The New York Giants were busy throughout the opening week of free agency. However, there was on weakness on the roster that they didn’t address: Their defensive line depth. The interior defensive line isn’t a strength of the 2026 NFL draft class. There aren’t any prospects who are likely to go in the top 10, and we might not see any selected until the end of the first round. Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods was widely considered a potential high first round pick coming into the year, but saw his draft stock fall off dramatically in the midst of a bad season for the Tigers as a whole. Is Woods still a potential steal for the right team? Or was he overrated coming into the year? Prospect: Peter Woods (11)Games Watched: vs. Georgia Tech (2025), vs. SMU (2025), vs. South Carolina (2025)Red Flags: Hamstring (2026, limited him to a 10-yard split at Clemson’s pro day Measurables (Note: Woods also ran the 10-yard split of the 40-yard dash at Clemson’s Pro Day. He was timed at 1.67 seconds, which is faster than the 1.75 average. ) Strengths Best traits Explosiveness Power Leverage Versatility Disruptiveness Peter Woods is a compact, but powerful, athletic, versatile, and competitive defensive lineman. Woods is an undersized defensive tackle at 6-foot 2 ½ inches, and 292 pounds, however he’s also explosive in a short area. He tested with an above-average 1.67-second 10-yard split, and appears to have a good first step and burst on tape. He also has clear power in his upper and lower halves, and is capable of jolting blockers backward when he uncoils his hips. His stocky frame also belies good short-area quickness and agility, partly as a result of short, choppy steps on the move. Woods’ quickness and agility also allows him to line up as a jumbo edge rusher on occasion, even playing from a two-point stance. He was particularly productive from that alignment in 2024, before playing a more traditional defensive tackle role in 2025. His power and agility each make him both useful and disruptive on stunts and twists. He’s effective crashing down, occupying blockers to free up the looper, while also effective as a looper himself. He’s disruptive when attacking individual gaps, and his traits create opportunities to scheme him opportunities to penetrate into the backfield. Woods typically keys the snap well and is one of the first players moving at the start of the play. He also tracks the ball well in the backfield and is both quick and accurate when diagnosing the play. He’s quick to disengage and pursue ball carriers on screens or swing passes, and offers great effort in pursuit. Weaknesses Worst traits Block shedding Long speed Consistency The single biggest weakness in Woods’ profile is his arm length, and that shows up in several areas of his game. Most notably, it severely limits how he’s able to take on blockers and can lead to some significant inconsistency in his production. Woods is able to be disruptive if he wins the initial leverage battle or is able to stop opposing linemen from locking in their blocks. However, he has a frustrating tendency to stay blocked if linemen get their hands on him first. Likewise, his lack of length limits his ability to make plays off of blockers, as well as his tackle radius. He simply doesn’t occupy much room in gaps and ball carriers can get around him even with half-man leverage. Woods also has limited long speed, and reaches his top speed quickly. That limits how successful he’s able to be in pursuit and as a pass rusher. He’s effective when he wins quickly, however his play speed slows dramatically when he has to run quarterbacks down. Finally, teams will want to know why Woods’ production fell off so dramatically from 2024 to 2025 and whether that’s linked to the hamstring injury that kept him from running the 40-yard dash at the Clemson Pro Day. Game Tape (Woods is the Clemson defensive tackle wearing number with white tape on the back of his arms) Projection Peter Woods projects as a high-volume defensive lineman in an aggressive one-gap defense. Whether he’s nominally a “starting” or “rotational” player will likely depend on the situation into which he’s drafted. However, his blend of traits should allow a creative and aggressive defensive coordinator to find a variety of ways to get him on the field. In particular, his ability to line up as a stand-up rusher on the edge is uncommon for players who would ordinarily be defensive tackles. Teams will likely have concerns regarding Woods’ arm length, as well as his dramatic fall-off from 2024 to 2025. His arms may mean that he might not be consistently productive at the NFL level, and his limitations certainly showed up on tape last year. That said, his versatility could allow his future team to scheme him opportunities to disrupt and be an outlier. Teams can be wary of outliers, and his drop in production could cause enough hesitation to knock him down draft boards. However, that could mean a team could get a steal if Woods is able to regain his 2024 form. Does he fit the Giants? Possibly, depending on the scheme Final Word: An early second round pick See More: New York Giants Draft
