Eagles’ Makai Lemon Signs Rookie Deal
A week after the Eagles selected him 20th overall, first-round wide receiver Makai Lemon has signed his rookie contract, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Lemon is the first member of the 2026 class to put pen to paper. His fully guaranteed four-year deal is worth $20.81MM. It includes an $11.5MM signing bonus and a fifth-year option.
After starring at USC over the past couple of seasons, Lemon nearly began his NFL career in the area. The Rams considered Lemon at No. 13 overall, but they instead chose Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. The Steelers then looked poised to draft Lemon 21st, but Eagles general manager Howie Roseman swooped in by trading up three spots for the wideout. Lemon got a call from the Eagles when he was on the phone with the Steelers, forcing them to pivot to Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor with their top selection.
The 5-foot-11, 192-pound Lemon cemented himself as a first-rounder with a stellar performance in 2025. After Lemon hauled in 79 receptions for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns in 12 games, the 21-year-old won the Fred Biletnikoff Award (given to the best receiver in the nation).
The Lemon pick became the latest notable transaction at receiver this offseason for the Eagles, though it probably won’t be the last. Before landing Lemon, Roseman added to the team’s receiving corps in free agency (Marquise Brown, Elijah Moore) and the trade market (Dontayvion Wicks). Those four are now part of a group led by the high-end DeVonta Smith–A.J. Brown one-two punch, but the latter might not be in place much longer. A Brown trade has looked likely throughout the offseason, and expectations are that it will occur sometime after June 2.
If Brown ends up out the door before next season, it will increase the already strong odds of Lemon taking on a significant role as a rookie. He and the rest of the Eagles’ rookies will start minicamp on Friday.
Eagles Assistant GM Alec Halabay Leaves Position
After 17 years in an NFL front office, all of them with the Eagles, assistant general manager Alec Halaby has made the decision to step away from his position with the team. According to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Halaby is leaving to “start a new professional chapter of his career.”
In a statement released to the media (via Zach Berman of The Athletic), Habalay said, “I am deeply grateful to the Eagles organization, especially (chairman/CEO Jeffrey Lurie) and (general manager/executive vice president Howie Roseman), for giving me a chance to work in the game I love. Jeffrey’s stewardship has created a first-class organization. Howie has been a mentor to me from Day One, for which I am greatly appreciative.
“It has been a rare privilege to contribute to building championship teams for the city of Philadelphia. The experience has been enriched by a set of special relationships with front office colleagues, coaches, and players. Football has been a core part of my life for as long as I can remember; that won’t change. Nevertheless, after 17 years in Philadelphia, I’ve decided to step away to start a new professional chapter. It has been a wonderful journey. Go Birds.”
A Harvard graduate, Halaby began his tenure with the Eagles with two separate internships in 2007 and 2009. In 2010, he was hired into his first official role with the team as a player personnel analyst. Two years later, Halaby was named special assistant to the general manager in Roseman’s third season in the GM role. In 2016, Halaby was promoted to vice president of football operations and strategy, a position he held for six years before finally completing the ascension from assistant to the general manager to assistant general manager.
Halaby walks away from that role now after four years, doing so with two Super Bowl rings. It will be interesting to see what the future has in store for the longtime Eagles staffer. He has seemingly been considered a general manager candidate in recent years, interviewing for open jobs in Carolina and Washington in 2024 and with the Jets in 2025. There is currently an open GM job in Minnesota, after the team made a late move to fire Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, but there’s also a chance Halaby could follow an old colleague.
A couple days ago, it was announced that former Eagles senior vice president/tertiary football executive Bryce Johnston would replace former Falcons senior director of football administration Chris Olsen. Johnston worked alongside the Eagles personnel department during his time in Philadelphia and may be open to welcoming a familiar face in Halaby to a quickly evolving front office, though that decision seems to be to up to new president of football Matt Ryan. Regardless, Halaby’s next chapter will be his first not with the Eagles.
