Two massive dates loom on the NFL calendar.<\/p>\n
First is the 2026 NFL Draft, which kicks off on Thursday, April 23.<\/p>\n
Second is June 1, a massive date for salary cap accounting.<\/p>\n
With those two days fast approaching, it\u2019s time to take a spin around the latest NFL rumors carousel, starting with that second date.<\/p>\n
Heading into the start of NFL free agency, A.J. Brown was perhaps the biggest name linked to a potential trade.<\/p>\n
But as that June 1 date approaches \u2014 and the finances behind any potential Brown trade become easier \u2014 that market is heating up again, with league executives convinced that the Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver is heading to the AFC East.<\/p>\n
According to Mike Sando of The Athletic, several league executives told him that the Patriots are \u201clikely\u201d to land the receiver in what will be a competitive trade market. \u201cExecs expect the Patriots to acquire receiver A.J. Brown from Philadelphia in June, once the salary-cap implications become more tenable for the Eagles,\u201d wrote<\/a> Sando.<\/p>\n \u201cIt seems just a matter of waiting until June 1 passes for Philly to trade A.J. Brown, who in my opinion is a declining player each of the last three seasons,\u201d added one particular league executive to the writer.<\/p>\n New England did add Romeo Doubs via free agency, and has been linked to several wide receivers in this draft class. But adding Brown, who spent time with Mike Vrabel in Tennessee with the Titans, has been a popular talking point these past few months.<\/p>\n One that may finally come true in a few more weeks.<\/p>\n Chicago Bears planning Caleb Williams extension<\/p>\n The Chicago Bears have a little time before they need to get a Caleb Williams extension done.<\/p>\n But general manager Ryan Poles is waiting on a \u201cgreen light\u201d from the player \u2014 and his performance \u2014 before moving full speed ahead.<\/p>\n In an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times<\/a> at the league meetings last week, Poles outlined how things are trending in that direction, but he needs to see just a little more before going all-in on the quarterback.<\/p>\n Which he expects to see now in his third year.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s good to almost feel like you\u2019ve got it,\u201d Poles said. \u201cIf you go with a traffic light, it went red as a rookie to yellow. You can creep forward a little bit and start having some of these conversations to anticipate it. But we need him to give us a green light.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we\u2019ll find out this year about his progress.\u201d<\/p>\n As for what he is looking for, the GM noted that \u201cconsistency\u201d is what will turn that light from yellow to green.<\/p>\n \u201cConsistency is what I\u2019m looking for,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Still, even while he waits for the light to turn, Poles and the Bears are starting to sketch out what an extension might require.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really a summer project,\u201d Poles said. \u201cMatt Feinstein [the team\u2019s salary cap expert] is digging into it now. We\u2019ve had some preliminary [internal] conversations because we want to take some of these things into consideration as we build the team.\u201d<\/p>\n Jets \u201cleaning\u201d toward Arvell Reese<\/p>\n With the Las Vegas Raiders seemingly locked in on Fernando Mendoza with the first-overall selection later this month, the draft in effect begins at No. 2 when the New York Jets are on the clock.<\/p>\n But we might be trending closer and closer to the draft beginning at No. 3 with the Arizona Cardinals.<\/p>\n ESPN Jets insider Rich Cimini reports<\/a> that the organization is \u201cleaning\u201d toward Ohio State defender Arvell Reese with that selection, as he connects a few dots around the team. First is the fact that New York is planning on running multiple fronts on defense, with head coach Aaron Glenn saying at the recent league meetings that the team is going to run \u201ca little bit of everything\u201d on that side of the ball.<\/p>\n That places a premium on players with schematic flexibility.<\/p>\n That is perhaps Reese\u2019s biggest strength. During his final season at Ohio State, he played 238 snaps as an inside (off-ball) linebacker, and 356 as an outside linebacker.<\/p>\n Jets management not only attended Ohio State\u2019s Pro Day to see Reese in person, but they also had dinner with him during that visit. With expectations inside and outside New York holding that the Jets are leaning toward Reese, the draft may very well begin at No. 3 when Arizona is on the clock.<\/p>\n A.J. Brown is not the only veteran wide receiver getting some attention right now, as that list includes Brandon Aiyuk.<\/p>\n The Washington Commanders remain a likely destination for his services, especially given the chemistry they showed during a season together at Arizona State, but the clock is ticking.<\/p>\n ESPN Washington insider John Keim reported last week<\/a> that the Commanders are a \u201cpossibility,\u201d but that the franchise will not trade for him, as they expect the San Francisco 49ers to release the receiver, given the fractured relationship between the player and the team. But the Commanders will not simply wait around for San Francisco to make a move. With Washington sitting at No. 7 \u2014 and options such as Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, and Jordyn Tyson potentially on the board \u2014 the Commanders could find a WR2 to put across from Terry McLaurin in the draft.<\/p>\n TE, S options for Panthers at 19<\/p>\n The Carolina Panthers made a surprising run to the NFC South title, catching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as Baker Mayfield and company faded down the stretch.<\/p>\n And despite losing on Wild Card Weekend, the franchise is trending in the right direction, yet face a pivotal draft as they look to keep the momentum going.<\/p>\n Sitting at No. 19, there are several options available. Do they help young quarterback Bryce Young take another step forward, or address a defense that could use an injection of talent at a few different spots?<\/p>\n Both look to be on the table right now, according to head coach Dave Canales.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s like, who can impact our team at that level?\u201d Canales said last week<\/a>. \u201cIt could be a wideout. It could be a tight end. Could be a safety. There\u2019s a couple of dynamic safeties that could free us up. The pass-rush class, we\u2019ve got to still kind of see where they are at the top. Where do we think the top guys are going? Look at the mocks and all that, and see where there might be a little bit of a dropoff there.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I think it\u2019s an opportunity for us to really add a value player at 19.\u201d<\/p>\n Even while he mentions WR or EDGE, tight end and safety look to be the biggest needs for the team, and options could very well be available at that spot. Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman has been rising up draft boards since an standout performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, although the Minnesota Vikings are a popular landing spot for his services, right ahead of the Panthers at No. 18.<\/p>\n Then there is Thieneman\u2019s Oregon teammate, tight end Kenyon Sadiq. Tight ends are always a tough evaluation, and opinions on Sadiq are varied. But in our latest SB Nation mock draft<\/a>, Sadiq landed with the Panthers at that spot.<\/p>\n New England in the Maxx Crosby mix?<\/p>\n In the wake of the Maxx Crosby trade to the Baltimore Ravens falling apart, the pass rusher has made it clear that he is a \u201cRaider for life.\u201d<\/p>\n But could the Patriots put that to the test.<\/p>\n