LB Arvell Reese Meets With Giants, Jets, Saints
Ohio State hybrid linebacker/edge rusher Arvell Reese has long been tabbed for a top-10 pick in April’s draft, and a list of his recent meetings supports that projection.
All 32 NFL teams attended Ohio State’s Pro Day on Wednesday, with the Jets, Saints, and Giants taking extra time to meet with Reese, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. All three hold top-10 picks and could stand to add an impact defender, especially one who can fill multiple roles in the front seven.
The Jets hold the second overall pick and just traded 2022 first-rounder Jermaine Johnson to the Titans, creating a need at edge rusher. Signing Joseph Ossai to a three-year, $34.5MM filled the immediate void, but New York may want to add a long-term option opposite 2023 first-rounder Will McDonald. The defense also has Jamien Sherwood and Demario Davis as their starting linebackers, but Reese could rotate in there, too.
Reese could also head to the other team in New York, though the Giants have much more depth. Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, and Kayvon Thibodeaux are one of the league’s best young trios, so Reese would not have as many opportunities off the edge. However, new head coach John Harbaugh has always prioritized the off-ball linebacker position, where Reese played a majority of his college snaps. He could be Tremaine Edmunds‘ running mate in the middle of the defense as a rookie with the potential to expand his pass rushing profile if Thibodeaux leaves in free agency next offseason. The Giants have even expressed interest in trading Thibodeaux, which would open up more edge rushing snaps for Reese.
The Saints are picking at No. 8, and even that may be a long shot for Reese, who is widely considered a top-five prospect. They have two veteran starters penciled in at edge rusher and linebacker, none of which are younger than 27. Reese could see time in both roles as a rookie and serve as a long-term starter for either depending on how the rest of New Orleans’ roster comes together.
Daniel Jones Hit Key Rehab Milestone Before Agreement With Colts
The Colts were already headed for an expensive negotiation with Daniel Jones before his season-ending Achilles injury. That both complicated contract talks and delayed a final decision until some clarity emerged on the veteran quarterback’s recovery.
Indianapolis placed the transition tag on Jones at the beginning of March – almost three months after his December injury. That milestone is considered a crucial one in the rehab process, per ESPN’s Stephen Holder, as the incision is healed and the success of the surgery can be better evaluated.
Dr. Martin O’Malley, who performed Jones’ surgery, examined him at the three-month mark, as did the Colts’ doctors. With their approval, the team finalized the two-year, $88MM deal that had been in the works for weeks as both sides awaited medical updates.
The Colts keeping Jones seemed like a foregone conclusion and the best outcome for both sides. Indianapolis was able to constantly monitor Jones’ condition from the time he was injured, but other teams would have less information and potentially less confidence in his recovery.
By staying put, the 28-year-old can continue working with the same medical and coaching staff as he rehabs and prepares for next season. He will not have to deal with the mental and physical rigors of finding a new home in free agency, moving to another state, and getting settled in a different offense.
That last part is especially crucial. The Colts are hopeful hat Jones will be back early in the regular season, if not for Week 1, but he will not be a full participant in their offseason program or training camp. His familiarity with his scheme and teammates in Indianapolis will allow him to slide back into the starting lineup as soon as he is healthy, but that would be much more difficult in a new offense.
Ravens Want To Extend WR Zay Flowers
The NFL’s wide receiver market has exploded in the last few years. Nine players now make more than $30MM per year, topped by Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who officially signed his $42.15 AAV deal with the Seahawks on Wednesday.
The next receiver to cash in might be the player who was drafted two slots after Smith-Njigba in the first round of the 2023 draft: Ravens Pro Bowler Zay Flowers. Picking up the 25-year-old’s fifth-year option – projected by OverTheCap to be $27.3MM – is considered a “formality,” according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, with Baltimore already looking forward to an extension.
