Cowboys Could See Battle For RB2
After re-signing former second-round running back Javonte Williams following a breakout 2025 campaign, the Cowboys’ 2026 offensive backfield is set to look extremely similar to last year’s group. While the only difference will be the departure of veteran Miles Sanders, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram believes there could be a battle for the RB2 role in Dallas over the offseason.
Based purely on the team’s production last year, Malik Davis should be first in line for opportunities off the bench behind Williams. After Williams’ line of 252 carries for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns, Davis was the next-highest producer with career-best totals in carries (52), rushing yards (250), and rushing touchdowns (two) over 10 games. Jaydon Blue, the fifth-round rookie out of Texas, had the next-best numbers with 38 carries for 129 yards and a touchdown in half the games Davis saw.
Behind them, Sanders toted the rock 20 times for 117 yards and a touchdown, and seventh-round rookie Phil Mafah saw his few touches (five carries, 18 yards, one touchdown) in the team’s regular season finale.
Harris believes there’s a desire for Blue to pick up the mantle of RB2 based on the change of pace and pass-catching element he can provide, something that is lacking in the games of Davis and Mafah. While Mafah had the most collegiate success of the three, combining for 2,080 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns in his final two years at Clemson, Blue had actual experience as a No. 2 in Austin.
In his final season with the Longhorns, despite putting up career highs in carries (134), rushing yards (730), and rushing touchdowns (8), Blue was outpaced by RB1 Tre Wisner in carries (226) and rushing yards (1,064). Not only did Blue score more on the ground than Wisner, but he also showed more electric abilities as a receiver out of the backfield, adding 42 catches for 368 yards and six touchdowns through the air. Experience in exactly that kind of a role could set Blue up well to challenge Davis for the primary backup duties next year.
Harris also believes that the RB2 role will be a much more significant one in 2026 than it was last year. Now that Dallas has Williams secured on a three-year contract, they won’t want the North Carolina-product to work in a bell-cow situation that might shorten the lifetime of his effectiveness. Strategically spelling Williams with an effective RB2 is the dream scenario for the Cowboys offense, and Blue and Mafah could be challenging Davis for that honor over the summer.
NFC East Front Office Updates: Giants, Commanders, Cowboys
Yesterday, the Giants added a new name to their front office in former Texans co-director of college scouting John Richter. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Richter is heading to New York for “a similar role and title in their personnel department.”
After taking a go at a playing and coaching career, Richter turned to personnel, debuting in the league with the Dolphins in 2011. He followed that up with a role in Arizona for six years before landing with the Texans. He’s worked eight seasons in Houston, working as a national scout and southeast area scout.
Per Ryan Dunleavy of New York Post Sports, although new head coach John Harbaugh has seized a lot of decision-making power in New York, this was a decision led by general manager Joe Schoen. When Richter first started with the Dolphins, Schoen was in Miami as a national scout. It’s unclear if the two overlapping with the Dolphins led to Schoen pushing for Richter to be hired now, but the two will be reunited as the Giants add someone with lots of scouting experience.
Here are a couple other front office updates from around the NFC East:
- Neil Stratton of SucceedInFootball.com reported earlier this month that the Commanders have hired Ryan Kessenich to the position of director of college scouting. This is a return to Washington for Kessenich, who started his scouting career with the franchise in 2005. Mixed in among two separate stints at Northwestern University and a scouting role with the Senior Bowl, Kessenrich’s 20 years of experience have seen him work with the Chiefs, Bears, and 49ers before ultimately landing back in DC.
- Lastly, the Cowboys made an addition to their data/analytics department earlier this month, hiring Sathya Balakumar to the role of football data engineer, per ESPN’s Seth Walder. Before making the transition to the NFL, Balakumar was a software engineer at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.
Each NFL Franchise’s Richest RB Contract
Running back value has become a divisive topic in the modern NFL, and teams’ histories with these investments reveal a large gap in their respective approaches to RB contracts. Following our installments covering the highest-paid quarterback, wide receiver and off-ball linebacker in each team’s history, here are the most lucrative deals — ranked by guaranteed money — for running backs in each franchise’s history (the list excludes rookie contracts).
Unlike the QB and WR markets, some teams’ top RB deals occurred decades ago. This list covers contracts agreed to across four different decades.
