Cowboys

Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer spoke about the team’s decision to use the franchise tag on WR George Pickens and said he doesn’t plan to have any conversation with Pickens about the situation.

“I don’t think there’s any reason for us to have that [conversation],” Schottenheimer said, via Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News. “That’s not what we plan on doing. I think because George would play this game for a dollar as much as he loves football. These guys that love playing the game, they love playing the game.”

• Schottenheimer says he is unsure who will play middle linebacker as the team plans to train multiple players for the position, but he was willing to note that he has a favorite for the job. (Watkins)

Giants

The Giants’ first pick in the 2026 draft was used on LB Arvell Reese, despite already having pass rushers Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Abdul Carter. New York GM Joe Schoen confirmed Reese is going to be an off-ball linebacker to start next to Tremaine Edmunds, but wouldn’t rule out playing him off the edge in certain packages. 

“Yeah, he’s going to be an off-the-ball linebacker for us and play Will, and I love the versatility,” Schoen said, via Kevin Patra of NFL.com. “Can he play some edge for us? Absolutely. Can we have him cover tight ends? Absolutely. He can play Will linebacker and play sideline to sideline. He’s a freakish athlete with tremendous size and length and violence.”

“So, I’m excited about him, and our coaches are, as well, how they’re going to deploy him and use him on the defense with some of the pieces that we currently have. Brian Burns has versatility, Abdul Carter, Kayvon (Thibodeaux). Then you add a piece like Arvell Reese, playing next to Tremaine Edmunds. So, really excited about how that’s going to transpire this fall, and I like a lot of the pieces that we have in the defense, and we have a very good defensive staff, and excited to see how it all comes together.”

Giants

The Giants landed LB Arvell Reese at No. 5 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. New York HC John Harbaugh said Reese is a match for their defensive system, despite some skepticism about how he fits in. 

“He’s a player that fits our structure, our defense very uniquely,” Harbaugh said, via Dan Duggan of The Athletic. “Maybe that’s hard for people to see, but you’ll see it soon enough.”

New York also picked up OL Francis Mauigoa at No. 10 overall. Regarding concerns about his back injury, GM Joe Schoen said the team is “comfortable” and “right now, he’s fine.”

• Duggan writes that G Jon Runyan is an “under-the-radar” trade candidate, but thinks it’s still likely for him to remain as their starting left guard.
• Duggan points out that G Daniel Faalele carries a cap hit of only $1.3 million, compared to Runyan’s $11.8 million cap hit. Should New York trade or cut Runyan, they could create $9.3 million in cap space. 
• However, Duggan doesn’t think the Giants are in a position to part with a “servicable lineman” like Runyan, even if he doesn’t win the starting job. 
• Duggan also expects New York to devote a large portion of their remaining $18.6 million in cap space to defensive tackles now that the deadline has passed for signings to count toward the compensatory-pick formula.