No Other Team Offered Giants First-Rounder For Dexter Lawrence; Draft Calculations Influenced Bengals’ Proposal
It is quite rare to see a team part with a top-10 pick for a veteran. While numerous examples exist of this happening throughout NFL history, only twice this century has a team knowingly traded a top-10 choice for a player leading up to a draft.
This happened in 2022, when the Broncos included their No. 9 overall pick in a package for Russell Wilson. It previously occurred in 2005, when the Raiders sent the No. 7 overall pick to the Vikings in a package for Randy Moss (the Seahawks did better with their draft choice, selecting Charles Cross 17 years after the Vikes chose wide receiver bust Troy Williamson). The Giants now have a chance to use two top-10 picks in a draft for the second time since 2022, having acquired No. 10 overall for Dexter Lawrence.
Fallout from the weekend blockbuster revealed some among the Giants were surprised by the Bengals’ offer, and The Athletic’s Ian O’Connor reports no other team offered New York a first-round pick for the All-Pro defensive tackle.
Lawrence, 28, was seeking a contract update but may have been nearly as interested in being traded out of New York. The Giants made multiple offers near the $28MM-per-year point, but the deals included more years of control. Already under contract through 2027 as part of his four-year, $90MM extension in 2023, Lawrence agreed to a one-year, $28MM re-up that pushes his Bengals control through 2028.
“When this opportunity came, I jumped at it,” Lawrence said, via O’Connor. “…I felt ease when I said I was going to be a Cincinnati Bengal. It felt good to me.”
The Bengals have displayed uncharacteristic aggressiveness here. Not known for splashy outside acquisitions, Cincinnati has now added Lawrence, Boye Mafe and Bryan Cook this offseason. A defense in dire need of upgrades lost Trey Hendrickson to the Ravens, and while the No. 10 overall pick represents a valuable resource — it is the highest of the seven first-round picks swapped ahead of this year’s draft — NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero notes Cincy pre-draft simulations did not produce optimal answers at that spot. A Bengals source informed Pelissero “10 would have been a slow death.”
Cincinnati had been tied to the likes of Caleb Downs and Mansoor Delane at No. 10; our Ely Allen mocked Downs to southwest Ohio. But Downs has also been linked to the Giants at No. 5. It is far from certain Downs falls to 10, and this trade seemingly indicates the Bengals do not believe the standout Ohio State safety will be available (it would certainly be interesting if he is, as the Giants would now be in prime position to pounce).
Defenders Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese and David Bailey will almost definitely be gone by No. 10, and Rueben Bain Jr. may be as well. The Bengals felt they would be picking someone at 10 that drew a mid- or late-first-round grade internally, SI.com’s Albert Breer adds.
Giants GM Joe Schoen indicated contract talks would happen at the Combine; instead, Lawrence asked for a trade if no new deal was coming, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan and Ben Baby report. The trade ask did not leak until earlier this month, and although the Giants attempted to keep their seven-year D-line anchor, the No. 10 overall pick is a difficult offer to decline. The sides never got close on a new contract, per ESPN.
When negotiations were heading south, Lawrence’s agent prevented his client from speaking with John Harbaugh, according to the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz. This became a source of frustration for the Giants, per Schwartz, as the team made attempts to convince the dominant interior D-lineman to stay.
Lawrence’s camp approached the Giants about this issue at the 2025 Combine, Breer adds, but the team did not budge due to the precedent caving to a player with three years left on a deal would set. The sides settled on a $3MM incentive package last year.
Guarantees represented a sticking point for Lawrence and the Giants during their recent negotiations, Breer adds, and that led to Lawrence’s agent negotiating a contract with the Bengals. The Giants granted the Bengals permission to speak with Lawrence midday Saturday, Breer adds. The Giants were informed late Saturday afternoon Lawrence and the Bengals had agreed on terms, greenlighting the trade.
The Bengals reunite Lawrence with B.J. Hill, a D-tackle they acquired from the Giants (for guard Ben Bredeson) in 2021. Hill and Lawrence played together in New York for two seasons. The Bengals have loaded up at DT this offseason, adding Lawrence and Jonathan Allen to a group that included Hill and T.J. Slaton. Lawrence’s addition should help the likes of Mafe, Myles Murphy and Shemar Stewart at D-end as well.
