Bears Will Not Receive Draft Compensation For Ian Cunningham Hire
The Falcons’ decision to hire Ian Cunningham as their new general manager led to an initial decision by the NFL not to award compensatory draft picks to the Bears. Standard practice in recent years for minority hires has been for their previous employer to receive a third-round selection in two consecutive years.
The league’s stance in this case was that Cunningham will hold the GM title but will not operate as Atlanta’s top decision-maker in the front office. Indeed, Matt Ryan will serve as the team’s president of football and in doing so will outrank Cunningham and the rest of the Falcons’ management team. The Bears reached out to the NFL to discuss the mater further, but a reversal will not be forthcoming.
“The matter is now closed following the club’s appeal,” a league statement reads (h/t Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune). “The NFL informed the Bears today they will not receive compensatory picks. The policy is designed to provide picks for the Primary Football Executive position. The League determined Mr. Cunningham did not fill that role with the Falcons as it is defined in League rules.”
Ryan’s return to Atlanta brought with it questions about his ability to oversee the wide-ranging changes brought on during the 2026 hiring cycle due to his lack of expereince. Cunningham and new head coach Kevin Stefanski are now in the fold, and they will look to bring about improved play relative to the Raheem Morris/Terry Fontenot tandem. Cunningham’s first NFL general manager opportunity will come about with his hometown team.
The Bears will again be led in the front office by general manager Ryan Poles for 2026. Following Cunningham’s departure, Jeff King was promoted to the role of assistant GM. Those two and the rest of Chicago’s staff will move forward knowing no compensation will be coming the team’s way. The Bears currently own seven picks in April’s draft.
Jets Unlikely To Draft QB Ty Simpson; Cooper Rush On Team’s Radar
Since it was learned Dante Moore would be staying in college for the 2026 season, the Jets’ quarterback approach for the upcoming draft has been a question mark. New York owns two first-round selections, but it remains to be seen if strong consideration will be given to using one of them on Ty Simpson.
The one-year Alabama starter has drawn a wide range of opinions regarding his draft stock, but interest has been shown by a number of teams. That includes the Jets, as illustrated by the workout Simpson recently conducted with the them. At this point, though, it may come as a surprise if Simpson were to wind up in New York.
During his latest appearance on Jets Final Drive, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic predicted the Jets will not select Simpson given the risk involved with doing so. New York could elect to wait until next year’s draft to identify a long-term starter. That is an approach expected of other teams as well with next year’s class held in much higher regard than this year’s. As such, a veteran backup to trade acquisition Geno Smith will be a strong possibility.
On that note, SNY’s Connor Hughes confirms (video link) the Jets’ preference was to sign Carson Wentz in free agency. Doing so would have reunited him with new offensive coordinator Frank Reich, but Wentz wound up remaining in place with the Vikings. The list of remaining free agents has been thinned out since the new league year began, but there are still a few veteran passers on the market.
Of those, Hughes names Cooper Rush as one to watch closely. The longtime Cowboys backup joined the Ravens on a two-year deal last spring, but things did not go according to plan during his time in the lineup. Rush was expectedly released in March, and he has not previously been linked to any suitors. The 32-year-old has made 16 starts and 42 appearances in his career, and he would be familiar with a backup gig in the event he signed on to be New York’s QB2.
Hughes adds that Tyrod Taylor is still well-liked in the Jets’ building. Another deal for the Jets’ 2024 and ’25 backup will be something to watch for as a result. Taylor, 36, made four starts last season following Justin Fields‘ benching; he has totaled 62 in his career. A low-cost contract allowing him to remain in the QB2 role would give New York a bridge tandem under center in advance of the 2027 draft.
Smith is in position to start for the Jets, something which was the case for his first two years in the NFL. How the team approaches the quarterback position over the coming weeks will be something to watch for, with a stopgap veteran seeming to be more likely than a high-profile draft investment at this point.
Broncos Do Not Intend To Trade WR; Team To Use Jonah Elliss At ILB
APRIL 3: The Elliss experiment at inside linebacker is not necessarily a permanent one at this point, Nick Kosmider of The Athletic confirms. If he does make a full-time switch to the middle, though, Kosmider notes a notable uptick in usage for Robinson could be expected. Needless to say, Denver’s draft approach at the second level of the defense will be impacted by the team;s plans on this front.
