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Panthers Discussing Jadeveon Clowney Trade

April 26th, 2025 at 12:40pm CST by Ben Levine

Jadeveon Clowney‘s future with the Panthers is in doubt. According to ESPN’s David Newton, the Panthers “had talks about trading” the veteran pass rusher prior to the draft. With the organization adding two edge rushers during yesterday’s portion of the draft, a trade still “remains an option.”

Carolina general manager Dan Morgan didn’t necessarily dismiss these reports when asked by reporters about Clowney’s spot on the team.

“We’re still working through the roster,” Morgan said. “We’re still talking through things. Obviously, we’re focused on the draft right now and what’s in front of us.”

Clowney inked a two-year deal with the Panthers last offseason, but it didn’t take long for the former first-overall pick to emerge in trade rumors. With the Panthers considered sellers at last year’s deadline, Clowney was mentioned as a trade candidate, although the team ended up hanging on to him.

After tying a career-high 9.5 sacks with the Ravens in 2023, Clowney finished his first season in Carolina with 5.5 sacks. He still has a season remaining on the two-year, $20MM deal he inked with the Panthers last offseason. The pass rusher is set to count $13.77MM against the cap in 2025. That doesn’t necessarily break the bank, but there may not be suitors lining up for a trade following Clowney’s underwhelming showing in his age-31 season.

At the very least, it’s hard to envision Clowney as a member of next year’s Panthers. The team added Texas A&M pass rusher Nic Scourton in the second round, and they later drafted Ole Miss defensive end Princely Umanmielen in the third. That duo joins a pass-rush corps that also features regular starter D.J. Wonnum, free agent acquisition Patrick Jones, and former third-round pick D.J. Johnson.

Jets Trade Up To No. 130 To Pick S Malachi Moore

April 26th, 2025 at 12:30pm CST by Ely Allen

The Jets have swapped picks with the Eagles, moving up to pick No. 130 in the fourth round to select Alabama safety Malachi Moore. Philadelphia will receive pick Nos. 145 and 207 in the exchange.

The picks heading to the City of Brotherly Love are New York’s original fifth-round selection and a sixth-round pick the team acquired in the trade sending wide receiver Mecole Hardman back to Kansas City in 2023, after he had signed with the Jets as a free agent. While Hardman proved ineffectual in New York, his signing shows some worth today as it allows the team to trade up for Moore.

While Moore lacks ideal size and weight, the former member of the Crimson Tide plays much bigger than his frame suggests. Moore loves to lay the boom, though he can draw the occasional penalty as a result. Moore’s competitive motor helped him to overcome a lack of elite speed traits to grade out extremely favorably in pass coverage, per Pro Football Focus, in 2024. He had a couple pedestrian seasons after losing his grip on the starting role following a strong true freshman year, in which he notched nine passes defensed and three interceptions. As a COVID fifth-year senior, Moore had a resurgent campaign with 10 passes defensed, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles.

The team signed former Jaguars safety Andre Cisco in free agency to likely start alongside Tony Adams in the defensive backfield. After a down year for Cisco, though, Moore adds some competitive depth at the position and could develop into an impact player in the right hands. Until he proves he’s ready for that, his extensive special teams experience at Alabama will be extremely useful in New York.

Rams Trade Up To 117, Select Jarquez Hunter

April 26th, 2025 at 12:00pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Rams have traded with the Colts to acquire the 117th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, which they are using on Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter.

The Colts moved back 10 spots in the fourth round and picked up a sixth-rounder (No. 190 overall) in the deal. Indianapolis then used the 127th pick on Iowa State’s Jalen Travis, a massive but raw offensive tackle who will need to improve his technique and balance to see the field in the NFL.

Hunter is a speedy, powerful back who racked up 2,110 rushing yards and 15 across 24 starts at Auburn in 2023 and 2024. As a ballcarrier, he explodes through the line of scrimmage and does not go down easily with balance and effort through contact. He is a reliable pass-catcher, but will need to improve his pass protection to stay on the field on third down.