NY Giants 2026 NFL Draft scouting report: Peter Woods, iDL, Clemson
Daniel Jeremiah mock draft: NY Giants get Sonny Styles with No. 5 pick
If the New York Giants stay at No. 5 in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft, their choices likely center on running back Jeremiyah Love, safety Caleb Downs, linebacker Sonny Styles, and perhaps wide receiver Carnell Tate. In his most recent mock draft, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network has given Giants Styles. Jeremiah wrote simply this: Styles would be a monster playing behind the Giants’ dynamic front line. In Jeremiah’s scenario, Love went to the Tennessee Titans at No. 4. In the same scenario this week, faced with the same choice, ESPN’s Mel Kiper this week chose Downs for the Giants. You can read Chris’s take on Kiper’s choice here. Jeremiah ranked Styles No. 3 on his most recent top 50 prospects big board. He wrote: Styles is a tall, long and rangy linebacker prospect. He made a smooth transition from safety to linebacker during his college career and put on an epic display at the NFL Scouting Combine. In the run game, he’s quick to key, read and fill to make tackles. He uses his length to press off blocks and has outstanding lateral range to pick up production on the perimeter. He’s a firm, reliable tackler with stopping power on contact. Styles is outstanding in coverage. He can carry slot receivers down the seam and smoothly mirrors tight ends all over the field. He’s an explosive blitzer and will run over running backs who try to block him in pass pro. Styles’ performance in the Big Ten title game against Indiana answered any questions about his game, as he was the best defender on the field in that matchup. He reminds me of Fred Warner as a player. It’s hard to find prospects with Styles’ combination of speed, athleticism and instincts. Valentine’s View I have seen a fair amount of folks around Big Blue View trying to make the case that Styles is not a good enough player to be considered at No. 5. I have no idea what those of you who are knocking Styles are looking at. If you are looking for what used to be called a “thumper” at linebacker, few of those players exist anymore. The linebacker position isn’t Ray Nitchske or Dick Butkus anymore. Not even Harry Carson or Ray Lewis. It is smaller. It is faster. It is more versatile. Sports Info Solutions charted Styles with two (TWO!) blown or missed tackles in all of the 2025 season for Ohio State. He may not punish ballcarriers, but he always gets them to the ground. Styles is a converted safety who is still learning the linebacker position, and still gaining size and strength. Here is the scouting report from The Ringer: Rangy and versatile linebacker who brings sideline-to-sideline speed and incredible reliability as a tackler. Styles is an ascending playmaker with a rare combination of athleticism, length, and range at the linebacker position. A former safety who made the switch to linebacker over the past two seasons, he’s tall with an angular, tapered build, and he effortlessly covers ground at the second level. Styles showcases good vision to sort through the trash on run plays and still keep his eyes on the ball. He brings effortless lateral agility to strafe from gap to gap and arrive at the ballcarrier to make a stop. His closing speed stands out; he drives on the ball decisively to deliver a hit and corral the runner. He’s an incredibly reliable tackler: He missed just two tackles in 2025, per PFF, while racking up 47 stops. Styles glides around in man coverage and can put himself into position to play the ball in zone. He sees routes developing and keeps his head on a swivel to adjust his drop. He’s a blur as a blitzer, flying downhill to shoot through the line. He tallied nine sacks in his college career. There are times when Styles struggles to disengage from blocks and allows himself to get sealed away from the play. He’s thin-framed and lacks the sand in his pants to defeat blocks and bring high-end stopping power. He will occasionally take the cheese on a play fake and find himself chasing a decoy. There were times when his intensity waxed and waned while chasing down a play or pursuing from the backside; he may need to turn up the aggressiveness at the next level. Here is what I wrote in my