Ten moves that should be made with NFL Draft complete: Cowboys trade Pickens, Aiyuk to Commanders
With the NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, general managers now turn their focus to trades, franchise-tag decisions and contract extensions with fourth months before the season begins
The NFL Draft might be over, but the work will only continue for general managers between now and the start of training camp. In fact, as soon as the draft concluded, teams attacked undrafted free agency with aggression. Those players will join the players who were drafted in rookie minicamps that will take place over the next several weeks.
Rookies aside, every team faces other orders of business before training camp starts. The franchise tag deadline looms for two teams, while another NFL team remains stuck in quarterback limbo with its enigmatic future Hall of Famer.
Let's take a look at some of the biggest moves that need to be made now that the draft has passed.
Cowboys trade George Pickens
Dallas already said that Pickens will play under the franchise tag, which appears to be a recipe for disaster given his history of self-sabotage when things don't go his way. If the Cowboys want to avoid another drama-filled season, they would be better served either giving Pickens a long-term deal or trading him to a team that will.
The more realistic scenario appears to be the Cowboys trading Pickens, whose production during his first four seasons has largely been overshadowed by his antics.
Prior to the draft, CBS Sports' Garrett Podell listed five possible landing spots for Pickens. If the Cowboys were actually serious about trading Pickens, they'd probably have a host of suitors that would likely be willing to give Dallas considerable draft capital and a productive receiver in return.
The Cowboys would have options if they were actually compelled to trade Pickens, but the reality is that Dallas will likely sign up for another roller coaster season with their embattled receiver.
Brandon Aiyuk lands with Commanders
Aiyuk has played his final down in San Francisco, and the 49ers will officially part ways with him this offseason. The questions continue to be how the breakup will materialize and where Aiyuk ends up next.
A few nuggets were unearthed during the final day of the draft. General manager John Lynch said that the team isn't planning to release him. They remain open to trading him. The Commanders reportedly have a significant interest in acquiring Aiyuk, who was one of the NFL's most productive wideouts during the 2022 and '23 seasons.
The Commanders know that the 49ers don't have much leverage and are likely waiting for San Francisco to release him. The 49ers surely know Washington wants Aiyuk to pair with his former college teammate Jayden Daniels.
A.J. Brown traded to New England
This just feels like a formality. If there was any remaining doubt regarding the Eagles trading Brown, it was answered when the Eagles traded up to draft Makai Lemon with the 20th overall pick.
Why hasn't the trade happened yet? Salary cap implications if the Eagles trade Brown before June 1 are holding things up. The expectation is that Brown will be traded after June 1, as NFL rules allow teams to split cap hits between 2026 and 2027 for trades after that date.
Yes, another team could swoop in and make an offer to the Eagles for Brown. But barring that or another unforeseen situation occurring, expect Brown to be traded to the defending AFC champions after June 1.
Steelers sign Aaron Rodgers
For a second straight year, the Steelers concluded the draft without a definitive answer from Rodgers. Last year, the Steelers' patience paid off when Rodgers joined up just before minicamp. He then helped Pittsburgh win its first division title since 2020.
The Steelers appear to have a plan in place for either scenario. If Rodgers returns, the Steelers will have two potential successors backing him up in 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard and 2026 third-round pick Drew Allar, with veteran Mason Rudolph likely being the odd man out.
If Rodgers comes back, he'll have an improved group of skill players that includes newcomers in running back Rico Dowdle, veteran receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and rookie receiver Germie Bernard.
Bobby Wagner signs with Bengals
The Bengals need a veteran inside linebacker to complete their aggressive defensive overhaul. Wagner is unsigned and likely hopes to play for a legitimate title contender in 2026.
Yes, the Bengals were 6-11 last season, but that was because Joe Burrow missed more than half of the season with an injury and the Bengals' defense was historically bad for most of the year. Burrow is healthy now, though, and the Bengals' defense should be much better in 2026 with their recent additions on that side of the ball, which include three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.
Chiefs sign Tyreek Hill
It's been a quiet offseason for Hill, who is still working his way back from last year's horrific, season-ending knee injury. At age 32 and coming off a major injury, Hill's best chance at playing this season might be back in Kansas City in a complementary role.
The Chiefs aren't lacking at receiver, but can you really ever have too many wideouts in today's NFL? The answer is no, which is one reason why a Hill-Chiefs reunion is likely. Hill's rapport with Patrick Mahomes doesn't hurt, either.
Bijan Robinson signs long-term deal
Atlanta recently exercised Robison's fifth-year option, keeping him under contract through the 2027 season. The Falcons would benefit, though, by rewarding arguably the NFL's best running back with a contract that says as much.
The eighth overall pick in the 2023 draft, Robinson has taken the baton from Christian McCaffrey as the NFL's most dynamic running back. He amassed a franchise record 2,298 all-purpose yards last season, which included 820 yards on 79 receptions. He averaged a whopping 5.1 yards per carry and ripped off the season's longest run (93 yards).
By signing Robinson to a long-term deal now, the Falcons would lock up one of the NFL's biggest stars for years to come.
Colts part with Anthony Richardson
The writing is on the wall regarding Richardson's eventual departure from Indianapolis. The Colts would obviously prefer to trade Richardson, but that may not happen until a team suffers an injury at quarterback during either minicamp or training camp.
As far as potential landing spots, Richardson would be a good fit on a team that either has a young starting quarterback or one that has a similar skillset. Two teams that come to mind are the Dolphins (who have Malik Willis at QB1) and Ravens.
Giants trade Kayvon Thibodeaux
Thibodeaux appeared on his way out during the draft after he bid adieu to New York when the Giants selected pass rusher Avrell Reece with the No. 5 overall pick. And while a trade didn't come to fruition during the draft, the fact that the Giants reportedly fielded at least one offer for Thibodeaux.
The Giants and Saints reportedly discussed a trade involving Thibodeaux for several weeks, but New Orleans ended up acquiring Tyree Wilson from the Raiders in the draft after New York reportedly held firm on the compensation.
While the Giants' brass tried to quell this story, Thibodeaux's future with the team will likely remain a hot-button topic for the foreseeable future. If the reports are true, the Giants want significant compensation for Thibodeaux, which might make trading him difficult unless a title-contending team suffers injuries at pass rusher at some point between now and the trade deadline.
NFL settles labor dispute with officials
This would benefit everyone. Roger Goodell surely doesn't want to use replacement officials again, and fans certainly don't want a re-run of 2012, when they were subjected to replacement officials that largely provided substandard service. It's safe to assume officials don't want to spend the 2026 season on the sidelines.
While there is clear incentive on both sides to get something done, the fact remains that the NFL and NFL Referees Association have not reached an agreement on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement and are running out of time to do so, with the CBA set to expire on May 31. The NFL reportedly wants performance-based pay for officials, while officials instead want a significant pay raise for their service.
While reports regarding the new CBA have been grim, Goodell told ESPN that there has been some positive momentum in recent days and that he hopes that continues to be the case moving forward.
