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    Beat: Minicamp results ‘uneven’ as Chargers adjust

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    LAC Quarterback #10
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    ESPN’s Kris Rhim reports that when Chargers QB Justin Herbert threw in team drills during mandatory minicamp practices, “the results were uneven.”

    New Chargers OC Mike McDaniel reduced Herbert’s throwing frequency in spring practices in an effort to keep Herbert’s arm fresh later in the season. Herbert is instead focused on adjusting his shotgun footwork according to McDaniel’s unorthodox, yet often successful preferences. According to Rhim, this led to Herbert and his receivers frequently being “just out of sync on timing” in team drills. That said, Rhim believes that this is " an expected part of implementing a new offense but something that will need to improve during training camp.” We agree. This is not overly concerning, but it will be worthwhile to follow up on Herbert’s connection with his pass catchers.
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  • LAC Quarterback #10
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    Herbert told Popper that his arm feels “pretty good,” but he “can definitely tell that [he is] heading into Year 7.” Veterans often get rest days, so this is nothing to be alarmed about. New Chargers OC Mike McDaniel recently outlined his plan to bring out the best in Herbert. He expanded on that plan with Popper, saying he believes the Chargers “can create more explosive plays in the short area of the field,” while also mitigating the opposing pass rush. Aligning Herbert’s footwork and release with his receivers’ route timing is key. In the past, Herbert has relied on his arm strength to make tight window throws after watching his pass catchers get open. Now, the 28-year-old quarterback is working on “trusting [his receivers], and just throwing it to a spot and letting them go get it.” If it all comes together, Herbert’s per-play efficiency could increase while his pressure-to-sack rate decreases this season.
  • LAC Quarterback #10
    McDaniel explained Herbert’s strengths and weaknesses to ESPN’s Kris Rhim, noting that Herbert performs efficiently when he either gets the ball out in under 2.4 seconds or less, or “extends plays and launches it down the field.” However, Herbert’s efficiency decreases as the time to throw reaches three seconds. McDaniel plans to “max out those quick throws,” which was a staple in McDaniel’s Dolphins’ offenses, while also allowing Herbert to extend plays at times. That said, McDaniel does not want to make the offense reliant on Herbert’s ability to go above and beyond. He stopped short of explaining that aspect, but McDaniel’s offenses typically feature an efficient, voluminous run game. We expect that to be the case here as well. Herbert finished as the QB10 last year. He has decent odds of working his way up the QB1 tier this year.
  • LAC Quarterback #10
    McDaniel was scarce on details — not surprising — but promised to rein in the signal-caller a bit. McDaniel added “I think not relying too heavily on Justin’s ability to do above and beyond I think is critical. ... That’ll be one of the first things that we’ll try to do is take a little off his plate.” Reading between the lines, it’s possible that Herbert will be instructed to run a little less in 2026. He took off a career-high 83 times for 498 yards and two touchdowns. His overall fantasy value will probably remain as it was in 2025 — or improve — due to improved schematics. But we’re hoping the Chargers keep the running plays on the table for fantasy purposes and this does not sound like a team that plans to do that after watching him play the final six weeks of the season with a left hand that was recovering from surgery to repair a fracture.
  • LAC Offensive Coordinator
    A dejected Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh was non-committal about Roman’s return as OC following LA’s blowout loss to the Patriots on Sunday night — a loss that saw Justin Herbert have one of his worst games as a pro as the Chargers scored just three points. The team’s offensive lineman, including Bradley Bozeman, were circumspect when asked whether Roman should return as the team’s OC in 2026 and call plays. “That’s their call upstairs,” Bozeman told The Athletic. Widely considered a run-first coordinator, Roman’s Bolts offense in 2025 ranked eighth in pass rate over expected, ranking 13th in total pass attempts. It would hardly be a shock if the Chargers moved on from Roman after two mediocre seasons.
  • LAC Quarterback #10
    The Patriots’ pass rush pressured Herbert from start to finish. It was an unfortunately fitting end to the Chargers’ season. Herbert lost two-time Pro Bowl LT Rashawn Slater to a season-ending patellar tendon injury in August. Third-year OT Joe Alt successfully switched from right tackle to left tackle following Slater’s injury, but Alt missed time after suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 4. He aggravated it in Week 9 and was forced to undergo season-ending surgery. Chargers backup offensive linemen suffered consequential injuries as well, leading to a career-high 54 sacks for Herbert in his age-27 season. Despite the pass-protection issues, Herbert completed 340-of-512 passes for 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, and rushed 83 times for 498 yards and two touchdowns. Both his rushing attempts and rushing yardage sums are career highs. He finishes as the QB10 in fantasy scoring and can again be treated as a mid-tier QB1 in 2026, hopefully, with improved offensive line health.
  • LAC Quarterback #10
    Herbert sat out in Week 18. He told reporters that he took snaps under center today, which is “the earliest he’s done that in any game week” since suffering the injury in Week 13. Taking the week off seems to have helped in his recovery. Herbert should be good to go for his team’s game against the Patriots on Sunday.
  • LAC Running Back #30
    Vidal injured his neck in Week 16 and was unable to play in Week 17. He practiced throughout Week 18, including two full sessions to close the week. Forecasting Vidal’s role is difficult, with the Chargers declaring QB Justin Herbert, S Derwin James Jr., RB Omarion Hampton (ankle), S Elijah Molden (hamstring), OLB Tuli Tuipulotu, OT Jamaree Salyer (hamstring) and C Bradley Bozeman (concussion) inactive for Week 18 against the Broncos. The team is clearly trying to preserve its health for the postseason and Vidal has meaningfully contributed to the offense this season. While we tentatively expect him to start, RB Hassan Haskins (concussion) and RB Jaret Patterson could also be regularly involved. Patterson is the backfield’s lone fully healthy player.
  • LAC Quarterback #10
    Herbert took a beating against the Texans in Week 17 and looked to be in significant pain at the end of that contest, and the Chargers don’t have much to play for in the finale before the playoffs. It’ll likely be Trey Lance starting against Denver, and his dual-threat ability makes his an intriguing — but risky — fantasy play for that finale.
  • LAC Quarterback #10
    The Texans’ pass rush put hits on Herbert from start to finish, sacking him five times for 35 yards. Herbert was visibly wincing in pain after being sacked at the end of the Chargers’ first drive, bracing his left arm against his body as the punt unit took the field. Despite the physical toll, Herbert willingly scrambled throughout the contest and even dropped Texans CB Derek Stingley en route to a 28-yard gain. Herbert deserves credit for sticking with TE Oronde Gadsden II, linking up with the rookie tight end for a one-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Gadsden had dropped three passes before that, one of them clanging off his hands and into LB Azeez Al-Shaair’s for an interception on the Chargers’ sixth drive. Herbert is a borderline QB1/2 against the Broncos in Week 18.
  • LAC Quarterback #10
    The Chargers did not punt until the third quarter, and the only other drive they had that ended without a score was a purposeful kneeldown on fourth down rather than kicking a meaningless field goal to go up 20 instead of 17 with less than a minute left. Herbert looked well-composed, rarely was pressured by Dallas’ defense, and made the quality of throws we’ve come to expect from him. He also mixed in a 37-yard scamper past a blitzing Cowboys linebacker and a tush-push touchdown for a nice fantasy rushing line. Despite this, the conventional wisdom will put Herbert near the bottom of the QB1 line in Week 17 for Saturday’s matchup against the Texans.

