Bears To Add Another C?
The Bears made a concerted effort to address their center position this offseason, and according to Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune, they’re not done yet. 
After seeing their starting center, Drew Dalman, retire at the age of 27, the Bears started their offseason aggressive, getting in the race to sign the top free agent center, Tyler Linderbaum, out of Baltimore. When the price of that transaction grew beyond their sights, Chicago quickly moved on to Plan B: trading for Patriots center Garrett Bradbury.
Bradbury will fill the role well, but he only has one year remaining on his current contract. Because of this, Biggs believes the Bears could be looking to add once more to the center spot, this time through the 2026 NFL Draft. Two weeks ago, Biggs reported that the Bears had sent a large contingent to the pro day at Kansas State. Per Biggs, the team’s focus was on the Wildcats’ center, Sam Hecht.
Hecht is widely viewed as one of the top center prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, and with the rate that centers usually go in the draft, there’s a chance Chicago could end up getting Hecht with any of their four draft picks in the first two days, anywhere from No. 25 overall to No. 89. With Bradbury already locked in for the year, this would allow Hecht to sit and develop for a year or get some practice at the other interior positions to develop some versatility until taking over the center job in 2027.
The Bears saw their young quarterback, Caleb Williams, take a big step forward in Year 2 and are now looking to build around him, starting with the man snapping him the ball. Bradbury works for the day, but Chicago may have tomorrow in sight as it continues to evaluate the draft prospects at his position.
WR Denzel Boston To Visit Steelers
The Steelers made a notable receiver addition when they acquired and extended former Colt Michael Pittman Jr. on March 9. Despite landing Pittman, the Steelers could also make a significant investment at the position in April’s draft. Washington receiver Denzel Boston, a potential first-round pick, will visit the Steelers in April, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reports.
This will be the second summit between Boston and Pittsburgh, who met at the Combine in February. The 22-year-old has also booked visits with the Browns and 49ers since then. Those teams own firsts near the bottom of the round, as do the Steelers (No. 21). With Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com and Dane Brugler of The Athletic each ranking Boston as the 25th-best prospect in this class, there is a strong possibility he will come off the board in the late first or early second.
In the Steelers’ case, drafting the 6-foot-4, 212-pound Boston would give them a trio of 6-4 receivers atop their depth chart. Boston would join Pittman and D.K. Metcalf to catch passes from a to-be-determined quarterback. Last year’s starter, Aaron Rodgers, remains a free agent, but the Steelers are holding out hope he will continue his career at age 42 in 2026. In the event Rodgers returns, he could work with a vastly improved receiving corps if the Steelers add Boston or another high-end prospect to team with Pittman and Metcalf. Although the Steelers went 10-7 and won the AFC North in 2025, they did so despite a down year from Metcalf and a lackluster group of receivers behind him.
There are concerns over Boston’s speed, especially after he skipped the 40-yard dash at the Combine and his pro day, but he is considered a sure-handed red zone threat. After languishing behind the likes of Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan, Ja’Lynn Polk and Germie Bernard in his first two seasons at Washington, Boston took on a much bigger role in the Huskies’ offense in 2024. Over 13 games that year, Boston racked up 63 catches for 834 yards and nine touchdowns. In a 12-game junior season last year, Boston easily led the Huskies in receptions (62), yards (881) and TDs (11) en route to third-team All-Big Ten honors.
WR Carnell Tate Lines Up Five Visits
Having already met with the Browns, Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate has lined up several more visits in advance of the 2026 NFL Draft. Tate said he will meet with the Titans, Saints, Commanders, Giants and Chiefs, per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.
All of the above teams have a need at receiver and are set to pick in the top 10, which is prime territory for Tate. The latest prized Ohio State receiver prospect, the 6-foot-2, 192-pound Tate is poised to follow other recent Buckeyes wideouts like Emeka Egbuka, Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave in coming off the board in the first round.
The Buckeyes’ receiving corps was so strong during Tate’s three-year run on the team that he was never the No. 1 option. When Tate broke in as a freshman in 2023, Harrison and Egbuka were atop the depth chart. Tate caught just 18 passes in 13 games that year. Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith were ahead of Tate in the pecking order in his sophomore season, a national title-winning campaign, but he notched 52 receptions for 733 yards and four touchdowns in 15 games. Closing out his college career last year, Tate played second fiddle to Smith and secured 51 catches for 875 yards and nine scores in 11 games. The sure-handed Tate did not drop a pass in 2025, per Pro Football Focus.
