Latest On Alabama QB Ty Simpson; No First-Round Grade From Steelers?
Former Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart was not a surefire first-round pick entering last year’s draft, though he ultimately came off the board in Round 1. The Giants, who had previously selected Abdul Carter third overall, traded back into the first round to grab Dart at No. 25. A team could do something similar this year with Alabama QB Ty Simpson, but he has less momentum going into this draft than Dart had in 2025, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN hears.
[RELATED: PFR’s 2026 NFL Mock Draft]
While the Jets, Cardinals and Steelers have been connected to Simpson more than anyone else, it would be a surprise to see any of them use their initial pick on him. New York has Nos. 2 and 16, both of which are likely too high to take Simpson. The team may just wait until what could be a deeper 2027 class to draft a signal-caller, though perhaps the Jets will strongly consider Simpson if he is still available when they are on the clock again at No. 33.
There is indeed a possibility Simpson will fall out of the top 32, though the Cardinals may trade back into the round for him. They would mimic last year’s Giants in that regard. Otherwise, unless the Cardinals reach for Simpson with the third overall choice, their next opportunity to bring him in will come at 34. That happens to be where the Giants sat last year before going for Dart. Along with surrendering that pick, the Giants dealt a 2025 and ’26 third-rounder to move up nine spots.
The Cardinals’ Monti Ossenfort has only picked one QB – fifth-rounder Clayton Tune in 2023 – in three drafts as their general manager. But as PFR’s Sam Robinson noted, there may be more urgency to gamble on the position this year if Ossenfort is on the hot seat. The Cardinals have gone 15-36 with Ossenfort at the controls. If the team is a bottom feeder again next season, Ossenfort may be out of a job when the 2027 draft rolls around. Picking Simpson could be his last chance for a bold QB move in Arizona.
One of the main concerns regarding Simpson is a lack of experience. He made just 15 starts in college, which is reportedly a deterrent for the Steelers. As the reigning AFC North champions await a decision on 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers‘ future, they are down to career backup Mason Rudolph and untested 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard as their top options at the game’s most important position. It does not appear they are going to tab Simpson at No. 21 overall, though. They have not even given Simpson a first-round grade, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. In the Steelers’ opinion, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza is the lone member of this class with franchise QB potential, per Dulac.
Mendoza going to the Raiders at No. 1 overall is a lock, but this could end up a one-QB first round. Simpson’s odds of coming off the board in Round 1 remain iffy as the draft draws closer.
Titans To Pick Up Peter Skoronski’s Fifth-Year Option
The Titans are planning to exercise left guard Peter Skoronski‘s fifth-year option, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports. Skoronski will earn a $19.07MM salary in 2027.
This was an easy call for Tennessee, which has seen Skoronski turn into a key building block during his three-year career. With former general manager Ran Carthon then atop their front office, the Titans used the 11th overall pick on Skoronski in 2023. While they drafted Skoronski has a tackle, the Northwestern product shifted inside. He has started in all 48 of his games with the Titans.
[RELATED: 2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
Last season was the second straight 17-game campaign for the durable Skoronski, whose only three absences came in his rookie year. He was the lone member of the Titans’ offense to play every snap in 2025. He also finished as Pro Football Focus’ fifth-ranked guard among 79 qualifiers. Additionally, it was the second year in a row Skoronski placed in the top 20 among guards in ESPN’s pass block win rate metric. He climbed to seventh after coming in 15th in 2024.
The fact that Skoronski has broken through as a standout lineman is especially beneficial to a team trying to develop and protect a young quarterback. Cam Ward took a league-high 55 sacks as a rookie, but Skoronski did his best to keep the 2025 No. 1 overall pick upright. GM Mike Borgonzi publicly identified Skoronski as an extension candidate in the wake of a career year.
“We always try to secure our best players early,” Borgonzi said. “And that is obviously a tool, an option we can use. But our goal is to get something done with Peter. With Peter, he is one of our better players, and we’d like him here long-term.”
Thanks to the fifth-year option, the Titans at least have Skoronski under wraps for two more seasons. It is clear that Borgonzi wants to extend the partnership beyond then, but doing so will not come cheap. If an agreement comes together, Skoronski could become the sixth guard in the league averaging $20MM per year.