notes from the games that I watched: – Very comfortable, smooth in zone drops as a former safety – Comes downhill aggressively vs. run – Not a big hitter, but does not miss tackles – Can run with big slot WRs or TEs, and change direction in the open field … can carry down the seam – Willing to take on blocks rather than run around them – Probably needs to get stronger, not surprising as a converted safety – Can and does stack and shed, but sometimes gets stalemated (strength??) – Comfortable communicating and aligning teammates … LEADERSHIP – Shows excellent instincts for where the ball is going to be – Has ball skills – Could be used as a spy I had Trevor Sikkema, highly-regarded draft analyst for Pro Football Focus, on my podcast after the Combine. Here is what he said about Styles: “I thought about Styles in this regard even before his crazy Combine performance. Styles’ game against Indiana this past year is the best single game that I’ve seen from any prospect of any position in this class. The way that he was able to read and react to the ball, his anticipation before the ball was even snapped, and then his athletic ability to go hunt the football and be a difference-maker at the line of scrimmage when ball carriers were reached in the line. I mean, that’s difference-making stuff. Elite coverage grade, elite run defense grade this past year for him. Hadn’t missed a tackle all year until that Miami game when I think he maybe had one
2026 NFL Free Agency: Biggest remaining team roster holes
Some NFL teams vigorously attacked roster holes in the first wave of free agency, while others stood pat, leaving them still in search of answers. 2026 NFL Free Agency: Biggest remaining team roster holes The Bengals’ young linebacker corps needs a veteran presence: Rookies Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter earned poor 40.2 and 39.5 PFF overall grades, respectively, in 2025, yet the team hasn’t addressed the position in free agency. Miami’s rebuild has left the roster barren: While almost any of the Dolphins’ units could have made this list, the secondary is a particular weakness. Each of their five defensive backs who played more than 110 snaps last season earned PFF overall grades below 60.0. 2026 NFL Draft season is here: Try the best-in-class PFF Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2026’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team. Free agency is a perfect opportunity for NFL teams to find quick fixes for roster weaknesses, and many teams did just that over the first week of free agency. However, there are still gaping holes on some rosters. We’re looking at some roster liabilities that have yet to be addressed by teams. New York Jets wide receiver corps The Jets rostered arguably the worst group of pass catchers during the 2025 season. None of their wideouts reached 40 receptions or topped 400 receiving yards, leading to a combined 59.5 PFF receiving grade, which ranked 31st in the league. New York’s 17 combined drops were tied for the sixth most in the NFL, even though the wide receivers were targeted just 272 times — the seventh fewest in the league. Garrett Wilson, who was battling injuries and did not play after Week 10, led the group with a 72.5 PFF overall grade (38th among all wide receivers). Among 80 wide receivers with at least 50 targets, Wilson’s 1.74 receiving yards per route run ranked 28th. However, the Jets not only failed to sign a wide receiver during the first wave of free agency, but they also lost John Metchie III, who logged the second-most receptions among the team’s wide receivers in 2025. He signed with the Panthers. New York’s projected starters at the position are Wilson, Adonai Mitchell and Isaiah Williams, who ranked 38th, 86th and 94th in PFF overall grade this past season, respectively. Cincinnati Bengals linebackers The Bengals fielded one of the NFL’s worst defenses in 2025, if not the worst, largely due to the poor play of their inexperienced linebackers. Rookies Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter both played between 790 and 800 snaps last season, with no other Cincinnati linebacker logging more than 400 snaps. Yet, the young duo remained a liability for the entire season. Whereas Knight’s 40.2 PFF overall grade ranked 83rd among 88 qualifying linebackers, Carter’s 39.5 mark placed only 85th. The 88th-ranked player at the position was also on Cincinnati’s roster: veteran Oren Burks. He played 340 snaps and earned a 30.2 PFF overall grade. Surprisingly, the Bengals have not addressed the position in free agency thus far. Cincinnati’s front office and fans must hope that at least one of their two young linebackers makes significant progress in their second season in the