PHOENIX – Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay isn’t ready to give up on talented wide receiver Puka Nacua. McVay said the team was already aware of the latest off-field incident with Nacua that occurred on New Year’s Eve before a TMZ report surfaced last week, and the Rams are continuing to gather information on that incident. “I trust his heart,” McVay told reporters here at the NFL owners meeting on Monday. “I trust the human being. And I want to be able to put my arm around him. One of the most important things you can do as a coach is help guys grow. You don’t ever really say there’s one size that fits all. But what I’ve really leaned into the last couple years is let’s build and develop relationships, let guys continue to grow and give them grace in the middle of that journey. “But also, let’s have an understanding of what the expectations are and who you want to become.” Nacua faces a civil lawsuit for an alleged assault and battery by a woman who claims he made an antisemitic statement and bit her on the shoulder on New Year’s Eve. Nacua’s attorney, Levi McCathern, has already strongly denied that his client made any antisemitic statements. He described the bites as “horseplay.” Nacua had previously issued an apology last December after performing a gesture that plays upon antisemitic tropes while appearing on an internet live stream. McVay says Nacua’s off-the-field issues have not risen to the level that the Rams do not want him to be part of the team’s long-term plans. McVay doesn’t believe that Nacua’s behavior hasn’t reached the point of being a distraction to the team, either. “He and I have a close relationship,” McVay said. “We communicate clear, open and honest. The play on the field is amazing. And with what the play has dictated and determined, there’s a responsibility in terms of representing all things, not exclusive to just that. “He knows that. Those are the expectations, and we’re hopeful that this will be an opportunity for him to learn and grow. And we are real hopeful that he’s going to be a Ram for a really long time. But he understands what the responsibility is, not exclusive to the production on the field.” The Seattle Seahawks recently made Jaxon Smith-Njigba the highest-paid receiver in the league, inking him to a four-year, $168.6 million contract. Nacua, 24, would seem to be the next receiver in line to receive a life-changing new deal as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. However, sources I spoke with around the league said Nacua might have to wait to get paid, pointing to how the Rams traditionally handle contract extensions, along with his issues away from the field. “Good players get paid,” an NFL personnel executive recently told me. “[Smith-Njigba’s] numbers will look remarkably low in two years. Puka is a tough one, because his injuries, style of play and hiccups off the field have to be considered.” A fifth-round selection by the Rams in the 2023 draft, Nacua is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is set to make $5.77 million in 2026. Over the last three seasons, Nacua is second in receiving yards (4,191) and fourth in receptions (313). Last year, Nacua led the NFL with 129 receptions, with 1,715 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns. In other roster news for the Rams, McVay shared the team is still exploring the possibility of who will backup 38-year-old quarterback Matthew Stafford. Last year’s backup, Jimmy Garoppolo, remains unsigned, and third-string quarterback Stetson Bennett is the only quarterback other than Stafford currently on the roster. McVay threw another name into the ring on Monday. “I would love to have Jimmy Garoppolo back with us,” McVay said. “That’s a big deal for us. He’s earned the right to be able to take his time and do whatever he wants. Is there an opportunity to explore if it’s not Jimmy, maybe it’s Kirk Cousins? Of course, I’d love to be able to see what that looks like.” Cousins, 37, is still a free agent after getting released by the Atlanta Falcons earlier in March. McVay has worked with Cousins in the past, serving as the quarterback’s offensive coordinator for three seasons when they were in Washington.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
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Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
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Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
PHOENIX — In late January, Matt LaFleur received a major nod of approval from the Green Bay Packers in the form of a contract extension. That solidified his position in the organization, likely for years to come. But then came the annual NFLPA player survey, which complicated the picture slightly. The report, which was not supposed to be public this year but leaked through multiple media outlets, revealed that players gave him a B- grade, tied for third-worst in the NFL. That’s after LaFleur received an A- grade after the 2024 season. This year, it came down to “respect for players,” per the report. At the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix on Monday, LaFleur, who’s entering his eighth season with Green Bay, discussed how he’s handling the assessment of his coaching. “I try to take that with a grain of salt, but you don’t want to just dismiss that stuff. You got to look into it,” he told reporters. “I feel pretty confident with my conversations with the majority of our players, but certainly some guys felt a certain type of way. And the one thing I’ve learned in this business is: You can’t please everybody. You can’t be all things to all people. And ultimately, you got to make decisions that you feel are in the best interest of your football team. “Great leaders are great listeners, but that doesn’t mean we’re always going to do what that person suggests. It’s impossible.” The Packers traded for All-Pro edge Micah Parsons at the beginning of the season in a blockbuster deal with Dallas that made them look like a Super Bowl front-runner. But Parsons suffered a knee injury in December and the Packers’ defense looked thin without him. It didn’t help that the offensive line suffered injuries and underperformed. And Green Bay lost its final five games of the season, including its wild-card matchup against the rival Chicago Bears. “If I’m being honest about it, I think there were some guys that were upset about roles last year, and I think that took a toll on our football team,” LaFleur said. The late-season issues increased speculation that, perhaps, LaFleur might not receive an extension. And the losing streak probably didn’t help with morale in the locker room. He was asked, specifically, about comments in the survey regarding his “respect for players.” “I don’t feel that way, but unfortunately, some guys did,” LaFleur said. “And so that tells me I got to do a better job of communicating. And it goes back to the relationship piece. I think it’s so critical. We always talk about, ‘Connected teams are powerful teams.’ And we’ve got to grow that connection. “So certainly, that’s been a topic of conversation within our building. How do we get these guys a little closer? The more they know each other, the more they’re going to battle for one another. Although they may be competing within a certain position, they’re going to help each other grow and ultimately be better individual players, which should help our collective football team.” LaFleur and the Packers didn’t have any blockbuster acquisitions over the offseason, instead bringing in a group of role players — and trading veteran edge Rashan Gary to Dallas for a 2027 fourth-round pick. Green Bay largely stuck with last season’s core. As a result, the Packers must feel optimistic they can recreate the way they started their 2025 season, going 9-3-1 in their first 12 games. In a way, that’s yet another nod of confidence in LaFleur to generate better results with the same ingredients.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
The missionaries helped build important institutions – schools, colleges, hospitals and medical schools – in Persia, many of which still exist.