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  • IND Quarterback #17
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    The Athletic’s James Boyd reports Colts QB Daniel Jones is “cleared to do everything” ahead of training camp.

    “I’m doing everything. Cleared to do everything,” Jones told Boyd Friday at his youth football camp. “I think it’s just about, at this point, sharpening that.” Jones said that he still thinks about the Achilles during practice reps, adding that he “probably will until you get playing.” Jones continues to appear to be on track for Week 1, although his progress through camp and preseason will be telling. Whether Jones, who signed a two-year, $88 million contract extension with $50 million in guaranteed money prior to the 2025 season, returns to his form shown during the first half of the 2026 season remains to be seen. Considering the injury and lengthy rehab process, fantasy managers could be waiting into the second quarter of the coming season for that chance.
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    Bears signed TE Sam Roush to a four-year, $7.35 million contract.

    The Bears now have all of their rookies under contract with the signing of Roush, mere weeks before the start of training camp. The selection of another tight end in the third round turned heads during the draft, but another athletic and well-rounded option at the position gives head coach Ben Johnson further flexibility to run higher rates of 12 and 13-personnel in the coming year. Roush brings a tantalizing athletic profile to the professional ranks, although he likely needs to improve his blocking abilities to carve out a significant role behind Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet during his rookie campaign.
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    ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports free agent CB Terrion Arnold will not be required to wear a GPS tracking device as a condition of his release.

    ESPN’s Xuan Thai first reported the news. The ruling by a Florida judge on Friday allows the free agent cornerback to visit NFL teams as he looks for a new contract following his release by the Lions last month. Arnold was being held after turning himself in following a kidnapping and robbery incident in the Tampa area in February 2026. He visited with the Texans Thursday and is now free to continue his search for a new home, with the expectation that he’ll garner tangible interest on the open market.
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    The Athletic’s Josh Kendall believes Tua Tagovailoa will start in Week 1 for the Falcons.

