Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson’s Workout Draws Major Interest
APRIL 18: Garafolo and colleague Ian Rapoport report Schoen had dinner with Tyson the night before his workout. That further illustrates the team’s level of interest in this case, and the Dexter Lawrence trade will give New York another top-10 pick to work with next week. Tyson winding up with the Giants on Thursday will be a possibility to watch closely as the first round unfolds.
APRIL 17: Today, Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson held his long-awaited personal workout at which NFL general managers, coaches, and scouts were able to evaluate his health following months of inactivity as he dealt with hamstring issues. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the workout was a huge hit, drawing eyes from over 20 NFL teams just six days out from the first day of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Tyson was once viewed as the likely WR1 of the draft class, but frequent injuries have littered his résumé with red flags. The transfer from Colorado tore his ACL, MCL, and PCL during his time with the Buffaloes then suffered a broken collarbone after his 2024 comeback season. He played only nine games this past year due to the hamstring issues that have hampered him throughout the pre-draft process, as well. His draft stock hasn’t fallen out of the first round, but fellow wide receiver prospects Carnell Tate and Makai Lemon have seemingly moved ahead of him in the WR1 conversation.
As anticipation built this morning, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan recirculated a video of his interview with colleague Peter Schrager in which Schrager predicted that a clean workout today could help land Tyson in the No. 5 overall pick, currently owned by the Giants. Supporting that prediction, New York’s general manager, Joe Schoen, flew in himself to be in person at Tyson’s workout, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. The Giants have been tied to numerous options with the fifth pick of the draft, almost all of which, Schrager points out, are at positions not usually valued that early in the first round — running back (Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love), off-ball linebacker (Ohio State’s Sonny Styles), and safety (Ohio State’s Caleb Downs).
Similar to how those positions are usually valued, Tyson has not been projected to go that high lately. The Giants have been one of several teams reportedly interested in participating in first-round trades out of the fifth pick, and they may be looking to move back to a point in the first round in which they feel they can still land Tyson. ESPN’s Matt Miller predicted we could see as many as eight trades, at the same time positing that Tyson could go much higher than expected, placing his range from the fifth overall pick to the 16th.
Additionally, the Giants weren’t the only team to send a GM. Peter Thamel of ESPN reported that the Dolphins‘ contingency included new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. A source told Thamel, “(Tyson) showed the twitch, explosiveness, and leaping ability we all saw in the fall. He showed he’s healthy and still explosive, which is all he needed to do.”
According to Bleacher Report’s James Palmer, Tyson’s elite talent had attendants abuzz with excitement and curiosity. The 21-year-old reportedly drew comparisons to Odell Beckham Jr. and Justin Jefferson, but concerns of his injury history drove speculation that “a lack of strength” may be the culprit. He went on to assert that there is no real consensus on Tyson at the moment. This was supported by Miller’s assertion that, contrary to Palmer’s reports of concerned speculation, “teams are comfortable with the (injury) history” of the ASU product.
We won’t need to wait long to find out just how concerned teams are or just how high he will go in the draft. He’ll almost certainly be a Day 1 pick, so by next Thursday, we should know whether today’s workout was enough to vault him back to WR1 status.
Panthers Open To Drafting WR In First Round
Dan Morgan has been in place as the Panthers’ general manager since 2024. During each of his first two drafts at the helm, Carolina has selected a receiver in the first round.
Xavier Legette has not developed as hoped at the NFL level, but Tetairoa McMillan certainly thrived during his debut season. The latter took home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors for his level of play in 2025, and he will be a core member of Carolina’s passing game for the foreseeable future. A third consecutive Day 1 investment at the WR position is nevertheless receiving consideration.
“We’re gonna take the best player,” Morgan said (via Joe Person of The Athletic). “So if the best player we feel is [a receiver] at 19, I wouldn’t hesitate to draft another wideout. I don’t think there’s a rule that says you can’t draft a wide receiver three years in a row. So, I’m not gonna box us in and say we’re not gonna draft one.”
The likes of Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon and Jordyn Tyson are likely to be off the board when Carolina is set to select. There will still be plenty of first-round options to consider, though. Denzel Boston, Omar Cooper Jr. and KC Concepcion are among the prospects who have visited Carolina during the pre-draft process. Some or each could be available for Morgan and Co. to pick. Boston’s size and skillset overlaps with McMillan’s, but Cooper and Concepcion represent intriguing complementary receivers to pair with him.
NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe notes (video link) the Panthers are specifically targeting speed with their next rookie wideout. That comes as no surprise, given McMillan’s presence and Legette’s inability to establish himself as a regular on offense. Former undrafted free agent Jalen Coker is set to remain a key figure in 2026, but there is room to add another notable pass-catching presence as the Panthers look to build off their playoff appearance this past season.
That could of course include a receiver selection after Day 1 of the draft, and Wolfe names tight end Kenyon Sadiq as an option the Panthers will likely consider as well. The draft’s consensus TE1 winds up going to Carolina in Ely Allen’s PFR mock draft. Other roster spots could receive attention in the first round, but Morgan’s comments point to a willingness to continue investing heavily at the skill positions even after doing so in each of the past two years.
CB Chris Johnson Met With Jets, Packers, Bucs, Cowboys, Jags, Chiefs
San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson has flown up draft boards throughout the pre-draft process. He is now considered a borderline first-round pick after visits and/or meetings with several teams.
Among them are the Jets, Packers, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Jaguars and Chiefs, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. They all have various needs at cornerback, save for the Buccaneers
After trading Sauce Gardner last year, the Jets now have Brandon Stephens, Nahshon Wright, and Jarvis Brownlee leading their cornerback room. 2025 third-rounder Azareye’h Thomas is expected to take on a bigger role this season, but the team still lacks high-upside talent in the long term. Thomas is also the only corner in that group that is signed through 2027.
The Packers have Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine entering the final years of their contract, creating a major need at the cornerback position. Benjamin St-Juste is signed through 2027, but none of the team’s other cornerbacks profile as starting options.
In Jacksonville, the Jaguars have Montaric Brown, Jarrian Jones, and Jourdan Lewis. Brown and Jones are both younger and could be long-term starters, but Lewis is 31 years old with two years left on his deal. The team also lacks quality depth behind their top three.
Like the Jets, the Chiefs traded away their star CB1 recently, leaving a gaping hole in their defense. Kansas City took fliers on Kaiir Elam and Kader Kohou to fill the cornerback room, but neither is a surefire starter in 2026. Kristian Fulton is also entering the final year of his contract. 2025 third-rounder Nohl Williams impressed as a rookie and should be able to lock down a starting job, but the rest of the Chiefs’ cornerback rotation remains murky.
The Bucs, by contrast, are set at cornerback with Zyon McCollum and Benjamin Morrison penciled in on the boundary and Jacob Parrish manning the slot. Morrison, though, is an injury risk, and Tampa Bay has little proven depth behind its top young trio. That seems like a spot to make an inexpensive veteran addition rather than a high draft pick, though, seemingly making Johnson a luxury pick with other long-term needs to fill.
QB Cole Payton Met With Eagles, Jets, Cardinals
Although he spent four of his five North Dakota State seasons as a backup, some NFL teams consider left-handed quarterback Cole Payton an intriguing developmental prospect going into the draft. It was already known Payton visited the Steelers and Colts in recent weeks. He also “met extensively with” the Eagles, Jets and Cardinals, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports.
North Dakota State has produced two first-round signal-callers: Carson Wentz (second overall in 2016) and Trey Lance (third in 2021). While Wentz had his moments as a starter earlier in his career, he has settled in as a journeyman backup. Lance was a major disappointment as the 49ers’ starter, but he has joined Wentz in sticking around the league as a reserve. Unlike Wentz and Lance, Payton will not face the pressure of living up to first-round billing. Payton could still be a relatively high selection, though, as he told Greg Auman of Fox Sports last week that he expects to hear his name on Day 2. If accurate, that would give Payton a third-round floor.
“Obviously, there are some teams that have higher grades on you, some teams that have lower grades on you, so you really never know at the end of the day,” Payton said. “But that’s what we’re planning on. … This has been a blast. It’s what you dream about as a kid.”
As part of a quarterback class that features just one clear-cut first-rounder (Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza), Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranks Payton as the fifth-best option available. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. has him seventh at his position and 153rd among all prospects.
Payton attempted a meager 58 passes over his first four college seasons, but the Bison used the 6-foot-3, 233-pounder as a weapon in the running game. In 2023, his most productive season in that capacity, Payton amassed 615 yards on 84 carries (7.3 per tote) and found the end zone 13 times.
