 33 midway through the 2026 campaign, though, so finding a successor via the draft would represent a reasonable approach for general manager James Gladstone and Co.
Jacksonville does not own a first-round pick thanks to the trade up for Travis Hunter last April. The Jaguars nevertheless have 11 selections as things stand, so there will be plenty of opportunities to make on or two additions to the defensive line. If that takes place, Armstead’s situation will be worth watching closely.
Jets Rumors: Fitzpatrick, WRs, QBs
After getting traded to the Jets, there’ve been a few questions about how New Jersey native Minkah Fitzpatrick will be utilized in New York’s defense. Per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, Fitzpatrick hasn’t had conversations on the subject just yet, but he has his preference.
When Fitzpatrick was making his case as a future first-round pick at Alabama, the Crimson Tide utilized his versatility, playing him mostly in the slot but letting him roam into the box and the defensive outfield. The Dolphins utilized him much the same way after drafting him, but when Fitzpatrick was traded to the Steelers in his second year of NFL play, Pittsburgh simplified his role, sticking him mostly back at safety. Making his way back to Miami last year, Fitzpatrick was put back into his nickelback role, and he excelled.
To be fair, Fitzpatrick is hardly limited by where he plays and displayed some excellent seasons in Pittsburgh, but when asked about how he might fit into New York’s defense next season, Fitzpatrick told the media that he “envisions himself playing a nickel role, as he did last year in Miami.” The Jets played fourth-round rookie Malachi Moore in that role for much of last year, but Fitzpatrick will likely be an upgrade over his fellow Alabama alumnus.
Here are a few other rumors coming out of New York:
- In an examination of general manager Darren Mougey‘s patient, methodical roster-building strategy, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic broke down how his clairvoyant approach has benefitted the team’s targeting efficiency. Studying the mistakes other teams tend to make in free agency, Mougey examined the likely top receiver options leading up to this year’s offseason. The Jets were interested in Alec Pierce at the top of the market and even Josh Palmer and Dyami Brown at the middle of the market, but Mougey knew that these options wouldn’t be cheap, so when conducting trades this season, he made sure teams included promising, young pass catchers like Adonai Mitchell and John Metchie. Doing so made it easier for New York to walk away from the table as the price tags for Pierce, Palmer, and Brown surpassed expectations and avoid overspending and not getting a decent return on investment.
- Rosenblatt also addressed Mougey’s offseason approach to the quarterback position. After swinging and missing on a decent-sized deal for quarterback Justin Fields, Mougey was able to recoup some value as the Jets moved on. In moving on, Mougey opted to lean on his new offensive coordinator Frank Reich, who has long been revered for his quarterback expertise. The collaboration led to the team’s reunion with Geno Smith, whom the team had reportedly looked into to trading for when the Seahawks made him available last year.
Browns’ Finalized 2026 Coaching Staff Updates
Earlier this month, the Browns announced their finalized coaching staff under new head coach Todd Monken. Many of the bigger coaching hirings and changes were covered in earlier posts as they occurred, but here is the new information gleaned from the team’s March announcement. 
The biggest piece of new information was that defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire has been retained in his role for his third year with the Browns and his seventh in the NFL. It comes with little surprise as he joins a crew of familiar faces also retained on the defensive side of the ball and returns to coach over two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. The only other new information regarding a position coach concerns new tight ends coach Jeff Blasko. We were aware that Blasko had been hired to the role, but the announcement revealed that he will also hold the title of run game coordinator.
Three assistant position coaches were announced as new information. John Wozniak was hired to serve as the Browns’ new assistant wide receivers coach. Coming into his first NFL coaching gig, Wozniak brings 25 years of experience at the collegiate level including position coaching roles at UAB, Southern Miss, and Oklahoma State. On defense, Ralph Street was announced as the new assistant defensive line coach. He’ll arrive in Cleveland after five years as defensive line coach and run game coordinator at Marshall, where Ravens outside linebacker Mike Green led the NCAA with 17.0 sacks in 2024.
