Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel left the door wide-open for a potential AJ Brown trade.
- The Las Vegas Raiders are almost surely drafting Fernando Mendoza, but could look to bring in more veteran help.
- For some reason, the New York Giants and Odell Beckham Jr. appear to have mutual interest in a reunion.
With the first wave of free agency in the rear-view mirror, focus has shifted almost entirely to the NFL Draft, and understandably so. The draft isn't only a time for players to be selected, though; it could also be a time where we see some major moves take place.
Might the draft be when AJ Brown is finally traded? Could we see the Las Vegas Raiders make their highly anticipated Fernando Mendoza selection and follow that up by pairing him with a veteran running mate at the quarterback position? The latest NFL rumors cover these possibilities and more.
Patriots-AJ Brown trade rumors feel as real as ever thanks to Mike Vrabel
- Despite the Patriots signing Romeo Doubs and the Eagles showing no real urgency to trade A.J. Brown, rumors linking Brown and the Patriots are heating up.
- Mike Vrabel's comments give Patriots fans as much hope as they've had that a deal could ultimately happen.
No team has been linked more to AJ Brown since the start of the offseason than the New England Patriots, and it isn't hard to see why. They just went to the Super Bowl and had a glaring need at wide receiver after releasing Stefon Diggs, so why not pursue one of the best at the position in Brown, who has been eager to get sent away from the Philadelphia Eagles?
A deal didn't come to fruition in the first wave of free agency, and the Patriots wound up signing Romeo Doubs to a big four-year deal, so it was assumed New England was out of the Brown sweepstakes. If Mike Vrabel's comments are any indication, though, that isn't the case.
"We've talked about this since last January. We're going to try to do everything we can to strengthen our roster through the draft, through free agency, multiple ways of player acquisition," Vrabel said at the NFL's annual meeting.
Vrabel didn't answer a specific Brown-related question with a Brown-related answer, but he said the team is going to try to do everything to improve and win in 2026. That certainly gives reason to believe that a deal could be consummated after all, particularly after June 1, when the Eagles' cap hit for trading Brown wouldn't be quite as detrimental.
There's a lot to work through, like that aforementioned cap hit and the hefty compensation the Eagles will be looking for, but the fact that Vrabel did not rule out a deal is as positive a sign that a deal could come together as there has been in quite some time.
Fernando Mendoza wouldn't start Week 1 if it were up to Klint Kubiak
- Klint Kubiak believes rookie quarterbacks should begin their NFL careers on the bench, learning from a veteran.
- Whether Fernando Mendoza starts Week 1 of his NFL career or not remains to be seen.
Barring something unforeseen, the Las Vegas Raiders will select Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, giving them their quarterback of the future. The future is the important word to key in on, as based on head coach Klint Kubiak's comments, Mendoza likely won't be the Raiders' starting quarterback in the present.
"Ideally, you don't want him to start from Day 1," Kubiak said Tuesday. "You'd love him to be able to learn behind somebody. That's in a perfect world. It doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes they have to play from Day 1, and it's our job as coaches to get them ready to go. I think it does help the player if they can sit behind a mature adult and watch how they run the show."
Kubiak wants Mendoza (or whichever young quarterback they draft) to learn behind a veteran to begin his NFL career rather than being thrown into the fire right away. While most No. 1 overall picks play immediately, giving them extra time to learn and develop probably gives them a higher chance of succeeding when thrust into the starting lineup.
Aidan O'Connell is the only quarterback on the Raiders' roster right now, but don't be surprised if Las Vegas signs a veteran like Kirk Cousins or Russell Wilson for Mendoza to learn from until the organization believes he's 100 percent ready.
Giants express confounding interest in Odell Beckham Jr. reunion
- Looking for more wide receiver help, the Giants could turn to a familiar face in Odell Beckham Jr.
- Beckham has connections with the Giants, but whether he'd be able to help them much remains to be seen.
In his heyday, few receivers in the NFL were better than Odell Beckham Jr., and not a single receiver was more electrifying. His one-handed catch, recorded over a decade ago, remains one of the best I have ever seen. The problem is that Beckham hasn't been an elite wideout in over half a decade. He hasn't even started more than seven games in a single season since 2021. Heck, he didn't appear in a single game in 2025. Despite these facts, the New York Giants are interested in a reunion with Beckham.
"If we find a player that's gonna help us, that makes sense for the organization, we'll continue to pursue," Schoen said. "So, he's on there, if it makes sense. I know [Harbaugh] talked about it a little bit earlier. We'll never not pursue someone that can help."
Can Beckham really help, though? Again, he didn't play at all in 2025, and when last seen in 2024, he had nine receptions for 55 yards in nine games for the Miami Dolphins. He has eclipsed the 500-yard mark just twice since 2020. Now at 33 years of age and seven years removed from his last 1,000-yard season, what can Beckham realistically provide the Giants?
Wide receiver is an issue in New York. Malik Nabers is awesome, but he's also coming off an ACL tear, so it remains to be seen when he'll be fully healthy and what he'll look like coming off a major injury. Guys like Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III, both signed this offseason, are rather uninspiring additions. As imperfect a player as Wan'Dale Robinson is, he was their most productive wideout in 2025 and is now gone.
Despite these concerns, are we sure Beckham is an upgrade over any of those three guys? Are we sure he'll see the field much? Are the headlines and attention he'll bring if he's signed worthwhile if he rarely plays?
I understand the fit. The Giants need receiving help, Beckham is a legend, and John Harbaugh knows him from their days with the Baltimore Ravens, but I'm not sure this is what's best for anyone. I'm not sold Beckham will play much, and I'm not sold he has much left in the tank. It'd be cool to see him finish his career where it started and where he had the most success, but again, it just doesn't make much sense for anybody.