Steelers Did Not Call Cowboys About No. 20 Pick
The Steelers got caught flat-footed during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The team was expecting to land Makai Lemon with the 21st overall pick and even had the USC wideout on the phone to inform him of its decision.
There was just one problem: they were not on the clock. The Cowboys were, and they completed a trade with the division rival Eagles, who moved up to the No. 20 pick to steal Lemon out from under Pittsburgh. The Steelers pivoted to Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor, but it was abundantly clear they were outmaneuvered by Philadelphia’s general manager, Howie Roseman.
Instead of prematurely calling Lemon – rumored to be a common Steelers draft tactic – perhaps general manager Omar Khan should have dialed the Cowboys’ number. He made no attempt to move up one spot to snag their desired prospect, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, and could only watch – or more accurately, listen – as Lemon hung up to take the call from Philadelphia and become an Eagle.
However, the Steelers may not have been able to beat the Eagles’ offer. Philly sent a pair of fourth-rounders to Dallas to move up from the No. 23 pick, where the Cowboys were confident they could still land UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence. In that case, Pittsburgh may have needed to match or exceed Philly’s package of picks, a sizable overpay to move up one spot.
Still, offering an alternative to trading with a division rival would have at least gotten the Cowboys’ attention. Lawrence was known to have other first-round interest, too, so Dallas may have preferred to move back one spot rather than three to ensure they got their man. Combined, those factors could have helped a weaker offer from Pittsburgh still beat their in-state rivals.
Lemon was not linked to the Cowboys during the pre-draft process, so the Steelers understandably were not worried about him going to Dallas. But opting to reach out to him rather than Jerry Jones may turn out to be a decision Khan regrets. It will be very interesting to watch how the careers of Lemon and Iheanachor play out.
Sean McDermott To Take Year Away From Coaching, Could Take Media Gig
When the Bills fired Sean McDermott in January, there was immediate speculation that he, like ex-Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, could quickly land with another team.
However, most teams with head coaching vacancies were deep into their hiring process. Pausing to consider McDermott may have cost them other top candidates in a crowded, fast-moving market. The former Eagles and Panthers defensive coordinator could have taken an assistant role on another team’s staff, but instead, he will take a year away from football with the hopes of returning to the NFL in 2027, per The Athletic’s Mike Jones.
McDermott, 52, will be able to prioritize his family in a way that was not possible when he led the Bills. He will also have the time to become a better, more complete coach. His diverse plan includes self-scouting, studying new NFL trends, and other self-assigned research projects intended to further his football knowledge and refresh the repertoire of a coach who worked continuously for almost three decades.
McDermott is also focusing on developing his leadership skills, drawing from his contemporaries in the NFL, coaches in other sports, and leaders from the business world, in the hopes of getting another head coaching job in the near future.
“Absolutely. I love coaching,” McDermott said on the Rich Eisen Show when asked if he still wanted to coach. He added that he missed “being a part of something bigger.”
Steve Spagnuolo and Mike McCarthy both took gap years after losing coaching jobs so they could better prepare themselves for their next gig. Spagnuolo left the Giants in 2017, stepped away for a year, and returned as the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator in 2019. Kansas City won the Super Bowl in three of the next five seasons. McCarthy did not coach in 2019 after being fired by the Packers and landed the Cowboys’ head coaching job in 2020. Dallas went 49-35 over the next five years, which including three straight 12-5 finishes and playoff berths. When he lost that job in 2024, he again spent a year away from football before returning as the Steelers’ head coach this offseason.
“For myself, it’s a year off,” McDermott continued. “But it’s also a year of opportunity in a lot of ways to grow and lean on my family.” He did not rule out the possibility of taking a media job and mentioned “some suitors” without offering any specifics.
McDermott was extremely successful during his nine seasons in Buffalo, compiling a 98-50 record (.662 winning percentage), but he still has areas of improvement. He is known as a premier defensive coach, but the Bills’ defense often collapsed in the playoffs even after strong regular-season showings. His next team may not have an MVP quarterback like Josh Allen who is able to carry an entire offense when needed. Such a player can make up for all sorts of roster and schematic deficiencies, and yet, it could be argued that McDermott did not reign Allen in enough, either. The maverick QB’s questionable decision-making led to costly turnovers, including in the divisional-round loss to the Broncos that was the final nail in McDermott’s coffin.
Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown Hires David Mulugheta
Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown has changed agencies entering a contract year. He is now represented by David Mulugheta of Athletes First, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Dallas is all too familiar with Mulugheta, who also represents Micah Parsons and George Pickens. Owner Jerry Jones attempted to circumvent Mulugheta when negotiating an extension with Parsons last year, which led to the All-Pro edge rusher’s trade request and eventual move to the Packers.
Jones claimed that he and Parsons had a handshake deal in the spring without Mulugheta’s involvement, while Parsons and Mulugheta insisted that no such agreement had been made. That kicked off a series of back-and-forth shots in the media with the team only submitting one improved offer. Parsons, Mulugheta, and the NFLPA were all frustrated with Jones’ strategy of going around a player’s agent, something he has done in the past.
Despite that, a final attempt at a long-term deal was launched from the player’s side but soundly rejected by the team. Rather than play on his fifth-year option, Parsons sought (and received) an exit from Dallas.
This series of events raised questions about the Cowboys’ ability to work with other clients represented by Mulugheta and Athletes First, one of the biggest agencies in the sport. The team had already acquired Pickens before the Parsons saga reached its zenith, but his stellar season set up another offseason standoff for the Cowboys. Jones said in December that he intended to negotiate directly with Pickens – which likely did not sit well with him or Mulugheta – but no deal was reached before the end of the season.
The Cowboys then placed the franchise tag on Pickens and publicly announced that they would not pursue a long-term extension, another move that could be taken as a slight by the player and his agent. Pickens initially hesitated to sign his tag, but eventually put pen to paper just before the draft following a team “olive branch” to Mulugheta.
Now, Overshown is due for a new deal entering the final year of his rookie contract. The 2023 third-rounder missed his rookie season due to a preseason torn ACL in his left knee and took over a starting role the following year. Through 14 games, Overshown ranked second on the Cowboys with 90 tackles, including eight for loss and four sacks. However, an even more severe injury to his right knee again put him on the shelf, this time sidelining him well into the 2025 season.
The 25-year-old returned for just six games last year, but he was a noticeable improvement over Dallas’ struggling linebacker corps. In fact, Overshown was the only player at his position to receive a grade over 60.0, and no other Cowboys linebacker ranked higher than 17th out of the team’s 36 defenders, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
The Cowboys shored up their linebacker room this offseason by adding two former 49ers – Dee Winters and Curtis Robinson – the latter of whom is represented by Overshown’s former agency, The Familie. They did not, however, invest any draft capital at the position, indicating they are comfortable with their current options for the foreseeable future.
That should position Overshown for an extension, though Dallas may want him to demonstrate an ability to stay on the field before giving him a long-term deal. If those negotiations do open, Mulugheta will be wary of any attempts from Jones to negotiate directly with Overshown. Both sides may have learned their lesson and find a way to hammer out a deal privately, though Jones’ history indicates that will not be the case.
Eagles Host RBs Elijah Mitchell, Khalil Herbert For Tryouts
The Eagles hosted veteran running backs Khalil Herbert and Elijah Mitchell for tryouts at their rookie minicamp last week, per Zach Berman of The Athletic.
Philadelphia currently has five running backs on the roster, headlined by Pro Bowler Saquon Barkley. Former Jaguars third-rounder Tank Bigsby – originally acquired for two Day 3 picks at the beginning of the 2025 season – was an efficient No. 2 with 5.9 yards per carry while also serving as a secondary kick returner. The primary job was held by 2024 fourth-rounder Will Shipley, who has largely been an afterthought on offense but ranked 10th in yards per kickoff return last year.
The Eagles also signed Dameon Pierce and Carson Steele this offseason, but neither is guaranteed a 53-man roster spot. Bigsby is also in the final year of his contract and could be a trade candidate closer to the season.
Philadelphia did not add any rookie running backs during or after the draft, so Mitchell and Herbert are their most immediate options to add more depth. The pair of 2021 sixth-round picks – Mitchell with the 49ers and Herbert with the Bears – both flashed early in their career, but injuries and drops in production put them on the fringes for the last few years.
