Jeremiyah Love On Cardinals’ Radar?
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).
Dolphins RB De’Von Achane Absent For Start Of Voluntary Workouts
The Dolphins are in the early stages of a major rebuild, but new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has identified running back De’Von Achane as a long-term building block. The Dolphins aim to extend Achane, but with no deal in place, he was not present for the first day of voluntary workouts on Tuesday. Achane’s absence was related to his desire for a new contract, C. Isaiah Smalls II of the Miami Herald reports.
As a 2023 third-round pick, Achane’s production has vastly outweighed his salary during his three-year career. Based on that, he has an obvious case for a significant raise this offseason. The Texas A&M product thrived under former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as both a runner and pass catcher. He has averaged a whopping 5.6 yards per carry on 544 attempts, caught 172 passes and racked up 35 touchdowns (22 rushing, 13 receiving) 44 games into his NFL career.
While little went right for Miami during a seven-win 2025 campaign, McDaniel’s last at the helm, Achane was a rare bright spot. The 24-year-old surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the first time, going for 1,350 on 238 carries (5.7 YPC), added a team-high 67 receptions for another 488 yards (7.3 average), and totaled 12 TDs (eight on the ground, four receiving). Achane, who ranked sixth in all-purpose yards (1,838) and 12th in scores, earned his first Pro Bowl nod.
Achane is currently due to earn $5.77M in 2026, but if a deal comes together, Smalls points to the extension the Bills’ James Cook signed last summer as a potential comp. Then heading into his fourth season, Cook inked a four-year, $48MM pact. He now ranks third at his position in total value and in guarantees ($28.82MM), though his average salary checks in lower (10th). As Smalls notes, Cook is likely to drop down the list if backs like the Falcons’ Bijan Robinson, the Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs, the Jets’ Breece Hall and the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor land new deals in the coming months.
With the price for running backs rising, it would behoove the Dolphins to lock up Achane sooner than later. For now, rookie Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley seems unconcerned. Hafley expressed confidence on Tuesday that the two sides will “work it out.”
Mark Davis Did Not Want Raiders To Trade OLB Maxx Crosby
Either the Raiders are in a holding pattern with Maxx Crosby, waiting until the trade window that reopens through the draft annually to accept another offer, or they are truly prepared to move forward with a player they were ready to unload in a blockbuster.
The fallout from Baltimore’s nixing of a trade agreement has mostly brought quiet on the Crosby trade front. Teams like the Bears, Cowboys, Jaguars, Patriots and Seahawks have been tied to Crosby. The Bears, Jags and Cowboys were more aggressive during the initial trade derby — one thought to have ended with the Ravens’ offer of two first-round picks. Baltimore infamously backing out of the deal due to long-term concerns about Crosby’s health prompted a terse statement from the Raiders and a quick return to the team facility from Crosby.
Crosby had made a quiet trade request, as he wanted the Raiders to collect full value for him rather than create a situation where it became an impasse that potentially depressed his trade cost. (It is rather interesting that Crosby’s request became known after the Ravens agreement was done; that would seemingly change things for the Raiders if/when they talk to other teams about the ninth-year EDGE.)
Mark Davis, however, has long voiced a preference to retain Crosby. He did so at multiple trade deadlines, shutting down interest in his top player, and called Crosby “a great Raider” in February, indicating he wanted the All-Pro edge rusher to be “part of our success moving forward.”
Although Davis signed off on the Crosby-Ravens swap, the longtime owner said recently (via Raiders.com’s Paul Gutierrez) he “never wanted Maxx to leave.” That said, when asked if he could envision a scenario in which Crosby is dealt again, Davis said to “ask John [Spytek] and Maxx and Klint [Kubiak].”
The Patriots came up as a team that could circle back to Crosby, while Jerry Jones has said such a pursuit is unlikely (though, Jones did not slam the door shut there). Jacksonville now has two big-ticket contracts at the position, extending Travon Walker to join Josh Hines-Allen among the NFL’s top-12 highest-paid edge defenders. The Bears added Dayo Odeyingbo on a $16MM-per-year deal to accompany Montez Sweat but watched the ex-Colt suffer an Achilles tear in November.