This trade guts the Giants’ DT corps. New York ranked 31st in run stoppage with Lawrence active in 17 games last season. The team discussed pairing Lawrence with ex-Bengal D.J. Reader, per Schwartz, who expects the latter to sign post-draft. Reader visited the Giants last week. While the veteran nose tackle also met with the Ravens, he is unlikely to sign until the draft wraps. That will allow for Reader to survey the D-line landscape across the league while allowing the Giants to avoid the signing affecting their 2027 compensatory formula. But Reader may not be the only addition the Giants make at D-tackle moving forward.
Last year, Burrow pushed for a Hendrickson extension on multiple occasions. The Bengals did not offer the decorated edge rusher a contract with post-Year 1 guarantees, keeping with non-Burrow/Ja’Marr Chase franchise norms. Hendrickson balked at the proposal and agreed to a one-year pay raise. Cincy also engaged in a frosty rookie-deal negotiation with Stewart. These staredowns managed to revive Bengals thriftiness labels despite the team shelling out big money to retain Chase and Tee Higgins earlier last year. Burrow frustration resurfaced late in the season, to the point trade noise emerged (before being quickly quieted).
The Bengals were never going to seriously consider trading Burrow, but the quarterback’s frustration — which is not entirely in a different place from where Carson Palmer’s issues settled — may have been at least a partial influence for this blockbuster trade. Cincy extended Higgins because of its quarterback’s push, and after Burrow did not shoot down a question about potentially playing elsewhere at some point — with a reported aim to apply pressure on the team — the AFC North team has made a few big moves to bolster a porous defense. That raises the stakes for Zac Taylor‘s eighth season in charge.
Arvell Reese Still In Play For Jets At No. 2?
6:39pm: Despite this Reese revival of sorts, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport hears Bailey is still the more likely Jets pick at No. 2. The team’s Sonny Styles and Jeremiyah Love ties aside, Rapoport adds this is viewed as a Bailey-or-Reese decision.
4:18pm: Considerable David Bailey-to-New York buzz has built as the pre-draft process nears its conclusion. The Texas Tech pass rusher’s high floor has been viewed as likelier to make him the No. 2 overall pick — as of late, at least — compared to Arvell Reese.
Reese is viewed as a higher-ceiling talent, albeit one that is not quite as safe an option as Bailey looks to be, as he carries a hybrid skillset into the draft. Reese is aiming to be used as an edge rusher despite Ohio State deploying him as such on fewer than 100 snaps last season. No. 2 overall is not exactly good value for an off-ball linebacker, giving teams considering Reese a crucial assignment in determining a usage plan.
The Jets would make sense for Reese due to their EDGE need and timeline, and they were viewed as more likely to go with the ex-Buckeye than Bailey not too long ago. While Bailey may now be winning out, SNY’s Connor Hughes does not view the Texas Tech pass rusher as certain to go No. 2 overall. In fact, Hughes believes Reese is the Jets’ more likely pick.
If Reese is the Jets’ pick, a Cardinals team that has regularly chosen hybrid linebackers in Round 1 could pounce on Bailey. Our Ely Allen pointed to Arizona probably wanting Bailey more than Reese in his PFR mock draft, and this scenario playing out would give Nick Rallis a locked-in starter opposite Josh Sweat. Though, Bailey’s game has generated some concerns about run defense. The Jets added multiple standout pass rushers with run-game issues in recent years — in Will McDonald and Bryce Huff — and one head coach (via Hughes) compared Bailey to McDonald. Another NFL source labeled Reese as an ideal player for Aaron Glenn to mold.
A potential conflict could emerge regarding Glenn’s timetable. If the Jets stumble to the degree they did in 2025, the head coach is far from certain to be brought back for 2027. But New York’s timetable aligns toward a late-2020s reemergence — after another rebuilding year this season — considering three first-round picks await next year. GM Darren Mougey, based on the time ownership gave previous GMs Joe Douglas and Mike Maccagnan (five drafts apiece), is likelier to be remain in place compared to Glenn. Would the HC want more of a sure thing in Bailey compared to a slightly less certain prospect in this draft?
This situation reminds of the Jaguars’ 2022 debate, which pitted Travon Walker‘s upside against Aidan Hutchinson‘s college production. Bailey (12 sacks at Stanford from 2023-24) brings a better college body of work than Hutchinson (4.5 sacks before his breakthrough final Michigan season).
