NFL Player News

Bentley took to social media to bid farewell to New England. Shortly after, Patriots beat writer Mike Reiss said the team is expected to release him later in the day. The seven-year vet suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Week 2 last season but announced over the weekend that he was fully cleared to return to football, per Reiss. Bentley totaled 100-plus tackles in three-straight seasons before last year’s injury while racking up 8.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss over that span. He’ll be 29 at the start of next season. Once signed he’ll likely at least be a strong candidate to start for a new team.

10 days ago, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported McDaniel is expected to be back with the Dolphins. Fowler isn’t as sure, stating that while McDaniel has some support there, the team’s search for a new GM will be more about finding the best fit for the team rather than the best fit with McDaniel. Fowler even floats the idea that the Browns coaching position could come open by the team trading Kevin Stefanski to the Giants. While it’s all rumors and conjecture for now, the NFL’s coaching cycle will be in full force shortly after the final week of the regular season.

Jackson missed Week 17’s matchup with the Packers after suffering a back contusion against the Patriots in the previous week. While the 28-year-old quarterback’s absence was unfortunate for fantasy managers in the championship round of the playoffs, the Ravens still beat the Packers without Jackson, setting up a winner-take-all date with the Steelers this week. Rapoport said the Ravens thought Jackson would play last week, but he wasn’t even able to practice. He’s expected back on the practice field Wednesday and it’s difficult to imagine him missing a game of this magnitude without a setback.

This is a positive update for Shaheed, who was forced from last week’s game against the Panthers. The Seahawks face the 49ers on Saturday, and the winner takes home the NFC West crown while also securing the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed. Having Shaheed on the field would be extremely helpful for Seahawks QB Sam Darnold.

The Seahawks face the 49ers on Saturday. The winner secures both wins the NFC West and earns the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed. Barner has developed into a reliable contributor in the Seahawks’ passing game despite playing through multiple injuries this year. He is a boom-bust TE1 for the occasion.

As things currently stand, we are “two weeks from the open market.” Two weeks is a short time period, but things can move quickly in the NFL. Just yesterday, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported that “various high-level executives” believe Flores will “most likely be a candidate” for a head-coaching job this offseason. The Vikings would surely love to keep their brilliant defensive coordinator, who schemes up bamboozling blitzes on a weekly basis. The Vikings’ 62.8 percent blitz rate leads the league by 19.9 percent and their 44.3 percent QB pressure rate leads the league by 2.0 percent.

Williams will not participate in the 49ers’ walkthrough this evening and was forced from Week 17 after just one snap. Consider him firmly in the questionable camp for the team’s divisional showdown against the Seahawks in Week 18.

The 49ers are hosting only a walkthrough this evening. Logging a limited session is a plus for Pearsall, who has been plagued by lower-body injuries this season. He looked great running routes against the Bears last week, and can be treated as a WR3 with upside against the Seahawks’ tough defense in Week 18.

Great news. Kittle will be a limited participant in Tuesday evening’s walkthrough. The talented tight end sat out in Week 17 after missing practice all week. Backup TE Jake Tonges caught 7-of-8 targets for 60 yards and one touchdown in Kittle’s stead. If Kittle is unable to face the Seahawks on Saturday, Tonges will again be a viable streamer.

The 49ers will conduct a walkthrough today, though McCaffrey will not participate. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that McCaffrey’s back is “a little stiff.” Trainers tended to McCaffrey’s back between drives, late in the fourth quarter during the 49ers’ Week 17 win over the Bears. He returned and played effectively. We expect him to do so this week as well, though backup RB Brian Robinson must be rostered wherever he is available.

What exactly that entails, Fowler doesn’t actually get into, but he says “those are two places I see as like — they’ve done their preliminary research for a potential move, doesn’t mean they’re likely to do it or that they’ve decided yet.” We blurbed yesterday that Ian Rapoport doubts the Raiders will keep Pete Carroll. It sure sounds like the Browns and Stefanski should also be on the radar for a firing (or potentially a trade) once Week 18 unfolds. Stefanski gave up playcalling to Tommy Rees in early November and was reportedly less than thrilled when the Browns traded Joe Flacco to the Bengals. If the Browns did move on from Stefanski, he would be a strong candidate to pick up a new head coaching gig this offseason after twice winning the AP Coach of the Year award in 2020 and 2023.