David Bailey Visits Cardinals, Chiefs, Cowboys, Jets
6:35pm: Bailey also visited the Jets, Rapoport adds. They are looking for a young edge rusher to pair with 2023 first-rounder Will McDonald after trading Jermaine Johnson to the Titans. New York holds the No. 2 pick, which is the earliest Bailey could be drafted with the Raiders all but certain to select Fernando Mendoza first overall.
5:03pm: Texas Tech edge rusher and projected first-round pick David Bailey has made his rounds around the NFL during the pre-draft process. He first visited the Cardinals in early March with trips to the Chiefs and the Cowboys this week, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Bailey, 22, is widely expected to be selected in the first 10 picks of April’s draft. He began his college career at Stanford with solid production from 2022 to 2024. In 2025, he transferred to Texas Tech and mounted an All-American campaign in Lubbock with an FBS-high 14.5 sacks and a Big 12-high 19.5 tackles for loss.
That production, combined with an excellent performance at the Combine, vaulted Bailey to the top of a strong draft class at his position. Among edge rushers, his 4.50-second 40-yard dash trailed only fellow projected top-10 pick Arvell Reese, and his 10-foot-9 broad jump ranked third.
With BJ Ojulari and Baron Browning in the last year of their contracts, the Cardinals could use a foundational edge rusher to build their defense around. Bailey is arguably the best one available, and the shorter-than-average arms of his primary competition, Rueben Bain, might scare Arizona away from using the No. 3 pick on him. Bailey brings no such length concerns, though his slim frame and lack of elite power are knocks on his game.
The Chiefs, who hold the ninth overall pick, could also use another high-upside edge rusher opposite 2022 first-rounder George Karlaftis. Bailey’s speed-rushing capabilities could complement Karlaftis’ power and ensure that Kansas City’s pass rush continues to thrive even if Chris Jones retires in the next few years.
The Cowboys traded Micah Parsons to the Packers just before the 2025 regular season, and his absence loomed large all year long. Dallas has built some depth off the edge with Rashan Gary joining Sam Williams and 2025 second-rounder Donovan Ezeiruaku, but none can match Bailey’s long-term upside. No one player can truly replace Parsons, but adding an explosive pass rusher like Bailey would be a good start.
Browns Looking To Add FB, Tried To Sign Patrick Ricard
Browns head coach Todd Monken was not as aggressive as Giants head coach John Harbaugh in signing former Ravens in free agency. Four players went from Baltimore to New York, but only wide receiver Tylan Wallace followed Monken to Cleveland.
Those results, however, were not for lack of trying. The Browns attempted to sign Patrick Ricard, per Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, but he instead took a two-year offer from the Giants to become the highest-paid fullback in the league.
Ricard, 31, first came to prominence as a key blocker in Greg Roman‘s offense during the Ravens’ first few years with Lamar Jackson. His playing time peaked in 2022 with a 64% snap share, but Monken’s arrival from the University of Georgia raised questions about Ricard’s future. The Ravens had just re-signed him to a three-year contract in 2022, but the deal only had guaranteed money in the first year. As a jumbo-sized fullback, Ricard may not fit in every offense, and Monken’s scheme at Georgia did not feature such a player.
However, the veteran coach’s calling card is his ability to design his offense around his talent and he did just that with Ricard. The six-time Pro Bowler saw a small decrease in playing time – his snap share hovered around 40% during Monken’s tenure – but he still maintained a crucial role as a versatile blocker.
After missing out on Ricard, the Browns are looking to add a fullback, Monken said this week. Finding a similar player to Ricard – who Monken recently called a “unicorn” – will not be easy, and the current crop of free agents at the position are not nearly as proven. Cleveland may instead look to the draft, where there are a number of blocking tight ends that could fit their new scheme.
Bears ‘In Communication’ With NFL Over Ian Cunningham Comp Picks
The NFL’s Rooney Rule, originally instituted in 2002 to expand opportunities for minority coaches, has expanded and evolved over the past two decades.
Among the changes are the inclusion of top front office positions and a compensatory system that rewards teams who develop minority coaching or executive talent. Clubs who lose a minority coach or executive to another team will receive third-round compensatory picks in each of the next two drafts.