Detroit won out based on Jacksonville making a tools-driven pick in Walker. Hutchinson and Walker’s second contracts did not end up in the same ballpark. The stakes are high for the Jets, whose playoff drought reached 15 seasons last year. With the Buffalo Sabres making the NHL playoffs this year, Gang Green’s drought leads all active teams in major American sports.
The Jets canceled their “30” visit with Bailey last week (the team met with Reese in March). The Bailey development either points to New York being confident enough in a safer prospect, as to not waste his time on a trip, or the team leaning toward Reese. This storyline leans into the NFL’s smokescreen season well, making for more pre-draft intrigue. With the Raiders a near-certainty to start the draft with Fernando Mendoza, the Jets’ Bailey-Reese call effectively starts this year’s drama.
Jimmy Garoppolo Considering Retirement; Rams’ Ty Simpson Connections Slowed After Trent McDuffie Trade
The Rams are interested in re-signing Jimmy Garoppolo to be their backup quarterback for a third straight season, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates he is the team’s top choice to serve as QB2. But Garoppolo has not committed to playing a 13th NFL season.
Beginning his career as a backup before spending a chunk of seasons on the starter tier, Garoppolo has backed up Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles for the past two seasons. Garoppolo is considering retirement, per Rapoport. This is notable through a Cardinals lens as well, with the team being closely linked to having Garoppolo follow Mike LaFleur to Arizona. Talks hit a snag, leading the Cards to pivot to Gardner Minshew.
[RELATED: Rams, Stafford Progressing On Extension]
It is worth wondering if Garoppolo’s retirement consideration was a factor in the Arizona talks, though it is certainly possible the former Super Bowl starter’s asking price was out of step with where the Cardinals valued him. Arizona ended up with Minshew on a one-year, $5.75MM pact. A report earlier this month indicated Garoppolo was weighing multiple FA options; the Rams represent one of them.
Sean McVay said he is interested in assembling a third Stafford-Garoppolo QB room. The Rams have not needed to turn to Garoppolo in a meaningful game yet. This is somewhat surprising given Stafford’s health struggles in 2022; the L.A. starter’s back injury had Garoppolo spending training camp running with the first team. But Stafford returned and played 17 games before three playoff tilts. Garoppolo, 34, did not attempt a pass last season.
Famously part of the Bill Belichick-Robert Kraft relationship’s dissolution, Garoppolo was abruptly traded to the 49ers at the 2017 deadline. he spent the next five-plus seasons as San Francisco’s starter. This included a host of injury issues, however. ACL, ankle and foot injuries represented the headline health concerns for Garoppolo, who also missed two starts during his brief Raiders tenure. The Raiders gave Garoppolo a three-year, $72.75MM contract but ultimately benched him following Josh McDaniels‘ firing. Garoppolo played for barely $3MM on both his Rams contracts.
It would stand to reason the former Patriots, 49ers and Raiders passer would be amenable to a similar contract to return to the Rams, but he has earned nearly $158MM over the course of his career. The former Tom Brady backup has made 64 regular-season starts and six more in the playoffs. The Rams still have Stetson Bennett rostered, but the two-time national champion has not progressed to the QB2 level. If Garoppolo retires, the Rams will need a new backup.
Ty Simpson would have been in play for L.A. had the team not traded its No. 29 overall pick to the Chiefs for Trent McDuffie. The Rams were indeed eyeing the one-year Alabama starter when they still held No. 29, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes. While the Rams still hold No. 13 overall, that is seen as too rich for Simpson, who is not viewed as a lock to go in Round 1. Though, the Cardinals have been closely tied to this draft’s consensus No. 2 QB prospect — with trade-up buzz circulating.
I discussed a Rams-Simpson fit in a recent Trade Rumors Front Office post, as McVay’s team is a perennial contender unlikely to land a high draft pick as long as Stafford stays healthy. Taking Simpson 13th overall (or trading down and selecting him) would represent a way for the Rams to find an heir apparent, but with the team gunning for a Super Bowl title, using such a valuable asset on a player unlikely to help that cause is risky. It appears the Rams concur. Simpson is highly unlikely to be available when the Rams’ No. 61 pick goes on the clock, per Schefter.