New England lost K’Lavon Chaisson in free agency (to Washington) but added Dre’Mont Jones on a three-year, $36.5MM deal to play opposite Harold Landry. Jones does have an extensive past as an interior pass rusher, potentially keeping the door open for Crosby to join he and Landry in Foxborough. The Pats would seemingly balk at the idea of acquiring both Crosby and A.J. Brown due to the draft capital required to pull off those moves. This might be an either/or scenario.
Crosby, 28, is back rehabbing with a Raiders team he had wanted to leave. How the remaining lot of EDGE-needy teams address their respective issues in the draft could create a summer trade sweepstakes, a la the Micah Parsons or Khalil Mack derbies (each wrapped in August). It would stand to reason the Raiders would be interested in another trade, seeing as they were ready to move on.
For the time being, Crosby joins FA addition Kwity Paye, the re-signed Malcolm Koonce and underwhelming former top-10 pick Tyree Wilson with the Raiders. If a trade does not take place before the draft — and signs point to that indeed not happening — the August roster-setting date and the November trade deadline will be points on the calendar to monitor.
Some Teams View Denzel Boston As Top-Two WR In Class
Playing all four of his college seasons at Washington, Denzel Boston did not see much time during the then-Pac-12 program’s Michael Penix Jr. years. But Boston made a big leap over the past two seasons, with some teams viewing that jump as more impressive than mock drafters would seem to believe.
The consensus among the latter community has Carnell Tate and Makai Lemon residing as this draft class’ premier receiver prospects, with Jordyn Tyson regularly going off the board before Boston as well. But some teams view the big-bodied target this crop’s second- or third-best wideout, according to ESPN.com’s Peter Schrager.
Boston has been a regular on the “30” visit circuit, thus far meeting with the Browns, Commanders, Steelers and 49ers. With the exception of Washington (No. 7 overall), those teams hold first-round picks in the 20s (Cleveland holds Nos. 6 and 24). If anything, Boston’s stock may have been trending downward in recent days/weeks. ESPN.com’s previous mock draft placed the Huskies standout 35th, while Daniel Jeremiah’s most recent NFL.com mock draft also has Boston outside the first round. Schrager has him going 23rd to the Eagles, indicating Howie Roseman and Washington HC Jedd Fisch are longtime friends going back to college.
While an Eagles play for Boston could certainly signal they are ready to move on from A.J. Brown (at a high price) after June 1, Boston leapfrogging the likes of Lemon, Tyson or Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. — whom Jeremiah sends to the Jets at No. 16 — would mark a notable misevaluation from several prominent draft experts. Both Jeremiah and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.-Field Yates-Jordan Reid mock also have Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion going off the board before Boston as well.
Receiving Mike Evans and Courtland Sutton comps, Boston checked in at 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds at the Combine. He did not run the 40-yard dash. Boston followed an 834-yard, nine-touchdown sophomore season with an 881-yard, 11-TD junior slate. Boston’s catch radius will make him an attractive red zone threat at the next level, and he averaged 14.2 yards per reception last season.
Jeremiah’s big board places Tate sixth, Lemon 12th, Cooper 18th, Tyson 21st and Boston 27th. Tyson’s stock looks to be moving down a bit — at least, the most recent reporting indicates as such — as he no longer is hobnobbing near the Tate-Lemon tier. It will be interesting to see where Boston’s goes over the next two-plus weeks, as we remain in visit season.
Colts Aiming For Jalen Travis To Replace Braden Smith; Latest On Indianapolis S Situation
Braden Smith absences became an issue in Indianapolis in recent years, but the Colts had used the same primary right tackle for the past eight seasons. As they did when Ryan Kelly left as a 2025 free agent, the Colts will need to replace a long-running O-line starter.
Indianapolis promoted from within to fill Kelly’s post, inserting Tanor Bortolini into their lineup to start his second season. A similar plan exists post-Smith. The Texans gave Smith a two-year, $20MM contract that includes $13.5MM guaranteed at signing. The Colts are not looking to, as of now at least, to add a veteran. Instead, Fox59’s Mike Chappell notes second-year blocker Jalen Travis moving into the lineup at RT will be the goal.
The Colts drafted Travis in the 2025 fourth round, furthering the similarities between the Kelly succession plan and the one hatched to replace Smith. Indy added Bortolini in the 2024 fourth round and turned to him as a starter during Kelly injury absences that year. Travis played sparingly as a rookie before starting the final four Colts games, bringing a near-21-year age gap between center and quarterback when he snapped to Philip Rivers in three of those contests.