Arizona Cardinals
- James Conner; March 14, 2022: Three years, $21MM ($13.5MM guaranteed)
Jeremiyah Love‘s rookie contract brings the highest guarantee ($53MM) in RB history, but for veteran accords, Conner’s second Arizona pact is the organizational standard
Atlanta Falcons
- Devonta Freeman; August 9, 2017: Five years, $41.25MM ($22.1MM guaranteed)
Baltimore Ravens
- Derrick Henry; May 19, 2025: Two years, $30MM ($25MM guaranteed)
Buffalo Bills
- James Cook; August 13, 2025: Four years, $46MM ($28.82MM guaranteed)
LeSean McCoy‘s March 2015 extension included more guaranteed at signing ($18.25MM), but Cook’s brought a rolling guarantee structure that eclipsed that package in total
Carolina Panthers
- Christian McCaffrey; April 13, 2020: Four years, $64.1MM ($38.16MM guaranteed)
Chicago Bears
- Matt Forte; July 16, 2012: Four years, $30.4MM ($17.1MM guaranteed)
D’Andre Swift‘s 2024 agreement included more guaranteed at signing ($14MM), but Forte’s guarantee package remains the Chicago standard
Cincinnati Bengals
- Corey Dillon; May 11, 2001: Five years, $26MM ($10.5MM guaranteed)
The Bengals more than doubled Dillon’s AAV number in 2020 for Joe Mixon (four years, $48MM) but only guaranteed $10MM of that pact
Cleveland Browns
- Nick Chubb; July 31, 2021: Three years, $36.6MM ($20MM guaranteed)
Dallas Cowboys
- Ezekiel Elliott; September 4, 2019: Six years, $90MM ($50.1MM guaranteed)
Denver Broncos
- Melvin Gordon; March 20, 2020: Two years, $16MM ($13.5MM guaranteed)
Detroit Lions
- Barry Sanders; July 21, 1997: Six years, $33.5MM ($11.5MM guaranteed)
David Montgomery‘s two Lions deals topped the Hall of Famer in AAV, but neither surpassed $11MM guaranteed; Jahmyr Gibbs is tied to the highest RB guarantee in franchise history ($17.85MM) but got there via a rookie deal
Green Bay Packers
- Aaron Jones; March 14, 2021: Four years, $48MM ($13MM guaranteed)
Josh Jacobs‘ 2024 pact edges Jones in AAV but fell short of his predecessor’s deal in guarantees
Houston Texans
- Arian Foster; March 5, 2012: Five years, $43.5MM ($20.75MM guaranteed)
Indianapolis Colts
- Jonathan Taylor; October 7, 2023: Three years, $42MM ($26.5MM guaranteed)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Maurice Jones-Drew; April 15, 2009: Five years, $31.1MM ($14.25MM guaranteed)
Leonard Fournette received a $27.15MM guarantee — still in the top 10 in RB history — but it came on a rookie contract
Kansas City Chiefs
- Kenneth Walker; March 9, 2026: Three years, $43.1MM ($28.7MM guaranteed)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Josh Jacobs; August 26, 2023: One year, $11.79MM franchise tag ($10.1MM guaranteed)
Raiders sweetened Jacobs’ franchise tag agreement; Ashton Jeanty‘s 2025 rookie slot deal included $35.9MM guaranteed
Los Angeles Chargers
- LaDainian Tomlinson; August 15, 2004: Six years, $48MM ($21MM guaranteed)
Los Angeles Rams
- Todd Gurley; July 24, 2018: Four years, $57.5MM ($45MM guaranteed)
Miami Dolphins
- De’Von Achane; May 13, 2026: Four years, $64MM ($32MM guaranteed)
Minnesota Vikings
- Adrian Peterson; September 10, 2011: Six years, $86.28MM ($36MM guaranteed)
New England Patriots
- Rhamondre Stevenson; June 20, 2024: Four years, $36MM ($17.12MM guaranteed)
New Orleans Saints
- Alvin Kamara; September 12, 2020: Five years, $75MM ($33.83MM guaranteed)
New York Giants
- Saquon Barkley; March 7, 2023: One year, $10.1MM franchise tag ($10.1MM guaranteed)
Barkley’s rookie slot deal included $31.19MM guaranteed — fourth all time among all RB contracts — while Devin Singletary‘s $9.5MM represents the franchise’s high-water mark on a multiyear deal
New York Jets
- Breece Hall; May 8, 2026: Three years, $43.5MM ($29MM guaranteed)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Saquon Barkley; March 4, 2025: Two years, $41.2MM ($36MM guaranteed)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Le’Veon Bell; February 27, 2017: One year, $12.12MM franchise tag ($12.12MM guaranteed)
Bell’s second franchise tag (2018) covered $14.54MM, but the RB became the first tagged player this century to skip a season; Jaylen Warren‘s 2025 extension brought the highest Steelers RB guarantee ($7.1MM) on a multiyear deal