league and develops into a starting-caliber player. The Bengals should still be expected to add a veteran at the position this offseason. Washington Commanders cornerbacks Five cornerbacks logged at least 150 snaps for the Washington Commanders in 2025. Each one earned a PFF overall grade below 60.0. Washington’s cornerbacks combined to earn a 47.8 PFF coverage grade, which ranked last in the NFL, while their 62.7 completion percentage allowed placed ninth worst. The only moves the Commanders have made to address the position so far in free agency are releasing veteran Marshon Lattimore and signing Amik Robertson. Out of 112 qualifying cornerbacks in 2025, Robertson ranked just 107th with a 48.6 PFF overall grade, while his 48.0 PFF coverage grade placed 101st out of 109 qualifying cornerbacks. If his last season with Detroit is any indication, the Commanders are far from stabilizing their cornerback room. Miami Dolphins secondary The Dolphins could have made multiple appearances on this list across their barren roster. Even though Miami had safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and cornerbacks Jack Jones and Rasul Douglas in 2025, the team traded Fitzpatrick to the Jets, while Jones and Douglas are currently still free agents. Miami added multiple defensive backs in free agency, including Darrell Baker Jr., Lonnie Johnson Jr. and Zayne Anderson, but it’s not an encouraging unit on paper. Of the 17 defensive backs currently under contract with the Dolphins, only two — Baker and Dante Trader Jr. — logged more than 400 snaps in 2025. Furthermore, their five defensive backs who played more than 110 snaps last season each earned PFF overall grades below 60.0. While this unit looks like arguably the worst in the league, the Dolphins’ other moves suggest that they could be content with what they have in the secondary right now.
Would you pick Sonny Styles or go with Caleb Downs at pick No. 10?
Greetings, Bengals fans! With NFL Draft season in full swing, two of the most popular names mentioned for Cincinnati with the No. 10 overall pick have been a pair of Ohio State standouts. Caleb Downs is widely regarded as one of the best safety prospects in recent memory, while Sonny Styles is constantly compared to […] Greetings, Bengals fans! With NFL Draft season in full swing, two of the most popular names mentioned for Cincinnati with the No. 10 overall pick have been a pair of Ohio State standouts. Caleb Downs is widely regarded as one of the best safety prospects in recent memory, while Sonny Styles is constantly compared to 49ers All-Pro Fred Warner. It feels like either guy would be an instant-impact player for any NFL team, especially on a Bengals defense that had one of the worst safety groups and linebacker groups in the league for the past two seasons. While many mock drafts have Styles going before the Bengals are on the clock, there are plenty of projections with Downs landing in Cincinnati. But for the sake of debate, let’s say somehow both Styles and Downs are on the board at No. 10. If that miracle happens, which player are you selecting? Sound off in the poll below and in the comments section! Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Bengals fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. And Who DEY! See More: Cincinnati Bengals Draft
PFF 2026 NFL Draft Guide: Chris Bell NFL projection, advanced stats & scouting report
Bell offers an impressive blend of size — particularly weight — and explosiveness as a WR2 in a vertical offense. Some tightness in his lateral movements limits his ability to win with nuanced route-running, but when kept on vertical or horizontal routes, he can generate separation on deep routes and create yards after the catch on shorter touches. Premium Content Sign Up PFF 2026 NFL Draft Guide: Chris Bell NFL projection, advanced stats & scouting report Louisville Cardinals Height: 6’2″ Weight: 220 pounds Position: WR Big Board Rank: 37 View Big Board Unlock the full scouting report WR Chris Bell, Louisville Cardinals Height: 6’2″ Weight: 220 pounds Big Board Rank: 37 Scouting report Bell is a former three-star receiver from Yazoo City, Mississippi, who attended Greenville Christian School. He was a state champion as a senior and also competed in track, posting a 22.5-second time in the 200 meters. He brings that track speed to the field with impressive explosiveness and top-end speed, especially for a 225-pound receiver. Primarily aligned on the outside, Bell has produced his best work against press and man coverage, where he can overwhelm defenders with a combination of size, strength and vertical speed. He shows quick, explosive footwork and a solid variety of releases, and his physicality also translates