Giants’ Draft Set To Bring Atypical Transitions, Big-Picture Questions
The Giants entered the draft with a revamped decision-making structure, catering to a proven head coach at the expense of a struggling general manager. While it is worth wondering if this will be the only draft where John Harbaugh coexists with Joe Schoen, the Giants were the first team to come out of Round 1 with two top-10 picks since 2023 and only the fifth to make two such selections in a draft over the past 26 years.
With Harbaugh reporting directly to ownership -- a significant change for the Giants franchise -- and new front office hire Dawn Aponte handed some of Schoen's duties, the embattled GM was believed to be reduced to a head-of-scouting-type role. That adds intrigue to this particular Giants draft, with the GM still having input while the new HC reshapes his roster.
Disparate Giants strategies in the short and long term also prove interesting about these choices. Linked to a number of paths with the Nos. 5 and 10 picks, the Giants ended up with Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa. Reese was expected to be drafted earlier, while Mauigoa probably would have been selected sooner had a back injury not caused pre-draft uncertainty. Through that lens, the Giants may have come away with two franchise cornerstones at premium positions.
But examining the downside of two top-10 picks only requires a look back to 2022, when Schoen's first draft delivered unreliable edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux and bust-in-progress Evan Neal at Nos. 5 and 7. Perhaps the most interesting wrinkle of this particular Giants draft comes from the organization's immediate plans for the first-rounders.
2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker
May 1 marked the deadline for teams to decide on fifth-year options on 2023 first-rounders. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of performance- and usage-based benchmarks:
- Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternates) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag
- One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag
- Players who achieve any of the following will receive the average of the third-20th top salaries at their position:
- At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
- A 75% snap average across all three seasons
- At least 50% in each of first three seasons
- Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position
PFR’s Offseason Outlook series examined each of these decisions in-depth. Twenty-two options were exercised this year. Here is how each team with an option decision proceeded with 2023 first-round contracts:
- QB Bryce Young, Panthers ($25.9MM): Exercised
- QB C.J. Stroud, Texans ($25.9MM): Exercised
- DE Will Anderson Jr., Texans ($21.51MM): Exercised
- QB Anthony Richardson, Colts ($22.48MM): Declined
- CB Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks ($21.16MM): Exercised
- LT Paris Johnson Jr., Cardinals ($19.07MM): Exercised
- DE Tyree Wilson, Saints ($14.48MM): Declined
- RB Bijan Robinson, Falcons ($11.32MM): Exercised
- DT Jalen Carter, Eagles ($27.13MM): Exercised
- RT Darnell Wright, Bears ($19.07MM): Exercised
- G Peter Skoronski, Titans ($19.07MM): Exercised
- RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions ($14.29MM): Exercised
- LB Lukas Van Ness, Packers ($13.75MM): Exercised
- LT Broderick Jones, Steelers ($19.07MM): Declined
- DE Will McDonald, Jets ($13.75MM): Exercised
- CB Emmanuel Forbes, Rams ($12.63MM): Declined
- CB Christian Gonzalez, Patriots ($18.12MM): Exercised
- LB Jack Campbell, Lions ($21.93MM): Declined
- DL Calijah Kancey, Buccaneers ($14.48MM): Exercised
- WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks ($23.85MM): Exercised
- WR Quentin Johnston, Chargers ($18MM): Exercised
- WR Zay Flowers, Ravens ($27.3MM): Exercised
- WR Jordan Addison, Vikings ($18MM): Exercised
- CB Deonte Banks, Giants ($12.63MM): Declined
- TE Dalton Kincaid, Bills ($8.16MM): Exercised
- DT Mazi Smith, Jets ($13.93MM): Declined
- RT Anton Harrison, Jaguars ($19.07MM): Exercised
- DE Myles Murphy, Bengals ($14.48MM): Declined
- DT Bryan Bresee, Saints ($13.93MM): Exercised
- LB Nolan Smith, Eagles ($13.75MM): Exercised
- DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Chiefs ($14.48MM): Declined
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Chiefs Decline DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah’s Fifth-Year Option
The final fifth-year option decisions are trickling in on deadline day. As the Rams and Giants made expected calls to pass on 2027 guarantees for cornerbacks Emmanuel Forbes and Deonte Banks, the Chiefs are passing on their underwhelming 2023 first-rounder’s option.
Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who missed all of last season, will not see his option exercised, according to Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams. The Chiefs drafted the Kansas City-area native 31st overall but have not seen him make inroads toward a prominent role in their defense.
[RELATED: 2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
It would have cost Kansas City $14.48MM to exercise Anudike-Uzomah’s option. The Kansas State alum’s work to date did not give the Chiefs much of a decision here. Anudike-Uzomah joins Banks, Forbes, Anthony Richardson (Colts), Tyree Wilson (Saints), Broderick Jones (Steelers), Jack Campbell (Lions), Mazi Smith (Jets) and Myles Murphy (Bengals) in seeing their options declined.
Even as Campbell became an All-Pro who saw his option declined — as teams have steered clear of ILBs’ options for years now — the 2023 draft produced 22 exercised options. That represents a quality group, and two of those players — Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Will Anderson Jr. — have already signed record-setting extensions at their respective positions.
The Chiefs enjoyed rare draft real estate this year, using their No. 9 pick to trade up for cornerback Mansoor Delane. The Patrick Mahomes era has otherwise featured drafts either without a first-round pick (2018, as the team traded up for Mahomes a year prior) or a draft slot at or near the bottom of the round. That was the case in 2023, when the Chiefs were coming off a Super Bowl LVII win. Anudike-Uzomah, who played at nearby Lee’s Summit (Mo.) High before trekking to Kansas State, has just three sacks in 34 career games.
Kansas City went with D-ends in back-to-back first rounds, taking George Karlaftis in 2022. He has become a key starter for the team, signing a four-year extension during the 2025 offseason. The Chiefs made Mike Danna a cap casualty last month and let Charles Omenihu walk in free agency, but they were closely linked to using one of their first-round picks on an end. That did not happen, but the team circled back to the position by selecting Oklahoma’s R Mason Thomas 40th overall.
After serving as an ineffective backup during his first two seasons, albeit while recording a sack in the Chiefs’ 2024 divisional-round win over the Texans, Anudike-Uzomah landed on IR last summer due to a hamstring strain. Those injuries typically do not cause season-nullifying transactions, but the Chiefs did not carry Anudike-Uzomah to their 53-man roster for a possible IR-return move.
He now will spend a contract year vying for playing time behind Karlaftis. The Chiefs also have 2025 third-rounder Ashton Gillotte in that mix, though the team is still looking for a surefire Karlaftis complementary piece. Anudike-Uzomah would transform his 2027 free agent market by making a belated push, and we have seen well-timed breakouts before. But the Chiefs are understandably passing on guaranteeing him any 2027 money based on performance thus far. He will be tied to a $3.76MM cap number this season.
Rams Decline CB Emmanuel Forbes’ Fifth-Year Option
The deadline for fifth-year option decisions has arrived, and although the Rams did not make a first-round pick in 2023, they held an option call thanks to their waiver claim of Emmanuel Forbes. As expected, Los Angeles will not provide the cornerback with a 2027 guarantee.
Forbes will see his option declined, per The33rdTeam’s Ari Meirov. The Rams overhauled their cornerback contingent this offseason, importing Chiefs starters Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson into their starting lineup. A record-setting extension followed for McDuffie, while his former Kansas City sidekick signed a three-year, $51MM Rams accord.
[RELATED: 2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
It would have cost the Rams $12.63MM to exercise Forbes’ option. The 2020 CBA made options fully guaranteed, after the 2011 CBA allowed teams to pick up options and cut players later free of charge as long as they passed a physical. Although the current CBA has caused teams to be more careful with option decisions, the salary cap’s annual spikes have allowed some flexibility here.
Twenty-two 2023 first-rounders saw their options exercised this year. That beats the 2022 first-round contingent (19, though Derek Stingley Jr. was extended early) and the 2021 first-round crop (16, though three players were extended in that group). The 2020 draft only featured 12 exercised options, though the Packers extended Jordan Love in lieu of exercising his.