Falcons Part Ways With Exec Chris Olsen, Hire Eagles’ Bryce Johnston
APRIL 29: Johnston will hold the title of senior vice president of football administration/senior personnel executive in Atlanta, per a team announcement. He will thus play a leading role as part of the Falcons’ significantly revamped front office.
APRIL 27: The Falcons are continuing to reshape their front office under new vice president of football operations Matt Ryan and general manager Ian Cunningham. The latest change is the departure of senior director of football administration Chris Olsen, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Olsen is a longtime NFL executive who began his career working for the NFL Management Council. In 2007, he was hired as the Texans’ senior vice president of football administration, a post he held until his firing in 2020. He then joined the Falcons the following year and played a key role negotiating contracts and managing Atlanta’s tight cap situation over the last several years.
Replacing Olson will be Eagles senior vice president/tertiary football executive Bryce Johnston, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. He spent the last decade working under one of the league’s preeminent contract/cap experts in Howie Roseman, which included the execution of major deals with Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and several others.
Johnston overlapped with new Falcons GM Ian Cunningham in Philly. Johnston will now take that expertise to Atlanta where he will manage the salary cap, lead contract negotiations, and handle similar roster-related duties under the Falcons’ new regime.
The Falcons are also overhauling their scouting department. The team has parted ways with scouts Alex Brown, Ben Martinez, and Shepley Heard, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Brown joined the team just last year, while Martinez arrived in 2023. Heard was previously Atlanta’s director of pro personnel under former general manager Thomas Dimitroff, but was demoted to an area scout role when Terry Fontenot took over in 2021.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/28/26
Today’s minor moves:
New England Patriots
- Released: RB Elijah Mitchell
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: TE Jaheim Bell
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: QB/WR John Rhys Plumlee
Eagles Exercise DT Jalen Carter’s Fifth-Year Option
Both the Eagles’ 2023 first-round picks will see their fifth-year options exercised. With Nolan Smith‘s 2027 salary now fully guaranteed, The Athletic’s Zach Berman reports Jalen Carter‘s will be as well.
Carter’s 2027 compensation will be more than double Smith’s expected option number, being a two-time Pro Bowler. Players chosen for two more more Pro Bowls on the original ballot match the franchise tag value at their positions. The defensive tackle tag came in at $27.13MM this year. Teams have until 3pm CT on Friday to exercise options on 2023 first-rounders.
Carter, Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs and Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers are eligible for the top option tier at their respective positions among the 2023 draftees. Carter and Flowers’ prices lead the pack among ’23 first-rounders, surpassing even the numbers going to C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young. Flowers’ $27.3MM number leads the way, as the wide receiver franchise tag checked in just north of the D-tackle number this year.
Although Carter came into the NFL with considerable baggage — which allowed the Eagles to land the impact defender at No. 9 overall — he has delivered, becoming one of the league’s top D-tackles. Carter earned Pro Bowl invites in 2024 and ’25, boosting his option price. He earned second-team All-Pro acclaim in 2024, as he helped the Eagles to a Super Bowl LIX rout despite Fletcher Cox retiring the previous offseason. The Eagles have moved on from Josh Sweat, Haason Reddick and Jaelan Phillips; Carter, however, figures to be prioritized in the way Jordan Davis was when he signed a March extension.
The Eagles gave Davis a three-year, $78MM extension. Because Carter is a three technique responsible for backfield disruption, he may become the candidate to unseat Chris Jones atop the NFL’s D-tackle salary hierarchy. Jones has held that distinction since signing a five-year, $158.75MM Chiefs deal in March 2024. The Bengals gave Dexter Lawrence a one-year, $28MM extension to bridge the gap between Jones and the field. But Davis sits as the next-closest DT on a multiyear accord.
Carter’s asking price figures to be lofty, pointing to a future in which the Eagles have two players among the top-five DT earners. Jones signed his latest Chiefs contract when the cap stood at $255.4MM; it now resides at $301.2MM, providing Carter’s camp with more ammo. Even though Carter came into the league with baggage and was effectively suspended for a game — being ejected before the Cowboys’ first offensive play on opening night last year — for spitting on Dak Prescott, he has become a cornerstone player for the Eagles.
