As the 2026 NFL Draft approaches, NFL.com is keeping you up to date with the latest reports, rumors and rumblings from NFL Network, ESPN and team officials. Here's what we're learning Wednesday ahead of Thursday's first round.
With picks at Nos. 12 and 20 overall, the Cowboys have legitimate draft ammunition entering Thursday.
Dallas isn't afraid to use it to navigate -- either up or down the draft board. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones revealed Wednesday Dallas has received calls from other teams interested in their picks and they are open to potentially trading.
"We have trades," Jones explained to reporters. "You could imagine getting a call right now and making a trade. Picks or players, you could imagine that. That hasn't usually been our experience. It has to happen when a team gets the urgency of having a player within striking range with where their pick's gonna be. Certainly, the nature of having extra picks in that first round gives more credence to some options here, and one of them would be up or down."
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said it’s not a requirement for the Cowboys to keep their two first-round picks, and that there is a scenario where they could move down and acquire another Day 2 pick just outside the top 32. Dallas currently does not have a second-round selection.
“It can work both ways," Stephen Jones added, via NFL Network's Jane Slater. "You can improve your team moving back. ... Sometimes more is better than one.”
Trade talks typically heat up on draft day and Dallas made it clear during its pre-draft news conference that it will be ready to pick up the phone.
-- Nick Shook
Former U.S. president crashes Cowboys' presser
As the Cowboys brass went through a gauntlet of pre-draft questions and scenarios surrounding pick Nos. 12 and 20 during Wednesday's news conference at The Star, everything stopped once No. 42 entered the room.
Crashing Dallas' pre-draft presser, Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States, was a welcomed interruption, as he forced all football conversations to the side and commanded the attention of everyone in attendance.
“I’m negotiating the draft,” Clinton said with a smile as he entered.
Jerry Jones and his Cowboys are greatly familiar with Clinton, who was in office during the franchise's glorious run in the 1990s when Dallas won three Super Bowls and made three subsequent trips to the White House.
Upon Clinton's arrival, Jones rushed over to his longtime friend and fellow Arkansas native to share a few words with the media.
“He’s been a wonderful, not only president, but a friend over the years, and really happy to have you here today,” Jones said to Clinton.
On the eve of one of the bigger first rounds in recent memory for the Cowboys, Jones, for a moment at least, was caught up in Clinton's presence and gleefully escorted the former president away at The Star, leaving Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones and head coach Brian Schottenheimer to finish the media session.
-- Michael Baca
Jets not taking Bailey at No. 2 would be 'surprise'
The Jets are targeting edge rusher with the No. 2 overall pick and have done their due diligence on each of the top prospects -- so much that they don't feel the need to host one of them for a visit.
New York canceled its top 30 visit with Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey, one of the two prospects the Jets are reportedly considering at No. 2, per an NFL Network report. According to NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero, it would be "great surprise within the league" if the Jets didn't select Bailey.
Bailey didn't take issue with New York canceling its visit with him, telling reporters Wednesday he's on good terms with the Jets.
"I've been good, man," Bailey said, via SNY. "They canceled my 30 visit, so I wasn't able to get around the facility and kind of have an in-depth conversation with all the staff and everything, but I had a great interaction with them at the combine and FaceTime calls we've been having."
-- Nick Shook
Saints' draft could impact futures of Kamara, Jordan
The New Orleans Saints enter the draft with questions hovering about two long-term veterans: running back Alvin Kamara and current free-agent defensive end Cameron Jordan.
Kamara’s situation has been in question since the club signed RB Travis Etienne to a long-term deal. Kamara has said in the past he’d consider retiring rather than playing elsewhere. Meanwhile, Jordan, the Saints' all-time franchise sack leader, remains available to potentially return.
General manager Mickey Loomis was asked on Wednesday whether the draft could impact either situation.
“I think that it could impact it,” he said, via Jeff Nowak of WWL Radio. “You know, we’ll see what happens, and that goes both ways, it could impact them, from their perspective as well as ours.”
