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Buying or Selling the Latest NFL Rumors, Buzz Following Spring Owners Meeting
The NFL recently wrapped a three-day owners meeting in Phoenix. As is usually the case when owners, coaches and executives get together, we've seen no shortage of rumors, comments and buzz in its wake.
Of course, with the 2026 NFL draft fast approaching on April 23, separating fact from fiction can be tricky. To put it mildly, we've officially reached smokescreen season.
Here, we'll dive into some of the latest from around the league and determine which bits of information we're willing to take at face value and which we'll chalk up to the disinformation machine.
Sell: 49ers Are Open to Bringing Back Brandon Aiyuk
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The fact that wideout Brandon Aiyuk is still on the San Francisco 49ers' roster at this point in the offseason is a surprise. The receiver and the team clashed over his recovery from a torn ACL and his involvement with the team this past season.
Dianna Russini and Michael Silver of The Athletic reported in November that San Francisco had voided his 2026 guarantees.
The 49ers were widely expected to release Aiyuk at the start of the new league year, but they did not. According to franchise owner Jed York, there's still a chance the team mends fences with the player and brings him back for 2026.
"I think anything's possible, right?" York said, per ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "We want to make sure that we have as talented of a roster as possible. First and foremost, he needs to get healthy and be able to perform. I think once that happens, he's a really, really good football player."
In all likelihood, York is just trying to increase Aiyuk's value as a trade chip. The 49ers would rather get something in return for the 28-year-old, which head coach Kyle Shanahan has admitted.
"Hopefully, we could get something for [him]. And I know we're in no rush to do that," Shanahan said.
Whether he's traded or released, Aiyuk's time with San Francisco is up, and everyone seems to know it.
"The only thing I feel comfortable saying is that he won't be a 49er," Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer recently wrote of the situation.
Buy: Falcons Won't Rule Out a Kyle Pitts Trade
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Tight end Kyle Pitts has experienced an up-and-down career since being drafted fourth overall in 2021. He topped 1,000 yards as a rookie and had a resurgent campaign this past season, finishing 2025 with 928 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
Atlanta gave Pitts the franchise tag before the start of free agency, but that doesn't mean it is fully committed to keeping him long-term. General manager Ian Cunningham said he would listen to trade offers for the 25-year-old.
"It's my job as the general manager to do what's best for the organization," Cunningham told The Athletic's Josh Kendall. "Kyle is a great player. We've seen his skill set. Also, it's my job to listen."
Cunningham's comments could be part of a negotiating tactic. The Falcons have until July 15 to work out a long-term deal with the 2021 Pro Bowler, and saying he is an essential piece who must be retained at all costs would give Pitts' camp some leverage.
Given Pitts' inconsistent production and the rising cost of tight ends, however, we're inclined to believe Atlanta would accept a strong offer.
George Kittle tops the TE market with a $19.1 million annual salary, and the Falcons may not be eager to pay Pitts anywhere close to that.
Sell: Giants Have Interest in Odell Beckham Jr.
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The New York Giants are looking to improve the supporting cast around second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart and might just turn to a familiar face to do so.
According to Jordan Raanan, Odell Beckham Jr. met with the Giants and new head coach John Harbaugh in Arizona and "stated his case" for a return. Per Raanan, there is "some degree of interest" on New York's part, though no deal is imminent.
Beckham, of course, was drafted 12th overall by the Giants in 2014 and made three Pro Bowls in New York. He also played for Harbaugh in 2023 as a member of the Baltimore Ravens.
However, Beckham's best years came early in his career, and he hasn't been a high-level player since his 2021 Super Bowl run with the Los Angeles Rams. He barely saw the field for the Miami Dolphins in 2024, and he wasn't on an NFL roster this past season.
While New York may have enough interest in Beckham to grant him a workout, it's hard to believe its interest goes beyond that.
The Giants could use receiver help, especially as Malik Nabers recovers from a torn ACL, but a 33-year-old former star isn't the missing piece to Dart's second-year development.
Buy: Aaron Rodgers' Pittsburgh Return 'Is Happening'
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While several starting-caliber free agents remain available, quarterback Aaron Rodgers is arguably the most noteworthy.
Last season, he helped the Pittsburgh Steelers win the AFC North while passing for 3,322 yards with 24 touchdowns, seven interceptions, and a 98.4 QB rating.
The question is whether the 42-year-old will play again in 2026 and whether he'll play for Pittsburgh. He hasn't made any public decision yet, but new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy says he's been in contact with the future Hall of Famer.
McCarthy told The Pat McAfee Show (h/t Bleacher Report's Doric Sam) that he and the quarterback have had "very, very positive conversations on a weekly basis."
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Rodgers' Pittsburgh return will probably happen, though no contract agreement has been reached.
"It does sound like the Rodgers thing in Pittsburgh is happening," Schefter told The Pat McAfee Show (h/t Jacob Punturi of SI.com). "...It just is not official. It's not contractual, I was told."
We can buy this one. Rodgers showed he can still play this past season, and Pittsburgh remains the team that can give him his best opportunity in 2026. He and McCarthy also won a Super Bowl together with the Green Bay Packers, and both are probably intrigued by the idea of a reunion run.
