Malachi Lawrence Drawing Major Interest
APRIL 16: The Patriots used a “30” visit on Lawrence, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald relays. In addition to the Pats and the previously reported Colts, 49ers, Seahawks and Texans, Lawrence met with the Cardinals, Chiefs, Falcons, Saints, Chargers, Ravens, Eagles, Dolphins, Buccaneers, Commanders, Raiders, Titans and Jets, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2.
APRIL 9: As a potential first- or second-round pick, UCF edge defender Malachi Lawrence is generating significant interest in the lead-up to the NFL draft. Sixteen teams have set up visits with Lawrence, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. The Colts, 49ers and Seahawks will all meet with him this week.
The 6-foot-4, 253-pound Lawrence’s college career took off as a redshirt sophomore in 2023. He registered 10.5 tackles for loss and a personal-best 7.5 sacks in 13 games that year. Lawrence’s production dropped a bit during an 11-game 2024 (six TFL, five sacks), but he earned a first-team All-Big 12 selection last season. Over 12 games, Lawrence picked up 11 TFL and seven sacks.
Lawrence further boosted his stock with an off-the-charts performance at the Combine, where he ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash. He finished second among edge defenders at the Combine in 40 time, 10-yard split, vertical jump and broad jump (via PFF College). Dane Brugler of The Athletic (No. 36) and Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com (No. 46) consider Lawrence a top-50 prospect.
It is not ideal that Lawrence will already turn 24 before the season starts (Miami’s Akheem Mesidor, 25, is in a similar boat), but half the league is intrigued enough to meet with him. The three reported clubs – Indianapolis, San Francisco and Seattle – have an obvious need along the edge.
The Colts were a passable 15th in sacks last season, but they ranked an alarming 30th in pass rush win rate. The team made a run at Trey Hendrickson early in free agency, but the Ravens won that sweepstakes. The Colts have settled for modest additions (Arden Key and Micheal Clemons) to replace the departed Kwity Paye and Samson Ebukam. They continue to lack needle-moving pass rushers to complement Laiatu Latu. Indianapolis is devoid of a first-round pick, but Lawrence could be on the board when it selects 47th overall in the second round.
The 49ers will pick 27th and 58th in the first two rounds. They totaled the fewest sacks in the league last season, though losing Nick Bosa to a Week 3 ACL tear heavily contributed to their struggles. They should get Bosa and Mykel Williams, who tore his ACL in November, back next season. The rest of their edge rushers – Sam Okuayinonu, Keion White, William Bradley-King, Andrew Farmer and the just-signed Cameron Sample – combined for just five sacks last year. With that in mind, bolstering the pass rush via the draft should be a high priority for the 49ers.
The reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks aren’t exactly teeming with weaknesses, but taking an edge defender early may be on their to-do list. Owners of just four picks, including Nos. 32 and 64 in the first two rounds, the Seahawks lost Boye Mafe in free agency. They have not brought in a replacement for Maye, and the clock is ticking on Demarcus Lawrence‘s career. The soon-to-be 34-year-old pondered retirement after the season, which could add to the Seahawks’ urgency to make a notable investment along the edge.
WR Germie Bernard Visited Falcons
The Falcons have identified receiver as a position of need going into the draft. Alabama’s Germie Bernard is among the wideouts on their radar. They hosted Bernard on Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
The Falcons are devoid of a first-round pick after trading it to move up for James Pearce Jr. in 2025, but it would be a surprise to see Bernard go that high. The Falcons are scheduled to make their first choice at No. 48 in the second round, where Bernard could be a possibility. Dane Brugler of The Athletic and Daniel Jeremiah of The Athletic rank Bernard 41st and 50th, respectively, in this year’s class.
Bernard is a pro-ready prospect who profiles as a second or third receiver in the NFL, per Brugler, which is something Atlanta is lacking. The Falcons have a stud No. 1 in Drake London (who should land a mega-extension soon). Running back Bijan Robinson and tight end Kyle Pitts also eat up a lot of targets, but the Falcons’ receiving corps is underwhelming beyond London.
The free agent additions of Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus gave the Falcons some insurance before the draft, though general manager Ian Cunningham could bring in someone with more upside. Dotson caught fewer than 20 passes in each of the previous two seasons in Philadelphia, while Zaccheaus averaged just 8.0 yards per reception during a 39-catch 2025 in Chicago.