QB Cole Payton Met With Eagles, Jets, Cardinals
Although he spent four of his five North Dakota State seasons as a backup, some NFL teams consider left-handed quarterback Cole Payton an intriguing developmental prospect going into the draft. It was already known Payton visited the Steelers and Colts in recent weeks. He also “met extensively with” the Eagles, Jets and Cardinals, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports.
North Dakota State has produced two first-round signal-callers: Carson Wentz (second overall in 2016) and Trey Lance (third in 2021). While Wentz had his moments as a starter earlier in his career, he has settled in as a journeyman backup. Lance was a major disappointment as the 49ers’ starter, but he has joined Wentz in sticking around the league as a reserve. Unlike Wentz and Lance, Payton will not face the pressure of living up to first-round billing. Payton could still be a relatively high selection, though, as he told Greg Auman of Fox Sports last week that he expects to hear his name on Day 2. If accurate, that would give Payton a third-round floor.
“Obviously, there are some teams that have higher grades on you, some teams that have lower grades on you, so you really never know at the end of the day,” Payton said. “But that’s what we’re planning on. … This has been a blast. It’s what you dream about as a kid.”
As part of a quarterback class that features just one clear-cut first-rounder (Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza), Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranks Payton as the fifth-best option available. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. has him seventh at his position and 153rd among all prospects.
Payton attempted a meager 58 passes over his first four college seasons, but the Bison used the 6-foot-3, 233-pounder as a weapon in the running game. In 2023, his most productive season in that capacity, Payton amassed 615 yards on 84 carries (7.3 per tote) and found the end zone 13 times.
Quarterback Cam Miller (now with the Dolphins) left NDSU for the NFL last spring, clearing the way for Payton to finally grab the reins. He seized the opportunity during a 29-touchdown campaign in which he threw for 16 scores, ran for another 13 and led his team to a 12-1 record. Payton completed 72% of passes on 12.1 yards per attempt, tossed just four interceptions, and piled up 777 rushing yards (5.7 YPC) on 136 carries. He continued demonstrating his athleticism at the Combine, where he ran the third-fastest 40-yard dash among QBs (4.56).
While Brugler notes that NFL teams considered Payton a potential tight end convert entering last season, that is no longer the case. Someone will give the mobile, strong-armed Payton a chance as a QB, though that team will take on an inexperienced starter who did not face elite competition in college.
Of Philadelphia, Arizona and New York, the Eagles are the only team with a solution at quarterback. They drafted Wentz 10 years ago, but the writing was on the wall for him when they used a second-rounder on Jalen Hurts in 2020. Wentz was out of the organization a year later. Hurts remains locked in as the Eagles’ starter, but backups Tanner McKee and Andy Dalton are only under contract for another year apiece. If the Eagles keep McKee and Dalton next season, Payton could ease into the league as the fourth QB on their depth chart and perhaps climb into the second or third position in 2027.
The rebuilding Jets (Geno Smith) and Cardinals have veteran stopgaps (Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew), but both teams are strong candidates to add someone younger in the draft. While the two are popular picks for Alabama’s Ty Simpson, a potential first-rounder, perhaps one of them will instead come away with Payton later in the draft.
Steelers Hosted WR Makai Lemon
USC wide receiver Makai Lemon may be a long shot to make it to the Steelers in the first round, but they were among the teams he visited, per Mike DeFabo of The Athletic.
While the Steelers are heading into the draft with two proven starting receivers in D.K. Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr., they have little else at the position. Of their six other receivers under contract, only Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek caught passes in 2025. They combined for a mere 16. The team has done its homework on a few notable prospects as a result, having hosted Lemon, Washington’s Denzel Boston and Alabama’s Germie Bernard. Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. did not book a “30” visit with the Steelers, but they are reportedly interested in him.
While Bernard may be an option in Round 2, where Pittsburgh will be on the clock at 53, Lemon and Boston are expected to go in the first round. Cooper is not a first-round lock, but he will likely be gone before the Steelers make their second pick. The Steelers’ first choice will come at No. 21, which could be too far down the board for Lemon. Both Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com (No. 12) and Dane Brugler of The Athletic (No. 13) consider Lemon as a top-15 player in this class. PFR’s Ely Allen mocked Lemon to the Dolphins at No. 11.