APRIL 2: Dependent on Courtland Sutton for a few seasons now, the Broncos lost two of their wide receiver regulars in the playoffs. Both Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant went down against the Bills. Franklin missed the AFC championship game, and Bryant did not see much time in the snowy conference decider. Denver then swung big at the position.
Two years after trading Jerry Jeudy to the Browns, the Broncos acquired one of his former Alabama teammates in Jaylen Waddle. The Broncos paid a hefty price to add Waddle, sending first- third- and fourth-round picks to the Dolphins for Waddle and a fourth. Waddle’s arrival gives the Broncos a key piece alongside Sutton, and it also creates a bit of a logjam for the defending AFC West champions at the position.
Two seasons remain on Franklin’s rookie contract, while Bryant is signed through 2028. Marvin Mims may be the most affected player here, as he and Waddle have comparable skillsets. Waddle’s is much more refined, of course, as the Broncos have been hesitant to use the playmaking talent regularly in a receiving role. One season remains on the former second-rounder’s rookie deal. But GM George Paton does not envision any trade taking place from this group to help the Broncos recoup draft capital.
Paton said (via the Denver Post’s Luca Evans) no consideration is being given to unloading one of the team’s auxiliary receivers following the Waddle acquisition. On one hand, it would be wise to consider a move to potentially build up a weaker spot on the roster via the draft. On the other, the Broncos are in a key spot after the Russell Wilson dead money came off the books and with Bo Nix tied to a rookie deal. With Nix on the 2027 extension radar, the Broncos’ roster math figures to change in the near future. Making sure this year’s team is covered at wideout, however, also makes sense.
Denver also re-signed Sean Payton favorite Lil’Jordan Humphrey last month. Humphrey joined Mims as Sutton’s primary sidekicks in the playoffs, though the blocking receiver may struggle for time thanks to the depth the Broncos now have at the position. Mims also makes his main contributions in the return game, and while he has flashed brightly as a receiver, the Broncos have not felt comfortable using him regularly on offense. Franklin (709 receiving yards in 2025) played 59% of Denver’s offensive snaps last season; Bryant (378) logged a 48% snap rate. Mims (322) came in at just 37%.
It is worth wondering if Mims is in Denver’s long-term plans now that Waddle is in town, and given his penchant for pivotal long-range receptions, a nice free agent market should form in 2027 should the Broncos not extend the Oklahoma alum by next March. Although the Broncos did unload 2024 contributor Devaughn Vele in an August deal with the Saints (bringing back fourth- and seventh-round picks), the club’s stance is to roll with a sudden surplus for 2026.
The Broncos are also deep at the edge-rushing spots, having both Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper signed long term. Jonah Elliss has operated as the team’s top rotational rusher, but after a five-sack rookie season, the former third-round pick totaled 2.5 in an injury-shortened 2025. The Broncos also drafted Que Robinson in Round 4 last year and have ex-UFLer Dondrea Tillman as a second-string OLB option. As a result, Payton said (via Denver Sports 104.3’s Andrew Mason) Elliss will see some time at inside linebacker this offseason.
While Robinson did not see much playing time as a rookie, Tillman totaled four sacks and nine QB hits (to go with two interceptions). He tallied five sacks as a rookie. Jonah Elliss, who recorded 12 sacks in his final Utah season, also has an apparent path to catching on at ILB. Two of his brothers — Kaden and Christian — are starting inside ‘backers. Payton also saw how the Eagles turned Zack Baun — who floundered as a Saints backup EDGE — into an All-Pro ILB. The Broncos will see how Elliss looks there this offseason.
This is the reverse move the team made with Baron Browning, who started his career inside before kicking to an OLB spot. Elliss ended up replacing Browning following an in-season 2024 trade. The Broncos are weaker at inside linebacker compared to their EDGE posts, though the team did re-sign Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad. Singleton is 32, while Strnad is entering an age-30 season. Jonah Elliss, the son of ex-Bronco D-tackle Luther Elliss, turns 23 tomorrow.
