49ers Have Discussed Brandon Aiyuk In Trades; Team May Retain WR Into Summer
Early in free agency, a 49ers plan to release Brandon Aiyuk surfaced. Five-plus weeks later, the disgruntled former All-Pro remains on the team. Aiyuk, who missed all of last season due to injury, saw the 49ers take the rare step to void future guarantees on his deal due to his rehab approach. The wide receiver and the team are headed for a divorce, but it could take much longer to finalize than expected.
John Lynch confirmed this week Aiyuk generated trade discussions at the league meetings, but the 10th-year GM does not expect (per the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch) anything to happen here during the draft. The updated structure of Aiyuk’s contract gives San Francisco some time, and the team is assuredly not eager to do the receiver any favors based on how things have gone since his extension was finalized.
As our Ben Levine noted recently, an early-September option bonus likely serves as the point of no return for the 49ers with Aiyuk. The WR is due a nearly $25MM bonus that, if picked up, would be prorated through 2030. If it isn’t exercised, then it would be owed all at once. That would drive Aiyuk’s 2026 price to an untenable $26MM. While a future in which the 49ers mend fences with Aiyuk and retain him has been floated (by CEO Jed York), it remains highly unlikely. After all, Lynch said this relationship was essentially over earlier this year.
The September bonus date creates some time for the 49ers to dangle Aiyuk in trades, and Casino.com’s Jason La Canfora notes the team may even prefer stringing this process out into the summer before moving on. This would give Aiyuk less time to acclimate in a new offense, though that is not exactly the 49ers’ chief concern. Kyle Shanahan said as much at the league meetings.
“You’ve got to do what’s right for the Niners, and you’re not trying to hook up any other team as fast as you possibly can,” Shanahan said, via Branch.
Finding a team to take on this contract, after Aiyuk has missed 1 1/2 seasons and became a distraction for his current club, will not be easy. Nonguaranteed base salaries of $27.27MM (2027) and $29.15MM (’28) are in place. An injury to a key receiver elsewhere could lead a team to consider parting with lower-level draft assets for Aiyuk, and a franchise not confident in its ability to lure the former first-round pick in free agency could always swing a deal.
Aiyuk has been closely tied to the Commanders, where he would have considered going in 2024 had the team — one built around ex-Aiyuk Arizona State teammate Jayden Daniels — shown interest during that summer’s trade derby. It would be unlikely Washington would trade for Aiyuk, with the team likely confident it would win a recruiting battle. Lynch may be hoping another team will try and beat the Commanders to the punch with a trade.
The 49ers have added Mike Evans and Christian Kirk to a roster that includes 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall. The team is not expected to re-sign Jauan Jennings, whose price point has not aligned with teams’ valuations, but another receiver move could certainly commence during this week’s draft. Considering the ages of Evans and Kirk and the injury file Pearsall is building, the 49ers may well need to make another investment at WR early in the draft. Aiyuk would theoretically be an option to complement Pearsall and the other veterans, but that bridge is most likely burned. It looks like the seventh-year WR will need to wait before finding a new destination.
Browns Expected To Trade Back From Sixth Pick
While some have speculated that Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft could feature of frenzy of trades, others have more conservative predictions. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, an overabundance of teams looking to trade down on Thursday could actually indicate that fewer trades will take place in 2026 as those teams struggle to find trade partners.
A year after trading down from the second overall pick, the Browns are once again “taking calls about” trading out of their top draft pick, per Schefter. Cleveland already has nine picks scheduled in this year’s draft, and by trading down, the Browns would likely be collecting quite a bit more in a trade down. The franchise is notorious for trading back, and with a draft that is considered thin in top-level talent and thin in depth at the positions Cleveland needs to improve on most, all signs are pointing to another deal getting done.
