Recent EDGE Extensions Affected Micah Parsons’ Price Point; DE Prepared To Stage Hold-In?
Although Micah Parsons may have surprised some by reporting for the start of the Cowboys’ offseason program, do not expect the star defensive end to be a participant anytime soon. Unless the Cowboys break from their recent extension timetable, that is.
Parsons has been clear in his desire for a Cowboys extension by training camp. Absent one, he is not expected to step on the field for workouts. Parsons said Tuesday he would still be attending Cowboys activities, as the team is transitioning at defensive coordinator (hiring Matt Eberflus). But he expressed doubt (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota) about participating in on-field workouts without a new contract.
Players skipping minicamp has become a common offseason tactic amid negotiations, but it does not sound like Parsons will partake in such an effort. Hold-ins, however, are even more common during a CBA that makes training camp holdouts difficult to wage. Zack Martin succeeded in his holdout, seeing the Cowboys turn his final two seasons from nonguaranteed to fully guaranteed, but Parsons appears to be planning to hold in while he learns Eberflus’ system at the team’s facility.
Of the two contract-related shutdown moves in play for Parsons, this is the preferable route for the team. But the Cowboys will see their recent extension timeline tested. Dallas completed its CeeDee Lamb re-up August 26 while taking the extraordinarily rare step of waiting until hours before Week 1 to hammer out its higher-profile deal (Dak Prescott‘s market-resetting pact). Parsons is not exactly eager to follow in his teammates’ footsteps here.
“It’s extremely important,” Parsons said (via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer) of a deal being done by camp. “You really see a lot of players struggle when guys aren’t participating in camp and they get off to slow starts. I want to hit the ground running.”
The Cowboys are still not making progress with Parsons, who has been connected to a defender-record-setting ask. The team appears ready to make Parsons the NFL’s highest-paid non-QB, but is in unclear by how much. While it is still early, Dallas has seen its top player’s price point change.
Parsons said last summer he saw the benefit in waiting for his extension — as opposed to joining other 2021 first-rounders in landing one last year — but noted in December he did not necessarily need a $40MM-per-year deal. That stance certainly appears to have changed, thanks to where Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett have taken the market. Garrett became the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback in March, scoring a $40MM-per-year extension to back off his Browns trade request. Ja’Marr Chase since followed with a $40.25MM-AAV Bengals extension.
“You look at the market and see Maxx gets 35 1/2, 36 [AAV] and then you see guys that are older than you [be paid],” Parsons said (via Machota). “You can say that your production and versatility matches what they’re doing. … I would say I’m more in my prime than a lot of these other guys; they’re more in the second half of their careers.”
Parsons is not wrong. Garrett will turn 30 this year, while Crosby is going into his age-28 season. Also on the extension radar, T.J. Watt will play an age-31 season in 2025. Trey Hendrickson will as well. Set to turn 26 next month, Parsons will have a clear case to secure a better deal than what the Browns gave Garrett, which also included a defender-record $88.8MM guaranteed at signing. The Cowboys having the league’s highest-paid player and third-highest-paid receiver provides a complication for their top 2025 extension candidate, and the team would have a 2026 franchise tag at its disposal if negotiations do not pick up.
The Prescott talks, though, show the danger that route can bring. Prescott upped his price by waiting, holding off on signing an extension in 2019, leading to a 2020 tag. He then scored player-friendly terms in 2021, helping set up his 2024 $60MM-per-year windfall. Parsons certainly represents a cornerstone piece for the Cowboys, who would stand to see his price keep rising if they wait until Watt, Hendrickson and perhaps Aidan Hutchinson — who is a year younger than Parsons — agree to deals this year.
Bears Aiming To Extend G Joe Thuney
The most accomplished piece included in the Bears’ March interior O-line overhaul, Joe Thuney is going into a contract year. The Chiefs effectively chose Trey Smith over Thuney, breaking up a four-year guard tandem as the former required a franchise tag to be retained.
That became the Bears’ gain, as they obtained Thuney for a 2026 fourth-round pick. Thuney will start alongside big-ticket center signee Drew Dalman and ex-Ben Johnson Lions pupil Jonah Jackson. Although Thuney is much older than both, Ryan Poles said (via Scott Bair of the Marquee Sports Network).