This will be an interesting experiment to follow in Denver, which still rosters hybrid linebacker Drew Sanders behind the expected starting duo of Singleton and Strnad.
QB Jimmy Garoppolo Weighing Multiple Free Agent Options
Kirk Cousins elected to join the Raiders yesterday. That took one of the top remaining veteran quarterbacks off the free agent market, leaving Jimmy Garoppolo among those yet to line up a deal.
Garoppolo has spent the past two seasons with the Rams, giving them an experienced backup to Matthew Stafford. A third Los Angeles contract is something the team is interested in, and that will no doubt be the case to an even larger extent with Cousins no longer available. Garoppolo appears to have other suitors as well, however.
The 12-year veteran is “weighing a few options” at this time, Nate Atkins of The Athletic notes. Garoppolo spoke with the Cardinals about a free agent deal, but talks did not yield an agreement. Arizona has since added Gardner Minshew to a depth chart already including Jacoby Brissett. The Cards will not be among the possibilities Garoppolo faces at this point, but another Rams accord could be one.
Atkins confirms Los Angeles would prefer a QB2 with starting experience as Stafford prepares to play at least one more season. The 2025 MVP enjoyed an encouraging run of durability this past season, but at this point Stetson Bennett is second on the quarterback depth chart. He has yet to make a regular season appearance despite being drafted in 2023. Another Garoppolo deal would certainly offer a greater degree of stability under center than relying on Bennett during a season in which the Rams will be eyeing another deep playoff run.
In 2024, Garoppolo took a contract worth $3.18MM. The 34-year-old played for a similar figure this past season. Another one-year contract can be expected, and it will be interesting to see if a Rams return is finalized in the near future. If not, other teams which were named as Cousins suitors could be in the mix as well. All parties may wait until after the upcoming draft before a deal winds up being worked out.
A full-time QB1 gig is not available at this point for Garoppolo, who most recently logged double-digit starts in a season in 2022. He represents one of the most experienced passers still on the market, though, and a number of teams could stand to benefit from adding him for the 2026 season.
Raiders, QB Kirk Cousins Agree To Deal
The Raiders’ interest in Kirk Cousins has indeed produced an agreement. A deal is in place, agent Mike McCartney announced on Thursday.
Vegas was identified yesterday as a suitor in Cousins’ case. The team remains on course to select Fernando Mendoza first overall in this month’s draft, but adding veteran insurance has been a goal this offseason. Head coach Klint Kubiak recently noted his preference for having Mendoza sit at the beginning of his NFL career, pointing to a signing such as this.
[RELATED: Details On Raiders’ Cousins Agreement]
Cousins has been on the market since his long-expected Falcons release. The four-time Pro Bowler did not wind up being traded during the 2025 offseason, setting up a second campaign in Atlanta. Cousins still wound up making eight starts this past season despite Michael Penix Jr. opening the year atop the depth chart. The Falcons proceeded with a cut in Cousins’ case, ending his tenure with the team halfway through a four-year, $160MM contract. Penix and Tua Tagovailoa will compete for the QB1 gig in Atlanta this summer.
No such training camp battle should be anticipated in Vegas given today’s news. Cousins will be tasked with handling starting duties while Mendoza begins his NFL acclimation period. A stint atop the depth chart at some point during the 2026 campaign can of course be expected for the Heisman winner, considering the timeline along which rookie quarterbacks enter the lineup in the modern NFL. For now, though, Cousins will prepare for a period where he is positioned to lead an offense.
Vegas traded for Geno Smith last offseason, reuniting him with head coach Pete Carroll. Nothing went according to plan on offense in 2025, though, and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly did not last the full season. It came as no surprise when Carroll was fired immediately after the campaign ended, nor when it became clear Smith would not return for 2026. He was traded to the Jets, creating the need for a veteran acquisition. Cousins, who will be 38 by the start of next season, certainly fits the bill.
Prior to today’s Raiders agreement, the Packers, Rams and Steelers had been linked to Cousins. Each of those teams could stand to add an experienced passer to their depth chart, with Pittsburgh’s QB1 role uncertain until Aaron Rodgers‘ decision on his playing future is made. The backup spots in Green Bay and Los Angeles, meanwhile, will need to be filled by another free agent or a draft pick.