The ’23 first-round cornerback collection was 2-for-4 in exercised options, with the Seahawks and Patriots respectively extending Devon Witherspoon and Christian Gonzalez‘s rookie deals through 2027. The Giants, however, declined Deonte Banks‘ option today. Witherspoon and Gonzalez have become two of the NFL’s best corners, while Banks and Forbes have not lived up to the first-round billing.
The Commanders chose Forbes 16th overall, one spot in front of Gonzalez, and that regime was removed from power after the ’23 season. The Adam Peters-Dan Quinn duo moved on from the Ron Rivera-Martin Mayhew first-rounder quickly, cutting the lanky CB in November 2024 after dangling him in trades. The Rams swooped in with a claim and have used him sparingly since.
Coming to Washington after a Mississippi State career that included incredible ball production (14 INTs in three seasons, six pick-sixes), Forbes also entered the league south of 170 pounds. Size became an issue for the young ballhawk, who has five interceptions in three seasons. Forbes fell out of favor with Quinn’s staff and played in just two Rams games after being claimed in 2024. Last season, however, brought a much bigger role. L.A. used Forbes as a 14-game starter and deployed him on 73% of its defensive snaps. Pro Football Focus, however, graded Forbes 91st among qualified CB options in 2025.
As cornerback play may have been the Rams’ Achilles heel last season, the team paid up for replacements in McDuffie and Watson. The team also let Cobie Durant, Derion Kendrick and 2025 deadline acquisition Roger McCreary walk. Forbes may still have a role in 2026, but a significant snap-share reduction appears in the offing. The 6-foot cover man does represent important depth behind the ex-Chiefs and nickel Quentin Lake, however, and has one more season to boost his free agency stock.
Giants To Decline CB Deonte Banks’ Fifth-Year Option
Deonte Banks has not panned out for the Giants, and they have since made other plans at cornerback. A year after signing Paulson Adebo and weeks after their Greg Newsome addition, Banks will not see his contract extended to 2027.
The Giants are making the expected call to decline Banks’ fifth-year option, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan tweets. Exercising Banks’ option would have guaranteed him $12.63MM for 2027. Today is the deadline on fifth-year option decisions for the 2023 draft class.
[RELATED: 2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
Also using a second-round pick to add Tennessee corner Colton Hood, the Giants appear to be transitioning away from Banks now that John Harbaugh is running the show. GM Joe Schoen drafted Banks 24th overall in 2023, but the fifth-year GM has lost considerable organizational power and is not a lock to be on the job when the season starts. Banks and Evan Neal not delivering on their first-round draft slots have gone in Schoen’s loss column.
Adebo, Newsome, Hood and slot corner Andru Phillips will be roster locks, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan offers. While the Giants reporter expects Banks to make the team, not including the Maryland alum among the locks is notable. Cor’Dale Flott overtook Banks last year, and while he ended up joining a Titans team that now employs Brian Daboll, the Newsome and Hood additions look to leave Banks as a trade candidate. The Colts inquired about Banks at last year’s deadline, and while he did not a kick-return touchdown in the team’s Week 17 win over a noncommitted Raiders squad, the fourth-year cover man has not shown much as a pro.
The Giants used Banks as a full-time starter in 2023 and ’24. The 2024 season did include an effort-based benching, and that seemed to move him to the wrong track. The team signed Adebo to a three-year, $54MM deal in 2025 and eventually gave Flott the top boundary job opposite the ex-Saint.
Major changes have occurred throughout the Giants’ roster this offseason, as Harbaugh now holds the personnel hammer. Banks does not have ties to this coaching staff, making it realistic he is not on the team’s roster by Week 1. The trade deadline may also be relevant for Banks, in case the Giants — as they did with the underperforming Neal last year — carry him onto their 53-man roster as a backup.
Pro Football Focus has viewed Banks as one of the NFL’s worst CBs throughout his career. The advanced metrics site has ranked him outside the top 105 players at the position in each season, slotting him 110th (third-worst among qualified options) in 2025. The team traded up one spot for Banks three drafts ago and deployed him as a starter opposite Adoree’ Jackson. But the once-promising prospect may need a fresh start soon.
Packers To Exercise Lukas Van Ness’ Fifth-Year Option
Lukas Van Ness has not yet justified his first-round draft slot, but the Packers traded Rashan Gary to clear a path for the 2023 draftee. Green Bay will still bet on Van Ness’ potential.