[RELATED: Bears Eyeing Ashton Jeanty At No. 10]
Thuney, 32, is in the final season of a five-year, $80MM deal. The Chiefs authorized a then-guard-record AAV to add him from the Patriots a month after the Buccaneers hounded Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LV. A month after the Eagles’ swarming pass rush reminded of that outing, Thuney will return to guard — after being a fill-in left tackle due to the Chiefs’ issues staffing that position — but do so with a new team.
The 10th-year veteran’s new team is building around a rookie contract at quarterback, providing more flexibility for payments elsewhere. Its March moves reflected that, as Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett joined the O-linemen. Poles has since extended Kyler Gordon and T.J. Edwards. He did not offer a timeline for a Thuney deal, only confirming it was a priority. While Jackson is not an extension candidate, after having disappointed on his three-year Rams deal, it does not appear the Bears are viewing Thuney as a Keenan Allen-like rental.
Despite struggling against Philly edge rushers in Super Bowl LIX, Thuney has been one of the NFL’s best guards over the past several years. The Patriots franchise-tagged him after a second-team All-Pro season; he resurfaced with a second-team honor in 2022. The former third-round pick proceeded to land on back-to-back All-Pro first teams (2023-24) with the Chiefs, affirming extension candidacy. The Chiefs already paid Creed Humphrey and are stuck with the Jawaan Taylor contact, thanks to a player-friendly guarantee structure, for one more season. Smith is tied to the tag, with post-draft extension talks on tap, and the Chiefs just gave Jaylon Moore a two-year, $30MM deal. They will now opt to save money at left guard.
The Bears’ last notable guard expense — the three-year, $30MM Nate Davis contract — went bust, but they have a proven commodity in Thuney, who arrived in Kansas City during Poles’ final year as the team’s executive player personnel director. He will bring an interesting extension case, due to his age.
The four-player $20MM-AAV guard club consists of 20-somethings, though a few less proven guards (Jackson included) agreed to deals between $16-$20MM per year since Thuney’s March 2021 Chiefs signing. With the cap having climbed significantly since Thuney agreed to his deal (amid the COVID-19-induced cap reduction), a medium-term extension in that range makes sense as a target for the veteran blocker’s camp.
AFC East Notes: Patriots, Bills, Banks
Consistently given Will Campbell in mock drafts (including ours), the Patriots may not be locked into the left tackle the way the Titans are with Cam Ward at No. 1. Eleventh-hour Pats connections to Georgia hybrid defender Jalon Walker are emerging, via Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline. Mike Vrabel has mentioned left tackle as a place the draft can provide an answer, and Pats-Campbell ties have persisted during the pre-draft process. Several reports have suggested the LSU product will be the Patriot pick. Walker recently auditioned for scouts, and Pauline adds the Pats sent a sizable contingent to a workout that also featured Georgia EDGE Mykel Williams. Pats brass soon dined with Walker, Pauline adds.
Showing the ability to be an edge defender and off-ball linebacker, Walker is expected to go off the board early. The Pats, who inquired about Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby this offseason, came up previously in connection to passing on Campbell to draft a pass rusher. With Abdul Carter likely going to Cleveland or New York, New England would be shut out from this draft’s top prospect tier at 4. Campbell should probably still be considered the favorite to go fourth overall, but it is not a lock.
Here is the latest from the AFC East:
- Also viewing Campbell as the Pats’ most likely pick, SI.com’s Albert Breer mentions Walker as a wild card. But the veteran reporter also points to a New England desire to accumulate more draft capital — even if it is unable to move off No. 4 (in a draft without a QB prompting aggressive trade-up offers like last year’s brought for the Pats). Kayshon Boutte, months after voicing frustration with his role, could be a player the team would consider moving to acquire an extra pick. Two years remain on the 2023 sixth-round receiver’s rookie contract.
- Having seen four teammates (Khalil Shakir, Gregory Rousseau, Terrel Bernard, Christian Benford) receive early-offseason extension, James Cook is not joining his teammates for the start of the Bills‘ offseason program, Brandon Beane confirmed (via The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia) Tuesday. Cook skipping voluntary work is not surprising; he has been upfront about his desire for an upper-crust extension this offseason. The Bills have viewed the breakout RB as a core player, but it remains to be seen if they will give the multipurpose back a deal in the $15MM-AAV range. Early talks have not brought progress. One season remains on Cook’s contract. While the Bills did pay former Day 2 picks Devin Singletary or Zack Moss, Cook has been a better player and is one of this year’s top extension candidates.