Initial reports on Cleveland’s desire to move back indicated that the team was looking to land a wide receiver or offensive tackle and believed it could still get a desired prospect after slipping back a few picks. Per Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports, at this point in time, the Browns “would have no problem moving out of the top 10 if the right offer is put in front of them.” That could be crucial as one of the teams most linked to a potential trade up to No. 6 overall is the Cowboys, who currently hold the 12th pick of the draft.
There are several top end prospects at both positions Cleveland is looking at. The rumors of a trade-crazy first round were centered mostly around the idea that several teams would be looking to trade up into the top 10 for offensive tackles. If Cleveland is willing to move down into the double-digit picks, though, it could mean the team is looking to add at wide receiver first, otherwise it would be first in line for the best offensive tackles available if the team just stayed put.
Even if they target an offensive tackle first, though, it’s widely expected that it will be after a trade back. The sources of NFL insider Jason La Canfora “are convinced at this point that (the Browns) will not be using the sixth overall pick.” There are several strategies that Cleveland could be adopting in its attempts to trade back. We’re only days away from seeing what those strategies might be and whether or not the Browns will be able to put them in action.
Mike Tomlin To Land At NBC
Not appearing on the coaching carousel after his Steelers resignation, Mike Tomlin will take the path expected — and a familiar trail for ex-Steelers head coaches. NBC is hiring the 19-year Pittsburgh leader as a studio analyst, The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reports.
Tomlin’s move comes 19 years after Bill Cowher departed Pittsburgh for a CBS studio gig — one he has held ever since. Cowher’s successor became linked to a TV opportunity late last season, and he resigned shortly after the Steelers’ wild-card blowout loss to the Texans. FOX showed interest in Tomlin as well, according to Marchand.
Teams expressed interest in Tomlin in January, but it quickly became known the Super Bowl-winning HC was not interested in following John Harbaugh in landing elsewhere this offseason. It is not certain Tomlin will coach again. Cowher does represent the exception here, as many HCs who have stepped away for TV roles — from Dick Vermeil to Bill Parcells to Bruce Arians to Jon Gruden to Sean Payton — have returned to the sideline. Tomlin is 53, giving him some time to reassess his options (Cowher was 49 when he left the Steelers).
The Giants, who ended up hiring Harbaugh after a full-court press on the former Ravens boss, did extensive homework on Tomlin in the event he showed interest in a quick rebound opportunity. If Tomlin were to pursue another gig, the Steelers would be entitled to compensation due to holding his rights. The team held a 2027 contract option on its HC, whose contract ran through 2026. These matters will resurface as relevant if Tomlin makes it clear he will return to coaching.
Cowher-NFL buzz quieted years after his CBS landing. Vermeil, who left the Eagles after the 1982 season, returned to coach the Rams in 1997. Parcells only stayed away from coaching for two years following his health-driven Giants exit, returning to coach the Patriots in 1993. Arians was retired for all of one season, ditching a CBS game role to take the Buccaneers’ job in 2019. While Gruden was at ESPN for nine years, Payton followed the Arians track by returning after one year in TV (at FOX).
Parcells fetched the Jets first-, second-, third- and fourth-round picks across three drafts after his 1997 New England-to-New York trek; Payton commanded the Saints first- and second-rounders in a deal that sent a third back to the Broncos. The lack of noise surrounding Tomlin, whose quotable style may fare quite well in a TV post, may point to a Gruden- or Vermeil-length stay on the media side rather than the Arians/Payton-like quick turnaround.
Prospect Profile: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
The University of Toledo recently said goodbye to longtime head coach Jason Candle, who will now take over the head coaching job at UConn. It ends an era of unprecedented success under Candle who had worked as an assistant coach for the Rockets for seven years before occupying the top job for the last 10.