Locking Flowers into a long-term deal this offseason offers a number of benefits. First and most obvious is the production, which has ascended in volume and efficiency across each of his first three years in the NFL. In 2025, Flowers ranked seventh in receiving yards, 11th in catches, and 14th in yards per target. His 2.53 yards per route run trailed only Puka Nacua and Smith-Njigba among wide receivers, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Another obvious positive is contract control. As Zrebiec notes, an early extension guarantees that Flowers does not get anywhere near free agency where other teams can lure him away with eye-popping sums of money, as the Raiders did with Tyler Linderbaum this year.
That control also has a significant financial impact. Just look to Kyle Hamilton‘s extension last summer as an example. He received a $25.1MM AAV, but he still had two years remaining on his rookie deal (including his fifth-year option). That resulted in an overall contract of six years and $121.8MM ($20.3MM per year).
Assuming that the Ravens pick up Flowers’ fifth-year option, he will be owed $31.7MM over the next two years. He has not produced at the same level as Smith-Njigba or Ja’Marr Chase, the only two receivers earning $40MM per year, nor Nacua, who will likely join them this year. But a four year extension worth $35MM annually – a top-five mark for the position – would extend Flowers’ deal to $171.7MM over six years (28.6MM per year).
Flowers’ agent and the Ravens’ front office will haggle over the exact numbers, but that estimate illustrates the urgency and upside of agreeing on an extension this year.
Chargers Sign OL Kayode Awosika
The Chargers are continuing to add to their offensive line after struggling to protect Justin Herbert in 2025. Former Lions guard Kayode Awosika is the latest blocker to sign in Los Angeles, per a team announcement.
Awosika appeared in 13 games for Detroit last season with four starts at left guard during Christian Mahogany‘s absence. The five-year veteran played at a replacement level with a 57.9 grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) that ranked 54th out of 87 guards with at least 250 snaps.
Originally an offensive tackle at the University of Buffalo, Awosika signed with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2021. He spent his rookie season one the practice squad with almost a full game of action at right guard in Week 18.
Philadelphia waived Awosika during final roster cuts in 2022. He made his way to Detroit, where a reserve guard role awaited him. Over the next four years, the 27-year-old appeared in 49 games with 11 starts, all at guard, with 25 snaps at tackle.
That versatility will be valued in Los Angeles where the Chargers are rebuilding their offensive line after a rough 2025 season. Offensive tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt are recovering from season-ending surgeries with the expectation of playing in 2026. But, as general manager Joe Hortiz knows from his time in Baltimore with Ronnie Stanley, speedy returns to elite form is not an easy feat at one of the game’s toughest position. As a result, re-signed offensive linemen Trevor Penning and Trey Pipkins could be needed at tackle, leaving them unavailable to start or back up the guard spots. Awosika filled that role in Detroit for the last four years and should be able to continue in Los Angeles under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.
Commanders To Host Miami CB Keionte Scott For 30 Visit
The Commanders entered the 2025 offseason with a major need in cornerback. Most of the top available free agents have already found new homes, so Washington will likely need to target the position in the draft.
LSU All-American Mansoor Delane has flown up draft boards after a standout 2025 season and a blazing 4.35-second 40-yard dash at his Pro Day (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). He could be an option for the Commanders’ first-round pick (No. 7 overall), but Washington could also wait until Day 2 to address the cornerback position.
In that case, Miami’s Keionte Scott could be a prospect to watch. The Commanders are set to host the 5-foot-11 cornerback on a 30 visit, per Ryan Fowler of Commanding the Huddle. The team does not have a second-round pick this year as a result of the Laremy Tunsil trade, but they could use their third-rounder (No. 70 overall) on Scott to add a plug-and-play slot cornerback to their depleted secondary.
Injuries impacted the unit last year, resulting in four players taking more than 400 snaps on the boundary, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required): Mike Sainristil, Marshon Lattimore, Trey Amos, and Jonathan Jones. Sainristil also led the team in slot snaps with Noah Igbinoghene serving as the No. 2 nickel.