Dr. Joseph Plumb Cochran, an American physician fluent in Persian, Turkish, Kurdish and Assyrian, founded a hospital in Urmia in 1879, as well as Iran’s first medical school. When Cochran died at Urmia in northwestern Iran in 1905, over 10,000 people attended his funeral.
This image clashes with most American stereotypes of Iran and its people, and is at odds with decades of anti-Iranian sentiment emanating from Washington.
Iran and the United States, in fact, have a deep history of mutual respect and friendship.
Joseph Plumb Cochran in his medical college at Urmia. Wikipedia
Imperial bad guys
For years, Americans have seen images of Iranians shouting “Death to America.” President Donald Trump returned the sentiment during his first term, vowing to bring Iran death and destruction. And on Feb. 28, 2026, after weeks of threats and military preparation, the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei; that war continues to this day.
The bad guys, at whose hands Iran suffered most, were Russia and Great Britain. Those two nations – often at the invitation of Iran’s leaders – economically exploited Persia to further their own imperial ambitions, using sustained diplomatic, military and economic pressure.
After two ill-judged wars fought against Russia – the First (1804-1813) and Second Russo-Persian Wars (1826-1828) – Persia (the name Iran was officially adopted in 1935) lost large amounts of territory to the czar.
Much later, Russia found another means of exerting control over the Persian crown, loaning millions of rubles to its rulers, like Mozaffar ed-Din Shah, who reigned from 1896-1902 and needed capital to fund his lavish lifestyle.
With the exception of the Anglo-Persian War (1856-1857), Persian relations with Great Britain were less openly hostile. But what they lacked in martial vigor was more than compensated for by economic exploitation.
So assured were Britain and Russia in their control of Persia that, in 1907, they signed the infamous Anglo-Russian Convention. That agreement divided the country – unbeknownst to its Parliament, let alone its inhabitants – into Russian, British and “neutral” spheres of influence. After it became public it provoked the outrage of ordinary Persians and the international community at large.
Cartoon from 1907 satirizing Russia and England dividing up Persia. Punch/Pushkin House
America the good
Iran’s relations with the United States were completely different.
But the presence in Iran of American missionaries and, later, invited government technocrats, was of an entirely different quality. These were Americans offering aid, with no expectation of advantage to be gained officially for the United States government.
American Presbyterian missionary efforts in Iran began in 1834 and focused on education, with 117 schools established around Urmia by 1895. Efforts were also directed at medical and social welfare. These were nongovernmental missions. The U.S. government was conspicuous by its absence in Iran and Iranian affairs.
Despite Russian attempts to block the initiative, W. Morgan Shuster, a distinguished career civil servant, was appointed by Persia in February 1911. He arrived in Tehran in May, bringing with him four other Americans.
The mission was a failure, lasting only eight months, and, unsurprisingly, was adroitly sabotaged by the combined efforts of British and Russian diplomats in Tehran.
American William Morgan Shuster, treasurer-general of Persia. Wikipedia
The country’s financial situation after the First World War was still precarious. With none of the colonialist baggage associated with the two European superpowers, America was turned to, almost as a last resort, to fix what ailed Iran. Riza Shah, father of the last shah, appointed an American, Arthur C. Millspaugh, as the administrator-general of the finances of Persia.
When Millspaugh arrived in Tehran in 1922, a newspaper editorial addressed him with these words: “You are the last doctor called to the death-bed of a sick person. If you fail, the patient will die. If you succeed, the patient will live.”
Despite his often testy relations with foreigners, Riza Shah acknowledged Millspaugh’s American Financial Mission was “the last hope of Persia.” The fact that the mission was far from an unqualified success does not detract from its importance. Nor did it diminish America’s image as an honest broker in Iranian eyes, in contrast to that of Russia and Great Britain.