Bears To Exercise RT Darnell Wright’s Fifth-Year Option
The Bears’ 2025 offensive line overhaul produced multiple All-Pro nods, but the group has since encountered turbulence. Drew Dalman surprisingly retired after his first Chicago season; that followed an Ozzy Trapilo injury expected to keep him out for most (if not all) of the 2026 season.
Although the team imported two new guards (Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson) via trade last year and changed left tackles midseason, Darnell Wright remains the constant on this front. After a breakthrough 2025 slate, Wright has secured a sizable guarantee. The Bears are picking up their right tackle’s fifth-year option, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.
Wright earned second-team All-Pro status, but as the Trent McDuffie option number illustrated last year, All-Pro accolades are not factored into the option formula (only original-ballot Pro Bowl invites). As such, Wright — who has yet to make a Pro Bowl — lands on the second run of the O-line option ladder. This comes out to a $19.07MM 2027 guarantee, one the Titans are also authorizing for Peter Skoronski. The Bears chose Wright one spot ahead of Skoronski in 2023 (at No. 10 overall) and have seen strong returns from the Tennessee alum.
Chicago agreed to move down one spot with Philadelphia, giving the Eagles access to controversial prospect Jalen Carter. While the Bears ended up with a lower-profile rookie in Wright, he became an instant starter and has lined up with the team’s first-stringers in all 49 games played. Wright, 24, joined Thuney as an All-Pro on this O-line last season. Dalman made the Pro Bowl; the Bears have since traded for Garrett Bradbury to replace him.
Now extension-eligible, Wright has a path to becoming the NFL’s highest-paid RT. Penei Sewell currently holds that distinction, with a $28MM-per-year contract, but is likely to slide to left tackle after the Lions’ Taylor Decker release. Tristan Wirfs also moved to the blind side. Lane Johnson is tied to a $25MM-AAV deal; he is nearing an age-36 season. Wright should be able to approach Sewell territory, creating a good problem for a Bears team that has two higher-end salaries at guard (but no longer one at center) to go with an ascending quarterback set to become extension-eligible in 2027.
ESPN’s pass block win rate metric slotted Wright fourth among tackles last season, while Pro Football Focus ranked Wright 15th among all tackles in his third season. Wright placed ninth among all tackles in 2024 pass block win rate, setting the stage for his All-Pro emergence. The Bears will be able to pair a Wright extension with Trapilo’s rookie contract for a bit, though Braxton Jones remains in the picture — thanks to Trapilo’s patellar tendon tear — for another season.
Rams, QB Matthew Stafford Progressing On Extension
Matthew Stafford did not consider retirement for too long this offseason, revealing during his MVP acceptance speech he would play an 18th NFL season. As Sean McVay rejoiced, the Rams were aware they needed to complete another round of negotiations with their star quarterback.
Reaching reworked deals with Stafford in 2024 and ’25, the Rams are likely to complete a true extension with their five-year starter this year. Considerable progress has been made on that front, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Stafford’s latest revised deal runs through the 2026 season. The QB has reported for the start of Rams voluntary workouts, Rapoport adds.
Agreeing to a Rams-friendly extension weeks after leading the team to a Super Bowl LVI conquest, Stafford came to regret that choice — which resulted in a four-year, $160MM 2022 re-up — and came to the table in 2024 and ’25. The 2025 rework came after the Rams let Stafford speak with other teams about a trade. The Giants and Raiders lined up guarantee packages covering north of $90MM, but Stafford ultimately decided to stay with McVay. That decision proved wise, as he soared to an MVP nod that could eventually be the deciding factor in his Hall of Fame case.
The Rams and Stafford agreed on a two-year, $80MM revision that included a $40MM guarantee at signing. Another $40MM guarantee vested on Day 5 of the 2026 league year. A $24MM 2026 option bonus was also split into four parts, according to Spotrac.
The team will assuredly flood Stafford’s next agreement with void years and perhaps include more option bonuses to keep cap hits low, setting up for a big dead money blow when this partnership concludes down the road. Given Stafford’s play over the past three seasons — after a multi-injury 2022 that brought a half-season of work — the Rams will gladly make this sacrifice.