“You watch his route running and his body control, and tell me that’s not Justin Jefferson at LSU,” an NFC area scout told Matt Miller of ESPN.
That’s a lofty comparison, but with Tate considered an elite prospect, the club that drafts him will bank on adding someone capable of making a Jefferson-like impact. If he goes to Tennessee at No. 4, Tate would team with the newly signed Wan’Dale Robinson as the top receivers for second-year quarterback Cam Ward. Tate would pair with another Ohio State product in New Orleans (No. 8; Olave) or Washington (No. 7; Terry McLaurin). If the Giants take Tate at No. 5, it would give them another blue-chip receiver alongside Malik Nabers. As the sixth pick in 2024, Nabers excelled as a rookie, but a torn ACL limited him to four games last season.
Meanwhile, despite investing heavily in the receiver position in recent drafts, the Chiefs arguably lack a No. 1 wideout. 2022 second-rounder Skyy Moore is off the roster; 2023 second-rounder Rashee Rice has been productive when healthy, but he has dealt with injuries and serious off-field issues; and 2024 first-rounder Xavier Worthy was a complementary target in his first two seasons. If the Chiefs choose Tate ninth overall, they would expect the 21-year-old to emerge as Patrick Mahomes‘ first star receiver since they traded Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins in 2022.
Commanders To Host Miami CB Keionte Scott For 30 Visit
The Commanders entered the 2025 offseason with a major need in cornerback. Most of the top available free agents have already found new homes, so Washington will likely need to target the position in the draft.
LSU All-American Mansoor Delane has flown up draft boards after a standout 2025 season and a blazing 4.35-second 40-yard dash at his Pro Day (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). He could be an option for the Commanders’ first-round pick (No. 7 overall), but Washington could also wait until Day 2 to address the cornerback position.
In that case, Miami’s Keionte Scott could be a prospect to watch. The Commanders are set to host the 5-foot-11 cornerback on a 30 visit, per Ryan Fowler of Commanding the Huddle. The team does not have a second-round pick this year as a result of the Laremy Tunsil trade, but they could use their third-rounder (No. 70 overall) on Scott to add a plug-and-play slot cornerback to their depleted secondary.
Injuries impacted the unit last year, resulting in four players taking more than 400 snaps on the boundary, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required): Mike Sainristil, Marshon Lattimore, Trey Amos, and Jonathan Jones. Sainristil also led the team in slot snaps with Noah Igbinoghene serving as the No. 2 nickel.
Of that group, only Sainristil and Amos remain. The Commanders signed Amik Robertson in free agency, so Sainristil could take up nickel duties again. Alternatively, they could draft Scott, an electric athlete who showcased his speed and explosiveness at Miami’s Pro Day on Monday. He posted a sub-4.4-second 40-yard dash (via NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe) and brings good length (31.375-inch arms) to the cornerback position despite his below-average height.
Scott broke out in 2025 with a 89.6 grade, the 10th-highest among college cornerbacks, according to PFF, and capped his season off with a defensive MVP performance in the Fiesta Bowl. He posted five sacks, 13 tackles for loss, five passes defended, and two interceptions, both of which he returned for touchdowns (an FBS-high). He primarily played in the slot in Miami, where his short area burst and physical play can impact offenses in a variety of ways. Scott’s is an older prospect – he will be 25 by the start of his rookie year – but that also brings maturity and leadership. He needs to improve his technique and anticipation, no small concerns given his age and experience, but he has all of the pieces to be an impactful nickel in the NFL.
DT Kayden McDonald Books Several Pre-Draft Visits
We are now in “30” visit season, and this year’s draft runup will feature a host of Ohio State products making such travel plans. Next month’s event could see four Buckeyes — Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs and Carnell Tate — go in the top 10. Another of the Big Ten power’s recent standouts is on the first-round radar as well.
Several teams are set to determine Kayden McDonald‘s draft stock, with the defensive tackle indicating (via SI.com’s Justin Melo) the Bears, Bengals, Commanders, Dolphins, Patriots, Raiders, Ravens and Texans have scheduled visits.
