NFL Player News

Rams head coach Sean McVay suggested that Nacua getting in a limited practice was just preventative as he battles knee discomfort. There doesn’t seem to be anything here that would impact Nacua’s ability to play in Week 11, but it’s always important to know when a player is playing through discomfort as they could be more likely to aggravate the injury.

Gonzalez said his shoulder injury is in the past but couldn’t give a definitive timeline for his return to practice. The first-round corner got off to a hot start as a rookie before suffering a torn Labrum in Week 4 against the Cowboys. Through four weeks, Gonzalez had one pick, three pass breakups, and a sack. Barring a setback, Gonzalez should get to participate in the bulk of the Patriots’ offseason program.

The Saints also waived offensive lineman Tommy Kraemer. Mond was signed by the Saints in April. After drafting Spencer Rattler in the fifth round, New Orleans no longer had a need for Mond. He landed on the Colts’ practice squad last year and will likely be stuck on another practice squad for the 2024 season.

Byrant signed with the Cowboys’ practice squad during the 2023 season. He was released before the end of the season but landed a reserve/futures contract with Dallas less than two weeks later. Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, “Other teams are interested and expected to bring him in for a look.” Bryant hasn’t played an NFL snap since 2018 but may get a shot at making a 53-man roster this summer.

After hiring Arthur Smith to be their next offensive coordinator, the Steelers have made it abundantly clear that they plan to run Smith’s offense from Atlanta. They have already signed Cordarrelle Patterson, Van Jefferson, and Miller, all of whom played under Smith in 2023, this offseason. Miller went for 161 yards and two scores on 11 grabs last year. He figures to see most of his work on special teams in Pittsburgh.

DiNucci, a former XFL star, has bounced on and off the Broncos roster over the past year and a half. He’s completed 23 of 43 NFL passes for 219 scoreless yards over three regular season games. The Broncos will roll with first-rounder Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, and Jets castoff Zach Wilson in summer practices. He could end up on Denver’s practice squad this summer.

Despite rampant speculation and reporting that the team had dangled Aiyuk as a trade candidate before and during the NFL Draft, Rapoport said the 49ers view Aiyuk as a “key piece” of Kyle Shanahan’s offense and have no desire to ship him to another team (it should be noted that 49ers general manager John Lynch denied reports that the team entertained a pre-draft trade of Aiyuk). Rapoport suggested Aiyuk could land a long-term deal similar to Devonta Smith, who last month signed a three-year contract extension worth up to $75 million. It seems likely Aiyuk will remain with the Niners for at least the 2024 season.

Rourke is a former CFL star, passing for 3,349 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions with the BC Lions in 2022. He signed with the Jaguars for 2023, but was released towards the end of the season. The Patriots briefly scooped up Rourke, who was the odd man out after April’s draft saw Drake Maye and Joe Milton both join the Pats. Rourke now joins Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, and Tommy DeVito in the Giants’ quarterback room.

The Patriots currently have Eliot Wolf as their de facto general manager. Robert Kraft is seemingly not using traditional titles for his new front office as Hunt is expected to be the team’s first external interview for this “lead personnel” position. Hunt would presumably work with Wolf to make front office decisions if hired. With new head coach Jerod Mayo and rookie quarterback Drake Maye, a new era will be underway in New England.

According to Dallas police, the incident took place early Monday morning when Rice allegedly struck a photographer in a nightclub known as Lit Kitchen. We don’t know much beyond the allegations at this point, but this is now the second time this offseason that Rice has found himself involved in legal trouble. His most notable incident came in late March when he was involved in a high-speed, multi-vehicle crash that resulted in eight charges being filed against him. We’ll see what comes up with this latest allegation, but Rice continues to trend toward some kind of suspension before the start of the season.

Tagovailoa already had a short stint with the Seahawks but was let go after a few days. Now, the former Maryland Terp will have a chance to earn a spot with the Cardinals. The younger brother of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Tagovailoa enters the league with a fraction of the NFL pedigree as Tua. Like Tua, Taulia also spent time at Alabama but transferred to Maryland ahead of the 2020 season, where he went on to start 37 games for the Terps from 2021 through 2023. An undersized prospect (5’11/208) who is prone to turnovers, Tagovailoa didn’t earn an invite to the combine and may not be long for the NFL, but may get a few more shots to stick on a roster in the coming months.