A January report suggested Davis and Carter were atop Howie Roseman‘s extension priority list. The Eagles have been known to act early on deals, as their O-line dealings and the 2024 DeVonta Smith extension (the first Round 1 wide receiver extended with two rookie-deal years left on a contract in the option era) illustrated. Acting this offseason with Carter would make sense, as the cap — based on recent growth — will likely be north of $320MM in 2027. Carter could also boost his case for a deal well beyond $30MM per year with an All-Pro-caliber season.
The Eagles traded up one spot for Carter in 2023, with the Bears sliding down to No. 10 and drafting All-Pro right tackle Darnell Wright. Viewed as perhaps the 2023 class’ top talent, Carter fell due to character concerns. A handful of teams passed on Carter after he was hit with misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing. These charges came in connection with the accident that killed Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy on Jan. 15, 2023 (LeCroy and Willock were in a separate vehicle). Carter reached a plea deal in this case, avoiding jail time, but some teams removed him from their draft boards as a result of the accident.
Beyond the spitting incident, Carter has avoided controversy in the NFL. He finished with six sacks as a rookie and totaled 4.5 (to go with a career-high 12 tackles for loss) in 2024. ESPN’s pass rush win rate metric ranked Carter fourth in 2024 and 18th in 2025. He missed more time in 2025 because of procedures on both shoulders. The Eagles did not place Carter on IR, though, and he returned in Week 17. The 2025 absences are unlikely to impact a Carter extension push.
Eagles To Exercise OLB Nolan Smith’s Fifth-Year Option
Although Nolan Smith is coming off a down season, he remains a key part of the Eagles’ defense. The team acquired Jonathan Greenard from the Vikings during the draft, extending the Pro Bowl edge rusher, but Smith is slated to remain on the team’s payroll for two more seasons.
The Eagles are exercising Smith’s fifth-year option, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports. This will fully guarantee his 2027 salary. Smith is expected to be classified as a linebacker, per Fowler and OverTheCap. He is eligible for the bottom-tier option figure; for linebackers, that comes out to $13.75MM.
[RELATED: 2027 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
Situations like this have led to disagreements on edge rushers’ positions. This year, the defensive end position’s fourth-tier option number checks in at $14.48MM. Teams have regularly used the linebacker tag on 3-4 OLBs, even though the players spend more time rushing as a defensive end in sub-packages. Smith saw minimal playing time as a rookie in 2023 but moved to a regular role in 2024. A five-game injury absence limited his development last season.
The 2023 season marked the second and final campaign featuring Josh Sweat and Haason Reddick co-anchoring Philly’s pass rush. The Eagles traded Reddick to the Jets and gave Sweat a pay cut in 2024, eyeing a bigger role for Smith. After sitting behind the two veterans in 2023, Smith joined Sweat as a regular. He moved into Philly’s starting lineup around midseason and finished with 6.5 sacks. As Sweat upped his free agency stock with a solid season to anchor the Eagles’ edge rush during a Super Bowl-winning season, Smith was a key playoff contributor after registering four postseason sacks.
Smith, 25, has not necessarily justified his first-round draft slot just yet. He finished last season with just three sacks and one tackle for loss. Asked to be the Eagles’ top edge rusher entering the season — after Brandon Graham‘s retirement and Sweat’s Cardinals defection — Smith did not impress in that role and suffered a triceps strain in September. The undersized pass rusher returned from IR in Week 9 and did finish the season with 11 QB hits, but Greenard now serves as the Eagles’ EDGE linchpin.
Greenard essentially replaces Jaelan Phillips, whom the Eagles tried to re-sign. A four-year, $120MM Panthers contract lured the 2025 trade pickup away from Pennsylvania, but Greenard is now on a 4/100 deal that runs through the 2029 season. Smith may be more qualified for an OLB2-type role, and Greenard is positioned to be the team’s top outside ‘backer next season. The Eagles also signed Arnold Ebiketie from the Falcons last month, and two years remain on Jalyx Hunt‘s third-round contract (the unretired Graham is also interested in playing a 17th season). Hunt outplayed Smith in 2025, recording 6.5 sacks and a team-high 24 QB hits. It will be interesting to see how the Eagles divide playing time between their Greenard sidekicks in 2026.
