Texans, Will Anderson Jr. Agree On Record-Setting Extension
The edge defender market stood south of $35MM per year barely 13 months ago. It has now climbed to $50MM AAV. Will Anderson Jr. agreed to a monster Texans extension Friday, continuing this market’s rocket rise.
Houston and Anderson agreed to a three-year, $150MM extension that comes with $134MM guaranteed, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. The contract includes a no-trade clause. This is a rarity among non-quarterbacks, but Anderson is now (by a notable margin) the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history.
[RELATED: Early Extensions For First-Rounders In Fifth-Year Option Era]
Anderson will receive $100MM fully guaranteed, Rapoport adds. This crucial number checks in third among defenders — behind Micah Parsons and T.J. Watt — but the guarantee vesting schedule will be important to learn here.
Parsons landed $120MM at signing, agreeing to a four-year extension. Parsons and Anderson each signed off on five-year terms (effectively), as one season remained on the ex-Cowboy’s rookie contract at the time of signing. The Texans exercised Anderson’s fifth-year option last week, locking him down through 2027. Although this extension provides the former No. 3 overall pick with a massive guarantee influx, the rookie deal running through 2027 will keep him under Texans control through 2030.
While Anderson has not achieved what Parsons, Watt or Myles Garrett have, he is just 24 and coming off a first-team All-Pro season. The Alabama alum tallied 12 sacks last season, teaming with Danielle Hunter to form a dominant edge-rushing duo. The Texans gave Hunter one-year bumps in each of the past two offseasons; the 31-year-old Anderson bookend is now signed through 2027 via the $40.1MM deal he inked last month. In terms of AAV, the Texans have the NFL’s highest- and fourth-highest-paid edge rushers.
Anderson, who registered 11 sacks in 2024, follows Derek Stingley Jr. in signing a three-year, market-shifting extension in his fourth NFL offseason. Houston gave its cornerback ace a three-year, $90MM extension. That moved the CB market by $5MM per year at the time and set the table for Sauce Gardner and Trent McDuffie‘s extensions. Anderson moved his market’s AAV bar by $3.5MM, with the Packers signing off on a record-setting Parsons agreement following an August 2025 trade.
We heard earlier this week Anderson was likely to set a price point at or above $50MM per year. The salary cap’s annual growth has changed players’ preferred term length, with three-year deals far more common now than they were even a few offseasons ago. The cap jumped from $279.2MM to $301.2MM this offseason. Anderson may well end up the top beneficiary from the latest climb, and it is certainly noteworthy to trace the EDGE market’s transformation over the past 13-plus months.
Nick Bosa‘s $34MM-per-year 49ers extension stood as the high-water mark here from September 2023 to March 2025. Before Bosa’s September 2023 agreement, no one had eclipsed Watt’s first Steelers payday ($28MM per year) for two full years.
Both Brian Burns and Josh Hines-Allen‘s 2024 deals did not come especially close to eclipsing Bosa’s pact, but the Raiders’ March 2025 Maxx Crosby extension (three years, $106.5MM) gave the position a new kingpin. The floodgates opened when the Browns changed Garrett’s trade aim with a four-year, $160MM payday days later. Hunter’s first Texans extension bridged the gap between Crosby and Garrett, and the Steelers gave Watt his second extension (three years, $123MM) last summer. After Parsons’ blockbuster extension delayed the Lions’ talks with Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit’s star pass rusher reached $45MM per year to sit second to Parsons in defender AAV when the dust settled. Hutchinson drops to third after this Anderson news.
While Aaron Donald once led the way among all defenders, a sizable gap has now emerged between edge rushers and interior defensive linemen. Not dissimilar to the gulf that has formed between wide receivers and tight ends, Anderson’s $50MM-per-year number is now nearly $19MM north of Chris Jones‘ DT-leading AAV ($31.75MM). The rest of the D-tackle market sits a whopping $24MM in AAV behind the new EDGE ceiling. It would stand to reason that market will receive an update, but after the two positional ceilings stood near one another entering the 2025 offseason — a year after Jones’ payday — it is striking to see how much more valuable teams have viewed top edge defenders in the months since.
