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.
NFL Mailbag: Rodgers, Steelers, Trades, Cowboys, Sadiq, Lawrence, Giants
In this week's edition of the PFR Mailbag, one of the league's most notable unresolved quarterback situations is addressed. Questions regarding the Cowboys, the top of the draft order as well as the Giants' looming trade decision are also answered.
Ken asks:
At what point do the Steelers quit letting Aaron Rodgers hold the franchise hostage?
The short answer is whenever Rodgers retires. It seems increasingly likely that point will come after the 2026 season; there wouldn’t be such a nonchalant approach to the quarterback position from the team this spring otherwise.
Cardinals’ Jacoby Brissett Seeking Starter-Level Extension
The Cardinals signed Gardner Minshew last month, adding a second bridge quarterback after signing Jacoby Brissett in 2025. Brissett worked as Arizona’s primary starter last season, with Kyler Murray shut down with a foot injury. Murray’s release clears the way for a Brissett-Minshew competition.
Monti Ossenfort declined to name a starter when asked this week, and the fourth-year GM cautioned (via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport) the team would “see how the room looks in August” when addressing the situation. Soon after, Brissett is staying away from Cardinals voluntary workouts for contract reasons. The veteran is seeking an extension that pays him as the Cards’ starter, Rapoport adds.
Arizona gave Brissett a two-year, $12.5MM deal in 2025. That contract reunited Brissett with then-Cardinals OC Drew Petzing, who coached the QB in Cleveland. Petzing is now the Lions’ OC, leaving after Jonathan Gannon‘s firing, though Ossenfort was onboard when the Cards added Brissett. Arizona was closely linked to reuniting new HC Mike LaFleur with Jimmy Garoppolo, but negotiations broke down. That led to Minshew signing a one-year, $5.75MM deal.
Minshew’s contract comes nearly fully guaranteed, while only $1.5MM in guarantees remain on Brissett’s pact. The latter wants an update, and Rapoport adds the Cardinals seem amenable to making some sort of adjustment.
Brissett, 33, started 12 games last season; the Cardinals went 1-11 in those contests during a 3-14 season. Brissett did have the offense in better form than Murray did during his brief 2025 work, throwing 23 touchdown passes compared to eight interceptions and completing 64.9% of his throws. Averaging 7.1 yards per attempt, Brissett ranked 24th in QBR. That was fifth-worst among qualified passers last season.
This is team No. 6 for Brissett, a Patriots draftee who later suited up for the Colts, Dolphins, Browns and Commanders. New England brought Brissett back as a bridge to Drake Maye in 2024. Brissett has not been tied to a contract worth more than $8MM per year since the Colts extended him in 2019. That deal brought a $20MM guarantee at signing, as Indianapolis needed Brissett to (again) assume the controls after Andrew Luck news changed the equation. Brissett started most of the 2017 season in Indianapolis — as Luck missed all of that campaign because of a shoulder injury — and took over again after the franchise QB’s shocking 2019 retirement. The Colts, however, signed Philip Rivers in 2020; that set Brissett on a nomadic course through the QB2 ranks.
The 2022 and ’25 seasons, though, did give Brissett extended starter looks. Prior to Murray’s injury, Deshaun Watson‘s 11-game suspension gave Brissett a lengthy run as the Browns’ starter. It will be interesting to see if the Cardinals accommodate the older of their two stopgap options, but increased buzz about Ty Simpson is emerging. After a report earlier today indicated an Arizona trade-up back into Round 1 — presumably from its No. 34 spot — is in play, NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah noted a Simpson-to-Arizona path “feels inevitable.”
It would seem either Brissett or Minshew would be a trade candidate if the Cardinals are the Simpson team. I’ve predicted Simpson to Arizona in recent PFR chats, as Ossenfort going four drafts without identifying his own signal-caller may be risky. The Cardinals are 15-36 in the GM’s three seasons on the job, and while the team waiting on a more promising 2027 QB crop may be appealing, its current GM may be on a hot seat after last year’s 3-14 stumble.