Of course, not every Iranian-American interaction during this period was positive. Robert Imbrie, the American consul in Tehran, was brutally murdered in 1924, allegedly because a fanatical religious leader accused him of being a Baha’i and poisoning a well.
Students at the American Memorial School, Tabriz, 1923. shahrefarang.com
America the bad
America’s benign image in Iran was forever shattered in 1953 when the CIA, working with Great Britain, engineered a coup against Mohammad Mossadegh, the democratically elected prime minister who had nationalized the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company.
Even though the overthrow of Mossadegh damaged Iranian trust in America, the years just prior to Iranian revolution in 1979 saw the number of Iranian students in the United States steadily rise.
Over one-third of the approximately 100,000 Iranian students pursuing university degrees abroad in 1977 were in the U.S. By the time of the Islamic revolution two years later, that number had climbed to 51,310, making Iran by far the biggest single source of foreign students in America, with 17% of the total foreign student population. The next-largest contributor of foreign students, Nigeria, accounted for only 6%.
“Iranian students have been here for nearly a century … there are deep and abiding connections that reveal themselves when you look at the historical record,” researcher Steven Ditto, who wrote a report on Iranian students in the U.S., told The Washington Post in 2017.
The legacy of American goodwill, personal friendship and doing the right thing by Iran has not been completely lost, although the war now underway may make it seem as though America’s good relationship with Iran has been lost irretrievably.
Deep friendships dating back well over a century can withstand a great deal. A reservoir of goodwill and affection may lie dormant while political storms rage. Iran and America were good friends in the past, and for good reason. I believe that Americans would do well to remember that.
Daniel Thomas Potts does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Here’s what’s happening this week Inside The Garage: Alan Gustafson doesn’t need social media for his crew chief job, so he doesn’t spend time scrolling and looking at what people say about him. He knows he’s the crew chief for the sport’s most popular driver. And considering that the 2020 Cup champion had only three wins from 2023-25, Gustafson knows his fans wouldn’t be happy. Gustafson has worked as a Hendrick Motorsports crew chief for 22 seasons, starting in 2005 with Kyle Busch. He has confidence in what he can do and has the experience to know he must change with the times. He showed what he can do Sunday as he made a strategic call to pit earlier than most in the final stage of the Cup race at Martinsville Speedway. The strategy worked as they got the benefit of a timely caution (they feel they would have been good either way), giving Chase Elliott the track position he needed to win. “Whether it was Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Chase Elliott, whoever is the popular driver in the series, there’s a lot of critics that want to sit on the sidelines and evaluate it,” said Hendrick Vice Chairman and four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon during the winners’ post-race news conference. [NASCAR TAKEAWAYS: Chase Elliott Outduels Denny Hamlin at Martinsville] “You cannot let that tear you apart. You got to keep strong on the inside and believe in yourself and believe in your team, all the things you’re doing. That’s what Alan and Chase fall back on.” Gordon knows something about Gustafson, who was his crew chief from 2011-15. If Gordon felt a change was warranted, Hendrick Motorsports would have made one. And it wouldn’t be unprecedented to see an Elliott-Gustafson divorce. Elliott, driver of the No. 9 car, and Alan Gustafson have the longest driver-crew chief pairing in the Cup garage. And at 11 years, it’s not even close to another relationship. Joey Logano and Paul Wolfe are next as they work their seventh season together. “Alan was my crew chief,” Gordon said. “I love the work and effort he puts in, how smart he is, the team he builds. Nobody is a tougher critic than he is of the team and their performance.” That’s why the Elliott-Gustafson relationship works. They are both relatively tough critics. They both want to go about the business of getting their team better with as little sideshow as possible. When I was visiting Hendrick Motorsports on Wednesday shortly after lunchtime, there was Gustafson in the team’s workout room, doing his workout. He didn’t appear stressed that the team had not won yet this year nor that Hendrick Motorsports as a whole hadn’t won. He’s been through the ups and downs. And so has Elliott. “The more you do this, I think the more you keep an eye internally more than you do externally,” Elliott said during the postrace news conference. “For us, we’re just super honest with each other, what we need to do, where our deficiencies are, where the areas are that we’re good at, whatever. “As time has gone on, we’ve done nothing but just get better at being able to kind of sort out our weaknesses in our own meetings, doing what we need to do to get the job done. It is a very, very straightforward approach.” Some Elliott fans won’t want to hear that. They’ll want to hear that Elliott thinks he needs a change in crew chief. And if he really did want a change, there’s also no doubt he could get one. Then there are days like Sunday. At Martinsville, Gustafson talked with his engineers and made a call that could potentially win the race using a different strategy than most of the other teams. “You can’t sit on your hands and run 10th. You got to do something, right?” Gustafson said in his postrace news conference. “I think that was the best shot.” Sometimes when he takes those shots, whether during a race or the car setup, they don’t work. And that’s when fans get frustrated. “[He] made a great call,” Elliott said. “Glad he picked up on that, saw that. I don’t think anybody else did. “[It] goes to show that he’s pretty good at what he does, which I try to tell y’all that all the time. But he does a pretty good job. I’m happy to work with