as a blocker, where he can overpower defensive backs. However, while he is explosive, he lacks flexibility and start-stop ability, which limits his effectiveness against zone coverage. That shows up in both his lower receiving grades against zone and a route tree that is heavily built off vertical stems. Bell has also had some frustrating drops over the past few seasons, though he balances that with impressive contested catches. Teams will likely need to live with some inconsistency in exchange for his big-play ability. Player Traits Route Running 6/10 Hands 7/10 Vertical Ability, long speed 9/10 Release, footwork 7/10 Change-of-direction acceleration 9/10 Change-of-direction flexibility 5/10 Run after the catch/contact 8/10 Play strength, blocking 8/10 Competitive toughness 9/10 Start Mock Draft Scout Chris Bell For Yourself Player Traits Route Running: 6/10 Hands: 7/10 Vertical Ability, long speed: 9/10 Release, footwork: 7/10 Change-of-direction acceleration: 9/10 Change-of-direction flexibility: 5/10 Run after the catch/contact: 8/10 Play strength, blocking: 8/10 Competitive toughness: 9/10 Strengths
PFF 2026 NFL Draft Guide: Chris Brazzell II NFL projection, advanced stats & scouting report
Brazzell is a boom-or-bust vertical receiver capable of posting 100 yards one week and 20 the next. His route tree is limited, but what he does — winning downfield — he does very well. In a vertical offense, he projects as a high-upside outside receiver who will likely begin his career as a WR3. If a team bets on his skill set and he hits, he has the potential to become an impact player. Premium Content Sign Up PFF 2026 NFL Draft Guide: Chris Brazzell II NFL projection, advanced stats & scouting report Tennessee Volunteers Height: 6’5″ Weight: 200 pounds Position: WR Big Board Rank: 89 View Big Board Unlock the full scouting report WR Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee Volunteers Height: 6’5″ Weight: 200 pounds Big Board Rank: 89 Scouting report Brazzell’s father, Chris, was selected in the sixth round (No. 174 overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He spent time on the Jets’ practice squad, played two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and later enjoyed a seven-year career in the CFL. Brazzell III was a three-star recruit out of Midland, Texas, where he played both basketball and football. At 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds, he offers a tall, long frame with an impressive catch radius that flashes high-end potential as a vertical outside receiver when fully utilized. At this stage, his role is largely limited to vertical concepts, as he primarily runs go routes, skinny posts, comebacks and screens. His catch rate was inconsistent in 2024 but showed improvement in 2025. He explodes off the line with speed releases, and his long strides make him difficult for defenders to match downfield. He also shows strong concentration on deep targets, an important trait for his role. Brazzell’s middle-of-the-field route running remains limited in both experience and nuance. However, he has shown flashes of the ability to sink his hips and break effectively on comebacks and curls, which is encouraging for a player of his size. His effort level can be inconsistent at times, particularly on plays when he is not the primary target. Player Traits Route Running 7/10 Hands 7/10 Vertical Ability, long speed 9/10 Release, footwork 6/10 Change-of-direction acceleration 8/10 Change-of-direction flexibility 6/10 Run after the catch/contact 4/10 Play strength, blocking 4/10 Competitive toughness 7/10 Start Mock Draft Scout Chris Brazzell II For Yourself Player Traits Route Running: 7/10 Hands: 7/10 Vertical Ability, long speed: 9/10 Release, footwork: 6/10 Change-of-direction acceleration: 8/10 Change-of-direction flexibility: 6/10 Run after the catch/contact: 4/10 Play strength, blocking: 4/10 Competitive toughness: 7/10 Strengths
PFF 2026 NFL Draft Guide: Bryce Lance NFL projection, advanced stats & scouting report
Lance dominated FCS competition as a versatile “X” receiver. He moves well for his size and pairs that with reliable contested-catch production, giving him a strong case as an early Day 3 pick with the potential to develop into a contributing NFL receiver. Premium Content Sign Up PFF 2026 NFL Draft Guide: Bryce Lance NFL projection, advanced stats & scouting report North Dakota State Bison Height: 6’3″ Weight: 209 pounds Position: WR Big Board Rank: 158 View Big Board Unlock the full scouting report WR Bryce Lance, North Dakota State Bison Height: 6’3″ Weight: 209 pounds Big Board Rank: 158 Scouting report Bryce Lance, the younger brother of former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance, has intriguing NFL potential as the next member of the family to reach the league. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, he offers above-average size, though his build appears somewhat lean. He primarily aligns as an outside “X” receiver, but his smooth acceleration and long speed give him some versatility to operate as a big slot option as well. Lance has produced strong catch rates both in contested situations and when working in space. He also shows flashes of nuance in his releases and route setup, though he will need to become more consistent in that area. At times, he was able to rely on his physical tools to win against FCS competition without needing refined technique. Player Traits Route Running 7/10 Hands 8/10 Vertical Ability, long speed 9/10 Release, footwork 6/10 Change-of-direction acceleration 8/10 Change-of-direction flexibility 6/10 Run after the catch/contact 7/10 Play strength, blocking 6/10 Competitive toughness 8/10 Start Mock Draft Scout Bryce Lance For Yourself Player Traits Route Running: 7/10 Hands: 8/10 Vertical Ability, long speed: 9/10 Release, footwork: 6/10 Change-of-direction acceleration: 8/10 Change-of-direction flexibility: 6/10 Run after the catch/contact: 7/10 Play strength, blocking: 6/10 Competitive toughness: 8/10 Strengths
Bengals News (3/18): Trey Hendrickson’s impact on Cincinnati’s free agency plans
Bengals News Trey Hendrickson’s fate had a very clear impact on how the Cincinnati Bengals navigated through free agency Former Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson signed one of the largest contracts in NFL free agency this year, inking a four-year, $112 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens that can get up to $120 million […] Outside linebacker Trey Hendrickson, middle, is joining the Baltimore Ravens after leaving Cincinnati Bengals after signing a four-year $112 million dollar contract with the Ravens, on Friday, March 13, 2026, in Owings Mills, Maryland. (Surya Vaidy/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) Bengals News Trey Hendrickson’s fate had a very clear impact on how the Cincinnati Bengals navigated through free agency Former Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson signed one of the largest contracts in NFL free agency this year, inking a four-year, $112 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens that can get up to $120 million with incentives. Bengals Pass on Reunion With Familiar Face, Reveals Possible NFL Draft Plans Cam Taylor-Britt officially ended his Bengals tenure this week. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the free agent cornerback is signing a one-year deal to join the Colts for the 2026 season. Former Bengals draft pick gets second chance in NFL free agency Former Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt has a new home. Former Bengals player nearly leads NFL in performance-based pay bump Here’s a former Cincinnati Bengals player fans don’t think about often: Nick Scott. Bengals Hosting Intriguing QB Prospect for Visit as Search for Joe Burrow’s Backup Continues The Cincinnati Bengals signed veteran quarterback Josh Johnson over the weekend. They’re also hoping to re-sign Joe Flacco at some point this offseason. NFL News College Football QB Gets Direct NFL Feedback After Decision to Skip 2026 Draft The decision to go pro or return to college has grown increasingly complicated in the era of NIL. Whereas once upon a time, the question was try to earn money in the NFL or play college football without earning money, now the situation is more complex. Add in a particularly thin 2026 NFL Draft class at quarterback and the conventional wisdom was that many of the top passers should hit the road for the pros. Dolphins trading WR Jaylen Waddle to Broncos for draft picks, including 2026 first-rounder The Denver Broncos are pushing their 2026 chips to the center of the table. JC Tretter has been elected the new executive director for the NFL Players Association JC Tretter is the new executive director for the NFL Players Association. Steelers legend tired of Aaron Rodgers waiting game: ‘They need to move forward’ As the Pittsburgh Steelers continue their waiting game with free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a former franchise great wishes the four-time MVP would provide an answer soon so the team can “move forward” ahead of Mike McCarthy’s first season as coach. Shemar James, Ryan Flournoy among top earners for NFL performance pay Sometimes, an NFL player simply outperforms their contract, and the Dallas Cowboys have absolutely no problem with that, seeing as it means that player is leaving it all on the field, time and again; and several from the 2025 roster did exactly that.