A one-year starter at Alabama, Simpson would seemingly be in need of some grooming. Would the Cardinals need both Brissett and Minshew in the event they draft the polarizing prospect? The Giants kept both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston after drafting Jaxson Dart, so recent precedent does exist for the two-mentor approach. Brissett receiving a raise on an extension, however, would leave Minshew in a strange position weeks after signing with the team. Brissett’s status will be a storyline to monitor, and a Simpson investment could change the organization’s plans here.
Coveted 2027 Draft Picks May Complicate Draft Day Trades
We’re days away from the 2026 NFL Draft, and rumors indicate that the first round of the event has the potential to be wild with several teams eager to trade up, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, and multiple teams willing to move back. Schultz goes on to say, though, that trade agreements may be difficult to reach as teams appear to be overly attached to their top 2027 NFL Draft picks.
Now, this far out, any trade conversations are mostly going to be preliminary; unless an organization is trading up to Nos. 2 or 3, an element of surprise is crucial in making sure the teams they’re trading past don’t have an opportunity to get back in front of them. Once Thursday rolls around, tunes may change as the intensity of the moment drives up adrenaline, but right now, there’s a serious lack of interest in relinquishing a first-round pick for next year. Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post posits that an elite upcoming draft class is the cause for hesitation.
Similar claims were made in the run up to and aftermath of the 2025 NFL Draft, when QB-needy teams stayed conservative, trusting that the talent of the 2026 class would be much improved from the group that produced only two first-round rookie passers. A year later, after disappointing campaigns for LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Texas’ Arch Manning, and Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, the 2026 class will likely only produce one Day 1 QB. If Alabama’s Ty Simpson is able to sneak into the first round, then this year’s class will match the class it was meant to outperform.
The entire 2026 draft class (not just quarterbacks) has been largely viewed as thin, so Dunleavy’s assertion that teams are looking to hold out for a potentially deeper class next year is starting to sound like an eerily similar song. Dunleavy specifically noted 13 players expected to lead this talented group. One of them is a player that was supposed to be leading this year’s prospect pool, so highlighting them again here shows an impressive lack of superstition.
Once again, Manning is the first name mentioned. After initially exciting with flashes of potential playing alongside starter Quinn Ewers, Manning’s first year as the starter got off to a rough start. He turned things around as the season ground on, and he carries strong momentum into next year. Dunleavy also mentioned Oregon’s Dante Moore and Ole Miss sensation Trinidad Chambliss. Both passers were initially expected to give Simpson a run for QB2 honors in this year’s draft before opting to return for another year of college.The last quarterback mentioned was Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, who will be newly eligible for the draft after the completion of his redshirt sophomore season.
The wide receivers of the 2027 class will also generate enormous expectations leading up to their potential final seasons of college ball. Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has been the expected WR1 of this class since his first game in Columbus. Though the Buckeyes produced first-round pass catcher Emeka Egbuka in 2025, and Carnell Tate is currently projected to be WR1 of this year’s crop, Smith has been the dominant WR1 of the Ohio State receiving corps both years. His receiving stats of the past two seasons, totaling 163 receptions, 2,558 yards, and 27 touchdowns, dwarfed the contributions that made his teammates first-rounders.
Smith is joined by Alabama’s Ryan Williams and new Longhorns wide receiver Cam Coleman. Williams showed brilliance in his true freshman year with the Crimson Tide but suffered a sophomore slump no one saw coming. If he can regain his dominance from 2024, he’ll easily work himself into first-round consideration. Coleman has shown increasing potential in two years at Auburn. A final season in Austin with Manning will give him a chance to enter Day 1 talks, as well.
Oregon tight end Jamari Johnson is already being touted as a potentially better prospect than this year’s expected first-round tight end out of Eugene, Kenyon Sadiq. The transfer from Louisville is looking to help enter the Ducks into TEU conversations. Lastly for the offense, Dunleavy highlighted Texas offensive tackle Trevor Goolsby, who has played on both sides of the line and allowed just one sack in 2025.