The Eagles also picked up Jalen Carter‘s fifth-year option today, and Smith’s ex-Georgia teammate is viewed as an extension candidate. Carter should be expected to take precedence, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane notes. Considering Carter’s two Pro Bowl nods and place as an upper-crust defensive tackle, that is unsurprising.
It would surprise a bit if Smith were viewed as a clear-cut extension candidate, considering he did not build on his impressive 2024. The Eagles, though, now have more time to observe Smith in Vic Fangio‘s defense. This option decision locks him down for two more years. Philly will have a clearer picture of what a second Smith contract would look like after the 2026 campaign.
2026 NFL Draft Results: Team By Team
Here is every team’s haul from the 2026 NFL Draft:
Arizona Cardinals
- Round 1, No. 3: Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame)
- Round 2, No. 34: Chase Bisontis (G, Texas A&M)
- Round 3, No. 65: Carson Beck (QB, Miami)
- Round 4, No. 104: Kaleb Proctor (DT, Southeastern Louisiana)
- Round 5, No. 143: Reggie Virgil (WR, Texas Tech)
- Round 6, No. 183: Karson Sharar (LB, Iowa)
- Round 7, No. 217: Jayden Williams (T, Ole Miss)
Atlanta Falcons
- Round 2, No. 48: Avieon Terrell (CB, Clemson)
- Round 3, No. 79: Zachariah Branch (WR, Georgia)
- Round 4, No. 134 (from Raiders)*: Kendal Daniels (LB, Oklahoma)
- Round 6, No. 208 (from Bills via Jets and Raiders): Anterio Thompson (DT, Washington)
- Round 6, No. 215) (from Eagles)*: Harold Perkins (LB, LSU)
- Round 7, No. 231: Ethan Onianwa (T, Ohio State)
Baltimore Ravens
- Round 1, No. 14: Vega Ioane (G, Penn State) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 45: Zion Young (EDGE, Missouri)
- Round 3, No. 80: Ja’Kobi Lane (WR, USC) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 115: Elijah Sarratt (WR, Indiana) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 133 (from 49ers)*: Matthew Hibner (TE, SMU) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 162 (from Chargers): Chandler Rivers (CB, Duke) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 173*: Josh Cuevas (TE, Alabama) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 174*: Adam Randall (RB, Clemson) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 211 (from Broncos via Jets, Vikings and Eagles): Ryan Eckley (P, Michigan State) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 250: Rayshaun Benny (DT, Michigan) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 253: Evan Beerntsen (G, Northwestern) (signed)
Buffalo Bills
- Round 2, No. 35 (from Titans): T.J. Parker (EDGE, Clemson)
- Round 2, No. 62: Davison Igbinosun (CB, Ohio State)
- Round 4, No. 102 (from Raiders): Jude Bowry (T, Boston College)
- Round 4, No. 125 (from Bears via Chiefs and Patriots): Skylar Bell (WR, UConn)
- Round 4, No. 126: Kaleb Elarms-Orr (LB, TCU)
- Round 5, No. 167 (from Texans): Jalon Kilgore (S, South Carolina)
- Round 5, No. 181 (from Lions)*: Zane Durant (DT, Penn State)
- Round 7, No. 220 (from Jets): Toriano Pride Jr. (CB, Missouri)
- Round 7, No. 239 (from Eagles via Jaguars, Browns and Bears): Tommy Doman (P, Florida)
- Round 7, No. 241 (from Bears): Ar’maj Reed-Adams (G, Texas A&M)
Carolina Panthers
- Round 1, No. 19: Monroe Freeling (T, Georgia)
- Round 2, No. 49 (from Vikings): Lee Hunter (DT, Texas Tech)
- Round 3, No. 83: Chris Brazzell II (WR, Tennessee)
- Round 4, No. 129 (from Bears): Will Lee III (CB, Texas A&M)
