WR Chase Claypool Attending Packers’ Rookie Minicamp
After two years away from the field, former Steelers and Bears wide receiver Chase Claypool is seeking a return to the NFL. The first step in his comeback is a tryout with the Packers at their rookie minicamp, per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic.
Claypool, 27, was a second-round pick out of Notre Dame in 2020. He showed plenty of promise during his first two years in Pittsburgh, racking up 121 catches for 1,733 yards and 11 touchdowns. After a slow start to the 2022 season, the Steelers put Claypool on the trade block with the intention of elevating George Pickens into a bigger role in their offense.
The Steelers received multiple offers for the 6-foot-4 wideout, including second-round picks from both the Bears and the Packers. Pittsburgh wisely accepted Chicago’s bid, expecting the Bears to win fewer games than their NFC North opponents. That turned out to be the case, as the Bears finished with a 3-14 record, the worst in the league. As a result, the Bears had the first pick in each round of the 2023 draft. With the Dolphins losing their first-round pick that year, Pittsburgh received the No. 32 overall pick as a result of trading Claypool (the pick became Joey Porter Jr.).
Claypool did not come close to justifying that trade for Chicago. The big-bodied wide receiver posted just 14 catches for 140 yards and zero touchdowns over the rest of the 2022 season. In 2023, Claypool did start two games with the Bears but was soon made a healthy scratch and then traded to the Dolphins in a pick-swap agreement involving sixth- and seventh-rounders. He managed just eight catches throughout the 2023 season and has not seen the field since.
The Bills signed Claypool in 2024 but placed him on IR that August. No team added him in 2025. After their aggressive push for Claypool at the ’22 deadline, the Packers began the Jordan Love era by equipping him with 2023 draftees Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks. The latter has since been traded to the Eagles, while the former just signed a three-year extension.
Raiders Announce 17 UDFA Signings
The Raiders had a busy offseason. They made several high-profile additions in free agency and drafted Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in last week’s draft. But even with all that investment, like any other team, they have to fill out their 90-man offseason roster. Here are Las Vegas’ 17 undrafted free agent signings, including a few of Mendoza’s Hoosier teammates:
- Jacob Clark, QB (Missouri State)
- Tyler Duzansky, LS (Penn State)
- Roman Hemby, RB (Indiana)
- Isaiah Jatta, OT (BYU)
- Devin Lafayette, S (Troy)
- Matt Lauter, TE (Boise State)
- Kansei Matsuzawa, K (Hawaii)
- Caleb Offord, CB (Kennesaw State)
- Justin Pickett, G (Duke)
- Chase Roberts, WR (BYU)
- Corey Rucker, WR (Arkansas State)
- Cian Slone, DE (NC State)
- Gary Smith III, DT (UCLA)
- Xavian Sorey, LB (Arkansas)
- Chris Thomas, LB (Maine)
- Tanner Wall, S (BYU)
- E.J. Williams, WR (Indiana)
Clark was a one-year starter at Missouri State and led the Conference USA in completion percentage, passing touchdowns, and passer rating in 2025. With Mendoza, Kirk Cousins, and Aidan O’Connell already in the Raiders’ quarterback room, it is hard to see Clark as much more than a developmental camp arm.
Duzansky was a reliable long-snapper at Penn State and could easily push Alex Ward, who spent the last three years with the Rams, for the starting job in Las Vegas.
Hemby was a three-year starter at Maryland, but other running backs ate into his touches in 2023 and 2024. He decided to transfer to Indiana, where he served as the Hoosiers’ bell cow with 230 carries for 1,120 yards and seven touchdowns. He should have a chance to make the 53-man roster in Las Vegas, as the team only has four other running backs under contract. Ashton Jeanty and recent fourth-round pick Mike Washington both have secure spots, but Hemby could certainly beat out Dylan Laube and/or Chris Collier this summer.
