Bengals To Meet With RB Jeremiyah Love
The Bengals have seen 2023 fifth-round pick Chase Brown become a three-down player, and the sides have begun extension talks. Cincinnati also sits at No. 10 overall this year. That is not seen as optimal placement for grabbing this draft’s top running back.
But Cincinnati is playing host to Jeremiyah Love on a “30” visit, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicating that meeting is taking place today.
It would take a few teams passing on the impact talent for Love to reach Cincinnati, but the Notre Dame product does play a position that many teams devalue. That said, the Giants (No. 5) and Commanders (No. 7) have been closely connected to the dual-threat back. Love also visited the Titans recently. If the Bengals want to pair Love with Joe Burrow, they would likely need to trade up. The Jets met with Love recently as well, though they are being tied more closely to Ohio State hybrid linebacker Arvell Reese at No. 2.
Scoring 40 touchdowns over the past two seasons, Love amassed 1,652 scrimmage yards in 2025 and 1,362 in 2024. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry in both seasons. Love sits second on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, trailing only Fernando Mendoza there.
Love is viewed as the only first-round-caliber RB in this year’s class, giving the teams that do not snag him in the top 10 needs that will need to be addressed on Days 2 and/or 3. Love’s Notre Dame backup last season, Jadarian Price, is viewed as this draft’s second-best back. Beyond the two former Fighting Irish teammates, no RBs reside in Jeremiah’s top 50. ESPN’s most recent mock sends Love to the Giants, while Price goes to the Vikings at No. 49. Illustrating the top-heavy construction of this RB crop, ESPN has no other backs going off the board until No. 96 (Arkansas’ Mike Washington).
One season remains on Brown’s rookie contract. He has outplayed his fifth-round slot, totaling 1,356 and 1,450 scrimmage yards over the past two seasons while scoring 11 TDs in each campaign. The Bengals reacquired Samaje Perine to back him up last year; one season remains on the veteran’s contract. The team also rosters 2025 sixth-rounder Tahj Brooks.
Giants Sign OL Lucas Patrick
Lucas Patrick has lined up his next NFL gig shortly before the draft. The veteran offensive lineman has agreed to a deal with the Giants, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. The move is now official, per a team announcement.
This will be a one-year pact, Wilson adds to no surprise. Adding along the offensive line was named as a goal by Giants general manager Joe Schoen during last week’s league meeting. Patrick will now be in place in time for the start of New York’s offseason program, which will begin tomorrow.
The nine-year veteran has made 113 appearances during the regular season over the course of his career; that includes 65 starts. Patrick spent his first five NFL seasons with Green Bay. He followed that with a two-year run in Chicago and then single campaigns with New Orleans and Cincinnati. The 32-year-old’s lone start in 2025 came at center, a familiar position. Patrick also has extensive experience at both guard spots, however.
The Giants are in position to return four of their five O-line starters from last season. Right guard Greg Van Roten remains unsigned at this point, and Patrick could serve as a replacement. The team has been open to a new deal with Van Roten, who operated as New York’s RG for each of the past two years, but it will be interesting to see if that remains the case with another veteran now in the fold. Finances are tight with respect to any moves the Giants make at this time.
New York entered Monday near the bottom of the league in terms of cap space, and affording the team’s incoming draft class will require further financial commitments. This Patrick contract will not alter the Giants’ situation to a large degree, though, as his past two deals were respectively worth $1.38MM and $2.1MM. A similar low-cost move can be expected this time around.
Unclear If James Pearce Jr. Will Report To Falcons’ Offseason Program
Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr. is the subject of three felony charges. As such, his immediate and long-term futures remain unclear at this point.
Pearce has been charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding police, and resisting an officer with violence to his or her person stemming from an incident which led to an arrest in early February. Pearce has been the subject of numerous domestic violence allegations from ex-girlfriend and WNBA player Rickea Jackson. Jackson filed a petition for a protective order, and it was granted; a permanent injunction hearing is scheduled for April 21.