- Round 5, No. 144 (from Titans via Panthers): Sam Hecht (C, Kansas State)
- Round 5, No. 151 (from Dolphins): Zakee Wheatley (S, Penn State)
Chicago Bears
- Round 1, No. 25: Dillon Thieneman (S, Oregon)
- Round 2, No. 57: Logan Jones (C, Iowa)
- Round 3, No. 69 (from Giants via Texans, Bills and Titans): Sam Roush (TE, Stanford)
- Round 3, No. 89: Zavion Thomas (WR, LSU)
- Round 4, No. 124 (from Jaguars via Panthers): Malik Muhammad (CB, Texas)
- Round 5, No. 166 (from 49ers via Eagles and Panthers): Keyshaun Elliott (LB, Arizona State)
- Round 6, No. 213 (from Seahawks via Jaguars, Lions and Bills): Jordan Van Den Berg (DT, Georgia Tech)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Round 2, No. 41: Cashius Howell (DE, Texas A&M)
- Round 3, No. 72: Tacario Davis (CB, Washington)
- Round 4, No. 128 (from Texans via Lions and Bengals): Connor Lew (C, Auburn)
- Round 4, No. 140 (from Bengals): Colbie Young (WR, Georgia)
- Round 6, No. 189: Brian Parker II (C, Duke)
- Round 7, No. 221 (from Giants via Cowboys): Jack Endries (TE, Texas)
- Round 7, No. 226: Landon Robinson (DT, Navy)
Cleveland Browns
- Round 1, No. 9 (from Chiefs): Spencer Fano (T, Utah)
- Round 1, No. 24 (from Jaguars): KC Concepcion (WR, Texas A&M)
- Round 2, No. 39: Denzel Boston (WR, Washington)
- Round 2, No. 58 (from 49ers): Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (S, Toledo)
- Round 3, No. 86 (from Chargers): Austin Barber (T, Florida)
- Round 5, No. 146: Parker Brailsford (C, Alabama)
- Round 5, No. 149 (from Bengals): Justin Jefferson (LB, Alabama)
- Round 5, No. 170 (from Broncos): Joe Royer (TE, Cincinnati)
- Round 6, No. 182 (from Jets via Browns, Jaguars, Raiders, Bills and Broncos): Taylen Green (QB, Arkansas)
- Round 7, No. 248 (from Seahawks): Carsen Ryan (TE, BYU)
Dallas Cowboys
- Round 1, No. 11 (from Dolphins): Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State) (signed)
- Round 1, No. 23 (from Eagles): Malachi Lawrence (EDGE, Central Florida)
- Round 3, No. 92 (from 49ers): Jaishawn Barham (EDGE, Michigan) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 112: Drew Shelton (T, Penn State) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 114 (from Falcons via Eagles): Devin Moore (CB, Florida) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 137 (from Eagles)*: LT Overton (EDGE, Alabama) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 218 (from Titans): Anthony Smith (WR, East Carolina) (signed)
Eagles Add NDSU QB Cole Payton In Fifth Round
The Eagles have taken a swing on an athletic quarterback option, drafting North Dakota State dual-threat passer Cole Payton with the 178th pick in the fifth round of the draft. Payton becomes the sixth quarterback off the board and the fourth Bison quarterback drafted since Carson Wentz went second overall in 2016, following in the footsteps of Trey Lance, Easton Stick and Cam Miller.
Jalen Hurts‘ job is clearly secure in Philadelphia at this moment. It appears to be Tanner McKee‘s hold on the backup job that may not be secure.
The Stanford product has made to NFL starts since the Eagles drafted him in the sixth round in three years ago. Both games were meaningless Week 18 contests in each of the past two seasons. In the first, McKee looked fairly effective, completing 27 of 41 pass attempts for 269 yards and two touchdowns in a win. This past season’s start didn’t go as well as he barely completed half his attempts for 241 yards a touchdown and an interception in a loss.
