Dan Morgan: Panthers Discussing Bryce Young Extension Internally
The Panthers made the expected move of picking up Bryce Young‘s fifth-year option earlier this week. Attention will now turn to the matter of an extension for the former No. 1 pick.
Young is on track to collect $25.9MM in guaranteed salary for 2027 as a result of Carolina’s decision. The team could elect to wait before making a long-term commitment given the former Heisman winner’s incremental progress at the NFL level. Young himself would welcome an extension, however, and a report from last month indicated the Panthers could oblige.
GM Dan Morgan addressed the Young situation during an interview with Sirius XM’s Adam Schein (audio link). He said a multiyear deal is “something that we’re talking about here internally,” adding “we’ll do it at the right time.” It will thus be interesting to see if negotiations with Young’s camp take place during the coming weeks.
“Obviously he came into a really rough situation in terms of coaching staff, maybe you could say the talent around him wasn’t great as well,” Morgan said of Young. “I think you see him just getting better and better every single year. Understanding the offense, he’s such a good processor, and a guy that’s just a pleasure to have around the building every day. As you see him mature, you see him become a better leader every single year. And the operation’s getting faster every year. So we really feel like the arrow is up with Bryce.”
Young set a new career high in several categories during the 2025 season, although his 188 passing yards per game average and 87.8 passer rating left plenty to be desired. The 24-year-old totaled 23 touchdown passes while helping Carolina win the NFC South, but he added 11 interceptions along the way. Another step forward will be required for Young to be considered among the game’s top quarterbacks and thus justify an extension near the top of the market. 10 passers currently collect between $51MM and $60MM per year on average.
Young could look to join that group when his next deal is signed, especially with the NFL’s salary cap continuing to rise. How his asking price compares to the Panthers’ valuation will be worth monitoring closely, though. Carolina has the ability to wait out the 2026 season before engaging in serious extension talks. Whether or not Morgan and Co. choose to do so will no doubt depend in large part on how internal discussions fare over the near future.
Giants Had “Basically The Same” Grade On RB Jeremiyah Love, LB Arvell Reese; Latest On OL Francis Mauigoa
The Giants were said to be high on Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love in the run-up to the draft, and some members of the organization were reportedly hoping Love would fall to Big Blue’s No. 5 overall pick despite the perceived value issues in selecting a running back so early. As it turned out, the Giants never had to make that call, since the Cardinals chose Love at No. 3. But it would have been an interesting dilemma for New York, as a team source told Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports the Giants had Love and Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese (whom New York selected at No. 5) graded “basically the same.”
John Harbaugh was one of Love’s biggest supporters, and Vacchiano says the new head coach wants to build the same type of rushing attack he deployed in Baltimore with his Derrick Henry-fronted corps. On the other hand, GM Joe Schoen is among the Giants’ staffers who believe strongly in positional value, and the No. 5 overall pick is due to make a fully-guaranteed $47.8MM, which is $11.8MM more in guaranteed money than any RB has ever received.
One GM told Vacchiano, “[i]t’s a terrible use of assets. Obviously, you can find 1,000-yard rushers for much less. You have to really believe [Love] is a Hall of Fame talent and can transform your team immediately. Because financially, you’re saying he’s 33% better than [Saquon] Barkley. And he’s not.”
Despite those sentiments, which Schoen and other key voices in the building appear to share, one predraft report said the Giants would take Love if he fell to them (which they did not expect). Of course, they also thought Reese would be taken before No. 5; Schoen indicated the former Buckeye was the highest-rated non-quarterback on the club’s board. Ultimately, the Giants were not forced to make what may have been a rather difficult decision, and they were free to simply take the player they believed was the best available.
New York was also armed with the No. 10 overall pick, thanks to the Dexter Lawrence trade the club completed with the Bengals about a week before the draft. The Giants used their acquired selection on Miami (FL) offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa. Dan Duggan of The Athletic confirms Love and Reese were the Giants’ top-graded non-QBs, and he says Mauigoa would have been the choice at No. 5 if Reese were off the board (it is unclear if Duggan is suggesting the Giants would have taken Mauigoa over Love, or if both Love and Reese are unavailable in this hypothetical).
In any event, the Giants’ willingness to use the first of their two top-10 selections on Mauigoa underscores Schoen’s assertion that the team is comfortable with their new blocker’s health situation despite a herniated disc that was discovered at the scouting combine. New York understands surgery may be necessary at some point but does not believe it is a given. Even if Mauigoa is forced to go under the knife eventually, the Giants are unconcerned about the long-term effects.