him. Appreciate his effort, hanging in there, to our whole team for doing that, too. I appreciate that out of all of them.” And there’s no plan to change. “I enjoy working with him,” Elliott said. “I genuinely feel that way. I hope he feels the same way about me. I give him all I got every week, even when it’s not pretty. “I think because of that, it works. It’s simple. We just show up and go to work, man. We try to do the best we can to put the best result out there for everybody involved.” Graham Rahal Shows He’s Got It, Too Chase Elliott’s crew chief Alan Gustafson wasn’t the only person who has had his share of criticism about needing to have a good race weekend. On the INDYCAR side, Graham Rahal placed third at Barber (Ala.) Motorsports Park. It was his first podium since May 2023. The veteran driver of the No. 15 car and son of team co-owner Bobby Rahal, now has 34 podiums in 313 career starts. “There’s enough bull—- out there that I got to deal with,” Rahal said in his postrace news conference. “It’s nice [to perform]. I’ll still hear it. … There’s a whole lot of dumb asses out in this world right now. Got to live with it.” This wasn’t a fluke. Rahal started third and finished third. He sits 12th in the standings among the 25 drivers. “[The podium] is a great reward for the guys and gals,” Rahal said. “Everybody has worked so hard to be back here.” The one eye-opening part of his race is that, while Rahal shined, his two teammates struggled. Granted, they have much less experience with Louis Foster in his second INDYCAR season and Mick Schumacher in his first. “They copied my setup today,” Rahal said. “The last two days they were slightly different. Mick and I are always about the same, which is why we were both good at Phoenix. We both have been very consistently like that. “Louis tends to go off down a little bit of a different tangent. Today they started the day in the exact same car. We all got to sit down and try to understand. I think Louis ran a different gear strategy, but that was kind of small.” What isn’t a small difference? Rahal is listed at 185 pounds in the INDYCAR media guide, 13 pounds heavier than Foster and 31 pounds heavier than Schumacher. “I’m a much heavier driver than they are,” Rahal said. “That does move the center of gravity, that moves the weight distribution and stuff. They tried to get quite close. “We all need to go back and try to understand where the variances may be.” In The News — Denny Hamlin indicated that a contract extension for No. 45 driver Tyler Reddick will be finished soon to keep Reddick at 23XI Racing. Reddick won the regular season in 2024, didn’t win in 2025 but then won four of the first six races of 2026. Hamlin: “He will be [staying here]. Tyler’s one of those guys that was very important for us to get our hands on him very early. … Certainly, last year was not great, but like when his not great years are still in the top 10, those are the elite drivers.” — NASCAR has announced the nominees for the 2027 NASCAR Hall of Fame class. There are four new nominees, one more than usual. Typically, there are three to replace the three inductees but Bob Welborn, a star in NASCAR’s convertible series in NASCAR’s beginning years, was dropped off the Pioneer Ballot. There are 10 nominees in the Modern Era ballot, with two getting in and five nominees from the Pioneer ballot with one getting in. FOX analyst and 60-time race winner Kevin Harvick is on the Modern Era ballot in his first year of eligibility. Engine builder Ernie Elliott and West Series star Ray Elder also were added to the Modern Era ballot. Crew chief Harry Hyde moved from the Modern Era to Pioneer after being on the ballot for 10 years without getting voted in. Herb Nab, a crew chief with 92 victories, was also added to the Pioneer ballot. Voting is May 19. — Musician Darius Rucker has joined Legacy Motor Club as an investor. The news release stated: “As an investor, Rucker will collaborate with the organization on select initiatives that bridge sports, music and fan engagement, while supporting the Club’s continued business and brand development.” — Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced its Carb Day concert for the Friday before the Indianapolis 500. Counting Crows will headline, with Switchfoot opening the show. Under The Radar Eleventh isn’t always a great result. But for two drivers this past NASCAR weekend at Martinsville, it was big as it showed continued relative strength. Shane van Gisbergen was a solid 11th in the Cup race at Martinsville as the three-time Supercars champion continues to adjust to the ovals. The Trackhouse driver is 14th in the Cup standings. In the O’Reilly Series, Parker Retzlaff was 11th. The Viking Motorsports driver, who has shown glimpses of talent but not the consistency (which could be attributed to him, the teams he drove for or a little bit of both) is ninth in the O’Reilly standings. They Said What? Alex Palou, after earning his 13th career pole, wasn’t sure if that number was a good thing or if he should be superstitious about it. You would think the four-time champion wouldn’t get superstitious but the Chip Ganassi Racing driver does. “There’s a lot of superstitions,” he said in his pole-winning news conference. “I could get superstitious about this [red plastic] cup. These glasses? I changed the glasses. I’ve been with the same sunglasses for five years. I changed them this year. … I didn’t know if it was sunglasses [that make a difference].” [PALOU’S REPEAT: 4 Takeaways From Alex Palou’s Victory at Barber] They Said It “We finished P2; we shouldn’t be that frustrated. But when you are up against a car that’s been the most competitive and best car in INDYCAR for the past many years, to have a chance to beat him fair and square, that hurts.” — Arrow McLaren driver Christian Lundgaard after finishing second to Alex Palou at Barber. In Inside The Garage, Bob Pockrass takes us behind the scenes of the motorsports world the way only he can. [SPEED: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Divulges Biggest Regret of Illustrious Racing Career]Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
The disgraced reality star was taken into police custody near his home in Tontitown, Arkansas on March 18.