In Los Angeles, Hunter will compete for snaps behind Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. He also has special teams experience on kickoff coverage and as a returning, which will help him see playing time right away in the NFL.

Texans Acquire No. 116, Select RB Woody Marks

April 26th, 2025 at 11:56am CST by Ben Levine

The Texans are trading a future third-round pick to move into this year’s fourth round. Houston has acquired the No. 116 pick from the Dolphins. They’ve used their new selection on USC running back Woody Marks. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston was first to report the trade.

Full trade details:

Texans receive

No. 116
No. 224

Dolphins receive

No. 179
2026 third-round pick

It’s an aggressive move by the Texans, continuing a trend throughout this entire draft. This marks GM Nick Caserio‘s sixth trade of the 2025 draft.

Marks had a breakout season during his first year at USC. After collecting around 3,000 yards from scrimmage in four years at Mississippi State, the RB collected 1,454 yards and nine touchdowns in his one season with the Trojans. He notably hauled in 261 catches during his college career, assuring he’ll at least have a career as a third-down back.

In Houston, he’ll be joining an RBs room that lacks convincing depth behind Joe Mixon. The rookie could easily slide into an RB2 role ahead of former starter Dameon Pierce, Dare Ogunbowale, J.J. Taylor, and Jawhar Jordan.

Bills Trade Up To Select DT Deone Walker

April 26th, 2025 at 11:35am CST by Ely Allen

The Bills have jumped up in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft in order to draft Kentucky defensive tackle Deone Walker. Buffalo sent the Nos. 132 and 169 overall picks — their original fourth and first compensatory pick in the fifth — to Chicago in order to swap with the Bears.

Interestingly enough, the selection originally belonged to the Bears in 2024 before being sent to Buffalo in the Ryan Bates trade then being sent back to Chicago so that the Bills could move up in the fifth round last year. The Bills acquired the selection from the Bears for the second time with today’s trade.

Walker adds some extreme size to the Bills defensive line. Ed Oliver is on the smaller side on the interior, and Larry Ogunjobi is facing a suspension to start the season. Buffalo clearly has a focus of adding more size in the trenches next to DaQuan Jones after taking T.J. Sanders (6-foot-4, 290 pounds) out of South Carolina yesterday and adding Walker (6-foot-7, 331 pounds) today.

Walker has a tendency to get erased when stacked up by double teams in the run game, but surprisingly for his size, he plays without stiffness on the pass rush and benefits from his elite size to make plays, collecting 7.5 sacks in 2023 and 10.0 over his three years in Lexington. A Bills defense that finished 12th in run defense and 24th in pass defense in 2024 — as well as 18th in team sacks — adds a big and strong weapon that could develop favorably.

Teams Concerned About Shedeur Sanders Attention, Steelers Could Still Be An Option

April 26th, 2025 at 10:38am CST by Ben Levine

Shedeur Sanders‘ stunning fall down the draft board was quickly attributed to a questionable skill set and/or a perceived lack of maturity. ESPN’s Stephen Holder points to another concern among teams: the “circus” that would accompany a Sanders selection.

Holder is adamant that Sanders’ first-round snub was about talent, but he believes his Day 2 absence was “about something else.” The reporter references Tim Tebow‘s free agency, noting that teams were wary of the attention that naturally follows a “celebrity” athlete. Sanders obviously isn’t an exact equivalent to Tebow, but the popular Colorado star will now attract even more attention after suddenly dropping out of the first two days of the draft.

There’s been a popular sentiment today that the reward now outweighs any risk, but that would likely only apply to teams that don’t have a future answer at QB. When it comes to teams that would only consider Sanders as a backup, Holder warns that the concerns would only become “more pronounced.”