- Extending Bernard and keeping Matt Milano via a pay-cut agreement, the Bills are in decent shape at linebacker. They are still being mentioned (via Schefter) as a team that could use a premium draft pick on the position. Holding the No. 30 overall choice, Buffalo is being tied to UCLA LB Carson Schwesinger. Milano having missed the bulk of the past two seasons does give Buffalo a bit of a need here, but the team has been more closely tied to other defensive positions in Round 1.
- Another injury-prone player who once earned All-Pro acclaim in Buffalo, Tre’Davious White is back. Discarded in 2024, White spent the season with the Rams and Ravens. Although White has seen the injury trouble move him off the surefire starter tier, he has another chance in Buffalo. He said (via ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg) following the Ravens’ divisional-round loss to the Bills that he began letting the team know he was interested in returning. At 30, White now profiles as a flier for a Bills team likely still looking for CB help.
- The Dolphins have done plenty of D-tackle work leading up to this draft, but ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter also links Texas tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. to Miami at No. 13. Banks’ stock looks to have climbed late, as he has been tied to going as high as the Raiders at No. 6 or the Jets at 7. Miami has Patrick Paul prepared to replace Terron Armstead, as Austin Jackson remains at RT.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/22/25
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Detroit Lions
- Re-signed: OL Michael Niese
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: OL Trevor Reid
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed second-round RFA tender: RB Jaylen Warren
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed ERFA tender: DL Evan Anderson, DL Alex Barrett, LB Jalen Graham, TE Brayden Willis
The Steelers let Najee Harris walk in free agency, passing on re-signing their four-year starting RB despite the Chargers only giving him a one-year, $5.25MM deal. That base value is nearly identical to Warren’s 2025 compensation, set for $5.35MM by virtue of being tendered at the second-round level.
A former UDFA, Warren has served as Harris’ flashier sidekick for three seasons. The former Utah State and Oklahoma State back has proven a find, making key contributions off the bench while on a UDFA deal. Warren, 26, totaled 1,154 scrimmage yards in 2023 and 821 (in 15 games) last year. He will be set to team with Kenneth Gainwell, who is also on a one-year agreement. Pittsburgh has since been linked to adding a starter-level RB in the draft.
Draft Rumors: Graham, Jaguars, Raiders, OL, Cardinals, Lions, Grant, Dolphins, Panthers
The trendy Jaguars pick in mocks for weeks, Mason Graham may not be Duval County-bound after all. The Jaguars ranked 31st defensively last season (25th against the run), but they might be viewing No. 5 overall as too steep for the Michigan D-tackle prospect. Indeed, ESPN’s Adam Schefter indicated during a TV appearance (h/t Action News Jacksonville’s Daniel Griffis) he does not expect Graham to be the Jags’ pick. The Michigan alum-turned-omnipresent news breaker making this prediction certainly carries weight, especially after reports of Ashton Jeanty being in play for Jacksonville (and Travis Etienne becoming a trade chip) surfaced to start draft week. Liam Coen also is believed to be high on this wide receiver class, Schefter adds, making a Tetairoa McMillan–Mike Evans connection re: the one-and-done Buccaneers OC. The Jags did plenty of retooling at the position this offseason, which would stand to keep them in play for an early-round WR — in a class most do not hold in high regard — to complement Brian Thomas Jr.
Graham likely would not fall too far, especially with teams not exactly clamoring to move into the top 10 for one of this draft’s non-Cam Ward QB options. Here is the latest from the draft:
- If the Raiders‘ Jeanty aspirations do not come to fruition, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes that an O-line move would likely be in play. Missouri’s Armand Membou and Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr. could be in play, per Breer, especially with seven-year left tackle Kolton Miller pursuing a new contract. (The Raiders hosted Banks on a “30” visit recently.) Even if Miller has a case for a raise, he was drafted a few regimes ago — even before Mike Mayock joined Jon Gruden — and could be a candidate to be replaced if the Raiders’ new power structure is displeased with his tactics. The Raiders used 2024 third-rounder DJ Glaze as their primary RT in 2024.
- The Cardinals will also be a team to watch for an early O-line investment. They are believed to be focusing on adding a guard, ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss notes. The team re-signed left guard starter Evan Brown to a modest deal (two years, $11.5MM) but have a question at RG. Although Brown re-signing gives Arizona four returning O-line starters, the team may view the NFC nomad as a stopgap. That view would leave two guard holes to fill, though the Cards did use a third-round pick on a guard (Isaiah Adams) last year. More help appears to be desired, though.