Quarterback Cam Miller (now with the Dolphins) left NDSU for the NFL last spring, clearing the way for Payton to finally grab the reins. He seized the opportunity during a 29-touchdown campaign in which he threw for 16 scores, ran for another 13 and led his team to a 12-1 record. Payton completed 72% of passes on 12.1 yards per attempt, tossed just four interceptions, and piled up 777 rushing yards (5.7 YPC) on 136 carries. He continued demonstrating his athleticism at the Combine, where he ran the third-fastest 40-yard dash among QBs (4.56).
While Brugler notes that NFL teams considered Payton a potential tight end convert entering last season, that is no longer the case. Someone will give the mobile, strong-armed Payton a chance as a QB, though that team will take on an inexperienced starter who did not face elite competition in college.
Of Philadelphia, Arizona and New York, the Eagles are the only team with a solution at quarterback. They drafted Wentz 10 years ago, but the writing was on the wall for him when they used a second-rounder on Jalen Hurts in 2020. Wentz was out of the organization a year later. Hurts remains locked in as the Eagles’ starter, but backups Tanner McKee and Andy Dalton are only under contract for another year apiece. If the Eagles keep McKee and Dalton next season, Payton could ease into the league as the fourth QB on their depth chart and perhaps climb into the second or third position in 2027.
The rebuilding Jets (Geno Smith) and Cardinals have veteran stopgaps (Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew), but both teams are strong candidates to add someone younger in the draft. While the two are popular picks for Alabama’s Ty Simpson, a potential first-rounder, perhaps one of them will instead come away with Payton later in the draft.
Steelers Hosted WR Makai Lemon
USC wide receiver Makai Lemon may be a long shot to make it to the Steelers in the first round, but they were among the teams he visited, per Mike DeFabo of The Athletic.
While the Steelers are heading into the draft with two proven starting receivers in D.K. Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr., they have little else at the position. Of their six other receivers under contract, only Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek caught passes in 2025. They combined for a mere 16. The team has done its homework on a few notable prospects as a result, having hosted Lemon, Washington’s Denzel Boston and Alabama’s Germie Bernard. Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. did not book a “30” visit with the Steelers, but they are reportedly interested in him.
While Bernard may be an option in Round 2, where Pittsburgh will be on the clock at 53, Lemon and Boston are expected to go in the first round. Cooper is not a first-round lock, but he will likely be gone before the Steelers make their second pick. The Steelers’ first choice will come at No. 21, which could be too far down the board for Lemon. Both Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com (No. 12) and Dane Brugler of The Athletic (No. 13) consider Lemon as a top-15 player in this class. PFR’s Ely Allen mocked Lemon to the Dolphins at No. 11.
The Steelers’ best hope of landing Lemon may be for general manager Omar Khan to trade up. That might be on the table for a team with a league-high 12 picks, including five in the top 99. Reeling in the 5-foot-11, 192-pound Lemon, who won the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best receiver in 2025, would give the Steelers an exciting complement to the 6-4 Metcalf-Pittman duo. He lined up in the slot over 75% of the time and dropped just four passes in his three-year, 33-game run at USC.
The Steelers are not guaranteed to emerge from the first round with a receiver, but it’s “almost a foregone conclusion” they will at least spend a Day 2 pick on the position, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette observes. Cornerback, safety and guard are other areas they could address in the opening round, according to Dulac.
Jeremiyah Love Visited Cardinals
APRIL 18: Love visited the Cardinals at some point in the pre-draft process, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. The deadline for visits was April 15.
APRIL 7: Although he does not play a premium position, uber-talented Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is expected to come off the board in the top seven of this year’s draft. Set to select third overall, the Cardinals have more pressing needs than running back, yet they are a “wild card to watch” in the Love derby, Peter Schrager of ESPN writes.
By far the highest-rated back in this year’s class, Love is the lone player at the position who will go in Round 1. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com ranks the 6-foot, 212-pounder as the No. 2 prospect available, trailing only Indiana quarterback and soon-to-be first pick Fernando Mendoza. Love is heading to the pros after winning the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s best back in 2025. He wrapped up his three-year college career with a ridiculous 6.9 yards per carry on 433 attempts and 40 touchdowns (35 rushing, five receiving) in 41 games.
The Cardinals finished a dismal 31st in rushing yards per game in 2025, which makes them a fit for Love on paper. But they have addressed their backfield since then, albeit in more modest fashion, with the addition of former Falcon Tyler Allgeier on a two-year, $12.25MM pact. They also kept James Conner around on a revised contract. He and 2024 third-rounder Trey Benson, who also remains in the fold, missed a combined 27 games with injuries last season. That helps explain why Arizona’s rushing attack faltered as much as it did. Michael Carter, now a member of the Titans, led the Cardinals with a meager 333 ground yards on 92 totes (3.6 YPC).