Transferring from Princeton to Iowa State, Travis played left tackle during his season with the Cyclones. He also worked on the blind side in his final season at the Ivy League program. Travis logged 61 LT snaps and 247 RT snaps as a Colts rookie. While he did not play enough to qualify as a regular, Pro Football Focus viewed the Day 3 draftee’s work favorably (via 72.2 grade that would have been good enough for 32nd among tackles).
Indy turned to two second-year blockers in 2025 — Bortolini and Matt Goncalves — as Will Fries also departed in free agency. Goncalves is a converted tackle, and Chappell adds he could be shifted back to the outside in the event Travis is not ready. That would leave a hole at right guard, where Goncalves played 949 snaps last season. For now, however, the Colts are planning to go with a rather tall right side of the O-line by aligning the 6-foot-6 Goncalves and the 6-8 Travis alongside one another.
The Colts also lost safety starter Nick Cross in free agency. This was to be expected, as the AFC South club has devoted considerable resources to strengthening its secondary in recent years. After authorizing a $10MM-per-year deal for Kenny Moore, the Colts won bidding wars for Charvarius Ward (three years, $54MM) and Camryn Bynum (4/60) in free agency last year. They then agreed on a trade that sent Sauce Gardner‘s four-year, $120.4MM extension over from New York. This spree of investments made it unrealistic Cross — a two-year starter — would stay. The Commanders signed Cross to a two-year, $13MM pact.
Indianapolis gave Jonathan Owens and Juanyeh Thomas low-cost deals, with Chappell indicating a competition is coming to fill Cross’ role. But each of the Colts’ top three decisionmakers — Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Chris Ballard, Shane Steichen — brought up 2025 seventh-round pick Hunter Wohler recently, per the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson, pointing to the Wisconsin alum having a real shot to make a big leap. Wohler joined fellow Colts 2025 DB draftee Justin Walley in missing all of last season due to a summer injury; Wohler went down with a Lisfranc issue, landing on IR in mid-August.
Wohler earned first-team All-Big Ten acclaim in 2023, making 120 tackles (5.5 for loss) and snaring two interceptions. Known a bit more for his Simone Biles marriage, Owens has been a spot starter for a while. The 30-year-old safety has made 35 career starts, including 17 for the Texans in 2022 and 16 for the Packers and Bears over the ensuing two seasons. Thomas, 25, has made four career starts. Dallas nontendered him as an RFA in March.
It would stand to reason the Colts would prefer Wohler, drafted to develop in Lou Anarumo‘s scheme last year, to commandeer the starting role. But this year’s draft will obviously be a place to monitor with regards to a Cross replacement as well.
HC Robert Saleh Praises Titans’ RB Group
The Titans have frequently been mentioned as a landing spot for Jeremiyah Love in the upcoming draft. Tennessee holds the fourth overall pick, so the team will likely have the opportunity to select the consensus top running back prospect.
Love is indeed among the players who have conducted a pre-draft visit with the Titans, and the Notre Dame product would offer a significant boost to their offense. On the other hand, Tennessee’s defense has been an area of focus during free agency. New head coach Robert Saleh has spoken about the upside to selecting one of the top edge rushers in this year’s class, and interest on that front has been shown recently through the decision to host several pass rush prospects.
The other factor being considered with respect to Love is Tennessee’s existing depth chart at the running back spot. Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears are both set to return in 2026. The same is also true of Julius Chestnut, while Blake Watson and Kalel Mullings are familiar faces for the Titans as well. Saleh recently spoke highly of that collection of backs when addressing the possibility of making a high draft investment in the backfield.
“I love our backfield; I love our running back room right now,” Saleh, the 49ers’ defensive coordinator in 2025, said (via the team’s website). “Pollard dropped over 100 on us [last season] so I think he’s pretty good. And then Spears has tremendous versatility as a three-down back and they both play with a physical mindset. … I’m a believer in our backfield and I think it’s a group that can help our team. I look at our running back room as one of the better ones in football.”
Of course, those remarks will not discount the possibility of Tennessee taking Love in the first round or making a less notable move at the position later on. Nevertheless, they point further toward Saleh’s preference being a defensive addition within the top five of the Day 1 order. An edge rusher such as David Bailey is likely to be an option at No. 4. Bringing in a receiver in the first round could also offer considerable value to a team which ranked 30th in total and scoring offense in 2025.
