Titans Out On Rueben Bain At No. 4?
Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. is heading into the draft as a potential top-10 pick, but it does not appear the Titans are considering him at fourth overall. Bain is “not their guy,” Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network hears.
The Titans have at least done their due diligence on Bain, whom they met with in late March. For his part, Jeremiah ranks Bain as the seventh-best prospect in the draft. The 6-foot-2, 263-pounder’s stock is high after he capped off a three-year run at Miami with his most productive season in 2025. Over 16 games, Bain tallied 54 tackles, 15.5 TFL, 9.5 sacks and the lone interception of his Hurricanes career. He was named a consensus All-American for his efforts.
Despite Bain’s prolific college output and considerable upside, there have been concerns over his arm length throughout the pre-draft process. His arms measured 30 7/8 inches at the Combine, which ranks in the 1st percentile and falls well below the 33-inch average. On a much more alarming note, it came to light over the weekend that Bain was the driver in a fatal car crash in 2024. Bain was cited for careless driving after a crash left one of his car’s passengers in a coma. She passed away three months later, though the charge against Bain was later dropped. The Titans found out about it last summer, but it “didn’t really” affect their evaluation of Bain, a source told Nick Suss of the Tennessean.
While Bain may not fit what the Titans are looking for, they are reportedly considering Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate with their top pick. Other possibilities include Texas Tech defensive end David Bailey, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, and Ohio State linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles. Unless the team trades down, there is a high chance of one of those players becoming a member of the Titans on April 23.
Texans Targeting OL Prospects
The Texans have been active reshaping their offensive line this offseason, and they may not be done. ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime expects the team to target linemen in the draft, with the writer citing Houston’s desire for “young, cost-effective talent.”
The Texans were quick to revamp the unit after the 2025 campaign. They first moved on from longtime starter Tytus Howard and former second-rounder Juice Scruggs before adding veterans Braden Smith and Wyatt Teller to the roster. The two new additions will be penciled into the starting lineup, adding to the three holdovers from last year.
2025 second-round pick Aireontae Ersery will continue at LT, while 2025 newcomers center Jake Andrews and guard Ed Ingram are expected to retain their starting spots. Houston even has Trent Brown for some experienced tackle depth. However, Bien-Aime notes the team still needs some long-term solutions at both center and guard. Considering Smith’s deal is for only two years, the Texans also wouldn’t shy away from an OT prospect.
Armed with the No. 28 pick and two second-round selections (No. 38, No 59), the Texans could be in prime position to find at least one long-term option for the OL. ESPN’s Jordan Reid points to Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor and Georgia Tech guard Keylan Rutledge as “names to circle” for Houston.
Iheanachor started each of the past two seasons on the Sun Devil offensive line, culminating in him earning a second-team All-Big 12 nod this past year. While he isn’t considered among the draft’s top offensive tackle prospects, he may be the best of the second tier. He would be a logical target for the Texans at No. 38. Similarly, Rutledge is among the second tier of guard prospects and could be an option at No. 59. The prospect earned a first-team All-American selection this past season following a standout showing with the Yellow Jackets.
Falcons Expected To Target DTs, WRs During Draft
As Ian Cunningham prepares for his first draft as Falcons general manager, he may be zeroing in on positions on both sides of the ball. As ESPN’s Jordan Reid writes, the Falcons have been connected to both defensive tackles and wide receivers.
Reid notes that the organization has done “an extensive amount of work” on defensive tackles. This isn’t a huge surprise as the Falcons ranked 24th against the run in 2025, and they lost their positional snaps leader in David Onyemata via free agency. While Ruke Orhorhoro and Brandon Dorlus provide the position grouping with a bit of experience, it only makes sense for the team to pursue some upside at the position during next week’s draft.
Of course, thanks to a trade with the Rams during last year’s draft that netted them James Pearce, the Falcons are currently operating without a first-round selection, meaning their first opportunity to add a DT would be at No. 48. Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald and Clemson’s Peter Woods surely won’t be on the board at that point, but the organization could look to the likes of Florida’s Caleb Banks or Georgia’s Christen Miller.
