Bills Not Ruling Out First-Round Receiver
The Bills are without a second-round pick this year after acquiring wide receiver D.J. Moore from the Bears in March. While the Bills paid a high price for Moore, drafting a wideout in the first round is still on the table, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN relays.
That the Bills are open to a Round 1 receiver does not come as a surprise, especially given that they met with Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion. If Concepcion is still available when the Bills are on the clock at No. 26, he could be the pick for general manager Brandon Beane. Regardless of whether the Bills take Concepcion or someone else, it seems likely they will spend one of their first few picks on a wideout.
The Bills’ receiving corps looks better with Moore in a prominent role, but there are question marks beyond him and reliable slot target Khalil Shakir. Keon Coleman, whom the Bills drafted 33rd overall in 2024, has disappointed during his two-year career. The Bills signed ex-Charger Josh Palmer to a three-year contract in free agency last March, but he caught just 22 passes and no touchdowns during a 12-game, injury-shortened first season in Buffalo.
Going down the depth chart, the Bills’ only other receivers under contract are Mecole Hardman, Stephen Gosnell, Tyrell Shavers, Trent Sherfield and Jalen Virgil. There is no real threat in that group, and Shavers’ availability for 2026 is in question after he tore his ACL in a January wild-card round win over the Jaguars. Even when healthy, Shavers is a “dirty work” receiver who makes more hay as a blocker and special teamer than as a pass catcher.
Along with receiver, linebacker also figures to be a priority position for Buffalo in the draft, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid, who points to Missouri’s Josiah Trotter as a potential target. While Trotter does not look like a first-rounder, the Bills may hope he is there when they pick 91st overall in the third round. The Bills held a “30” visit with Trotter last month, according to Ryan Talbot of Syracuse.com).
Trotter, the son of longtime NFL linebacker Jeremiah Trotter and the brother of Eagles LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., would give the Bills a much-needed presence on the inside as they transition to a 3-4 base defense. Shaq Thompson was the Bills’ most effective middle linebacker last season, but the 31-year-old remains unsigned a month after free agency opened. It is unclear if the Bills and the new Joe Brady–Jim Leonhard head coach-defensive coordinator tandem are interested in bringing Thompson back. To this point, Buffalo has done nothing to address the position this offseason, leaving the team with an iffy group consisting of the undersized Terrel Bernard, Dorian Williams, Joe Andreesen, Keonta Jenkins and Jimmy Ciarlo.
Titans, Giants In Play For Carnell Tate; Saints Viewed As WR’s Floor?
A host of wide receivers could go off the board in Round 1, but the order in which this will unfold appears foggy. However, the question as to who is this draft’s top option at the position looks to have been answered.
As our Ely Allen noted over the weekend, Carnell Tate has created some distance between himself and the field at receiver. Despite not being Ohio State’s go-to option — that is likely 2027 top-five pick Jeremiah Smith — Tate is viewed as the clear frontrunner to be the first wideout off the board. A top-five landing spot is in play for one of this draft’s high-profile Buckeyes, and falling out of the top 10 is highly unlikely.
The Titans and Giants are in play for Tate at Nos. 4 and 5, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, who views the player as a top-10 lock. No. 9 may not be relevant to Tate’s draft destination, either, with ESPN.com’s Jordan Reid adding the Saints “would quickly add” him if he remains available at No. 8.
New Orleans has been linked to pursuing pass-catching help in this draft. The team would align Tate with former Ohio State wideout Chris Olave in this scenario, one that would require Jeremiyah Love and some of the Ohio State defenders — perhaps all three — going off the board before Tate to become reality. If a team is going to double down on a program at receiver, Ohio State is probably the one to pick. The Buckeyes have sent five receivers to the first round since 2022 (Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka) and developed 2019 third-rounder-turned-Washington WR1 Terry McLaurin.
Tennessee, New York and New Orleans each brought Tate in for a “30” visit, gathering intel on a player who caught 51 passes for 875 yards and nine touchdowns last season (the Browns, Chiefs and Commanders also met with him). Tate does not have a 1,000-yard college season on his resume, but his two years as a Buckeyes regular overlapped with Smith’s first two Columbus slates. Smith will be consistently linked to the top five of what looks like a more talent-rich 2027 draft. For now, Tate is the Ohio State prize on the offensive side. He joins Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles and Caleb Downs as Buckeyes products who could be top-10 choices next week.