A college tackle, Mauigoa will begin his career competing for a job at guard. Reese will see most of his early action as an off-ball linebacker rather than as an edge rusher thanks to New York’s existing EDGE depth.
Seahawks Were Wary Of 49ers’ Interest In RB Jadarian Price; Seattle Remains Open To Signing Dante Fowler
The Seahawks filled a major need in this year’s draft when they selected Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price with the last pick (No. 32 overall) of Day 1. Although they reportedly attempted to trade out of the first round — and, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson, the Titans (No. 35) and Giants (No. 37) were among the potential trade partners — the ‘Hawks felt comfortable selecting Price for a number of reasons (aside from his obvious talent as a runner and relatively low odometer reading).
As Henderson relays, Price’s character and willingness to eschew more lucrative NIL deals to remain with the Fighting Irish as Jeremiyah Love‘s backup — which Price says he did as a challenge to himself to earn a notable workload alongside Love, whom he called the best player in college football — contributed to GM John Schneider‘s decision to pull the trigger with his first-round selection.
Plus, Schneider was concerned the division-rival 49ers would nab Price at No. 33, and given the perceived gap between Price and the next tier of RBs in this year’s draft class, that would have been a bitter pill to swallow (Henderson says Schneider viewed Washington’s Jonah Coleman and Arkansas’ Mike Washington as Day 3 options if he was unable to land the former Golden Domer).
The Seahawks’ other realistic first-round target was San Diego State CB Chris Johnson, whom the Dolphins selected at No. 27. Seattle ultimately landed a cornerback prospect when it chose Julian Neal with the No. 99 pick, and it was Neal’s tackling ability that stood out. Riq Woolen, who defected to the Eagles in free agency, was not a sure and willing tackler, and the club hopes Neal will represent an upgrade in that regard and step into Woolen’s CB3 role.
Like Woolen, Dareke Young left the Seahawks in free agency, and Henderson suggests Emmanuel Henderson, the No. 199 pick, could take over for Young on Seattle’s special teams unit thanks to his ability to return and cover kicks. A different wide receiver the ‘Hawks were eyeing for a third phase role, Kentucky’s Kendrick Law, went to the Lions as the 168th pick.
Interestingly, some members of the organization valued fifth-round guard Beau Stephens more highly than Keylan Rutledge, who went to the Texans in the first round. Henderson confirms, as our Connor Byrne recently noted, that Seattle expects Stephens to push Anthony Bradford for the starting right guard spot in 2026.
The board was not as kind to Seattle with respect to pass rushers, as would-be targets like R Mason Thomas, Derrick Moore, and Jaishawn Barham went elsewhere. That leaves the Seahawks without a replacement for Boye Mafe, who signed with the Bengals in March. Dante Fowler, who visited Seattle last month and who remains unsigned, remains one of Schenider’s top options, per Henderson. The ESPN scribe had said in a prior report that Schneider could still sign a pass rusher, whether that’s Fowler or someone else.
Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown Hires David Mulugheta
Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown has changed agencies entering a contract year. He is now represented by David Mulugheta of Athletes First, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Dallas is all too familiar with Mulugheta, who also represents Micah Parsons and George Pickens. Owner Jerry Jones attempted to circumvent Mulugheta when negotiating an extension with Parsons last year, which led to the All-Pro edge rusher’s trade request and eventual move to the Packers.
Jones claimed that he and Parsons had a handshake deal in the spring without Mulugheta’s involvement, while Parsons and Mulugheta insisted that no such agreement had been made. That kicked off a series of back-and-forth shots in the media with the team only submitting one improved offer. Parsons, Mulugheta, and the NFLPA were all frustrated with Jones’ strategy of going around a player’s agent, something he has done in the past.
Despite that, a final attempt at a long-term deal was launched from the player’s side but soundly rejected by the team. Rather than play on his fifth-year option, Parsons sought (and received) an exit from Dallas.
This series of events raised questions about the Cowboys’ ability to work with other clients represented by Mulugheta and Athletes First, one of the biggest agencies in the sport. The team had already acquired Pickens before the Parsons saga reached its zenith, but his stellar season set up another offseason standoff for the Cowboys. Jones said in December that he intended to negotiate directly with Pickens – which likely did not sit well with him or Mulugheta – but no deal was reached before the end of the season.