Mitchell appeared in one game (seven snaps) for the Chiefs last year and did not play in 2024. He has virtually no special teams experience, so a potential roster spot in Philadelphia will be predicated on him flashing the rushing ability that helped him averaged 4.9 yards per carry and 77.6 yards per game during his first two years in San Francisco.
Herbert appeared in seven games for the Jets in 2025 and split his time between Chicago and Cincinnati the year before. He brings some experience as a kick returner – though most of it came in 2021 under the old kickoff rules – and has occupied some kind of special teams role throughout his career.
Cowboys Prefer To Keep Tyler Smith At LG; LT Competition Expected
The Cowboys are returning all five of their starting offensive lineman from the 2025 season, but left tackle Tyler Guyton is not assured to keep his job after a disappointing start to his career.
Guyton, 24, played right tackle at Oklahoma before he was drafted by the Cowboys in the first round (No. 29 overall) of the 2024 draft. He was asked to flip to the left side in Dallas, a switch that clearly did not take right away. He allowed six sacks as a rookie with an overall grade of just 50.4, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), while also committing 18 penalties. There were some improvements in 2025, though he only started 10 games due to a season-ending ankle injury. Guyton surrendered two sacks, improved his grade to 57.5, and reduced his penalty count to seven. Still, that is not the level of play expected for a first-round pick or accepted for the protector of the blind side of the league’s most expensive quarterback.
As a result, the Cowboys are poised to hold a competition for the starting left tackle job this summer, according to The Athletic’s Jon Machota. 2024 seventh-round pick Nathan Thomas and Drew Shelton, a fourth-rounder in this year’s draft, will also vie for the job.
Thomas, 24, took over for Guyton after he landed on injured reserve, but was benched after allowing 23 pressures and three sacks with a 93.5 pass blocking efficiency, per PFF. 2022 first-rounder Tyler Smith moved over from left guard to close out the season and allowed just five pressures and one sacks across three games.
Dallas intends to keep Smith at guard, where he has earned three straight Pro Bowl nods after an uneven rookie year at left tackle, his college position. This would maintain a solid interior trio of Smith, center Cooper Beebe, and right guard Tyler Booker (with Terence Steele set to return at right tackle).
Sh
elton, 22, started at left tackle for the Nittany Lions for most of the last four years with some split duties on the right side in 2023. His grades steadily improved throughout his college career, up to 70.6 as a senior in 2025, when he allowed just one sack and zero quarterback hits. He is a solid athlete, but his 33.4-inch arms are below NFL standards for the position. Pre-draft evaluations pegged him for a swing tackle role early in his career with potential to grow into a starter, but he may have a shot at the job right away.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer praised Shelton’s “smooth footwork” and athleticism at the team’s rookie minicamp and confirmed that he would be competing with Guyton and Thomas this summer.
“We just like the traits, and we bet on a guy that’s played, I think, 34 starts,” Schottenheimer said (via Machota). “We think we can get him in here to compete with some of the guys we got.”
A relatively unheralded fourth-round pick seems like a long shot to start at left tackle as a rookie, but the team’s other options do not inspire much confidence. And if none of the three can emerge as a starting-caliber player, Dallas could still pivot back to Smith and put a different player at left guard, though again, that is a situation they would prefer to avoid.
Eagles Announce 8 UDFA Signings
During last week’s draft, the Eagles made eight selections and three trades, starting with a trade up to the 20th pick to steal USC wide recever Makai Lemon out from under the in-state rival Steelers. They also acquired Jonathan Greenard from the Vikings as well as a few extra late-round picks, one of which they used on one of the most intriguing developmental prospects in recent years: Nigerian-born Uar Bernard.
Philly has since added eight undrafted free agents, per a team announcement, including another player out of the International Player Pathway program and a new long snapper. Here’s the full list:
- Kapena Gushiken, DB (Mississippi)
- Tucker Large, DB (Washington State)
- Deontae Lawson, LB (Alabama)
- Maximus Pulley, DB (Wofford)
- Jaeden Roberts, G (Alabama)
- Rocco Underwood, LS (Florida)
- Joshua Weru, DE (Kenya)
- Dae’Quan Wright, TE (Mississippi)
Gushiken is an elite athlete who ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at his pro day with a 1.49-second 10-yard split. He began his college career at Saddleback Community College in California before transferring to Washington State in 2023 and Ole Miss in 2025. He has some playmaking skills – 4 interceptions and 20 passes defended over the last three years – but his 5-foot-9, 189-pound frame could be limiting in the NFL.