If the Cardinals draft Love, it will be the second straight time Allgeier will find himself stuck behind a premier talent at his position. Allgeier posted the only 1,000-yard season of his career as a rookie in 2022, but the Falcons spent the eighth overall pick on Bijan Robinson during the ensuing spring. After serving as a solid (perhaps overqualified) backup to Robinson, there is no doubt Allgeier moved to Arizona banking on a bigger role than he had in Atlanta. He should get his wish if the Cardinals pass on Love at No. 3 to address a more obvious weakness (right tackle or edge defender, to name two possibilities).
Giants, Dexter Lawrence Remain In Talks
Contract talks between the Giants and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence broke off earlier this week, but chances of the sides finding common ground are not dead yet. The Giants and Lawrence “are still talking,” according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. There remains hope the seven-year veteran will continue his career with the Giants, who chose him 17th overall in the 2019 draft.
Lawrence’s dissatisfaction with the Giants stems from what’s left of the four-year, $90MM extension he signed in 2023. The four-time Pro Bowler is due to earn $19.5MM in each of the next two seasons, but he wants an appreciable raise and more guaranteed money. The Giants have already paid out all $60MM in guarantees on his deal.
The salary cap was set at $224.8MM when Lawrence inked his extension. It has since skyrocketed to $301.2MM, and Lawrence wants in on the action. Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis, a less accomplished player than Lawrence, signed a three-year, $78MM extension with $65MM in guarantees in March. Lawrence is unhappy he is now earning far less than the the $26MM per annum Davis and Patriots DT Milton Williams are making, according to Schwartz.
As of Thursday, it did not appear the Giants had any desire to adjust Lawrence’s contract. But they are willing to offer a “significant financial upgrade” that includes guarantees, per Schwartz. Lawrence is “dug in” on his asking price, though it is unclear how far apart he and the Giants are.
Discussing the situation with Schwartz, new head coach John Harbaugh said: “We are working together to get the best outcome for the Giants team. We also respect Dexter fully as a person and player and want him to be happy. We are doing everything we can, as best we can, as responsibly as we can.’’
If an agreement does not materialize in the next handful of days, we could see Lawrence change hands before or during the draft. The first round will take place Thursday, which is when things could come to a head in this case. However, it appears it would require quite a haul to pry Lawrence from the Giants. They are aiming for a top-10 pick in return for the 28-year-old, Schwartz relays. The Giants may accept a pick later in the first round, but they would also want additional selections with it.
Chargers ‘Made Offers’ To Odafe Oweh, Zion Johnson
Although they entered free agency flush with cap space, the Chargers saw edge defender Odafe Oweh and left guard Zion Johnson exit. The club “made offers” to Oweh and Johnson before they left, general manager Joe Hortiz told reporters this week (via Daniel Popper of The Athletic).
While details on the Chargers’ offers are unknown, they were “far more competitive” in trying to re-sign Oweh than Johnson, Popper writes. It was known entering free agency the Chargers wanted to retain Oweh and fellow pass-rushing force Khalil Mack. They successfully kept Mack around on a one-year, $18MM contract, but Oweh moved to Washington for a massive raise. The former Raven returned to the area on a four-year, $100MM pact with the Commanders, who included $68MM in guarantees.
Oweh only played 12 games with the Chargers, who acquired him from the Ravens for safety Alohi Gilman last October, whereas Johnson was a four-year starter with the Bolts. The 2022 first-round pick was durable in L.A., where he missed just two games, but did not turn into the dominant blocker the team wanted when it spent the 17th overall pick on him. Nevertheless, with the Browns hard up for offensive line help, they committed $32.4MM in guarantees to Johnson on a four-year, $49.5MM arrangement.
The Chargers have not adequately replaced Oweh or Johnson in free agency, leaving the two areas as obvious needs as the draft approaches. They could conceivably use their first-round pick, No. 22 overall, on either spot. Even without Oweh, the Chargers still have an enviable edge-rushing duo in Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu. However, retirement looms for Mack, who will turn 36 next February. Meanwhile, Tuipulotu joins Mack in entering a contract year. The Chargers want to extend him, but even if that happens, it would make sense to find a long-term successor to Mack.