- Linked to bolstering their defense at No. 8 overall, the Panthers also are interested in acquiring more picks. They appear willing to use their top choice to do so, and Breer said during a radio interview (via Cleveland’s 92.3 The Fan) the team would be willing to take a lesser offer for No. 8 to obtain more picks. The Panthers traded a second-round pick to the Bears (the last asset to be exchanged in the Bryce Young swap) but did pick up one from the Rams (in the Braden Fiske exchange) last year. Carolina also holds two fourth-round picks, the second coming from Dallas for Jonathan Mingo.
- Graham college teammate Kenneth Grant is come up as a potential Florida-bound prospect, with Breer adding the stout D-tackle is believed to be drawing extensive interest from a Dolphins team doing a lot of DT work. Miami lost Christian Wilkins last year and did not spend much to replace him then or during this free agency period. Although cornerback is certainly a position of need in Miami — if/once the team trades Jalen Ramsey — the D-line appears a place to monitor in Round 1.
- Despite rostering D.J. Reader and extending Alim McNeill, the Lions look to join the Dolphins in seeking interior D-line aid. Reader, though, will turn 31 in July while McNeill is coming off an ACL tear. Levi Onwuzurike also signed a one-year deal in March. Although the Lions still need an Aidan Hutchinson wingman, Breer hears more about their interesting in bolstering their D-line via a deep class.
Saints Likelier To Add QB After Round 1?
APRIL 21: The Saints have done much more work on Dart than Sanders, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated writes. That falls in line with reporting from ESPN’s Adam Schefter; both pieces point further to New Orleans opting against a signal-caller at No. 9 and targeting one later. On that note, Schefter adds the Saints have made “exploratory calls” about trading up in the second round, a move which would be aimed at selecting a passer like Dart or another option at the position.
APRIL 18: A recent report indicated the Saints want to come out of this draft with a quarterback, but they may not view this prospect crop as producing anyone — after Cam Ward goes off the board — worthy of the No. 9 overall pick.
With the caveat of smokescreen season being in full swing, the Saints appear more likely — even after the Derek Carr news became public — to wait on a quarterback rather than select one in Round 1. They do not appear enamored with a passing prospect enough to pull the trigger at No. 9, NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill notes; ESPN.com’s Matt Miller concurs.
If the top 10 closes without a second quarterback being taken, an interesting pursuit will begin. The Giants are also viewed as being in the mix to trade up from their second-round position (No. 34) for a potential long-term answer. The Saints hold the No. 40 overall choice, a range Underhill classifies as a sweet spot for the team to get serious at QB. The Saints famously have not chosen a first-round quarterback since Archie Manning (1971), seeing free agents (Carr, Drew Brees) and trade acquisitions (Aaron Brooks) carrying the load throughout this century. With Carr’s status uncertain, however, the organization will be taking a risk by passing at No. 9.
The Saints would have a few second-tier options to choose from if they were to take their chances and go another direction in the first round. It does not look like Shedeur Sanders will be chosen in the top 10, based on recent reports, and ESPN.com’s Field Yates does not view the Saints as being sold on Sanders to the point they would burn their top draft asset on the two-year Colorado starter. That said, Yates adds Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough are believed to be on the team’s radar at a later point.
To land Dart, the Saints will probably need to trade back into Round 1. This would allow them to pick up a fifth-year option on the Ole Miss alum’s contract. Our Ely Allen mocked Dart to the Saints at No. 9. That would be the safest play for the team, even though it would strip away the chance of bolstering its Week 1 starting lineup with a higher-level prospect. QB reaches occur annually, but if the Saints do not view a substantial gap to exist between this glut of second-tier options, waiting on one could be the play.
Saints-Dart connections came up earlier during the pre-draft process, while the team has also been tied to Quinn Ewers. The latter likely will be available at No. 40. Additionally, Miller notes the Saints still view fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler as having upside. Rattler submitted a shaky run as Carr’s primary injury fill-in, after falling in the 2024 draft. Though, this came with the Saints missing their top two wide receivers, creating a tough situation for a Day 3 rookie. It would still be unlikely if the Saints left this draft with Carr and Rattler as their top two QB options, but the latter’s presence may deter the team from reaching for a passer at No. 9.
A non-QB addition in Round 1, to merely add another potential quality starter to the roster, may well be the play while the franchise examines this year’s passer contingent. With the Browns likely joining the Giants in being on the trade-up radar, to go with the QB-needy Steelers lurking as well, the Saints will have some potential landmines to navigate if they do pass at No. 9 and look to circle back to the game’s premier position soon after.