The Packers are exercising Van Ness’ fifth-year option, according to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman. This will trigger a $13.75MM guarantee for the 2027 season. Of the players who have seen an option exercised from the 2023 draft class, Van Ness’ resume may be the slimmest. But he worked primarily as a backup for two seasons before an injury-shortened 2025 season.
Considering the Packers have the NFL’s highest-paid edge rusher (in Micah Parsons), this is a rather hefty commitment for a player with 8.5 sacks in three seasons. The Bengals just declined Myles Murphy‘s fifth-year option; he has 8.5 sacks since being chosen in the 2023 first round. The Pack traded Gary’s $24MM-per-year contract to the Cowboys last month, however, and will place a midcareer bet on a younger rush option’s future.
Famously becoming the No. 13 overall pick after not being used as a starter at Iowa, Van Ness has not made much progress en route to a starting lineup in Wisconsin, either. He has just two career starts on his resume. Even as both came in 2025, Van Ness totaled 1.5 sacks in nine games last season. A foot injury cost him eight games last year. The Packers did not place the auxiliary rusher on IR, however, and had him back in action by December — after Parsons’ ACL tear. Van Ness, 24, did register a sack of Caleb Williams in the Packers’ wild-card loss in Chicago.
The Packers chose Van Ness after their Aaron Rodgers trade with the Jets. The first part of that deal moved Green Bay’s first-round pick from No. 15 to No. 13. Van Ness combined for seven sacks and 14 tackles for loss in 34 games from 2023-24, playing behind Gary and Preston Smith (for the most part). Even with Smith traded to the Steelers midway through the 2024 season, the Packers did not insert Van Ness into their lineup. He did see a snap-share uptick, going from 33% in 2023 to 39% in 2024. While the 6-foot-5 pass rusher missed half of last season, he was still on the field for 45% of the Pack’s defensive plays in the games for which he suited up.
Last year’s injury and part-time usage in 2023 and ’24 kept Van Ness on the bottom tier of the option ladder. Although OverTheCap has Van Ness tied to the linebacker number, the Packers have used a 4-3 defense as their base set in each of the past two seasons. The bottom rung of the D-end option ladder comes in at $14.48MM. It will be interesting to see where Van Ness is classified, but he has secured a 2027 guarantee based mostly on potential.
Colts To Decline Anthony Richardson’s Fifth-Year Option; No Trade Interest Emerged During Draft
Although Anthony Richardson has considerable athletic upside, he has struggled mightily since being drafted fourth overall three years ago. Richardson’s issues and Daniel Jones‘ new contract left the Colts with an easy fifth-year option decision.
Indianapolis will decline Richardson’s option by Friday’s deadline, Fox59’s Mike Chappell reports. The option would have cost the Colts $22.48MM in 2027 guaranteed money. Richardson lost a QB competition to Jones last year and suffered what turned out to be a season-ending eye injury off the field. Jones has since received the transition tag and signed a two-year, $88MM extension.
[RELATED: 2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
The Colts did not receive any calls on Richardson during the draft, GM Chris Ballard confirmed. The QB has requested a trade, and while some interest was believed to have emerged earlier this offseason, the sides are in a holding pattern.
While Richardson’s fifth-year option was never believed to be much of an internal debate, he is tied to $10.82MM in guaranteed 2026 compensation. It might take the Colts, as the Jets did with Zach Wilson in 2024, taking on some of that contract-year guarantee to facilitate a trade.
The late Jim Irsay championed Richardson coming out of the draft, indicating the Colts would have probably taken him at No. 1 overall had they held that choice. Bryce Young went first overall that year, with C.J. Stroud coming off the board one spot later. The Colts, after their Jeff Saturday-coached 2022 season placed them in the No. 4 draft slot, drafted Richardson — a one-year starter out of Florida. Richardson’s one Gators season produced a sub-54% completion rate, but he presented tantalizing athleticism at that year’s Combine. The Colts made the pick and have since regretted it.