Matsuzawa, a Japanese native, is continuing his incredible football journey in Las Vegas. The former soccer player and self-taught placekicker only attracted interest from Hocking College, a school that plays in Division II of the National Junior College Athletic Association. He transferred to the University of Hawaii in 2023 and took over the starting kicker job in 2024, converting 12 of his 16 field goal attempts and all 32 of his extra points. In 2025, he made 27 of his 29 field goals (93.1%) in addition to another perfect 40-for-40 mark on extra points. Those kicks were good for 121 total points, which led the Mountain West Conference, and Matsuzawa was named a Consensus All-American at the end of the year.
The Raiders moved on from Daniel Carlson this offseason and signed veteran Matt Gay, but he only has $1.35MM in guaranteed money on his deal. Matsuzawa could have a chance to unseat him.
After drafting Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick last year, the Titans signed Xavier Restrepo, one of his favorite targets at Miami as an undrafted free agent. Similarly, the Raiders have brought in Williams, who caught 36 catches for 438 yards and six touchdowns at Indiana last year. Those numbers pale in comparison to Restrepo’s college production, but Williams’ rapport with Mendoza could give him a chance to impress his coaches in spring and summer practices.
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.
Titans Were Down To Carnell Tate, Arvell Reese At No. 4
The Titans surprised many by taking Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate with the No. 4 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, a move that significantly shook up the top 10.
Tennessee was widely expected to draft a top defender or Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with their first pick. When the Cardinals took Love at No. 3, it seemed that new Titans head coach Robert Saleh was free to handpick a new star for his defense. Instead, the team went with Tate.
Their decision was multi-faceted. First was a different assessment of Tate’s athleticism than the public consensus. The Titans timed Tate’s 40-yard dash at the Combine “in the mid-4.4s” as opposed to his official time of 4.53 seconds, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. In their eyes, that rounded out the profile of an otherwise complete wide receiver with a full route tree and excellent skills at the catch point.
Getting help for former No. 1 pick Cam Ward was also a priority, one that encouraged Tennessee to go with an offensive playmaker rather than a defensive one. Tate largely played second fiddle to Jeremiah Smith at Ohio State in 2025, which many evaluators saw as a negative – he could not even be the top target on his own team. The Titans, though, had a different takeaway: Tate would have a place in whatever offense they build over the next several years, whether it be as a WR1 or a versatile part of a deeper group.
Had Tate not been available, Breer adds, the Titans would have gone with his teammate, linebacker Arvell Reese. The team badly needs to strengthen their pass rush, especially at defensive end even after reuniting Saleh with Jets 2022 first-rounder Jermaine Johnson. Reese was projected to convert into an edge rusher in the pros, but he might been a better fit as a 3-4 outside linebacker than a defensive end in Saleh’s 4-3 scheme.
Tennessee also drafted Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. in the second round and could deploy him in the role they envisioned for Reese. Hill has a slightly smaller frame and lacks the same bend and agility as Reese, but he could still be used creatively by Saleh.
The Titans’ decision highlights a false trend in the NFL: teams who hire a new head coach prioritize their side of the ball with their first draft picks. Despite the symbolism of such a move – letting a new leader select a prospect that fits his scheme, style, and culture – the process rarely plays out that way. General managers are still focused on value and following their draft board while incorporating coaches’ feedback.
This year, only four of the 10 teams with new head coaches used their first pick on the coach’s side of the ball. The Raiders drafted Fernando Mendoza for Klint Kubiak – though that likely would have been the case no matter who they hired – the Cardinals drafted Love for LaFleur, the Browns got both Spencer Fano and KC Concepcion for Todd Monken, and the Steelers got Max Iheanachor (instead of Makai Lemon) for Mike McCarthy.
But, just as the Jets went with quarterback Zach Wilson in 2021, Saleh’s first year in New York, the Titans went with a wide receiver who was the top-ranked player on their board. That is not to say Saleh was not on board for those picks, or that head coaches in general prioritize their side of the ball. Another new defensive head coach, Jesse Minter, urged general manager Eric DeCosta to select guard Vega Ioane over edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., and the Jeff Hafley-led Dolphins took offensive lineman Kayden Proctor. In fact, there is an argument that the head coach’s expertise on one side of the ball means there should be more talent investment in the other.
