Teams Calling Texans About Nico Collins
The draft represents a major checkpoint on the NFL calendar when it comes to high-profile player movement. Several veterans are always the subject of calls from suitors, and one of the Texans’ offensive pillars is on that list.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports teams are calling Houston about Nico Collins. He adds no trade is currently expected, but traction on this front will be worth monitoring. Per Schultz, interested teams are operating with the assumption a Collins extension will be sought out this offseason.
After two seasons with modest production, Collins saw his production surge. The former third-rounder topped 1,000 yards in 2023, a feat he has matched each of the past two years. Collins, 27, is attached to the three-year, $72.75MM extension he inked in 2024. The pact contains $20.63MM in compensation for the coming season, but it does not include any guaranteed salary for 2027.
No later than next spring, it would thus come as no surprise if Collins and his camp sought out a new deal. The receiver market has continued to surge, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba recently moved the bar to $42.15MM in average annual value with his monster Seahawks extension. In terms of AAV, Collins currently ranks 18th leaguewide at the WR position. Moving up the pecking order could very well be a goal when negotiations commence.
The Texans have Collins and 2025 draftees Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel in place at the receiver position. The team added Jaylen Watson that year, and he is on the books for one more season. Xavier Hutchinson‘s rookie contract runs through 2026, while Tank Dell is on course to return to action after a one-year absence. That depth could lead to Houston avoiding a notable receiver investment during the draft, but the team’s stance on that front could of course change if serious consideration were to be given to a Collins trade.
Browns Not Expected To Draft QB
The Browns seem to enter every draft with a need at quarterback. But this year might be a little different.
Cleveland currently has 2025 draft picks Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel in their quarterback room, along with Deshaun Watson, who is expected to return from his Achilles injuries this year. New head coach Todd Monken has indicated his confidence in that group, though it is unclear who will be the Week 1 starter.
As a result, the Browns are not expected to draft a quarterback this weekend, per ESPN’s Matt Miller. Of course, this was rumored to be the case last year with Cleveland instead looking ahead to the current draft class. Their trade down from the No. 3 pick, which yielded an extra 2026 first-rounder, furthered that belief.
Instead, they drafted Gabriel in the third round and Sanders in the fifth, though the second selection was seen as a value play for a falling prospect. Both started as rookies, but neither made a firm case to carry the job into 2026.
However, this year’s draft class lacks high-end talent, too, after several top prospects elected to stay in college for another year. The Raiders quickly locked onto Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza once they secured the No. 1 pick at the end of the season, and the Browns may understandably prefer to develop their current talent rather than add a second-tier prospect. That will give Gabriel, Sanders, and (theoretically) Watson a chance to prove themselves.
If one emerges as a starter: great! The Browns can focus then their 2027 draft capital on building around him. If not, the 2027 class offers a far richer well of QB talent to draw from that will likely yield better long-term results than this year’s pool of prospects.
Texans Bullish On DT Kayden McDonald
Defensive tackles are not expected to factor in much during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald could be an exception. The Texans, owners of the 28th overall pick, may be a team to watch for McDonald. They have a “high” opinion of the 6-foot-2, 326-pounder, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
McDonald is among 16 prospects who will be in attendance for Thursday’s opening round, but he is not a lock to come off the board in the top 32. If the Texans pass on McDonald at 28, they may have an early enough pick in the second round (No. 38) to have a shot at him then. Both Dane Brugler of The Athletic (No. 32) and Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network (No. 33) rank McDonald between the Texans’ top two selections.
McDonald, who spent three years at Ohio State, broke out in his lone season as a starter in 2025. The 21-year-old notched 65 tackles, including nine for loss, and three sacks in 14 games. McDonald was named a unanimous All-American. He also took home Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year honors.
While McDonald is considered a work in progress as a pass rusher, his excellence as a run defender gives him a high floor. If he heads to Houston, the 21-year-old would join an already dominant defense. The Texans ended last year first in total defense, second in scoring and fourth against the run, though they have since lost Tim Settle to the Commanders in free agency. The run-stuffing Settle played a key role along the interior D-line in Houston, but McDonald could help replace him.
Poll: What Will Cardinals Do With Third Overall Pick?
We have a good idea of how the first two picks of this year’s NFL draft will go. The Raiders are going to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza first overall. Barring something unexpected, the Jets will use the second choice on either Texas Tech edge defender David Bailey or Ohio State linebacker/edge Arvell Reese. There is less certainty at No. 3, where the Cardinals could go a handful of different directions.