Bengals News (3/18): Trey Hendrickson’s impact on Cincinnati’s free agency plans
Bengals News Trey Hendrickson’s fate had a very clear impact on how the Cincinnati Bengals navigated through free agency Former Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson signed one of the largest contracts in NFL free agency this year, inking a four-year, $112 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens that can get up to $120 million […] Outside linebacker Trey Hendrickson, middle, is joining the Baltimore Ravens after leaving Cincinnati Bengals after signing a four-year $112 million dollar contract with the Ravens, on Friday, March 13, 2026, in Owings Mills, Maryland. (Surya Vaidy/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) Bengals News Trey Hendrickson’s fate had a very clear impact on how the Cincinnati Bengals navigated through free agency Former Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson signed one of the largest contracts in NFL free agency this year, inking a four-year, $112 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens that can get up to $120 million with incentives. Bengals Pass on Reunion With Familiar Face, Reveals Possible NFL Draft Plans Cam Taylor-Britt officially ended his Bengals tenure this week. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the free agent cornerback is signing a one-year deal to join the Colts for the 2026 season. Former Bengals draft pick gets second chance in NFL free agency Former Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt has a new home. Former Bengals player nearly leads NFL in performance-based pay bump Here’s a former Cincinnati Bengals player fans don’t think about often: Nick Scott. Bengals Hosting Intriguing QB Prospect for Visit as Search for Joe Burrow’s Backup Continues The Cincinnati Bengals signed veteran quarterback Josh Johnson over the weekend. They’re also hoping to re-sign Joe Flacco at some point this offseason. NFL News College Football QB Gets Direct NFL Feedback After Decision to Skip 2026 Draft The decision to go pro or return to college has grown increasingly complicated in the era of NIL. Whereas once upon a time, the question was try to earn money in the NFL or play college football without earning money, now the situation is more complex. Add in a particularly thin 2026 NFL Draft class at quarterback and the conventional wisdom was that many of the top passers should hit the road for the pros. Dolphins trading WR Jaylen Waddle to Broncos for draft picks, including 2026 first-rounder The Denver Broncos are pushing their 2026 chips to the center of the table. JC Tretter has been elected the new executive director for the NFL Players Association JC Tretter is the new executive director for the NFL Players Association. Steelers legend tired of Aaron Rodgers waiting game: ‘They need to move forward’ As the Pittsburgh Steelers continue their waiting game with free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a former franchise great wishes the four-time MVP would provide an answer soon so the team can “move forward” ahead of Mike McCarthy’s first season as coach. Shemar James, Ryan Flournoy among top earners for NFL performance pay Sometimes, an NFL player simply outperforms their contract, and the Dallas Cowboys have absolutely no problem with that, seeing as it means that player is leaving it all on the field, time and again; and several from the 2025 roster did exactly that.