San Francisco 49ers
- Christian McCaffrey; June 4, 2024: Two years, $38MM ($24MM guaranteed)
Seattle Seahawks
- Marshawn Lynch; March 4, 2012: Four years, $30MM ($17MM guaranteed)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Doug Martin; March 9, 2016: Five years, $35.75MM ($15MM guaranteed)
Tennessee Titans
- Derrick Henry; July 15, 2020: Four years, $50MM ($25.5MM guaranteed)
Washington Commanders
- Clinton Portis; March 1, 2004: Eight years, $50.52MM ($13MM guaranteed)
Information from OverTheCap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post
Draft Rumors: Bucs, Raiders, Waller, Dolphins, Cowboys, Colts, Allen, Giants
Exiting a season without an eight-sack player for the fourth straight year, the Buccaneers attempted to take a big swing in free agency by being part of the Trey Hendrickson chase. The Ravens, after their Maxx Crosby about-face, ended up closing that market. Baltimore reneging on that agreement may have helped Tampa Bay land Rueben Bain Jr., with Jason Licht indicating during a Pat McAfee Show appearance the Raiders obtaining the No. 14 overall pick probably took an EDGE suitor out of the mix.
“Spytek, he and I are very close. He was taunting me a little bit, ‘Hey, we’re sitting right in front of you; I know what you need,’” Licht said of his former Bucs lieutenant-turned-Raiders GM (h/t the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin). “We’re all trying to help each other out here, especially the people that are good friends, so thanks, Spytek.”
Spytek worked under Licht before being hired as Raiders GM in 2025. The Raiders were all set to move Crosby’s $35.5MM-per-year contract off their payroll, and although the team signed Kwity Paye during the period where Crosby was all but certain to relocate to Baltimore, the team could have used more help at the premier position. (If nothing else, Spytek certainly appears to have needled his former boss about needing to trade up for a pass rusher.) Instead, Paye joins Crosby and Malcolm Koonce — re-signed before the Ravens’ seismic decision — in headlining the Raiders’ EDGE corps.
Keeping No. 14, the Ravens were connected to Penn State guard Vega Ioane. Ely Allen’s PFR mock draft delivered a direct hit there, and the move allowed the Bucs access to Bain. Tampa Bay viewed the Miami EDGE as a top-five player on its board and was eyeing ex-Bain Hurricanes teammate Akheem Mesidor in the event Bain was off the board. The Ravens keeping their pick after signing Hendrickson may well have helped keep Bain in Florida. Here is the latest draft fallout:
- The Cowboys and Dolphins agreed to a first-round trade that allowed Dallas to climb up one spot for Caleb Downs. That swap was agreed to late during Miami’s time on the clock, and ESPN’s The Pick Is In special (h/t David Furones of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel) included a note about the Dolphins initially declining the Cowboys’ offer to move from No. 12 to No. 11. Dallas initially offered a fifth-round pick to climb one spot; this did not move the needle for new Miami GM Jon-Eric Sullivan. As the clock wound down, the Cowboys offered a second fifth-rounder and potentially another pick to seal the deal. Jerry Jones did not view the Dolphins as a threat to draft Downs but worried another team could jump the Cowboys for the Ohio State safety, leading to Nos. 177 and 180 going to Miami for No. 11. Jeff Hafley said during an interview with Richard Sherman (via Yahoo.com) the Dolphins would have drafted Kadyn Proctor at 11 had no trade occurred.
- Staying with the Dolphins, they will obtain an additional 2027 draft choice. The 2025 Darren Waller trade sent a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Giants after the tight end unretired; a conditional 2027 seventh went back to Miami. The conditions were ultimately satisfied, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson, and the Dolphins will hold an extra 2027 seventh-rounder from the Waller swap. Although Waller began the season late due to injury before being placed on IR twice last season, he caught 24 passes for 283 yards and six touchdowns in nine games played. Waller is not expected to return to Miami.
