Fantasy Sports

The Browns having so many resources tied with with Deshaun Watson — who won’t play in 2025 after two ruptures of his Achilles tendon — means the Browns are not in position to pay Wilson the way the Steelers or Giants might, according to Schefter, who added that there’s no urgency among any of the three teams to sign Wilson. The Giants and Steelers are likely waiting to see where Aaron Rodgers lands before making a real run at Wilson, who was 22nd out of 33 qualifying QBs in drop back EPA from Week 7 — when he took the team’s starting gig — to Week 18. There’s no guarantee Wilson, 36, will be a Week 1 starter in 2025.

Minnesota is reportedly engaged in “serious discussions” about signing Rodgers, 41, after parting ways with Sam Darnold. The Vikings, Vacchiano said, are “one of the best teams in the NFC, and they’re bringing back most of their top players. You don’t just turn a team like that over to an untested rookie quarterback (J.J. McCarthy) when you’ve got a shot at a future Hall of Famer. You take your shot at a championship when it’s there.” Vacchiano said Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell — a so-called QB whisperer — will “find a way to adjust his system to fit Rodgers’ skills.” This would mark a departure from Rodgers’ tenure with the Jets, where he appointed his own offensive coordinator and ran his own offense. Rodgers in 2024 ranked 24th out of 39 qualifying quarterbacks in drop back success rate.

Of course he did: It’s the rare restructure that’s a raise. The five-time All-Pro tackle will make an additional $8 million over the next two seasons including an additional $30 million in guaranteed money. That brings his ledger to $48 million, $40 million of which is guaranteed, over the coming two seasons. The Eagles continue to reward the mainstays of their roster following a Super Bowl Championship. The updated contract now ties Johnson to the Eagles through the 2027 season, effectively serving as a one-year extension.

Thornhill was released by the Browns last month after an underwhelming two-year stint with the team. Injuries limited him to just 22 games over the last two seasons, but even when he was healthy, Thornhill failed to make the kind of impact we saw during his first four seasons with the Chiefs. Now, with the Steelers on a one-year prove-it deal, Thornhill will likely have to show what he can offer in camp if he hopes to earn a meaningful role in 2025.

Looking to stockpile talent on the cheap, the Eagles land themselves a solid pass rusher in Ojulari. During his first four seasons with the Giants, Ojulari totaled 22 sacks over 46 games. He managed six sacks in just 11 games last season. Injuries have plagued the former second-round pick throughout much of his career, but if healthy, he should prove to be an adequate replacement for Josh Sweat, who left in free agency earlier this offseason.

Darby is now on his fourth team in four seasons after being one-and-done with the Jaguars. The 31-year-old corner started in 12 of the 13 games he appeared in last season, earning a PFF coverage grade of 59.3 while allowing opposing receivers to go for 44-605-5 against him. A reliable vet with plenty of starting experience to offer, Darby is likely best suited for a depth role in DeMeco Ryans’ defense, but he’s more than capable of making the occasional spot start when needed.

Gallup, who turned 29 this month, recently met with the Commanders as the former third-round pick eyes a return to the NFL. Gallup opted for retirement ahead of the 2024 season, but after a year away from the game, he hopes to join a team and compete for a spot on a 53-man roster. Gallup suffered a torn ACL during the 2021 season, then totaled just 832 yards and six receptions on 73 receptions from 2022 to 2023. He’s probably looking at a camp fight for a roster spot regardless of where he lands.

Diggs has had no reported visits thusfar and was met with a fairly cold market as the Texans moved on with a trade for Christian Kirk. The hole at wideout for the Raiders may be big enough to accommodate Diggs, who is entering his age-32 season, but they’ll probably need to be certain that Diggs’ rehab from a Week 8 torn ACL is going well. We’re struggling to see a place where Diggs could go and actually get the volume of targets he wants — New England, maybe? — so perhaps a one-year prove-it deal with the Raiders could be amenable for the former Bills and Vikings star.

Or, Jackson posits, the door is “cracked” for the Browns potentially taking Shedeur Sanders No. 2 overall. With the Falcons holding on to Kirk Cousins, the easy way for the Browns to address the quarterback room appears shut at the moment. How the Aaron Rodgers free agency circus unfolds may help Cleveland find a way to a quarterback like Russell Wilson, but there are scenarios where the Browns would be out-and-out shutout of doing better than Kenny Pickett under center this offseason. If that is the case, this level of desperation would probably be warranted, and the cost of a potential trade up would likely be weighed against Sanders or a quarterback in the second round.

The Giants continue to wait for a decision from Aaron Rodgers, but they aren’t letting this hold-up stop them from exploring other options. Having already met with Joe Flacco and Russell Wilson, the Giants are now setting their sights on Winston, who threw for 2,121-13-12 in 12 games with the Browns last season. The former No. 1 overall pick wouldn’t be expected to solve any long-term issues for the Giants’ quarterback conundrum, but he would provide a solid veteran presence for whatever young quarterback they bring in. Winston would also give Malik Nabers a chance to thrive as long as he’s under center.