Commanders High On Jeremiyah Love At No. 7
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 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. They 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.
49ers Host WRs Omar Cooper Jr., KC Concepcion
49ers general manager John Lynch recently indicated the team is likely to make at least one draft investment at the receiver position. A number of first-round options have received a look.
Omar Cooper Jr. spent the deadline for top-30 visits meeting with San Francisco, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. That completed a busy pre-draft process in his case. Cooper has visited numerous teams recently, and the Indiana product is one of several receivers with a strong chance of being selected during the middle or late stages of the first round. The 49ers own pick No. 27.
San Francisco also hosted KC Concepcion on a visit earlier this week, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. By means of a strong one-and-done showing at Texas A&M, Concepcion established himself as a first-round option for many teams. He has also received widespread interest leading up to the draft, so it comes as little surprise the 49ers have taken part in a top-30 visit as well. Denzel Boston is another WR prospect San Francisco has taken a close look at.
Free agent additions Mike Evans and Christian Kirk are set to top the depth chart for 2026. With Brandon Aiyuk unlikely to play again for the 49ers and Jauan Jennings set to sign elsewhere on the open market, though, adding depth via the draft would be a reasonable approach from Lynch and Co. On the other hand, receiver is not considered as much of an immediate need as other positions, so spending a first-rounder in that regard could leave the team thin elsewhere.
The 49ers have a second-round selection as well as four picks in the fourth round. Using one of those on a depth WR prospect could of course be in store, but the team will have done its homework on Day 1 options when on the clock Thursday night.
Teams Medically Red-Flagged CB Jermod McCoy
Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy is one of the biggest x-factors in the 2026 draft class.
His tape from 2023 and 2024 show a first-round cornerback with sticky, physical coverage and plenty of ball production (16 passes defended, six interceptions). But a torn ACL in January 2025 sidelined him for his third season, depriving scouts of another year of film to evaluate. That would be especially important after McCoy’s breakout 2024, as opposing teams would have been able to offer new challenges in 2025.
McCoy only participated at the bench press at the Combine, preferring to wait until his pro day for the rest of his testing. That seemed to pay off, as a 4.4-second 40-yard dash and strong vertical and broad jumps boosted his stock with a month until the draft. Not only did he show that he was fully recovered from his ACL tear, but his numbers cemented assessments of his high-end athleticism and seemed to lock him into a first-round pick.
However, teams have medically red-flagged the 20-year-old for a potentially degenerative knee condition, per EssentiallySports’ Tony Pauline. This could take him off some boards entirely, while others may drop his grade by a half or full round. This could result in a similar fall to Will Johnson‘s in 2025, when the projected first-rounder was not selected until the third round.
However, as Pauline notes, “medical opinions differ team by team since there is no central body to govern a physical.” Some clubs are willing to tolerate more injury risk than others, especially if they see McCoy as a potential lockdown cornerback
Giants Have Received Calls About No. 5
With one week remaining until the opening round of the draft, calls amongst teams will no doubt pick up. Movement near the top of the board could involve the Giants.
New York is currently slated to select fifth overall. The team has been mentioned as one to watch with respect to a move down the board, something which will of course only be feasible if a strong enough trade market exists. Things on that front can change over the coming days, but interest is being shown from potential suitors for the Giants’ top pick.
GM Joe Schoen said (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post) calls have been made recently with teams sending out “feelers” about the fifth overall selection. Interest to one extent or another is always present leading up to a draft, and in 2026 teams have indeed inquired about the No. 1 pick even though its fate has long been known. The number of teams prepared to move out of a premium spot in a class defined by its depth rather than its star power will make for a key storyline over the coming week.
If the Giants remain in place, they will have a number of intriguing options to choose from. Running back Jeremiyah Love has been named as a strong consideration, but even if the Notre Dame star is available the team could look to add on defense. ESPN’s Adam Schefter predicts (video link) preference will ultimately been shown for safety Caleb Downs or linebacker Sonny Styles. Both Ohio State standouts would be expected to make an immediate impact upon arrival and serve as a mainstay for several years.
Positional value will be put to the test in the opening stages of this year’s draft. Each member of the Love-Downs-Styles trio plays in a spot not weighted as heavily as quarterback, offensive tackle, receiver, edge rusher or corner when it comes to contract value or draft investments. That factor will no doubt be a major consideration as teams lower in the Day 1 order contemplate a move up the board. The Cowboys have emerged as a potential team to watch on that front, with a trade from No. 12 into the top five frequently mentioned as a possibility.