    In his Falcons summer mailbag article, Kendall was asked to give his opinion on who he believes will start the season opener for the Falcons. While he was quick to say “I sincerely don’t know,” before pointing out Tagovailoa and Michael Penix are engaged in “a legitimate competition,” Kendall said he ultimately believes Tagovailoa will be the Week 1 starter. While some of this hinges on the health of Penix’s knee, Kendall also added that head coach Kevin Stefanski values accuracy, which he believes will give Tagovailoa the inside edge. It’s a hard point to argue against, as Penix has completed just 59.6 percent of his passes for his career, while Tagovailoa, in his worst season, completed 64.1 percent of his passes. Kendall said he believes we will ultimately see both quarterbacks play this season, due in part to Tagovailoa’s health but also because the Falcons need to get a look at what Penix, a former No. 8 overall pick, can offer the franchise long term as he enters his third season. The health of Penix could go a long way in deciding this QB competition, but this is likely to be a messy QB situation for much of the season, regardless of who is under center. Fantasy managers drafting in 2QB/Superflex leagues should likely look to Tagovailoa if they’re in need of a second starter early in the season.
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    ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports free agent CB Terrion Arnold “took a physical in Houston” for the Texans on Thursday.

    According to Schefter, Arnold is scheduled to visit with two more teams next week. Whether or not a team would sign Arnold while he awaits his trial for the multiple felonies he’s facing that relate to a February robbery and kidnapping is to be determined, but it doesn’t appear his attorney was bluffing when he said last week that multiple teams have already reached out to him. Arnold was waived by the Lions on June 29th and became an outright free agent after going unclaimed on waivers. The 23-year-old corner has appeared in 24 games in his career, totaling 91 tackles, 18 pass breakups, and one interception.
  • FA Quarterback #4
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    Speaking on Good Morning Football, Derek Carr said it would take a “special situation” for him to come out of retirement.

    According to Carr, “multiple teams” reached out to him this offseason to gauge his interest in returning, but he declined to name them. While he appears somewhat open to a return, Carr said that even if the right situation arose, “it’s not guaranteed” he would return to the field. It was reported earlier that there was a lot of talk surrounding Carr and a potential return at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine, but that news came and went pretty quickly, as no real suitor publicly emerged for Carr during free agency. The 35-year-old signal-caller said he has been enjoying spending time with his wife and kids since walking away from the game last offseason, and sounds like a player who is permanently retired, despite his suggesting he would keep the door open for teams.
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    NFL.com’s Kevin Patra reports Cowboys and HC Brian Schottenheimer had an “agreement” in place that would keep him with the team if not hired to be the head coach a season ago.

    “We had made an agreement that I would stay here no matter what,” Schottenheimer revealed on the Twins Take Podcast. “And I didn’t want to leave. I really wanted to be the head coach and put our fingerprint, our blueprint on it.” While the “agreement” was not fully disclosed, it sounds like Jerry and Stephen Jones intended to keep Schottenheimer with the organization, most likely as a play calling offensive coordinator had the team hired a more defensive-minded head coach during the 2025 coaching cycle. Schottenheimer served in that position with the organization during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, although he was not tasked with play calling duties. Either way, Dallas landed their man and now look to return to offensive prominence in Schottenheimer’s second season as head coach.
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    Bleacher Report’s James Palmer reports Shedeur Sanders has “closed the gap” on Deshaun Watson.

    Early in the offseason, it looked like the Browns were more than comfortable rolling Watson out as their Week 1 starter. Then they saw Watson practice. Reports from OTAs and minicamp were not kind to Watson, though Sanders didn’t earn great reviews either. After getting a better look at both players, it sounds like new head coach Todd Monken truly doesn’t know who will take the first snap this year. By virtue of not being Deshaun Watson, Sanders has forced a legitimate training camp competition, though we doubt much fantasy value comes from the situation, regardless of who wins the job.
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    NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe believes Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker is on a “direct path” to being a head coach.

    Wolfe said he heard this sentiment from multiple sources around the league. Dallas hired him as their defensive coordinator this offseason after two years as the Eagles’ defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator. He also held the title of DBs coach in Denver for three seasons. Parker has a tall order ahead of him with the Cowboys. They ranked dead last in scoring allowed in 2025, giving up a franchise-record 511 points. Expect several teams to give him a look in the next hiring cycle if he can turn this unit into even a league-average one.
  • JAC Wide Receiver #12
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    NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reports Jaguars WR/CB Travis Hunter (knee) will be a “full go” for training camp.

    Hunter is working his way back from a 2025 knee injury and is expected to be a full go for the beginning of training camp, according to Wolfe. The 23-year-old is still going to play both sides of the ball, though Wolfe stated Hunter can be “unleashed” as a starter on defense and “the goal is to eventually have him play nearly all the snaps on defense in a particular game.” The Jaguars seem to like Hunter much better as a cornerback but he will still play offense with his wide receiver snaps fluctuating depending on the game. Hunter is attending meetings for both sides of the ball and will presumably practice both sides come training camp. He is expected to be healthy and ready to go by the time Jags veterans report to training camp in late July.