Bernard played for three different schools in four college seasons. After a seven-catch freshman year at Michigan State, he experienced an uptick in production at Washington in 2023. As part of a crowded receiving corps led by Rome Odunze, Ja’lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan, Bernard pulled in 34 catches for 419 yards and two touchdowns. His quarterback that year was Michael Penix Jr., who is now entering his third season with the Falcons. Bernard and Penix could reunite in Atlanta, though the latter will have to beat out Tua Tagovailoa for the starting job.
Bernard followed head coach Kalen DeBoer from Washington to Alabama in 2024, and the 6-foot-1, 206-pounder’s output improved significantly in Tuscaloosa. He notched 50 receptions, 794 yards and two scores in 13 games his first year with the Crimson Tide. Bernard wrapped up his college tenure with personal bests in catches (64), yards (862) and TDs (seven) over 14 games in 2025.
Jets Expected To Draft David Bailey Second Overall; Latest On WR Possibilities
The Jets canceled a scheduled “30” visit with David Bailey, but that is hardly an indication they will pass on the Texas Tech edge defender at No. 2 overall in the draft. On the contrary, “most of the league” expects the Jets to use their first pick on Bailey, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports hears.
The possibility of the Jets taking Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles in the second slot exists, but the popular belief is they will settle on Bailey or Buckeyes LB/edge Arvell Reese. Not even two weeks ago, Reese was reportedly the favorite to end up in New York. The draft is still a week away, leaving enough time for this to swing in a different direction by next Thursday.
Will McDonald and free agent additions Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare are the Jets’ top edge options heading into the draft. They make for a decent trio, but the Jets are in need of a game-wrecking pass rusher. They may get one in the 22-year-old Bailey, whose production exploded last season. Spending his first three college seasons at Stanford, Bailey combined for 14.5 sacks over 32 games. He matched that sack total in 14 games with the Red Raiders.
After leading his conference in sacks and tackles for loss (19.5) in 2025, Bailey earned a unanimous All-America selection and Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year honors. The 6-foot-3, 250-pounder further demonstrated his athletic prowess at the Combine, where he paced his position in the 40-yard dash (4.50) and ranked third in the broad jump, seventh in the 10-yard split and tied for 10th in the vertical jump.
Even if Bailey does not end up as their choice, the Jets are likely to take a defender with their initial pick. The Jets also have another first-rounder, No. 16, and may use that selection to bring in a potential impact player on offense. Receiver is a glaring weakness for the Jets, who need a high-end complement to the excellent Garrett Wilson. A recent report indicated the Jets are “extremely high on” Indiana wideout Omar Cooper Jr., but they like him much better as a potential option at No. 33 than at 16, according to Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports.
New York spending a first-rounder on Cooper is not on the table, per Pauline, who reports the team has only given Round 1 grades to three receivers: Carnell Tate (Ohio State), Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State) and Denzel Boston (Washington). Tate should be long gone when the Jets are on the clock again at the midpoint of the first round, but coming away with either Tyson or Boston looks like a realistic outcome.
Texans Hosted Denzel Boston, Malachi Lawrence
With the draft a week away, Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston continues drawing plenty of interest. Boston visited the Texans earlier this week, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The Texans also met with UCF edge defender Malachi Lawrence, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports.
Boston and Lawrence are potential first-round picks who appear to have second-round floors. In his latest ranking of 2026 prospects, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com places Boston 27th and Lawrence 46th. As owners of the 28th and 38th overall picks, the Texans could come away with one or both of those players in the first two rounds.
Boston would be another notable receiver investment for the Texans, who drafted the Iowa State tandem of Jayden Higgins at No. 34 and Jaylin Noel at No. 79 last year. The rookies combined for 67 catches, 817 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025. Houston also counts star No. 1 receiver Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson and Tank Dell among its options, though the latter’s status is up in the air after a gruesome knee injury cost him all of last season.
Unlike the 5-foot-11 Noel and the 5-10 Dell, all of Boston, Higgins, Collins and Hutchinson stand 6-3 or taller, which would give quarterback C.J. Stroud a handful of big targets. The 6-4, 209-pound Boston took advantage of his size at Washington, where he established himself as a sure-handed red zone weapon. Boston posted a 3.1% drop rate in college and averaged 63 catches, 858 yards and 10 TDs per season from 2024-25.
