Bears ‘In Communication’ With NFL Over Ian Cunningham Comp Picks
The NFL’s Rooney Rule, originally instituted in 2002 to expand opportunities for minority coaches, has expanded and evolved over the past two decades.
Among the changes are the inclusion of top front office positions and a compensatory system that rewards teams who develop minority coaching or executive talent. Clubs who lose a minority coach or executive to another team will receive third-round compensatory picks in each of the next two drafts.
The Bears would seem to fall into that category after losing assistant general manager Ian Cunningham, who took the Falcons’ GM job. However, the NFL initially ruled that Chicago would not receive comp picks since president of football operations Matt Ryan, not Cunningham, is designated as the primary football executive in Atlanta.
The Bears are pushing back. Team president Kevin Warren said (via CHGO Bears) that Chicago has “been in communication” with the NFL regarding the matter. He used some very specific language when explaining the nature of those talks.
“I wouldn’t say ‘change their mind,'” Warren continued. “We’re just trying to follow up with them, just a normal protocol within the NFL to send in a response to say that we feel that we deserve the compensatory picks.”
Warren joined Bears owner George McCaskey and general manager Ryan Poles in a recent trip to New York to make their case directly to commissioner Roger Goodell, per Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times. With only a few weeks before the draft, a decision will need to come quickly if the Bears are to receive a third-rounder this year.
“We did what the league wants every member club to do,” McCaskey said at league meetings this week. “We identified diverse talent; we recruited him; we created a position for him.”
The Falcons believe the Bears should receive compensatory picks from Cunningham’s departure, as does Cunningham himself. McCaskey noted that the league may be hesitant to set a new precedent that could force them to award comp picks in similar situations in the future.
But refusing to give Chicago those picks would be setting a different and presumably more dangerous precedent. Though the Falcons are supportive of the Bears in this situation, other teams may not be as charitable. They could see a new loophole in which they name someone other than their general manager hire as the primary football executive so that the new GM’s original team does not receive comp picks. Depriving a competitor of extra draft capital would not be out of bounds for a league that is frequently referred to as a business when discussing issues of this nature.
NFC Contract Details: Cards, Falcons, Panthers, Bears, Lions, Pack, Rams, Saints, Eagles, Hawks, Commanders
Here are the details on a boatload of contracts that NFC teams have given out in recent weeks. Unless specified otherwise, all information is courtesy of Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2:
Arizona Cardinals
- Jack Gibbens, LB (two years, $7.5MM): Gibbens joined the Cardinals for a guaranteed $4.5MM, per Mike Reiss of ESPN. His deal includes cap charges of $3.73MM and $4.03MM.
- Andrew Billings, DT (one year, $2.4MM): Billings received a $1.55MM salary, $700K in guarantees and a $350K signing bonus.
- Oli Udoh, OL (one year, $1.4MM): Udoh will make $1.22MM in salary, $350K in guarantees and a $50K signing bonus, according to Howard Balzer of Cardinals Wire.
Atlanta Falcons
- Da’Shawn Hand, DT (one year, $3MM): The Falcons gave Hand a matching $1.5MM salary and signing bonus.
- Chris Williams, DL (one year, $2MM): Williams landed a $1.5MM salary and a $500K signing bonus.
- Azeez Ojulari, OLB (one year, $1.4MM): Ojulari’s pact comes with a $1.22MM salary, $387,500 in guarantees and a signing bonus of $187,500.
Carolina Panthers
- Sam Martin, P (two years, $3.75MM): Martin’s contract includes $2MM in guarantees, salaries of $1.3MM and $1.55MM, and a $750K signing bonus.
- Nick Scott, S (one year, $2MM): Scott re-upped with the Panthers for a deal worth up to $3.25MM. It comes with a $1.3MM salary, $1.1MM in guarantees and a $505K signing bonus.
Chicago Bears
- Elijah Hicks, S (one year, $2.6MM): Hicks pulled in a $2.41MM salary, $1.69MM in guarantees and a $187,500 signing bonus.