In the 1990s, Toledo produced only five NFL picks. The next decade produced only six. In Candle’s decade-long tenure, 11 Toledo players have been drafted. Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell became only the school’s second Day 1 pick and its first since 1993 two years ago. He should be very quickly succeeded this year by projected first-round safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
A Tampa-native, McNeil-Warren expected to play offense at Lakewood HS (FL), where his father worked as wide receivers coach. His coaches, instead, tasked him with playing safety and cornerback as a freshman. Shortly before the winter break of his sophomore year, McNeil-Warren received his first scholarship offer from Candle at Toledo. Shortly into the spring semester, offers from two more Group of 5 schools came through before Miami (FL) came in as the only Florida school to offer him. A year later, after his junior season, Kansas State, Indiana, East Carolina, and Maryland through their hats in the ring.
Multiple injuries in his senior season caused many schools to slowly back off their offers, but Candle and Co. stayed locked in with McNeil-Warren and, ultimately, landed his commitment as a result. McNeil-Warren played sparingly as a true freshman but took over as a standout starter in only his second year with the Rockets. Playing all over the field, he filled up the stat sheet, recording 69 total tackles, four tackles for loss, two interceptions, three passes defensed, and four forced fumbles. His junior year production was hindered due to a five-game absence caused by injury, and he briefly considered transferring for his final year of school before ultimately opting to stay with the school that initially stuck with him as a high school recruit.
Coming back for his senior year, McNeil-Warren lit up the stat sheet. In his final year of college play, he set or matched career highs in total tackles (77), tackles for loss (5.5), sacks (0.5), interceptions (2, one returned for a touchdown), passes defensed (5), and fumble recoveries (2), while tacking on three more forced fumbles. The stat sheet alone tells a huge portion of McNeil-Warren’s story as a player, depicting a disruptive player who can be pesky in coverage and downright dangerous to ballcarriers with loose grips.
Unlike the two other likely first-round safety prospects, McNeil-Warren boasts a tall (6-foot-3), long, broad-shouldered frame. Despite his lanky visage, McNeil-Warren is a smooth runner with with excellent body control and quick hips. He matches up well against tight ends but can use his length and strength to keep smaller, quicker wideouts from getting to too much space and separation. He understands his role on the defense and won’t often be caught out of position, playing with discipline and improved instincts with each year as a starter. He can lay down big hits but, more often, collects himself in front of tacklers to stay in front of them and, often, attempt to punch out the ball.
Unfortunately, these varied levels of aggression at contact can lead to the occasional missed or broken tackles. McNeil-Warren ranges the defense and finds success off great anticipation but could stand to improve in closer coverage. Also, his history of injuries at both the high school and college levels do warrant some consideration.
Most draft rankings have been pretty consistent with the safety position, ranking Ohio State’s Caleb Downs as the only potential top 10 prospect at the position with McNeil-Warren and Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman neck-and-neck about 10-15 picks later. Dane Brugler of The Athletic has Thieneman as S2 and the 18th-best overall prospect with McNeil-Warren as S3 at 23rd overall. Todd McShay of The Ringer is a little lower on both players, putting Thieneman at 21st overall and McNeil-Warren at 32. Daniel Jeremiah, though, of NFL Network is one of the brave few ranking McNeil-Warren (15th overall) over Thieneman (16th).
The injury history may cause concern, but McNeil-Warren’s size-speed combo with elite hip mobility and a knack for punching out fumbles makes him a very likely option to become the third Toledo player ever taken in the first round of the NFL draft. If he can stay healthy at the next level, McNeil-Warren could rival some of the recent success stories for tall, versatile young safeties like Nick Emmanwori and Kyle Hamilton before him.
Some Teams Prefer Jordyn Tyson’s Upside To Carnell Tate’s; Giants, Jets Showing Interest
One of the top storylines during the late runup to the draft covers the wide receiver position. It no longer appears a given Carnell Tate will be the first wideout chosen this year.
Residing as a fairly high-floor option, Tate did not operate as Ohio State’s No. 1 wide receiver during his time in Columbus. This is due to the presence of standout Jeremiah Smith, who is a candidate to be a top-five pick in 2027. But some teams prefer Jordyn Tyson‘s upside to Tate’s at the receiver spot, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes.