It’s still assumed that Sanders will hear his name called at some point today, although potential landing spots continue to dry up. The Giants were once a key suitor for Sanders, but the team clearly removed themselves from that sweepstakes when they traded back into the first to select Jaxson Dart. We later heard reports that a meeting between Sanders and Giants head coach Brian Daboll had not gone well, and the organization’s interest in the prospect cooled as the coaching staff became more involved in the evaluation process. Concerns about maturity appear to extend beyond the Giants.

The Browns were also mentioned as a Sanders suitor, but they used a third-round selection on Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel. The Saints also seemingly confirmed a report that they wouldn’t be pursuing the Colorado product, as New Orleans used a second-round pick on Louisville’s Tyler Shough.

There is one clear QB-needy squad that could still select Sanders. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Steelers remain an option for the prospect, as the organization is confident Sanders could serve “as a distributing point guard in its offense.” Fowler adds that the Steelers have also done extensive work on Ohio State’s Will Howard.

The Steelers are still awaiting a resolution on Aaron Rodgers, although owner Art Rooney II said last night that the veteran free agent wants to play in Pittsburgh. Even if a signing comes to fruition, the Steelers would still be a natural landing spot for rookie QBs. The team’s current QB depth consists of Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson, so the front office could be seeking an upgrade for both now and the future.

Browns To Give Dillon Gabriel Chance To Start

April 26th, 2025 at 10:36am CST by Sam Robinson

Perhaps the most surprising piece of Shedeur Sanders‘ fall — a tumble that has largely overshadowed the 2025 draft — came late Friday night, when the Browns circled back to their quarterback pick. Rather than Sanders, Cleveland went with Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel.

Ranked 148th on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board (128 spots behind Sanders), Gabriel went to the Browns at No. 94. The former Ducks standout also checks in at 5-foot-11. Transferring from Central Florida to Oklahoma to Oregon in a six-year college run, Gabriel impressed the Browns to the point he will be given a chance to start, Kevin Stefanski said (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot).

The Browns went through multiple meetings with Gabriel over the past month, according to The Athletic’s Zac Jackson, who does not envision the undersized prospect making a strong case for the starting role. As it stands, the Browns will send a QB room of Gabriel, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett into their offseason program. Although Deshaun Watson is technically still on the team, it would be borderline shocking if he threw another regular-season pass for the team that burned three first-round picks on him as part of what is likely the worst trade in NFL history.

Unlike No. 40 overall Saints pick Tyler Shough, Gabriel started throughout his lengthy college career. He posted three 30-touchdown pass seasons — one at Central Florida, one at Oklahoma, one at Oregon — and the Browns certainly saw scrutinized 2023 Ducks starter Bo Nix prove many wrong via a strong rookie season. Gabriel stepped into Nix’s place in Eugene and threw 30 TD passes during a season that saw him finish as the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Gabriel finished third in the Heisman voting — behind only Travis Hunter and Ashton Jeanty — but was not labeled as a comparable prospect heading into the draft.

Sanders was — for a while. The Colorado prospect went from being tabbed a potential No. 2 overall option for the Browns to being a fairly safe bet for a top-10 selection to falling out of Round 1 altogether. A tumble out of Round 1 came up as a possibility shortly before the draft, but no one foresaw the high-profile passer falling out of Round 3. The Browns made four picks Friday night, but their Gabriel move almost definitely will send Sanders elsewhere. GM Andrew Berry referred to Sanders as an “impressive young man,” but added (via the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram’s Scott Petrak) that “sometimes fit comes into play.” The Browns both used a “30” visit on Sanders and then worked him out.

As teams certainly appear to be shying away from Sanders due to his attitude and persona, deeming his play insufficient to negate those factors, the Browns did address their quarterback issue. The Steelers still have not. The Giants and Saints also found their younger options, in Jaxson Dart and Shough. The Browns passed on the latter twice to start Round 2, taking Carson Schwesinger and Quinshon Judkins. The Giants viewed the Browns as a threat for Dart, but after the Ole Miss QB went 25th overall, it took until No. 94 for Cleveland to bring a passer in.