Only eight QBs have thrown 200-plus passes in a 21st-century season and completed less than 50% of them; Richardson became No. 8 in 2024, completing just 47.7% of his throws. That season included more injury trouble for Indy’s dual threat, but a bizarre sequence in which Richardson asked out of a game in Houston due to fatigue prompted intense internal and external scrutiny. Richardson’s preparation habits drew criticism in the aftermath of that strange sequence, and Shane Steichen temporarily benched him for then-backup Joe Flacco. Jones was then signed to a one-year deal to serve as competition. Despite the Vikings offering a better deal, the ex-Giants starter viewed the Indianapolis gig as presenting a better chance to start.
Weeks after Jones won the job, Richardson suffered an orbital bone fracture during a pregame warmup. The Colts designated the 6-foot-4 QB to return from IR late in the season but never activated him, going with the unretired Philip Rivers and sixth-round rookie Riley Leonard to close the slate. Richardson trade rumors had emerged dating back to 2024, and after Jones’ season running the offense, he asked out in early March of this year.
Vikings interest was rumored, and the Packers were then linked to the depressed Colts asset. Minnesota signed Kyler Murray for the veteran minimum following his Arizona release, but Green Bay — after losing Malik Willis in free agency — did not make a notable addition via free agency or the draft. The Chiefs also considered Richardson but ultimately traded for Justin Fields.
Ballard said recently Richardson could stay in Indianapolis, but that should be considered unlikely. Leonard would be positioned as Jones’ backup in the event of a trade. This situation could drag on a while. The next step will be Richardson’s potential attendance at OTAs and minicamp.
Rams Viewed Cardinals As Ty Simpson Threat; Lions Offered L.A. First-Round Trade
Coming out of the first round with the most surprising selection, the Rams have established a Packers-like runway for Ty Simpson to develop behind Matthew Stafford. While holding the Falcons’ first-round pick (No. 13 overall) gave the Rams rare draft real estate, most were still borderline shocked to see Simpson go as high as he did.
Los Angeles has been high on the Alabama product since the 2025 season, and GM Les Snead has known Simpson’s father for much longer. Sean McVay‘s attitude in his post-first-rounder presser created buzz the head coach was not on the same page as his GM, but he has gone to great lengths to indicate that is not the case. McVay and Snead were believed to be in lockstep on Simpson, as should be expected given the HC’s accomplishments and influence in the organization.
[RELATED: Grade Rams’ Simpson’ Selection]
The Rams did consider other players at 13, and The Athletic’s Nate Atkins notes the team received a trade offer from the Lions. The return, however, did not excite the Rams, who stayed at 13 and chose Simpson. The Lions held the No. 17 overall pick. We had heard the Rams fielded calls from teams interested in outflanking the Ravens for Vega Ioane, but the Lions had been closely linked to filling their post-Taylor Decker tackle need.
The Lions could have been targeting Ioane as an option to replace Christian Mahogany at left guard, but they ended up with Clemson’s Blake Miller at 17. Detroit had seen three tackles — Spencer Fano, Francis Mauigoa and Kadyn Proctor — go off the board from Nos. 9-12, and we heard shortly before the draft a run on O-linemen was expected midway through the first round. That ended up taking place, as nine blockers went off the board between Nos. 9 and 28.
Detroit could have been eyeing a move up the board to grab Miller, but no tackles were selected from Nos. 13-16. That gave the Lions Miller, whom the team is expected (per ESPN’s Eric Woodyard) to play right tackle opposite Penei Sewell.
As for the Rams, Atkins views the team as deeming the Cardinals a threat for Simpson. The Cardinals were closely tied to Simpson during the pre-draft process and entered Round 1 as the odds-on favorite, per Vegas, to leave Pittsburgh with the QB rostered. The Rams thought the Cardinals had “heavy interest” in Simpson.
While Arizona chose Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 and did not have another pick until No. 34, we heard buzz about the team potentially eyeing him via a trade back into Round 1. We saw the Giants execute that route to nab a quarterback in 2025, taking Abdul Carter at No. 3 and using their No. 34 pick to climb back into the first round for Jaxson Dart.
While the Rams could have potentially traded down and added assets to grab Simpson — who had been part of a clandestine research project, with secret meetings between McVay and the QB commencing — they did not want to take that chance. Thus, Simpson will be tied to a larger-than-expected rookie contract due to going off the board at 13.