The Steelers’ best hope of landing Lemon may be for general manager Omar Khan to trade up. That might be on the table for a team with a league-high 12 picks, including five in the top 99. Reeling in the 5-foot-11, 192-pound Lemon, who won the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best receiver in 2025, would give the Steelers an exciting complement to the 6-4 Metcalf-Pittman duo. He lined up in the slot over 75% of the time and dropped just four passes in his three-year, 33-game run at USC.
The Steelers are not guaranteed to emerge from the first round with a receiver, but it’s “almost a foregone conclusion” they will at least spend a Day 2 pick on the position, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette observes. Cornerback, safety and guard are other areas they could address in the opening round, according to Dulac.
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.
Giants DT Dexter Lawrence Wants Out; Latest On Potential Trade
April 17: The Giants have, appropriately, a massive asking price for their hulking nose tackle. Not only are they seeking first- and second-round picks for Lawrence, they want the first-rounder to be in the top 10, per Schwartz. If it is outside of the top 10, New York will ask for additional picks to make up the value. That is an unrealistic asking price, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan notes, which “signifies [that the] Giants aren’t serious about trading Dexter Lawrence.”
April 16: Unhappy with a contract that does not include any more guaranteed money, Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence requested a trade earlier this month. The Giants and Lawrence continued contract talks after he asked out, but those negotiations broke off on Wednesday.
While the Giants trading the disgruntled Lawrence is a possibility, it is not a lock. Lawrence does indeed want out, per reports from CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones and Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. However, the Giants are not giving him away at a discounted rate.
The Giants want at least a first-round pick for the four-time Pro Bowler, according to Jones, who floats the idea of the team demanding a 2027 first- and a 2026 second-rounder for Lawrence. Doing so would give the Giants until Day 2 of this year’s draft to find a trade partner. If Lawrence is still a Giant on Day 3, April 25, it may take a long time for a trade to come together (if it happens at all).
The most recent trade involving a star defensive tackle came last November when the Jets shipped Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys. Dallas parted with the aforementioned 2027 first- and 2026 second-rounder package. The Cowboys also threw in D-tackle Mazi Smith, a 2023 first-rounder who has been a bust. The Giants are probably not in position to receive that strong of an offer, though, considering an acquiring team would have to give Lawrence a raise. Conversely, the Cowboys did not have to make any adjustments to Williams’ contract.
Lawrence is owed $19.5MM in each of the next two seasons, but Jones writes that he “will likely” climb into the upper $20MM range on a new deal. With Lawrence angling for more money, one source told Schwartz the Giants may not even get a first-rounder for the 28-year-old Lawrence, adding that “[he] will be in camp, he’s got nowhere to go.”
A Giant since they chose him 17th overall in the 2019 draft, Lawrence put pen to paper on his current pact – a four-year, $90MM extension with $60MM in guarantees – in May 2023. Joe Schoen, the general manager who authorized the contract, is still in his post. But Lawrence has been frustrated with how the team has been run and “what’s been valued in the locker room” over the past three years, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post writes. He has been open to a trade dating to the start of last year, Jordan Raanan of ESPN adds. Schoen has since lost power to new head coach John Harbaugh, but Lawrence’s frustration with the organization has not subsided.
While Dunleavy believes Lawrence would accept a “big raise” from the Giants, they are not not inclined to give him one. A trade does not appear imminent either, though the Giants have have held talks with other teams, per Raanan. With the draft starting a week from tonight, this will remain a fascinating situation to monitor.
Jets Expected To Draft David Bailey Second Overall; Latest On WR Possibilities
The Jets canceled a scheduled “30” visit with David Bailey, but that is hardly an indication they will pass on the Texas Tech edge defender at No. 2 overall in the draft. On the contrary, “most of the league” expects the Jets to use their first pick on Bailey, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports hears.
The possibility of the Jets taking Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles in the second slot exists, but the popular belief is they will settle on Bailey or Buckeyes LB/edge Arvell Reese. Not even two weeks ago, Reese was reportedly the favorite to end up in New York. The draft is still a week away, leaving enough time for this to swing in a different direction by next Thursday.
