5 Key Stories: 4/5/26 – 4/12/26
The 2026 NFL draft is less than two weeks away. Attention will continue to ramp up during the lead-in to the event, but a number of developments concerning veterans have also taken place in recent days. Here is a quick recap of the past week’s top stories:
- Lawrence Requests Giants Trade: For the second straight offseason, extension talks between Dexter Lawrence and the Giants have not yielded an agreement. Lawrence has responded by requesting a trade, something which would end his seven-year tenure in New York. Calls are expected to be made by interested teams, although a swap would come as a surprise at this point. On the other hand, the Giants are open to entertaining offers in this case. Lawrence, 28, had the least productive season of his career in 2025, something which has hindered the three-time Pro Bowler’s ability to secure a raise. Two years remain on his current contract, and the Giants are not seeking a new agreement. That could leave this situation as one which lingers deep into the offseason.
- Eagles, Packers Complete Wicks Swap: Dontayvion Wicks spent his first three seasons with the Packers, but his rookie deal will not conclude in Green Bay. He has been traded to the Eagles in exchange for a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 sixth-rounder. Wicks was set to be a pending 2027 free agent, but Philadelphia worked out a one-year, $12.5MM extension upon arrival. The former fifth-rounder was unable to emerge as a starting presence in Green Bay’s crowded receiver room, and he will seek out an increase in targets with his new team. This represents the latest WR move pulled off by the Eagles as an A.J. Brown trade remains a major talking point around the league. Dealing Brown in the summer would pave the way for Wicks, entering his age-26 season, to play a key role.
- Falcons’ McGary Retires: The Falcons will be without Kaleb McGary for the second year in a row for 2026. The veteran right tackle announced his retirement following a campaign spent entirely on the sidelines due to injury. McGary joined Atlanta as a first-round pick in 2019, and he racked up 92 starts while serving as a RT mainstay when healthy. Instead of attempting a comeback, the 31-year-old elected to hang up his cleats. The RT position was thin last year, and it could be a high draft priority later this month. In any case, veteran Jawaan Taylor has been signed as a stopgap.
- Moore’s Colts Tenure Likely Over: One year remains on Kenny Moore‘s current Colts contract, but he is unlikely to play it out in Indianapolis. The veteran cornerback has a mutual desire with the team to seek out a trade, one which would leave the Colts without one of their longest-tenured players. Moore has been in place for each of the past nine years, operating as a full-time starter for much of that stretch. He did not fit well in defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo‘s scheme in 2025, however, and a change of scenery could benefit all parties. Moore, 30, is owed $10MM for next year with a scheduled cap charge of $13.11MM. Interested teams could make offers in time for the draft, although a trade would be far more feasible from a financial perspective after June 1 for the Colts. Either way, Moore could be on a new team for the first time in his career relatively soon.
- Achane Skipping Dolphins‘ Offseason Program: Each NFL team with a new head coach has opened its offseason program in recent days. That includes the Dolphins, who are without running back De’Von Achane for the time being. Players seeking an extension often skip voluntary work, and that is indeed the cause for Achane’s absence. The former third-rounder has been an explosive presence in the backfield through his three years in Miami, and he earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2025. Achane set new career highs in several categories last season, and he is positioned to once again operate as a focal point on offense for the rebuilding Dolphins in 2026. That currently represents the final year of his rookie contract, but a notable raise will be in store if negotiations between team and player result in an agreement.
Trade Talks Involving Giants’ Kayvon Thibodeaux Could Pick Up
APRIL 12: Executives who spoke with La Canfora predicted a mid-round pick could be enough to finalize a Thibodeaux trade. Adding a third- or fourth-round selection would allow the Giants to immediately target a rookie replacement in the event a deal were to be made in the near future.
APRIL 9: Dexter Lawrence has requested a trade as a sign of frustration with the status of his extension talks. No trade is expected in his case, but calls will no doubt be made as the draft approaches.