The Chargers have made modest free agent additions at guard, where they picked up Cole Strange for two years and $13MM and Kayode Awosika for an undisclosed amount. Strange, who played under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel in Miami, will start at right guard. If the season began today, the Chargers would use either Awosika or the re-signed Trevor Penning on the left side. Both players are likely better off in depth roles, meaning the Chargers could draft Johnson’s replacement. The belief is the Chargers will indeed target the offensive line, Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom hears.
“I think he keeps drafting offensive linemen,” one general manager told La Canfora. “There’s going to be a run on them at the end of the first round. LA, Philly, Kansas City, Houston, San Francisco. He needs a starting guard.”
For his part, Hortiz made it clear the Chargers will augment their front five in the draft.
“We’re not done on the offensive line,” Hortiz said. “I can promise that.”
A full list of the Chargers’ pre-draft visitors is unavailable, but we know they met with Texas A&M guard Chase Bisontis. He could be high on their list late in Round 1.
LB CJ Allen Seen As First-Round Pick?
Georgia linebacker CJ Allen has been a late riser as the 2026 NFL Draft approaches. Less than a week out, he has put himself in first-round consideration, according to EssentiallySports’ Tony Pauline.
Allen, 21, did not participate in athletic testing at the Combine or Georgia’s pro day. But this week, he worked out for scouts and rank a 4.46-second 40-yard dash, Pauline adds, despite being just “months removed from knee surgery.” That gave scouts more confidence in his recovery and athleticism, which firmed up his spot as the third-ranked linebacker on most big boards.
Pauline previously mocked Allen to the Bills and adds the Buccaneers and Cowboys as other options. Those teams would trade back from their No. 15 and No. 20 picks, respectively, to select him.
The Bills need to find a long-term replacement for veteran inside linebacker Matt Milano, who hit free agency this offseason after nine season in Buffalo. The current starters would be Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams, but Williams is entering the final year of his contract. Allen would be a long-term running mate for Bernard who would likely succeed him as the Bills’ primary inside linebacker.
The Buccaneers are in a very similar situation. They saw Lavonte David announce his retirement this offseason. Alex Anzalone and Christian Rozeboom were signed as immediate veteran replacements, but SirVocea Dennis is on an expiring deal. Again, Allen would come in and push Anzalone or Dennis for playing time with a long-term projection as a high-level starter.
The Cowboy do not have a clear starter next to DeMarvion Overshown, who is entering the last year of his contract, too. He is a candidate to be extended, but, as in Buffalo and Tampa Bay, Allen could be an instant No. 2 who takes over as the top spot in the future.
The one significant drawback of selecting Allen in the first round is the loss of value on his fifth-year option. Currently, off-ball/inside linebackers are grouped with outside linebackers for the NFL’s positional designations relating to contracts. As a result, inside linebacker fifth-year option values are based on the salaries of the league’s top edge rushers, who are significantly more expensive. That means the fifth-year option for linebackers is inflated and therefore not worth picking up.
Allen also met virtually with the Texans, Eagles, and Seahawks, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.
Texans, DE Will Anderson Jr. Agree On Record-Setting Extension
The edge defender market stood south of $35MM per year barely 13 months ago. It has now climbed to $50MM AAV. Will Anderson Jr. agreed to a monster Texans extension Friday, continuing this market’s rocket rise.
Houston and Anderson agreed to a three-year, $150MM extension that comes with $134MM guaranteed, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. The contract includes a no-trade clause. This is a rarity among non-quarterbacks, but Anderson is now (by a notable margin) the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history.
[RELATED: Early Extensions For First-Rounders In Fifth-Year Option Era]
Anderson will receive $100MM fully guaranteed, Rapoport adds. This crucial number checks in third among defenders — behind Micah Parsons and T.J. Watt — but the guarantee vesting schedule will be important to learn here.
Parsons landed $120MM at signing, agreeing to a four-year extension. Parsons and Anderson each signed off on five-year terms (effectively), as one season remained on the ex-Cowboy’s rookie contract at the time of signing. The Texans exercised Anderson’s fifth-year option last week, locking him down through 2027. Although this extension provides the former No. 3 overall pick with a massive guarantee influx, the rookie deal running through 2027 will keep him under Texans control through 2030.
While Anderson has not achieved what Parsons, Watt or Myles Garrett have, he is just 24 and coming off a first-team All-Pro season. The Alabama alum tallied 12 sacks last season, teaming with Danielle Hunter to form a dominant edge-rushing duo. The Texans gave Hunter one-year bumps in each of the past two offseasons; the 31-year-old Anderson bookend is now signed through 2027 via the $40.1MM deal he inked last month. In terms of AAV, the Texans have the NFL’s highest- and fourth-highest-paid edge rushers.
