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NFC Notes: Caleb Downs, Makai Lemon, Arvel Reese, Cowboys, Eagles, Giants
Apr 30, 2026Jonathan ComeauxNFL Trade Rumors
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Cowboys The Cowboys moved up one pick from No. 12 to No. 11 to take S Caleb Downs , sending the Dolphins two fifth-round picks in the process. Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports cites multiple league sources who think the price Dallas paid to get Downs was a “steal.” One scout told Vacchiano that Downs was the top non-quarterback on many draft boards. “I know he was the top [non-quarterback] on a few boards around the league,” the scout said. “I get that nobody wants to draft a safety high, but this dude is more than a safety. He’s a weapon back there. He’s Kyle Hamilton (the Ravens’ three-time All-Pro), only maybe more explosive.” One anonymous general manager views Downs as a bigger “difference maker” than LB Sonny Styles , who went No. 7 to the Commanders. “They got some serious value that far down,” the GM said. “ I know you had to take the edge rushers first, but he’s more of a difference maker than Sonny Styles. He can cover, he can blitz, he can play the run. You can deploy him like a corner or a linebacker. He can do it all.” Although one defensive coordinator thinks Washington is pleased to get Styles and the Giants are happy with EDGE Arvell Reese, he’s confident both teams will hate going up against Downs. “I’m sure the Commanders and Giants are happy with who they got,” the coordinator said. “But they are going to hate having to play against this guy twice a year.” Eagles The Eagles trading up for WR Makai Lemon in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft all but confirmed that A.J. Brown is bound to get dealt away this offseason. Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports cites one anonymous assistant GM who thinks Philadelphia would have an extremely dangerous passing attack if it kept Brown alongside DeVonta Smith , Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks , and Hollywood Brown. “I guess the only question is what they’ll get,” the assistant GM said. “And maybe whether someone else, like the Rams, swoops in at the last minute and offers a better deal. But I tell you what: It sure would be interesting if they don’t trade him. We know they can run. I’m sure the line will be better than last year. It’s the passing game that they haven’t really been able to work consistently the last few years. Some of that is because they’ve never had a reliable third receiver. It’s been all Brown and [DeVonta] Smith. Well, now they’ve got Wicks, Lemon, maybe Hollywood to stretch the field. That’s more than enough without Brown. But they sure would be dangerous if they kept him.” Giants Giants WR Malik Nabers made headlines with his commentary during the NFL Draft, noting that he would rather have had S Caleb Downs, among other comments. “I’d rather get him than play against him,” Nabers said of Downs. Giants HC John Harbaugh said he has spoken with Nabers and has welcomed questions about the selection of LB Arvell Reese , who currently has no clear position. “It’s like he said, I was curious about how you were going to use him,” Harbaugh said. “I showed him how we’re going to use him. He is fired up about it. I appreciate it. You know, one thing that you’ll kind of probably see as we go here, we don’t get too worried about stuff. You know, as long as a person’s heart is in the right place, as long as the person really cares, a player, a coach, or anybody, you really want what’s best for everybody, you’re coming from — he has a good heart and a good place, you know, say what you think. Put it out there. We talk all the time about confronting everything that has to do with our fo…