While wide receiver may not be the most apparent need for the Falcons, there is some merit to adding to the position. Drake London will continue leading the group, but the team has some question marks elsewhere on the depth chart. Darnell Mooney and David Sills are no longer in the building, with the Falcons adding Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus in their place. However, neither of those additions should prevent the front office from pursuing additional reinforcements at the position, and Reid notes that the Falcons have made it known that desire a “field stretcher”.
While there’s a long list of talented WRs in this year’s draft, the Falcons will likely miss out on the top-tier at the position. Still, they could be in position to pounce on one of the second-tier wideouts, including Georgia’s Zachariah Branch, Tennessee’s Chris Brazzell, and Alabama’s Germie Bernard. Reid also points to North Dakota State’s Bryce Lance as a potential target for the organization.
Steelers Host Germie Bernard, Spencer Fano, Vega Ioane
Set to pick 21st overall in this year’s draft, the Steelers have been busy hosting potential first-rounders in the past couple of days. The Steelers visited with Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard and Utah offensive lineman Spencer Fano on Monday, per Brooke Pryor of ESPN. They met with Penn State guard Vega Ioane on Tuesday, Pryor adds.
Bernard is more of a long-shot first-rounder than either Fano or Ioane, who look like shoo-ins to come off the board on Day 1. There is a chance Bernard will still be available when the Steelers are on the clock at No. 53 in the second round. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com ranks the 6-foot-1, 206-pounder as the 50th-best prospect available, contending he should turn into a solid slot receiver in the pros.
Bernard would begin his career as a complement to the Steelers’ starting receivers, D.K. Metcalf and Michael Pittman. The team is lacking strong auxiliary options behind the two 6-foot-4 targets, making receiver a position of interest heading into the draft.
Bernard began his college career at Washington, but he found another gear after transferring to Alabama in 2024. He averaged 57 catches, 828 yards and just under five touchdowns per season in his two years with the Crimson Tide. Bernard formed a nice connection in 2025 with quarterback Ty Simpson, a speculative fit for the Steelers in this year’s draft. While the Steelers are not expected to take Simpson, the second-rated signal-caller in this class, he could be tempting if they still do not have an answer on 2025 starter and current free agent Aaron Rodgers‘ future by then. Perhaps there is a scenario in which Bernard and Simpson reunite in Pittsburgh in the next couple of weeks.
Whether Rodgers or someone else is under center for the Steelers in 2026, he could play behind a more talented group of blockers if the team addresses the unit early in the draft. The Steelers lost starting left guard Isaac Seumalo to the Cardinals in free agency, and they are likely to reject left tackle Broderick Jones‘ 2027 fifth-year option by the May 1 deadline. With multiple question marks up front, Pittsburgh is eyeing a couple of premier O-line prospects in Fano and Ioane.
Fano was a three-year starter at Utah, where he mostly played right tackle. A unanimous All-American in 2025, the 6-5, 311-pounder also has the talent to serve as a plug-and-play guard in the pros, according to Dane Brugler of The Athletic. Jeremiah ranks Fano as the 13th overall player in the class, while he checks in at No. 8 on Brugler’s list. The two are similarly high on Ioane (Jeremiah places him 11th, Brugler has him 12th), who is considered the best guard in the draft. Acquiring Fano or Ioane may be unrealistic for Pittsburgh unless it trades up, which could be a possibility for a club with a league-leading 12 picks. The Steelers’ haul includes three third-rounders and two fourths.
Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor, Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald and Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman may be other prospects to watch for the Steelers in the first round, according to Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom. Proctor is not expected to fall past the Lions at pick 17. If that is the case, the Steelers would have to move up for him.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/14/26
Today’s minor moves:
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed ERFA tender: RB Kimani Vidal
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed ERFA tender: DE Jalen Redmond
With Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris both suffering injuries, Kimani Vidal unexpectedly led the Chargers in rushing attempts in 2025. The former sixth-round pick ended up having a productive sophomore season, finishing with 779 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns. The Chargers did bring in Keaton Mitchell this offseason, but Vidal should still have a role on the team in 2026.
Jalen Redmond caught on with the Vikings ahead of the 2024 season and got some limited run on defense, but he emerged as a foundational piece in 2025. The defensive end ended up starting 15 of his 17 appearances this past year, finishing with 62 tackles and six sacks. Pro Football Focus was especially fond of his performance, ranking him 20th among 127 qualifying interior defenders in 2025.