This figures to be an eventful offseason for the Rams on the contract front. They already imported the Chiefs’ starting cornerback tandem by trading for Trent McDuffie and signing Jaylen Watson. In-house extension decisions remain. In addition to a Stafford call — one that will lower the QB’s $48.27MM 2026 cap hit — the Rams have seen Puka Nacua, Kobie Turner, Byron Young, Steve Avila and Warren McClendon become extension-eligible. None of those players’ deals includes a fifth-year option, giving the Rams plenty of work to do on an impact 2023 draft class.
Ahead of the draft, the Rams hold just more than $26MM in cap space. Although Nacua’s standing appears murkier thanks to some offseason headlines, the All-Pro wideout is viewed as a top extension priority (though, no deal is imminent). Nacua’s rehab stay notwithstanding, the fourth-year standout did report for the start of voluntary Rams workouts Monday. He will once again team with Stafford and Davante Adams, with the Rams being connected to a possible first-round receiver addition as well. Our Ely Allen has them selecting Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson at No. 13.
With the Rams trading No. 29 (and other draft assets) for McDuffie, the prospect of the team adding a Stafford heir apparent in this draft diminishes. Stafford’s high level of play will make tabbing a successor difficult, with the Rams presumably set for late draft slots as a result. McVay has said he believes his starter can play multiple additional seasons. While Stafford is year-to-year at this point, he will lead another Super Bowl-contending team this coming season. He will likely do so with a new contract on the books.
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Texans, DE Will Anderson Jr. Agree On Record-Setting Extension
The edge defender market stood south of $35MM per year barely 13 months ago. It has now climbed to $50MM AAV. Will Anderson Jr. agreed to a monster Texans extension Friday, continuing this market’s rocket rise.
Houston and Anderson agreed to a three-year, $150MM extension that comes with $134MM guaranteed, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. The contract includes a no-trade clause. This is a rarity among non-quarterbacks, but Anderson is now (by a notable margin) the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history.
[RELATED: Early Extensions For First-Rounders In Fifth-Year Option Era]
Anderson will receive $100MM fully guaranteed, Rapoport adds. This crucial number checks in third among defenders — behind Micah Parsons and T.J. Watt — but the guarantee vesting schedule will be important to learn here.
Parsons landed $120MM at signing, agreeing to a four-year extension. Parsons and Anderson each signed off on five-year terms (effectively), as one season remained on the ex-Cowboy’s rookie contract at the time of signing. The Texans exercised Anderson’s fifth-year option last week, locking him down through 2027. Although this extension provides the former No. 3 overall pick with a massive guarantee influx, the rookie deal running through 2027 will keep him under Texans control through 2030.
While Anderson has not achieved what Parsons, Watt or Myles Garrett have, he is just 24 and coming off a first-team All-Pro season. The Alabama alum tallied 12 sacks last season, teaming with Danielle Hunter to form a dominant edge-rushing duo. The Texans gave Hunter one-year bumps in each of the past two offseasons; the 31-year-old Anderson bookend is now signed through 2027 via the $40.1MM deal he inked last month. In terms of AAV, the Texans have the NFL’s highest- and fourth-highest-paid edge rushers.
Anderson, who registered 11 sacks in 2024, follows Derek Stingley Jr. in signing a three-year, market-shifting extension in his fourth NFL offseason. Houston gave its cornerback ace a three-year, $90MM extension. That moved the CB market by $5MM per year at the time and set the table for Sauce Gardner and Trent McDuffie‘s extensions. Anderson moved his market’s AAV bar by $3.5MM, with the Packers signing off on a record-setting Parsons agreement following an August 2025 trade.
We heard earlier this week Anderson was likely to set a price point at or above $50MM per year. The salary cap’s annual growth has changed players’ preferred term length, with three-year deals far more common now than they were even a few offseasons ago. The cap jumped from $279.2MM to $301.2MM this offseason. Anderson may well end up the top beneficiary from the latest climb, and it is certainly noteworthy to trace the EDGE market’s transformation over the past 13-plus months.
Nick Bosa‘s $34MM-per-year 49ers extension stood as the high-water mark here from September 2023 to March 2025. Before Bosa’s September 2023 agreement, no one had eclipsed Watt’s first Steelers payday ($28MM per year) for two full years.