After essentially conducting a pre-rebuild year in his first year on the job — a 2021 season that featured 17 Deshaun Watson healthy scratches amid the QB’s trade request and subsequent turmoil — Nick Caserio drafted Stingley and Jalen Pitre in 2022. The 2023 draft brought more foundational pieces, with the Texans taking C.J. Stroud at No. 2 overall and then trading up nine spots to nab Anderson at No. 3. Caserio sent the Cardinals the Texans’ own 2024 first-rounder — rather than the third first-rounder obtained from the Browns for Watson — to move up, and Houston’s 2023 success dropped that pick to No. 27. The Texans beating the Browns in the 2023 wild-card round made Cleveland’s pick higher than Arizona’s in 2024; though, Houston traded out of that first round (and last year’s first round).
The Texans have formed a menacing defense, and Anderson joins Stingley as the driving forces. Unsurprisingly, a rumor surfaced during the 2025 season the Texans were eyeing a 2026 payday for their emerging edge rusher. The sides entered talks late last month. Houston has now extended both its defensive anchors on three-year accords, giving both DeMeco Ryans cornerstones a chance to come back to the table before age 30.
It remains to be seen if the Texans will pay Stroud this offseason, but after an uneven two seasons following his Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign, it may behoove both parties to wait. As it stands, Stroud appears likelier to be extended in 2027. The team exercised its QB’s fifth-year option, however, providing a sizable guarantee ($25.9MM) for 2027. Anderson’s option came in at $21.51MM, but that is now moot thanks to this extension.
Like Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Seattle, Houston is taking care of key contract business involving a 2023 first-rounder rather than dragging the process out into a contract year. The Seahawks gave the reigning Offensive Player of the Year a receiver-record contract shortly after exercising his fifth-year option. Now, the Texans have followed suit and will build their defense around the Anderson and Stingley deals for the foreseeable future.
Jets Among Teams Which Could Trade Into Top 10
Much of the top-10 order of next week’s draft is unsettled. The possibility of movement near the top of the board has been increasingly discussed in recent days, and a number of teams appear willing to trade down.
The 2026 class is not held in high regard given its relative lack of ‘can’t-miss’ prospects. That factor could lead to a tepid trade-up market, but the Cowboys have been mentioned as a candidate to swing a deal in that regard. Dallas owns a pair of first-round picks, including No. 12.
Moving up the board is something to watch for in that case, but other suitors could be eyeing a top-10 pick. The Jets already have one, but the No. 2 selection may not be the only premium one at general manager Darren Mougey‘s disposal. ESPN’s Matt Miller predicts the opening round will be filled with trades, including up to two swaps in the top-10 order. In addition to the Cowboys, Miller names the Jets as a team to watch in that regard.
Most of the pre-draft chatter in New York’s case has naturally centered on what the team will do with the second overall pick. Taking a defensive prospect remains the expectation at this point, something which would leave Mougey and Co. with options at the receiver position and others with their next Day 1 selection (No. 16). Alternatively, a move toward the latter stages of the top 10 could allow the Jets to pick up multiple top-tier players depending on how the rest of board shakes out.
Coming off a 3-14 campaign, New York could stand to add at several spots. Bringing in immediate contributors would help given the questions surrounding head coach Aaron Glenn‘s job security entering his second season at the helm. The chances of that taking place in 2026 may of course increase with a trade up the board, although sacrificing capital in a draft such as this one would no doubt lead to scrutiny.
It may not be challenging for Mougey to find a trade partner over the coming days given the nature of the first-round order. As such, the Jets will join the Cowboys as a team to monitor closely early on Day 1.
Commanders Open To Trading Down
APRIL 17: Peters said (via Keim) the Commanders are not actively attempting to move down the board at this time. He remains open to a trade agreement, but Washington can be expected to stay in place at No. 7 – a spot which will provide several interesting options – for now.