AFC West Notes: Thuney, Chiefs, Raiders
While the Chiefs again turned to Patrick Mahomes‘ increasingly team-friendly contract for a restructure to create cap space, they did move on from a core player to make room for Trey Smith‘s franchise tag. Kansas City traded three-time All-Pro Joe Thuney to Chicago, moving the guard’s contract-year salary off the books after tagging Smith. The team then re-signed Nick Bolton. Signed when the Chiefs transformed their O-line following a Super Bowl LV blowout loss, Thuney gave the Chiefs stability at left guard.
“As the years go on and we hope to keep this winning tradition up and have sustained success, it only becomes more difficult,” GM Brett Veach said during his pre-draft press conference. “(We) knew early on that we would be limited and that was obviously the reason why we had to make that trade with Chicago with Thuney. I mean, that was a player that we loved, and it was gut-wrenching to have to do that, but you had to do it.”
The Thuney trade saved the Chiefs $16MM in cap space but created a hole at LG. Kingsley Suamataia, who won the team’s LT job out of training camp only to be benched in Week 2, is expected to have a good chance to win succeed Thuney alongside new LT starter Jaylon Moore. Thuney missed just four games due to injury in four seasons, two of them coming to close out the 2023 campaign, but he is going into an age-33 season. It made sense for the Chiefs to swap out high guard salaries, as Smith will turn 26 this year.
Here is the latest from the AFC West:
- Despite showing interest in retaining Tre’von Moehrig, the Raiders let the young safety walk in free agency. The Panthers gave Moehrig a three-year, $51MM deal — now the league’s fifth-most lucrative safety contract — and the Raiders added Jeremy Chinn on a lower-cost contract (two years, $16.26MM). Las Vegas also lost Marcus Epps in free agency, re-signing Isaiah Pola-Mao (two years, $7.45MM). The latter is expected to see plenty of snaps alongside Chinn, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore, who notes the Raiders like their in-house safeties post-Moehrig. Pola-Mao, a 2022 UDFA, made 14 starts in place of Epps last season. It appears the former post-draft find has a clear path to keeping that role.
- The Raiders moved Hunter Renfrow back onto their radar, hosting the former Jon Gruden-era draftee on a free agency visit recently. Renfrow did not play last season and fell out of favor with the Raiders fairly soon after being given a two-year, $32MM extension during Josh McDaniels‘ first months on the job. No reunion has taken place, and The Athletic’s Vic Tafur views it as unlikely. A post-draft reassessment could take place at receiver, depending on how the Raiders fare next week, but Renfrow (29) may need to look elsewhere to secure a comeback opportunity.
- Kolton Miller is locked into a starting job, as he angles for a new contract, while DJ Glaze would appear to have the inside track to the Raiders’ right tackle gig. But the interior O-line will bring competition. Alex Cappa‘s two-year, $11MM contract points to the ex-Buccaneer and Bengal starter landing one of the jobs, but GM John Spytek said the FA addition will join holdovers Jackson Powers-Johnson, Jordan Meredith and Dylan Parham in competition. Cappa will vie for one of the guard spots, while Spytek said (via Tafur) the other three will compete for the guard and center roles. Parham has started at both positions over the past two seasons, while Meredith split his eight starts at both LG and RG last season. It would surprise if Powers-Johnson, a 2024 second-round pick, failed to win a job considering his draft pedigree. A move to center makes sense, as the Oregon product won the Rimington Award in 2023.
- Linked to a few veteran wideouts this offseason, the Broncos are planning to add at the position. Though, it is not known if a significant addition will come via an early-round draft pick or a post-draft free agency move.
Chiefs Preparing To Discuss Extensions With Trent McDuffie, George Karlaftis
The Tyreek Hill trade gave the Chiefs two first-round picks in 2022. They used their own first-rounder on George Karlaftis and traded up for Trent McDuffie with the pick the Dolphins sent them (via the 49ers) for Hill. Both defenders are now extension-eligible.
McDuffie and Karlaftis have been central cogs during the Chiefs’ franchise apex, each starting in three Super Bowls. While franchise-tagged guard Trey Smith will be the team’s top extension priority after the draft, GM Brett Veach indicated (via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra) dialogue with the 2022 first-rounders is expected to occur as well.