Lions Hope To Extend LB Jack Campbell; Fifth-Year Option In Play
The NFL continues to group all linebackers together for valuation purposes, which has typically led to teams turning down fifth-year options for off-ball LBs. No team has exercised the fifth-year option at the position since the Buccaneers did so for Devin White in 2022. That may change in the next two-plus weeks.
[RELATED: Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
The Lions have until May 1 to make a decision on Jack Campbell‘s option. Unless an extension comes to fruition by then, the team is “certain to exercise” it, Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network reports.
Armed with two first-round picks in the 2023 draft, Lions general manager Brad Holmes used the selections on a pair of non-premium positions. Before choosing Campbell 18th overall, he took running back Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 12. Campbell, Gibbs and second-rounders Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch have turned into excellent NFLers. All are now eligible for extensions, but keeping each of them from hitting free agency in a year may be a challenge for Holmes.
The Lions would like to get something done with Campbell by the end of April. Otherwise, they will be at risk of paying him a bloated $21.93MM on his fifth-year option salary in 2027. He would go by 49ers future Hall of Famer Fred Warner, whose average annual salary of $21MM paces the position. The worth of Campbell’s option escalated as a result of the Pro Bowl nod he earned last season. The former Iowa standout was also a first-team All-Pro in 2025. Campbell, who has never missed a game, put together his second straight 17-start campaign and notched career highs in tackles (176), TFL (nine), sacks (five) and forced fumbles (three). The 25-year-old finished behind one player, Warner, in Pro Football Focus’ off-ball LB rankings.
Warner inked his three-year, $63MM extension last May, at which point he was coming off his fourth first-team All-Pro showing. In addition to leading his position in AAV, he tops it in total value. Warner checks in second in guarantees ($56.7MM), trailing the Ravens’ Roquan Smith ($60MM). Warner, Smith, the Eagles’ Zack Baun, the Chiefs’ Nick Bolton and the Jets’ Jamien Sherwood are the only off-ball LBs earning at least $15MM per annum on multiyear pacts. Campbell has a strong argument to join the group in the next couple of weeks, especially with the cap on the rise and the value of his option providing him leverage.
Packers Eyeing Cornerback Prospects?
While the Packers have Keisean Nixon leading their cornerbacks, the team is still motivated to add to the grouping. ESPN’s Rob Demovsky believes the front office will be active pursuing the position in the draft, writing that it wouldn’t be a surprise “if the Packers pick more than one” cornerback.
As Demovsky notes, general manager Brian Gutekunst isn’t afraid to use multiple picks on a single position; just last year, the team used first- and third-round selections on the wide receiver position (Matthew Golden, Savion Williams). As the Packers continue to seek “effective” players who could play alongside Nixon, the draft would provide the best opportunity.
Of course, since the Packers are operating without a first-round pick thanks to the Micah Parsons trade, the team will surely miss out on the best prospects at the position. ESPN’s Matt Miller adds that the team has been “widely connected” to the second tier of cornerback prospects, and they could jump at a target with the No. 52 pick. Miller points to San Diego State’s Chris Johnson as a player who has “plenty of fans” within Green Bay’s scouting department.
Nixon has emerged as an elite starter for the Packers, but the team has question marks elsewhere on the depth chart. Former seventh-round pick Carrington Valentine got an extended look at the position in 2025, but Pro Football Focus only ranked him 58th among 112th qualifying cornerbacks. The front office did bring in Benjamin St-Juste via free agency, but the team is otherwise eyeing an inexperienced group at the position.
While the Packers may be able to expect an eventual starter with their second-rounder, any subsequent selections would represent speculative picks. The front office owns only one other top-100 pick (No. 84), so they may have to get creative if they hope to leave the draft with more than one intriguing piece at the position.
Stephen Jones: Cowboys Haven’t Received Trade Calls On George Pickens
The Cowboys and George Pickens appear motivated to sign a long-term deal. Until the ink is dry on a new contract, trade rumblings will persist. But for what it’s worth, the wide receiver isn’t generating a whole lot of trade interest from suitors.