Both Brian Burns and Josh Hines-Allen‘s 2024 deals did not come especially close to eclipsing Bosa’s pact, but the Raiders’ March 2025 Maxx Crosby extension (three years, $106.5MM) gave the position a new kingpin. The floodgates opened when the Browns changed Garrett’s trade aim with a four-year, $160MM payday days later. Hunter’s first Texans extension bridged the gap between Crosby and Garrett, and the Steelers gave Watt his second extension (three years, $123MM) last summer. After Parsons’ blockbuster extension delayed the Lions’ talks with Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit’s star pass rusher reached $45MM per year to sit second to Parsons in defender AAV when the dust settled. Hutchinson drops to third after this Anderson news.
While Aaron Donald once led the way among all defenders, a sizable gap has now emerged between edge rushers and interior defensive linemen. Not dissimilar to the gulf that has formed between wide receivers and tight ends, Anderson’s $50MM-per-year number is now nearly $19MM north of Chris Jones‘ DT-leading AAV ($31.75MM). The rest of the D-tackle market sits a whopping $24MM in AAV behind the new EDGE ceiling. It would stand to reason that market will receive an update, but after the two positional ceilings stood near one another entering the 2025 offseason — a year after Jones’ payday — it is striking to see how much more valuable teams have viewed top edge defenders in the months since.
After essentially conducting a pre-rebuild year in his first year on the job — a 2021 season that featured 17 Deshaun Watson healthy scratches amid the QB’s trade request and subsequent turmoil — Nick Caserio drafted Stingley and Jalen Pitre in 2022. The 2023 draft brought more foundational pieces, with the Texans taking C.J. Stroud at No. 2 overall and then trading up nine spots to nab Anderson at No. 3. Caserio sent the Cardinals the Texans’ own 2024 first-rounder — rather than the third first-rounder obtained from the Browns for Watson — to move up, and Houston’s 2023 success dropped that pick to No. 27. The Texans beating the Browns in the 2023 wild-card round made Cleveland’s pick higher than Arizona’s in 2024; though, Houston traded out of that first round (and last year’s first round).
The Texans have formed a menacing defense, and Anderson joins Stingley as the driving forces. Unsurprisingly, a rumor surfaced during the 2025 season the Texans were eyeing a 2026 payday for their emerging edge rusher. The sides entered talks late last month. Houston has now extended both its defensive anchors on three-year accords, giving both DeMeco Ryans cornerstones a chance to come back to the table before age 30.
It remains to be seen if the Texans will pay Stroud this offseason, but after an uneven two seasons following his Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign, it may behoove both parties to wait. As it stands, Stroud appears likelier to be extended in 2027. The team exercised its QB’s fifth-year option, however, providing a sizable guarantee ($25.9MM) for 2027. Anderson’s option came in at $21.51MM, but that is now moot thanks to this extension.
Like Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Seattle, Houston is taking care of key contract business involving a 2023 first-rounder rather than dragging the process out into a contract year. The Seahawks gave the reigning Offensive Player of the Year a receiver-record contract shortly after exercising his fifth-year option. Now, the Texans have followed suit and will build their defense around the Anderson and Stingley deals for the foreseeable future.
Cardinals’ Jacoby Brissett Seeking Starter-Level Extension
The Cardinals signed Gardner Minshew last month, adding a second bridge quarterback after signing Jacoby Brissett in 2025. Brissett worked as Arizona’s primary starter last season, with Kyler Murray shut down with a foot injury. Murray’s release clears the way for a Brissett-Minshew competition.
Monti Ossenfort declined to name a starter when asked this week, and the fourth-year GM cautioned (via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport) the team would “see how the room looks in August” when addressing the situation. Soon after, Brissett is staying away from Cardinals voluntary workouts for contract reasons. The veteran is seeking an extension that pays him as the Cards’ starter, Rapoport adds.
Arizona gave Brissett a two-year, $12.5MM deal in 2025. That contract reunited Brissett with then-Cardinals OC Drew Petzing, who coached the QB in Cleveland. Petzing is now the Lions’ OC, leaving after Jonathan Gannon‘s firing, though Ossenfort was onboard when the Cards added Brissett. Arizona was closely linked to reuniting new HC Mike LaFleur with Jimmy Garoppolo, but negotiations broke down. That led to Minshew signing a one-year, $5.75MM deal.