The Saints traded Rashid Shaheed to the Seahawks at last year’s deadline, with the deep threat unlikely to re-sign with New Orleans. Shaheed re-signed with Seattle. The Saints did not make a notable move at receiver in free agency, effectively clearing the runway here. It would stand to reason that Makai Lemon would be in play for New Orleans at No. 8 if Tate goes earlier, but Breer adds there does not appear to be a consensus on this class’ second-best receiver prospect.
Different teams see USC’s Lemon, Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion and Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. as the second-best WR in this draft, per Breer (Ely covered Concepcion’s Prospect Profile on Sunday). We heard last week some teams even have Washington’s Denzel Boston as a top-two or top-three wideout in the class. This receiver crop, like a few in recent years, is also viewed as deep, potentially influencing teams to wait on the position and address other needs earlier.
The Titans did not end up cutting Calvin Ridley, but it is quite possible the 31-year-old target will not be on their 2027 roster. Tennessee also added Wan’Dale Robinson to reunite with Brian Daboll. Losing Robinson, the Giants gave Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin low-cost deals to play alongside Malik Nabers. But the team may lack a No. 2 target going into the draft.
Miami DE Rueben Bain Cited For Careless Driving In Connection To Death
APRIL 13: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport confirms the “general sentiment” around the NFL is that the latest Bain reporting will not impact his draft stock.
APRIL 12: Just 11 days from away from the potential start of his NFL career, Miami (Fla.) defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. is facing some controversy that has potential to hurt his draft status. Oliver Connolly of The Read Optional broke the story today that, in 2024, Bain was “cited for careless driving” in an accident that left a young woman in a coma for three months before her eventual passing.
During his sophomore season, Bain reportedly was driving at 4am with four passengers in his car. The victim was a 22-year-old female college student from Georgia visiting Miami over spring break — a statement from the victim’s family in response to Connolly’s request for comment expressed that they “are not seeking public attention” at this time, so the victim will remain unnamed here, though her name is available at the source link.
According to police crash records (via Armando Salguero of OutKick), Bain’s vehicle struck another car before then colliding with the “concrete barriers on both sides of the highway.” The victim “suffered incapacitating injuries and was rushed to the Ryder Trauma Center.” Comatose, she failed to regain consciousness before dying a little under three months later. A second passenger also sustained injuries from the crash and ended up hospitalized. The police report for the crash lists that Bain “operated his vehicle in a careless or negligent manner” but that his condition was “apparently normal.” The report is marked to show that there was no suspected use of drugs or alcohol and that no tests to determine such use were performed at the time.
The victim’s family created a GoFundMe page to help with “the financial strain” put on the victim’s father, who missed a significant amount of time at work to be by his daughter’s side. Per Connolly, “no finding of criminal liability” was made in connection with the crash or the victim’s death, and “the careless driving charge against Bain was dismissed by a court approximately two weeks before” the victim’s passing. According to Trey Wallace, also at OutKick, the charge was dismissed because of a “defective citation” after Bain entered a not guilty plea.
At the time of this writing, Bain is viewed as one of a group of three pass rushers seen as the consensus top prospects at the position, including Ohio State’s Arvell Reese and Texas Tech’s David Bailey. Draft projections have him mostly going in the top 10 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft, and certainly not lasting into the teens if he is still on the board at No. 11 overall.
Connolly’s story presents quotes from multiple team executives and other sources claiming they “feel like (Bain was) not transparent” with them or that they “are concerned about multiple incidents.” Wallace’s report contains more information on a second careless driving citation that occurred in October 2025, though this case was also dismissed because of a defective citation. Connolly even draws parallels to the historic slide of offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, who was projected by some to be the No. 1 pick in 2016 but ended up falling to 13th overall after videos were leaked minutes before the draft showing him smoking from a bong.
Others in the media don’t seem to be reacting with the same level of concern for Bain’s draft stock. In the wake of Connolly breaking the story, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer added that “teams have been aware of this case for a long, long time” and that “a lawsuit associated with the case…was settled in Miami.” The plaintiff of the settled lawsuit was the driver of the car Bain made contact with before crashing. Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS claimed that every team, except one, that he had “spoken with…(had) been satisfied with Bain’s explanation” of events and consider “the matter handled.” In addition to the victim’s family’s request that their privacy be honored, their response to Connolly’s request for comment called her passing “the result of a tragic accident” and “(wished) Mr. Bain the best as he continues his life and career.”