Arizona has posted a woeful 15-36 record in Monti Ossenfort‘s three seasons as its general manager, but he will nonetheless run his fourth draft this year. If Ossenfort’s seat isn’t hot yet, it stands to reason his chances of being in this position a year from now will decrease if he misses on his first-rounder tonight. While the Cardinals are entering this draft with glaring needs at right tackle and edge defender, among other spots, Ossenfort could opt for a splashy pick to add more skill to a subpar offense.
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, arguably the best prospect at any position in this class, has won over the Cardinals’ new Mike LaFleur-led coaching staff. Love could be the Cardinals’ pick, even though they added former Falcon Tyler Allgeier in free agency and still have James Conner, Trey Benson and Zonovan Knight on their roster.
If the Cardinals pass on Love to upgrade in the trenches, they could be the first team to take an offensive lineman. As a rookie GM in 2023, Ossenfort spent the sixth pick on left tackle Paris Johnson, who has turned into a franchise cornerstone. Ossenfort could land a capable bookend for the right side if he grabs someone like Spencer Fano (Utah) or Francis Mauigoa (Miami).
On the defensive side, Reese or Bailey would provide a much-needed pass-rushing upgrade to a unit that tied for 30th in sacks last year. Reese spent a significant portion of his Buckeyes tenure as an off-ball linebacker, but the Cardinals view him as an edge defender going forward.
While there will be enticing prospects available at No. 3, the Cardinals may move down to collect more draft capital. New Orleans, which owns the eighth pick, is one potential trade partner. If the Cardinals trade with the Saints, they would surely receive the eighth selection as part of the package. The Cardinals would still be in good position to upgrade their roster in that scenario. Perhaps Ossenfort will decide trading down is the best option.
What do you expect the Cardinals to do with the third pick tonight? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.
What will the Cardinals do with the third overall pick?
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Patriots Not Yet Willing To Trade First-Rounder For A.J. Brown
APRIL 23: No talks are expected this weekend, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. However, the Eagles and Patriots are expected to reengage down the road, with Rapoport pointing to negotiations coming around the June date when a trade becomes financially reasonable for Philadelphia.
It would be logical for the clubs to speak on a trade leading up to that date, and Brown could theoretically join the Patriots for their minicamp if traded soon after June 1. But the teams look set to put this issue on the back burner for now.
APRIL 22: Although the Eagles trading A.J. Brown to the Patriots after June 1 is starting to look like a foregone conclusion, the door remains open for another team to top New England with a better offer.
On draft eve, the Pats are not believed to be ready to send a first-round pick to the Eagles for Brown, FOX’s Jay Glazer reports. The Eagles have long wanted a first-round pick headlining a Brown trade haul, as it would make the mercurial wide receiver’s dead money hit — even in a post-June 1 trade — easier to stomach. The returns the Bears and Dolphins respectively received for D.J. Moore and Jaylen Waddle surely did nothing to diminish the Eagles’ asking price.
The Broncos sent the Dolphins first- and third-round picks for Waddle, with a fourth-round pick swap also part of that trade, while the Bears collected a second-rounder for Moore and a fifth. Brown is more accomplished than both players, riding a streak of four straight 1,000-yard seasons and totaling six such slates in a seven-year career. But Brown gripes about his usage in Philly’s offense have been commonplace. A midgame dustup with Nick Sirianni also fueled the fire for a trade finally coming to pass, and a March report viewed a trade as “inevitable.”
A report earlier this week pegged the Patriots — Brown’s long-rumored destination, which would bring about a reunion with Mike Vrabel — as being ready to acquire the eighth-year receiver after June 1. In PFR’s latest chat, I posited a potential trade that involved a 2028 first-round pick and a Day 2 choice in 2027. The Eagles structured their Carson Wentz trade this way, collecting a 2022 conditional first-round pick from the Colts to go with a 2021 third. Philly also accepted a 2026 third-round pick from the Jets for Haason Reddick in 2024.
Teams are displaying reluctance to part with 2027 first-round picks, as that draft class is viewed as stronger than this one, and it will be interesting to see if another team will rival the Pats for Brown. For a bit now, New England has been the clear frontrunner. Glazer reiterates the Pats’ pole position here, mentioning a potential standoff in the event the defending AFC champs do not put a first on the table.
How the draft unfolds will shape other teams’ needs, potentially opening the door to more bids coming in for Brown before June 2. Philly would certainly welcome a bidding war, and how this draft class’ top receivers are dispersed may crystalize offer strength.