The Texans already have an all-world pass-rushing duo in Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter, but they were intrigued enough with Lawrence to meet with him. Houston is hardly alone in that regard, as half of the league’s 32 teams held visits with Lawrence before Wednesday’s deadline. After combining for 27.5 tackles for loss and 19.5 sacks from 2023-25, Lawrence upped his stock at the Combine in February. The 6-4, 253-pounder ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash, which ranked second among edge defenders. He also placed second in the 10-yard split, vertical jump and broad jump (via PFF College).
Lawrence would begin his career in a depth role in Houston, which saw Anderson and Hunter record respective defensive snap shares of 66.79% and 70.07% in 2025. Anderson and Hunter are under Texans control for the next two years, but the former is likely to stick around for longer on a record-breaking extension. Hunter landed a massive deal of his own last month, though it may be his last with the Texans. He will be 33 when the pact expires. The Texans could develop Lawrence as a replacement if they draft him and he shows he is worthy of a promotion to a starting job by 2028.
Giants DT Dexter Lawrence Wants Out; Latest On Potential Trade
Unhappy with a contract that does not include any more guaranteed money, Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence requested a trade earlier this month. The Giants and Lawrence continued contract talks after he asked out, but those negotiations broke off on Wednesday.
While the Giants trading the disgruntled Lawrence is a possibility, it is not a lock. Lawrence does indeed want out, per reports from CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones and Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. However, the Giants are not giving him away at a discounted rate.
The Giants want at least a first-round pick for the four-time Pro Bowler, according to Jones, who floats the idea of the team demanding a 2027 first- and a 2026 second-rounder for Lawrence. Doing so would give the Giants until Day 2 of this year’s draft to find a trade partner. If Lawrence is still a Giant on Day 3, April 25, it may take a long time for a trade to come together (if it happens at all).
The most recent trade involving a star defensive tackle came last November when the Jets shipped Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys. Dallas parted with the aforementioned 2027 first- and 2026 second-rounder package. The Cowboys also threw in D-tackle Mazi Smith, a 2023 first-rounder who has been a bust. The Giants are probably not in position to receive that strong of an offer, though, considering an acquiring team would have to give Lawrence a raise. Conversely, the Cowboys did not have to make any adjustments to Williams’ contract.
Lawrence is owed $19.5MM in each of the next two seasons, but Jones writes that he “will likely” climb into the upper $20MM range on a new deal. With Lawrence angling for more money, one source told Schwartz the Giants may not even get a first-rounder for the 28-year-old Lawrence, adding that “[he] will be in camp, he’s got nowhere to go.”
A Giant since they chose him 17th overall in the 2019 draft, Lawrence put pen to paper on his current pact – a four-year, $90MM extension with $60MM in guarantees – in May 2023. Joe Schoen, the general manager who authorized the contract, is still in his post. But Lawrence has been frustrated with how the team has been run and “what’s been valued in the locker room” over the past three years, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post writes. He has been open to a trade dating to the start of last year, Jordan Raanan of ESPN adds. Schoen has since lost power to new head coach John Harbaugh, but Lawrence’s frustration with the organization has not subsided.
While Dunleavy believes Lawrence would accept a “big raise” from the Giants, they are not not inclined to give him one. A trade does not appear imminent either, though the Giants have have held talks with other teams, per Raanan. With the draft starting a week from tonight, this will remain a fascinating situation to monitor.
Chargers Not Discussing Quentin Johnston Trade; No Decision On Fifth-Year Option
With just one year left on his rookie contract, Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston surfaced in trade rumors in early March. A deal has not materialized over a month later, though, and general manager Joe Hortiz revealed that he is not shopping Johnston.
“There’s a lot of rumors out there on Twitter,” Hortiz said Thursday (via Kris Rhim of ESPN). “And I can tell you this, I have made zero calls about Quentin, and I’ve had zero calls regarding Quentin.”