As detailed by Josh Kendall of The Athletic, a docket sounding is set for April 23. That will mark the final opportunity for a plea agreement to be reached in this case. If that does not take place, Pearce – who also faces a charge of aggravated stalking which was reduced to a misdemeanor – will see his case proceed to trial. One is currently scheduled to begin on May 4.
Well before that point, the Falcons will start their offseason program. As one of the teams with a new head coach in place, Atlanta’s spring work will begin tomorrow. It remains to be seen, per Kendall, if Pearce will report to the team. The 22-year-old recorded 10.5 sacks in 2025 and was a finalist for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, but the allegations he faces have led to uncertainty regarding his situation. To little surprise, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports an absence is expected in this case.
Shortly after Pearce’s arrest, the NFL began reviewing the matter. That is still the case at this point, although a league representative declined to confirm to Kendall if a formal investigation has been opened yet. The NFL’s personal conduct policy carries a baseline suspension of six games for first-time offenses of domestic violence, with the potential for that figure to be raised or lowered based on mitigating or aggravating factors. The league often waits until a criminal proceeding takes its course before handing down any potential discipline; convictions are not required for a fine and/or suspension to be issued.
Atlanta’s other 2025 first-round pick, Jalon Walker, enjoyed a strong rookie season of his own and can be expected to remain a mainstay in the pass rush department for years to come. The same may not be true of Pearce, whose status will be worth monitoring closely over the coming days as well as the course of the offseason.
Giants’ Dexter Lawrence Requests Trade
Dexter Lawrence remains under contract with the Giants, but that may not be the case for much longer. The Pro Bowl defensive tackle has requested a trade, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
Per Schefter, Lawrence will not attend New York’s offseason program. Since the Giants are among the teams which made a head coaching change this winter, their program will begin tomorrow. Lawrence will remain absent as an indication of his displeasure over the status of extension talks. Depending on how long it lasts, this action will cost him his $500K workout bonus, Dan Duggan of The Athletic notes.
Schefter adds contract negotiations have not yielded progress, and colleague Jordan Raanan confirms Lawrence “has not been happy for quite some time.” As things stand, two years remain on the 28-year-old’s contract. Lawrence is owed $20MM in 2026 and another $22MM the following season. The guaranteed money on his pact has run out, however, creating the need for a fresh round of extension talks.
GM Joe Schoen said in February negotiations would commence in Lawrence’s case. He also stated no serious consideration would be given to a trade, a reasonable stance given the Clemson product’s importance to New York’s defensive front. Lawrence was the subject of calls leading up to the 2025 trade deadline, but no deal was ever imminent. It will be interesting to see if things play out differently with the draft approaching.
Lawrence stood out with 7.5 sacks in 2022, and he set a new career high two seasons later with nine. In between those two years, a $22.5MM-per-year extension was worked out. The 2023 offseason saw several big-ticket defensive tackle contracts agreed to, and Lawrence fell in line with several other top producers at the time. Conversations on a new multiyear agreement did not produce an agreement last offseason, so a temporary fix was worked out. Incentives were added to Lawrence’s deal, but a lingering elbow injury resulted in a down year with respect to his production (0.5 sacks, 12 QB pressures).
Given that drop-off in statistical output, the Giants may be hard-pressed to arrive at a new figure which satisfies Lawrence’s asking price. The former first-rounder is tied for 11th in the NFL in terms of average annual value for defensive tackle contracts, and the position’s market has jumped since his last deal was signed. Given today’s update, at least, there is plenty of work to be done if a contract agreement is to be reached at any point this offseason. Failing any traction on that front, interest from outside suitors will no doubt pick up during the lead-in to the draft.
A second-team All-Pro in 2022 and ’23, Lawrence has been a full-time presence on defense since arriving in 2019. The former first-rounder enjoyed a long spell of impactful play against the pass, though his production from this past year could limit the willingness of at least some outside teams to part with draft capital and commit to an extension. On the other hand, New York’s depth along the defensive line aside from Lawrence is seen as a weakness. Moving on before or after the draft would create even more of a need on the interior as the Giants aim to take a needed step forward on defense in 2026.