Interest is also likely to increase with respect to Kayvon Thibodeaux. The former first-round edge rusher has previously been linked to a trade, with calls being made leading up to the 2025 deadline. No agreement was reached then, but this year’s Combine presented another opportunity for a deal to be discussed by the Giants and interested teams. A report from last month indicated New York’s preference would be to work out a trade in this case.
SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora confirms Thibodeaux is still viewed as being open to a change of scenery, something which could yield a full-time starting role. Brian Burns has thrived since the Giants acquired him via trade, while 2025 third overall pick Abdul Carter is in line to handle a large workload for years to come. Thibodeaux is set to earn $14.75MM in 2026 as a result of the Giants’ decision to pick up his fifth-year option. The Oregon product would no doubt be expected to sign an extension with an acquiring team in the event of a trade.
To no surprise, La Canfora reports the Giants are unlikely to move on from both Lawrence and Thibodeaux this offseason. Efforts to work out a compromise with the former could take place, although a new big-ticket deal does not appear to be in store. Replacing Lawrence could also prove to be challenging given his production (aside from the 2025 season, of course). With Burns and Carter in the fold, though, dealing Thibodeaux and drafting a replacement later this month could be seen as feasible. A trade at any time would take Thibodeaux’s 2026 salary entirely off the books and create considerable cap room for New York.
Injuries have led to Thibodeaux playing a full season only once to date in the NFL. The 25-year-old notched 11.5 sacks in 2023, but in general he has not developed as expected given his status as a former fifth overall selection. Per La Canfora, a mid-round pick could be offered by interested teams leading up to the draft. That would obviously represent an underwhelming end to Thibodeaux’s Giants tenure, but it will once again be a scenario worth watching for.
NFL’s Next Australia Game Could Be Played In 2027
The NFL’s international calendar will continue to expand in 2026. The opening game of the season will see the 49ers and Rams play each other in Melbourne.
That will mark the league’s debut in Australia. The San Francisco-Los Angeles game will be the lone one in that country for the coming season, but it is not expected to be the only time Australia hosts NFL contests. Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed as much when speaking to reporters in Melbourne.
“There’s no question that we’re going to be playing here again,” Goodell said (via Nick Mulvenney of Reuters). “Our view is that we’re coming here for the long term. We don’t come as a one-offs. This isn’t a circus. This is something that’s an investment in this, in this market and we believe that, this is long term and will be great for the NFL long term.”
The league has made international expansion a major priority in recent years, with regular-season games being played in Germany, Brazil, Spain and Ireland along the way. The coming campaign will see Australia operate as a host country for the first time, with the same also being true of France. Issues related to travel time are of course exacerbated in the case of Melbourne, but Goodell made it clear further trips there are expected. The NFL’s second Australia game could be played as early as 2027 as a result.
The 49ers-Rams contest will take place on a Thursday night (September 10) to accommodate typical primetime starts in the United States, but it will be played during the mid morning local time on a Friday. The success both teams have in terms of resuming normal activities beyond Week 1 will be interesting to monitor, but the NFL is clearly committed to making similar situations a regular occurrence.
Giants Willing To Entertain Dexter Lawrence Trade Offers
Since Dexter Lawrence‘s trade request went public, there has been a general expectation a deal sending him away from the Giants will not be worked out. Replacing the three-time Pro Bowler would be challenging for New York, while the list of teams willing to authorize an extension upon acquiring him may be short at this point of the offseason.
Interest will be shown by suitors leading up to the draft in the wake of Giants extension talks once again not yielding progress. Two years remain on Lawrence’s deal, and the team is prepared to move forward without a short-term fix like the one worked out last summer or a raise brought on by a new contract. The willingness of the Giants to seriously entertain offers over the coming days will make for an intriguing storyline.