The Cowboys then placed the franchise tag on Pickens and publicly announced that they would not pursue a long-term extension, another move that could be taken as a slight by the player and his agent. Pickens initially hesitated to sign his tag, but eventually put pen to paper just before the draft following a team “olive branch” to Mulugheta.
Now, Overshown is due for a new deal entering the final year of his rookie contract. The 2023 third-rounder missed his rookie season due to a preseason torn ACL in his left knee and took over a starting role the following year. Through 14 games, Overshown ranked second on the Cowboys with 90 tackles, including eight for loss and four sacks. However, an even more severe injury to his right knee again put him on the shelf, this time sidelining him well into the 2025 season.
The 25-year-old returned for just six games last year, but he was a noticeable improvement over Dallas’ struggling linebacker corps. In fact, Overshown was the only player at his position to receive a grade over 60.0, and no other Cowboys linebacker ranked higher than 17th out of the team’s 36 defenders, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
The Cowboys shored up their linebacker room this offseason by adding two former 49ers – Dee Winters and Curtis Robinson – the latter of whom is represented by Overshown’s former agency, The Familie. They did not, however, invest any draft capital at the position, indicating they are comfortable with their current options for the foreseeable future.
That should position Overshown for an extension, though Dallas may want him to demonstrate an ability to stay on the field before giving him a long-term deal. If those negotiations do open, Mulugheta will be wary of any attempts from Jones to negotiate directly with Overshown. Both sides may have learned their lesson and find a way to hammer out a deal privately, though Jones’ history indicates that will not be the case.
AFC Draft Rumors: Ravens, Dolphins, Patriots, Colts, Jets, Bengals
When the Ravens were on the clock at No. 14 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, the number of options available to the team had general manager Eric DeCosta seeking an opportunity to move back. Baltimore thought it had a deal in place, but it “fell apart,” according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.
The top option for the Ravens was always offensive guard Vega Ioane, but surprisingly, when the team was on the clock, Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. was still on the board. Not to mention, DeCosta had interest in grabbing a weapon for his star quarterback, if they were able to move back and still secure USC receiver Makai Lemon or Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq. DeCosta felt comfortable the team could trade back and still land one of those four players without leaving the teens.
Per Michael Silver, also with The Athletic, DeCosta thought he had a deal in place to do so while also returning “extra fourth-round picks in each of the next two drafts” to Baltimore. Similar to how DeCosta and the Ravens backed out of their trade agreement at the turn of the new league year, though, the team he thought would make the deal “changed their mind,” changing their half of the deal in the process and leading to the Ravens moving on without a trade and with Ioane instead.
Here are a few other recent draft rumors from across the AFC:
- The Dolphins also got hurt by the trade game during the draft. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Miami had its eye set on Notre Dame wide receiver Malachi Fields in the third round before the Giants sent three picks to Cleveland for the right to move just ahead of the Dolphins at No. 74. With Fields off the board, Miami pivoted to the next wide receiver on their board, Caleb Douglas out of Texas Tech, a pick that was generally criticized as a bit of a reach by analysts.
- Miami almost got targeted again in the fourth round, per Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports. Pauline claims the Patriots were interested in trading up on Day 3 for Texas defensive end Trey Moore, whom the Dolphins took at No. 130. New England had given up their 125th overall pick to move up three spots in the first round and would’ve had to trade up from the fifth round to land Moore. They didn’t end up selecting a pass rusher until the seventh round, when they took Boston College’s Quintayvious Hutchins just before the final compensatory picks.
- The Colts were able to land Georgia linebacker CJ Allen after trading back six spots. It was a gutsy move to delay the selection right when a run at the position had begun. General manager Chris Ballard had been eager to add more picks heading into Day 3, and the move back was a perfect opportunity to do just that. According to Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star, Ballard desired the picks enough to consider moving back again, but after playing with fire once already, he opted not to risk losing the services of the linebacker they coveted.
- One of the biggest debates leading into the 2026 NFL Draft was who the Jets were going to select at No. 2 overall. They ended up choosing Texas Tech defensive end David Bailey over Ohio State hybrid linebacker Arvell Reese. According to Jets senior reporter Eric Allen, while New York liked both prospects, Bailey’s established pass-rushing prowess and demonstrated production made him a better fit for what the team is trying to do. Per head coach Aaron Glenn, they still believe Reese will go on “to have a really good career” but felt more secure with Bailey as their pick.