Cousins’ six-year Vikings tenure came to an abrupt end when he suffered an Achilles tear midway through the 2023 season. His preference would have been to remain in Minnesota, but the potential for a multiyear starting spot in Atlanta led to his free agent departure. Things changed unexpectedly when Penix was drafted shortly thereafter, and Cousins was replaced atop the Falcons’ depth chart late in his debut season with the team. In all, he made 22 starts with Atlanta and posted several numbers below his career average while totaling 28 touchdown passes and 21 interceptions.
Expectations will be tempered upon arrival in Vegas for Cousins as a result. He is already owed $10MM from the Falcons for 2026, however, so this deal may not require a major financial commitment on the part of the Raiders.
RB Jeremiyah Love Unlikely To Last Beyond Commanders At No. 7?
Jeremiyah Love is widely understood to be one the most talented prospects in the 2026 class. Gauging where running backs will land in a draft is always difficult, but in this case a drop out of the top 10 order appears unlikely.
[RELATED: Love Could Be Giants’ Top Target]
The Commanders have frequently been mentioned as a logical landing spot for Love. The Heisman finalist would add an impact to any offense, but joining Washington would allow him to immediately contribute on the ground and in the passing game. Multiple personnel who spoke with SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora believe the Commanders – who own the seventh overall pick – are the floor in Love’s case.
“He’s exactly what that offense needs,” one evaluator said. “The draft is about supply and demand and who really needs a running back. The GM [Adam Peters] comes from San Francisco. They made the trade for [Christian] McCaffrey.”
Peters is indeed familiar with high-end running back acquisitions and the implications of building an offense around an elite player at the position dating back to his 49ers tenure. Washington’s backfield has undergone a number of changes so far this offseason, with Chris Rodriguez departing and the likes of Rachaad White and Jerome Ford being added. Drafting Love would leave the Commanders with other notable roster holes, but it would give the team a long-term offensive pillar if all went according to plan.
During each of his sophomore and junior campaigns at Notre Dame, Love averaged 6.9 yards per attempt. He topped 1,300 scrimmage yards in each season, totaling 40 touchdowns between 2024 and ’25. Love earned first-team All-American honors for his final college campaign and he will be counted on contribute early and often at the NFL level.
Peters’ team went from a surprise trip to the NFC title game to a 5-12 season in 2025. Rebounding will depend on factors such as the health of quarterback Jayden Daniels and the strength of his supporting cast. A receiver move will remain something to watch for, but interest in Love – though a top 30 visit or otherwise – could also develop in the near future.
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Jauan Jennings’ Asking Price Too High
On the heels of back-to-back productive seasons with the 49ers, expectations were that wide receiver Jauan Jennings would do well in free agency this year. However, three weeks since the market opened, Jennings is still without a contract. The reason? The 28-year-old’s asking price is too rich, league officials told Matt Barrows and Vic Tafur of The Athletic.
A 2020 seventh-round pick from Tennessee, Jennings debuted a year later and went on to post modest numbers over the next three seasons. The 6-foot-3, 212-pounder caught a touchdown and threw for one in the 49ers’ loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII, though, and he carried that momentum into 2024. After entering the campaign with 72 catches, 963 yards and seven TDs in 45 career games, Jennings notched 77 receptions, 975 yards and six scores in a 15-game breakout showing.
Riding the wave of a career year, Jennings sought an extension or a trade heading into last season. Neither came to fruition, though the 49ers added $3MM in incentives to his contract in early September. Jennings and the 49ers likely expected similar or better numbers, especially after the team traded away fellow receiver Deebo Samuel and went without the injured/MIA Brandon Aiyuk. While Jennings grabbed a career-best nine TDs, he fell to 55 receptions and 643 yards during a 15-game season in which he battled rib and ankle injuries.
Since free agency opened, receivers Jalen Nailor, Mike Evans, Rashid Shaheed, Romeo Doubs, Wan’Dale Robinson and Alec Pierce have signed contracts ranging from $35MM in total value to $114MM. Anything on the higher end of that range was never realistic for Jennings, but coming into the offseason, he seemed likely to end up somewhere in that group. While that is still possible, it will be a challenge at this stage of free agency. Unsigned wideouts like Jennings, Samuel, Keenan Allen, Stefon Diggs, Tyreek Hill and DeAndre Hopkins might not have answers on their futures until after the draft.
