Jaguars Could Include WR Brian Thomas Jr. In Trade-Up Effort?
Earlier this week, the Jaguars were mentioned as a candidate to trade up in the draft order. Jacksonville is without its own Day 1 selection for 2026 thanks to last year’s aggressive move to acquire pick No. 2 and use it on Travis Hunter.
Acquiring a Day 1 pick for tonight would no doubt require parting with some of the mid-round capital the Jags possess. As things stand, the team owns a second-rounder along with three third-round picks. Moving up the board could also include a package featuring a player, and one whose name has been floated multiple times this offseason seems to be an option on that front.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports the Jaguars “may be trying to lay the foundation” for a trade into the back end of the first-round order. He adds receiver Brian Thomas Jr. could be included in the return general manager James Gladstone offers to a team picking in that range. Thomas was discussed leading up to the 2025 trade deadline, with no swap taking place. The 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist was again mentioned as a trade candidate at the start of the new league year.
Reports have pushed back against the notion of Thomas being available, and Gladstone himself said last month there had not been any serious discussions with other teams. The draft certainly provides an opportunity for that to change, but for the time being Thomas is on course to remain a key figure on offense moving forward. The 23-year-old saw his production drop during head coach Liam Coen‘s first year at the helm, but he could still operate as a starter alongside Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers for 2026 and beyond.
Meyers inked a three-year, $60MM deal shortly upon arrival via trade. Washington, meanwhile, is among the players discussing an extension with the Jags. Thomas is under team control through at least 2027, and his fifth-year option could be exercised next spring to cover the 2028 campaign. Jacksonville must also consider Hunter’s role, which could include part-time receiver work but more of an emphasis on cornerback duties next year.
Running back Jadarian Price has previously be named as a target for the Jags in the event he becomes available late in the first round or early in the second. Adding in the backfield would be a logical goal after Travis Etienne‘s free agent departure, but in any case Thomas’ status as a potential trade chip will be worth watching at the draft unfolds.
Falcons’ James Pearce Jr. To Enter Pretrial Diversion Program
When the Falcons began their offseason program earlier this month, the future of edge rusher James Pearce Jr. remained unclear. Thursday has brought about a significant legal development.
The three felony charges Pearce currently faces will be dismissed if he completes a pretrial diversion program, as first reported by Andy Slater of Fox Sports South Florida. Per Slater, this arrangement was agreed to by the police officers involved in the alleged incident which led to Pearce’s arrest along with Rickea Jackson, the woman who was recently granted a protective order from Pearce.
A six-month period will now take place in which Pearce will be required to meet a number of conditions. Slater notes therapy sessions will be required, along with the absence of any new legal troubles. As confirmed by attorneys Jacob Nunez and Yale Sanford (via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network), this deal includes no admission of guilt. No jail time will be served provided all conditions of the diversion program are met.
Thursday was scheduled to be the date for a docket sounding in Pearce’s case, making today the last point for an arrangement such as this one to be worked out. Presuming the 22-year-old completes the program without incident, his legal situation will be brought to a close. As Rapoport notes, however, the NFL has been “closely monitoring all developments” throughout this process, and that will continue to be the case. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports confirms Pearce is still subject to a league investigation.
NFL discipline does not require a criminal conviction, so a fine and/or suspension for a violation of the personal conduct policy will still be possible pending the outcome of the league’s probe into the matter. Missing Pearce for a stretch at the beginning of the 2026 campaign would deal a blow to the Falcons’ defense, but the lack of a conviction would obviously pave the way for the team to keep him in the fold. The Tennessee product’s rookie contract runs through 2028, with the potential for a fifth-year option in 2029.
Pearce enjoyed a highly productive debut season in the NFL, posting 10.5 sacks and helping spark a turnaround in terms of Atlanta’s effectiveness in the edge rush department. He finished third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting and will be counted on to remain a productive presence upon returning to the field. The time at which that will be possible remains to be seen, but Pearce is now in position to avoid any legal consequences and turn his attention back to his career.
Lions Could Trade Up From No. 17
Trades will, as always, be something to watch for on the opening night of the draft. The middle and latter portions of the first-round order could see plenty of movement with teams maneuvering around the board in a year lacking in top-tier prospects.
The Lions will be a team to watch closely on that front. Detroit has been making calls about a trade up the order, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. He adds other teams are monitoring the Lions as a candidate for a move higher up the board. CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones also writes Detroit is among the teams which could swing a trade tonight.
