NFL Player News

Grier joked in the presser that if somebody calls to offer them two first-round picks they’d consider it, but unfortunately for him, Bill O’Brien can only offer NIL money at this time. Hill’s recent domestic dispute with his wife likely has teams skittish regarding a potential trade for the speedy wideout. Denials don’t always mean what is on the tin — and the fact that Grier said no team had contacted them as far as a trade for Hill could be viewed as him seeking a market — but as of now, it looks more likely than not that Hill will return as Miami’s No. 1 receiver in 2025.

Stick is a former fifth-round pick who has seen action in six games since entering the league in 2019. Sporting a 0-4 record as a starter, Stick has a career passing line of 1,133-3-1 and has rushed 28 times for 142 yards and one touchdown. He’s a dual-threat quarterback who excelled in the college ranks while playing for North Dakota State, but Stick has never been anything more than a low-end backup for his career. He’ll have a chance to compete for a spot on the Falcons’ 53-man roster in camp, but he could be on the outside looking in depending on who else the Falcons add in the coming weeks.

In other words, Simmons will likely enter into his age-28 season as a Titan again. Kuharsky says his sources believe Simmons would be worth a second- or third-round pick. Simmons finished the year playing up to his usual standard, with a 80.0 PFF defensive grade and a career-best 81.6 PFF pass rush grade. The Titans would need a quick turnaround to be competitive by the end of his prime, but of course they’re going to believe that they’ll find that turnaround.

Brad Holmes was demonstrably less enthusiastic about re-signing Jameson Williams as compared to the extensions he said he was going to negotiate with Kerby Joseph and Aidan Hutchinson this offseason, per The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy. It probably comes down to what the Lions could command in return for Williams, who has two years left on his contract after Detroit picks up his fifth-year option, but we’d find it hard to believe they’d just deal their No. 2 wideout away without being in position to land one of the best receivers in this draft and replace him right away. We’re skeptical that the Lions would do this a year early, but we can’t entirely rule it out.

This is strictly based on things Breer has heard throughout the offseason, but the SI insider reports that the Giants, who currently hold the No. 3 pick, have “had ups and downs with Sanders” throughout the pre-draft process and even predicts the Giants won’t be taking him at No. 3. If the Giants don’t take Sanders with the third pick, the Saints at No. 9 would be the next most logical landing spot, but Breer says he “would be pretty surprised” if the Saints took him. While another team trading up for Sanders is always a possibility, assuming all teams stay pat, the only team late in the draft who is in need of a quarterback is Pittsburgh. Beat writer Gerry Dulac reported earlier that the Steelers “really like” Sanders, but they may become the difference between Sanders being drafted in the first round or slipping into the second. With the draft just days away, we’ll have answers to these questions soon, but rumors continue to mount that Sanders’ stock may be slipping as draft day draws near.

“It shouldn’t affect him in the short term, but teams are concerned it could impact his longevity. Add to the questions on Johnson’s long speed, which were not allayed when he decided not to run a 40, and the Wolverine star could slide,” Breer writes. A staple of the top-fives in way-too-soon mock drafts all of last summer and fall, Johnson’s speed and medical flags could have him slipping into the back half of the first round. Or further.

That doesn’t mean Campbell won’t be ready for the start of the season, but it does mean he might have a slow training camp and have a hard time making an instant impact. Campbell has been widely considered a candidate to go in the back half of the first round. It’s possible this shoulder injury slides him into Day 2, but Breer notably doesn’t go as far as to say that.

Etienne Jr. is playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract and coming off a disastrous 150/558/2 line following a 1,000-yard 2023 season. Tank Bigsby ate into his playing time and Etienne Jr. also dealt with hamstring issues. It’s possible that he’d resurface as the head of a committee in a different backfield, but the company that Etienne Jr. is keeping on the list Schefter published — full of Will Levises and Jalin Hyatts — tells the tale of someone who would only cost a Day 3 pick.

Schefter came up with a long list of players who could be expendable on rookie deals — for the most part it’s the failed prospects you’d expect — but Pickens caught our eye. It sure feels like Pickens and D.K. Metcalf ran the same route tree last season, and his football character has been considered an issue by team beat writers. Not to mention the fact that Pickens his entering the final year of his contract and we’ve had beat writer speculation about a hold-in. It makes sense that a team that didn’t find it’s preferred first-wave receiver in the draft could dial back and pick up Pickens for a late Day 2 or early Day 3 pick. The talent is certainly there.

This is in the context of a mock draft where Kendall paired Mason Taylor with the Falcons — though it should be noted that Kendall’s mock has more picks for the Falcons than they currently have. But Kendall notes that Kyle Pitts will be playing on the final year of his rookie deal and incumbent backup Charlie Woerner has 18 catches in five seasons. He then writes that Atlanta “will give Pitts a chance to prove himself early this season, but if he disappears for a couple of weeks as he has at times in his career, the Falcons need a pass-catching weapon at that position.” Oof. Pitts probably will remain a TE1 in fantasy circles this year based on projection, but certainly nothing he’s shown on the field has demonstrated he’s a lock to return TE1 production.

Jeremiah, one of the most dialed-in draft experts every year, believes Jeanty would be a “statement pick” for the Jaguars. He notes that he doesn’t think the Jaguars are “committed” to Travis Etienne long-term, and that they’ve got to get Trevor Lawrence up and running to justify the contract extension he got. Jeanty increasingly feels likely to go inside the top seven picks between the trade-up rumors and being linked to the Raiders and Jaguars in the past week. Obviously from a fantasy perspective, picking Jeanty would be a mortal blow to both Etienne and Tank Bigsby.