The Giants’ second pick is No. 37. Schoen indicated (via Dunleavy) he is confident a trade down from that spot can be worked out. The early and middle portions of Day 2 regularly include trading up and down the board, so it would come as no surprise if Schoen elected to add more picks for later in the event at that point. His preparation for No. 5 will continue, but a trade moving New York out of that spot could become tangible if a strong market develops in the near future.
NFL To Begin Training Replacement Referees; NFLRA Negotiations Ongoing
The expiration of the current CBA between the NFL and the NFL Referees Association continues to loom. A gap remains between the parties, and as expected efforts to prepare replacement officials are underway.
The league sent a memo to its teams on Wednesday stating the onboarding process of replacements has begun. “Several” officials have now completed background checks with the league, as detailed by ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. Training sessions – online and in person – are set to begin on or around May 1, he adds.
The CBA between the league and current referees is set to expire on May 31. In the absence of an agreement, replacement officials will be used during offseason work and training camp. Teams will be asked to offer feedback on the performance of the replacements while plans are made for the regular season.
“The league remains committed to reaching a fair and reasonable agreement with the NFRA but will be prepared in the event no agreement is reached prior to the expiration of the current agreement on May 31, 2026,” an earlier memo from senior VP of officiating Perry Fewell reads (h/t Tom Pelissero of NFL Network).
Earlier rounds of negotiations between the parties did not yield much in the way of progress. The NFL has offered a six-year contract carrying an average pay increase of 6.45% while attempting to bring about several changes to the structure of officiating. Longer probationary terms, a larger offseason period for training and prioritizing in-game performance over seniority for playoff assignments have proven to be key factors from the league’s perspective and have emerged as sticking points in negotiations.
A new set of talks recently took place, as noted by Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport. Those negotiations were productive, Seifert reports. Further talks are expected to take place prior to the May 31 deadline. Multiple owners who serve on committees were personally involved in recent negotiations, and Pelissero adds Jerry Jones was among them. The Cowboys owner has supported the NFL’s position on matters such as performance-based pay and more offseason training. It will be interesting to see if those factors and others see movement in the near future. Otherwise, replacement officials will be present for spring and summer practices.
Browns Could Prioritize T Over WR In First Round
APRIL 16: Moving down from No. 6 remains a possibility to watch for in the Browns’ case, Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports writes. In any event, he adds that Fano in particular is a prospect viewed as one Cleveland believes can handle left tackle duties at the NFL level. It will be interesting to see how the Browns proceed along the offensive line in general and with respect to Fano in particular on Day 1 of the draft.
APRIL 11: The draft needs in Cleveland are fairly obvious, and though they can’t address all of them in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, they can address two. Early reports seem to indicate that wide receiver and offensive tackle are the biggest priorities for the Browns heading into the draft, but which position will they address with their sixth overall pick, and which will have to wait for pick No. 24?
Now, Cleveland didn’t lose anybody from its 2025 receiving corps, but the group from last year underperformed to a point that it can be considered a position of need. Additionally, there are only two players in the room not playing on contract years in 2026, and those players are only under contract for one more year than their corpsman. If the Browns are going to begin rebuilding the room around a new, young pair of hands, now would be an ideal time.
The situation on the offensive line is almost the opposite. With all five starters hitting the free agent market this offseason, Cleveland has been working to rebuild its line after the teardown. The team utilized free agency to bring in guard Zion Johnson and center Elgton Jenkins and traded for former Texans tackle Tytus Howard. It seems the door is open for guard Joel Bitonio to return, if he decides not to retire, but if he does, the Browns re-signed Teven Jenkins, who has plenty of starting experience at guard. The other tackle spot is currently being manned by Dawand Jones, the former fourth-round pick who’s started 20 games in his first three seasons.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, there’s belief that a vast need for quality linemen and a large number of talented prospects could lead to a run on offensive tackles in the first round. At the same time, it’s believed that only two wide receivers could end up going in the top half of the draft, with the eventual WR3 projected to go anywhere from pick Nos. 16-19. Because of this, it would make much more sense for the Browns to address their offensive tackle need than their receiver need.