APRIL 14: The Commanders currently own six picks in the upcoming draft. Only two of those are within the first 146 selections, however, and Washington is a team in need of rookie additions at several spots.
As such, a move down the board on Day 1 could be something to watch for. As ESPN’s John Keim and Jordan Reid write, the Commanders’ preference would be a small trade down the first-round order to add a Day 2 pick. Washington is positioned to select seventh overall in a draft lacking in star power and high-end quarterback prospects. GM Adam Peters has conceded that will likely make it challenging to generate a market with respect to teams moving up into the top 10.
Nevertheless, the Cowboys could be prepared to execute a trade from No. 12 up the order. The possibility of an intra-divisional swap could make for an interesting storyline as the countdown to the draft continues. In any case, Peters and Co. face the challenge of adding impact rookies to one of the league’s oldest rosters with limited draft capital.
To no surprise, Reid adds receiver and cornerback are positions Washington is likely to target early in the draft. Dyami Brown and Van Jefferson have been added in free agency, but Deebo Samuel remains unsigned and little movement has taken place recently on the Brandon Aiyuk front. That could leave the Commanders with the possibility of selecting Carnell Tate if he is still available at No. 7 and no strong trade-up offers emerge.
Washington has added Amik Robertson and Ahkello Witherspoon on the open market at the cornerback spot. Marshon Lattimore is still a free agent, though, while Jonathan Jones and Noah Igbinoghene departed in March. Each of the 2026 class’ top CB prospects are likely to be on the board when the Commanders make their first selection. As a result, drafting Mansoor Delane or Jermod McCoy could receive strong consideration.
The Laremy Tunsil trade deprived Washington of its own selection in the second and fourth rounds in the 2026 draft. The Commanders should still be able to add a few notable rookies to the mix, but efforts on Peters’ part to acquire additional picks are likely to pick up over the coming days.
Chargers Discussing Extensions With Derwin James, Tuli Tuipulotu
Safety Derwin James and edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu are pending 2027 free agents as things stand. That may not be the case for much longer.
When speaking to reporters during his pre-draft press conference, Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz said (via ESPN’s Kris Rhim) conversations have taken place with the agents of both players. Extension talks are likely to pick up after next week’s draft, to no surprise. Working out a deal in each case would take care of an important piece of offseason business.
James has been a defensive pillar for the Bolts since arriving in 2018. This past season saw him deliver another strong outing, and it yielded a fifth Pro Bowl nod along with a third appearance on the second All-Pro team. James was recently named as a candidate to seek out a new contract ahead of training camp this summer. Based on Hortiz’s comments, there is a mutual interest in working out a third Chargers pact.
Team and player agreed to a $19MM-per-year accord in 2022. The safety market has risen since then, and Kyle Hamilton now leads the way at $25MM annually. Two other safeties are ahead of James in terms of AAV, and a move up the pecking order may be in store. James is approaching his age-30 season, though, so a shorter term may be sought out by the Chargers during negotiations. In any case, a fresh round of guarantees can be expected.
The edge rush spot was a key talking point entering free agency for Los Angeles. Khalil Mack and Odafe Oweh remained on track for the open market until Mack ultimately re-signed; Oweh has since departed. As of February, no extension talks with Tuipulotu’s camp had taken place. Working out a long-term deal would be key in his case, however, with Mack once again a candidate to retire at the end of the year.
Tuipulotu has seen his sack production increase over each of his three NFL seasons. He posted 13 in 2025, earning a Pro Bowl nod along the way and further establishing himself as a core member of the Chargers’ defense. At the age of 23, the USC product profiles as a logical candidate for a big-ticket deal this summer. A major raise will be in store compared to the $5.77MM in base salary Tuipulotu is owed for 2026, but Hortiz has made clear his preference for extending in-house players over spending big on outside free agents.