Breer does view most teams as having Tate as this class’ top wideout prospect; we have heard the Saints (No. 8) as a potential floor for the ex-Buckeyes talent, with the Titans, Giants and Commanders being connected as well. Several teams in the top 10, however, like Tyson, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Tyson, who battled injuries during his college career and amid the draft leadup, performed positional drills for teams at a workout last week. That audition drew extensive attention, with Giants GM Joe Schoen among those making the trip for the showcase.
As our Ely Allen noted last week, Tyson had been viewed as the class’ top wideout at a previous juncture. But injuries have dinged his stock. Tyson suffered ACL, MCL and PCL tears while at Colorado before sustaining a broken collarbone during a 2024 comeback season. He played nine games last year due to hamstring injuries, with that issue coming up during the pre-draft process as well. Tyson shined before the collarbone break in 2024, however, totaling 1,101 receiving yards and 10 touchdown receptions.
The Giants obtained a second first-round pick via the Dexter Lawrence trade. Holding Nos. 5 and 10, New York could land both a defender and wide receiver. It might be a bit of a skill-position overcommitment for the Giants to go Jeremiyah Love at No. 5 and a receiver at 10, but if Big Blue opts for defense at 5, teams may be leery of them pouncing on Tyson at 10. On that note, SNY’s Connor Hughes mocks the Jets trading up to No. 9 for Tyson, who is believed to be the top receiver on Gang Green’s board.
Smokescreen warnings are obvious at this time of the year, but we heard previously the Jets had first-round grades on just three WRs — Tate, Tyson and Washington’s Denzel Boston. Ely mocked Boston to New York at No. 16, but PFR’s mock draft did not include trades. It is quite possible the Jets — who hold four picks in the first two rounds — could be aggressive to move up for a player they like in a maligned draft class.
The Giants’ Tyson interest is “well known,” per Hughes, who adds the Jets have held exploratory conversations about what it would take to climb up for a receiver. Tyson falling to No. 16 served as a previous Jets hope, per Hughes, but Rapoport now views it as likelier the 6-foot-2 pass catcher goes off the board in the top 10. Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. sits second at the position on some teams’ boards, per Breer, providing considerable intrigue as to the order this receiver class comes off the board.
Tate did not produce a 900-yard receiving season, playing as Smith’s sidekick. Tyson flashed brightly with the Sun Devils but could not shake injury trouble. That represents the main reason why there is a debate on this year’s first receiver off the board, as Tyson would likely occupy that spot were he cleaner from a health perspective. Will Tate’s safer prospect profile outflank Tyson’s higher ceiling Thursday night?
WR Omar Cooper Jr. Met With Titans, Browns, Ravens, Eagles
Between the end of a dream season at Indiana and the upcoming NFL draft, wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. met with a dozen teams, he told Josina Anderson of The Exhibit (link to the full interview). We covered most of them in recent weeks, but visits with the Titans, Browns, Ravens and Eagles were not previously reported. To no surprise, Cooper also met with the Colts at their local pro day.
Aside from the Colts, who are without a first-round pick, any of those teams could target Cooper early. While Cooper once looked like a potential second-rounder, his stock has risen in the pre-draft process. There are some teams that consider Cooper the second-best receiver in a class that also includes Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, Makai Lemon, KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston. Both Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com (No. 17) and Dane Brugler of The Athletic (No. 22) rank Cooper firmly in the top 25 among available prospects.
Cooper redshirted as a freshman in 2022 and then combined for a modest 46 catches over the next two seasons, but he averaged an excellent 21.2 yards per grab and scored seven touchdowns in a 28-reception 2024. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza transferred from California to Indiana last year, which went down as easily the greatest season in Hoosiers history. Mendoza hoisted the Heisman Trophy, the Hoosiers went undefeated and won the national title, and Cooper was his QB’s favorite target.