Locking down the draft’s top receiver — likely Ohio State’s Carnell Tate — would certainly be a great addition to the offense, but it would mean missing out on most of the class’s top tackle prospects if a run takes place. Locking down a top available tackle would mean missing out on Tate, and perhaps Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson and USC’s Makai Lemon, but there are several impact options that make perfect sense in the late-first or early-second round. It could be the difference of having Tate and choosing between Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor, Northwestern’s Caleb Tiernan, or Memphis’ Travis Burke or having one of Utah’s Spencer Fano, Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, Georgia’s Monroe Freeling, or Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor then getting your pick of Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion, Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., Washington’s Denzel Boston, Alabama’s Germie Bernard, and Louisville’s Chris Bell.
An interesting additional factor to this situation is the reporting that the Browns have been shopping out their current draft slots in the hope of bringing in more Day 2 draft capital; they seemingly are willing to move down from either the sixth or 24th picks, per Zac Jackson of The Athletic. That could explain the depth at which Cleveland has been researching top offensive tackle prospects, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports. The team hosted Utah’s other tackle, Caleb Lomu, two days ago, per Jackson McCurry of The Dawg Land podcast, and ESPN’s Jordan Reid was “shocked’ to hear that the Browns reportedly like Proctor at No. 6.
In theory, both could be trade down targets. Proctor has routinely found himself ranked behind the likes of Mauigoa and Fano throughout the draft process, and even more recently, Freeling and, in some cases, Clemson’s Blake Miller have snuck by him in the eyes of draft pundits, as well.
Perhaps, the Browns are not interested in selecting Proctor at No. 6 overall but, instead, interested in trading back to a place in the first round in which they may still be able to walk away with Proctor — or, if there’s a serious run at the position, Lomu — while adding some picks in the process. With the depth of wide receivers listed above, they could easily attempt to do the same at that position, if they feel their preferred option may be a reach at No. 24.
The Browns’ toss up in priorities between tackle and wide receiver alone make it impossible to predict who their top overall pick will be. Adding in the potential for a run or drought at either position or a Browns’ trade down from either spot makes even speculation a wild goose chase. It seems the Browns are making plans for a number of contingencies, but it looks like offensive tackle and wide receiver — whatever the order — remain the top priorities 12 days out.
Chiefs Eyeing T At No. 9; Team Interested In Monroe Freeling
The Chiefs will have a number of options to consider when they find themselves drafting ninth overall next week. The possibility of adding an offensive tackle will likely present itself, and it will be something to monitor closely.
Executives and evaluators who spoke with SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora predicted Kansas City’s top priority in the first round will be adding an offensive tackle. The receiver position is one which the Chiefs have been linked to in the pre-draft process, and it would come as no surprise if a pass rusher were to be selected early in the event. Spending a top-10 pick on a left tackle would be highly valuable as well, however.
Kansas City has Josh Simmons in the fold after taking him 32nd overall last year. The Ohio State product was limited to eight games during his rookie season, though, and adding another prospect would provide depth at the left tackle spot. The Chiefs have been linked to Trent Williams interest in the event his 49ers contractual situation is not resolved; free agent Taylor Decker has also been named as a short-term option on the blindside.
Kadyn Proctor is among the offensive line prospects Kansas City has hosted on a pre-draft visit. The Alabama alum is not expected to last beyond Detroit at No. 17, so the Chiefs would likely not be able to draft him when back on the clock at No. 29. Another offensive line option receiving consideration is Georgia’s Monroe Freeling. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network notes Kansas City is one of several teams which have shown interest in Freeling during the lead-up to the draft.
Freeling has seen his stock rise, and he is a strong candidate to hear his name called at some point on Day 1. Proctor, along with the likes of Francis Mauigoa and Spencer Fano, is also expected to be selected relatively early during the first round. The 2026 class is not held in high regard with respect to bluechip prospects at many positions, and the offensive line group offers view options projected to handle left tackle duties in particular in the NFL.
That could lead the Chiefs to prioritize an investment up front first while waiting for their other first-round selection to bring in a pass rusher or pass catcher. With plenty of uncertainty still lingering through the top-10 order, Kansas City’s approach will likely remain unclear for several more days.
Raiders Receiving Interest In No. 1 Pick
It happens almost every year. Months of pre-draft evaluation have established a clear top quarterback in the draft class who is projected to be drafted with the No. 1 pick. And then the trade offers come in.
This year, the QB1 is Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, who has long been considered a lock for the Raiders with the first overall selection. That has not stopped teams from reaching out to Las Vegas about trading up, general manager John Spytek revealed on Tuesday.
“We’ve gotten a few calls, and those teams know where they stand,” Spytek said (via ESPN’s Ryan McFadden), an indication that the Raiders have no intention of moving their pick.