Hortiz and head coach Jim Harbaugh were not in the organization when the Chargers chose Johnston 21st overall in the 2023 draft. But the two “have always been enamored with Johnston’s upside,” Rhim writes. That seems to bode well for Johnston sticking around for at least another season, though it is unclear if the Chargers will green light his fifth-year option by the May 1 deadline. Signing off on it would entitle Johnston to a fully guaranteed salary of $18.1MM in 2027. The Chargers have not made a decision on it yet, Hortiz said.
The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Johnston joined the Chargers after starring at TCU, but his rookie season was rocky. He struggled with drops and finished with a disappointing 38 receptions, 431 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games. While Johnston combined for five absences over the past two seasons, including three in 2025, his numbers have taken a leap since Hortiz and Harbaugh grabbed the reins in 2024. The 24-year-old caught 55 balls for 711 yards and eight touchdowns in 15 games in his first season playing for Harbaugh. He followed that up with another eight-TD showing, which led the team for the second straight year, and hauled in 51 passes for 735 yards.
Johnston’s production has been closer to respectable than great, which is why exercising his fifth-year option is not a slam dunk. In spending second-round picks on Ladd McConkey and Tre Harris, the Chargers continued to invest heavily at receiver in the past two drafts. They also used a “30” visit this spring on potential first-round wideout KC Concepcion, which suggests they are open to spending another high pick on the position in this year’s draft. If that happens, the Chargers may be less inclined to keep Johnston around on an expensive salary in 2027. Barring a trade, though, Johnston should continue as one of quarterback Justin Herbert’s favorite targets next season under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.
Seahawks Host DE Dante Fowler
Eleven years since the Jaguars took him third overall in the 2015 draft, defensive end Dante Fowler has suited up for five teams. Now a free agent after his second stint with the Cowboys, Fowler could join a sixth franchise. The Seahawks hosted Fowler on Thursday, per the league’s transaction wire.
An agreement with the Seahawks would reunite Fowler with defensive coordinator Aden Durde. They previously overlapped in Atlanta (2020) and Dallas (2022-23). With Durde as the Cowboys’ defensive line coach, Fowler combined for 10 sacks as a rotational player over two years.
Fowler exited the next offseason to join the Commanders, with whom he enjoyed a 10.5-sack outburst. It was the second double-digit sack effort for Fowler, who piled up a personal-best 11.5 with the Rams in 2019. The 10-year veteran has amassed 58.5 sacks over 159 games (58 starts).
Returning to Dallas after a successful season in Washington, Fowler inked a one-year deal worth up to $8MM in March 2025. Fowler wound up playing all 17 games for the fourth straight season and picking up 11 starts – his most since 2020. Despite that, Fowler was only on the field for a little over 32% of the Cowboys’ defensive plays. He finished the season with 15 tackles, 10 QB hits, three sacks and three pass deflections. While those aren’t gaudy numbers, Pro Football Focus nonetheless ranked the 31-year-old’s play an impressive 21st among 119 qualifying edge defenders. PFF assigned Fowler an overall grade of 77.6, the highest of his career and a ways above his second-best mark (72.0 in 2019).
As the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Seahawks boast an excellent roster, but they could stand to add more pass-rushing options via free agency, the draft or both routes. The Seahawks have not replaced Boye Mafe, whom they lost to the Bengals in free agency. Fowler could pick up some of Mafe’s slack in Seattle, where he would rejoin former Cowboys teammate and fellow veteran pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence.
DE A.J. Epenesa Visits Dolphins
Free agent defensive end A.J. Epenesa temporarily came off the market when he agreed to sign with the Browns on March 18. Eleven days later, the Browns called off the one-year, $5MM deal as a result of a failed physical. Epenesa has not landed anywhere since, but he visited the Dolphins on Thursday (via Mike Garafolo of NFL Network).
A second-round pick from Iowa in 2020, Epenesa spent the first six years of his career with Buffalo, one of Miami’s AFC East rivals. Although Cleveland was not comfortable with Epenesa’s health, he has appeared in no fewer than 14 games in each season.
Aside from a 13-start 2024, Epenesa has typically worked in a rotational role. While he totaled just 2.5 sacks and logged a defensive snap share around 30% over 28 games in his first two seasons, Epenesa put together three straight six-sack years and averaged 10 QB hits from 2022-24.