The Lions have a second-round selection (No. 50) but do not own a third-rounder. That limited Day 2 capital could make restrict how far up the board general manager Brad Holmes is able to move. Nevertheless, a trade targeting a prospect Holmes and Co, are higher on than most would certainly not come as a surprise. Jones adds any deal moving Detroit closer to the top of the Day 1 order would likely result in an offensive tackle being drafted.
Adding up front has long been projected as a goal for the Lions. Ely Allen’s PFR mock has Monroe Freeling coming off the board at No. 17. Meanwhile, Fowler’s colleague Matt Miller and Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated each have Detroit drafting Kadyn Proctor at that spot. The Alabama product has previously been linked to the Lions, and the final mock draft from Dane Brugler of The Athletic also has him being selected by Detroit.
The Lions will not have Taylor Decker in the fold moving forward. Replacing him at the left tackle spot could very well include Penei Sewell shifting to the blindside, something which would allow Proctor or another rookie to take on right tackle duties right away. Proctor is the subject of maturity questions, per Breer, but a top-20 selection in his case can still be expected. In that event, the Lions will remain a landing spot to watch closely with or without a trade taking place.
Ravens Exercise WR Zay Flowers’ Fifth-Year Option
Last month, it was reported the Ravens were likely to pick up Zay Flowers‘ fifth-year option. To no surprise, Baltimore is following through on that in advance of the May 1 deadline.
Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reports the Flowers option has indeed been exercised. Baltimore’s top receiver is now under team control through at least 2027. Flowers is due to collect $27.3MM for that year, although a long-term contract being finalized could result in a higher compensation rate.
[RELATED: Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
An extension has long been seen as a team priority in this case, and it will be interesting to see if an agreement can be reached in the summer. Flowers, 25, is eyeing a long-term pact and a deal not far off the value of Jaxson Smith-Njigba‘s market-resetting extension could be in store. Flowers and Smith-Njigba were selected two picks apart from each other in 2023 and they share an agent.
On the heels of winning Offensive Player of the Year in 2025, Smith-Njigba secured $42.15MM in average annual value. It would come as a surprise if Flowers were to top or match that figure, but a pact placing him among the nine wideouts earning $30MM or more per year could be a target. As Zrebiec notes, Flowers ranks 10th in the NFL in terms of yards at the WR position over the course of his three-year career.
The Boston College product has been a focal point on offense since arrival, drawing at least 108 targets every year to date. Flowers has seen his overall production increase with each passing season, and his 1,211 yards in 2025 set a new franchise record for a single campaign. The two-time Pro Bowler will be expected to remain a key presence for years to come, particularly if a long-term agreement bringing about a significant raise winds up being worked out.
Flowers and Rashod Bateman are in position to lead the way at the receiver spot in 2026. Baltimore has not re-signed DeAndre Hopkins, however, while Tylan Wallace along with tight ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar departed in free agency. Bringing in multiple pass-catchers over the next few days will be something to watch for in the Ravens’ case as a result. Nevertheless, Flowers is assured of at least two more years in the fold with the strong possibility of more in the event of an extension being signed.
NFL Mailbag: Love, Cardinals, Styles, Bengals, Lawrence, Jets, QBs
To no surprise, this week's edition of the PFR Mailbag contains numerous questions related to the upcoming draft. The recent Giants-Bengals Dexter Lawrence trade is also addressed.
Kevin asks:
Where do you stand on Jeremiyah Love's value (and I suppose RB value in general)? Would the Cardinals be making a mistake by taking him at 3?
I’m usually of the mindset which prioritizes talent above all else in the draft, but it can get tricky in a situation like this. The value of adding Love – seen by many as the top prospect in the class – has to be weighed against the upside of improving in another area of the roster.
Panthers Sign QB Will Grier
Will Grier is returning to his original NFL team in time for offseason practices. A deal with the Panthers has been worked out, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The news is now official, per a team announcement.
Grier entered the league as a third-round pick for Carolina. His only two regular-season appearances to date were both starts, and they came about during his rookie season. Grier has since bounced around the league, seeing time in several organizations in a depth capacity.
The 31-year-old inked a futures contract with the Cowboys in February, but he was cut one month later. Grier remained a free agent until today, with teams sorting out their depth charts in advance of spring work (not to mention the draft). The West Virginia product is now in position to serve as Carolina’s third-string passer for the time being.
The Panthers will once again be led by Bryce Young under center in 2026. The former No. 1 pick had veteran Andy Dalton alongside him for each of his first three seasons in the NFL, but Carolina sought out a change at the QB2 spot. That resulted in Kenny Pickett being added on the open market and Dalton being traded to the Eagles. Young and Pickett will lead the way as the Panthers aim to build off their playoff appearance in 2025.