Even if the Rams had re-signed two-year backup Jimmy Garoppolo, Atkins adds the team would still have prioritized Simpson as a QB stash in Round 1. The team has still not ruled out Garoppolo backing up Stafford this year, but the 34-year-old passer is considering retirement. Garoppolo engaged in talks with the Cardinals to follow ex-Rams OC Mike LaFleur to Arizona, but the discussions hit a snag and led to the team signing Gardner Minshew. he and Jacoby Brissett — the latter a potential trade candidate — now serve as bridge options in front of third-round pick Carson Beck.
Had the Rams not ended up with Simpson at 13, Atkins pegs the team as choosing a skill player and offers more connections to Makai Lemon and Kenyon Sadiq. The former lasted to No. 20, when the Eagles traded in front of an eager Steelers team, and the latter went 16th overall to the Jets. The Rams made Ohio State tight end Max Klare their second pick in this draft.
Adding Simpson now gives the Rams flexibility with their 2027 picks, with Atkins adding that factored into the decision to take him at 13. The 2027 draft has drawn immense intrigue a year out, with teams holding onto ’27 first-round picks thus far. Two 2027 first-round choices have been traded, but both were unloaded (by the Colts and Cowboys) in 2025. No team parted with a 2027 first-round pick during this draft.
The Rams have both been an active trader of first-round picks (as their Trent McDuffie trade most recently showed) and a team that has found tremendous value via Day 2 and Day 3 selections during the Snead-McVay partnership. It is possible a 2027 first-rounder will carry more value, and the Rams will not need their ’27 first for a QB following their Simpson decision.
Steelers Decline T Broderick Jones’ Fifth-Year Option
TODAY: The Steelers are indeed declining Jones’ fifth-year option, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
APRIL 8: Broderick Jones ended up with the Steelers’ left tackle gig almost by default last year. Pittsburgh gave the 2023 first-rounder a shot at the position in prior years, but he was unable to wrest the job away from Dan Moore Jr. Letting Moore defect in free agency last year, the Steelers gave Jones his chance on the blind side.
Playing right tackle in 2023 and ’24, Jones has not justified his lofty draft slot (No. 14) yet. He is also coming off major surgery, undergoing a fusion procedure to address a neck injury. Unsurprisingly, the Steelers are expected to decline Jones’ fifth-year option, the Pat McAfee Show‘s Mark Kaboly notes.
[RELATED: 2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
Even had the surgery not intervened, Jones’ option ($19.07MM) would be a tough sell. The Georgia alum simply has not played well, making a poor case for a long-term run at left tackle. Pro Football Focus has never graded Jones as a top-60 tackle among regulars; the advanced metrics site slotted him 65th in 2025.
The Steelers traded up for Jones (via the Patriots) in 2023, when a host of rumors indicated the Jets were planning to draft him at No. 15. New York had dropped down two spots via the pre-draft Aaron Rodgers trade, and New England allowed Pittsburgh to come up. Whether it was the Jets’ intention or not, the team ending up with Will McDonald at No. 15 panned out. The Jets are picking up the edge rusher’s fifth-year option, while Jones faces an uncertain future — to the point another tackle could be a Steelers first-round consideration.
PFF charged Jones with six sacks allowed in 2025 (in 11 games) and 10 in a 17-game 2024. To be fair, Jones and Moore were tasked with protecting two of the most sack-prone QBs (Justin Fields and Russell Wilson) in NFL history. The Steelers had long been expected to let Moore walk when his contract expired, with the Jones and Troy Fautanu first-round picks serving as the writing on the wall for Moore. This did not turn out to be an issue for the former fourth-round pick, who scored big in free agency. The Titans, however, did not see their big-ticket contract (four years, $82MM; $42.51MM at signing) pay off in Year 1.
Still, Moore beat out Jones for the LT gig in 2023 and 2024; a season-nullifying Fautanu injury kicked Jones back to RT in ’24. And the Steelers saw their 2025 LT go down in Week 12 and end up on IR. Prior to that setback, Jones had not missed an NFL game. Doubt now exists about his immediate future, leaving the Steelers with a significant issue on their O-line. They will not sign up for the near-$20MM guarantee for 2027 based on the information they have, and the 24-year-old blocker has a long way to go to move his career back on track.