Detroit Lions
- D.J. Wonnum, DE (one year, $3MM): Wonnum received $2.27MM in guarantees, a $1.37MM salary and a $900K signing bonus.
- Rock Ya-Sin, CB (one year, $3.2MM): Ya-Sin is staying in Detroit for $2.64MM in guarantees, a $1.64MM salary and a $1MM signing bonus.
Green Bay Packers
- Skyy Moore, WR (one year, $2.5MM): Moore, who reeled in a $1MM signing bonus, will earn a $1.22MM salary.
- Nick Niemann, LB (one year, $2.25MM): The Packers handed Niemann a $500K signing bonus, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. The contract has $750K in incentives, a max of $235K in per game roster bonuses and a $200K workout bonus.
Los Angeles Rams
- Grant Stuard, LB (two years, $4.45MM): The max value of Stuard’s deal checks in at $5.05MM. It carries $3.5MM in guarantees, including $1.8MM in full guarantees, salaries of $1.5MM and $2MM, and a $300K signing bonus.
New Orleans Saints
- Ryan Wright, P (four years, $14MM): Wright’s base salaries in 2026 ($1.25MM) and ’27 ($3.25MM) are fully guaranteed, Katherine Terrell of ESPN relays. He’s due to collect a $3.5MM base salary in both 2028 and ’29; $1MM of that is guaranteed for injury in ’28. The Saints gave Wright $7MM in full guarantees and a $2.5MM signing bonus.
- John Ridgeway, DT (two years, $6.2MM): Ridgeway earned a matching $1.65MM signing bonus and guaranteed money total, per Terrell.
- Chris Rumph, DE (one year, $2MM): Rumph re-upped for a $1.22MM base salary and a $785K signing bonus, both of which are guaranteed (via Terrell).
Philadelphia Eagles
- Arnold Ebiketie, OLB (one year, $4.3MM): Ebiketie went from the Falcons to the Eagles for a $3MM signing bonus and a $1.3MM salary. General manager Howie Roseman tacked four void years on the contract.
- Jonathan Jones, CB (one year, $2MM): This deal also includes four void years. Jones received $2MM in guarantees, a $1.3MM salary and $500K at signing.
- Dameon Pierce, RB (one year, $1.29MM): As part of a veteran salary benefit agreement, Pierce will earn a $1.22MM salary and count $1.15MM against the cap. The Eagles gave him $250K in full guarantees.
Seattle Seahawks
- Brady Russell, FB (two years, $4.8MM): Russell’s agreement features $2.15MM in total guarantees, salaries of $1.5MM and $1.79MM, and a $1MM signing bonus.
- Jack Stoll, LS (two years, $2.91MM): Stoll picked up $1.2MM in fully guaranteed money and a $500K signing bonus, per Brady Henderson of ESPN.
- Noah Igbinoghene, CB (one year, $1.81MM): Along with a $1.22MM salary, Igbinoghene will collect $750K in full guarantees, including a $250K signing bonus.
Washington Commanders
- Jeremy Reaves, S (one year, $6.45MM): The Commanders added a 2028 void year to Reaves’ extension, which includes $4.15MM in guarantees, salaries of $1.3MM and $2.10MM, and a $1.65MM signing bonus.
- Dyami Brown, WR (one year, $1.75MM): Returning to Washington for a second stint, Brown signed for a $1.22MM salary and a $250K bonus.
- Jake Moody, K (one year, $1.5MM): Moody raked in $125K at signing. He will collect a $1.25MM salary.
- Jeremy McNichols, RB (one year, $1.49MM): McNichols will earn a $1.3MM salary ($1.262MM cap hit), $562,500 in total guarantees and a $162,500 signing bonus.
- Jerome Ford, RB (one year, $1.4MM): Washington gave Ford a $1.22MM salary ($1.262MM hit), $437,500 in total guarantees and a $137,500 signing bonus.