Saleh and general manager Mike Borgonzi will have a number of decisions to make over the coming days with Tennessee holding nine total selections in this year’s draft. It will be interesting to see how the team approaches the running back spot later this month.
Raiders To Re-Sign TE Ian Thomas
Ian Thomas signed with the Raiders last March, ending his lengthy run in Carolina. The veteran tight end is positioned for a second straight year in Vegas.
Thomas is re-signing on a one-year deal, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. This move will give the Raiders continuity at the position aside from Brock Bowers preparing for his third NFL season. Thomas handled a 36% snap share on offense during the 2025 campaign.
A similar depth/blocking workload can be expected moving forward. Thomas also chipped in on special teams during his debut season in Vegas, something he has done at times over the course of his career. Especially if Bowers – who was limited to 12 games in 2025 – can remain healthy next year, Thomas will no doubt be in line for a backup gig including third phase duties. The 29-year-old will nevertheless provide an experienced presence to an offense which will feature a number of new faces in 2026.
Thomas made 36 catches during his rookie season; that remains the high mark for his career. A major uptick in production or usage should of course not be expected for 2026. The former fourth-rounder caught each of his 13 targets this past year, however, so he could be viewed as a reliable depth option in the passing game with new head coach Klint Kubiak in the fold.
When he signed with Vegas last year, Thomas took a deal worth $1.52MM. This latest pact will presumably check in at a similar rate. The Raiders entered Tuesday with over $23MM in cap space, so bringing him back will not alter any other moves being planned in the build-up to the draft.
Patriots To Waive LB Marte Mapu
Marte Mapu‘s time in New England is set to come to an end. The fourth-linebacker has been informed the Patriots will be waiving him, ESPN’s Mike Reiss reports.
Mapu had one year remaining on his rookie contract, but the team will move on. He will now be subject to waivers shortly before the draft. It would come as a surprise if a claim were to be made in this case, so Mapu is in line for free agency beginning later this week. Today’s new comes after fellow linebacker Jahlani Tavai was also cut.
This decision will create $1.51MM in cap space for the Patriots while generating $262K in dead money. It will nevertheless leave New England in need of depth at the linebacker spot and on special teams. Mapu, a 2023 third-round pick, logged nine starts during his second season in the NFL. His role returned to that of a third phase regular with the arrival of head coach Mike Vrabel last year, though; Mapu handled a defensive snap share of just 12% in 2025 while logging a career-high 255 special teams snaps.
A similar workload will likely be in store for the 26-year-old on his next team. Mapu has made 44 regular-season appearances in his career to date, and he suited up for each of the Patriots’ playoff games en route to their Super Bowl appearance. It will be interesting to see if that experience helps him land a new deal in the coming days or if suitors circle back to Mapu following this month’s draft.
New England’s linebacker depth chart has seen a number of changes so far this offseason. Jack Gibbens departed in free agency, while K.J. Britt has been added. Robert Spillane, Christian Elliss, Chad Muma, Amari Gainer and Otis Reese are also in the fold at this time. With over $36MM in cap space (taking into account the savings from Muma’s cut) and 11 draft picks at their disposal, the Patriots will have ample opportunity to make further LB moves as the offseason progresses.
Giants’ Dexter Lawrence Requests Trade
Dexter Lawrence remains under contract with the Giants, but that may not be the case for much longer. The Pro Bowl defensive tackle has requested a trade, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
Lawrence will not attend New York’s offseason program, per Schefter. Since the Giants are among the teams which made a head coaching change this winter, their program will begin Tuesday. Lawrence will remain absent as an indication of his displeasure over the status of extension talks. Depending on how long it lasts, this action will cost him his $500K workout bonus, Dan Duggan of The Athletic notes.
[RELATED: Reasons Behind Lawrence’s Request Emerge]
Schefter adds contract negotiations have not yielded progress, and colleague Jordan Raanan confirms Lawrence “has not been happy for quite some time.” As things stand, two years remain on the 28-year-old’s contract. Lawrence is owed $20MM in 2026 and another $22MM the following season. The guaranteed money on his pact has run out, however, creating the need for a fresh round of extension talks.