Veach’s stance makes it fairly clear the Chiefs plan to exercise the fifth-year options in each defender’s contract. That will buy the team time, as the options being exercised would keep the 2022 draftees signed through 2026. McDuffie’s option has certainly never appeared in doubt, as the versatile cornerback has booked first- and second-team All-Pro nods over the past two years.
Though, the NFL still using Pro Bowls (original ballot only) as a key option determinant will reduce the cost of that 2026 number; McDuffie has yet to be selected for a Pro Bowl, keeping his option number at just $13.63MM. This exposes a bit of a flaw in the league’s updated option format, but it will benefit the Chiefs.
Karlaftis has started 44 games in three seasons, registering 24.5 sacks in that time and not missing any games due to injury. Operating as a Frank Clark sidekick as a rookie, the Purdue product took over as the team’s top edge rusher after Clark’s 2023 release. The Chiefs have retained auxiliary edge players in recent years, re-signing Michael Danna in 2024 and Charles Omenihu last month, but Karlaftis remains their top outside rusher. The team has not seen 2023 first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah contribute much, which should give Karlaftis more leverage once extension talks start.
McDuffie’s extension roadmap will be more interesting on multiple levels. The Chiefs’ Andy Reid-years M.O. at this position has been to deploy low-cost talent at corner, in order to devote funds to other areas on the roster. This has led to Marcus Peters, Steven Nelson, Kendall Fuller, Charvarius Ward and L’Jarius Sneed finding their second contracts elsewhere (via trade or free agency). The team deviated from that blueprint a bit this offseason, however, signing Kristian Fulton to a two-year, $20MM deal. Fulton will be expected to start opposite McDuffie, as the Chiefs did not see Jaylen Watson establish consistency during an injury-marred year replacing Sneed.
Kansas City has also used McDuffie in the slot regularly, though the team cut back on that considerably in 2024. McDuffie, 24, saw his slot snaps drop from 448 in 2023 to 138 last season. Staying on the perimeter stands to help McDuffie, extension-wise. Our latest Trade Rumors Front Office piece examined the disparity between the outside and slot corner markets, though McDuffie manning both spots effectively will up his market. The 49ers use Deommodore Lenoir both inside and on the boundary; his contract (five years, $89.8MM) reflects it, coming in well north of where the pure slot market has settled.
Karlaftis, 24, will not command a top-market EDGE extension, but McDuffie will undoubtedly aim high at corner. Considering the Chiefs’ spending pattern at the position, McDuffie’s market will provide an interesting test. The low fifth-year option number gives Kansas City some leverage once talks begin, but the team completing an extension before the Jets pay Sauce Gardner would probably be a wise move, as the NFL could certainly have two $30MM-per-year corners (after Derek Stingley Jr.‘s deal) once the now-extension-eligible Gardner is paid.
Steelers Expected To Draft Running Back
Quarterback obviously looms as a higher priority for the Steelers, who have seen their Aaron Rodgers dance extend beyond a month since an offer emerged. Whether or not the Steelers are souring on the aging great, they are likely to make a notable skill-position addition to play behind Rodgers (or Mason Rudolph, Kirk Cousins or a to-be-determined rookie).
The Steelers protected Jaylen Warren with a second-round tender — one that nearly matches where Najee Harris‘ fifth-year option price would have checked in — and signed Kenneth Gainwell to a one-year, $1.79MM deal ($620K guaranteed). They do not appear to be done, as it looks like the AFC North team will be one of the many aiming to take advantage of this year’s deep running back crop.
[RELATED: T.J. Watt Extension Could Be Pricier Than Expected]
Pittsburgh has done a lot of RB work in preparation for this draft, according to ESPN.com’s Matt Miller, and is expected to add here. The team trading its second-round pick for D.K. Metcalf provides a complication, but Miller pinpoints Rounds 3 and 4 for a potential move. Beyond the big names in this year’s RB class, teams should be able to find value (as opposed to last year, where the position did not impress evaluators).
Beyond Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton and Big Ten standouts Quinshon Judkins, TreVeyon Henderson and Kaleb Johnson, more quality options could be available by Round 3. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. ranks five more RBs (Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo, Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson, Kansas’ Devin Neal, Kansas State’s DJ Giddens and Oregon’s Jordan James) between Nos. 62 and 95 in this year’s class. This contingent, along with other potential fourth- or fifth-round options, undoubtedly would have been chosen earlier if available last year, when only one running back (Jonathon Brooks) went in the first two rounds.