The Bears would seem to fall into that category after losing assistant general manager Ian Cunningham, who took the Falcons’ GM job. However, the NFL initially ruled that Chicago would not receive comp picks since president of football operations Matt Ryan, not Cunningham, is designated as the primary football executive in Atlanta.
The Bears are pushing back. Team president Kevin Warren said (via CHGO Bears) that Chicago has “been in communication” with the NFL regarding the matter. He used some very specific language when explaining the nature of those talks.
“I wouldn’t say ‘change their mind,'” Warren continued. “We’re just trying to follow up with them, just a normal protocol within the NFL to send in a response to say that we feel that we deserve the compensatory picks.”
Warren joined Bears owner George McCaskey and general manager Ryan Poles in a recent trip to New York to make their case directly to commissioner Roger Goodell, per Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times. With only a few weeks before the draft, a decision will need to come quickly if the Bears are to receive a third-rounder this year.
“We did what the league wants every member club to do,” McCaskey said at league meetings this week. “We identified diverse talent; we recruited him; we created a position for him.”
The Falcons believe the Bears should receive compensatory picks from Cunningham’s departure, as does Cunningham himself. McCaskey noted that the league may be hesitant to set a new precedent that could force them to award comp picks in similar situations in the future.
But refusing to give Chicago those picks would be setting a different and presumably more dangerous precedent. Though the Falcons are supportive of the Bears in this situation, other teams may not be as charitable. They could see a new loophole in which they name someone other than their general manager hire as the primary football executive so that the new GM’s original team does not receive comp picks. Depriving a competitor of extra draft capital would not be out of bounds for a league that is frequently referred to as a business when discussing issues of this nature.
Falcons To Re-Sign LB DeAngelo Malone
The Falcons are re-signing linebacker and special teams ace DeAngelo Malone to a one-year contract, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Malone, 26, has been a core special teams contributor in Atlanta for the last four years. Despite the team’s coaching change, he will return for a fifth season under new head coach Kevin Stefanski and special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman.
Originally the 82nd overall pick in the 2022 draft, Malone appeared in 15 games as a rookie with exactly 216 snaps on defense and special teams. In his next three seasons, though, he played just 111 defensive snaps with a core role on special teams.
Malone’s special teams snap share stayed above 75% from 2023 to 2025. He appeared in every game in the first two seasons, but was limited to nine last year due to a broken ankle suffered in November. That was the first major injury and IR placement of his career. The Falcons were best-positioned to evaluate Malone’s rehab, and their decision to re-sign him indicates confidence in his recovery.
Malone did explore a move to another NFC South team. He recently visited the Buccaneers, who could stand to add special teams talent after uninspiring results last year. That meeting may very well have created some urgency in Atlanta to re-sign him rather than let him join a division rival.
Titans To Sign QB Hendon Hooker
The Titans are adding some quarterback depth behind Cam Ward. Former Lions third-round pick Hendon Hooker is headed to Tennessee, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Hooker, 28, was selected with the No. 68 pick in the 2023 draft after tearing his ACL in his final season at Tennessee. He spent most of his rookie season rehabbing in the hopes of taking over as Jared Goff‘s backup in 2024.
Hooker beat out Nate Sudfeld for Detroit’s QB2 job during training camp. He closed out three blowout wins – his only regular-season action to date – but the Lions reunited with Teddy Bridgewater in December as a more proven insurance policy in advance of the postseason. The move was indicative of the team’s lack of confidence on Hooker if Goff were to miss any time.
The Lions put Hooker on notice by signing Kyle Allen to compete for the backup gig last spring. During training camp, head coach Dan Campbell made it clear that Hooker had not developed in Detroit as the team hoped. That foreshadowed his release during roster cut-downs after a rough preseason that featured five turnovers, 4.7 yards per attempt, and a 55% completion rate.
Hooker spent time with the Panthers and Jets last season as they contended with injuries in their quarterback rooms, though he did not appear in a game. Now, he returns to the state in which he played college ball, though his new team is located in Nashville, not Knoxville.