- The draft signing process annually moves slowest with second-round picks, with guarantees providing the holdup. Round 2 draftees continue to make inroads on that front. Last year, a host of second-round talents — due in no small part to Tyler Shough going 40th overall — secured fully guaranteed deals. This year continues that growth, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson noting No. 53 overall pick C.J. Allen received 83.7% of his contract guaranteed from the Colts. That is up from 75.4% at No. 53 last year (Buccaneers CB Benjamin Morrison). The bar for fully guaranteed Round 2 deals will undoubtedly move past No. 40 this year, and Allen receiving this mostly guaranteed pact will have an impact on players drafted shortly before him this year.
Former NFL QB Craig Morton Passes Away
Longtime NFL quarterback Craig Morton died at the age of 83 on Saturday. Morton divided his 18-year career among the Cowboys, Broncos and Giants.
Morton spent his college days at California, where he enjoyed a prolific run from 1962-64. He played his first two years under future Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Marv Levy. Bill Walsh, another future Hall of Fame head coach, was on Levy’s staff as a receivers coach during Morton’s first season. A three-year starter who broke numerous school records, the strong-armed Morton was inducted into both the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1992.
After Morton threw for over 4,500 yards and 36 touchdowns in 30 games at Cal, the Cowboys chose him fifth overall in the 1965 NFL Draft. The Raiders selected Morton in the 10th round of the AFL draft in the same year, but he chose to sign with Dallas. Morton spent his first four years backing up Don Meredith before finally becoming Dallas’ starter in 1969. He helped the Cowboys to Super Bowl V in his second year at the helm, but they fell to the Baltimore Colts on a late field goal. Kicker Jim O’Brien hit a 32-yarder to clinch a 16-13 win for the Colts with five seconds left.
While the Cowboys made their second straight Super Bowl trip to cap off the 1971 season, Morton no longer held the reins. Head coach Tom Landry named Roger Staubach the starter in Week 8, and the Cowboys went on to win their first Super Bowl in a 24-3 romp over the Dolphins. Staubach suffered a separated shoulder the next season, which led to Morton making 14 starts and leading the Cowboys to a 10-4 record. However, Landry pulled Morton for Staubach in a divisional round matchup against the 49ers. Staubach never relinquished the job after sparking a 15-point fourth-quarter comeback and a 30-28 victory.
With Morton still stuck behind Staubach a couple of years later, he asked out of Dallas in 1974. A frustrated Morton signed with the Houston Texans of the World Football League, but he never played a down for them. The Cowboys granted Morton’s wish when they traded him to the Giants six games into the ’74 campaign. They received a 1975 first-rounder (No. 2 overall) and a ’76 second-rounder in return. Dallas used the first of those picks on future Hall of Fame defensive lineman Randy White, who became one of the greatest players in franchise history.
While the Morton trade worked out for the Cowboys, the same was not true for the Giants. They struggled over two-plus years with Morton, who went just 8-25 and threw 29 touchdowns and 49 interception as their starter. The Giants ended the Morton era with a 1977 trade in which they dealt him to the Broncos for quarterback Steve Ramsey and a fifth-rounder.
Morton’s stock was down when he arrived in Denver, but the change of scenery yielded a career renaissance. Playing his age-34 season in 1978, Morton tossed 14 touchdowns against eight interceptions, finished fourth in the NFL in passer rating (82.0), guided the Broncos to a 12-2 record, and won a pair of awards: AFC Offensive Player of the Year and NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
The Broncos wound up meeting Morton’s first team, Dallas, in Super Bowl XII. While Morton became the first player to start at quarterback for two different teams in the Super Bowl, the Cowboys proved too strong in a 27-10 rout. White and fellow D-lineman Harvey Martin took home co-MVP honors after a stifling defensive performance.
Morton made 50 more starts as a Bronco through the strike-shortened 1982 season, his last, and earned two more playoff berths. Although the Broncos never returned to the Super Bowl with Morton at the controls, he still stands as one of the best quarterbacks in franchise history.