Of that group, only Sainristil and Amos remain. The Commanders signed Amik Robertson in free agency, so Sainristil could take up nickel duties again. Alternatively, they could draft Scott, an electric athlete who showcased his speed and explosiveness at Miami’s Pro Day on Monday. He posted a sub-4.4-second 40-yard dash (via NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe) and brings good length (31.375-inch arms) to the cornerback position despite his below-average height.
Scott broke out in 2025 with a 89.6 grade, the 10th-highest among college cornerbacks, according to PFF, and capped his season off with a defensive MVP performance in the Fiesta Bowl. He posted five sacks, 13 tackles for loss, five passes defended, and two interceptions, both of which he returned for touchdowns (an FBS-high). He primarily played in the slot in Miami, where his short area burst and physical play can impact offenses in a variety of ways. Scott’s is an older prospect – he will be 25 by the start of his rookie year – but that also brings maturity and leadership. He needs to improve his technique and anticipation, no small concerns given his age and experience, but he has all of the pieces to be an impactful nickel in the NFL.
Dolphins To Sign LB Ronnie Harrison
The Dolphins are signing Ronnie Harrison to a one-year deal, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, bringing the veteran linebacker to his fourth NFL team in the last five seasons and fifth in his eight-year career.
Harrison, 28, played for the Falcons in 2025, appearing in 10 games with four starts and 277 defensive snaps, 40% of the team’s total. He also played 181 snaps on special teams, the second-most involvement of his career behind 197 snaps in 2024. The 6-foot-3 linebacker held up in coverage but had the worst tackling season of his career with a 17.1% missed tackle rate.
Harrison should have an opportunity to carve out a rotational role in the Dolphins defense, especially with his previous experience as a safety. The team has Jordyn Brooks and Tyrel Dodson as their starting linebackers, but their No. 3 is unclear after K.J. Britt signed with the Patriots in free agency. Former Chiefs and Saints starter Willie Gay was active for every game last year, but he was only trusted with 131 snaps on defense with an almost-equal amount of time on special teams.
Miami has questions at safety, too, with their top three contributors from 2025 no longer on the roster. Minkah Fitzpatrick was traded to the Jets, and Ashtyn Davis and Ifeatu Melifonwu both hit free agency. Harrison has 908 career snaps at safety, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), more than any Dolphins safety outside of recent signing Lonnie Johnson.
Originally a Jaguars third-round pick in 2018, Harrison started 22 games across his first two years in Jacksonville before he was traded to the Browns. After three years and 23 starts in Cleveland, he spent most of the 2024 season on the Colts’ practice squad before arriving in Atlanta the following year.
Steelers Host Carson Beck, Cole Payton
The Steelers hosted quarterback prospects Carson Beck and Cole Payton for pre-draft visits this week, according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, signaling their interest in some of this class’ less-heralded passers.
At the moment, Pittsburgh does not have a clear starting quarterback for the 2026 season or beyond. 2025 sixth-rounder Will Howard did not play a snap as a rookie, and the Mason Rudolph experiment is probably not worth another try. 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers is poised to reunite with his old head coach Mike McCarthy, but he is hardly a long-term proposition for a Steelers team that has lacked a true franchise quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger‘s retirement in 2022.
But the 2026 draft class is weak at the position, for the third time in five years. The Steelers’ perennial winning seasons under Mike Tomlin always kept them out of range of a top prospect, and this year will be no different. Fernando Mendoza is widely expected to be taken by the Raiders with the first overall pick; the consensus QB2, Ty Simpson, should be available to the Steelers at No. 21, but is not seen as a surefire NFL starter after just one year leading Alabama’s offense.
Pittsburgh may instead look to add another developmental arm to their quarterback room in April. Beck, 23, started for two seasons at Georgia with SEC-highs in attempts, completions, and yards in 2024. He doubled his interception total from six to 12 the following year, leading the conference, causing him to transfer to Miami to rebuild his draft stock. Beck led the ACC with a 72.4% completion percentage, but threw another 12 interceptions including a game-ender in January’s national championship loss to Indiana.