Primarily playing out of the slot in 2025, Cooper pulled in 69 passes for 937 yards and 13 TDs to earn second-team All-Big Ten honors. He also forced 27 missed tackles, most among any receiver in this class. The belief is Cooper will have the flexibility to line up in the slot and on the outside in the NFL.
All of the teams mentioned above may consider Cooper a fit, but some look like more realistic landing spots than others. The Titans need a receiver and are set to pick fourth, though it would be a shock for Cooper to go that early. However, if the Titans trade down, a Cooper selection could make more sense.
Meanwhile, there are few teams (if any) that are worse off than Cleveland at receiver. The Browns might move down from No. 6, and they also have a second first-rounder at No. 24.
The Ravens are scheduled to pick 14th, where they could find a complement to No. 1 receiver Zay Flowers, and the Eagles may address the position at 23rd overall. The Eagles have a more-than-capable top four of A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Marquise Brown and Dontayvion Wicks, but A.J. Brown’s days in their uniform appear numbered. Perhaps Cooper will help fill the void if a seemingly inevitable Brown trade occurs before the season.
Chargers’ Rashawn Slater, Joe Alt Recovering Ahead Of Schedule
The Chargers were unable to overcome major injuries to starting offensive tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt last year, but there is optimism the two will return at full strength next season. Slater and Alt are ahead of schedule in their recoveries, according to general manager Joe Hortiz (via Kris Rhim of ESPN).
The Chargers spent recent first-round picks on Slater (No. 13 in 2021) and Alt (No. 6, 2024). When healthy, the investments have been worth it. Slater was so impressive over his first four seasons that the Chargers awarded the left tackle a four-year, $114MM extension last July. He now ranks first among tackles in guaranteed money ($92MM), second in average annual salary ($28.5MM) and third in total value.
Not even two weeks after he signed the mega-extension, Slater succumbed to torn patellar tendon that cost him the entire season. It was the second serious injury for the 27-year-old Slater, who missed 14 games in 2022 as a result of a ruptured biceps tendon.
Right ankle problems dogged Alt last year and forced him to undergo season-ending surgery in November. Despite playing just six games, Alt earned his first Pro Bowl nod. That will increase the price of Alt’s fifth-year option in a couple of offseasons, which is not ideal for the Chargers, but they’ll worry about that down the line. For now, the hope is Alt will put together his first 17-game season in 2026. He almost accomplished that as a rookie, but a knee injury led to a single absence.
Even with Slater out for all of 2025 and Alt on the shelf for most of it, the Chargers reeled off a second straight 11-win season and went to the playoffs. But fill-in tackles Trey Pipkins, Bobby Hart, Jamaree Salyer and Austin Deculus were in over their heads subbing for a pair of stalwarts. Stuck behind a porous line, star quarterback Justin Herbert took a beating in a 54-sack regular season. That continued during a six-sack drubbing in a 16-3 loss to the Patriots in the wild-card round.
As long as Slater and Alt are healthy, Herbert should play behind a much better group of blockers in 2026. Hortiz has upgraded at center in replacing the retired Bradley Bozeman with free agent addition Tyler Biadasz. He may have improved at right guard, where the Chargers switched out Mekhi Becton for Cole Strange. Left guard is an obvious weakness in the wake of Zion Johnson‘s departure in free agency, but the Chargers are likely to address it early in the draft.
CB Jermod McCoy Could Slip In Draft Over Knee Concerns
Former Michigan cornerback Will Johnson was a potential first-round pick entering last year’s draft, but he slid to No. 47 (to the Cardinals) amid concerns over his knee. Tennessee corner Jermod McCoy may end up in a similar situation this year. While McCoy is arguably one of the two most talented players at his position, teams are wary over his knee.