Wearing No. 7 before his successor, John Elway, Morton retired as the Broncos’ all-time leader in passing yards (11,895), touchdowns (74) and yards per attempt (7.5). Despite playing in a much tougher era for QBs, Morton still ranks second in team history in YPA and third in both passing yards and TDs 44 years since he last took the field. Peyton Manning became the franchise leader in YPA. He and Elway are the only passers above Morton in yards and TDs.
Inducted into Broncos’ Ring of Fame in 1988, Morton made 144 starts in the NFL. Along with posting a 81-62-1 record as a starter, Morton threw for 27,908 yards and 183 touchdowns.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/5/26
Here are Tuesday’s NFL minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: T Trevonte Sylvester
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived: G Sidney Fugar
Miami Dolphins
- Received international exemption: TE Seydou Traore
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: OLB Isiah King
- Reverted to IR: S Tucker Large
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Reverted to IR: S Daequan Hardy
The Ravens and Cowboys opted to cut two linemen from their recently signed undrafted free agent classes, while the Steelers and Eagles both made moves to waive their safeties with an injury designation then revert them to injured reserve. For as long as they are on IR during the offseason, they will not count against the team’s 90-man roster limit.
Traore will also not count against Miami’s 90-man limit; the team’s fifth-round pick out of Mississippi State was born in France but raised in London before moving to Florida in an attempt to play college ball. He earned a scholarship offer from Arkansas State, where he played for two years before transferring to the Bulldogs.
Replacing the UDFA they reverted to IR, the Eagles have added King, a versatile linebacker, after he went undrafted out of Idaho. A two-year starter for the Vandals, King split his time fairly evenly last year between the box, the slot, and the edge.
Cowboys To Host CB Adoree’ Jackson
Adoree’ Jackson has spent the past five years in the NFC East, and he may remain in the division for 2026. The veteran corner has lined up his first known visit of the offseason.
Jackson is set to visit the Cowboys today, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. Dallas has already taken the free agent route to make a pair of veteran CB additions this spring, bringing in ex-Rams Cobie Durant and Derion Kendrick. The team then added fourth-rounder Devin Moore during the draft, but with over $8MM in cap space another low-cost move could be in store.
New Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker coached Jackson last season with the Eagles. As Philadelphia’s secondary coach, Parker oversaw Jackson’s age-30 season. That included 10 starts and a 63% snap share on defense. Jackson has made 76 career starts during his nine-year career.
The Eagles’ boundary cornerback position opposite Quinyon Mitchell was an issue last season, as both Mitchell and slot ace Cooper DeJean earned first-team All-Pro acclaim. Pro Football Focus graded Jackson 92nd among CB regulars in 2025. Although the Eagles traded for Michael Carter and Jaire Alexander last season, the latter did not end up playing a down for Philly. Jackson continued to work as a regular following the trades, and he started the Eagles’ wild-card game after retaining a heavy role down the stretch.
A former Titans first-round pick, Jackson has played in the NFC East since 2021. Tennessee not exercising the 5-foot-11 cover man’s fifth-year option led to a three-year, $39MM Giants contract. He worked alongside future Eagle James Bradberry in 2021 and became the Giants’ No. 1 corner a year later, as GM Joe Schoen made Bradberry a cap casualty. Jackson helped the Giants make a surprise divisional-round run, though he missed time due to injury, and helped the Giants contain Justin Jefferson in their wild-card upset.
After Jackson played out his contract in 2023, the Giants attempted to go in a younger direction at corner. But they were not ultimately satisfied with the results and re-signed the veteran just before the 2024 season. Jackson only started five games that year but ended up being the preferred Eagles option opposite Mitchell over Kelee Ringo last year. Jackson played for just $1.75MM in 2024 and $1.76MM in ’25.
The Cowboys return the recently extended DaRon Bland at corner and used a third-round pick on Shavon Revel in 2025. The team missed both for extensive portions of last season, with Bland suffering another injury and Revel making a late debut due to his 2024 ACL tear. Parker will see what he has in Durant and Kendrick soon, and Jackson could fit into the puzzle — likely at a low rate, if a deal is to happen — after this mid-offseason meeting.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Cowboys Have Not Discussed Trade With WR George Pickens
George Pickens recently signed his franchise tag, confirming the draft-day revelation that he would be doing so well before mandatory practices commenced. A trade has been floated as a possibility in this case, but the Cowboys have publicly stated their intention of keeping Pickens in the fold for 2026.