Payton earned North Dakota State’s starting job in 2025 and led the Bison to an undefeated 12-0 season, though they fell to Illinois State in the second round of the FCS playoffs. The 23-year-old only averaged 209 passing yards per game with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions, but he was the highest-graded quarterback in college football by Pro Football Focus. Payton also put up an excellent testing performance at the Combine, ranking among the top three quarterbacks in every drill.
Pryor also notes that the Steelers hosted Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez for a visit. He led the Big 12 in solo tackles in each of the last two seasons with an FBS-high seven forced fumbles in 2025. The Nagurski and Bednarik winner did not post elite numbers in Indianapolis, but still had a solid all-around day with the fastest three-cone and short shuttle numbers at his position. With questions about his athleticism answer, Rodriguez has risen to No. 45 on NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s rankings and could very well hear his name called on Day 2 of April’s draft.
Eagles Still In Market For Edge Rusher
The Eagles worked to re-sign Jaelan Phillips in free agency, but they were ultimately outbid by the Panthers. A much, much, cheaper pivot to Arnold Ebiketie followed, but he alone will struggled to replace Phillips’ pass rushing production in 2026.
As a result, Philadelphia is still looking to add to their edge rushing room this offseason, according to Zach Berman of The Athletic. Currently slated to start are 2023 first-rounder Nolan Smith and 2024 third-rounder Jalyx Hunt, who both broke out with 6.5 sacks in their second seasons, with Ebiketie and Jose Ramirez providing depth. Brandon Graham has also signaled his intention to return for a 17th NFL season, though his playing time and production has waned in the last two years.
Smith, Hunt, and Ebiketie are a solid, but perhaps not game-changing, trio of edge rushers, and Ramirez, a 2023 sixth-round pick by the Buccaneers, has only played in four career games, all in 2024 in Tampa Bay. The unit could certainly use an infusion of talent, and Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is known to go big-game hunting.
Among the potential additions is Vikings edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, per Berman. Philadelphia has interest in the 2024 Pro Bowler, though it would take both draft picks and a new contract. Neither has typically been an issue for Roseman, who has been willing to move aggressively in trade and contract negotiations to secure his desired talents. The Eagles currently have $32.58MM in cap space (via OverTheCap), and can clear another $7.04MM with an A.J. Brown trade after June 1. Such a deal should net enough draft capital to acquire Greenard, too.
Even if Roseman declines to go after Greenard, the losses of Joshua Uche and Azeez Ojulari in free agency will encourage him to add some veteran edge depth. His predilection for brand names could point him towards Cameron Jordan or Joey Bosa, both multi-time Pro Bowlers who has remained effective in rushing the passer in the last few years.
Dolphins Restructured Aaron Brewer, De’Von Achane Deals For Waddle Trade
The Dolphins’ decision to part ways with Tua Tagovailoa this offseason put them in a tight cap situation due to the $99.2MM in dead money it left on their books.
Trading Jaylen Waddle stretched their budget even further, as the pre-June 1 move accelerated his remaining bonus prorations onto this year’s salary cap. That created $26.5MM in dead money in 2026, higher than his originally-scheduled cap hit of $11.8MM, which would have put Miami over the 2026 limit once the trade was processed.
To clear the requisite space, the Dolphins restructured the contracts of center Aaron Brewer and running back De’Von Achane, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. For Brewer, this meant a conversion of $5.25MM of his 2026 salary to a signing bonus, reducing his salary to the veteran minimum and his cap hit by $4.2MM to $4.95MM (via OverTheCap). This is the last year of Brewer’s contract with three void years already present, so one more was added to maximize the savings of the move, according to KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson. While technically this increases his cap hit in each of the next four seasons by $1.05MM, those charges will all accelerate onto the Dolphins’ 2027 cap when Brewer’s deal voids next February, leaving $4.2MM in dead money. An extension before the void date will prevent that acceleration.