The Titans already have Mitchell Trubisky and Will Levis as depth behind Ward. Trubisky is clearly the backup after signing a two-year deal with $6.8MM guaranteed. That will leave Levis as Hooker’s competition for a back-end roster or practice squad spot.
Levis is in the final year of his rookie contract. He struggled mightily in his first two seasons and missed last season due to a summer injury. Journeyman Brandon Allen was tapped for the 49 snaps Ward missed as a rookie. The addition of Hooker suggests that the Titans are open to moving on from Levis, a second-round pick made by since-fired GM Ran Carthon. Trade rumors followed Levis around the 2025 draft; it is quite possible they reemerge this month, though the former No. 33 overall pick has certainly lost value since his rookie season.
Cardinals, Dolphins To Host Miami QB Carson Beck
The 2026 draft class is not considered strong at the quarterback position. Projected No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza leads the pack with Ty Simpson seen as the clear QB2 who could also break into the first round. Beyond that, this year’s slate of prospects lacks another starting-caliber talent.
But quarterback-needy teams will always be willing to take swings on the most important position in the sport, especially on the second and third days of the draft. That is where former Georgia and Miami quarterback Carson Beck is projected to be selected.
As for his destination? The Steelers and Jets have already demonstrated interest, and the Cardinals and Dolphins can now be added to that list. Beck is scheduled to visit Arizona and Miami before April’s draft, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, both teams that could stand to add a young quarterback.
The Cardinals moved on from Kyler Murray earlier this month as expected. Gardner Minshew then joined Jacoby Brissett in the team’s quarterback room, giving them two veteran options to start this fall. But new head coach Mike LaFleur is surely looking for a long-term option under center. Next year’s draft offers a far richer well to draw from, but it would not hurt to take a shot on a less-heralded prospect in April.
The Dolphins are in a slightly different situation. They have a clear starter after signing Malik Willis to a three-year deal in free agency. But 2026 will be his first time in charge of an offense, and his small sample size of excellent play may not continue at a larger volume. Miami would be wise to bring in a younger passer behind Willis – who himself developed as a backup in Green Bay – to form into a backup or even the team’s next starter if Willis does not work out.
Beck would be an option for both teams. He brings plenty of experience at the highest level of college football, but that competition also exposed his lack of elite tools and potential. Landing in Arizona or Miami would not force him to step into a bigger role than he is ready for, but the two teams – especially the Cardinals – could offer more opportunities in the next three years of his rookie deal.
Cowboys To Make LB Addition, Interested In Dolphins’ Jordyn Brooks
The Cowboys’ poor linebacker play was a core part of their defensive struggles last season, but the team is hoping a full season from DeMarvion Overshown will lead to marked improvements in 2026.
However, Overshown needs a running mate in the middle of Dallas’ defense. The other linebackers on the roster are Shemar James and Justin Barron, neither of whom profile as starters in what will be their second NFL season.
The Cowboys “made a run” at a few linebackers in free agency, head coach Brian Schottenheimer said this week (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). We heard about pursuits of Devin Lloyd, Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean along with an attempted trade for Patrick Queen. They were not able to land any, leaving them with a sizable void with many of the league’s top free agents already signed.
“We recognize that we need to fill some holes there,” Schottenheimer added. Executive vice president Stephen Jones concurred.
“The plan is to add skill at that position,” Jones said, “whether it’s the draft, whether it’s free agency, whether it’s a trade, or a combination of all of the above, we’ll look at all avenues.”
The Cowboys could certainly find a starting-caliber linebacker in a strong draft class, especially with an extra first-round pick from the Micah Parsons trade. Veterans like Bobby Okereke, Bobby Wagner, and Devin White are still available in free agency.
Dallas is also among the teams with interest in Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks, per Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald. No other suitors are known for the 28-year-old, who is entering the final year of his contract.
Miami is interested in signing Brooks to an extension, which would position him as the long-term leader of their defense. However, the rebuilding team — which recently unloaded Jaylen Waddle in a blockbuster trade — could try to sell high after his first-team All-Pro selection last year, to a team that has a clear need at the position.
Ravens President Sashi Brown Addresses Maxx Crosby Trade
Ravens team president Sashi Brown downplayed the team’s controversial decision to back out of a trade for Maxx Crosby at league meetings this week.