Even as this draft is expected to see several backs chosen then, it is much deeper and figures to entice teams that address other needs earlier. That said, the Steelers have hosted Hampton, Henderson and Johnson.
With Warren and Gainwell in contract years, the Steelers should be expected to use this class to add a potential long-term starter. Even if Warren is extended, the team has viewed him as a change-of-pace option rather than surefire starter. The back that arrives will almost definitely push Warren and Gainwell for playing time, while potentially checking in as the Pittsburgh 2026 starter (after the team passed on paying Harris, who signed with the Chargers).
Making their big splash via trade, the Steelers stand to be rewarded with a host of compensatory picks in 2026. OverTheCap projects the team to add third-, fourth-, fifth- and sixth-round comp picks for the free agency exits of Dan Moore Jr., Justin Fields, Russell Wilson and James Daniels. This factored into the Steelers’ spending strategy this offseason, GM Omar Khan said (via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac). Although the Steelers had hoped to cut into this by signing a quarterback, Fields passed on the team’s offer while Rodgers has yet to sign. Rodgers would not affect the Steelers’ compensatory formula anyway, being a street free agent. But the team should receive a significant boost to its draft arsenal by letting two O-line starters and both its top QBs walk.
Chiefs Eyeing Tackle In Trade-Up Move?
Donovan Smith did not play last season, but the Chiefs did not effectively replace their Super Bowl LVIII starting left tackle. Kansas City started four players at the position last season, eventually seeing their setup unravel on the biggest stage.
The Eagles’ dismantling of the Chiefs checked in as more alarming than the AFC power’s Super Bowl LV loss to the Buccaneers. Kansas City’s 2020 edition had lost both its starting tackles (Eric Fisher, Mitchell Schwartz) by the time Shaq Barrett and Co. teed off on backups; they came into Super Bowl LIX with their starting O-line, only to see it fail to hold up against a smothering Eagles rush. The Chiefs moved from Kingsley Suamataia, Wanya Morris and D.J. Humphries to finally Joe Thuney at LT. Thuney’s run of capable work on the outside did not lead to him holding up against Philly, and the Chiefs have made moves to address the position once again.
John Lynch expressed surprise when the Chiefs gave 49ers swing tackle Jaylon Moore a two-year deal worth $15MM on average, but the three-time reigning AFC champs have him tentatively slated to start at left tackle to begin next season. Thuney’s departure via trade, following the Trey Smith franchise tag, will free up a spot for Suamataia; the 2024 second-round pick will attempt to find his footing at guard. Moore’s deal may wind up being a solution, but the Chiefs are believed to be looking into trading up for a tackle.
Kansas City is actively looking to find a first-round trade partner, according to ESPN.com’s Matt Miller, who identifies tackle as the position the Chiefs are primarily targeting. Moving ahead of the Texans (No. 25) and Rams (26) is a factor here, Miller adds, if a specific LT prospect remains on the board. As the Super Bowl loser, the Chiefs hold the No. 31 overall pick in a historically rare first round in which every team (for now) carries its own first-round selection.
Will Campbell and Missouri prospect Armand Membou, whom teams view more as a right tackle and a potential guard, are expected to be long gone by this trade range. No other tackles slot inside the top 30 on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, which places Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr. at 31st, Ohio State’s Josh Simmons 37th and Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr. 39th. Donovan Jackson kicked outside to tackle to replace an injured Simmons last season, but he is viewed more as a guard — where he played exclusively from 2022-23 — in the pros. North Dakota State’s Gray Zabel, as our Ely Allen pointed out in his mock draft, has the ability to shift outside. He is also, however, seen first as an interior blocker at the NFL level. The Chiefs met with Simmons last week.
The Chiefs giving Moore $15MM per year, after 12 career starts, effectively indicates they are done with Suamataia and Morris as viable LT starter options. The team going after a tackle in Round 1 also makes sense when its RT situation is considered. Penalty maven Jawaan Taylor has not lived up to his $20MM-AAV deal, but the contract included a rolling guarantee structure that locked in the ex-Jaguar’s 2025 salary in March 2024. The Chiefs, though, can move on from Taylor cleanly following the 2025 season. They will need a right tackle starter in that likely event. Adding a tackle early in this draft could cover multiple bases for the team, one that has a notable recent history of trading up in Round 1 (Patrick Mahomes, Trent McDuffie, Xavier Worthy).