At the end of the day, the Titans nabbed their desired prospect for their first pick in Tate, and Saleh still got a defensive lineman when the team traded back into the first round to select Auburn’s Keldric Faulk.
Packers Add 10 UDFAs
The Packers have unveiled their undrafted free agent class. These 10 players will be taking part in Green Bay’s minicamp:
- Dylan Barrett, G (Iowa State)
- Kyron Drones, QB (Virginia Tech)
- Josh Gesky, G (Illinois)
- Nyjalik Kelly, EDGE (Central Florida)
- Murvin Kenion, S (Nevada)
- RJ Maryland, TE (SMU)
- Jaden Nixon, RB (Central Florida)
- T.J. Quinn, LB (Louisville)
- J. Michael Sturdivant, WR (Florida)
- Dillon Wade, G Auburn)
Quinn secured a notable financial commitment from Green Bay. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes the Packers gave him a deal including $150K in base salary and a $20K signing bonus. Quinn will no doubt receive a long look during training camp as he competes for a depth role.
The Packers’ draft class did not include a quarterback despite the organization’s long-running philosophy of targeting at least late-round additions at the position on a regular basis. Still, a rookie passer will be in the fold thanks to the Drones signing. After two years at Baylor, Drones transferred to Virginia Tech and spent three years as the Hokies’ starter.
Kelly played in a depth role during his two-year stint at Miami. An in-state transfer saw him join UCF, and his first season there resulted in a 5.5-sack campaign. Kelly added another three sacks in 2025, and across his two years at Central Florida he racked up 17 tackles for loss. He will look to carve out a spot at the end of the roster as part of Green Bay’s pass rush rotation or at least secure a place on the Packers’ practice squad.
Cowboys Sign S Caleb Downs, Five Other Draft Picks
The Cowboys are among the teams which have moved quickly in signing the bulk of their draft classes. All but one of Dallas’ draft picks are now under contract.
The team announced on Friday that safety Caleb Downs has been signed. The same is also true for each of the Cowboys’ other draftees except for fellow first-rounder Malachi Lawrence. Downs and Co. will take part in Dallas’ rookie minicamp this weekend.
Downs – who will collect $28.9MM guaranteed – spent the entire pre-draft process as one of the most highly-regarded prospects from this year’s class. As was the case for many others, though, the matter of positional value threated a drop down the first-rounder order. Downs slid out of the top 10, something which promoted the Cowboys to move up one spot and select him after executing a trade with the Dolphins.
Known for his production and high football IQ, Downs will be counted to play an immediate role within Dallas’ new-look secondary. The Cowboys still have Malik Hooker in place, but the team added Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke in free agency. An All-American in both of his Ohio State seasons, Downs will be expected to serve as an impact member of that group right away and for several years to come.
In addition to Downs, third-round edge rusher Jaishawn Barham, fourth-round tackle Drew Shelton, fourth-round cornerback Devin Moore, fourth-round edge rusher LT Overton and seventh-round receiver Anthony Smith have each inked their rookie contracts. Each of those deals will be four years in length. Downs’ pact will also run through 2029, but the team will eventually have a fifth-year option decision to make in his case.
Lawrence was drafted 23rd overall after Dallas moved down the board from No. 20. ESPN’s Todd Archer notes his contract should be finalized once more players selected in a similar range wind up being signed, adding no issues are anticipated. Lawrence could take part in rookie camp without a contract in place, but in any event his pact can be expected to be signed shortly.
Panthers RT Taylor Moton Not Weighing Retirement
Last summer, Taylor Moton agreed to a two-year Panthers extension. The team’s right tackle stalwart is under contract through 2027 as a result, and no thought is currently being given to hanging up his cleats.