After playing a career-high 55.43% of defensive snaps two years ago, his lone 17-game season, the number dropped to 44.6 over 16 contests in 2025. Working as a backup behind Greg Rousseau and Joey Bosa, Epenesa picked up 37 tackles, nine QB hits and 2.5 sacks. He also recorded the second two-interception season of his career and deflected four passes. Epenesa has averaged approximately five PDs per year since 2022.
After Epenesa and Bosa hit the open market last month, the Bills brought in former Dolphin Bradley Chubb to join Rousseau as their top edge defenders. Chubb led the Dolphins with 8.5 sacks in 2025, but they released him in a cap-cutting move. Looking for complements to Chop Robinson, the Dolphins have brought in Josh Uche and David Ojabo on inexpensive deals. Depending on how his visit went, Epenesa could be a candidate to join them.
Cardinals Exercise LT Paris Johnson Jr.’s Fifth-Year Option
When the Cardinals selected Paris Johnson Jr. sixth overall in the 2023 draft, he was expected to establish himself as a core figure on offense. That has proven to be the case, and his Arizona tenure will continue beyond next season.
To no surprise, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports the Cardinals will exercise Johnson’s fifth-year option. The move will ensure Johnson remains in the fold through at least 2027. A fully guaranteed salary of $19.07MM is in store for that season, although a long-term extension carrying a much larger price tag can be anticipated in this case. GM Monti Ossenfort has since confirmed the news (h/t ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss).
[RELATED: Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
Johnson handled right tackle duties as a rookie, but the decision to move on from veteran D.J. Humphries created a vacancy on the blindside. As expected, that resulted in the Cardinals moving Johnson to the left side with free agent signing Jonah Williams taking on the right tackle spot. That setup was in place for the past two years, but Williams remains unsigned deep into free agency. A new RT starter will be in place for 2026. The Cardinals could address the position with the third overall pick in the draft next week, though trading down is a possibility. Regardless, Johnson will be counted on in his current capacity for the foreseeable future.
A former Ohio State standout, Johnson was Ossenfort’s first pick atop the Arizona front office. Ossenfort traded from third to 12th and then back up six spots to select Johnson. The 6-foot-6, 325-pounder has begun his NFL career with 43 straight starts. However, his only 17-game season to date came as a rookie. He missed three games in 2024 and another five last year, which he ended on IR as a result of a knee injury.
Before spraining his PCL, Johnson played every snap during the Cardinals’ first 12 games. Pro Football Focus ranked Johnson’s performance a solid 23rd among 84 tackles. Now committed to Johnson for at least two more seasons, the Cardinals are confident he will continue to serve as an offensive cornerstone.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
Titans QB Cam Ward Expected To Participate In Minicamp
Cam Ward did not undergo surgery after suffering an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder during the Titans’ Week 18 contest. His recovery has of course been monitored closely since then, and progress continues to be made.
The Titans recently began their offseason program as one of the teams with a new head coach in place. Ward has been present while continuing his rehab, and no setbacks have been encountered. As long as that remains the case, 2025’s first overall pick will be able to participate in spring workouts.
“He’s been out there,” general manager Mike Borgonzi said on Thursday (via ESPN’s Turron Davenport). “I’m sure you’ve seen the videos of him throwing. He looks good.”
Ward is on track to take part in minicamp next month. Provided all goes well in that regard, he will be positioned for a full workload in training camp this summer. Ward’s health is obviously paramount to the Titans’ efforts to bounce back from a 3-14 2025 campaign. His presence was a key factor in Brian Daboll‘s decision to join Robert Saleh‘s coaching staff during this year’s hiring cycle, and a full stretch of acclimating to Daboll’s offense would set Ward up for a Year 2 jump.
Things did not go according to plan for Tennessee on offense last season, and it came as little surprise when Brian Callahan was fired midway through the campaign. Better play across the board will be required, including from Ward’s supporting cast but also the signal-caller himself. Ward will turn 24 next month, and his ability to develop into a franchise passer will be critical in determining the Titans’ level of success under Saleh. Reinforcements via the draft are forthcoming after Borgonzi and Co. made several big-ticket defensive additions on defense.
Bringing in notable defensive prospects will no doubt be a goal for next week’s draft, but Ward figures to have new faces around him when he is next on the field for full-team work. That is set to take place shortly.