It’s difficult to say at this point whether or not this information, which is seemingly new to the media but known by the teams in range to draft Bain, will affect his draft stock. Breer and Jones’ comments seem to indicate that, if this issue were going to hurt his draft position, it would have done so already. While the loss of life of the victim is tragic, there doesn’t appear to be any lingering ill will following Bain from the family most affected by it. It’s worth keeping an eye out, though, to see if any teams within range of Bain decide to take him off their board.
Giants Sign QB Brandon Allen
Brandon Allen has lined up his next NFL gig. The veteran quarterback has agreed to a deal with the Giants, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports.
The news has since been made official by a team announcement. Allen will offer New York with depth under center during offseason work. The Giants have Jaxson Dart in place as their starter, with Jameis Winston in the fold as well. Russell Wilson remains unsigned at this point, and today’s move further confirms he will not be back with New York for 2026.
Allen, 33, is a veteran of 19 appearances and 10 starts during the regular season in his career. He has spent plenty of time working with Brian Callahan, and the two overlapped in Cincinnati and again in Tennessee. Callahan was hired as the Giants’ new quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator in February, so this move will allow for another reunion with Allen.
Arriving in the NFL as a Jaguars draftee in 2016, Allen never made any regular-season appearance with Jacksonville. The former sixth-rounder’s first action in that regard came with the Broncos in 2019, and it was followed by a stint as the Bengals’ backup. Allen spent 2024 with the 49ers, making one start along the way. With Cam Ward remaining durable during his rookie season, though, Allen only logged 49 offensive snaps in 2025.
Dart will be counted on to operate as the Giants’ QB1 next season, although his style of play as a rookie resulted in injury concerns. Winston would be next in line to handle the team’s offense during his second year in the organization. Allen’s familiarity with Callahan will no doubt help him acclimate to the Giants during offseason work. He will spend the coming months attempting to carve out a roster spot or at least receive the opportunity to land on New York’s practice squad following cutdowns.
Titans Host DE David Bailey
Set to select fourth overall in next week’s draft, the Titans will have an interesting decision to make when they are on the clock. As expected, many of the top prospects in the 2026 class have received a look from Tennessee.
That includes David Bailey. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the Texas Tech edge rusher took part in a top-30 visit with the Titans last week. Bailey is in contention to be the top pass rusher selected, and as such he will receive strong consideration from both the Jets (set to draft second overall) and Cardinals (third).
Tennessee has long been connected to Jeremiyah Love, and the Notre Dame running back visited the Titans early in the pre-draft process. Love would offer a major boost to the team’s offense, although new head coach Robert Saleh has expressed confidence in the running back room as currently constructed. Bringing in a high-end EDGE presence would go a long way toward upgrading a Titans front seven which has plenty of room for improvement compared to 2025.
Bailey has long been viewed as a first-round lock thanks to his standout showing last season. Across three years at Stanford, he totaled 14.5 sacks. Bailey managed to match that figure during his lone campaign with the Red Raiders, adding 19.5 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles along the way. That resulted in first-team All-American honors and cemented his status as one of the top players at any position in the 2026 class.
The Titans have been busy with respect to additions along the defensive front this offseason. Jermaine Johnson was acquired via trade with the Jets, while John Franklin-Myers was among the team’s numerous big-ticket free agent signings. Other positions could be viewed as a priority with Tennessee aiming to rebound from a 3-14 season, but selecting Bailey would provide a notable presence against the pass for 2026 and beyond.
The same could of course be true of other prospects such as Ohio State hybrid linebacker/pass rusher Arvell Reese, who is also in position to hear his name called early on Day 1. Nevertheless, it comes as little surprise the Titans are among the teams which have done their homework on Bailey.
Jets Remain High On WR Omar Cooper Jr.
APRIL 13: To little surprise, Reid reports Cooper will take part in a top-30 visit with the Jets today. Depending on the outcome, New York could become even more likely to take him at the No. 16 spot.
APRIL 12: Earlier this month, the Jets were mentioned as one of the teams which holds Omar Cooper Jr. in high regard. New York owns the 33rd overall pick in the upcoming draft but also a pair of first-rounders.