Lawson started for most of the last four years at Alabama, including multiple years wearing the green dot. Injuries hindered him throughout his college carer, but when healthy, he was a consistent presence in the middle of the Crimson Tides defense. If he can stay on the field, his advanced football I.Q. will give him a chance at carving out a role in Philly sooner rather than later.
Underwood won the Patrick Mannelly Award in 2024 as the best long snapper in college football. After 49 games at Florida, he will likely take up the same role in Philadelphia after the team parted ways with Charley Hughlett.
Weru played rugby for Kenya’s national team and is the latest international player from the sport to convert to football. While not as explosive as Bernard, Weru is still an elite athlete. Like his fellow IPP product, he has much to learn in Philadelphia and will likely spend at least a few years to develop into a game-ready player.
Wright was a somewhat surprising player to go undrafted after ascending production in his college career. After two solid years at Virginia Tech (47 catches for 574 yards), he transferred to Ole Miss and leveled up. After 27 catches, 394 yards, and his first four college touchdowns in 2024, he made 39 catches for 635 yards and another five scores last year. The Eagles have a crowded tight end room, even more so after adding Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers in the second round, so Wright still has an uphill battle to the 53-man roster.
WR Chase Claypool Attending Packers’ Rookie Minicamp
After two years away from the field, former Steelers and Bears wide receiver Chase Claypool is seeking a return to the NFL. The first step in his comeback is a tryout with the Packers at their rookie minicamp, per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic.
Claypool, 27, was a second-round pick out of Notre Dame in 2020. He showed plenty of promise during his first two years in Pittsburgh, racking up 121 catches for 1,733 yards and 11 touchdowns. After a slow start to the 2022 season, the Steelers put Claypool on the trade block with the intention of elevating George Pickens into a bigger role in their offense.
The Steelers received multiple offers for the 6-foot-4 wideout, including second-round picks from both the Bears and the Packers. Pittsburgh wisely accepted Chicago’s bid, expecting the Bears to win fewer games than their NFC North opponents. That turned out to be the case, as the Bears finished with a 3-14 record, the worst in the league. As a result, the Bears had the first pick in each round of the 2023 draft. With the Dolphins losing their first-round pick that year, Pittsburgh received the No. 32 overall pick as a result of trading Claypool (the pick became Joey Porter Jr.).
Claypool did not come close to justifying that trade for Chicago. The big-bodied wide receiver posted just 14 catches for 140 yards and zero touchdowns over the rest of the 2022 season. In 2023, Claypool did start two games with the Bears but was soon made a healthy scratch and then traded to the Dolphins in a pick-swap agreement involving sixth- and seventh-rounders. He managed just eight catches throughout the 2023 season and has not seen the field since.
The Bills signed Claypool in 2024 but placed him on IR that August. No team added him in 2025. After their aggressive push for Claypool at the ’22 deadline, the Packers began the Jordan Love era by equipping him with 2023 draftees Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks. The latter has since been traded to the Eagles, while the former just signed a three-year extension.
Raiders Announce 17 UDFA Signings
The Raiders had a busy offseason. They made several high-profile additions in free agency and drafted Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in last week’s draft. But even with all that investment, like any other team, they have to fill out their 90-man offseason roster. Here are Las Vegas’ 17 undrafted free agent signings, including a few of Mendoza’s Hoosier teammates:
- Jacob Clark, QB (Missouri State)
- Tyler Duzansky, LS (Penn State)
- Roman Hemby, RB (Indiana)
- Isaiah Jatta, OT (BYU)
- Devin Lafayette, S (Troy)
- Matt Lauter, TE (Boise State)
- Kansei Matsuzawa, K (Hawaii)
- Caleb Offord, CB (Kennesaw State)
- Justin Pickett, G (Duke)
- Chase Roberts, WR (BYU)
- Corey Rucker, WR (Arkansas State)
- Cian Slone, DE (NC State)
- Gary Smith III, DT (UCLA)
- Xavian Sorey, LB (Arkansas)
- Chris Thomas, LB (Maine)
- Tanner Wall, S (BYU)
- E.J. Williams, WR (Indiana)
Clark was a one-year starter at Missouri State and led the Conference USA in completion percentage, passing touchdowns, and passer rating in 2025. With Mendoza, Kirk Cousins, and Aidan O’Connell already in the Raiders’ quarterback room, it is hard to see Clark as much more than a developmental camp arm.