New head coach John Harbaugh spoke publicly about Lawrence’s value to the team during the onset of the Giants’ offseason program. He also raised eyebrows when stating that “everybody is tradable,” however, and it will be interesting to see if New York winds up being prepared to work out a swap in this case. On that note, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reports the Giants “will at least listen to” calls made regarding Lawrence’s availability. He confirms the team’s preference would be to keep Lawrence in the fold for 2026, but the financial impasse could prove to be a key factor on the trade front.
Lawrence inked an extension in line with other top defensive tackle extensions in 2024. His deal carries an average annual value of $22.5MM, but that figure has been surpassed multiple times with the position’s market continuing to surge. The 28-year-old managed just 0.5 sacks and 12 pressures in 2025, something which has no doubt complicated his efforts to secure a raise. As things stand, Lawrence is owed $20MM next season and $22MM in 2027.
Teams may very well be hesitant to add to those figures in addition to paying a notable price in a trade. Nevertheless, any contender could stand to benefit from adding Lawrence. The Packers made one blockbuster move by acquiring Micah Parsons last offseason, and executives who spoke with SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora pointed to Green Bay as a logical suitor with respect to Lawrence. Making another win-now move via the trade route would be out of character for the Packers’ front office, but the seven-year veteran would offer a boost to a defensive interior which has plenty of room for improvement compared to last season.
To date, the Packers have not been connected to any firm interest on the Lawrence front. Whether or not that changes will of course depend in large part on the Giants’ asking price. Raanan notes an offer including two Day 2 picks and another on Day 3 could be in store in the case of the Clemson product. La Canfora also writes a first-round selection – at least, in 2026 – is unlikely to be attainable regardless of how strong Lawrence’s market becomes. Improving at the DT spot is already a Giants priority entering the draft, but that could become true to a much larger extent if trade calls were to produce an agreement.
Cowboys DE Donovan Ezeiruaku Expected To Recover In Time For Training Camp
Donovan Ezeiruaku appeared in every game during his rookie campaign, but he underwent hip labrum surgery last month. His recovery process in ongoing, and no setbacks have been encountered.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer recently said (via ESPN’s Todd Archer) Ezeiruaku remains on schedule with respect to his rehab following surgery. The 2025 second-rounder is on track to receive full medical clearance in time for training camp as a result. Ezeiruaku will be present for Dallas’ upcoming offseason program, although he will not participate in any team drills.
Logging nine starts in 2025, Ezeiruaku handled a defensive snap share of 55%. The Boston College product managed 40 total stops, nine tackles for loss and a pair of sacks. Ezeiruaku added 26 pressures and one forced fumble while playing in then-defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus‘ 4-3 scheme. The arrival of Christian Parker has resulted in a shift to a 3-4 setup on defense, something which could benefit Ezeiruaku moving forward.
A strong second season from the 22-year-old would help a Cowboys team in need of improvements along the edge. Dallas traded for Rashan Gary and re-signed Sam Williams, but Jadeveon Clowney – who led the team with 8.5 sacks in 2025 – remains on the open market at this time. Archer confirms the Cowboys are expected to focus heavily on defense during the draft, and it would come as no surprise if that were to include an early EDGE investment.
In any event, Ezeiruaku will be counted on to remain a key part of Dallas’ pass rush group for 2026 and beyond. A clean bill of health will certainly be welcomed when padded practices begin during training camp. Acclimating to Parker’s scheme and preparing for Year 2 will be key goals for Ezeiruaku, and he will be able to resume on-field work at the most important part of the offseason provided his recovery remains on track.
CB Joey Porter Jr. Could Be Steelers’ Top Extension Priority
The Steelers had a policy of not negotiating contracts during the season well before general manager Omar Khan took on his current role. Khan has continued that organizational practice while at the helm.
As a result, Pittsburgh has until Week 1 of the 2026 campaign to take care of several financial matters. That includes extensions for pending 2027 free agents such as cornerback Joey Porter Jr. To little surprise, Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show names Porter as the player likely to be Pittsburgh’s top priority with respect to extensions after the draft takes place.