Minshew’s contract comes nearly fully guaranteed, while only $1.5MM in guarantees remain on Brissett’s pact. The latter wants an update, and Rapoport adds the Cardinals seem amenable to making some sort of adjustment.
Brissett, 33, started 12 games last season; the Cardinals went 1-11 in those contests during a 3-14 season. Brissett did have the offense in better form than Murray did during his brief 2025 work, throwing 23 touchdown passes compared to eight interceptions and completing 64.9% of his throws. Averaging 7.1 yards per attempt, Brissett ranked 24th in QBR. That was fifth-worst among qualified passers last season.
This is team No. 6 for Brissett, a Patriots draftee who later suited up for the Colts, Dolphins, Browns and Commanders. New England brought Brissett back as a bridge to Drake Maye in 2024. Brissett has not been tied to a contract worth more than $8MM per year since the Colts extended him in 2019. That deal brought a $20MM guarantee at signing, as Indianapolis needed Brissett to (again) assume the controls after Andrew Luck news changed the equation. Brissett started most of the 2017 season in Indianapolis — as Luck missed all of that campaign because of a shoulder injury — and took over again after the franchise QB’s shocking 2019 retirement. The Colts, however, signed Philip Rivers in 2020; that set Brissett on a nomadic course through the QB2 ranks.
The 2022 and ’25 seasons, though, did give Brissett extended starter looks. Prior to Murray’s injury, Deshaun Watson‘s 11-game suspension gave Brissett a lengthy run as the Browns’ starter. It will be interesting to see if the Cardinals accommodate the older of their two stopgap options, but increased buzz about Ty Simpson is emerging. After a report earlier today indicated an Arizona trade-up back into Round 1 — presumably from its No. 34 spot — is in play, NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah noted a Simpson-to-Arizona path “feels inevitable.”
It would seem either Brissett or Minshew would be a trade candidate if the Cardinals are the Simpson team. I’ve predicted Simpson to Arizona in recent PFR chats, as Ossenfort going four drafts without identifying his own signal-caller may be risky. The Cardinals are 15-36 in the GM’s three seasons on the job, and while the team waiting on a more promising 2027 QB crop may be appealing, its current GM may be on a hot seat after last year’s 3-14 stumble.
A one-year starter at Alabama, Simpson would seemingly be in need of some grooming. Would the Cardinals need both Brissett and Minshew in the event they draft the polarizing prospect? The Giants kept both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston after drafting Jaxson Dart, so recent precedent does exist for the two-mentor approach. Brissett receiving a raise on an extension, however, would leave Minshew in a strange position weeks after signing with the team. Brissett’s status will be a storyline to monitor, and a Simpson investment could change the organization’s plans here.
Broncos Still View TE Evan Engram As Key Piece
The Broncos outflanked the Chargers to sign Evan Engram last March, giving the former Pro Bowler a two-year, $23MM contract. Denver did not see desired results from that deal, as Engram and Bo Nix were not often on the same page.
But the 10th-year veteran remains on the Broncos’ roster. Denver was believed to be in on Dallas Goedert, but he re-signed with the Eagles. David Njoku remains unsigned, potentially needing to wait until the post-compensatory formula free agency wave post-draft. As of now, the Broncos are still planning to have Engram back. The 31-year-old pass catcher remains a key piece for the team, Sean Payton said (via the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson).
Nix found Engram for 50 receptions for 461 yards and a touchdown last season, but he did not become a steady presence for the team. Courtland Sutton ventured to his second Pro Bowl, and second-year receiver Troy Franklin showed growth en route to becoming the Broncos’ No. 2 target. Denver has since acquired Jaylen Waddle in a blockbuster trade. The defending AFC West champs are not planning to deal from their suddenly deep receiving corps, either, planning to retain both Marvin Mims and Pat Bryant. Payton’s pass-catching arsenal is now crowded.
To bring Engram to Denver last year, the Broncos gave him $16.5MM guaranteed at signing. Of the former Giants and Jaguars pass catcher’s $10.99MM 2026 base salary, $5MM is guaranteed. I identified Engram as a possible cut candidate ahead of free agency, but the Broncos did not add any veterans. They have met with a few rookie options, bringing in Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers, Ohio State’s Max Klare and NC State’s Justin Joly on “30” visits.