The Giants are near the bottom of the NFL in terms of spending power at the moment. Reducing Lawrence’s 2026 cap hit ($26.96MM) would help in that regard, but an extension is clearly not imminent. Any trade processed before June 1 would generate roughly even figures in terms of cap savings and dead money charges. A swap after that date, by contrast, would give New York $20MM in savings while resulting in $6.96MM in dead money.
Jets Interested In Jordyn Tyson; WR’s Stock Falling?
The Jets are the subject of considerable interest leading up to the draft. The owners of the No. 2 selection will be worth watching closely given the fact they have a mid-round pick on Day 1 as well.
An edge rush addition with the second overall pick has long been seen as a logical course of action for New York. The Jets were reported over the weekend to be favoring Ohio State hybrid linebacker/pass rusher Arvell Reese, which comes as no surprise. Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post echoes the sentiment that Reese will likely be the team’s preferred target at No. 2.
With respect to the 16th overall selection, there is of course much less certainty regarding how the Jets will operate. The team could go in a number of directions with several positions of need worthy of consideration, but receiver could be one to watch. According to Dunleavy, the Jets’ top choice at No. 16 could be Jordyn Tyson.
Tyson is among the best WR prospects in the 2026 class, one touted more for its depth than its star power at the top of the board. The Arizona State product declared for the draft in December, beginning the process of projecting where he will wind up in the NFL. That has been more challenging than it has with some of Tyson’s peers due to his injury situation. A hamstring ailment limited him to nine games in 2025; Tyson also missed considerable time in 2023.
When on the field, the former Colorado transfer has been highly productive. Tyson posted 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns on 75 catches during the 2024 campaign, and he remained a key member of the Sun Devils’ offense when healthy this past season. Tyson has long been viewed as a first-round lock, although he may need to wait longer than first anticipated to hear his name called on the opening night of the draft. ESPN’s Matt Miller writes Tyson’s stock is “trending in the wrong direction” at this time, with injury concerns being raised by NFL evaluators. After missing Arizona State’s Pro Day, he is set to conduct a private workout for teams on April 17.
The Jets have Garrett Wilson atop their receiver depth chart, and the former first-rounder will be expected to lead the way in the passing game for 2026 and beyond. New York added Adonai Mitchell as part of the Sauce Gardner trade, and he has two years remaining on his rookie contract. The team invested a fourth-round pick during last year’s draft in Arian Smith; the second-year duo of general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn could add further at the position later this month. It will be interesting to see if Tyson finds himself on New York’s radar over the coming days.
Bengals Unlikely To Make LB Addition?
The Bengals made a pair of notable draft investments at the linebacker spot during last year’s draft. Both Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter played key defensive roles as rookies, and they will be expected to do so again in 2026.
Cincinnati’s defense struggled during the 2025 season under new DC Al Golden, to say the least. The inconsistent play of both linebackers in particular was a talking point as the unit finished 30th in points allowed and 31st in total defense. Knight was a mainstay throughout the campaign, while Barrett took on a starting role in Week 6 and continued in that capacity the rest of the way.
The Bengals have been quiet on the linebacker front so far in free agency. Special teams contributors Shaka Heyward and Joe Giles-Harris have been retained, but no outside additions have been made. Cincinnati has eight selections in the upcoming draft, so the team could certainly bring in a rookie once again. Head coach Zac Taylor is open to taking that route, although in any event the Knight-Carter tandem is in position to remain intact for 2026.
“I don’t think that’d be harmful at all,” Taylor said (via Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic) when asked about adding another rookie at the LB spot. “I think that those guys are wired the right way. That’s why we added them into the room. That’s why we threw him in the fire so early, because we knew it wasn’t going to break them… I could see the long-term value how this is going to play out for us. And so that’s still the vision we have for those guys.”
Taylor expressed optimism that Knight and Carter – both of whom topped 100 tackles as rookies – will be able to take a step forward during the second year in the NFL, citing their play during the second half of last season. He noted linebacker moves were discussed early in free agency, but other defensive priorities were of course present as well. The team sought multiple edge rush signings and moved quickly in adding defensive tackle Jonathan Allen shortly after his Vikings release. Signings in the secondary, including a deal for safety Kyle Dugger, have since followed.