No. 2 is widely expected to result in the Jets adding on defense, although which prospect will hear his name called at that slot remains to be seen. New York is also slated to pick 16th overall. That could present general manager Darren Mougey with the opportunity to add at the receiver position. Cooper was previously named as a potential target at No. 33, but the Indiana product may not still be available by that point.
Cooper is a prospect the Jets are “extremely high on,” ESPN’s Jordan Reid writes. As a result, taking him 16th overall will be something Mougey, head coach Aaron Glenn and Co. consider. Cooper could immediately carve out a key role in the slot while adding to a WR depth chart topped by Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell. Making a notable move at that position has long been seen as a priority for the Jets, although a best player available approach will be the team’s draft goal, as Glenn recently noted.
“If you love the player, go get the player,” the second-year HC said (via Reid’s colleague Rich Cimini). “I truly believe in that. If you love the player, go get him, regardless of what everybody thinks, regardless of positional value.”
Carnell Tate and Makai Lemon are widely viewed as the top receiver prospects in this year’s class, with Jordyn Tyson a strong candidate to be selected in the first round as well. Cooper’s stock has risen during the pre-draft process, and he is among the wideouts in contention to be drafted during the middle or latter stages of Day 1. A number of visits have taken place with interested teams in his case.
The Jets will be a team to watch closely with respect to Cooper. How the board shakes out in the build-up to their second selection will of course go a long way in determining which positions wind up being targeted in general and whether Cooper in particular could end up in New York.
Zach Ertz Open To Eagles Return; TE’s ACL Recovery Ahead Of Schedule
Zach Ertz‘s 2025 season came to an abrupt end with a December ACL tear. He intends to continue playing for at least one more year, although with his recovery ongoing the veteran tight end remains unsigned at this time.
“I don’t want it to be the last play that I have,” Ertz said during an interview with Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “When people think of my career and that last play, I don’t want that to be the conversation starter. And so, for me, it’s just doing everything I can to get back to my best because I felt like I was playing really good football before I got hurt.”
Ertz is 35, something which figures to limit his market regardless of his injury status. The three-time Pro Bowler spent the past two seasons with Washington, a team which added Chig Okonkwo in free agency. The Commanders appear to be content with their tight end depth chart as things stand, meaning an Ertz re-signing is unlikely. That could lead the former Eagle back to his original team.
Ertz said he would welcome a Philadelphia reunion. The former second-round pick spent the first eight-plus years of his career with the Eagles before being dealt to the Cardinals. Ertz served as a starter in Arizona until he suffered an ACL tear in 2023. He noted the rehab process this time around is ahead of schedule compared to the first one. Nevertheless, Ertz conceded he may need to begin the 2026 season on the PUP list.
The Eagles worked out a one-year deal with Dallas Goedert, meaning he will remain atop the tight end depth chart for 2026. Goedert has spent most of his career serving as Ertz’s successor in terms of his role in the passing game, but a reunion between the two would give Philadelphia considerable experience at the TE spot. Signing Ertz would also put him in position to make at least 11 catches next season, which would be enough to break the franchise’s all-time reception record.
The Eagles – who continue to be the subject of speculation regarding A.J. Brown‘s future – currently have nearly $35MM in cap space. They could comfortably afford a low-cost Ertz deal as a result, but the draft looms as an opportunity for the team to add tight end depth. How that plays out will no doubt have a strong impact on Philadelphia’s interest in an Ertz reunion.
DOJ To Investigate NFL For Potential Antitrust Violations
The Department of Justice has launched an investigation into the NFL to determine if the league has “engaged in anticompetitive tactics” regarding its game broadcasts, per Jessica Toonkel and Dana Mattioli of the Wall Street Journal. While the report acknowledges the nature and scope of the investigation is presently unknown, it references the Sports Broadcast Act of 1961 and the fact that viewers must pay subscription fees to watch certain games.
The Act gives the NFL an antitrust exemption with respect to its negotiation of television rights, and courts have ruled the Act applies only to broadcast television. Cable, satellite, and streaming services are not covered.
Nonetheless, in early March, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) wrote a letter to the DOJ and the Federal Trade Commission in which he urged those agencies to review whether the NFL’s practices comply with the Act (via ESPN News Services). In his letter, Lee alleged football fans spend nearly $1,000 per year on cable and streaming services, and Forbes estimated that it would have cost $765 for a fan to watch every NFL game last season.
