NFL Player News

Koo is getting $11.5 million guaranteed. He was set to be a restricted free agent, but the Falcons are instead locking him up through his age-32 season. Koo is now the league’s second-highest paid kicker at $4.85 million per year, trailing only Justin Tucker at $5 million. Koo bounced around the league a bit with the Chargers and Patriots before settling in with the Falcons in 2019. He’s been dynamite in Atlanta, drilling 92.6% of his field goals, going 87-of-94 in three years, and 95.1% of his extra points in that span. He’s also 13-of-14 on field goals of 50-plus yards. Koo deserves the pay day.

The team itself used the “agreed to terms” lingo, stressing the deal was contingent on a physical. Nevertheless, the Steelers know what they are getting into. The 41-year-old will pass his examination and get to work replacing last year’s Justin Fields/Russell Wilson combination. Rodgers appeared in physical free-fall last season, but he still remained more middle of the pack in most advanced metrics. Rodgers did struggle over the middle of the field, though that is not where the Steelers’ primary weapons roam. Rodgers will obviously struggle for top-20 fantasy value himself. The question is if he can keep DK Metcalf in the top 18 at receiver, or perhaps make Pat Freiermuth a more consistent option. We are not holding our breath.

Brown had previously been mentioned in the same breath as incumbent receiver Parker Washington, but here, Oehser lists Brown among “the Jaguars’ top receivers” along with Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter. Oehser describes all three as being “fast and fluid” while noting “Brown in particular continues to show easy speed. Technically, stretching the field while Thomas and Hunter rack up targets could qualify as playing a “huge role in the offense” for Brown, so June drafters should take a measured approach in responding to Oehser’s commentary. Still, locking up the No. 3 role in what is expected to be a fantasy-friendly aerial attack is noteworthy. Brown should be on late-round radars.

Franklin has generated “a number of explosive plays” thus far, leading Payton to celebrate Franklin’s ability to “run after the catch.” The report comes from The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider, who adds that Franklin “has looked impressive” through two organized team activities and is “playing faster than he was at this time last year.” Franklin must sustain high-quality play over the next three months in order for these comments to matter. Still, the Broncos’ wide receiver depth chart behind Courtland Sutton gets murky quickly.

Campbell acknowledged that this is a conservative projection, giving Rodriguez at least some chance to return sooner. The Lions’ defense was hit hard by injuries last season, so the front office added a bevy of defenders via both the draft and free agency. Hopefully, Rodriguez returns in full force, in time for a playoff push.

Per Chappell, Pittman “bumped knees” while running a route and is “sore but ok.” It sounds like Pittman is just dealing with a contusion of some sort, and he should be good to go in a week or so. This is great news for a team that could not catch a break earlier on, with Anthony Richardson now dealing with inflammation in his surgically repaired AC joint.

One wonders why the surgically repaired AC joint is inflamed. If Richardson’s shoulder is already responding negatively to mild use during organized team activities OTAs, will it be able to withstand regular season rigors? Hopefully, the Colts will provide us with clear information on the issue. Should he be able to participate in training camp, fantasy managers drafting in late August and/or early September should be able to get a good read on his 2025 status, but until then, things may remain somewhat unclear.

In April, Coen made clear that improving Lawrence’s footwork was his first order of business. Now two months removed from those comments, Coen is promisingly praising Lawrence’s progress in this regard while highlighting the critical role footwork plays in progressing through “reads” and maintaining the play design’s “timing.” Coen’s methods helped Baker Mayfield complete the second-most first-read passes (225) of the 2024 regular season while serving as the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator. Coen adds that while his focus has largely been on Lawrence’s footwork, he is also pleased with how well Lawrence is “running the show.”

LaFleur compared the two receivers’ release tactics by saying Nacua “loves the physicality” of the game, whereas Adams employs more “elusive” methods. Nacua will surely continue bullying smaller cornerbacks with physical play, but adding tools that help him deal with more physically imposing players could allow him to have an even larger impact on the game, now operating as the team’s No. 1 wide receiver. Adams has also notably assumed a respected leadership role with the organization as a whole. Per Miller, there “has been a noticeable shift in how the entire receiver room operates since Adams walked through the front door,” and “even the coaching staff has been open to his teachings.” Perhaps, Adams can also help second-year WR Jordan Whittington develop, who played well at times last season.

It’s hard to draw a conclusion on this one. Given the time of year, it makes sense for a player to leave practice as a precaution, should any minor tweak occur. Pittman is also tough as nails, having played through much of last season with a fracture in his back. There is no reason to panic at this time, though Pittman’s health is worth monitoring closely.

The move ends Parham’s 2025 season. Parham’s regular season snap occurred in 2023, when he caught 27-of-40 targets for 285 yards and four touchdowns. He turns 28 in August and is scheduled to hit free agency at the end of this year.