With over $20MM in cap space, the Bengals could certainly afford a free agent deal at the linebacker position. Most veterans still on the market will no doubt wait until after the draft to sign, though, so it may not be for a few more weeks that Cincinnati’s depth chart sees any movement.
Dolphins Expected To Trade Down In Draft; Team Hosts Zion Young
The Dolphins currently own 11 selections in the upcoming draft. The Jaylen Waddle trade yielded extra capital in 2026, but new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan may make more moves aimed at acquiring future picks.
Miami is expected by many around the league to trade down once or twice during the draft, SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora writes. With the Dolphins in the beginning of a full-blown rebuild, it would certainly come as no surprise if they looked to move down the board with an eye on picking up extra selections late in 2026 or during the middle rounds of next year’s draft. It will be interesting to see how Sullivan operates during his first draft at the helm of a team.
The top of the 2026 draft class is not held in particularly high regard, especially compared to the projected prospects in next year’s draft. That could lead to a tepid market with with respect to teams trading up during the late stages of the first round. As such, Miami could end up staying put at No. 11 as well as No. 30, the high pick acquired from Denver in the Waddle swap. The Dolphins also have one selection in the second round as well as four third-rounders, however, so movement on Day 2 will be something to watch for.
Pre-draft visits continue around the league, and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes the Dolphins recently hosted Zion Young at their facility. The Missouri product is one of several edge rushers projected to come off the board late in the first round or some time in the second. Young set a new career high with 6.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss in 2025, his second season with the Tigers. He faces questions about his athletic upside, but Young’s length and strong play against the run will lead to high expectations upon arrival in the NFL.
With the Dolphins having dealt Jaelan Phillips at the 2025 trade deadline and released Bradley Chubb earlier this offseason, adding in the pass rush department is an obvious goal entering the draft. Young and other EDGE prospects will receive a look over the coming days as Sullivan evaluates his options for later this month.
Jets Favor Arvell Reese At No. 2 Overall?
With the Raiders all but guaranteed to draft Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza first overall, there is more intrigue surrounding the Jets at No. 2. A pair of Ohio State linebackers, Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, as well as Texas Tech edge defender David Bailey are candidates for New York’s top selection. Still two-plus weeks away from having to make a decision on April 23, the Jets are “leaning toward” Reese, Rich Cimini of ESPN reports.
[RELATED: Jets, Cardinals Could Take Similar Approach]
Reese’s versatility may tip the scales in his favor as the Jets transition to a 3-4 base defense that will use multiple fronts. As Cimini notes, Reese played 356 snaps at outside linebacker and 238 as an off-ball LB in 2025. Reese handled all responsibilities with aplomb during a season in which he earned consensus All-America honors and Big Ten Linebacker of the Year. The 6-foot-4, 241-pounder totaled 69 tackles, 10 TFL and 6.5 sacks over 14 games.
Although Reese did not post gaudy numbers in 2024 (43 tackles and a half-sack in 16 games), Jets head coach Aaron Glenn is unconcerned. In that regard, Glenn likens Reese to Texans five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter, who recorded just 4.5 sacks in three years at LSU. Hunter has since racked up 114.5 during a prolific decade in the pros.
“His stats weren’t up there, but he had all the traits and he’s had a coach that can coach him to be where he’s at right now,” Glenn said of Hunter (via Cimini). “So I look at [Reese] the same way. Man, it’s a combination of the traits and this combination of the football character again. Is that player coachable enough to be able to do the things that you want him to do to be successful?”
By now, Glenn and the Jets should have a good idea of whether Reese is “coachable.” Jets brass took extra time to meet with Reese at Ohio State’s pro day in late March. They also dined with Reese in Columbus, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Cimini). If the Jets draft Reese, it would give them another pass rusher to join holdover Will McDonald and free agent pickups Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare. He would also supply another off-ball option to a team that reunited with Demario Davis in free agency and has Jamien Sherwood entering the second season of a three-year, $45MM deal.