Additionally, Keith Tandy was hired as assistant special teams coach. The former NFL safety joins the Browns after serving in the same role for the past six seasons in Tampa Bay. There was also an update that changes the reported role of a presumed position coach. Originally, it was believed that defensive quality control coach Jeff Anderson had been promoted to nickelbacks coach. The team’s announcement clarifies that, while he has been promoted, his new title is defensive assistant/nickelbacks.
Joining Anderson is Zach Dunn, who was announced as defensive assistant/assistant linebackers coach. Dunn has been with Cleveland as a defensive assistant since 2020, and after working with Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger last year, the assistant linebackers coach duties have been added to his plate. On the offensive side of the ball, it was initially reported that assistant offensive line coach Sanders Davis had been retained in his role. The new announcement informs that his title has been adjusted to offensive assistant/offensive line.
The last pieces of new information come in the smaller roles on the coaching staff. On offense, we knew that Ian Kolste was joining Monken in the move from Baltimore to Cleveland, but we didn’t yet know his title. We now know that Kolste will be an offensive quality control coach. Additionally, Dom Borsani has been named an offensive analyst. Borsani has spent three years with the Browns, previously serving as a research and coaching analyst. He’s joined in his new role by Travis Monken. Son of the new boss, the junior Monken has two years of experience as an offensive quality control coach at Purdue.
Likewise, on defense, former NFL linebacker Paul Worrilow has been named a defensive quality control coach. Following his eight-year career playing for the Falcons, Lions, Eagles, Ravens, and Jets, Worrilow has spent the past four years as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Delaware. Lastly, Shaq Wilson has been named a defensive analyst. After 10 years in minor roles at the college level, Wilson joined the Jets in 2023, working as a defensive assistant with the defensive line in his first year and with linebackers for the past two seasons.
These names put the final touches on the Monken’s first NFL staff in Cleveland. The staff will have its work cut out for it to climb out of the AFC North basement once again, but the group should get some time to figure things out as the team gets out from under some handicapping cap hits and uncertainty in the quarterbacks room.
Seahawks Looking At CB Early In Draft?
Based on reputation, there’s an expectation that the Seahawks will not be keeping their No. 32 overall pick for next month’s 2026 NFL Draft. If the right name is available, though, Seattle may just decide to use the pick. According to Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom, that name may need to belong to a player who can bolster the team’s secondary. 
Seahawks general manager John Schneider is no stranger to draft day trades. Last year he traded back from the fourth round 18 spots, adding a seventh-round pick to the pot in exchange for a fifth- and sixth-rounder to sweeten the deal. In their new fourth-round slot, they drafted tight end AJ Barner, who ended up becoming the team’s leading tight end on their Super Bowl run in his sophomore campaign. In 2023, Schneider sent the team’s third-round pick to Denver in exchange for their fourth-round pick and a third-rounder in 2024. That fourth-round pick became starting right guard Anthony Bradford.
One could continue going back, year after year, to see Seattle staying active throughout the draft, often taking small slides back in order to stash extra picks in later rounds or future years. That’s part of the reason La Canfora believes the prospect of trading away a pick with a fifth-year option attached to it may be too good of a deal for Schneider to pass up. Another reason would be the fact that last year’s Super Bowl roster is still fairly intact.
The biggest names no longer in the building include running back Kenneth Walker, safety Coby Bryant, cornerback Riq Woolen, and outside linebacker Boye Mafe. Seattle knew it had Zach Charbonnet ready to take up the yoke after Walker’s departure and added Emanuel Wilson in free agency to supplement a room that also houses George Holani and Kenny McIntosh. On the edge, the defense returns Leonard Williams and DeMarcus Lawrence but may need to add some depth behind the pair.
The Seahawks did add cornerback Noah Igbinoghene after two years of jumpstarting his career with the Commanders, but he isn’t expected to step into a role as big as Woolen’s role in 2025. With the additional hole left by Bryant, there could certainly be a need for Seattle to add a starting caliber safety or cornerback in the first two days of the draft.