The other question here, naturally, covers the scenario in which the Eagles keep Brown and try to make it work with one of the most talented skill-position players in franchise history. Posturing on that front will undoubtedly come, but as it stands, this relationship looks to be on life support. The Patriots would not be inclined to increase their offer significantly based on what is coming out of Philly now. PFR readers believe a trade will happen. Will/should it involve a first-round pick?
Bills, Panthers Interested In Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez
Ohio State’s Sonny Styles is the top-ranked off-ball linebacker in this year’s class. Styles is a lock to go in the first round on Thursday. Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez could be the second player at the position to come off the board, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports. The Bills and Panthers have done “extensive homework” on Rodriguez, per Fowler.
Whether Rodriguez will sneak into the first round is an option question, but fellow LB CJ Allen (Georgia) reportedly has a chance to go in the top 32. If Rodriguez has surpassed Allen in the pecking order, he may hear his name called tonight. The Panthers are set to pick 19th, while the Bills are scheduled for 26th. Unlike the Bills, the Panthers have a second-rounder, though Rodriguez may not fall to their choice (No. 51). Both Dane Brugler of The Athletic (No. 40) and Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com (No. 42) consider Rodriguez a top-45 prospect.
Rodriguez is coming off an excellent run in the Red Raiders’ defense, but he was initially a quarterback at Virginia in 2021. He transferred to Texas Tech the next year and switched to linebacker. It’s fair to say it was a wise decision.
The 6-foot-1, 231-pound Rodriguez broke out during a 127-tackle 2024 campaign in which he recorded five sacks, forced three fumbles, returned one for a touchdown and intercepted a pass over 14 games. As impressive as Rodriguez’s production was that year, his output last season was downright jaw-dropping. While his sack total fell to one, he put up 128 tackles, forced a whopping seven fumbles and pulled in four interceptions. Rodriguez subsequently garnered major accolades. The unanimous All-American finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting, won Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, and took home the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (nation’s best defender) and the Butkus Award (nation’s top LB), among other honors.
Set to turn 24 years old in September, Rodriguez could start immediately for the team that drafts him. If Buffalo takes him, he could step in alongside either Terrel Bernard or Dorian Williams in the middle of defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard‘s newly installed 3-4 base. The Panthers made a big free agent investment in former Jaguar Devin Lloyd, whom they added on a three-year, $45MM deal, but could attempt to upgrade over Trevin Wallace.
Miami QB Carson Beck’s Stock Soaring
The 2026 draft class is not strong at the quarterback position behind projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
Alabama’s Ty Simpson is widely seen as the QB2 who could also be drafted on Day 1, but no other passers are expected to hear their name called until Day 2.
However, Miami’s Carson Beck has been a late riser in the pre-draft process. He now seen as a likely second-round pick with the potential to sneak into the first to a quarterback-needy team, perhaps one that is less enamored with Simpson.
“The quarterback who is going to go higher than every projection has had him in the process is Carson Beck,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said this week on the Rich Eisen Show.
“There was a lot that teams had to sort through going back to Georgia,” Pelissero explained, referencing some off-field questions about Beck. But the 24-year-old answered some of those questions during the pre-draft process, raising his stock in the process.
Pelissero believes that Beck would be taken in the second round, but says there is “at least a non-trivial chance” that he is selected in the first.
“I would not 100% rule out the idea of Carson Beck somehow finding his way into the bottom of Round 1,” Pelissero said.
That assessment is shared by CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, who has spoken to multiple sources that predicted a late first- or early second-round landing spot for Beck. His star has fallen in the public eye since his time at Georgia, but some evaluators believe he brings pro-ready football I.Q. and throwing ability.
Beck was mentioned by ESPN’s Matt Miller as a “potential sleeper” for the Jets in the middle rounds, though his rising stock may preclude that. New York is thought to be targeting the 2027 draft class for their next franchise quarterback, anyway, but they may prefer the certainty of drafting Beck now rather than waiting to see how next year’s class (and their draft slot) work out.
Chiefs High On DE Rueben Bain Jr.
Sinking to 6-11 after the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX romp nixed a threepeat bid, the Chiefs hold a top-10 pick entering a draft for the first time since 2013. Kansas City famously traded up to No. 10 for Patrick Mahomes in 2017, but the Mahomes era has featured late-first-round investments due to the sustained success he has brought as a starter.
The Chiefs went 6-8 in games Mahomes finished, regressing after historic close-game success over the previous two seasons, and lost their final three without him. That produced the No. 9 overall pick. Clear needs exist for the AFC dynasty, which lost its top two cornerbacks (Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson) while having some questions at defensive end and wide receiver.