Falcons To Re-Sign LB DeAngelo Malone
The Falcons are re-signing linebacker and special teams ace DeAngelo Malone to a one-year contract, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Malone, 26, has been a core special teams contributor in Atlanta for the last four years. Despite the team’s coaching change, he will return for a fifth season under new head coach Kevin Stefanski and special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman.
Originally the 82nd overall pick in the 2022 draft, Malone appeared in 15 games as a rookie with exactly 216 snaps on defense and special teams. In his next three seasons, though, he played just 111 defensive snaps with a core role on special teams.
Malone’s special teams snap share stayed above 75% from 2023 to 2025. He appeared in every game in the first two seasons, but was limited to nine last year due to a broken ankle suffered in November. That was the first major injury and IR placement of his career. The Falcons were best-positioned to evaluate Malone’s rehab, and their decision to re-sign him indicates confidence in his recovery.
Malone did explore a move to another NFC South team. He recently visited the Buccaneers, who could stand to add special teams talent after uninspiring results last year. That meeting may very well have created some urgency in Atlanta to re-sign him rather than let him join a division rival.
2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker
NFL teams have until May 1 to officially pick up fifth-year options on 2023 first-rounders. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of performance- and usage-based benchmarks:
- Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternates) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag
- One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag
- Players who achieve any of the following will receive the average of the third-20th top salaries at their position:
- At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
- A 75% snap average across all three seasons
- At least 50% in each of first three seasons
- Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position
PFR’s Offseason Outlook series examined each of these decisions in-depth, and weeks remain until this year’s deadline. In the meantime, we will use the space below to track all the 2027 option decisions from around the league:
- QB Bryce Young, Panthers ($25.9MM): To be exercised
- QB C.J. Stroud, Texans ($25.9MM): To be exercised
- DE Will Anderson Jr., Texans ($21.51MM)
- QB Anthony Richardson, Colts ($22.48MM)
- CB Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks ($21.16MM): Exercised
- LT Paris Johnson Jr., Cardinals ($19.07MM)
- DE Tyree Wilson, Raiders ($14.48MM)
- RB Bijan Robinson, Falcons ($11.32MM)
- DT Jalen Carter, Eagles ($27.13MM)
- RT Darnell Wright, Bears ($19.07MM)
- G Peter Skoronski, Titans ($19.07MM)
- RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions ($14.29MM)
- DE Lukas Van Ness, Packers ($13.75MM)
- LT Broderick Jones, Steelers ($19.07MM)
- DE Will McDonald, Jets ($13.75MM): To be exercised
- CB Emmanuel Forbes, Rams ($12.63MM)
- CB Christian Gonzalez, Patriots ($18.12MM): To be exercised
- LB Jack Campbell, Lions ($21.93MM)
- DL Calijah Kancey, Buccaneers ($14.48MM)
- WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks ($23.85MM): Exercised*
- WR Quentin Johnston, Chargers ($18MM)
- WR Zay Flowers, Ravens ($27.3MM): To be exercised
- WR Jordan Addison, Vikings ($18MM): To be exercised
- CB Deonte Banks, Giants ($12.63MM)
- TE Dalton Kincaid, Bills ($8.16MM): To be exercised
- DT Mazi Smith, Jets ($13.93MM)
- RT Anton Harrison, Jaguars ($19.07MM): To be exercised
- DE Myles Murphy, Bengals ($14.48MM)
- DT Bryan Bresee, Saints ($13.93MM)
- DE Nolan Smith, Eagles ($13.75MM)
- DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Chiefs ($13.75MM)
* = Seahawks gave Smith-Njigba four-year, $168.6MM extension
Falcons Expected To Hire Eagles’ Jeff Scott As Assistant GM
The Falcons’ hierarchy has generated interest this offseason, after ownership cleaned house. The team added Matt Ryan and Ian Cunningham to right the ship, with the NFL viewing Ryan’s role as enough to deny the Bears two third-round picks for losing a minority exec (Cunningham) to a GM role.