Turning to other early draft possibilities for the Jets, it would count as “an upset” if they pass on taking a wide receiver sometime in the first two rounds, Cimini writes. No. 1 receiver Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell will play big roles in 2026, but the Jets have little else at the position. Considering the team owns four of the draft’s top 44 picks, that could change soon.
Prospect Profile: Ty Simpson
Last year, we ended our Prospect Profile series with the 2025 NFL Draft’s most controversial quarterback. This year, we’ll start with one, and no quarterback prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft is driving more controversy right now than Alabama’s Ty Simpson.
While recent highly drafted quarterbacks have been benefactors of the transfer portal, this year’s draft class features some passers who have bucked that trend. Simpson, a consensus five-star prospect that 247Sports ranked as the 29th-best overall recruit and the fourth-best quarterback, committed to the only college he would end up attending when he was just a junior at Westview HS (Tenn.). The two top-ranked quarterback recruits of the class of 2022 — Drew Allar and Cade Klubnik — will also finish their collegiate careers having worn only one logo.
The son of a football coach — specifically, Jason Simpson, who has held the head coaching position at Tennessee-Martin since 2006 — Simpson was receiving college scholarship offers before he even arrived on his high school campus. Michigan offered him as an eighth grader, and Kentucky, Mississippi State (his dad’s alma mater), Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Baylor all offered him the summer before his freshman year. Over the years, he received every offer a recruit could ever dream of and took unofficial visits to several of those schools, making sure to cover his bases with some in-person research.
It wasn’t until the summer just before his sophomore year that he attended a Crimson Tide summer football camp and received an offer from Nick Saban. He returned in September to attend a home game against Ole Miss, during which he watched Tide passer Tua Tagovailoa complete 72.2 percent of his passes for 418 yards and six touchdowns (five to Devonta Smith). At the end of his junior year, he chose Alabama over Clemson, Ole Miss, and Tennessee, then he proceeded to sign in December and enroll early.
Simpson made his collegiate debut in the Tide’s season opener, appearing for some garbage time snaps as a true freshman. He would appear in three more games that year but be limited to just those games in order to preserve his redshirt. As a redshirt freshman and sophomore, Simpson continued in his garbage-time duties after Jalen Milroe, a four-star recruit from the class before his, took over starting duties. After three years of waiting, Simpson finally got his opportunity to start as a redshirt junior.
After a disappointing (and, in hindsight, shocking) season opening loss to Florida State, in which Simpson would complete only 53.5 percent of his passes and average only 5.9 yards per attempt, Simpson rebounded in a big way. Leaving his performance against the eventual 5-7 Seminoles in the rearview, Simpson established himself as the clear top quarterback through the first nine games of the season. At that point, he had completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 21 touchdowns and only one interception while averaging 273.4 yards per game. The next six weeks saw a stunning decline as he completed only 60.5 percent of his passes for seven touchdowns and four interceptions while averaging only 184.3 yards per game.
Simpson’s deterioration down the stretch of the season could be the result of many factors. The slide started with a loss at home to Oklahoma, a top-seven defense in both points and yards allowed, and many believe the Sooners revealed a blueprint for finding success against the Tide, though that theory would lose credibility once Alabama got revenge in the first round of the College Football Playoff. Others put stock into the players around Simpson, pointing out that a usually potent Alabama rushing unit finished 125th in the FBS in yards per game last season, while freshman phenom wide receiver Ryan Williams developed a bit of a sophomore slump, disappearing for just 13 receptions, 161 yards, and no touchdowns in those last six games.
Simpson’s health may have played into his struggles, as well. It’s believed that he played through a lower back injury and elbow bursitis starting sometime in October, while also suffering from gastritis that caused his weight to dip almost 20 pounds. To top it all off, his season ended with a fractured rib, suffered in a season-ending loss to the eventual champion Hoosiers. Regardless of the exact reason(s), fair or not, the documented struggles will throw up red flags for scouts, either concerning his performance itself, his response to external factors, or his health and durability.