The Bears were willing to trade in the No. 1 overall pick in 2023, which resulted in a major blockbuster with the Panthers, who drafted Bryce Young. Among the picks sent to Chicago was Carolina’s 2024 first-rounder, which turned out to be the top pick that year. Again, the Bears fielded calls from teams who wanted to move up for Caleb Williams, but they never seemed to consider another trade down as a real option. The Patriots, who were drafting third, also received interest in their pick with teams looking to draft Drake Maye. Both teams stayed put and are likely thankful they did so.
The jury is still out on Tennessee resisting overtures for the No. 1 pick last year and sticking with Cam Ward. The Giants, who were among the teams who pursued Maye, sent multiple offers to the Titans all the way up until draft day. Presumably, their haul would have been similar to the Panthers’ package in 2023.
The Raiders should be able to receive that kind of value this year, especially in a draft class with only one consensus first-round quarterback. Next year’s draft offers a deeper crop of prospects to choose from, and trading the No. 1 pick would give them the ammunition to land a quarterback from that group.
But ultimately, a trade does not make sense for the Raiders. Between their coaching change and roster upgrades, they are positioned to have a much better season than their 3-14 2025 campaign, resulting in a lower first-round pick. With multiple teams targeting quarterbacks in the 2027 draft, it may be difficult for Las Vegas to land its desired prospect. Other teams may not be willing to trade down, and even if they are, the Raiders will have to outbid other suitors. That is a much more complicated and uncertain proposition than simply drafting Mendoza this year and calling it a day.
Spytek suggested that Las Vegas is thinking along the same lines.
“If there’s a player that stands out that we feel it’s not worth losing, it’s not worth even picking up the phone, then we’ll just make the pick,” Spytek continued. “But if it’s a player that we’re not as excited about, or there’s a group of players that we would love to pick from, and we can get value for that, we’re certainly open to listening to that.”
Ravens Running Out Of Time On Lamar Jackson Extension?
The Ravens have certainly had a busy offseason to start off the 2026 season so far, and some aspects of their offseason have been more successful than others. The franchise felt a need to reset their coaching staff and landed a promising, young defensive-minded coach much like the Super Bowl-winning one they let leave two years ago. The team saw holes on defense and the offensive line and added some strong options in free agency.
On the flip side of things, the expediency with which John Harbaugh found a new job set high expectations for the team that was willing to let him go. Additionally, a number of free agents priced themselves way out of Baltimore, while former staffers in both New York and Los Angeles poached away several other names that many expected to return. But the single biggest failure of the Ravens’ 2026 offseason so far, as laid out by Sports Illustrated’s Jason La Canfora, is the team’s inability to come to an agreement with star quarterback Lamar Jackson on a new, record-setting extension.
When the Ravens finally landed Jackson to his first record-setting extension in 2023, many expected that the star dual-threat passer would never even sniff the final years of his contract. With how quickly the quarterback market constantly readjusts with inflation, it was thought that it would be insulting if the Ravens didn’t see fit to make sure their best player remained in line with the rising market periodically. Especially when teams like the Chiefs and Bills had demonstrated some unique ways to accomplish this for everyone to see, Baltimore was sure to follow suit.
Instead, the issue has frequently been pushed by one party or the other to the back burner. What’s worse, this is not new for the Ravens, who similarly squeezed every ounce of value out of Jackson’s rookie deal even after seeing him win an MVP award in his second season with Marquise Brown, Willie Snead, Seth Roberts, and Miles Boykin leading his receivers room. According to La Canfora, “there isn’t anyone in the industry” who believes Jackson will be a Raven after this year if the team can’t extend him by the start of the season, and after the team restructured his deal, there’s belief that he holds more leverage than ever.
La Canfora also commented on the recent reports that Jackson was offered fully guaranteed three-year deals back when he was seeking his first extended contract. He asserted that not all fully guaranteed deals are equal, focusing on some of the language that was crucial to Jackson in those negotiations. Jackson was seeking a five-year, fully guaranteed deal, something the Ravens did not intend to offer. Instead, they made their three-year offers in the range of $50MM to $55MM per year.
While that still seems like a decent offer, La Canfora reports that it didn’t come with the “no trade” and “no future franchise tag” clauses that Jackson needed to see. He offers that teams only tend to include language like that when the contract guarantees long-term rights to the player’s services, and with Jackson’s insistence on a fully guaranteed deal, a long-term offer wasn’t coming. It became clear that those clauses were more important to him than the guarantees when he eventually agreed to his record-setting extension without full guarantees but with those clauses.