As the 32nd pick in the 2023 draft – one in which the Dolphins’ were stripped of their Day 1 selection – Porter entered the league as a second-rounder. That means he is not subject to a fifth-year option decision like each of the players drafted ahead of him. Porter’s rookie deal will therefore expire after the 2026 campaign. Urgency on the part of Khan and the front office to work out an extension this summer will be something to watch for.
Porter handled a heavy workload during his rookie season and has been a full-time starter since then. The second-generation Steeler has been the subject of criticism based on the rate at which he is penalized, but he has been durable and productive so far in his career. Porter thrived in coverage during the 2025 campaign, allowing just five yards per target and a passer rating of 57.2 as the nearest defender. He also notched double-digit pass deflections for the second time, totaling a career-best 14 this past year.
Entering his age-26 season, Porter is a candidate for a major raise on his second NFL contract. Kaboly predicts a three-year extension allowing the Penn State product to collect $100MM in total – including the nearly $4MM he is owed for 2026 – could be in the range of what winds up being necessary for a deal to be struck. The CB market recently reached $31MM per season, and Porter figures to be among the early beneficiaries of its continued upward movement.
NFL Mailbag: Giants, Love, Jets, Saints
In this week's edition of the PFR Mailbag, questions on both New York teams are addressed. The top running back prospect in this year's class along with the Saints' offseason are also explored.
Cole asks:
Are both Dexter Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux on the Giants by Week 1? Who do you think has the better chance of being traded?
Many trade requests in the modern NFL are more about trying to attain leverage in contract talks than a genuine desire to change teams. That seems to be the case for Lawrence, with his request coming after another unsuccessful round of extension negotiations.
Colts To Seek CB Kenny Moore Trade
Kenny Moore‘s tenure with the Colts is likely nearing an end. The veteran cornerback is under contract for 2026, but a change of scenery could soon be coming.
Moore and the Colts have mutually agreed to seek out a trade, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. A parting of ways is viewed as beneficial in this case, so it will be interesting to see if a market develops leading up to the draft. Moore has spent his entire nine-year career with Indianapolis.
After handling a part-time workload as a rookie, the former undrafted free agent became a defensive starter for the Colts. Moore has been a mainstay in the secondary since then, racking up 111 starts over the course of his career. During the 2024 offseason, a $10MM-per-year deal was worked out to ensure he would remain in the fold. That represented a record figure for pure slot corners at the time.
Moore remained a key figure in the secondary during the first year of that new contract, collecting three interceptions. The former Pro Bowler totaled 14 appearances this past season, but playing under new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo his snap share saw a notable drop. Scheme fit is seen as an issue in this case, Schefter’s colleague Stephen Holder notes. A parting of ways could allow Moore to start over while paving the way for Justin Walley – who was drafted in the third round last year but did not play during his rookie campaign – to take on first-team slot duties.
Moore’s contract was restructured in October to lower his immediate cap hit. As a result, his pact is set to void in February 2027. The 30-year-old is owed $10MM this season with a scheduled cap charge of $13.11MM. A trade at this point would create $7.06MM in cap savings while generating a dead money charge of $6.05MM. If the Colts waited until after June 1, the financial benefits of a swap would be far greater ($9.91MM in savings, $3.2MM in dead money).
The Colts have named getting younger and faster on defense as an offseason goal, and moving on from Moore (one of the team’s longest-tenured players) would allow for that to happen. It would also give an acquiring team a veteran presence in the secondary, and one who has played at least 11 games in every season of his career to date. Adding draft capital for this month’s event could also beneficial for the Colts since they do not own a first-round selection in 2026 or ’27.
Moore has been held without an interception for a year only once in his career, and he has notched at least one sack during a season on seven occasions. He could be counted on as a starting presence for an acquiring team, although that will of course depend in large part on where he winds up in the event of a trade being finalized at some point this offseason.