Having added Evans and Christian Kirk to their receiving corps in free agency, it appears unlikely the 49ers will bring Jennings back in 2026. Notably, though, general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan are still fond of him.
“Jauan’s one of my favorite players and one of Kyle’s favorite players,” Lynch said last Sunday (via Barrows and Tafur). “He’ll find a good home. And I think Jauan will go play great football for someone.”
49ers ‘Hopeful’ TE George Kittle Will Be Ready For Week 1
Even though star tight end George Kittle tore his Achilles in January, the 49ers are not ruling him out for any of next season. General manager John Lynch said he is “hopeful” Kittle will be available for a crucial Week 1 meeting with the rival Rams in Australia (via Nick Wagoner of ESPN). The teams will square off on Sept. 10, just eight months after Kittle’s injury.
As was the case last season, expectations are the NFC West will be a three-team battle royal among the 49ers, Rams and reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks in 2026. Having Kittle available for the first Rams matchup would be ideal for the 49ers, who went without him in seven of 19 games last season. That includes a 41-6 blowout loss to the Seahawks in the divisional round.
Kittle has missed at least one game in eight of nine seasons, but 2025 was especially brutal for the 32-year-old. He landed on IR after tearing his right hamstring in a Week 1 win in Seattle. The injury shelved Kittle for five games. He later missed a Week 17 win over the Bears with a left ankle issue that was far more severe than believed at the time. Kittle recently revealed that he tore two ligaments in his ankle.
Despite dealing with multiple serious injuries, Kittle continued to offer excellent production when he took the field. Over 11 regular-season games, the seven-time Pro Bowler hauled in 57 of 69 targets for 628 yards and seven touchdowns. Between his pass-catching skills and prowess as a blocker, Pro Football Focus ranked Kittle the league’s best tight end in 2025.
While Kittle is among the 49ers’ most valuable players, they did get solid work from backup tight end Jake Tonges last season. One of the rare 49ers to play 17 games in an injury-ravaged year for the team, Tonges caught 34 of 46 targets for 293 yards and five TDs. Tonges became a restricted free agent in the offseason, but the 49ers retained him on a two-year, $8MM deal. If Kittle is unavailable to begin next season, Tonges and blocking specialist Luke Farrell are in line to lead the 49ers’ tight end group.
Josh Allen ‘Good To Go’ After Foot Surgery
Bills quarterback Josh Allen played through the end of last season with a broken bone in his right foot. Not long after the Broncos eliminated the Bills in the divisional round, Allen underwent late-January surgery to address the issue. A little over two months later, he is “good to go” as the Bills’ offseason workouts approach, head coach Joe Brady told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (via Bobby Kownack of NFL.com).
“The thing about Josh Allen, he got surgery after the season, but he’s playing as if you think there’s nothing wrong with him,” Brady said. “The guy could barely walk, and then he’s playing games and it’s not impacting [his play]. He’s built different.”
Following up an MVP-winning 2024 season, Allen was the driving force behind a 12-win showing and a seventh straight playoff berth for Buffalo last year. With 39 total touchdowns (25 passing, 14 rushing), the dual threat finished second to Rams QB Matthew Stafford (46) in that category. Stafford earned MVP honors, while Allen came in third in the race.
Despite taking plenty of punishment, including 40 sacks, the remarkably durable Allen logged another full season and extended his NFL-leading consecutive starts streak to 139. Allen has started every Bills game since Week 12 in 2018, the former seventh overall pick’s rookie season.
The Bills have gone 88-39 in the regular season with Allen at the helm, but they have not reached the Super Bowl in the soon-to-be 30-year-old’s career. Tired of falling short, owner Terry Pegula fired head coach Sean McDermott and promoted Brady from offensive coordinator in an effort to get over the hump in 2026. Allen, who participated in the Bills’ head coaching interviews, endorsed the hiring. Brady’s first offseason workout program as a head coach is scheduled to begin April 6.