Achane’s salary – originally boosted to $5.77MM as a result of the Proven Performance Escalator – was also reduced to the veteran minimum with $4.62MM converted to a signing bonus, per Wilson. Four void years were added to maximize the 2026 cap savings of the restructure, thereby creating the same amount of dead money for the 2027 season. An Achane extension, which could be negotiated in the coming months, would defer those charges.
The Dolphins will still need to clear more cap space to sign their rookie class and afford minor in-season expenses. Much of that relief will arrive on June 1, when the $20.2MM in savings from Bradley Chubb‘s release will be processed. The Dolphins will also receive a $3.08MM cap credit in 2027 for Waddle, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.
Miami’s new regime was clearly prepared for these cap gymnastics entering the offseason. They were able to sign a full free agent class – including quarterback Malik Willis, who signed the seventh-biggest contract in free agency – despite devoting more than half of their budget to players that are no longer on the team.
But moving Waddle was only worth it for the compensation they received from the Broncos. Miami established a first-round-plus valuation for their star wide receiver back at the 2025 trade deadline and stuck to it during negotiations this offseason. Denver was willing to add a third-rounder to their No. 30 selection, but only if a fourth-round pick swap was also part of the deal, per 9News’ Mike Klis.
Kirk Cousins Weighing All Options In Free Agency
MARCH 20: SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora echoes the sentiment that Cousins is in position to wait until deep into the spring to decide on his next move. A few more QB dominoes may need to fall before his latest NFL contract is in place.
MARCH 17: After attempting to force his way into free agency last offseason, Kirk Cousins finally got his wish last week. However, the veteran remains available after the first wave of signings and is still considering all of his options, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
One of the best landing spots would have been Kansas City. The Chiefs needed a starter until Patrick Mahomes completes his recovery from last December’s ACL tear, so Cousins could have had guaranteed playing time on a contending team to start the year. A successful season under Andy Reid certainly would have boosted his stock into 2027.
The Chiefs, however, traded for Justin Fields to bridge the gap until Mahomes’ return. The Falcons similarly signed Tua Tagovailoa to battle Michael Penix Jr. for a starting job, and the Colts have Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard behind Daniel Jones in the event he cannot recover from his Achilles tear by Week 1. No other team has an injured starter, though Cousins’ history with Sean McVay in Washington could make him a natural fit as Matt Stafford‘s backup in Los Angeles, especially with Gardner Minshew following Mike LaFleur to Arizona.
There are two starting jobs available, Breer notes, in Pittsburgh and Las Vegas. Both teams, though, are expected to go with different quarterbacks. The Steelers are poised to reunite Aaron Rodgers with new head coach Mike McCarthy, and Fernando Mendoza has been projected for the Raiders’ No. 1 overall pick since the regular season ended.
Cousins ending up in Pittsburgh would likely only happen if Rodgers retires, and he would probably have to win the job against Will Howard, Mason Rudolph, and potentially a rookie taken in April’s draft.
The Raiders may consider sitting Mendoza in his first year to continue his development, but quarterbacks drafted in the top-five picks typically start right away. The reigning Heisman winner will also turn 23 years old as a rookie and seems ready for the NFL after leading Indiana to a national championship. However, new head coach Klint Kubiak was the Vikings’ quarterbacks coach (2019-2020) and offensive coordinator (2021) for one of the best stretches of Cousins’ career and could see him as a valuable mentor and placeholder for Mendoza as he gets his pro footing.
Cousins could also wait, Breer adds. Other teams could have interest in Cousins if their quarterback situations were to suddenly change with an injury. This would remind of last year, when Cousins preferred to see how every team’s QB depth chart looked post-draft. But no trade commenced then. With the Falcons having cut the cord following an organizational overhaul, Cousins should have a lower-stakes free agency decision to make at some point this offseason.