On defense, Dunleavy has listed edge rushers Colin Simmons from Texas and Dylan Stewart from South Carolina, defensive tackle David Stone out of Oklahoma, and cornerback Leonard Moore from Notre Dame. Simmons has led the Longhorns defense in sacks in each of his two years in Austin, totaling 21.0. Stewart hasn’t been as dominant for the Gamecocks, but his 11.0 career sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss in two seasons show just how disruptive he can be.
Stone exploded onto the scene for the Sooners in 2025, recording 8.5 tackles for loss to go along with 1.5 sacks. Moore impressed as a freshman for the Fighting Irish with 11 passes defensed, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles then kept going with five interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), seven passes defensed, and another forced fumble en route to All-American honors in Year 2.
Based on our crystal clear hindsight, let’s promise not to anoint anyone too early. Most of the 13 incredibly talented student athletes above were underclassmen this past year. If they continue their meteoric trajectory, they’ll get their flowers throughout the pre-draft process next year. If they fail to live up to the loftiest of expectations, though, they are still young, and should have the grace of every year of their amateur eligibility before final judgements are placed on them. Regardless, it appears teams will think twice before giving up the ability to be in position to draft one of these names next year.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/17/26
Today’s only minor NFL moves:
Green Bay Packers
- Waived (with injury designation): LB Jamon Johnson
- Waived: TE McCallan Castles, CB Tyron Herring
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived: G Cooper Hodges
The Packers have cleared up some roster space just six days before the NFL draft. Herring and Johnson signed with the team as undrafted free agents just under a year ago, while Castles did the same with the Eagles in 2024 and found his way to Green Bay this past November.
A 2023 seventh-round pick for the Jaguars, Hodges spent his rookie season on injured reserve. He made his NFL debut as a backup in the 2024 season before getting called into starting action in a Week 9 trip to Philadelphia. During the first and only NFL start of his career so far, Hodges suffered a season-ending knee injury and spent the 2025 season on IR, as well.
Broncos Still View TE Evan Engram As Key Piece
The Broncos outflanked the Chargers to sign Evan Engram last March, giving the former Pro Bowler a two-year, $23MM contract. Denver did not see desired results from that deal, as Engram and Bo Nix were not often on the same page.
But the 10th-year veteran remains on the Broncos’ roster. Denver was believed to be in on Dallas Goedert, but he re-signed with the Eagles. David Njoku remains unsigned, potentially needing to wait until the post-compensatory formula free agency wave post-draft. As of now, the Broncos are still planning to have Engram back. The 31-year-old pass catcher remains a key piece for the team, Sean Payton said (via the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson).
Nix found Engram for 50 receptions for 461 yards and a touchdown last season, but he did not become a steady presence for the team. Courtland Sutton ventured to his second Pro Bowl, and second-year receiver Troy Franklin showed growth en route to becoming the Broncos’ No. 2 target. Denver has since acquired Jaylen Waddle in a blockbuster trade. The defending AFC West champs are not planning to deal from their suddenly deep receiving corps, either, planning to retain both Marvin Mims and Pat Bryant. Payton’s pass-catching arsenal is now crowded.
To bring Engram to Denver last year, the Broncos gave him $16.5MM guaranteed at signing. Of the former Giants and Jaguars pass catcher’s $10.99MM 2026 base salary, $5MM is guaranteed. I identified Engram as a possible cut candidate ahead of free agency, but the Broncos did not add any veterans. They have met with a few rookie options, bringing in Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers, Ohio State’s Max Klare and NC State’s Justin Joly on “30” visits.
The Broncos could jettison Engram after June 1 and save $6.47MM; cutting him now makes little sense, as it would bring $10.33MM in dead cap. Without a young pass-catching option at tight end, the Broncos probably need to come out of the draft with one. Engram will turn 32 in September and is unsigned beyond 2026. Engram staying on as a bridge option of sorts would make sense, as the Broncos still have Nix on a rookie contract. But this will probably be Engram’s last year in Denver, if he indeed is rostered come Week 1.