It is true that subscriptions are required to watch Monday Night Football games on ESPN that are not simulcast on ABC, Thursday Night Football games and the Black Friday contest on Prime Video, and Christmas games on Netflix. Some international games air on the NFL Network, which is now owned by ESPN, and the league has given certain games to Peacock and ESPN+ in the past. Select playoff games have also required subscriptions.
Still, all games air for free in the broadcast markets of the two participating clubs, and the NFL has issued a statement emphasizing that point. The statement reads:
The NFL’s media distribution model is the most fan and broadcaster-friendly in the entire sports and entertainment industry. With over 87% of our games on free, broadcast television, including 100% of games in the markets of the competing teams, the NFL has for decades put our fans front and center in how we distribute our content. The 2025 season was our most viewed since 1989 and reflects the strength of the NFL distribution model and its wide availability to all fans.
Since non-broadcast platforms are exempt from the Act, one would think the NFL would be in the clear here. However, as the ESPN article observes, a jury in a 2024 federal class-action case in Los Angeles awarded $4.7 billion in damages after finding the league violated antitrust laws in distributing out-of-market Sunday afternoon games on the “Sunday Ticket” subscription service. Federal antitrust laws allow for treble damages, so the NFL’s liability could have exceeded $14 billion if the judge had not overturned the jury’s verdict on the grounds that two of the plaintiffs’ witnesses used “flawed methodologies.”
The league’s deals with most of its broadcast partners run through 2033 (2034 for ESPN), but the league has an opt-out after the 2029 season (2030 for ESPN). The ESPN report says the NFL is likely to exercise its opt-out to capitalize on its immense popularity and land even more favorable terms. After all, Nielsen’s data shows that 83 of the top 100 broadcasts in 2025 were NFL games.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk posits that the entire effort could be a “political power play.” Shortly before the news of the DOJ’s investigation broke, the Wall Street Journal published an editorial questioning whether the NFL still deserves an antitrust exemption. The WSJ is owned by Rupert Murdoch, who also owns Fox.
In discussing the NFL’s presumptive exercise of its opt-out and subsequent renegotiations, Florio reports CBS is expected to agree to pay considerably more than its current $2.1 billion-per-year rate to avoid the opt-out and lock in a price for the 2030-33 seasons. Once that agreement is in the books, the NFL could then turn its attention to Fox. At some point, though, it is fair to wonder whether networks will refuse to go any higher and risk losing their NFL deals.
In any event, it would behoove all parties to maintain the status quo. Without the antitrust exemption, television rights would be sold by each of the league’s 32 teams. In such a scenario, the large-market teams would thrive, the small-market teams would not, and the NFL’s salary cap system – which is perhaps one of the foremost reasons for the league’s success – may disintegrate.
‘Long Wait’ To Find Out Draft’s QB3 May Ensue
The identities of the top two quarterback prospects of the 2026 NFL Draft have been clear for some time now. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza is all but Sharpied into the No. 1 overall draft slot, and though it’s unclear if he’ll hear is name on Day 1, Alabama’s Ty Simpson has distanced himself as QB2. According to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, though, “there’s no consensus opinion” on the identity of QB3, and there could be a long wait before we find out who will claim that honor.
For awhile now, it’s looked like a group of three passers has established itself as the next tier of draftable quarterbacks. This group contains LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Penn State’s Drew Allar, and Miami’s Carson Beck. Nussmeier looked like a promising first-round candidate after throwing for 4,043 yards in his first season as a starter. Having sat three years, waiting for the starting job to open, Nussmeier was primed to ride the momentum of his 2024 campaign to another solid year. Unfortunately, he was plagued by an abdominal injury, and after losing two games, Nussmeier ended up getting benched in two more before sitting the rest of the season.
Allar has looked the part of prototypical quarterback ever since he committed to the Nittany Lions as a consensus five-star recruit. As a sophomore, first-year starter, he showed outstanding discipline with 25 touchdowns to only two interceptions, despite only completing 59.9 percent of his pass attempts. He improved his completion percentage over the next two years but lost discipline as he threw 11 interceptions in 22 games. He also never ranked higher than 65th in the NCAA in passing yards per game. Having never quite reached his potential, Allar’s collegiate career ended with a season-ending injury.