When speaking to the media over the weekend, head coach Brian Schottenheimer said (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota) Dallas has not engaged in any conversations with Pickens about a trade. That falls in line with EVP Stephen Jones’ remarks at the draft indicating a swap is not being sought out by the Cowboys. Pickens is in line to collect $27.3MM in 2026 while carrying a cap charge of the same amount.
Affording that figure – not to mention the higher cost of a long-term extension – while retaining fellow receiver CeeDee Lamb will be challenging. That factor has led many to believe a trade could receive consideration on Dallas’ part, especially if Pickens displays frustration with his lack of security beyond 2026. Nevertheless, Schottenheimer said (h/t ESPN’s Todd Archer) he was not surprised to see Pickens sign his one-year tender as early as he did. That move obligates Pickens to attend mandatory minicamp in June along with training camp one month later.
July 15 looms as the deadline for franchise tag recipients to sign a long-term deal. In spite of that, the Cowboys have already made it clear they will not negotiate a multiyear contract with Pickens, who was among the league’s top receivers during his debut Dallas season. The 25-year-old will be in line for a major payday (or a second tag) in 2027 if he manages a strong follow-up campaign, although the possibility still remains for a trade to result in an acquiring team authorizing a new deal sooner.
SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora writes Pickens is indeed displeased with his situation, something which is common among franchise tag recipients. He adds a trade sending the former Steelers draftee out of Dallas is not “an impossibility by any stretch” with plenty of time remaining before any potential swap could take place. A general manager La Canfora spoke with suggested a young player coupled with draft capital could be enough to change the Cowboys’ stance on Pickens.
Dallas expectedly devoted much of the draft toward the defensive side of the ball, and improvement in that regard will be critical in rebounding from the 2025 season. Pickens remains on track to again play a key offensive role for the Cowboys, although his participation in mandatory offseason work will be something to monitor as the summer unfolds.
Steelers Did Not Call Cowboys About No. 20 Pick
The Steelers got caught flat-footed during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The team was expecting to land Makai Lemon with the 21st overall pick and even had the USC wideout on the phone to inform him of its decision.
There was just one problem: they were not on the clock. The Cowboys were, and they completed a trade with the division rival Eagles, who moved up to the No. 20 pick to steal Lemon out from under Pittsburgh. The Steelers pivoted to Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor, but it was abundantly clear they were outmaneuvered by Philadelphia’s general manager, Howie Roseman.
Instead of prematurely calling Lemon – rumored to be a common Steelers draft tactic – perhaps general manager Omar Khan should have dialed the Cowboys’ number. He made no attempt to move up one spot to snag their desired prospect, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, and could only watch – or more accurately, listen – as Lemon hung up to take the call from Philadelphia and become an Eagle.
However, the Steelers may not have been able to beat the Eagles’ offer. Philly sent a pair of fourth-rounders to Dallas to move up from the No. 23 pick, where the Cowboys were confident they could still land UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence. In that case, Pittsburgh may have needed to match or exceed Philly’s package of picks, a sizable overpay to move up one spot.
Still, offering an alternative to trading with a division rival would have at least gotten the Cowboys’ attention. Lawrence was known to have other first-round interest, too, so Dallas may have preferred to move back one spot rather than three to ensure they got their man. Combined, those factors could have helped a weaker offer from Pittsburgh still beat their in-state rivals.
Lemon was not linked to the Cowboys during the pre-draft process, so the Steelers understandably were not worried about him going to Dallas. But opting to reach out to him rather than Jerry Jones may turn out to be a decision Khan regrets. It will be very interesting to watch how the careers of Lemon and Iheanachor play out.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/4/26
Today’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: OL DJ Wingfield
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Jonathan Brady
- Placed on IR: WR Justin Shorter
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: TE Jaheim Bell
The Raiders placed WR Justin Shorter on IR today with an undisclosed injury. The 26-year-old has spent the past two seasons in Las Vegas, appearing in 17 games while spending the majority of his time on special teams. He stuck with the organization via a reserve/futures contract following the 2025 campaign.
He’ll be replaced by UDFA Jonathan Brady, who is coming off a 2025 season when he hauled in 14 catches for Indiana. The Raiders have been busy surrounding first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza with familiar faces, as Brady will join Hoosiers running back Roman Hemby and wide receiver E.J. Williams on the offseason roster.