“Retirement’s not on my mind right now,” Moton said (via Joe Person of The Athletic). “I feel great running around with all the young guys. I’m feeling young. I feel like I’m moving well and I’m feeling like, shoot, I’m still in my prime, right? I don’t feel like I’m slowing down.”
Moton was a backup during his rookie season, but he took on starting right tackle duties in 2018. Since then, he has been a mainstay up front, racking up 128 starts and missing just four games along the way. Moton’s future has been a talking point while he has played through knee issues, and his only absences have come in the past two seasons. That, coupled with the Panthers’ current offensive tackle setup, could result in further speculation regarding his outlook beyond 2026.
Carolina added Rasheed Walker in free agency on a one-year deal. The team then spent its first-round pick in the draft on Monroe Freeling. The Georgia product could operate as the Panthers’ swing tackle as a rookie before becoming a starter somewhere on the offensive line. Ikem Ekwonu is also in the fold, but he is recovering from a torn patellar tendon which threatens to see him miss considerable time this season.
2026 marks Ekwonu’s fifth-year option campaign, so the Panthers will need to decide on a long-term commitment in his case relatively soon. The former No. 6 pick has been a full-time starter when healthy, and he hopes to remain in Carolina beyond the current campaign. A new deal for Ekwonu would of course increase the chances of Walker departing after one season, but Moton’s status will also be key in determining when (and where) Freeling will find himself playing once he takes on first-team duties.
Moton, 32 in August, is due roughly $14.2MM in 2026 and $21.5MM the following year. With none of his base salary for 2027 guaranteed at this point, though, the possibility of his Panthers tenure ending will no doubt be raised next offseason. If that were to take place, Moton may look to continue his career elsewhere based on his current stance regarding retirement.
Browns’ Deshaun Watson Leading QB Competition; Ownership Pushing For Watson To Start?
MAY 1: During a Friday appearance on 92.3 The Fan, Monken confirmed his preference would be to have a QB1 in place to start training camp. He added, though, that the split of first-team reps during the team’s remaining spring practices may not be a final indication regarding Cleveland’s approach under center with preseason contests still providing an opportunity for the depth chart to change.
APRIL 30: The 2026 regular season is still four-plus months from kicking off, but first-year Browns head coach Todd Monken wants to identify his starting quarterback by the end of the team’s June 9-11 minicamp, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. Monken still has several weeks to make his choice, but Deshaun Watson currently has the “edge” over Shedeur Sanders, according to Cabot.
This comes as a surprise after Sanders appeared to be the frontrunner three weeks ago. As a fifth-round pick last year, Sanders finished his rookie season as the Browns’ starter. Despite posting poor numbers, Sanders earned a Pro Bowl invite as an alternate. Meanwhile, Watson has not taken the field since he ruptured his Achilles on Oct. 20, 2024. The three-time Pro Bowler ruptured it again in January 2025, forcing him to miss all of last season.
The Browns made perhaps the worst trade in league history when they sent four picks (three first-rounders and a third-rounder) to the Texans for Watson in March 2022. They immediately handed Watson a fully guaranteed $230MM over five years, which has gone down as another disastrous decision.
While facing widespread sexual misconduct allegations, Watson opened his Browns tenure serving an 11-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Injuries have held him to just 19 starts since then. The Browns have gone 9-10 with Watson at the helm. To worsen matters, they have been forced to repeatedly restructure his bloated contract. They did so for the fourth time last month.
Although Watson’s deal will finally expire after this season, the Browns will still spread an $86.2MM dead money charge from 2027-28. Owner Jimmy Haslam, who has paid a cripplingly expensive price for almost no production from Watson, admitted last April that acquiring him was a “big swing and miss.” Over a year later, though, the Haslams (Jimmy and wife Dee) are making a behind-the-scenes push for Watson to start, Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom relays.