Like Nussmeier, Beck’s time as a starter at Georgia came after sitting for three years. After watching his team win consecutive national championships, Beck’s legacy in Athens was established as a passer who always just came up short. Beck owned a two-year record of 24-3, but one of those losses was to Alabama in the SEC championship in 2023, and he was injured during the Bulldogs’ College Football Playoff run in 2024. Beck transferred to play for the Hurricanes, and in one season, led the team to their first College Football Playoff appearance and a run that ended in a loss at the national championship game.
Smith also mentions Clemson passer Cade Klubnik. A consensus five-star recruit, like Allar, Klubnik peaked as a second-year starter in his junior year. Finishing the season with an average of 259.9 passing yards per game with 36 touchdowns to only six interceptions, Klubnik was listed right alongside Nussmeier as a potential first-round candidate before the 2025 season.
Klubnik’s legacy may be highlighted by the end of a Clemson dynasty, though. After an 11-year span in which the Tigers never lost more than three games in a season and won two of four championship game appearances, Clemson lost four games in each of Klubnik’s first two seasons as a starter and six games in his final year. His scoring production also dropped drastically in his final year as he threw only 16 touchdowns.
Smith is also intrigued by Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green. The intrigue around Green comes mostly from his abilities as a dual-threat passer. Over four years as a starter — two at Boise State before joining the Razorbacks — Green never threw more than 20 touchdowns in a season, while his completion percentage hovered around 60 and his interceptions increased with each year. Green showed electric rushing ability, though, with 1,024 yards and 19 touchdowns as a starter at Boise State and 1,379 yards and 16 touchdowns at Arkansas.
Nussmeier and Klubnik may have killed their first-round potential with brutal results in 2025, but teams could still be really impressed by their ceilings. Meanwhile, Beck improved what looked like a lost career with a strong final season, and Allar and Green hold plenty of potential even if they didn’t produce the best results in college. All it takes is for one team to fall in love with any of these prospects and pull the trigger first. It will be extremely interesting to look out for which teams attach themselves to each quarterback and how early they’ll be willing to do it.
Ravens Offered Three-Year, Fully Guaranteed Deals To QB Lamar Jackson Prior To 2023 Contract
The NFL Players Association’s appeal of its collusion grievance against the NFL was unsuccessful. The three-person appeal panel found that the league invited its clubs to come together and collectively oppose future fully guaranteed contracts in the wake of the Browns’ decision to authorize such a deal for Deshaun Watson, but the panel also determined there was not enough evidence to show the teams accepted that invitation.
Aside from the ramifications the ruling has for the league, the union, and negotiations between the two, it also included other intriguing details. The grievance was originally filed in October 2022 on behalf of three players, including Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who was seeking an extension at the time and who was attempting to land a Watson-esque contract.
As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk relays, the appeal decision noted that Baltimore offered a three-year, fully guaranteed contract to Jackson on two separate occasions. Jackson declined both proposals and, in April 2023, signed a five-year, $260MM pact that included $185MM in guarantees (the first two years and part of the third were guaranteed at signing, and the rest of the guarantees locked in on a rolling basis; the fifth year contains no guaranteed money).
Aside from the fully guaranteed nature of the three-year proposals, the appeal decision does not include any other details, such as financial terms or whether either overture featured a no-tag clause. Therefore, it is impossible to truly analyze the merits of the offers and whether Jackson was wise to reject them, though it seems the Ravens were among the teams willing to resist the league’s efforts to remove fully guaranteed deals from the playbook (at least for a player of Jackson’s caliber).
Jackson, 29, rewarded the Ravens in his first season after putting pen to paper on his five-year deal by submitting his second MVP campaign and leading the team to the AFC championship game. He followed that up with an even better performance in 2024, though he finished second in MVP voting that year.
The 2025 season was a frustrating one for Jackson and the Ravens alike, as the star signal-caller struggled with injuries and Baltimore failed to qualify for the postseason. While Jackson’s legacy will ultimately be determined by whether he can lead the Ravens to a Super Bowl title, Jackson clearly represents the franchise’s best hope for a third championship.
To that end, Baltimore still wants to extend Jackson, whose current deal runs through the 2027 season. In order to conduct regular business this offseason, the Ravens freed up nearly $40MM in cap space by restructuring the contract in March, but it appears as if negotiations between the team and the self-represented player will continue. Thanks to the decision in the collusion matter, we now have a little extra context when considering those negotiations.