Sell: Jets Believe Geno Smith Can Lead Them to the 'Promised Land'
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The New York Jets added a potential bridge starter early in the offseason by trading for a player they drafted back in 2013.
They acquired Geno Smith, who spent four seasons in New York, reemerged as a Pro Bowler with the Seattle Seahawks in 2022 and spent last season with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn is doing his best to sell the idea of the 35-year-old as a long-term answer at quarterback.
"I just feel like he's the guy that's going to lead us to the promised land," Glenn said at the owners meeting, per ESPN's Rich Cimini. "...I think he's going to create some damage because of the arm talent."
Sorry, but we're not buying what Glenn is selling. Smith had two Pro Bowl campaigns and a third "good" season in Seattle. His year with the Raiders was largely disastrous. While Las Vegas didn't provide him with a great supporting cast, New York's isn't much, if any, better.
And even when Smith was playing well for the Seahawks, he had turnover issues. He tossed 35 interceptions in three seasons and added another 17 picks in 2025.
Smith is likely to be a bridge starter at best, and the Jets know it. Our guess is that they're trying to downplay their interest in potential draft prospects like Alabama's Ty Simpson and Penn State's Drew Allar by hyping up the veteran.
Sell: Raiders Still Going 'Through the Process' with Fernando Mendoza
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One quarterback the Jets won't have a shot at is reigning Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza.
New York owns the second pick in this month's draft, but the Indiana product is practically guaranteed to land with the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 1.
Of course, the Raiders insist they're still evaluating Mendoza and aren't yet committed to him at No. 1.
"We are going to go through the process," general manager John Spytek said, per ESPN's Lindsey Thiry. "We are going to his pro day on Wednesday. He's going to come in for a top-30 visit. We're going to have a couple more Zooms that we still have to do with him, and a lot of other prospects, too."
Regardless of what Spytek might say publicly, the Raiders are going to take Mendoza at the top of the draft. They need a long-term answer at quarterback, and he did everything possible this past season to suggest he can be the guy, including leading Indiana to a national championship.
Of course, there's no benefit to Las Vegas fully tipping its hand with three weeks to go. The Raiders may get some franchise-altering trade offers for the top pick by playing coy, and the NFL generally wants its teams to generate a bit of mystery heading into draft night.
If the Raiders aren't sold on Mendoza by now, someone needs to tell the quarterback himself.
"Mendoza is working with Brian Griese right now," NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah recently told The Pat McAfee Show (beginning at the 20-second mark). "...They're installing the Raiders' offense."
Buy: Kirk Cousins Remains an Option for the Raiders, Rams
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While the Raiders are going to take Mendoza later this month, that doesn't mean they don't want a veteran quarterback to mentor him and to possibly start early in the season.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Las Vegas tried to sign Joe Flacco before he re-upped with the Cincinnati Bengals, and Kirk Cousins remains a possibility.
Las Vegas isn't the only potential landing spot for Cousins, either.
Rams head coach Sean McVay recently told ProFootballTalk that he is interested in Cousins as a backup option.
We can buy both teams being interested in Cousins, for different reasons.
The last thing the Raiders can afford is to throw Mendoza to the wolves before he or his supporting cast is ready—Las Vegas has improved its roster this offseason, but the 2025 group was one of the worst in the league.
Spytek told reporters in February that he isn't "necessarily" in favor of starting a rookie quarterback right away. Cousins would give Las Vegas a quality bridge starter who has experience playing for new head coach Klint Kubiak.
The Rams, meanwhile, have Super Bowl aspirations and should be interested in a top-tier insurance policy behind Matthew Stafford. Cousins showed he can still win football games this past season, and he also has experience under McVay.
It won't be surprising to see Cousins with Las Vegas or Los Angeles this season, assuming he doesn't simply choose a media career over a backup role.
*Update: Cousins is signing with the Raiders, per his agent, Mike McCartney.
Sell: The Titans 'Love' Their Running Back Room
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Mendoza will be the headliner of the 2026 draft, even if everyone expects him to go first overall. Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, however, figures to be the draft's most interesting prospect because it's unclear just how high he might go.
Teams typically don't use top-five selections on running backs, but Love is a special talent who would make a lot of sense for the Tennessee Titans at No. 4—the Bleacher Report Scouting Department paired the Titans with Love in its latest mock draft.
Tennessee could desperately use more playmakers around second-year quarterback Cam Ward.
Love, who has the potential to be an elite NFL runner and pass-catcher, could do wonders for Ward's development. However, new Titans head coach Robert Saleh insists he's happy with his current backfield.
"I love our backfield, our running back room," he said, per ESPN's Turron Davenport. "[Tony] Pollard dropped over a hundred on us last year in San Francisco, so I think it's pretty good. And then [Tyjae] Spears has got tremendous versatility as a three-down back."
While Tennessee did have a functional ground game in 2025—the Titans ranked 17th in yards per carry—adding Love could make it special.
Our guess is Saleh simply wants to downplay Tennessee's need to take an offensive player early in order to prevent a team that covets Love from dealing with the Jets or Arizona Cardinals in order to jump the Titans.
That doesn't necessarily mean Tennessee is locked into Love, but the Titans will benefit from having all options available when they're on the clock later this month.
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