CLEVELAND, Ohio — During his annual pre-NFL draft conference call Friday, NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah called the situation between the Browns and New York Giants — who both need quarterbacks — “a game of chicken” when it comes to addressing the position.
Leading up to the draft, Cleveland has been pegged to take Colorado two-way standout Travis Hunter while New York could take edge rusher Abdul Carter after the Tennessee Titans likely select Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick. While Hunter and Carter are the consensus top players in this draft, which begins Thursday night in Green Bay, Jeremiah addressed the Browns and Giants. He added during his conference call that both teams have nearly “identical” draft capital.
“It’s almost a game of chicken, of who’s going to pay the biggest price, and how much do they love one of these quarterbacks,” Jeremiah said. “And I don’t even know that they like the same quarterbacks, so that’s kind of an interesting thing.”
After Cleveland and New York in the top three, the New Orleans Saints are the next big wild card with the No. 9 pick after Derek Carr’s ability for next season came into question with a shoulder injury. There’s also the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21, which points to the likelihood that the Browns and Giants should be talking to teams ahead of them if they intend to move back up and grab a prospect such as Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders or Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart.
Jeremiah added that he believes Dart could be considered around pick No. 20.
More tea leaves for Tennessee and Cam Ward
Need any further evidence the Titans are taking Ward with the No. 1 pick?
ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted in his draft notes and intel column that Tennessee could soon dump quarterback Will Levis, whom the Titans took with a second-round pick in 2023. Levis has two years left on his rookie deal. He started 12 games last season, winning just two games and completing 63 percent of his passes for 2,091 yards and 13 touchdowns to 12 interceptions.
Who should the Giants take at No. 3?
The NJ.com staff made its picks for who the Giants should take at No. 3, and Carter is the favorite among Ryan Novozinsky and Darryl Slater.
“Carter will be a Giant,” Novozinsky wrote. “The Penn State edge rusher has the potential to be a generational consolation prize for not getting a long-term quarterback at No. 3.”
Slater added, “With Ward and Hunter off the board, Carter is the clear-cut best player available at No. 3. Schoen should pick him, even though he already has one excellent edge rusher (Brian Burns) and another pretty good one (Kayvon Thibodeaux). In 2025 and beyond, the Giants probably will need to lean into winning with defense.”
Eagles extend center
The Super Bowl champs locked up their starting center, Cam Jurgens, with a four-year contract extension worth $68 million. It includes $39.4 million guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and makes him the second-highest paid center in the league behind Creed Humphrey of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jets lock up former first-rounders for another year
The New York Jets picked up their fifth-year option on 2022 first-round picks Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson and Jermaine Johnson II. They had three first-rounders in 2022. Gardner, one of the league’s top cornerbacks, will get $20.1 million in 2026 with Monday’s move. Wilson, their receiver out of Ohio State, gets $16.8 million. Johnson will receive $13.4 million at linebacker, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
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