Those clauses essentially guaranteed that, no matter what, Jackson would be hitting the open market again just as he turned 30 — that is, unless he were to receive an extension before then. Jackson had some notion of where the big money would be and put himself in position to cash in at the best moments. The Ravens have had plenty of opportunities over the years to stretch a couple dollars now to avoid even bigger costs down the road, but they’ve continuously come up short, unable to meet Jackson’s demands. Now, they may be in a race against the clock to get a deal done before the start of the season or risk having to reset at quarterback just as they did at head coach. They saw how quickly Harbaugh went.
Giants, Dexter Lawrence Break Off Contract Talks; Latest On DT’s Trade Market
Although contract talks between the Giants and Dexter Lawrence were not perceived as dead as of Tuesday, the latest updates bring a step backward for the two parties. An impasse has given way to the sides ending this round of negotiations.
The Giants and Lawrence have broken off talks, according to the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard. While Joe Schoen said Tuesday that he, John Harbaugh and new front office hire Dawn Aponte had been discussing terms with Lawrence, the All-Pro defensive tackle had requested a trade because the sides were far apart in previous conversations.
No trade is imminent, but Leonard adds significant interest exists from other teams. Even though Leonard adds there is a “real possibility” the Giants trade Lawrence, the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz pushes back by indicating the team is not actively engaged in trade talks. No trade conversations have occurred in at least five days, per Schwartz, who contradicts Leonard’s note about trade interest by writing that the 28-year-old DT has not in fact brought strong trade interest yet.
With Lawrence seeking a hefty raise despite coming off a down 2025 season, this trade market may have a lower cap than the Giants would prefer. A Quinnen Williams-like haul has been mentioned as a comp, but the fellow 2019 first-round D-tackle did not require an immediate payday. A team trading for Lawrence would need to sign off on a raise. We have seen that component of trade talks lead to lesser offers in the recent past, and the Giants are still controlling this operation. Lawrence’s camp has not received permission to shop around yet, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes.
Viewing Lawrence as a cornerstone piece, the Giants have balked at giving in to this trade request. This has not devolved into a situation where the team will take the best offer ahead of the draft, SNY’s Connor Hughes adds, and NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo mentions receiving picks in the 2027 draft — viewed as set to feature a better class than 2026’s — would probably appeal to the team. The Giants do not view the draft as a trade deadline here, despite the pressure Lawrence’s camp is applying. Lawrence’s four-year, $90MM contract runs through the 2027 season, and with the Giants preferring to keep him, Garafolo points to this process dragging on for a while.
Lawrence played out the guarantees on his deal last season, and Schoen said ahead of the Combine that would likely coincide with a push from the player’s camp for an updated deal. Guarantees may not be driving this push, though, with The Athletic’s Dan Duggan adding Lawrence sought a new contract last year despite guarantees remaining on the pact. Lawrence has pushed for a new contract for nearly two years, according to Leonard. He and the Giants settled on a $3MM incentive package; Lawrence collected $1MM during a season in which he totaled just a half-sack and a career-low eight QB hits.
Instead, this is more about a new contract that vaults Lawrence back toward the top of the position’s market. Lawrence’s 2023 extension now sits 11th among interior D-linemen, with less accomplished players — Milton Williams, Nnamdi Madubuike, Jordan Davis and Alim McNeill — surpassing him over the past three offseasons. A $5MM-plus AAV gap still exists between Chris Jones‘ $31.75MM-per-year deal and the field. Lawrence being interested in bridging that gap is understandable, but Schwartz maintains the Giants are not interested in tearing up his deal and authorizing a raise this year.
If the Giants do not trade Lawrence before or during the draft, the next stage in this showdown will be their June minicamp. If/when Lawrence does not show for that, rumors about a training camp holdout will likely emerge, but the standout defender would lose millions before the season if he followed through on that. A hold-in measure may not be especially relevant here, as those are generally reserved for players in negotiations. If the Giants are not interested in paying Lawrence this year, a hold-in may not be practical.
Although Schoen may be on shaky ground after the Harbaugh and Aponte hires stripped power from him, Schwartz adds the GM and HC agree on the team’s handling of this situation. It still appears the Giants are ready to force Lawrence’s hand and make him earn a new deal this season, but they are listening to offers. It will take a strong proposal to convince the team (31st in 2025 run defense) to move on before the draft. With this draft class not viewed as a DT-rich crop, big offers could come. But it does not sound like the Giants have fielded a host of them yet.