Will McDonald and free agent additions Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare are the Jets’ top edge options heading into the draft. They make for a decent trio, but the Jets are in need of a game-wrecking pass rusher. They may get one in the 22-year-old Bailey, whose production exploded last season. Spending his first three college seasons at Stanford, Bailey combined for 14.5 sacks over 32 games. He matched that sack total in 14 games with the Red Raiders.
After leading his conference in sacks and tackles for loss (19.5) in 2025, Bailey earned a unanimous All-America selection and Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year honors. The 6-foot-3, 250-pounder further demonstrated his athletic prowess at the Combine, where he paced his position in the 40-yard dash (4.50) and ranked third in the broad jump, seventh in the 10-yard split and tied for 10th in the vertical jump.
Even if Bailey does not end up as their choice, the Jets are likely to take a defender with their initial pick. The Jets also have another first-rounder, No. 16, and may use that selection to bring in a potential impact player on offense. Receiver is a glaring weakness for the Jets, who need a high-end complement to the excellent Garrett Wilson. A recent report indicated the Jets are “extremely high on” Indiana wideout Omar Cooper Jr., but they like him much better as a potential option at No. 33 than at 16, according to Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports.
New York spending a first-rounder on Cooper is not on the table, per Pauline, who reports the team has only given Round 1 grades to three receivers: Carnell Tate (Ohio State), Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State) and Denzel Boston (Washington). Tate should be long gone when the Jets are on the clock again at the midpoint of the first round, but coming away with either Tyson or Boston looks like a realistic outcome.
Malachi Lawrence Drawing Major Interest
APRIL 16: The Patriots used a “30” visit on Lawrence, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald relays. In addition to the Pats and the previously reported Colts, 49ers, Seahawks and Texans, Lawrence met with the Cardinals, Chiefs, Falcons, Saints, Chargers, Ravens, Eagles, Dolphins, Buccaneers, Commanders, Raiders, Titans and Jets, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2.
APRIL 9: As a potential first- or second-round pick, UCF edge defender Malachi Lawrence is generating significant interest in the lead-up to the NFL draft. Sixteen teams have set up visits with Lawrence, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. The Colts, 49ers and Seahawks will all meet with him this week.
The 6-foot-4, 253-pound Lawrence’s college career took off as a redshirt sophomore in 2023. He registered 10.5 tackles for loss and a personal-best 7.5 sacks in 13 games that year. Lawrence’s production dropped a bit during an 11-game 2024 (six TFL, five sacks), but he earned a first-team All-Big 12 selection last season. Over 12 games, Lawrence picked up 11 TFL and seven sacks.
Lawrence further boosted his stock with an off-the-charts performance at the Combine, where he ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash. He finished second among edge defenders at the Combine in 40 time, 10-yard split, vertical jump and broad jump (via PFF College). Dane Brugler of The Athletic (No. 36) and Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com (No. 46) consider Lawrence a top-50 prospect.
The Colts were a passable 15th in sacks last season, but they ranked an alarming 30th in pass rush win rate. The team made a run at Trey Hendrickson early in free agency, but the Ravens won that sweepstakes. The Colts have settled for modest additions (Arden Key and Micheal Clemons) to replace the departed Kwity Paye and Samson Ebukam. They continue to lack needle-moving pass rushers to complement Laiatu Latu. Indianapolis is without a first-round pick, but Lawrence could be on the board when it selects 47th overall in the second round.
The 49ers will pick 27th and 58th in the first two rounds. They totaled the fewest sacks in the league last season, though losing Nick Bosa to a Week 3 ACL tear heavily contributed to their struggles. They should get Bosa and Mykel Williams, who tore his ACL in November, back next season. The rest of their edge rushers – Sam Okuayinonu, Keion White, William Bradley-King, Andrew Farmer and the just-signed Cameron Sample – combined for just five sacks last year. With that in mind, bolstering the pass rush via the draft should be a high priority for the 49ers.
The reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks aren’t exactly teeming with weaknesses, but taking an edge defender early may be on their to-do list. Owners of just four picks, including Nos. 32 and 64 in the first two rounds, the Seahawks lost Boye Mafe in free agency. They have not brought in a replacement for Maye, and the clock is ticking on Demarcus Lawrence‘s career. The soon-to-be 34-year-old pondered retirement after the season, which could add to the Seahawks’ urgency to make a notable investment along the edge.