Ely Allen’s PFR mock draft sent Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. to Kansas City, and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicates the Chiefs are “firmly” in on the talented sack artist. The Chiefs have a need opposite George Karlaftis, after the team mustered only 33 sacks last season, and will see future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Chris Jones turn 32 this year. Bain would provide a much-needed reinforcement, as 2023 first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah has not panned out through three seasons.
The Chiefs also released Mike Danna and let Charles Omenihu walk in free agency. Capitalizing on this draft’s bevy of first-round-caliber EDGE options makes sense. Bain’s below-average arm length has clouded his draft stock to a degree, though some uncertainty came out of the D-end’s Combine measurements. The Chiefs are comfortable with Bain’s sub-31-inch arm length, per Fowler colleague Matt Miller.
The Chiefs’ Andy Reid-era history of overlooking character red flags could also factor in here. In 2024, Bain was cited for careless driving in an accident that left a woman — one of four passengers in Bain’s vehicle — in a coma for three months before her eventual passing. According to police crash records, Bain’s vehicle struck another car before colliding with the “concrete barriers on both sides of the highway.” No suspected use of drugs or alcohol emerged; no tests to determine such use were performed at the time.
Although this news became public earlier this month, teams have known about the incident for a while. It has not been expected to dock Bain’s stock much. While the Titans might be out on him, a significant first-round fall is not expected. Teams have been viewed as higher on Bain than draft pundits. The Chiefs met with Bain this month. Bain tallied 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss to help Miami to the CFP title game; he totaled 7.5 sacks as a freshman in 2023.
Latest On Giants’ First-Round Plans
The Giants adding the No. 10 overall pick in the Dexter Lawrence trade has complicated the first round for the NFC East franchise. A lot is in play as John Harbaugh finalizes preparations for his first New York draft.
Tied to the likes of Jeremiyah Love, Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, Jordyn Tyson and also potentially bolstering their O-line, the Giants have several directions they can now go holding two top-10 choices. The Giants are believed to want to help Jaxson Dart in this year’s first round, per ESPN.com’s Matt Miller, and Love links have piled up. But it is quite possible the Notre Dame running back is off the board by No. 5.
How the board falls at 5 may dictate what the Giants do at 10, with CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones expecting Big Blue to draft a player on each side of the ball by night’s end. It would be interesting to see the Giants take Love at 5 and perhaps Tyson or Carnell Tate at 10, but if the team does draft either Love or Tyson at 5, finding a defender at 10 might be difficult.
It is quite possible Styles and Downs will be off the board by No. 10, perhaps ramping up the pressure on New York — presuming it wants at least one of the Ohio State defenders — to go defense then offense. Downs appears more likely than Styles to be available at 10, and before the Bengals and Giants made the above-referenced trade, Ely Allen’s PFR mock draft had the safety falling to Cincinnati in that spot. But it is very possible both go off the board in the top nine, and in a scenario where the Giants end up with Love or Tyson at 5, they might need to look closely at their O-line options due to Styles and Downs potentially being spoken for by 10.
Love may be too difficult to pass on at 5, but Miller adds the Giants do not expect him to be there by then. That said, Miller notes the team would pick the former Fighting Irish star if he is available. That simplifies this process to a degree, but with Love links to the Cardinals and Titans, it is obviously possible the Giants will need to turn to their second choice (at least) at 5.
Tyson may be part of that equation, as the Arizona State wideout has vaulted up the board — with his recent workout showing the skillset that has tantalized teams amid an injury-plagued career. Giants coaches are “very high on” Tyson, Miller colleague Jeremy Fowler adds. No team did more work on Tyson than the Giants, per Miller.
Joe Schoen was at the prospect’s modified pro day in Tempe, Ariz., and that included a dinner with the fast-rising pass catcher. If the Giants do not believe Tyson will be available at 10, adding him early and taking their chances with one of the Ohio State defenders or an O-lineman may be the play (in the event Love is gone by 5).
The team has also been connected to Tate, and Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer mocks the ex-Buckeyes receiver to New York at No. 5. The team likes both players, per Breer, but Tate would give New York a much safer prospect — albeit one with less upside — in this premium draft slot.
Tyson will be a higher-variance prospect, while Tate — Ohio State’s WR2 behind Jeremiah Smith over the past two years — would slot in alongside Malik Nabers. The latter’s recent ACL tear could impact the Giants on Tyson, but if the NFC East team is truly sold on the Arizona State product’s upside, passing for a safer option may not go over too well should Tyson hit elsewhere.