The Broncos could jettison Engram after June 1 and save $6.47MM; cutting him now makes little sense, as it would bring $10.33MM in dead cap. Without a young pass-catching option at tight end, the Broncos probably need to come out of the draft with one. Engram will turn 32 in September and is unsigned beyond 2026. Engram staying on as a bridge option of sorts would make sense, as the Broncos still have Nix on a rookie contract. But this will probably be Engram’s last year in Denver, if he indeed is rostered come Week 1.
Dolphins Rumors: Aikman, Draft, OL
Joining Tom Brady on the top tier of NFL announcer salaries, Troy Aikman also followed the fellow Hall of Famer by double-dipping with regards to assisting a team with big-picture decisions. The Dolphins brought in the former Cowboys great-turned-ESPN mainstay during their GM and HC hiring processes, and in March, we learned he would stay involved with the team in “some capacity.” GM Jon-Eric Sullivan has since said (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson) Aikman will be welcome in Miami’s draft room next week. Should Aikman be part of the Dolphins’ draft process, it would be more observational. The longtime broadcaster will not be consulted on selections, Jackson adds. It is still interesting the Dolphins will involve Aikman moving forward. The NFL established a precedent with Brady by allowing him to move forward with an obvious conflict of interest as a part-Raiders owner and FOX’s lead analyst. More broadcasters could be interested in double-dipping soon.
Here is the latest from the draft:
- Going through with a rebuild for the second time in seven years, the Dolphins are drowning in dead money thanks to recent moves — most notably the Tua Tagovailoa release. Miami has already reached $179MM in 2026 dead cap, representing a record-smashing number for any point on an NFL calendar. As the team moves forward, Sullivan said (via NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe) his first draft is more likely to feature trade-down moves than climbs up the board. This aligns with an early-April report on Miami’s plans. As they look to add long-term roster pieces, the Dolphins have 11 picks in this draft. This includes seven top-100 selections, but they appear interested in gathering plenty of rookie-deal pieces. That would certainly be wise given the dead money reality; Tagovailoa will also count $43.8MM in dead cap in 2027.
- The Dolphins are also planning to target offensive linemen that can play multiple positions, per Sullivan (via ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques). Miami has met with Caleb Lomu and is believed to be high on Lomu ex-Utah teammate Spencer Fano, who has been tied to potentially kicking inside to guard. The team also hosted Texas A&M guard Chase Bisontis. Competition is also set for both Dolphins guard spots along with right tackle this offseason.
- Miami added Malik Willis in free agency, signing off on a three-year, $67.5MM deal that came with $45MM guaranteed at signing. That would not preclude the team from drafting another quarterback, but the team does not appear likely to take Ty Simpson. A move on Day 3 may be in play still, and the Dolphins met with former Kansas passer Jalon Daniels this week (per ESPN.com’s Jordan Reid). Daniels saw time in six seasons for the Jayhawks, playing in 49 games. The Big 12 program’s primary starter for this lengthy period — one interrupted by injuries — Daniels impressed at points and struggled with accuracy at others. He also rushed for more than 400 yards in three seasons. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. ranks Daniels 16th among QBs, putting him on the fringe of the draft/UDFA line. Quinn Ewers and fellow second-year player Cam Miller join Willis as rostered Dolphins passers. Daniels also visited the Buccaneers and Patriots, per Reid.
- Although we heard during the coaching carousel the Miami HC job was not viewed favorably — due largely to the Tagovailoa contract’s impact — Louis-Jacques notes ownership’s patience with GMs made that job more appealing. Technically, Chris Grier was GM for 10 years; though, Mike Tannenbaum hovered above him from 2016-18. Grier did last nearly seven full seasons as the top front office decisionmaker following Tannenbaum’s exit. Though, it is worth noting Dennis Hickey only received one season with control (2014) before the Tannenbaum addition. Grier’s GM predecessor parted with the Dolphins after two seasons.
- The Dolphins recently sold a 1% ownership stake to Bin Lin, cofounder and vice chairman of Xiaomi (a tech company headquartered in China). Lin’s stake also covers part of Stephen Ross‘ full portfolio, which includes Hard Rock Stadium, tennis’ Miami Open and Formula 1’s Miami Grand Prix, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. The overall stake is worth $12.5 billion.