During an appearance on 105.3 The Fan today, Cowboys co-owner Stephen Jones admitted that the Cowboys haven’t received any inquiries on Pickens’ availability.
“You hate to get into things like that, but no, we’ve had no one call with interest in George Pickens,” Jones said (via The Dallas Morning News).
The Cowboys slapped the wideout with the non-exclusive franchise tag earlier this offseason, meaning Pickens is destined to play the 2026 season on a $27.29MM contract unless an extension can be worked out. We heard last month that the two sides weren’t particularly close to a resolution, and there have since been whispers that the wideout could skip the organization’s offseason workouts.
This is par for the course when it comes to tagged players, and for what it’s worth, there’s not much immediate urgency to agree to an extension. The two sides have until July 15 to come to terms on a new pact, and the Cowboys may simply be prioritizing the draft before pivoting to veteran extensions. If there isn’t any progress over, say, the next few months, perhaps Dallas starts receiving phone calls from some interested teams.
The Cowboys have navigated extension drama before, with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Ezekiel Elliott eventually signing long-term deals. However, we’ve also seen that the front office is willing to bail in these situations, as the team suddenly moved on from Micah Parsons last offseason.
Pickens’ franchise tag puts him in a somewhat unique position compared to those aforementioned players. Plus, the wideout doesn’t have the same organizational track record as those other four stars. The Cowboys acquired the former Steelers second-round pick last offseason and saw the receiver have his best professional season, finishing with 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns.
Pickens is understandably looking to capitalize on that breakout campaign, and the Cowboys are understandably wary of immediately handing him a long-term pact, especially with Lamb signed to a lucrative contract. For the time being, this low-key standoff isn’t a huge deal, but the situation will surely become more critical if there isn’t progress over the next few months.
Cardinals Meet With QB Drew Allar
One of the reasons the 2026 quarterback class did not deliver on its advanced hype: Drew Allar suffered a season-ending ankle injury came after he had failed to reestablish his draft status. The Penn State product is not expected to be taken in Rounds 1 or 2.
But he almost definitely will be chosen next week, though it is not known who will be the third quarterback off the board in this year’s draft. The Cardinals are being given the best odds (by a slim margin) of drafting Ty Simpson, a move that would either involve Arizona’s No. 34 overall pick or a trade-up from that spot. But they are continuing to do work on lower-profile QBs. Allar is meeting with the NFC West team today, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets.
[RELATED: Allar Makes New York Visit]
An October ankle injury brought an abrupt end to Allar’s senior season. His performances up to that point had left plenty to be desired, something which wound up being true in 2025 of many signal-callers. When Allar went down, he was averaging just 6.9 yards per attempt. Although he posted a 25:2 TD-INT ratio as a sophomore in 2023, a 6.8-yard average and 59.9% completion rate accompanied it. Allar improved on his completion percentage and Y/A numbers in 2024, submitting 66.5 and 8.4 figures in those categories, but his stock dropped over the course of his college career.
ESPN’s Scouts Inc. ranks Allar 129th overall and fifth among QBs — behind Fernando Mendoza, Simpson, Garrett Nussmeier and Carson Beck — while The Athletic’s Dane Brugler slots the Cleveland-area native fourth at the position. Allar, 22, profiles as a player who will likely slot in as a developmental option in 2026. With Kirk Cousins on the Raiders, it is likely no 2026 QB draftee will be a Week 1 starter. The Cards’ third- and fourth-round draft slots come in at 65th and 104th; their Round 5 choice arrives at No. 143.
The Cardinals have two bridge options in Gardner Minshew and Jacoby Brissett. The latter would make sense as a trade candidate given his ties to the previous offensive staff (Drew Petzing coached him in Cleveland and Arizona), while Minshew joined to work with Mike LaFleur. I mentioned in the latest Trade Rumors Front Office piece how Monti Ossenfort‘s early GM work (15-36 through three seasons) would stand to leave him on shaky ground. It may not be a lock the GM remains in place for 2027, raising the stakes for his fourth Cardinals draft. After all, Ossenfort has not identified his own franchise-QB hopeful yet after keeping Steve Keim-era draftee/extension recipient Kyler Murray for three years.