He spent over a week in police custody, awaiting extradition to Bay County, Florida, where he is accused of molesting a 9-year-old girl in 2020.
Joseph Duggar has been arrested for the alleged molestation of a 9-year-old girl. (Washington County Sheriff’s Office)
Now, Joseph is no longer imprisoned in Arkansas.
But it’s unclear if he was extradited to Florida, or if he was permitted to make bail.
According to a new report from People magazine, Joseph was released from police custody in Arkansas on March 27.
At some point, he’ll have an arraignment in Florida, at which time, he’ll be formally charged with lewd and lascivious behavior with a minor under the age of 12 and lewd and lascivious behavior committed by an individual over the age of 18 when he is arraigned in Florida.
(About the only thing that could prevent that from happening at this point would be the victim recounting her testimony.)
Joseph and Kendra discuss their first date on an episode of TLC’s ‘Counting On.’ (TLC)
Joseph’s wife, Kendra Duggar, was also arrested, but her charges reportedly had nothing to do with her husband’s Florida allegations.
Insiders say that when police searched Joseph and Kendra’s home, they discovered locks on the outside of their children’s bedrooms.
Both Joe and Kendra are now facing charges of child endangerment and false imprisonment.
Kendra was able to make bail after only a few hours in custody. Shortly thereafter, Joseph called her at home, and their conversation tells a lot about his time behind bars.
“I’ve been spending a lot of time reading, uh, reading the Bible, they got me a Bible in here,” Joseph said on the call, according to People.
Counting On’s new trailer shows Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell on their honeymoon, and Kendra looks delighted. (TLC)
“I’m in solitary,” he added, explaining that he was spending “23 hours of the day” in “an 8-by-10 area” at the facility.
“Pretty small area, but I’ve been able to read a lot actually, and resting some, but I’m not sleeping great through the night,” Joseph continued.
In all likelihood, Joseph is in custody in Florida and still awaiting his court date in Panama City Beach.
If that’s the case, then he’ll likely go in front of a judge and enter his plea sometime this week.
Joseph could face 25 years in connection with his accuser’s allegations, as well as an additional nine years for endangerment and false imprisonment.
Kendra is also facing nine years behind bars. We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
In a public response to a recent proposal by the Cleveland Browns to allow NFL teams the ability to trade draft picks five years out, Los Angeles Rams president Kevin Demoff wrote on social media, “Nothing creates more interest in the NFL than trades… More picks to trade = more trades = more interest and team-building options.” We took those words to heart in this mock draft, projecting trades for every pick of the first round. Not all these trades will occur, obviously. But this exercise is intended to demonstrate which teams have the draft capital to be aggressive and which fan bases should be fully expecting their favorite clubs to trade down, rather than stick and pick. FIRST ROUND 1. New York Jets (from Raiders): Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana To be clear, I don’t think there is any way the Raiders trade the No. 1 overall pick. They currently have just one QB on their roster (Aidan O’Connell) and a huge part of their recruitment of new head coach Klint Kubiak was surely the opportunity to select Mendoza, a terrific fit for his offense. However, the Jets have the assets necessary to tempt the Raiders and their actions this offseason — including the Nos. 2, 16 and 44 picks in this draft. Moreover, their decision to retain Breece Hall, sign veteran LB Demario Davis and trade for both Geno Smith and Minkah Fitzpatrick speak to the urgency GM Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn are operating with to save their jobs. Mendoza has the talent and intangibles to handle the unique pressure of playing in the country’s largest media market, and he wouldn’t be forced onto the field early with Smith already on the roster. 2. Las Vegas Raiders (from Jets): Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State The Jets would have to pay plenty to move up to the first pick for Mendoza. While I’m still not convinced the Raiders would do it, if they liked any other quarterbacks in this class, the possibility exists. Reese’s ability to play both off-ball linebacker and attack off the edge opposite Maxx Crosby is certainly intriguing, especially given his ability to spy the mobile quarterbacks of the AFC West. 3. Washington Commanders (from Cardinals): Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame If the Commanders are really serious about protecting Jayden Daniels, they’ll insulate him with a dynamic runner and won’t risk losing the opportunity to draft him by waiting until they are on the clock at No. 7 overall. With just six draft picks in 2026 (including no second-round selection), Washington would have to be bold, indeed, to make this move, likely having to trade not only this year’s first round pick but next year’s, as well. 4. Kansas City Chiefs (from Titans): Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State Jumping from the No. 9 selection to No. 4 overall would likely cost the Chiefs at least their third- (No. 74) and fourth-round (No. 109) picks this year, but adding a difference-maker like Styles would be worth it. The Chiefs need to find a new star to build a reshuffled defense around, and with the dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks in the AFC West, the speedy Styles would be an excellent choice. 