Like in free agency, this draft is not viewed as particularly strong at the position. The dearth of FA options led to a John Franklin-Myers Titans windfall. This draft’s hierarchy at the position is still taking shape, but as it stands, Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board does not include a DT among its top 32 prospects. A few sit just outside that range, however, with McDonald (39th) joining Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter (34), Clemson’s Peter Woods (35) and Florida’s Caleb Banks (36) among those vying to be the first player at the position to come off the board.
A first-team All-American in 2025, McDonald broke through in his junior Buckeyes season by making nine tackles for loss and registering three sacks. Profiling as a power rusher and run-stuffing presence, the disruptive D-lineman weighed 326 pounds at the Combine. He will be of interest to many teams who did not see a deep pool emerge at the position in free agency.
McDonald only has one season featuring notable production, with his 2024 slate — as the Buckeyes stormed to a national championship — only including 1.5 TFLs and no sacks. The bulk of the teams who have scheduled meetings with McDonald use a 4-3 scheme; Ohio State primarily used a 4-2-5 setup during McDonald’s three-year run. Field Yates’ latest NFL mock draft sends McDonald to the Raiders, who will continue using a 3-4 alignment in base sets, at No. 36.
Although the past four drafts have seen a DT go off the board in the top 16, the 2021 class did not bring a first-round investment at the position. It will be interesting to see how teams view this crop, one that may not see a top-20 pick this year.
49ers To Host WR Denzel Boston
The 49ers have made a pair of notable receiver additions this month. Mike Evans and Christian Kirk are now in the fold, but that has not stopped the team for looking into one of the position’s top draft prospects.
Denzel Boston is visiting San Francisco today, ESPN’s Field Yates notes. This comes not long after he met with the Browns as part of what will prove to be a busy pre-draft process. An early draft investment at the WR spot would certainly add further to the changes in the 49ers’ case this offseason.
Brandon Aiyuk‘s future is unclear, but it is widely understood he will not play for the team again. Jauan Jennings remains unsigned, meanwhile, and he is expected to play elsewhere in 2026. Trent Taylor is also a free agent at this time, while Kendrick Bourne departed on the open market. Even with Evans and Kirk in the fold, a long-term commitment to a wideout via the draft could therefore be sensible.
San Francisco is slated to select 27th overall in next month’s event. Several of the top receiver prospects – such as Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, Jordyn Tyson and Omar Cooper Jr. – will be off the board by that point, but Boston (ranked 20th on The Athletic’s consensus board) may still be available. The Washington product scored 20 touchdowns across the past two seasons, and expectations will be high for him in the red zone in particular upon entering the NFL.
The 49ers also have one second-round selection and four in the fourth round. The team will have options on Day 2 and 3 to bring in a wideout as a result. Nevertheless, it would come as little surprise if San Francisco continued to use a number of the team’s allotted top 30 visits on some of the most prominent WR prospects in the 2026 class.
Dolphins To Host DL Rueben Bain
Rueben Bain was one of the main attractions at Miami’s Pro Day on Monday. His attention will now turn to pre-draft visits, including one in a familiar setting. 
Bain is set to meet with the Dolphins today, as detailed by Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. The rebuilding team approaches next month’s draft with a long list of positional needs for new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley to sort through. It comes as no surprise Bain is among the prospects who will receive a look during the evaluation process.
Over the course of his three seasons with the Hurricanes, Bain was an impactful presence along the edge. He set career highs in sacks (9.5), tackles for loss (15.5) and overall stops (54) this past season. That production helped lead Miami to the national championship game, with the team’s pass rush in particular driving its College Football Playoff success. Bain earned ACC Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-American honors in 2025.
Production is not an issue in his case, but concerns have been raised about his arm length. Bain measured 30 7/8 inches at the Combine, a mark well below average for NFL pass rushers. At least some evaluators may be less worried on that front than others, though, something which helps Bain’s chances of remaining one of the top prospects in the 2026 class. A top-10 selection will be something to watch for, particularly if doubts about his ability to remain productive in the NFL are quelled over the coming weeks.
The Dolphins own pick No. 11, which may be too late for Bain to be within reach depending on how the top of the board shakes out during the opening round of the draft. Miami has plenty of other notable draft capital as things stand, however, including Denver’s top selection (No. 30) thanks to the Jaylen Waddle trade. A move up the order would not be difficult to pull off given Miami’s collection of five Day 2 picks.