For all his struggles that sit fresh in mind from his most recent performances, Simpson still displayed some draft-worthy traits throughout his lone season as a starter. He’s at his best in the short- to intermediate-game, seeding throws with anticipation, accuracy, and velocity. He can air it out, as well, but the accuracy and timing on deep balls are far less consistent. He’ll need to develop a bit more touch, as well, to really get the most out of his game by implementing different degrees of arc on all levels of throws. Simpson isn’t heavy-footed, and though he doesn’t run much, he uses his feet to extend plays effectively.
One of Simpson’s best assets is his mental game. His ability to read defenses and process coverages pre- and post-snap is a testament to the time he spent sitting and learning before ever starting. He can also be a bit over-aggressive with his first instinct reactions after things go off script, and there’s also been loads of debate and concern over his decision to declare for the draft after only starting one season at the college level. There have been several examples of others doing the same, and the results have often been overwhelmingly more negative than positive.
Regardless, Simpson is widely seen as the QB2 of the 2026 NFL Draft class, behind only presumed No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza out of Indiana. That won’t likely land Simpson as the No. 2 overall pick, though. Over the past several weeks, Simpson’s draft stock as varied wildly, with some projecting him as a top-10 pick and others grading him as a third-round talent or later. The truth likely falls somewhere in the middle and will depend on external factors like the level of need that certain teams will have for his position and the actions of those teams before and during the draft.
The most recent projections have him either getting taken in the mid- to late-first round by a team that likely trades up for him or getting drafted on Day 2. I would be remiss not to remind that Shedeur Sanders held similar projections as the perceived QB2 behind Cam Ward for much of the pre-draft process last year. It will certainly be interesting to see if any other similarities play out from here.
Latest On Vikings’ GM Search
It’s been just over two months since the Vikings parted ways with former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, yet Minnesota still hasn’t begun the process of replacing him, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. At the NFL’s annual league meeting, though, Vikings president/co-owner Mark Wilf gave the media an overview of the planned general structure of the process.
According to Wilf, the Vikings do not intend to utilize the services of “a search firm or formal consultant” but will, instead, “contract with a service that will help whittle down a list of candidates.” It’s an interesting distinction with not much clarity on what services a formal consultant would provide that the team isn’t interested in.
It appears that, without the help of a search firm or consultant, it will be Wilf “and the rest of the Wilf family” — which includes older brother and chairman/co-owner Zygi Wilf and cousin and vice chairman/co-owner Leonard Wilf — that will be making the decision. He expects that they will be advised by a “small, tight group” and that “input” will be sought from head coach Kevin O’Connell and chief operating officer Andrew Miller. There was mention of “participation from what Wilf called a ‘third party,'” as well, but it’s unclear if that was in reference to the above-mentioned service to be contracted.
Wilf relayed to the media that interviews are not expected to take place until after the 2026 NFL Draft at the end of the month. Since Adofo-Mensah’s exit, executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski has taken up the mantle of interim general manager, and he will continue to do so through the draft. Wilf told the media Brzezinski had “done an outstanding job in terms of, in the building, building consensus, strategy.”
So far, with Brzezinski in GM duties, the Vikings have allowed defensive linemen Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, wide receiver Jalen Nailor, and punter Ryan Wright to depart for multi-year deals in free agency. Of their potential departing free agents, the only ones the team re-signed were backup quarterback Carson Wentz, special teams ace Tavierre Thomas, and long snapper Andrew DePaola. Minnesota has brought in three external free agents, as well, in former Steelers CB3 James Pierre, punter Johnny Hekker, and quarterback Kyler Murray.
The timing of Adofo-Mensah’s dismissal caught many by surprise, leaving the Vikings without any viable candidates to replace him so late in the process. It’s forced the team to rely on Brzezinski and newly hired football administration consultant Matt Thomas during a crucial period of team-building, and now, it appears Minnesota will continue to rely on them until after another crucial team-building event takes place at the end of the month.