5. Miami Dolphins (from Giants): Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State The Dolphins are looking for new playmakers after an offseason in which longtime stalwarts Tua Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle (and Tyreek Hill) have been cast aside. New QB1 Malik Willis has little chance at success if the Dolphins don’t give him some weapons. With an NFL-best seven picks among the top 94 — beginning with the No. 11 pick — and 11 overall, Miami has the draft capital needed to be aggressive. 6. Dallas Cowboys (from Browns): David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech Jerry Jones is perennially in win-now mode, but with longtime NFC East rival Washington making the splashy trade up to secure star running back Jeremiyah Love a few picks earlier, the Cowboys may react even more aggressively. It might cost the Cowboys both of their first0round picks in the 2026 draft (Nos. 12 and No. 20) to secure the best pass-rusher in this class, but boosting a rush that finished last season tied for 28th in the NFL should be a top priority. 7. Arizona Cardinals (from Commanders): Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami New head coach Mike LaFleur inherits a team that finished a distant fourth in the NFL’s top division a year ago. This will not be a one-year rebuild. Adding Washington’s first-round pick in a 2027 draft class that is widely expected to be loaded with QB talent gives LaFleur and general manager Monti Ossenfort plenty of flexibility. For now, adding a bully along the offensive line to help protect that future investment at quarterback makes the most sense. 8. Baltimore Ravens (from Saints): Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU Delane grew up in Silver Spring, Md., rooting for the Baltimore Ravens, and a bold move up by GM Eric DeCosta to make him the first defensive back drafted in 2026 would undoubtedly be a dream come true for the gifted cornerback. Boosting the secondary could go a long way toward resurrecting Baltimore’s Super Bowl aspirations, making it worth it — at least in my opinion — to consider offering the Saints a couple of middle-round picks (like No. 73 and 136, for example) to do it. 9. Tennessee Titans (from Chiefs): Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami Pairing Bain — the most violent player in this class — with Jeffery Simmons would be just the sort of move that Robert Saleh would push for at No. 4 overall. The short arm concerns, however, could push him down the board and would certainly make the Titans an early “winner” if they were able to add him, as well as a couple of extra mid-round picks, by trading down. 10. Minnesota Vikings (from Bengals): Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State Some believe that safeties just aren’t valuable enough in today’s NFL to justify a top-10 selection, but I think Downs’ tape over the past three seasons proves that he is the best player in this draft class. If he slips far enough, some savvy team is going to look brilliant. Sign me up for Downs in Brian Flores’ defense. Minnesota might have to give up both of their third-round picks (Nos. 82 and 97) to pull off a trade into the top 10, but as the signing of Kyler Murray proves, the Vikings aren’t afraid of bold action. 11. New York Giants (from Dolphins): Kadyn Proctor, OL, Alabama The Giants would be living up to their name with the addition of the 6-foot-7, 352-pound Proctor, who ranks among the most polarizing prospects in this class. John Harbaugh won with massive offensive lines in Baltimore, and I don’t expect his style to change now. Whether it be at tackle or guard, I believe Proctor projects as a decade-long NFL starter. The Dolphins have four picks in the third round this year. The Giants can net at least two of those to move out of the top 10. 12. Cleveland Browns (from Cowboys): Spencer Fano, OT, Utah The Browns have addressed their offensive line in free agency, but if arguably the most gifted blocker in this class is still on the board after a trade down, they shouldn’t hesitate to take him. With improved blocking and receiving (more on that later), Cleveland can accurately evaluate its young QBs and determine whether Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel is its long-term answer or if it will, again, be heavily scouting next year’s crop. 13. Pittsburgh Steelers (from Rams via Falcons): Vega Ioane, OG, Penn State Pittsburgh is hosting the draft this year, and with a league-high 12 draft picks at his disposal, GM Omar Kahn is well-positioned to make a splash for the home crowd. While a gamble on Alabama QB Ty Simpson would make some Steelers fans happy, an investment in the trenches would seemingly be more Pittsburgh’s style, especially if it was done to steal a local fan favorite from Baltimore, the hated divisional rival picking next (who is also thought to view Ioane highly). The rugged Ioane would be an upgrade over free-agent defection Isaac Seumalo and perhaps offer a comfy enough pocket for Aaron Rodgers to return. Trading away two of the five picks the Steelers currently have between Nos. 76 and 161 overall would probably be enough to convince the Rams it’s worth trading back. 14. New Orleans Saints (from Ravens): Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon The Saints appear to be moving on from veteran Taysom Hill, and Kellen Moore knows as well as anyone that a playmaking tight end can be a huge help for a young quarterback. Sadiq is a remarkable talent just scratching the surface of his potential. To drop down this far, the Saints can expect at least two middle-round selections from Baltimore, as well as the swap of first-round picks. The extra picks could go a long way in resetting this roster to best fit Moore’s vision. 