With that in mind, both James and Tuipulotu could very well have new contracts in hand by the time training camp begins in July. Attention will be focused on the draft over the coming days, but afterwards the Chargers will shift to contract talks in each of these cases.
Cardinals Eyeing First-Round Trade Up For QB Ty Simpson?
The Cardinals currently own one first-round pick in next week’s draft. The No. 3 slot remains the subject of considerable speculation, but in any case Arizona could be a team to watch late in the round as well.
A recent report named the Cardinals a candidate to trade down from the third overall pick. How the Jets operate at No. 2 will be key, since at least one of David Bailey or Arvell Reese will still be available after their selection is made. Arizona could stand to add either of those edge rushers, and Essentially Sports’ Tony Pauline reports the team’s preference would be Bailey. Either way, a trade sending Arizona into the back end of the first-round order will be something to watch for.
Pauline reports the Cardinals will attempt trade back into the Day 1 order to draft quarterback Ty Simpson “if the opportunity arises.” Arizona has previously been mentioned as a logical option with respect to selecting Simpson and by doing so steering clear of the top prospects in the highly-regarded 2027 QB class. Finding a willing trade partner late in the opening round may not be a challenge with this year’s group of prospects lacking in projected stars. GM Monti Ossenfort has left the door open to such a move, while NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport confirms (video link) the Cardinals loom as a feasible Simpson destination.
[Prospect Profile: Ty Simpson]
Arizona owns pick No. 34, so a small move up the board could yield Simpson and a long-term quarterback option to develop over time. The Cardinals have retained Jacoby Brissett, whose deal runs through 2026. Fellow veteran Gardner Minshew was added a one-year free agent contract last month. That will give new head coach Mike LaFleur a pair of experienced stopgap signal-callers to work with for the coming season. It would also allow Simpson time to develop without needing to play right away.
As a one-year starter at the college level, Simpson’s draft range has long been in flux. The Alabama product is generally regarded as the second-best quarterback prospect in the 2026 class, but his lack of experience and poor showings in the second half of the campaign could leave him on the board until Day 2. On the other hand, the draft has a long history of teams being aggressive with respect to acquiring passers via trade.
The Cardinals could be the next suitor in that regard, depending on how the first round shakes out. Other teams will no doubt have Simpson on their radar as well, but Arizona will remain one to monitor closely on this front over the coming days.
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.
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.
Commanders High On Jeremiyah Love At No. 7; Team Unlikely To Pick Caleb Downs?
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is considered one of the Commanders’ top choices for the No. 7 pick in next week’s draft, according to EssentiallySports’ Tony Pauline.
Washington has operated a backfield-by-committee approach for several years without investing much in any one individual running back. In 2025, they traded Brian Robinson – their last player to take more than 200 carries in a season back in 2022 – to the 49ers and split their touches between 2023 sixth-round pick Chris Rodriguez and 2025 seventh-round pick Jacory Croskey-Merritt. The Commanders added former Buccaneer Rachaad White into their rotation this offseason, too.
Drafting Love would end the committee approach. He would step in as a full-time, three-down RB1 right away who will only need to be rotated out for rest and load management. The Commanders would be able to lean on a more traditional running game without putting Jayden Daniels in as much danger after an injury-riddled 2025 season. And when Washington does use Daniels’ legs, they may find that combining an elite running back with a mobile quarterback can lead to explosive results, as the Ravens showed with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry in 2024.
Love was one of several projected top-10 picks to take a top-30 visit to Washington this week. He joined edge rushers Arvell Reese (Ohio State), David Bailey (Texas Tech), and Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami), among others, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Any would fill the Commanders’ significant need off the edge, though either Reese or Bailey is expected to be the Jets’ pick at No. 2. The other is unlikely to fall to the seventh pick, but Washington should have a shot at Bain with some teams scared off by his below-average arm length.