Of course, the Dolphins have plenty of other options to consider with their top selections as they seek out needed improvements across the board. Their pass rush depth chart is currently topped by Chop Robinson and includes free agent signings Josh Uche and David Ojabo. A notable addition via the draft would make plenty of sense, and Bain figures to be one of the options receiving consideration from Miami.
Chargers, Bills, Patriots Book Visits With Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion
As a potential first-round pick, Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion is drawing considerable interest leading up to April’s NFL draft. The Dolphins booked a visit with the 21-year-old Concepcion last week. The Chargers, Bills and Patriots are also on the list, per reports from Ryan Fowler of Commanding The Huddle and Mike Giardi of Boston Sports Journal.
Concepcion began his college career at NC State, where he got off to a scintillating start in 2023. As a true freshman, the 5-foot-11, 190-pounder secured 71 catches for 839 yards and 10 touchdowns over 13 games. He was also a threat on the ground, where he accrued 320 rushing yards on 41 attempts (7.8 per carry). Thanks to his dual-threat prowess, Concepcion was the ACC Rookie of the Year and a second-team all-conference performer.
Concepcion’s numbers dipped the next season, in which he pulled in 53 catches for 460 yards and six scores in 12 games. He also didn’t pose much of a threat as a rusher; despite adding two more TDs, he ran for just 36 yards on 19 attempts in his last year as a member of the Wolfpack.
Concepcion was primarily a slot receiver at NC State. Wanting to broaden his horizons, he transferred to Texas A&M last year.The decision paid off for Concepcion, whose stock is high in the wake of a consensus All-America and All-SEC campaign.
While Concepcion continued to line up in the slot with the Aggies, he also got some work on the outside and made a major impact on special teams. As a receiver, Concepcion amassed 61 catches for 919 yards (a career-high 15.1 YPC) and an SEC-best nine touchdowns. He logged a mere 10 carries, but with 75 yards and another TD, he made the most of his few opportunities in that department. After returning just five punts at NC State, Concepcion took back 25 last year. In finding the end zone twice and averaging 18.2 yards per return, Concepcion posted excellent results.
Los Angeles (No. 22), Buffalo (26) and New England (31) are all on track to pick near the bottom of the first round, where Concepcion could come off the board. Interestingly, all three teams are among a handful of clubs on Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown‘s wish list for a potential trade, but nobody has caved to Philadelphia’s demands yet. A Brown trade may not occur until at least June (if at all). With the draft long over by then, teams will have a better idea of whether to pursue Brown in the summer.
The Chargers have receivers Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and 2025 second-rounder Tre Harris under contract for next season. However, Johnston only has a year left on his rookie contract, and Keenan Allen remains a free agent.
The Bills have already spent this year’s second-rounder on veteran wideout D.J. Moore, whom they acquired from the Bears earlier this month. But their receiving corps isn’t especially strong beyond Moore and slot target Khalil Shakir. General manager Brandon Beane could double down on upgrading the area by using his first two selections on Concepcion and Moore.
Meanwhile, although the Patriots handed Romeo Doubs a four-year, $68MM contract in free agency, the former Packer has never performed like a No. 1 receiver. The AFC champion Pats released their most productive wideout from last season, Stefon Diggs, leaving room for another significant addition. As things stand, Doubs, Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams comprise New England’s top five receivers. We’ll find out in a month if Concepcion will join the group.
Penn State G Vega Ioane Visits Eagles
Although left guard Landon Dickerson and right tackle Lane Johnson are putting off retirement for at least another year, it would behoove the Eagles to have succession plans in place. Cognizant that Dickerson and/or Johnson could be gone by 2027, the Eagles may address the offensive line as early as the first round of April’s draft, according to Zach Berman of The Athletic.
Penn State guard Vega Ioane, among the premier prospects in this year’s class, may be a solution for the Eagles. The team hosted Ioane at its facility on Monday, Berman reports. The Eagles are set to pick 23rd overall. Ioane looks like a logical candidate for their top selection, though he could be off the board by then. With that in mind, general manager Howie Roseman might have to trade up.
Notably, Roseman has not drafted an offensive lineman in the first round since the ill-fated decision to take Andre Dillard 22nd overall in 2019. Dillard, a former tackle, made just nine starts in three years with the Eagles.