15. Philadelphia Eagles (from Buccaneers): Makai Lemon, WR, Southern Cal Howie Roseman has put together one of the NFL’s best rosters, making it unlikely that all nine of this year’s draft picks will make the team. Packaging some of those — or even adding next year’s projected third-round compensatory pick (for Jaelan Phillips) to add a skilled, versatile and hungry playmaker like Lemon would provide the club insurance if things get to a breaking point with A.J. Brown. Lemon is a pinball who could feast on the single coverage he would see should Brown remain flying for the Eagles this fall. 16. Las Vegas Raiders (from Jets via Colts): Denzel Boston, WR, Washington One of the few (only?) reasons why the Raiders might consider trading Mendoza at No. 1 overall is the fact that the team currently lacks proven difference-makers at receiver. Boston has the frame and game to contribute immediately, especially given the one-on-one opportunities he’ll likely see with defenses focused on Vegas’ stellar tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer and promising running back Ashton Jeanty. 17. Carolina Panthers (from Lions): Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon Carolina GM Dan Morgan made a career at middle linebacker anticipating where ballcarriers were headed, and with Thieneman seemingly a perfect fit for the Vikings picking at No. 18 overall (or the Bengals in this scenario), the Panthers might need to trade up to secure his services. The Lions have nine picks but only two of them in the top 117 selections. Carolina might offer their fourth-rounder (#119 overall) as fair compensation for Detroit to move down two spots. 18. Cincinnati Bengals (from Vikings): Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee In yet another example of a team receiving extra picks in a trade down and yet still filling a key need, the Bengals should be able to take advantage of this year’s quality cornerback depth while moving out of the top 10. Hood has the pure cover skills and untapped potential the Bengals have long prioritized under Duke Tobin. 19. Detroit Lions (from Panthers): Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah Like the Bengals a pick earlier, the Lions can add to their draft class — acquiring a 10th pick — and still nab a tackle they understandably could be targeting at No. 17 in Lomu. The precocious 6-foot-6, 313-pound redshirt sophomore might one day prove the best tackle of this class. 20. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Browns via Cowboys via Packers): Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State The Jaguars refuted offseason reports that 2024 first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr. was on the trade block. They can deal him here, however, and pounce on an opportunity to reset the position with arguably the most talented pass-catcher of this class. Jacksonville and Cleveland have recent trade history, of course, with the Jags boldly moving up in the 2025 draft to select Travis Hunter. This time, they add a dynamic playmaker to complement Hunter and ship another one who doesn’t appear to be in their long-term plans to a franchise desperate for talent at receiver. To complete this trade, Jacksonville would probably have to sweeten the deal with a couple of its 11 draft picks, including three selections in the third round. 21. Los Angeles Rams (from Steelers): Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana Speaking of the offseason, the aggressive upgrades at cornerback make it clear that the Rams are all-in on another Super Bowl run, so a trade up might seem more likely than moving back. But with so much salary dedicated to some of their stars, GM Les Snead might be looking for young, cheap talent. While the Rams have seven picks to work with in this draft, four of them are between 207-252. Cooper could feast on the one-on-one matchups he’d see with the Rams and replace the jet-sweep possibilities they lost with Tutu Atwell leaving in free agency. 22. Miami Dolphins (from Chargers): Aveion Terrell, CB, Clemson Changes on offense have dominated the Dolphins’ offseason, but there are plenty of concerns on defense, as well. Behind likely top-10 pick Mansoor Delane, Terrell — an NFL legacy — is viewed by some scouts as the safest cornerback of this class. The Dolphins have a league-high four picks in the third round to part with. 23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Eagles): Keldric Faulk, DL, Auburn GM Jason Licht has some retooling to do with Mike Evans now playing for the 49ers and Lavonte David officially retiring this week. Faulk is a 21-year-old, 6-foot-6, 276-pound ball of clay whose best football is ahead of him and quite the consolation prize at this point in the draft following a trade down to add to their seven selections. 24. Indianapolis Colts (from Browns via Jaguars): Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia Colts GM Chris Ballard might have to trade back into the first round, after shipping his initial top pick a year ago to the Jets for cornerback Sauce Gardner. It would probably take Indy’s second-round pick this year (No. 47) and another Day 2 selection next year to move up this far, but the club would be wise to give young right tackle Jalen Travis quality competition to replace longtime standout Braden Smith. 