Anderson, who registered 11 sacks in 2024, follows Derek Stingley Jr. in signing a three-year, market-shifting extension in his fourth NFL offseason. Houston gave its cornerback ace a three-year, $90MM extension. That moved the CB market by $5MM per year at the time and set the table for Sauce Gardner and Trent McDuffie‘s extensions. Anderson moved his market’s AAV bar by $3.5MM, with the Packers signing off on a record-setting Parsons agreement following an August 2025 trade.
We heard earlier this week Anderson was likely to set a price point at or above $50MM per year. The salary cap’s annual growth has changed players’ preferred term length, with three-year deals far more common now than they were even a few offseasons ago. The cap jumped from $279.2MM to $301.2MM this offseason. Anderson may well end up the top beneficiary from the latest climb, and it is certainly noteworthy to trace the EDGE market’s transformation over the past 13-plus months.
Nick Bosa‘s $34MM-per-year 49ers extension stood as the high-water mark here from September 2023 to March 2025. Before Bosa’s September 2023 agreement, no one had eclipsed Watt’s first Steelers payday ($28MM per year) for two full years.
Both Brian Burns and Josh Hines-Allen‘s 2024 deals did not come especially close to eclipsing Bosa’s pact, but the Raiders’ March 2025 Maxx Crosby extension (three years, $106.5MM) gave the position a new kingpin. The floodgates opened when the Browns changed Garrett’s trade aim with a four-year, $160MM payday days later. Hunter’s first Texans extension bridged the gap between Crosby and Garrett, and the Steelers gave Watt his second extension (three years, $123MM) last summer. After Parsons’ blockbuster extension delayed the Lions’ talks with Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit’s star pass rusher reached $45MM per year to sit second to Parsons in defender AAV when the dust settled. Hutchinson drops to third after this Anderson news.
While Aaron Donald once led the way among all defenders, a sizable gap has now emerged between edge rushers and interior defensive linemen. Not dissimilar to the gulf that has formed between wide receivers and tight ends, Anderson’s $50MM-per-year number is now nearly $19MM north of Chris Jones‘ DT-leading AAV ($31.75MM). The rest of the D-tackle market sits a whopping $24MM in AAV behind the new EDGE ceiling. It would stand to reason that market will receive an update, but after the two positional ceilings stood near one another entering the 2025 offseason — a year after Jones’ payday — it is striking to see how much more valuable teams have viewed top edge defenders in the months since.
After essentially conducting a pre-rebuild year in his first year on the job — a 2021 season that featured 17 Deshaun Watson healthy scratches amid the QB’s trade request and subsequent turmoil — Nick Caserio drafted Stingley and Jalen Pitre in 2022. The 2023 draft brought more foundational pieces, with the Texans taking C.J. Stroud at No. 2 overall and then trading up nine spots to nab Anderson at No. 3. Caserio sent the Cardinals the Texans’ own 2024 first-rounder — rather than the third first-rounder obtained from the Browns for Watson — to move up, and Houston’s 2023 success dropped that pick to No. 27. The Texans beating the Browns in the 2023 wild-card round made Cleveland’s pick higher than Arizona’s in 2024; though, Houston traded out of that first round (and last year’s first round).
The Texans have formed a menacing defense, and Anderson joins Stingley as the driving forces. Unsurprisingly, a rumor surfaced during the 2025 season the Texans were eyeing a 2026 payday for their emerging edge rusher. The sides entered talks late last month. Houston has now extended both its defensive anchors on three-year accords, giving both DeMeco Ryans cornerstones a chance to come back to the table before age 30.
It remains to be seen if the Texans will pay Stroud this offseason, but after an uneven two seasons following his Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign, it may behoove both parties to wait. As it stands, Stroud appears likelier to be extended in 2027. The team exercised its QB’s fifth-year option, however, providing a sizable guarantee ($25.9MM) for 2027. Anderson’s option came in at $21.51MM, but that is now moot thanks to this extension.
Like Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Seattle, Houston is taking care of key contract business involving a 2023 first-rounder rather than dragging the process out into a contract year. The Seahawks gave the reigning Offensive Player of the Year a receiver-record contract shortly after exercising his fifth-year option. Now, the Texans have followed suit and will build their defense around the Anderson and Stingley deals for the foreseeable future.