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs was also present for Tuesday’s top-30 gathering, but he is not expected to be the team’s pick at No. 7. The Commanders are returning their top three safeties from last season – Jartavius Martin, Jeremy Reaves, and Will Harris – and signed Nick Cross in free agency. Cross will take up one starting role, and the team is confident that Martin, a 2023 second-rounder, can bounce back after struggling in coverage last year, according to Pauline. Downs has more long-term upside than any currently-rostered Commanders safety, but the front office may value a position with more value or immediate need.
Instead, Pauline adds, one of the aforementioned pass rushers, a wide receiver, or cornerback are “in play” for the seventh overall pick, but that may not matter if Love falls that far. At present, that does not seem especially likely. He has been linked with a number of clubs with top-five picks, and in what is considered a thin draft class in terms of elite prospects, one may be inclined to ignore Love’s position and select him based on his pure talent.
Extension Talks Progressing Between Dolphins, RB De’Von Achane
De’Von Achane did not report to the beginning of Miami’s offseason program. To no surprise, his absence was linked to his desire for an extension.
The Pro Bowl running back is eligible for a new deal, and he has been mentioned on multiple occasions as a key part of the rebuilding Dolphins’ long-term plans. New general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has stated an Achane trade will not receive consideration, distinguishing him from several other players Miami has moved on from. Signs continue to point to a long-term agreement in this case.
Achane was seen in the Dolphins’ facility on Thursday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. He adds this is viewed as a good-faith move with respect to contract negotiations. Achane’s presence comes shortly after Sullivan noted recent extension talks have yielded progress. Indeed, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald indicates an agreement can be expected at some point. A deal would prevent Achane from testing the market next spring.
As a rookie, the former third-rounder flashed considerable potential by averaging a whopping 7.8 yards per attempt. Achane was limited to 11 games that year, but he has been healthy since. The Texas A&M product took on starting duties in 2024 and remained a focal point on offense this past season. In 2025, he set or matched career highs in several categories and racked up 1,838 scrimmage yards and 12 total touchdowns.
A large payday is in store as a result. Achane, 24, is a logical candidate for a long-term investment on the part of the Dolphins. Six running backs are currently attached to deals averaging $14MM per year or more, and the likes of Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson are in position to reset the RB market. Achane is unlikely to command as much as Gibbs and Robinson on their deals, but without a fifth-year option present in his case the Dolphins will need to move with a degree of urgency to finalize a pact prior to the start of the 2026 season.
Sullivan and Co. are of course focused on the upcoming draft as things stand. An Achane extension could be worked out over the coming days, but even if not a deal will still be expected at some time this offseason.
Cardinals Considered Strong Candidate To Trade Down
The Cardinals hold the No. 3 pick in next week’s draft, the same slot as their original position in the 2023 draft. That year, they traded down to the 12th pick — before coming back to No. 6 overall for Paris Johnson Jr.
The Cardinals may make a similar move this year. They are considered a strong candidate to move down from the No. 3 pick, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. It could be an especially valuable selection in a draft class that is viewed as thin on elite talent that drops sharply by the middle of the first round and plateaus into the second round.
The Raiders are expected to take Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza first with the Jets deciding between Ohio State’s Arvell Reese and Texas Tech’s David Bailey for No. 2. Whomever does not end up in New York could be a target for teams trading up to Arizona’s pick.
The Cardinals also have holes to fill all over their roster, so they may prefer trading back and targeting the strong Day 2 depth of this class. Their wide variety of needs is one of the reasons they are seen as a wild card in this year’s draft, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.
“Arizona Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort is known to be willing to make a draft-day deal,” Jones writes. “You’ll hear plenty about teams being willing to trade down in this year’s draft, and I think the Cardinals are serious contenders to do just that. Looking around the league, folks believe the draft begins at No. 3 and no one seems to have a very good sense of what Arizona will do.”
Ossenfort could conceivable target any position except for cornerback and tight end with his premium picks, and the Cardinals still need some depth at the latter position. That will allow him to take a true ‘best player available’ approach as he attempts to rebuild the roster for new head coach Mike LaFleur.