25. New England Patriots (from Bears): Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo The Patriots got an up-close look at Seahawks rising star Nick Emmanwori in the Super Bowl. And given the talent the Pats already have at cornerback, one couldn’t blame general manager Eliot Wolf if he saw McNeil-Warren, who boasts comparable size and athleticism to Emmanwori, as capable of making a similar type of immediate impact on New England’s defense. The Pats have 11 draft picks in 2026, and they can be aggressive with them in hopes of returning to the Super Bowl. 26. Houston Texans (from Bills): Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State In a case of the rich getting richer, the Texans boost one of the league’s dominant defenses with this year’s top interior lineman. Houston might be able to get McDonald at No. 28 overall, but they shouldn’t balk at giving up a Day 3 pick if it means ensuring they land one of the few nose guards with legitimate pass rush ability. 27. Kansas City Chiefs (from 49ers): Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State Packaging the No. 29 overall selection acquired in the deal with the Los Angeles Rams that sent cornerback Trent McDuffie to the NFC, the Chiefs boldly move up to land a similarly smooth cover-corner in Johnson, the reigning Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. 28. Buffalo Bills (from Texans): Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M The Bills must add pass-rushers, and Howell is among the elite QB hunters of this draft class. He lacks the frame some teams require at the position, but his burst and bend off the edge could make him a 10-plus sack artist in the NFL. In this scenario, the Bills likely could pry pick No. 141 — the first pick of the fifth round — from Houston to move down two spots. 29. San Francisco 49ers (from Chiefs via Rams): KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M Even after the signings of veterans Mike Evans and Christian Kirk, the 49ers have been kicking the tires on several wideouts expected to be drafted in the first round. San Francisco knows all too well the impact that Rashid Shaheed had for the Seahawks a year ago. Concepcion is a similar brand of playmaker in the receiving, running and return game. The 49ers should be able to get at least Kansas City’s fifth-round pick (#148) for this small move down, which would give San Francisco an enviable five picks in a 22-selection span early on Day 3. 30. Los Angeles Chargers (from Dolphins via Broncos): Emmanuel Pregnon, OG, Oregon The Chargers enter the draft with just five picks. They happily add one of the Eagles’ three Day 2 picks while still reinforcing the interior of their offensive line with the powerful and pro-ready Pregnon. 31. Chicago Bears (from Patriots): Malachi Lawrence, Edge, UCF The Bears enter the draft with seven selections, but that number is deceiving as they have a 110 pick gap on Day 3 between the fourth and seventh rounds. I expect Bears GM Ryan Poles will trade down at some point to bridge that gap. If he can do so early and still get a dynamic edge rusher (who, frankly, should be in consideration with their original pick at No. 25), Poles will be giving the Bears their best chance for the kind of draft class that can spring a Super Bowl run. 32. Las Vegas Raiders (from Seahawks): Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama I cannot see a way in which the Raiders end the first round of the 2026 NFL draft without adding another quarterback to the roster. Given the connections Kubiak has with Seattle, a trade with the defending Super Bowl champs might be his last, good opportunity to do so. Simpson possesses the IQ, accuracy and mobility to be successful in Kubiak’s scheme. He might very well be available at No. 36, but the fifth-year option on the rookie contract all first rounders receive makes it more responsible financially to draft quarterbacks in the first round. To pry this pick from the Seahawks, the Raiders give up No. 36 overall, as well as veteran defensive end Tyree Wilson. SECOND ROUND (*teams without a first-round pick) 36. Seattle Seahawks (from Raiders): Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame The Seahawks are Super Bowl champions, but with a league-low four draft picks, winning this year’s draft is going to be nearly impossible. Adding a back with a skill set well-suited to their wide zone running scheme would be a good start, however, especially if in doing so, Seattle also received veteran edge rusher Tyree Wilson. 44. Green Bay Packers (from Falcons): Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech Even after trading away their top pick for Micah Parsons, the Packers still have seven selections in this draft. But five of those are on Day 3, giving GM Brian Gutekunst minimal flexibility to move up. Adding a true nose guard is critical to the run defense, however, and the Packers don’t want to risk losing on a talent like the block-eating Hunter, so offering the Falcons No. 52 overall, as well as this year’s fifth-round pick (No. 160) might do the trick. 52. Atlanta Falcons (from Titans via Chiefs): R Mason Thomas, Edge, Oklahoma Ian Cunningham wasn’t with the Falcons last year when the club traded up to select James Pearce Jr. With the star pass-rusher currently facing multiple felony charges, the new Falcons GM might have little choice but to seek a replacement. Thomas has the burst to wreak havoc off the edge, and a trade with Green Bay would net the Falcons at least one more selection. Atlanta has just five picks in 2026, with a league-low two of them among the top-100 selections. 54. Denver Broncos (from Buccaneers via Eagles): Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt As it stands now, the Broncos’ first pick in the 2026 draft is No. 62 overall, significantly lower than any other NFL team. Of course, that is because Denver exchanged their top original first-round slot for speedy Dolphins wideout Jaylen Waddle. Doubling down on that decision with another aggressive trade for a playmaking pass-catcher like Stowers seems like a Sean Payton-type move, and this time it might only cost the Broncos’ the second of their two third-round picks (No. 111) this year.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