There are some talented cornerback prospects in the 2026 class, but none seem to be beating down the door of the top 10 picks. There’s also a good amount of depth at the position with quality prospects being projected into the late-second or early-third round. The Seahawks may sit back and take a chance that one of the top prospects will fall to them at the last pick of the first round, but no one should rule out Schneider trading back into the second round, still getting a quality addition at a position of need there, and collecting some extra draft capital along the way.
Texans Contract Details: Smith, Rankins, Teller, Fairbairn, Hall, Schultz, Hummel
Hoping to earn their fourth straight playoff berth in 2026, the Texans have doled out several notable contracts this month. Here are the details on 10 of those deals, courtesy of Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2:
- Braden Smith, RT (two years, $20MM): The ex-Colt joined the AFC rival Texans on an arrangement worth up to $25MM. Smith received a signing bonus of $8.5MM, and he is due to make base salaries of $2.5MM ($5MM-plus cap hit) and $8MM ($10.63MM cap charge). Houston added two void years to the contract.
- Sheldon Rankins, DT (two years, $17MM): Rankins’ $1.5MM base salary for 2026 is fully guaranteed; $3.5MM of his $7.5MM base salary for 2027 is guaranteed. He can make up to $500K per annum in per game active roster bonuses. The Texans baked three void years into Rankins’ contract.
- Wyatt Teller, G (two years, $16MM): The longtime Brown reeled in $8.5MM in total guarantees and a $5.75MM signing bonus. Teller signed on for base salaries of $1.5MM (fully guaranteed) and $7.25MM ($1.25MM guaranteed). He also has up to $500K available each year in per game active roster bonuses. The Texans included void years from 2028-29.
- Ka’imi Fairbairn, K (two years, $13MM): At $6.5MM, Fairbairn signed for the highest average annual value in the history of his position. Fairbairn’s deal, worth up to $17.79MM, includes $11.66MM in guarantees, a $6MM signing bonus, and $10K in per game active roster bonuses. He’ll take home fully guaranteed salaries of $1.3MM ($5.79MM cap charge) and $4.33MM ($6.7MM against the cap).
- Logan Hall, DE (two years, $13.75MM): The Houston product and former Buccaneer will earn a guaranteed $9MM, a $5.75MM signing bonus, and salaries of $1.4MM (fully guaranteed) and $5.9MM ($1.85MM guaranteed). Hall’s pact included $14,706 in per game roster bonuses and a $100K annual workout bonus.
- Dalton Schultz, TE (one year, $12.6MM): Schultz’s extension, which runs through 2027, comes with a $10MM signing bonus. Schultz will collect base salaries of $2.6MM ($9.46MM cap hit) and $10.5MM ($14.95MM cap charge). The Texans tacked three void years on the deal.
- Jake Hummel, LB (two years, $4.75MM): Hummel’s pact is worth a maximum of $5.25MM, including $2.15MM in full guarantees. His $1.25MM salary for next season is guaranteed. Hummel will make another $1.9MM if he sticks around in 2027. Bonuses: $900K at signing, up to $250K per annum for games played, $250K for making a Pro Bowl, and $100K for workouts.
- Dominique Robinson, DE (one year, up to $4MM): Robinson’s accord has $1.5MM in guarantees, a $1.5MM base salary ($500K guaranteed) and a $1MM signing bonus. There is a max of $500K available in per game active roster bonuses.
- Evan Brown, G (one year, $3MM): Brown’s deal is worth up to $3.5MM. It features a $1.5MM salary ($300K guaranteed; $2.41MM cap hit), $1MM in guarantees, and a $700K signing bonus. There are roster bonuses of $250K and a $50K workout bonus.
- Naquan Jones, DT (one year, $2MM): Jones’ contract carries a max value of $2.5MM. It features a $1.32MM salary and a $300K signing bonus.