The first sign that changes in the room may be on the way came when the Eagles traded for veteran backup passer Andy Dalton near the start of free agency. Despite not holding a role as a true starting quarterback since his days in Cincinnati, Dalton has made at least one start in all 15 years of his NFL career. Over the course of his most recent three-year stint with the Panthers, Dalton earned seven starts, going 1-6 in those games.
Payton really stuck it out during his time in Fargo, sitting as a backup quarterback for four years until Miller got drafted last year. He made the most of his lone season leading the Bison offense. Though North Dakota State didn’t rely heavily on Payton’s arm, it was reliable when utilized. Payton completed 71.9 percent of his pass attempts for 2,719, averaging 16.9 yards per completion for 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions. On the ground, Payton averaged 5.7 yards per carry en route to 777 yards and 13 touchdowns rushing. While backing up Miller as a redshirt sophomore in 2023, Payton still found his way onto the field, carrying the ball 84 times for 615 yards (7.3 per carry) and 13 scores.
Payton certainly needs polishing before he holds any significant responsibility in the NFL. His throwing motion and dropback mechanics need refinement, and he will have to develop some pocket awareness at the next level. Still, there are a lot of good attributes to build on here. With an athletic frame, strong arm, surprising speed, and unquestionable work ethic, Payton will be an interesting prospect to watch in Philadelphia. Dalton may have been brought in to serve as QB2 in 2026, but with both his and McKee’s contracts expiring at the end of the season, Payton may just be the plan for the future of the role.
2026 NFL Draft Results By Round
From the No. 1 overall pick to Mr. Irrelevant (No. 257), here are the results from the 2026 NFL Draft:
Round 1
1) Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana)
2) New York Jets: David Bailey (EDGE, Texas Tech)
3) Arizona Cardinals: Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame)
4) Tennessee Titans: Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State)
5) New York Giants: Arvell Reese (LB/EDGE, Ohio State)
6) Kansas City Chiefs (from Browns): Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU)
7) Washington Commanders: Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State)
8) New Orleans Saints: Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona State)
9) Cleveland Browns (from Chiefs): Spencer Fano (T, Utah)
10) New York Giants (from Bengals): Francis Mauigoa (T, Miami)
11) Dallas Cowboys (from Dolphins): Caleb Downs, (S, Ohio State)
12) Miami Dolphins (from Cowboys): Kadyn Proctor (T, Alabama)
13) Los Angeles Rams (from Falcons): Ty Simpson (QB, Alabama)
14) Baltimore Ravens: Vega Ioane (G, Penn State)
15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rueben Bain Jr. (EDGE, Miami)
16) New York Jets (from Colts): Kenyon Sadiq (TE, Oregon)
17) Detroit Lions: Blake Miller (T, Clemson)
18) Minnesota Vikings: Caleb Banks (DT, Florida)
19) Carolina Panthers: Monroe Freeling (T, Georgia)
20) Philadelphia Eagles (from Packers via Cowboys): Makai Lemon (WR, USC)
21) Pittsburgh Steelers: Max Iheanachor (T, Arizona State)
22) Los Angeles Chargers: Akheem Mesidor (EDGE, Miami)
23) Dallas Cowboys (from Eagles): Malachi Lawrence (EDGE, Central Florida)
24) Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars): KC Concepcion (WR, Texas A&M)
25) Chicago Bears: Dillon Thieneman (S, Oregon)
26) Houston Texans (from Bills): Keylan Rutledge (G, Georgia Tech)
27) Miami Dolphins (from 49ers): Chris Johnson (CB, San Diego State)
28) New England Patriots (from Texans via Bills): Caleb Lomu (T, Utah)
29) Kansas City Chiefs (from Rams): Peter Woods (DT, Clemson)