“Jimmy Haslam has paid this guy $180MM and he’s got nothing to show for it,” one general manager told La Canfora. “He’s trying to get blood from a stone but it’s not going to work. Watson is done.”
If Watson proves to be “done,” it could eventually lead to opportunities for Sanders and/or the rest of the Browns’ signal-callers. Dillon Gabriel and 2026 sixth-rounder Taylen Green are also in the team’s QBs room, but it does not appear they are under serious consideration for the starting gig. Rather, they are vying for a “developmental spot,” Cabot writes. It is more likely Gabriel and Green will receive third- and fourth-team work, leaving Watson and Sanders to divide the starting reps.
Monken has left the door open for Green, a 6-foot-6, 235-pound dual threat, to take the field in specialty packages (via Cabot). If the former Boise State and Arkansas starter impresses enough to earn a roster spot, Gabriel could be on his way out just a year after the Browns spent a third-rounder on him. The Browns may have trouble getting Gabriel on their practice squad, notes Cabot, who points to a trade as a possibility.
Gabriel made six underwhelming starts for the Browns after they traded Joe Flacco to the Bengals last October. He lost the job to Sanders after suffering a concussion in a Week 11 loss to the Ravens. Depending on how the next few months unfold, that may prove to be Gabriel’s last meaningful appearance with the Browns.
Commanders Not Interested In Trading For 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk
The draft came and went without a Brandon Aiyuk resolution emerging. A parting of ways with the 49ers is still expected in his case, with the Commanders looming as his likeliest destination.
Aiyuk has three years remaining on his contract, one which no longer includes any guaranteed salary. San Francisco’s preference would be to execute a trade and by doing so recoup draft capital for player who received a $30MM-per-year investment from the team in 2024. Suitors, on the other hand, are positioned to wait for a release and approach Aiyuk as a free agent.
Washington is among them in that regard. Matt Barrows and Nicku Jhabvala of The Athletic report the Commanders are viewed around the league as being “steadfast in their unwillingness” to work out a trade for Aiyuk. The team’s plan remains a free agent signing of the 28-year-old. Barrows and Jhabvala unsurpisingly add Washington is eyeing a short-term deal laden with incentives if/when Aiyuk hits the open market.
The former first-rounder will obviously not be able to match the four-year, $120MM pact he landed in 2024 when his next contract is worked out. Nevertheless, Aiyuk could offer a boost to a Washington offense which still has Terry McLaurin in the fold but remains on track to lose Deebo Samuel. Commanders general manager Adam Peters was in the 49ers’ front office when Aiyuk was drafted. A signing would allow for a reunion on that front along with one between Aiyuk and quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Aiyuk seemed at various points to be on track for a return to the fold in 2025 after his previous season had been cut short by ACL and MCL tears. He never returned to the team, however, a factor which contributed to the rift which has become clearer over time. The 49ers have engaged in trade talks regarding Aiyuk, but Barrows and Jhabvala confirm the team is no rush to proceed with a release at this time. It could be until well into the summer before Aiyuk becomes available depending on the how willing the Commanders are to avoid a trade agreement.
During a recent Pat McAfee Show appearance, ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted the 49ers have still had difficulties getting in touch with Aiyuk. Notably, he added the same is also true of other teams which could be interested in acquiring him. Communication with the Commanders in particular could go a long way in bringing this saga toward its conclusion, and it will be interesting to see if things pick up soon in that regard.
NFL Mailbag: Rams, Simpson, Steelers, Panthers, Draft
This week's edition of the PFR Mailbag touches on a few draft-related topics. Questions regarding the Panthers' offensive line situation, among others, are also answered.
Luke asks:
Will the Rams benefit from taking [Ty] Simpson or could they have gotten a veteran QB down the line and replaced [Matthew] Stafford without sacrificing the No. 13 pick?
I feel safe in predicting there will be some benefit for the Rams with Simpson. The question is obviously when that will be the case and whether or not his presence (for 2026 and beyond) will outweigh the impact of another player Los Angeles could have taken.