- The Bengals made a bold move trading away a top 10 draft pick for former Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. A pick that high is usually considered a guarantee to land a franchise with a blue chip prospect, but this year’s draft crop was seen as thinner than usual. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero appeared on the Rich Eisen Show before the draft and claimed that the lack of blue chip prospects convinced Cincinnati to make the move for Lawrence. Per Pelissero, the Bengals only had seven players graded as blue chip prospects and didn’t foresee any of them falling to them at No. 10, so they traded for a player they knew was a blue chip prospect. It would be interesting to know if Bain had been one of those seven, and whether or not they would’ve preferred to have Bain fresh out of college, but ultimately, Lawrence is a decent consolation prize.
Eagles Host RBs Elijah Mitchell, Khalil Herbert For Tryouts
The Eagles hosted veteran running backs Khalil Herbert and Elijah Mitchell for tryouts at their rookie minicamp last week, per Zach Berman of The Athletic.
Philadelphia currently has five running backs on the roster, headlined by Pro Bowler Saquon Barkley. Former Jaguars third-rounder Tank Bigsby – originally acquired for two Day 3 picks at the beginning of the 2025 season – was an efficient No. 2 with 5.9 yards per carry while also serving as a secondary kick returner. The primary job was held by 2024 fourth-rounder Will Shipley, who has largely been an afterthought on offense but ranked 10th in yards per kickoff return last year.
The Eagles also signed Dameon Pierce and Carson Steele this offseason, but neither is guaranteed a 53-man roster spot. Bigsby is also in the final year of his contract and could be a trade candidate closer to the season.
Philadelphia did not add any rookie running backs during or after the draft, so Mitchell and Herbert are their most immediate options to add more depth. The pair of 2021 sixth-round picks – Mitchell with the 49ers and Herbert with the Bears – both flashed early in their career, but injuries and drops in production put them on the fringes for the last few years.
Mitchell appeared in one game (seven snaps) for the Chiefs last year and did not play in 2024. He has virtually no special teams experience, so a potential roster spot in Philadelphia will be predicated on him flashing the rushing ability that helped him averaged 4.9 yards per carry and 77.6 yards per game during his first two years in San Francisco.
Herbert appeared in seven games for the Jets in 2025 and split his time between Chicago and Cincinnati the year before. He brings some experience as a kick returner – though most of it came in 2021 under the old kickoff rules – and has occupied some kind of special teams role throughout his career.
NFC Draft Rumors: Saints, Bain, Cowboys, Guarantees
On the eve of the 2026 NFL Draft, multiple reports came out asserting the Saints were a team to monitor for a potential draft day trade-up. Sitting already at No. 8 overall, rumors seemed to indicate that New Orleans could be looking to move up as far as the third pick in the draft, but general manager Mickey Loomis set things straight for the media (video via NewOrleans.Football) the next day.
Fully aware of the reports that had been made, Loomis told reporters, “Yeah, I never made one call to move up from pick 8.” After noting some surprise in the room, he continued, “I know it was reported by a couple of people, but that was completely untrue.”
The surprise was in part due to the existing reports of such interest, but it also stemmed from Loomis’ history of memorable moves up draft boards in years past. Dating back to his first draft with the Saints in 2003, Loomis has negotiated moves up for players like Johnathan Sullivan, Jammal Brown (2005), Sedrick Ellis (2008), Mark Ingram (2011), Brandin Cooks (2014), Stephone Anthony (2015), Marcus Davenport (2018), and Chris Olave (2022). Loomis did admit that the team was looking to make moves up on Day 2 of this year’s draft, but concerning the first round, he told reporters that the cost to move up would’ve been too high while knowing a player they really liked would fall to them at No. 8.
Here are a few other draft rumors coming out of the NFC:
- The Buccaneers were considered big winners on Day 1 of the draft after walking away with Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. 15 picks into the first round. They had no clue that Bain would end up slipping just that far, but somehow, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports, they were able to come away with a player that general manager Jason Licht told reporters was a top-five player on their board.
- The Cowboys ended up making a trade up one spot — from pick 12 to 11 — in order to ensure nobody would trade in front of them for Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. According to Jon Machota of The Athletic, they also attempted to make a move up to No. 9 overall in a deal that would’ve affected their second first-round pick, as well. Per Machota, Dallas offered Cleveland pick Nos. 12 and 20 for Cleveland’s pick Nos. 9 and 24 as well as a fifth-round pick. The Browns were not interested. It’s unclear if Downs still would have been the target had the deal gone through. Machota also notes that, if the Cowboys hadn’t been able to move back from 20th to 23rd, they still would’ve taken UCF’s Malachi Lawrence. If Lawrence was gone by 23, though, then they would’ve pivoted to Georgia linebacker CJ Allen, who ended up going to the Colts at No. 53.