The Browns will have a prime 2026 asset to potentially put toward an earlier QB investment, having acquired the Jaguars’ ’26 first-rounder in the Hunter swap. Cleveland’s own 2025 quarterback situation, Flacco’s 2023 form notwithstanding, does not create an enviable QB setup. It is quite possible Cleveland will carry two high picks in 2026, and while it is too early to project that, next year’s draft would be a clear gateway to the Browns finally moving on from Watson with a first-round investment at the position.

Ravens GM Expects Mark Andrews “To Be On This Team”

April 26th, 2025 at 9:32am CST by Ben Levine

With Mark Andrews being the subject of trade rumors this offseason, the draft appeared to be a key moment in determining the tight end’s future in Baltimore. Through the first two days of the draft, Andrews remains with the Ravens, and GM Eric DeCosta acknowledged that it’s probably going to remain that way.

“At this point, I would really expect Mark to be on this team,” DeCosta told reporters last night (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley). “Great player, love him, competitive, tough playmaker. I would expect him to be on the team.”

Andrews has established himself as a franchise legend in Baltimore, as the tight end holds the franchise record for touchdowns (rushing or receiving) and ranks second in franchise history in receiving yards. However, a divorce wouldn’t be completely unfounded.

Beyond Andrews’ continued playoff failures (which culminated in a recent playoff loss to the Bills that saw the tight end fumble the ball on a crucial drive and drop a game-tying two-point conversion), there are also financial incentives for moving on from the tight end. Andrews is entering the final season of a four-year, $56MM extension, and he’s due to carry a lofty cap charge of $16.91MM in 2025. A trade would provide the organization with $11MM in cap savings.

While Andrews wouldn’t command nearly as large of a contract next offseason, there was a belief that the Ravens could look to squeeze value out of the asset, especially if they already intended to move on in 2026. Plus, with Isaiah Likely entering the final season of his rookie contract, the Ravens may be in a position to pick between the two. If a suitor was willing to pony up for Andrews, the team could simply move forward with Likely.

Andrews hasn’t come close to matching his 1,300-yard campaign from 2021, and he finished last season with only 39.6 yards per game, his lowest average since his rookie year. On the flip side, he found the end zone 11 times (a career high), and a recent report indicated that the team is cognizant that losing Andrews would still hurt their 2025 roster.

For what it’s worth, Andrews recently expressed optimism that he’d remain in Baltimore for at least the 2025 season. Head coach John Harbaugh has also expressed an expectation that his long-time player will remain with the squad. DeCosta was the last to weigh in, and the GM’s comments seem to confirm that Andrews will spend at least one more year with the Ravens.

Latest On 49ers, TE George Kittle

April 26th, 2025 at 8:55am CST by Sam Robinson

TODAY, 8:55am: George Kittle was in the building yesterday for offseason conditioning, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The two sides are continuing to discuss an extension.

THURSDAY, 10:50am: While Ja’Marr Chase widened the gap between the wide receiver and tight end markets last month, the latter group has inched closer to the $20MM-per-year barrier via Trey McBride‘s $19MM-AAV Cardinals extension. A more accomplished player is likely targeting that deal.

George Kittle has moved past his early-career health issues, placing himself on the Hall of Fame radar by becoming an integral part of the 49ers’ offense — both as a pass catcher and blocker. Kittle is now a six-time Pro Bowler who has snared five All-Pro honors. The eight-year veteran’s resume is probably already Canton-worthy, and this year may serve as his last chance to capitalize on his top form.

The 49ers and Kittle are believed to be far apart on a third contract, and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini indicated Wednesday his recent absence from San Francisco’s offseason program relates to his desire to become the NFL’s highest-paid tight end. Kittle then countered by replying to a Russini tweet, saying this was not the case. Kittle said previously (via NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco) he usually does not show for voluntary workouts until on-field work begins. OTAs do not begin until May.