Carolina entered Monday near the bottom of the league in cap space. This Grier addition will no doubt come about on a deal worth the league minimum, however. The Panthers will turn their attention to the upcoming draft and focus on signing their incoming rookie class over the near future.
49ers, LT Trent Williams Agree To Deal
The contract impasse between Trent Williams and the 49ers has come to an end. Monday has brought about an agreement on another new accord for the future Hall of Famer.
Williams has worked out a two-year, $50MM deal, per an announcement from his agency. The pact contains $37MM fully guaranteed; that figure includes a $22MM signing bonus. After questions loomed about his future, Williams is now in position to continue his San Francisco career through at least 2027.
The guarantee figures on this pact are nearly identical to the ones included in the 49ers’ most recent offer. It thus comes as little surprise an agreement has been reached, and the left tackle spot is once again secured for the team ahead of this week’s draft. Williams was already on the books for next year, but he was scheduled to carry an untenable cap charge of $46.34MM in 2026 in the absence of a new deal. This new deal will lower his cap hit for the immediate future while offering a fresh round of guarantees.
As of March, a gap existed between team and player with respect to a new contract agreement being reached. That helped fuel speculation about a potential trade, with San Francisco reported to be open to a swap at one point. The Chiefs loomed as a landing spot in such a scenario, but the 49ers remained optimistic an agreement on a new contract would ultimately be reached. Negotiations in the days leading up to the draft have indeed taken a major piece of offseason business off the team’s to-do list.
Williams has been in place with the 49ers since arriving via trade in 2020. The 12-time Pro Bowler has been a mainstay up front over that span, collecting a total of four first- or second-team All-Pro nods in San Francisco. Williams inked a six-year deal worth just over $138MM in 2020, then agreed to a three-year extension in 2024. Retirement questions have become increasingly common for the veteran, who will be 38 by the start of next season. Given today’s news, though, Williams will be expected to remain in the fold for at least two more years.
A consistent presence throughout his 49ers tenure, Williams has ranked between first and seventh among tackles every year in terms of PFF grade since arriving in the Bay Area. Remaining one of the game’s best deep into his career will be key for the team’s offensive line, a unit which has faced a number of concerns at positions other than left tackle over the years. Williams is still one of the nine offensive tackles around the NFL attached to an average annual value of $25MM or more, and this latest pact will take him past $250MM in career earnings.
That figure is comfortably the highest in league history for non-quarterbacks. Williams has managed to secure another notable payday in time for offseason workouts later this spring, while the 49ers will not need to find his immediate replacement in the draft. Continued high-end play on the blindside will be expected for the short-term future as San Francisco looks to make further postseason runs over that span.
Cowboys, K Brandon Aubrey Agree To Extension
11:10pm: Aubrey will receive a $8.25MM signing bonus with his new extension, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. His $1.5MM salary in 2026 and $4.75MM in 2027 are guaranteed, and almost all of his $5.017MM salary for 2028 becomes guaranteed early in the 2027 league year. The deal also contains $250K in active roster bonuses each year with a 2026 cap hit of $3.4MM.
11:24am: The Cowboys have worked out another market-setting extension agreement. Kicker Brandon Aubrey has agreed to a long-term deal with Dallas.
Team and player finalized a four-year extension on Monday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. This will be a $28MM pact, giving Aubrey a position-topping $7MM average annual value. The deal runs through 2030 and includes $20MM guaranteed, which is also a new high mark for kickers. The news is now official.
Aubrey was due to collect $5.77MM in 2026 while playing on the second-round restricted free agent tender. The deadline for RFAs to sign offer sheets recently passed, and with no outside suitors showing interest it was confirmed he would spend at least one more year in Dallas. A long-term deal had been the team’s goal throughout the offseason, although as of one month ago there was still plenty of work to be done on the negotiating front.
Talks heated up over the weekend, according to Schefter’s colleague Jeremy Fowler. He adds Aubrey will collect $10MM in 2026. An extension averaging that much per year had been the target in this case, but Aubrey has still managed to secure a notable payday in line with Dallas’ best offer. The kicker market moved to $6.5MM earlier this offseason, and it has now seen another jump.
Aubrey’s football career only began in 2022 when he took on kicking duties for the Birmingham Stallions. Strong showings in that capacity once again the following year put the former Major League Soccer draftee on the NFL radar. Aubrey joined the Cowboys in 2023 and won out the kicking gig. Since then, he has emerged as one of the league’s best at the position, particularly from long range.