Duzansky was a reliable long-snapper at Penn State and could easily push Alex Ward, who spent the last three years with the Rams, for the starting job in Las Vegas.
Hemby was a three-year starter at Maryland, but other running backs ate into his touches in 2023 and 2024. He decided to transfer to Indiana, where he served as the Hoosiers’ bell cow with 230 carries for 1,120 yards and seven touchdowns. He should have a chance to make the 53-man roster in Las Vegas, as the team only has four other running backs under contract. Ashton Jeanty and recent fourth-round pick Mike Washington both have secure spots, but Hemby could certainly beat out Dylan Laube and/or Chris Collier this summer.
Matsuzawa, a Japanese native, is continuing his incredible football journey in Las Vegas. The former soccer player and self-taught placekicker only attracted interest from Hocking College, a school that plays in Division II of the National Junior College Athletic Association. He transferred to the University of Hawaii in 2023 and took over the starting kicker job in 2024, converting 12 of his 16 field goal attempts and all 32 of his extra points. In 2025, he made 27 of his 29 field goals (93.1%) in addition to another perfect 40-for-40 mark on extra points. Those kicks were good for 121 total points, which led the Mountain West Conference, and Matsuzawa was named a Consensus All-American at the end of the year.
The Raiders moved on from Daniel Carlson this offseason and signed veteran Matt Gay, but he only has $1.35MM in guaranteed money on his deal. Matsuzawa could have a chance to unseat him.
After drafting Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick last year, the Titans signed Xavier Restrepo, one of his favorite targets at Miami as an undrafted free agent. Similarly, the Raiders have brought in Williams, who caught 36 catches for 438 yards and six touchdowns at Indiana last year. Those numbers pale in comparison to Restrepo’s college production, but Williams’ rapport with Mendoza could give him a chance to impress his coaches in spring and summer practices.
Titans Were Down To Carnell Tate, Arvell Reese At No. 4
MAY 4: Uncertainty about Reese’s positional fit in Saleh’s defense was a factor in passing on the Ohio State linebacker, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The team’s draft board reflected that concern with Tate ranked above Reese.
Still, the Titans may not have expected to be faced with that decision. Reese was long projected as a top-three pick, but the Jets and Cardinals went with David Bailey and Jeremiyah Love, respectively. Had Bailey fallen to Tennessee, the team may have opted for him or considered a trade back with the goal of adding either the Texas Tech edge rusher or Tate later in the top 10.
MAY 1: The Titans surprised many by taking Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate with the No. 4 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, a move that significantly shook up the top 10.
Tennessee was widely expected to draft a top defender or Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with their first pick. When the Cardinals took Love at No. 3, it seemed that new Titans head coach Robert Saleh was free to handpick a new star for his defense. Instead, the team went with Tate.
Their decision was multi-faceted. First was a different assessment of Tate’s athleticism than the public consensus. The Titans timed Tate’s 40-yard dash at the Combine “in the mid-4.4s” as opposed to his official time of 4.53 seconds, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. In their eyes, that rounded out the profile of an otherwise complete wide receiver with a full route tree and excellent skills at the catch point.
Getting help for former No. 1 pick Cam Ward was also a priority, one that encouraged Tennessee to go with an offensive playmaker rather than a defensive one. Tate largely played second fiddle to Jeremiah Smith at Ohio State in 2025, which many evaluators saw as a negative – he could not even be the top target on his own team. The Titans, though, had a different takeaway: Tate would have a place in whatever offense they build over the next several years, whether it be as a WR1 or a versatile part of a deeper group.
Had Tate not been available, Breer adds, the Titans would have gone with his teammate, linebacker Arvell Reese. The team badly needs to strengthen their pass rush, especially at defensive end even after reuniting Saleh with Jets 2022 first-rounder Jermaine Johnson. Reese was projected to convert into an edge rusher in the pros, but he might been a better fit as a 3-4 outside linebacker than a defensive end in Saleh’s 4-3 scheme.