- In 2025, there was a holdout of second-round picks as players pushed for guaranteed money that hadn’t made it past the first round until only recently. There was — and still is — some anticipation about where that line might get drawn in this year’s draft, but a few team’s have moved quickly to draw the line at their own third-round picks. Last year, increased guarantees made it all the way through the second round with Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba being the latest pick to receive any. Even the first pick of the third round, Giants defensive tackle Darius Alexander, received only his signing bonus as guaranteed money. So far, only four third-rounders have signed deals this year, and Packers defensive tackle Chris McClellan is the earliest of the four. His deal’s only guaranteed money is his signing bonus. With Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck standing at the top of the third round, though, it will be interesting to see if there is any kind of push for guarantees to start making their way back into the third round.
Raiders Release DE Charles Snowden
In a flurry of moves following their second day of rookie minicamp, the Raiders released veteran defensive end Charles Snowden. Along with Snowden, the team waived offensive guards McClendon Curtis and Layden Robinson and recently signed undrafted free agent tight end Matt Lauter out of Boise State. It appears the four players were moved to make room for four undrafted players at the rookie minicamp for a tryout, Cincinnati tight end Patrick Gurd, Queens (CAN) offensive tackle Niklas Henning, UTSA offensive tackle Kamar Missouri, and Utah Tech safety Devyn Perkins.
Snowden started off as an undrafted free agent himself. In a COVID-shortened 2020 season, Snowden’s senior year was cut even shorter when he suffered a broken ankle in a cupcake game against Abilene Christian. Through only eight games, he had already recorded a career-high six sacks and 10 tackles for loss. In a normal season, his performance would’ve been on track for a breakout year, but ultimately, aside from second-team All-ACC honors, the end of his collegiate career ended up hurting his prospects for the NFL.
After going undrafted, Snowden signed with the Bears as an UDFA, landing on the practice squad after he failed to make the initial 53-man roster. He did get called up for two games but mostly played special teams with minimal snaps on defense. Over the next two years, Snowden spent offseasons with the Bears, Buccaneers, and Raiders without appearing in a single regular season game. Once landing in Vegas, though, he stopped moving around and was able to establish himself on the roster.
In 2024, Snowden made nine starts while playing in 16 contests. He didn’t prove too effective as a pass rusher but showed promise defending against the run. Given similar opportunities this past season (nine starts in 15 games), he was a bit more disruptive of a pass rusher, factoring solidly into the team’s rotation on the edge. Snowden had been playing on one-year deals for Vegas each season, so it was fairly easy to let him go from his current deal.
Robinson was a near full-time starter for the Patriots just two years ago, logging 11 starts in 13 games played with the team. After starting last year on injured reserve in New England, Robinson was waived in mid-October and signed to the Raiders practice squad after clearing waivers. He didn’t appear in any games but signed a reserve/futures deal to stay. After starting as an UDFA signing for the Raiders in 2023, Curtis spent two years in Seattle as a depth piece on the offensive line. He bounced around to taxi squads with the Cardinals and Giants before landing back with the Raiders just before Robinson.
It’s not a common move to see a team make during rookie minicamps, especially when three of the players cut are not in attendance, but clearly the Raiders felt the need to see more from Gurd, Henning, Missouri, and Perkins than they were going to be able to in just three days. Vegas may have made handshake agreements to pick up any of the other four in the near future, or their time with the team may be over. Snowden is available to sign anywhere at anytime, but the other three will have to clear waivers before getting that same free will.
5 Key Stories: 4/26/26 – 5/3/26
With the draft in the books, teams around the NFL have turned their attention to spring practices. Plenty of roster and front office movement has already taken place, with more still to come. In case you missed any of the top stories from this past weekend, here is a quick recap:
- Texans, Al-Shaair Reach Extension Agreement: Not long after the Texans worked out a market-setting extension with edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., they secured a long-term deal with linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. The latter agreed to a three-year deal with a base value of $54MM. Al-Shaair landed $34.2MM in new guarantees, so in terms of average annual value and locked-in compensation, he now ranks third among inside linebackers. The 2025 Pro Bowler has been a starter during his two Houston seasons to date, filling the statsheet during that time. Al-Shaair will be expected to remain a key figure on the Texans’ elite defense for the foreseeable future.