Added Loomis: “Those are two-way questions, right. They have things that they have to determine and we do, too, so we’ll see what happens after the draft.”
The GM also confirmed NFL Media draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s report that head coach Kellen Moore told offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier not to worry about being with the team during the draft, so he can spend it with his son, Garrett Nussmeier, a quarterback prospect out of LSU.
"Doug should be with Garrett," Loomis said. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
-- Kevin Patra
Florida DT Banks shares medical update with teams
Just one day before the 2026 NFL Draft begins in Pittsburgh, Florida prospect Caleb Banks shared some medical details on his injury with NFL teams.
The Florida defensive tackle sent a letter to NFL clubs about his progress from his surgically repaired bone in his left foot, ESPN reported.
Banks’ letter states that he underwent a CT scan on Tuesday and is on pace to be fully cleared for football activities in early June. The news and timeline come from Dr. Norman Waldrop, a well-known foot and ankle specialist, who looked at the DT's scan.
It was reported in early March that Banks suffered a broken foot at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. On March 9, Banks had surgery on a fractured fourth metatarsal on his left foot to address the injury.
NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah has Banks listed as No. 51 on his list of the Top 150 prospects.
Banks’ availability could have a few NFL teams concerned. In his senior season with the Gators, Banks only played three games due to an injury on the same foot. He recorded six tackles and one tackle for loss.
-- Christian Gonzales
WR prospect Bell ahead of schedule in rehab
Chris Bell, a Louisville wide receiver ranked 68th overall in Daniel Jeremiah's Top 150 prospect list, is ahead of schedule in his knee rehab and is now running at 18-plus mph, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per Bell's agent.
Bell was considered a potential first-round pick before tearing his ACL in November, per Rapoport. He produced 72 receptions for 917 yards and six touchdowns before going down with the injury in his senior season.
Rapoport adds that Bell will likely be a Day 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and the 6-foot-2, 222-pound speedster could bring great value to a team willing to take the chance.
-- Michael Baca
When, where will ‘Bama QB Simpson go?
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has long been presumed as a given to go No. 1 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Long predicted to be the No. 2 QB to go in the draft is Alabama’s Ty Simpson. Just where and when he goes will be one of the prevailing storylines in Round 1 on Thursday, and perhaps most likely Round 2 on Friday.
A slew of suitors seems to have emerged: the Arizona Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets. The latter three clubs, consequently, have two first-round picks, apiece.
“We know the teams that are in the quarterback market,” NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero said Wednesday. “The Jets are one and they have two first-round picks at [No.] 2 and 16. They also have the first pick in Round 2 at 33. The Arizona Cardinals have done work on all the quarterbacks. They had Simpson in for a visit. Probably not taking a quarterback at [No. 3] but they own the No. 34 pick. There are other teams such as the Dolphins [No. 11 and No. 30 in first round], who’ve done a lot of work on quarterbacks. The Steelers, it would be a surprise if the Steelers, even with Aaron Rodgers’ future still not entirely clear, if they decide to take a quarterback in Round 1. Art Rooney II already said they are not going to do that. With those teams sitting at the top of [Round 2], not to mention the Browns have another pick in the top half of the second round. You have a bunch of teams with quarterbacks needs and if you feel like this is the guy, if you can get past the signs, the durability and only having 15 college starts with Ty Simpson, there’s a lot to like about him as a player.”
After the Jets kick off the second round at No. 33, the Cardinals follow (No. 34), with Cleveland currently at No. 39, Miami at No. 43 and Pittsburgh at No. 53.
Simpson saw action in four years for ‘Bama, but as aforementioned by Pelissero, started just one season as a junior in 2025. He threw for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns and just five interceptions last season, doing enough to become the likely second signal-caller drafted in a relatively QB-light 2026 class. Just where he lands is likely to become known sometime on Friday.
-- Grant Gordon