McCoy missed all of last season as a result of a torn ACL, but the former second-team All-American showed no ill effects at Tennessee’s pro day on March 31. He ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash, logged a 38-inch vertical jump and registered a 10-foot, 7-inch broad jump. McCoy’s ACL is “fine,” according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, though he reports “the concern is about a bone plug that was used to repair a cartilage defect in his knee.” Doctors believe McCoy could require another surgery to replace the bone plug, which would include a long recovery.
With the first round two nights away, one team told Connor Hughes of SNY it has taken McCoy off its board. At least four clubs have red-flagged his knee, per Hughes. Although Albert Breer of SI.com regarded McCoy a potential top-10 pick a week ago, he now considers the 6-foot, 188-pounder a prime candidate to fall down the board. Based on what Breer has heard, teams are not worried about whether McCoy will be ready for next season. Rather, they are unsure about his longevity. That is the same reason Johnson lasted as long as he did in the 2025 draft. Johnson went on to play well during a 10-start rookie year, but he missed five games as a result of groin, back and hip injuries.
If McCoy is poised for a draft free fall, the other top corners in the class would stand to benefit. Thanks in part to McCoy’s health woes, LSU’s Mansoor Delane looks like the clear-cut favorite to become the first corner taken on Thursday. He has a good chance to go in the top 10, Breer reports. Colton Hood (also from Tennessee), Clemson’s Avieon Terrell and San Diego State’s Chris Johnson are a few other first-round hopefuls.
Jaguars To Trade Up For Jadarian Price?
Having lost four-year starter Travis Etienne to the Saints in free agency, the Jaguars could target a running back early in the draft. The Jags will try to move up in Round 2 for Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price if he “starts to slip,” Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports reports.
Thanks to last year’s Travis Hunter trade, the Jaguars will enter this week’s draft without a first-round pick. They are set to make their first selection at No. 56, five spots below where Dane Brugler of The Athletic places the 51st-ranked Price among this year’s prospects. Jacksonville boasts a total of 11 picks, including three in the third round, which could create the opportunity to go up for Price if the team covets the 5-foot-10, 203-pounder.
Price is widely considered the No. 2 back in this class, trailing Fighting Irish teammate and slam-dunk early first-rounder Jeremiyah Love. While playing second fiddle to Love from 2024-25, Price averaged over 6.0 yards per carry on 233 attempts and racked up 18 rushing touchdowns. With Love also serving as a major receiving threat, Price caught just 15 passes in college, but he made a significant impact in the third phase of the game. As a kick returner last year, Price averaged a tremendous 37.5 yards on 12 runbacks and found the end zone twice.
In the event the Jaguars do not land Price, they will address the position in the third round, according to Pauline, who points to Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson as a potential option. The Jaguars “like” Johnson, who dazzled last year en route to first-team All-America honors. Johnson rushed for the fourth-most yards in the nation (1,451) on 251 attempts, scored 15 touchdowns (12 on the ground, three in the air) and caught 46 passes. He is Brugler’s fourth-ranked RB heading into the draft.
Adding a running back in the draft would be the latest investment in the position for the general manager-head coach tandem of James Gladstone and Liam Coen. With Gladstone and Coen in charge for their first draft last year, they spent a fourth-rounder on Bhayshul Tuten and a seventh-rounder on LeQuint Allen. Those two remain in the mix, and the Jaguars picked up ex-Commander Chris Rodriguez on a two-year deal with a fully guaranteed $6.2M in free agency. Tuten, Allen and Rodriguez could soon have company in the form of Price, Johnson or at least one other rookie.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/21/26
A couple of teams made minor moves on Tuesday…
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: DL Jaylon Hutchings
New England Patriots
- Signed ERFA tender: FB Jack Westover
Westover entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Seahawks in 2024, but they waived the Washington alumnus before his rookie campaign. He caught on with the Patriots that year and has since played all 20 of his games with the organization. Last year was the first 17-game season for Westover, who picked up two starts and played 402 snaps (237 on offense, 165 on special teams). Westover caught one pass for no gain.