Russini, however, confirmed after more conversations with league figures (video link) Kittle’s early absence from team work is a contract-related situation. Kittle, 31, would not need to report until 49ers minicamp to avoid being fined. He did not hold out in 2020, and the 49ers hammered out a then-record five-year, $75MM extension during training camp. The former fifth-round pick has the chance to top that deal soon, considering where the cap now resides, and the 49ers likely have received an ask from the standout to eclipse McBride’s numbers.

The 49ers are believed to have made Kittle an offer that brought better guarantees, per Russini, compared to McBride’s extension. It is not known if that means total guarantees or fully guaranteed money. McBride secured $43MM in total and $32.5MM in signing. McBride has the age advantage on Kittle here, going into his age-26 season, but the ninth-year 49ers vet can certainly counter that he remains in peak form and has stayed healthy. An All-Pro in each of the past three seasons, Kittle added a fourth 1,000-yard year in 2024 and missed only two games. He has not missed more than three in a season since 2020.

San Francisco does not appear to have matched McBride’s $19MM-per-year number yet, and it will be interesting to see how far Kittle is willing to go to become the NFL’s first $20MM-per-year tight end. It can be argued tight ends are underpaid relative to their value, as team-friendly deals for Travis Kelce and Rob Gronkowski helped suppress the market over the past 13 years. Kittle can strike a blow for the position, but his extension talks come during the same offseason in which Brock Purdy joins him in a contract year. Purdy showed up for the start of 49ers workouts, and the sides are believed to be progressing on an extension.

After the 49ers traded Deebo Samuel, they are not expected to have Brandon Aiyuk to start the season. That situation could give Kittle leverage, should the decorated performer use it, as his contract year nears. Teams are monitoring this situation, per Russini, though no trade request — which helped shape the Samuel and Aiyuk negotiations — has come out.

Seahawks Trade Up To 35th Pick To Draft Nick Emmanwori

April 26th, 2025 at 8:20am CST by Nikhil Mehta

TODAY, 8:20am: The Seahawks were so high on Nick Emmanwori, the team attempted to trade up to the first round to acquire him. John Schneider acknowledged as much last night, stating the team almost traded back into the first round to select the South Carolina safety. Instead, the Seahawks managed to snag the prospect by moving up towards the beginning of the second round.

“If we would have come out of the draft without him, we would have been disappointed,” Schneider said (via ESPN’s Brady Henderson).

YESTERDAY, 6:15pm: The Seahawks traded up with the Titans to acquire the 35th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and select South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori.

Tennessee received the 52nd and 82nd overall picks from Seattle, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Pick No. 82 was the Seahawks’ original third-round pick, while No. 52 was acquired from the Steelers in the D.K. Metcalf trade.

Emmanwori is a rare physical specimen at the safety position with a 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame. He blew away evaluators at the Combine, posting elite numbers in the broad jump, vertical jump, and 40-yard dash. Emmanwori was a three-year starter at South Carolina and played at least 500 snaps lined up at deep safety, in the slot, and in the box. However, he will still be just 21 years old when he takes his first snaps in the NFL, giving him a sky-high long-term ceiling.

Emmanwori’s combination of size, athleticism, youth, and versatility will naturally draw comparisons to Ravens All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton, especially after landing in Seattle under new head coach Mike Macdonald. Macdonald was Baltimore’s defensive coordinator during Hamilton’s first two years in the NFL, the second of which featured Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro selections for the 2022 first-rounder.

Emmanwori does have the instincts and physicality to impact plays around the line of scrimmage in a manner similar to Hamilton, but he will need to improve his play recognition and pursuit from deeper alignments to unlock the full potential of his versatility. He has the size and athleticism to cover both receivers and tight ends in the slot, but his technique in man coverage needs refinement to avoid separation and flags. Emmanwori also has the potential to be a special teams ace but has little experience on punt or kick coverage since 2022.

The Seahawks moved on from Rayshawn Jenkins in the offseason, giving Emmanwori an opportunity to start right away in Seattle alongside Julian Love.

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