Chicago promoted from within (Jeff King) to fill Cunningham’s assistant general manager post, while KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports the Falcons are expected to make an outside hire to fill their AGM job. Eagles VP of football operations Jeff Scott is expected to be named the next Falcons assistant GM.
Scott worked with Cunningham in Philadelphia. The Eagles lost four execs to assistant GM roles in 2022 — Cunningham (Bears), Brandon Brown (Giants), Catherine Hickman (Browns) and Andy Weidl (Steelers) — but Cunningham and Scott overlapped in Philly from 2021-22. The Eagles hired Scott in 2021, bringing him over from Washington.
Spending nine years in Washington — most of which coming under then-president Bruce Allen — Scott climbed to the assistant director of pro scouting role by 2020. The Commanders had shaken up their organizational hierarchy in 2020, dismissing Allen and hiring Ron Rivera to head up operations from his HC post. Scott joined the Eagles as a senior pro scout and climbed to their director of football ops post in 2022, when the wave of execs left Philly for AGM roles elsewhere.
The Eagles elevated Scott to VP of football ops in 2024. This came at a key juncture for career advancement, as the Eagles assembled a strong roster ahead of their Super Bowl LIX rout of the Chiefs. Scott, who began his NFL run as an intern with Washington 14 years ago, has not taken any GM interviews. Moving to the assistant GM level, however, could greenlight some.
While many AGM positions represent top lieutenant roles, this one — thanks to Ryan’s role as president of football, a position the Falcons created for their former MVP quarterback — will bring third-in-command status. Still, Scott will be expected to become an integral part of Atlanta’s overhaul. For the Eagles, this will mark yet another Howie Roseman lieutenant to move to a high-ranking front office role elsewhere. Cunningham has climbed to the GM tier, while the other three execs to leave in 2022 have taken interviews. Brown, Hickman and Weidl each remain in their respective AGM roles; Scott now joins them on this tier.
Falcons Would Consider Kyle Pitts Trade
The Falcons slapped Kyle Pitts with the franchise tag back in February, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the tight end will stick in Atlanta for the 2026 season. Falcons GM Ian Cunningham admitted to reporters today that he’d listen to trade offers on the former first-round pick
[RELATED: Falcons Place Franchise Tag On TE Kyle Pitts]
“It’s my job as the general manager to do what’s best for the organization,” Cunningham said (via Josh Kendall of The Athletic). “Kyle is a great player. We’ve seen his skill set. Also, it’s my job to listen. We’re excited to have Kyle. We’re excited for his future.”
Pitts has struggled to live up to his first-round billing through five years in the NFL, although his performance in 2025 was enough for the new regime to commit to 2026. The tight end had his most productive campaign since his rookie year, and he ultimately finished the season with a career-high 88 receptions for 928 yards and five touchdowns. After being hit with the franchise tag, Pitts will now be attached to a $15MM salary in 2026.
Even before Cunningham acknowledge that a trade could be a possibility, it was uncertain if Pitts had a long-term future in Atlanta. We heard earlier this month that the tight end was expected to play out the 2026 campaign on the franchise tag, and the organization’s new leadership would use their in-person evaluation to determine any future contracts for the veteran.
Now, there’s a chance that Kevin Stefanski‘s staff might not even have an opportunity to work with the pass-catching TE. Pitts’ franchise tag removed a key player from the free agent pool, and among the six tight ends to earn at least $10MM in guaranteed money, only four switched teams (Isaiah Likely, Charlie Kolar, Chig Okonkwo, Daniel Bellinger). In other words, plenty of teams would surely consider a notable addition to their tight ends room, and while Atlanta’s front office couldn’t command a bounty, they wouldn’t lack for suitors.