Travis Hunter To Be Limited During Jaguars’ OTAs
An LCL tear ended Travis Hunter‘s rookie season and required a lengthy recovery process. His rehab is ongoing, but a return to a full workload during the spring is not expected.
Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said (via NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe) Hunter is set to be a limited participant in upcoming OTAs. Spring practices are voluntary and do not involved contact, but returning to the fold in some capacity would of course be welcomed news. Gladstone added Hunter is on track to be a full participant in training camp.
When the 2025 Heisman winner is back in the fold, a talking point will of course be his workload. Hunter was used on both sides of the ball during his rookie campaign, with a heavier emphasis on his receiver duties than his cornerback ones. A two-way role is still the plan for 2026, but Hunter is set to operate as a full-time cornerback moving forward. That would mark a shift in philosophy, with the receiver spot becoming only a part-time position.
Finding a long-term plan in Hunter’s case will obviously be a priority for Jacksonville. The team traded up to No. 2 last April to select the Colorado product, and as such the Jags do not own a first-rounder for this year’s draft. Generating production on both sides of the ball would be highly beneficial for all involved, especially given the price paid to acquire Hunter. Nevertheless, stability with respect to his weekly role and reducing the risk of injury based on an abnormal workload would be key for 2026 and beyond.
Hunter, 23 in May, was limited to seven games last season. He is set to return to a receiver room including Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington. At cornerback, the Jaguars have Montaric Brown – who inked a lucrative deal to avoid departing in free agency – and 2025 free agent signing Jourdan Lewis atop the depth chart. Hunter should have a clearer path to playing time on defense, making his planned position setup a logical one.
Jacksonville’s offseason program will begin later than the those of teams which changed head coaches during the hiring cycle. When it does get underway, Hunter’s workload will be worth watching as the Jaguars prepare for a ramp-up period during the summer.
Commanders To Host Omar Cooper Jr.; WR’s Stock Rising?
Omar Cooper Jr. has drawn interest from a number of teams as top-30 visits continue around the league. The Indiana receiver’s next meeting has been lined up.
Cooper will visit the Commanders today, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports. That will be the fifth team Cooper meets with during the pre-draft process, and Pelissero adds another four visits are scheduled in his case. Cooper has long been mentioned as a first-round prospect in the 2026 class.
Carnell Tate and Makai Lemon are widely seen as locks to be selected on Day 1 at the receiver position. Jordyn Tyson‘s stock may be dropping, but he too could come off the board during the opening round. Denzel Boston is another strong candidate to be selected early, and some teams view him as the second- or third-best WR in this year’s class. Cooper has often been viewed as a similar prospect to Boston in terms of his draft range, and widespread interest from NFL teams certainly points to a brief wait before he hears his name called.
Indeed, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated writes some teams appear to rank Cooper alongside the best prospects at the receiver spot. Versatility will be key for Cooper, who spent four seasons with the Hoosiers. That included a major role on offense as part of Indiana’s championship-winning 2025 season, during which he set career highs in catches (69), yards (937) and touchdowns (13). An ability to play in the slot but also on the perimeter should help Cooper find a role early in his NFL career and make him an attractive option for numerous teams.
The Commanders could stand to add a starting-caliber WR during this year’s draft. Terry McLaurin remains in place, but Deebo Samuel is unsigned deep into free agency. Washington has long loomed as a logical landing spot in the event of a Brandon Aiyuk trade, although the 49ers may end up retaining him. In any event, the Commanders are waiting until a potential Aiyuk release, something which would allow them to pursue him as a free agent.
Washington owns the seventh overall pick, and taking Cooper at that point would likely be considered a reach. The team’s next selection is No. 71, however, by which point he will surely be off the board. A trade down the first-round order may make Cooper more viable, although the Commanders have looked into a number of other prospects likely to be on the board when they are first on the clock.