Tennessee also drafted Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. in the second round and could deploy him in the role they envisioned for Reese. Hill has a slightly smaller frame and lacks the same bend and agility as Reese, but he could still be used creatively by Saleh.
The Titans’ decision highlights a false trend in the NFL: teams who hire a new head coach prioritize their side of the ball with their first draft picks. Despite the symbolism of such a move – letting a new leader select a prospect that fits his scheme, style, and culture – the process rarely plays out that way. General managers are still focused on value and following their draft board while incorporating coaches’ feedback.
This year, only four of the 10 teams with new head coaches used their first pick on the coach’s side of the ball. The Raiders drafted Fernando Mendoza for Klint Kubiak – though that likely would have been the case no matter who they hired – the Cardinals drafted Love for LaFleur, the Browns got both Spencer Fano and KC Concepcion for Todd Monken, and the Steelers got Max Iheanachor (instead of Makai Lemon) for Mike McCarthy.
But, just as the Jets went with quarterback Zach Wilson in 2021, Saleh’s first year in New York, the Titans went with a wide receiver who was the top-ranked player on their board. That is not to say Saleh was not on board for those picks, or that head coaches in general prioritize their side of the ball. Another new defensive head coach, Jesse Minter, urged general manager Eric DeCosta to select guard Vega Ioane over edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., and the Jeff Hafley-led Dolphins took offensive lineman Kayden Proctor. In fact, there is an argument that the head coach’s expertise on one side of the ball means there should be more talent investment in the other.
At the end of the day, the Titans nabbed their desired prospect for their first pick in Tate, and Saleh still got a defensive lineman when the team traded back into the first round to select Auburn’s Keldric Faulk.
Texans, LB Azeez Al-Shaair Agree To Extension
APRIL 30: The deal includes $34.2MM in new guarantees and $45.75M in total guarantees, per Wilson. Al-Shaair now ranks third at his position in guarantees, trailing the Ravens’ Roquan Smith ($60MM) and the 49ers’ Fred Warner ($56.7MM).
APRIL 29, 11:15pm: This Al-Shaair extension is worth $54MM, Rapoport and Garafolo report. That $18MM average annual value ranks third in the NFL among inside linebackers. Al-Shaair will be counted on to remain one of Houston’s most impactful defenders for the foreseeable future with this new deal in hand.
12:20pm: The Texans are signing linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair to a three-year extension, per Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, keeping the leader of Houston’s defense under contract through the 2029 season.
Al-Shaair, 28, first arrived in Houston in 2024 on a three-year, $34MM deal and immediately took over a starting role in DeMeco Ryans‘ defense. He only appeared in 11 games in his first year – due in part to a three-game suspension – but made 16 starts in 2025 with a team-high 103 tackles. The ex-49er did not stuff the stat sheet otherwise, but his consistency in the middle of the Texans’ league-leading defense earned him his first career Pro Bowl selection. That gave Al-Shaair significant leverage when negotiating his new deal, which should be a solid raise over his first contract with the team.
The Texans are certainly happy to keep their star linebacker and defensive green-dot wearer around for a few more years. Today’s agreement represents their continued commitment to their elite defense after signing edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter to new deals this offseason.
It was reported in March that Al-Shaair and the Texans had mutual interest in reaching an extension as he entered a contract year. The Cowboys still made an attempt to trade for the seven-year veteran during their pursuit of linebackers this offseason, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. Houston, though, had no desire to move Al-Shaair, according to KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson, and Dallas pivoted to former 49ers Dee Winters and Curtis Robinson.
Al-Shaair will continue to partner with 2023 fifth-round pick Henry To’oTo’o as the Texans’ starting linebackers. To’oTo’o is entering the final year of his rookie deal and could be another extension candidate, as Houston has demonstrated a clear desire to retain their top defenders. The 25-year-old has racked up 200 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, seven passes defended, and four sacks over the last two years, making him a solid all-around complement to his veteran teammate.
The details of Al-Shaair’s contract have yet to be reported, but a raise over his current $11.33MM AAV would almost certainly propel him into top-10 linebacker pay. That is an excellent result for the former 49ers undrafted free agent, who developed under Ryans in San Francisco with a one-year stint in Tennessee before the two reunited in Houston.