- Campbell Reunites With Ravens: Calais Campbell has elected to play a 19th NFL season, and he will do so on a familiar team. A deal with the Ravens has been worked out, meaning Campbell will return to Baltimore after playing there from 2020-22. A coaching change has taken place since then, but a notable workload would come as little surprise upon return from the 2010s All-Decade Team member. Campbell has remained a starter deep into his storied career, and he could play a key role on the Ravens’ defensive interior. Even if Nnamdi Madubuike returns to full health in 2026, improved play along the D-line will be key for Baltimore. Campbell should figure heavily in the team’s efforts to rebound in that regard.
- Steelers’ Rodgers Uncertainty Remains: Once again, the Steelers find themselves uncertain of their starting quarterback situation with Aaron Rodgers yet to sign. A deal allowing the future Hall of Famer to play a second Pittsburgh campaign remains the expectation, but the team has taken the rare route of applying the UFA tender in this case. The Steelers will be eligible for draft compensation in the unlikely event Rodgers signs with another team shortly, while they will have exclusive negotiating rights beyond July 22 if he is still a free agent by that time. This procedural move could set Rodgers up further for a decision on retirement or playing his age-42 season under new Pittsburgh head coach Mike McCarthy, and no changes in stance from team or player are believed to have taken place since it was made.
- Brinker Departs Titans: After a three-year run with the Titans, Chad Brinker has elected to step down from his role as president of football operations. Brinker served as a key figure amidst ongoing front office changes during his time in Tennessee, but he was among the staffers around the league whose tenures came to an end following the draft. The Titans have 2025 hire Mike Borgonzi in place as their general manager at this time. He and Brinker played leading roles in the recent search which resulted in the hiring of head coach Robert Saleh. Borgonzi’s influence in the organization figures to grow moving forward, while Brinker intends to seek out a new personnel role elsewhere in the NFL.
- Commanders Not Eyeing Aiyuk Trade With 49ers: The fate of 49ers wideout Brandon Aiyuk remains uncertain aside from a parting of ways still being anticipated. San Francisco’s preference would be to work out a trade, while suitors continue to wait for an Aiyuk release. Critically, the Commanders are among the teams which are not prepared to part with draft capital and take on the remainder of his through-2028 contract. Washington is instead positioned to sign Aiyuk following his release to a short-term, incentive-laden deal. An arrangement allowing Aiyuk to reunite with quarterback Jayden Daniels and general manager Adam Peters is still something to watch for, but a long wait could be in store if neither team wavers over the coming weeks.
Cowboys Open To Further LB Additions
Linebacker was well known to be an area of need for the Cowboys entering the draft. Dallas addressed other positions on defense during the first round, but a veteran was still brought in last weekend.
The Cowboys swung a trade with the 49ers for Dee Winters on Day 3 of the draft. The former sixth-round pick began as a backup for San Francisco before seeing his workload increase over time. Injuries elsewhere in the lineup saw Winters take on a full-time starting role in 2025. He is positioned to operate as a first-team presence with Dallas while playing out the final year of his rookie contract.
DeMarvion Overshown, Shemar James and Justin Barron are in place as returnees from last year at the linebacker spot. ESPN’s Todd Archer notes third-round rookie Jaishawn Barham will begin his career in the middle as well. That will give head coach Brian Schottenheimer and new defensive coordinator Christian Parker plenty of options to work with during OTAs and minicamp. Adding further to that group is something under consideration, though.
Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones indicated (via Archer) the team will continue to seek out a veteran via free agency or another trade. When speaking to the media this weekend, Schottenheimer said (h/t Jon Machota of The Athletic) Dallas is “comfortable” at this point with respect to the linebacker position. He nevertheless added the Cowboys are “never closed for business.”
Schottenheimer also said (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News) he has a favorite in terms of who would start alongside Winters if the season started today. The second-year head coach did not get into specifics on that front, however. The linebacker spot will no doubt be one to watch closely with or without any other acquisitions being made over the coming weeks.
Dallas currently has roughly $8.2MM in cap space with all but one of the team’s draft picks already on the books. Another low-cost linebacker move could be feasible as a result. After the Cowboys ranked 23rd against the run and 32nd in scoring defense in 2025, it would come as no surprise if further work aimed at upgrading at the second level remained a goal through the summer.