If Pitts does stick in Atlanta, there will once again be some uncertainty about his role in 2026. He’ll likely be receiving passes from a new QB in Tua Tagovailoa, and he’ll be playing under a new head coach. While Stefanski has had success with the likes of David Njoku and Harold Fannin, the coach made it sound like he wants to utilize all of the tight ends on his depth chart, a grouping that also includes Austin Hooper and Charlie Woerner.
“We certainly want to be a team that goes in and out of different personnel groupings,” Stefanski said (via Kendall). “The spring and summer will allow us to see what our best group is and what we want to lean into.”
Falcons Likely To Focus On Post-Draft Bijan Robinson, Drake London Extensions
Falcons running back Bijan Robinson and wide receiver Drake London are among premier NFLers who are unsigned past next season. Unsurprisingly, however, rookie general manager Ian Cunningham wants to keep the pair around beyond then. Cunningham said the focus will likely turn to extensions for the two after next month’s draft, per Marc Raimondi of ESPN.
As the eighth pick in the 2023 draft, Robinson entered the NFL with considerable hype. The former Texas Longhorn has more than lived up to it. While Robinson finished 24 rushing yards shy of 1,000 as a rookie, he surpassed the 1,400 mark in each of the past two seasons. Robinson has also hauled in 198 catches, including 79 last year, and totaled 34 touchdowns (25 rushing, nine receiving). The 5-foot-11, 215-pounder has paired his stellar production with impressive durability, having played in 51 straight games to begin his career.
With 1,478 ground yards in 2025, Robinson finished fourth in the league. He piled up another 820 yards through the air, good for 20th overall, and found the end zone 11 times (seven rushing, four receiving). Robinson not only picked up his second Pro Bowl nod, but he was a first-team All-Pro running back and a second-team All-Pro as an all-purpose player.
If the Falcons do not extend Robinson by May 1, they will have his 2027 fifth-year option as a fallback plan. Picking that up for $11.32MM will be an easy decision for Cunningham and president of football Matt Ryan. An extension will be far more expensive, especially with the salary cap continuing to rise. The Saints’ Travis Etienne and the Packers’ Josh Jacobs pace the league’s running backs in total value ($48MM). The Eagles’ Saquon Barkley ($20.6MM) and the 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey ($19MM) lead in average salary, while the former is tops at the position in guarantees ($36MM). Robinson, like Lions extension candidate and fellow 2023 first-rounder Jahmyr Gibbs, has a legitimate argument to go by all of them.
Likewise, London has a case to become one of the league’s highest-paid players at his position. There should be more urgency on the Falcons’ part to lock up London, a 2022 first-rounder (No. 8) who is on track to play his fifth-year option season in 2026. Indeed, Cunningham said Monday that a London extension is “on top of mind.”
London averaged a solid 70 catches, 886 yards and three touchdowns per season over his first two years, but the ex-USC standout morphed into a star producer in 2024. He posted 100 catches, 1,271 yards and nine TDs that year. While a knee injury held London out of five games last year, the 6-4, 215-pounder remained a force when healthy. Playing his age-24 season, London amassed 68 receptions, 919 yards and seven scores in 12 contests.
London has thrived despite lackluster quarterback play, which the Falcons hope changes with the addition of Tua Tagovailoa in free agency. Regardless, London is on a collision course with a mega-extension or the franchise tag by next March.
Coming off an Offensive Player of the Year-winning season, Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba signed a record-setting extension last week. On his four-year deal, JSN leads his position in total money ($168MM), average annual value ($42.15MM) and guarantees ($120MM-plus). London may not do that well, but he could at least become the latest wideout to approach or exceed $35MM per season on a multiyear pact.