Aubrey, 31, has connected on 88.2% of his field goal attempts during the course of his career, including a remarkable success rate (24-for-27) on attempts of 50 yards or longer. The three-time Pro Bowler has missed just four extra point kicks, and he will be expected to remain a consistent weapon on offense for the Cowboys for the foreseeable future. Maintaining a high-scoring unit will be a goal for Dallas moving forward, and a major commitment to Aubrey will be part of the team’s planning in that regard.
The Cowboys will of course turn their attention to this week’s draft, but today’s news leaves franchise tag recipient George Pickens as the next major in-house priority. A trade is not expected in his case, and a long-term agreement would ensure a presence on Dallas’ offense beyond 2026. In any event, Aubrey will be in the fold for years to come.
Aaron Rodgers Unlikely To Inform Steelers Of Plans Prior To Draft
The week of the 2026 draft has arrived, and the Steelers are once again unsure of whether or not their presumed starting quarterback will be in the fold by the start of the season. The future of Aaron Rodgers remains uncertain at this time, and clarity does not appear to be imminent.
Rodgers has been in communication with head coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Omar Khan during recent weeks, but NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report a formal assurance of suiting up for 2026 has yet to be provided. Pittsburgh is not expected to know Rodgers’ intentions for certain until after the upcoming draft. Owner Art Rooney II previously tapped the draft as a checkpoint for finding out more on this front, but it appears that will not be the case.
The Steelers had hoped to receive clarity with respect to Rodgers in mid-February, which would have been an earlier timeline than in 2025. Instead, another wait lasting deep into the offseason has taken place and it is set to continue. Pelissero points to the start of OTAs as a logical time for Rodgers to make his return to the organization and participate in on-field work. For now, the Steelers are set to begin spring practices without the four-time MVP in the fold.
That will leave Will Howard to take first-team reps this week. The 2025 sixth-rounder has drawn praise from McCarthy and others, although a second Rodgers campaign would leave him short on opportunities to develop in advance of the 2027 offseason when Pittsburgh will need to decide on whether or not a starting-caliber QB addition is necessary. Veteran Mason Rudolph is also in the fold.
Rodgers came into the 2025 season thinking it would be his last. Even with Mike Tomlin stepping aside, the door has remained open to a reunion between Rodgers and McCarthy. The two enjoyed a successful tenure in Green Bay, and McCarthy has welcomed the possibility of spending another year together with the Steelers.
Rodgers is 42, and while the future Hall of Famer offered stability under center in 2025 he would not be expected to operate at level matching his peak years in the event of a Pittsburgh return. It remains a distinct possibility that one will take place, but the team is positioned to once again enter the draft without being sure of Rodgers’ future.
Patriots Remain A.J. Brown’s Expected Destination Following Eagles Trade
A.J. Brown has long been viewed as a trade candidate, and the Eagles‘ actions this offseason have pointed to a parting of ways. Philadelphia is still considered likely to proceed with a swap later this offseason, and the team most often named as a destination remains the presumed landing spot for Brown.
A trade taking place on or just after June 1 is “still tracking to happen,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. To no surprise, he adds the Patriots are the presumed destination for Brown. New England has frequently been mentioned as the likeliest team to acquire Brown, even in the wake of Romeo Doubs‘ free agent signing. A Patriots acquisition would result in a reunion between Brown and head coach Mike Vrabel.
The two were together in Tennessee from 2019-21. That stretch was followed by the trade which sent Brown to Philadelphia, a move which proved to be highly effective from the Eagles’ perspective. Brown collected three second-team All-Pro nods during his time with the team, topping 1,000 yards and scoring at least seven touchdowns each year along the way. Expectations will be high for the 28-year-old if/when he winds up in New England with the Patriots aiming to repeat the success of 2025.
Monday marks the beginning of the Eagles’ offseason program. As could be expected considering where this situation now stands, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports Brown is absent from the team. The Ole Miss product is not expected to return, meaning he is set to miss voluntary work including OTAs. Mandatory minicamp will not start until after June 1, and Schefter confirms trade negotiations are set to pick up prior to that date. Waiting until after the upcoming draft to add picks in 2027 or ’28 is not seen as an issue, per Schefter.
Garafolo’s colleague Tom Pelissero notes there have not been recent trade negotiations regarding Brown. The Eagles and Patriots (or any other suitor) are free to agree to the parameters of a swap at any time, though, so progress toward an agreement after the draft will be something to watch for. Any trade which is processed after June 1 would spread the dead money associated with the deal across two years and lessen the financial impact of the move for Philadelphia.
Four years remain on Brown’s contract, and he is set to carry a cap charge of $23.39MM in 2026. The Patriots remain near the top of the league in spending power, so absorbing that figure would be easier for them than it would for most other teams considering a high-profile WR move deep into the offseason.