Fantasy Football: How the 2026 NFL Draft running back class performed by situation
Jon Macri details how the 2026 NFL Draft running back class performed by situation for fantasy football managers. Fantasy Football: How the 2026 NFL Draft running back class performed by situation Jonah Coleman delivers in all situations, along with Jeremiyah Love: While Love is no surprise, Coleman makes an argument to be valued higher than his current RB5 standing in consensus mock drafts. Mike Washington Jr. fails to stand out in any specific strategy: While Washington has flown up NFL draft boards, there are some concerns about his performance compared to his peers. Unlock your edge with PFF+: Access Premium Stats, dominate fantasy with in-season tools and projections and make smarter bets with the new PFF Player Prop Tool. Get 25% off your PFF+ annual subscription with code PFFFANTASYPODCAST25. Estimated reading time: 8 minutes The 2026 NFL Draft gets closer by the day, and there can never be enough data to pore over when evaluating prospects. Beginning with the running backs, this piece will focus on how the top prospects in this year’s draft performed in key situations, helping us better understand their usage and production in college. We will focus on a lot of metrics that are not readily available through PFF Premium Stats to give an exclusive, in-depth breakdown. Here are some things to keep in mind: Career attempts are how many carries each running back had in the specific situations highlighted. Rushing grade is each running back’s PFF rushing grade from within each specific situation. Yards per carry is how many rushing yards each running back totaled divided by their number of carries in each specific situation. 1DTD rate is the number of times a running back delivered a first down or touchdown on their attempts within each specific situation. Explosive run rate is the number of times a running back ran for 10 or more yards on a play in each specific situation. Stuffed run rate is the number of times a running back was tackled at or behind the line of scrimmage within each specific situation. Overall career rushing numbers Starting with the basics, this is an overview of how each running back performed in typical metrics across all situations during their college career. Jeremiyah Love is the consensus RB1 in this class for good reason, as he shows well across the board, including a class-leading rushing grade (96.3) and yards per carry average (6.6) among backs with at least 100 carries. He’ll appear near the top of many of the situations that are included in this breakdown, helping solidify his profile as an elite running back prospect. Washington’s Jonah Coleman is often considered the RB2 in this year’s class and his overall career rushing metrics tend to back that up. He comes in just behind Love in terms of career rushing grade (96.2) and has no real red flags in the collected metrics for this breakdown. Penn State currently boasts two potential backs to be drafted among the top-120 players in this year’s draft, Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. While Singleton has the higher projected draft capital, Allen owns slightly better rushing metrics for his career on the biggest career workload from this class. Career numbers versus stacked boxes (eight-plus defenders) Here, we highlight the prospects who performed well when the defense was playing to defend the run. These top players produced positive outcomes despite facing a situation less conducive to success. The Penn State backs, Allen and Singleton, have faced the most stacked boxes from this year’s class and have performed relatively well in those situations, as Allen stood out with a top-10 stuffed run rate (16.7%) and explosive run rate (11.7%). Jonah Coleman has some of the most impressive rushing metrics against stacked boxes in this year’s class, ranking top-five in rushing grade (90.6), first-down-plus-touchdown rate (40.5%) and explosive run rate (13.7%) among backs with at least 100 carries in those situations. Career zone run concept numbers Inside and outside-zone runs are the most common rushing concepts in the NFL, so being able to understand those schemes and deliver on them is going to be important early in these running backs’ NFL careers. Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson is an expected top-five pick at his position in this year’s draft, though he hasn’t graded out particularly well in zone concept runs, which could limit his success at the next level in a zone-heavy system. There is a significant difference between his success rate in gap-scheme concepts, as he’s much better in that regard, so he could be a more scheme-reliant fit at the next level. Jonah Coleman owns the highest career rushing grade from zone concept runs, though he is closer to average in that regard in gap-scheme runs. As a potential top-three pick at the position in this class, he’ll ideally fit in any scheme, though it’s worth noting that a more gap-heavy run scheme might not be ideal for his efficiency. Career gap-scheme run concepts Counter and power runs are the most common gap-scheme rushing concepts in the NFL and are quite different from typical zone runs in that there is at least one pulling blocker to follow toward the point of attack. This often means running backs will have to show patience and know how to take advantage of the holes that their offensive linemen create. Jadarian Price has found more success from zone run concepts, averaging the best yards per carry (6.9) mark behind only Jeremiyah Love (min. 100 carries), though his efficiency in gap-scheme runs is not as ideal. Price’s 4.5 yards per carry ranks out of the top 35 backs in this class, creating at least some trepidation about him fitting into any offensive system at the next level. Career goal-to-go numbers Goal-to-go situations are key for fantasy managers, as this is where the majority of rushing touchdowns come from. The offense’s ability to get into these situations is a big contributing factor, as well as the team’s choice of who to deploy. Nonetheless, generally, how the