30) New York Jets (from Broncos via Dolphins and 49ers): Omar Cooper Jr. (WR, Indiana)
31) Tennessee Titans (from Patriots via Bills): Keldric Faulk (DE, Auburn)
32) Seattle Seahawks: Jadarian Price (RB, Notre Dame)
Round 2
33) San Francisco 49ers (from Jets): De’Zhaun Stribling (WR, Ole Miss)
34) Arizona Cardinals: Chase Bisontis (G, Texas A&M)
35) Buffalo Bills (from Titans): T.J. Parker (EDGE, Clemson)
36) Houston Texans (from Raiders): Kayden McDonald (DT, Ohio State)
37) New York Giants: Colton Hood (CB, Tennessee)
38) Las Vegas Raiders (from Commanders via Texans): Treydan Stukes (S, Arizona)
39) Cleveland Browns: Denzel Boston (WR, Washington)
40) Kansas City Chiefs: R Mason Thomas (EDGE, Oklahoma)
41) Cincinnati Bengals: Cashius Howell (EDGE, Texas A&M)
42) New Orleans Saints: Christen Miller (DT, Georgia)
43) Miami Dolphins: Jacob Rodriguez (LB, Texas Tech)
44) Detroit Lions (from Cowboys via Jets): Derrick Moore (EDGE, Michigan)
45) Baltimore Ravens: Zion Young (EDGE, Missouri)
46) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josiah Trotter (LB, Missouri)
47) Pittsburgh Steelers (from Colts): Germie Bernard (WR, Alabama)
48) Atlanta Falcons: Avieon Terrell (CB, Clemson)
49) Carolina Panthers (from Vikings): Lee Hunter (DT, Texas Tech)
50) New York Jets (from Lions): D’Angelo Ponds (CB, Indiana)
51) Minnesota Vikings (from Panthers): Jake Golday (LB, Cincinnati)
52) Green Bay Packers: Brandon Cisse (CB, South Carolina)
53) Indianapolis Colts (from Steelers): C.J. Allen (LB, Georgia)
54) Philadelphia Eagles: Eli Stowers (TE, Vanderbilt)
55) New England Patriots (from Chargers): Gabe Jacas (EDGE, Illinois)
56) Jacksonville Jaguars: Nate Boerkircher (TE, Texas A&M)
57) Chicago Bears: Logan Jones (C, Iowa)
58) Cleveland Browns (from 49ers): Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (S, Toledo)
59) Houston Texans: Marlin Klein (TE, Michigan)
60) Tennessee Titans (from Bills via Bears): Anthony Hill Jr. (LB, Texas)
61) Los Angeles Rams: Max Klare (TE, Ohio State)
62) Buffalo Bills (from Broncos): Davison Igbinosun (CB, Ohio State)
63) Los Angeles Chargers (from Patriots): Jake Slaughter, C (Florida)
64) Seattle Seahawks: Bud Clark (S, TCU)
Rams Add No. 197 From Eagles, Select WR CJ Daniels
The Rams are completing a three-for-one trade as the draft nears its conclusion. They will add No. 197 from the Eagles in exchange for Nos. 207, 251 and 252, ESPN.com’s Tim McManus tweets.
Los Angeles drafted Miami wide receiver CJ Daniels at 197. This continues a high-volume draft for the Hurricanes, the 2025 CFP runners-up. It also thins out the remaining capital available to Los Angeles as the closing stages of the draft play out.
The Rams have exclusively brought in rookies on offense so far this weekend. The team added at the tight spot by selecting Max Klare yesterday, and Daniels will now look to offer depth out wide. Los Angeles’ receiver depth chart will of course be topped once again by Puka Nacua and Davante Adams in 2026, but the team elected not to add an option like Makai Lemon on Day 1 and instead went with quarterback Ty Simpson.
That decision left WR as a potential need for the later rounds of the draft, and the Rams have moved up to ensure an addition winds up being made. Daniels began his collegiate career at Liberty, spending four years there. That was followed by a single campaign at LSU and then a transfer to Miami for 2025. Contested catches were a specialty for the 6-2, 202-pounder even after he matched up against stronger competition. Strong play in the red zone could thus be Daniels’ path to a roster spot this summer.
As a result of this trade, the Rams only own one more pick today (No. 232). The Eagles, meanwhile, are set to remain busy through the seventh and final round of the event with the selections added in this swap.