GM Joe Schoen said in February negotiations would commence in Lawrence’s case. He also stated no serious consideration would be given to a trade, a reasonable stance given the Clemson product’s importance to New York’s defensive front. Lawrence was the subject of calls leading up to the 2025 trade deadline, but no deal was ever imminent. It will be interesting to see if things play out differently with the draft approaching.
Lawrence stood out with 7.5 sacks in 2022, and he set a new career high two seasons later with nine. In between those two years, a $22.5MM-per-year extension was worked out. The 2023 offseason saw several big-ticket defensive tackle contracts agreed to, and Lawrence fell in line with several other top producers at the time. Conversations on a new multiyear agreement did not produce an agreement last offseason, so a temporary fix was worked out. Incentives were added to Lawrence’s deal, but a lingering elbow injury resulted in a down year with respect to his production (0.5 sacks, 12 QB pressures).
Given that drop-off in statistical output, the Giants may be hard-pressed to arrive at a new figure which satisfies Lawrence’s asking price. The former first-rounder is tied for 11th in the NFL in terms of average annual value for defensive tackle contracts, and the position’s market has jumped since his last deal was signed. Given today’s update, at least, there is plenty of work to be done if a contract agreement is to be reached at any point this offseason. Failing any traction on that front, interest from outside suitors will no doubt pick up during the lead-in to the draft.
A second-team All-Pro in 2022 and ’23, Lawrence has been a full-time presence on defense since arriving in 2019. The former first-rounder enjoyed a long spell of impactful play against the pass, though his production from this past year could limit the willingness of at least some outside teams to part with draft capital and commit to an extension. On the other hand, New York’s depth along the defensive line aside from Lawrence is seen as a weakness. Moving on before or after the draft would create even more of a need on the interior as the Giants aim to take a needed step forward on defense in 2026.
The Giants are near the bottom of the NFL in terms of spending power at the moment. Reducing Lawrence’s 2026 cap hit ($26.96MM) would help in that regard, but an extension is clearly not imminent. Any trade processed before June 1 would generate roughly even figures in terms of cap savings and dead money charges. A swap after that date, by contrast, would give New York $20MM in savings while resulting in $6.96MM in dead money.
Jets Interested In Jordyn Tyson; WR’s Stock Falling?
The Jets are the subject of considerable interest leading up to the draft. The owners of the No. 2 selection will be worth watching closely given the fact they have a mid-round pick on Day 1 as well.
An edge rush addition with the second overall pick has long been seen as a logical course of action for New York. The Jets were reported over the weekend to be favoring Ohio State hybrid linebacker/pass rusher Arvell Reese, which comes as no surprise. Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post echoes the sentiment that Reese will likely be the team’s preferred target at No. 2.
With respect to the 16th overall selection, there is of course much less certainty regarding how the Jets will operate. The team could go in a number of directions with several positions of need worthy of consideration, but receiver could be one to watch. According to Dunleavy, the Jets’ top choice at No. 16 could be Jordyn Tyson.
Tyson is among the best WR prospects in the 2026 class, one touted more for its depth than its star power at the top of the board. The Arizona State product declared for the draft in December, beginning the process of projecting where he will wind up in the NFL. That has been more challenging than it has with some of Tyson’s peers due to his injury situation. A hamstring ailment limited him to nine games in 2025; Tyson also missed considerable time in 2023.
When on the field, the former Colorado transfer has been highly productive. Tyson posted 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns on 75 catches during the 2024 campaign, and he remained a key member of the Sun Devils’ offense when healthy this past season. Tyson has long been viewed as a first-round lock, although he may need to wait longer than first anticipated to hear his name called on the opening night of the draft. ESPN’s Matt Miller writes Tyson’s stock is “trending in the wrong direction” at this time, with injury concerns being raised by NFL evaluators. After missing Arizona State’s Pro Day, he is set to conduct a private workout for teams on April 17.
The Jets have Garrett Wilson atop their receiver depth chart, and the former first-rounder will be expected to lead the way in the passing game for 2026 and beyond. New York added Adonai Mitchell as part of the Sauce Gardner trade, and he has two years remaining on his rookie contract. The team invested a fourth-round pick during last year’s draft in Arian Smith; the second-year duo of general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn could add further at the position later this month. It will be interesting to see if Tyson finds himself on New York’s radar over the coming days.