While Dillard was an obvious misfire, Roseman was at the helm for the eminently successful selections of the Eagles’ current starting line. Dickerson (second round, 2021), Johnson (first round, 2013), left tackle Jordan Mailata (seventh round, 2018) and center Cam Jurgens (second round, 2022) have all been hits. Roseman also spent a 2023 third-rounder on right guard Tyler Steen, a 17-game starter last year.
If Ioane ends up in Philadelphia, he could either push Steen for a starting job or begin as depth behind him and Dickerson. Although Dickerson is just 27, the three-time Pro Bowler has grown weary of a long line of injuries and surgeries dating to his college career. The Eagles removed a year from Dickerson’s contract earlier this month, giving them two more seasons of control. Dickerson may not last that long, though, given how seriously he considered retirement this winter.
A potential long-term successor to Dickerson, the 6-foot-4, 330-pound Ioane was a full-time starter at left guard for the past two years. After earning a second-team All-Big Ten nod in 2024, Ioane took home first-team all-conference and first-team All-America honors last season. He went back-to-back years without allowing a sack, per Pro Football Focus. In ranking Ioane the 13th-best prospect in the 2026 class, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com contends that he will “be an impact starter from Day 1.” Perhaps that prediction will come true in Philadelphia.
Georgia LT Monroe Freeling Generating Considerable Buzz; Browns A Possible Landing Spot, Could Trade Down
Since left tackle is a premium position, the top collegiate LTs in a given class frequently hear their names called in the first hour of the NFL draft. This year should be no different, and Miami’s Francis Mauigoa and Utah’s Spencer Fano have long been viewed as possible top-10 selections in April’s event.
But as the aptly-named Austin Mock of The Athletic (subscription required) details, Georgia’s Monroe Freeling has forced his way into the conversation. Per Mock, Freeling was a standout in February’s scouting combine, whereas Fano’s measurements were somewhat disappointing. Plus, Mauigoa and Fano have been unable to separate from each other, giving Freeling a legitimate chance to be the first offensive tackle off the board.
Freeling worked as a backup during his first season in Athens in 2023, and he was only inserted into the starting lineup as an injury replacement towards the end of the 2024 slate. However, he was anointed the starting left tackle heading into 2025, and he made the most of his opportunity, securing Second Team All-SEC honors and helping the Bulldogs to an SEC championship and a place in the CFP quarterfinals.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein believes Freeling has ideal length and athleticism for a right tackle, though it presently appears as if teams think he will be able to stick on the left side at the professional level. His limited action as a full-time starter suggests he will have some technical issues to address, but his quickness, athletic upside, and the fact that he showed considerable improvement as the 2025 season went on are all reasons to believe he can reach his high ceiling.
The Browns profile as an obvious landing spot. In a recent mock draft published by The Athletic (subscription required), Browns beat Zac Jackson acknowledged the buzz growing around Freeling and opined that Cleveland will select the 6-7, 315-lb blocker with the No. 6 overall pick (Mauigoa was mocked to the Cardinals at No. 3, and Fano was mocked to the Dolphins at No. 11).
Since they employ both Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, the Browns’ quarterback situation consistently generates a great deal of attention. Regardless of whom Cleveland taps as its QB in 2026 and beyond, the team will need to improve that player’s protection, particularly on the blind side. A true franchise left tackle is not a guarantee for future success (see: Joe Thomas), but it is nonetheless a critical part of a quality roster.
In Jackson’s view, Freeling’s athletic traits are similar to those that GM Andrew Berry has sought out in prior drafts. That said, Jackson indicates Berry – who also holds the No. 24 overall pick from last year’s draft-day trade with the Jaguars – is open to trading down from No. 6.
Although the Browns boasted a strong defense in 2025, they were unable to get their offense on track and posted a disappointing 5-12 record. Berry has a lot of work to do to return Cleveland to playoff contention, and while his quarterback plan will of course be instrumental in achieving that goal, it also makes sense for him to add as much cost-controlled talent to the club as possible.
The Browns also have been heavily linked to this year’s best WR prospects. In a trade-down scenario, the team could acquire additional draft capital while still landing a tackle like Freeling or Fano as well as a receiver like Jordyn Tyson or Denzel Boston.