“It’s unfortunate, but sometimes these things do happen – no fault of Maxx, ours or the Raiders,” Brown said (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley). “It’s just kind of how it played out.”
The Ravens have drawn criticism for their handling of the situation, including a three-day gap between the teams agreeing to the deal and Crosby’s physical in Baltimore. By the time the Ravens informed the Raiders of their decision, two days of the legal tampering period had already passed. That impacted not just the two teams involved, but the other 30 who had made their free agency plans under the assumption that the trade would go through.
The Raiders had already committed significant sums to new signings, while the Ravens declined to re-sign their top pending free agents with the expectation of taking on Crosby’s sizable contract. Las Vegas was able to keep its existing commitments after the reversal, but Baltimore, of course, could not come calling after its former players who already had deals with other teams. Other teams like the Cowboys, who had expressed interest in Crosby, had already moved on to other options – in Dallas’ case, Rashan Gary.
The situation has highlighted the importance of physicals in processing any NFL transaction.
“This is not the first time it’s going to happen. It will not be the last,” Brown continued, noting that the Browns backed out of their agreement to sign A.J. Epenesa on Sunday. “It’s unfortunate and rare, especially in a high-profile case like this, but that’s why the processes are in place.”
Brown also acknowledged concerns that the situation would impact the Ravens’ standing with other teams.
“We’ve got strong and long relationships across the league,” he said. “We have emphasized the importance of doing things the right way. We’ll continue to do that.”
Chris Ballard: Anthony Richardson Could Stay In Indianapolis
Anthony Richardson‘s time in Indianapolis appeared to be over when he lost the starting quarterback battle to Daniel Jones last year. Missing virtually the entire season due to a freak injury furthered that belief, and receiving permission from the Colts to seek a trade seemed to cement it.
However, Richardson has drawn little interest on the trade market, and the Colts are not inclined to release him outright. General manager Chris Ballard said at league meetings this week (via ESPN’s Stephen Holder) that there is “definitely a scenario” in which the 23-year-old remains in Indianapolis.
The Colts may need a stopgap starter as Jones works his way back from last year’s Achilles tear. Their other options, at present, are both second-year players: sixth-rounder Riley Leonard and UDFA Seth Henigan.
Henigan signed with the Colts practice squad at the tail end of last season and extended his stay with a reserve/futures deal. It is hard to consider him a legitimate candidate to start if Jones is not ready for Week 1. Leonard had only two meaningful appearances as a rookie – first as relief for Jones in Week 14, then as the starter in Week 18 with Indianapolis eliminated from the postseason.
Despite his struggles thus far, Richardson might be the best option of that trio. If the Colts are not able to get a solid trade return for the former No. 4 pick, he can serve as an insurance policy for Jones as his recovery progresses.
Jets ‘Hopeful’ About Breece Hall Extension
The Jets placed the franchise tag on Breece Hall, ensuring he will remain in New York in 2026. They envision, however, a much longer-term partnership with their star running back via a multi-year extension.
“Things are in a good place and I’m hopeful with Breece,” general manager Darren Mougey said at league meetings this week (via Brian Costello of the New York Post). “Obviously, we’ll get through this draft process. And after the draft kind of shift my focus back there and hopefully get something done with Breece.”
Hall’s tag is worth $14.293MM, the fifth-highest AAV at his position, per OverTheCap. Directly ahead of him is Kenneth Walker at $14.35MM per year, a figure that is no accident. The two were taken five picks apart in the 2022 draft and have comparable career numbers, highlighted by their very similar 2025 campaigns. With Hall tagged, Walker was able to secure a slightly bigger annual salary with the third-most guaranteed money for a veteran running back in league history.
That, in turn, will likely set Hall’s expectations for a long-term deal with the Jets, particularly on the guarantee front. But will New York want to pay up for a running back who, in terms of both volume and efficiency, has never ranked among the league’s top 10 at his position?
Investing so much in a running back has long been dicey proposition, but there has been a resurgence in recent years. The Jets are looking to add a young franchise quarterback in the near future, and a strong running game is an easy way to help out rookie passers. Hall has also been durable with only two absences in the last three years.