NFC Contract Details: Evans, 49ers, Kirk, Commanders, Wentz, Vikings, Cowboys, Cardinals, Seahawks, Falcons, Lions
Here are the key details from some of the free agency deals agreed to around the NFC:
- Mike Evans, WR (49ers). Three years, $42.5MM. More details are in on Evans’ deal, which is essentially a one-year, $14.3MM pact. Four separate $1.5MM escalators for 2027 are in place. If Evans finishes in the top 10 in receptions, yards or receiving touchdowns, he would earn $1.5MM for each such placement. The 49ers must make the playoffs for any of these escalators to kick in, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes. San Francisco winning a postseason game this season also would trigger $500K, with any additional playoff wins carrying the same bump (though, $1.5MM is the max Evans can earn from the win-based playoff component of this deal). Evans must play at least 75% of the 49ers’ regular-season offensive snaps to hit the playoff-win incentive, Florio adds. The same escalator steps cover the 2027 season and Evans’ potential 2028 compensation.
- Amik Robertson, CB (Commanders). Two years, $15MM. While Robertson’s signing brought $9MM guaranteed in total, OverTheCap notes $7.35MM is locked in at signing. Robertson’s 2026 cap number sits at $5MM, his 2027 number at $10MM, via ESPN.com’s John Keim. His 2027 base salary ($6.35MM) is nonguaranteed.
- Roy Lopez, DT (Cardinals). Two years, $10.5MM. Lopez’s Arizona return will bring $6MM fully guaranteed, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Lopez, who did not receive any 2027 salary guarantees at signing, will be due a $250K roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2027 league year.
- Dre Greenlaw, LB (49ers). One year, $6MM. This deal is fully guaranteed, per ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner. Greenlaw’s cap number checks in at $3.55MM, as four void years are included here. Greenlaw, who missed nine games as a Bronco in 2025 and was down for almost all of the 2024 season, will see $850K of his third 49ers contract tied to per-game roster bonuses.
- Josh Jones, OL (Seahawks). One year, $4MM. Jones secured $3MM fully guaranteed, Wilson tweets. The base value and guarantee match Jones’ 2025 Seattle terms.
- Christian Kirk, WR (49ers). One year, $3MM. The former Cardinals, Jaguars and Texans wideout will see $2.78MM fully guaranteed, Wilson adds. The deal can max out at $6MM.
- Chris Paul, G (Commanders). One year, $3MM. The 2025 starter will see $2.48MM guaranteed at signing, according to Wilson.
- Carson Wentz, QB (Vikings). One year, $3MM. The former No. 2 overall pick will see $2.65MM fully guaranteed, Wilson tweets. This is more than double what the Vikings paid Wentz in 2025.
- Sam Howell, QB (Cowboys). One year, $2.5MM. Howell landed $2MM guaranteed, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer notes. The deal maxes out at $3MM, with a $500K incentive pertaining to a Cowboys playoff berth included.
- Samson Ebukam, OLB (Falcons). One year, $2.77MM. Ebukam played out a three-year Colts deal worth $24MM; he will see $700K guaranteed on his Falcons accord, Wilson notes.
- Malcolm Rodriguez, ILB (Lions). One year, $2.75MM. Rodriguez is staying put for $2.7MM fully guaranteed (via Wilson). Because this is the rare four-year qualifying offer, Rodriguez will count just $1.4MM toward the Lions’ cap. The cap number reflects the veteran minimum for a player with four years of service time, with the CBA stipulating a maximum bump from a four-year qualifying contract is $1.55MM.
- Rachaad White, RB (Commanders). One year, $2MM. While the Buccaneers gave Kenneth Gainwell a two-year deal worth $14MM to replace White alongside Bucky Irving, White’s contract will max out at $4MM (per Wilson). The Commanders authorized a $1.72MM guarantee at signing.
- Isiah Pacheco, RB (Lions). One year, $1.81MM. Pacheco’s bounce-back attempt will include a sub-$2MM contract, but NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero indicates the deal is fully guaranteed.
G Chase Bisontis Drawing Vast Interest
As one of the premier guard prospects in the 2026 draft class, Texas A&M’s Chase Bisontis has the potential to come off the board in the first two rounds. There is widespread interest in Bisontis, who has scheduled over a dozen visits, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. The Chargers, Panthers and Falcons are among the clubs that will host Bisontis.
