NFL Football 3 Days

Last updated: April 13, 2026, 5:30 PM ET

NFL Offseason Transactions & Legal Issues

The league continues to grapple with off-field developments as Cowboys safety Markquese Bell faces arrest and subsequent drug charges in Collin County, Texas, involving possession of a controlled substance and marijuana. Separately, former NFL wide receiver and current Aviators coach Ted Ginn Jr. was charged with driving while intoxicated over the weekend in Tarrant County, Texas. These incidents follow reports that former Miami defensive end and 2026 prospect Rueben Bain Jr. was involved in a fatal 2024 car crash where a passenger later succumbed to injuries sustained in the collision.

Team Moves & Contract Management

Teams finalized several roster adjustments, with the San Francisco 49ers agreeing to a one-year contract with free agent cornerback Jack Jones just days after the Atlanta Falcons picked up the fifth-year option for running back Bijan Robinson, locking him in for the 2025 season. In a move to bolster receiver depth, the Philadelphia Eagles acquired Dontayvion Wicks from the Packers in exchange for two draft selections. Meanwhile, intrigue surrounding an Eagles trade of A.J. Brown has cooled for now, largely due to the existing financial structure making a move less incentivized at this juncture.

Coaching & Front Office Adjustments

Coaching staff dynamics are shifting as players in Arizona report that new Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur struck the right tone in his initial team meeting, emphasizing that "every detail is a big detail." Across the league, Dallas offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is refining his draft preparation strategy in his second year leading the unit, focusing on adapting lessons from the previous cycle. Further scrutiny arose this week regarding media coverage, as sources confirm The Athletic is reinvestigating reporter Dianna Russini's relationship with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel amid external questions about their past interactions.

NFL Draft Prospect Analysis & Projections

With the draft approaching, teams are leaning into advanced analytics, using artificial intelligence to project measurables for prospects who skipped combine workouts. Beyond the known top talents, college coaches are identifying potential late-bloomers, naming players they believe will surprise at the professional level. For the 2026 class, analysts are handing out trait-based superlatives, identifying players with the strongest arms and fastest playmakers in the class. Furthermore, predictive modeling suggests that while some quarterbacks project as elite, others carry a significant risk of becoming busts, according to the QBASE 2.0 career projections.

Draft Positioning & Riser Stock

The possibility of the New York Jets selecting a defensive player at the No. 2 overall pick is heightened by the presence of edge rusher David Bailey, who is not considered an ordinary prospect, despite the franchise's history of avoiding defensive players that high. The draft stock for several athletes has markedly improved since the start of the previous season, with players like Dillon Thieneman and Monroe Freeling cited among the seven biggest risers on current draft boards.

League Governance & Rulings

In league governance matters, an appeals panel upheld a previous ruling that found insufficient evidence of collusion among teams during the 2022 contract negotiations for quarterbacks Kyler Murray, Lamar Jackson, and Russell Wilson, meaning the panel ruled against collusion claims.