While the Cards gave Keim and predecessor Rod Graves 10 years apiece in the GM position, Arizona struggling again in 2026 would certainly warm Ossenfort’s seat. Allar would seem more of a dart throw compared to Simpson, who would represent a true investment in the position, though the Cards eyeing the 2027 draft — where a more fruitful QB crop likely awaits — would make sense as well. Allar would allow the Cards to play both sides of the fence there.
Giants Still In Talks With Dexter Lawrence, Do Not View Draft As Deadline
The draft represents the second trade window on the NFL calendar, and an All-Pro recently made a request to be moved. The Giants have referred to Dexter Lawrence as a core player, but they have a decision to make — perhaps soon.
Joe Schoen confirmed a previous report the Giants are listening to offers for the veteran defensive tackle, via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo, but the fifth-year GM said (via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy) he is not treating the draft as a deadline to complete a deal. If the Giants were going to move on, it would expedite their John Harbaugh-headed overhaul if they collected prime draft capital for Lawrence this year. But the team is believed to still want him on Harbaugh’s first Big Blue roster.
[RELATED: Kayvon Thibodeaux Trade Talks Could Pick Up]
Harbaugh, Schoen and senior VP of football ops and strategy Dawn Aponte have engaged in talks with Lawrence over the past week, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan adds. That represents a promising chapter here, but a recent report indicated the Giants are not interested in extending Lawrence this offseason. Lawrence, 28, is coming off a down year — albeit one Schoen partially blamed on the elbow injury he sustained late in 2024 — and has two seasons left on the four-year, $90MM extension agreed to in 2023.
“We’d like for Dexter to be here and at some point we’ll come to a resolution here, whatever that may be. We’ll see,” Schoen said, via Garafolo. “I’m always going to pick up the phone. Maybe not to the (extent) that coach said last week that everybody is tradable. But that is my job as general manager, if teams call … to take into consideration what that looks like, what the compensation looks like, who the player is, how that affects the roster and then try to make the best decision off that.”
The Giants testing Lawrence’s resolve could lead to a minicamp absence and at least a training camp hold-in. The latter route, as opposed to a holdout, would not lead to fines. Hold-in measures typically take place by players in negotiations, but if the Giants are not planning to extend Lawrence this year, a plan to observe practices would lead to a distraction during Harbaugh’s first training camp with the team. Lawrence, who has fallen to 11th among interior D-linemen in terms of AAV, is due a nonguaranteed $18.5MM base salary this year.
The haul the Jets landed for Quinnen Williams — a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first and DT Mazi Smith — has come up regarding Lawrence, who earned All-Pro acclaim in 2022 and ’23 before a Pro Bowl 2024 slate that included a career-high nine sacks (in just 12 games). That might be a stretch given Lawrence’s down 2025 campaign and interest in a sizable pay raise. Chris Jones‘ $31.75MM-per-year deal leads DTs in AAV, with the next wave of interior D-linemen coming in south of $27MM per annum. Lawrence figures to at least be looking to bridge that gap, but it may take another year for the Giants to truly come to the table.
New York authorized an incentive package for Lawrence last year, and Harbaugh did not sound like he would appease a player who requested a trade. Lawrence returning to form under new DC Dennard Wilson would up his value ahead of the 2027 offseason, but the Clemson product making this stand now — before his 29th birthday — may be a wiser play than doing so next year (when he will turn 30). It just may be a while before a resolution arrives, and with Schoen losing considerable power this offseason, Harbaugh and Aponte’s views may matter more than the GM’s.
The Giants ranked 31st against the run last year with Lawrence suiting up for 17 games. They have been linked to adding D-linemen, and D.J. Reader visited Monday. But Lawrence will be quite difficult to replace — especially with this draft class not teeming with DT options. The Giants, who hold the No. 5 overall pick, will not be expected to address their D-line until at least Round 2.
It would surprise if Lawrence is moved by next week, with our Adam La Rose viewing Thibodeaux as the more likely player to be dealt this year. But Schoen making it clear he will listen does keep the door open to Harbaugh (who now holds the personnel hammer) deciding to add assets ahead of his first Giants draft.