As a freshman in 2023, Bisontis began his three-year run in College Station as the Aggies’ starting right tackle. He worked at left guard during his last two seasons, in which he allowed a total of two sacks. The 6-foot-5, 315-pounder earned third-team All-SEC honors in 2025.
In ranking Bisontis as the 49th-best prospect available, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com notes “short arms” could negatively affect the 21-year-old’s stock. But Bisontis assuaged some concerns when his arms measured 32 inches at Texas A&M’s pro day on Wednesday, per Garafolo. The average guard checks in around 33 inches.
Whether it’s Bisontis or another high-end prospect (Penn State’s Vega Ioane, for example), it would not be a surprise to see the Chargers grab a guard at either No. 22 or 55. While free agent addition Cole Strange is expected to start on the right side, the Chargers do not have a clear replacement for departed left guard Zion Johnson. Trevor Penning and newcomer Kayode Awosika are in-house options to succeed Johnson, but neither comes with a strong history as a starter.
The Chargers have an obvious need at guard, but that is not the case for either the Panthers or Falcons. Carolina has two expensive starters in Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt. A 16-game starter for the fourth straight season in 2025, the 29-year-old Lewis finished as Pro Football Focus’ seventh-ranked guard. Playing the second season of a five-year, $100MM pact, Hunt missed 15 games with a torn biceps, but he returned for a wild-card round loss to the Rams. With Lewis and Hunt sticking around next year, the Panthers may be more inclined to upgrade elsewhere with picks 19 and 51.
As a result of ex-general manager Terry Fontenot‘s James Pearce Jr. gamble last April, the Falcons do not have a first-rounder this year. Atlanta’s first selection is scheduled for No. 48, where president of football Matt Ryan and GM Ian Cunningham could consider Bisontis if he is still available. The Falcons already have two quality starting guards in Chris Lindstrom and Matthew Bergeron, however, leaving the long-struggling franchise with more pressing areas to address.
Lindstrom, who inked a five-year, $105MM extension in 2023, is coming off his second 17-start season in a row. PFF ranked Lindstrom a superb second among guards, while Bergergon finished 20th. Bergeron missed two games, but they were the first absences of the three-year veteran’s career. Although Bergeron is eligible for an extension, spending a second-rounder on a guard may indicate Atlanta does not plan to dole out another big payday at the position.
Falcons Sign RB Tyler Goodson
Tyler Goodson will be playing on a new team in 2026. The fourth-year running back signed with the Falcons on Thursday, per a team announcement. 
Atlanta lost Tyler Allgeier in free agency when he joined the Cardinals. That left Bijan Robinson atop the depth chart, of course, but it created the need for a new backup. A deal was worked out with Brian Robinson on Tuesday, and he will be counted on to serve as Allgeier’s replacement.
Goodson, meanwhile, will look to compete for the RB3 role with Atlanta. The 25-year-old spent each of his first three NFL seasons as a member of the Colts. During that time, he handled just 54 carries as part of a backfield dominated by Jonathan Taylor. Goodson instead made his mark on special teams. That will likely be the case as well with the Falcons.
Goodson was a regular third phase presence during the 2024 and ’25 seasons. The former undrafted free agent totaled 11 kick returns for the Colts, and he could be an option for new head coach Kevin Stefanski in that regard. If not, Goodson – who logged heavy ST snap shares each of the past two years – will still be expected to chip in without receiving a large offensive opportunity.
The Falcons entered Thursday with roughly $14MM in cap space. That figure will drop once the Brian Robinson deal (worth $2.5MM) is officially processed, but his pact and that of Goodson will not significantly alter Atlanta’s financial setup entering the draft. Goodson’s deal can be expected to check in at or near the league minimum as he prepares to compete for a roster spot this summer in a new home.