NFL Player News

“I would have trouble understanding why you would allow that to happen, you’re trying to build a new culture, you can’t let that guy ... you just got a rookie QB, this is the example you’re going to give him,” Underhill continued. Both Underhill and Mike Triplett believe Tyler Shough will be starting for the Saints in Week 1, with Underhill saying he had “80 percent or higher odds to start 80 percent of the games this year.” Shough would be an uninspiring superflex pick, perhaps a QB3, but given how things have played out with Carr over the past months, it sure doesn’t seem like the Saints have a reason to want to continue this relationship. Mickey Loomis literally asked reporters to stop asking him Carr questions at his pre-draft press conference.

Hendrickson continues to search for a long-term extension from the Bengals ahead of this season. That said, the star pass rusher who is entering the final year of his deal went on to say, “The offers prior to the draft did not reflect the vision we shared and were promised last offseason if I continued to play at a high level. Coaches are aware of these past conversations. Rather than using collaboration to get us to a point to bring me home to the team, THEY are no longer communicating.” The Bengals have a tall task in front of them to extend Hendrickson after signing Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to lucrative extensions this offseason. They also brought back Mike Gesicki on a three-year, $25.5 million deal. Despite some thoughts that there was going to be a deal between Hendrickson and the Bengals in the coming months, it sounds as if things have hit a frustrating stall. While we won’t rule out something still getting done, it may take a training camp holdout or an outright trade for Hendrickson to secure the extension he’s looking for. Last season, Hendrickson totaled 17.5 sacks and has racked up 35 sacks over the last two seasons for the Bengals

Rodgers continues to delay any decision on the matter, but the Steelers remain confident that he will eventually sign with them. Rodgers, 41, has had a long-standing offer on the table from the Steelers for most of the offseason, but the future Hall of Famer continues to mull over whether he should continue his playing career or hang it up. Rodgers threw for 3,897-28-11 last season with the Jets and continued to show signs of a player who has regressed since his 2021 MVP season. That said, he’s far and away the best candidate to lead the Steelers, whose quarterback room currently features Mason Rudolph, Skylar Thompson, and rookie Will Howard. Rodgers doesn’t need to play like an MVP to help the Steelers, who won 10 games last season, but he is their best hope at making the playoffs for a third-straight season.

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo was the first to report the news. Kazee stays in the AFC North on what is presumably a one-year contract. The eight-year vet spent the last three seasons with the Steelers, appearing in 38 games while making 14 starts. Kazee tallied five interceptions and seven pass breakups during his time with the Steelers while playing in what was primarily a backup role, and will likely serve as added depth for the Browns this season.

The Falcons now have both of their first-round selections under contract. They made a surprise trade back into the first round of last month’s draft to select Pearce, who boasts elite athleticism for his size and should contribute immediately on pass-rushing downs. Pearce totaled 19.5 sacks during his three seasons at Tennessee and led the SEC with 10 sacks as a sophomore. With a lot already invested in the pick, the Falcons hope Pearce will turn into a transformative player who can help turn around a defense that ranked 23rd in points allowed and 31st in sacks (31) last season. Pearce will receive a guaranteed $16.8 million on his rookie deal, with $8.8 million coming via a signing bonus.

The game is set for Thursday, September 4, and will be carried on NBC and Peacock, our favorite network and streaming app. The defending Super Bowl champions will play host to the division rival Cowboys on a national stage that will also feature newly minted head coach Brian Schottenheimer. It’s a classic matchup that features two popular NFC East teams who could be headed in starkly different directions this season. While the Eagles will begin their title defense, Schottenheimer’s Cowboys are hoping to rebound from a 7-10 season with a roster that still has a lot of question marks heading into training camp.

Standig was careful to qualify his statements by saying it is “hard to assess” a player’s potential when they are playing against “a bunch of guys that are not going to make this team.” However, Standig did offer a “bold prediction” by saying that he could see Croskey-Merritt “getting into the rotation,” if he can prove his rookie minicamp performance was “real.” Overall, this should be viewed as a qualified yet positive report from a sharp beat reporter, though fantasy managers must acknowledge that Croskey-Merritt has not yet proved himself against NFL veterans. For future reference, Standig adds that Croskey-Merritt curiously goes by “Bill.”

All Round 1 rookie contract values are predetermined by the rookie wage scale. They are also fully guaranteed. Per Mike Florio, the contract’s training camp bonus “has become a device for putting a sizable chunk of the player’s pay in his pockets in future years, early in the season,” and the Bengals reportedly offered Stewart “a lower percentage than the 17th overall pick received in 2024.” It’s an embarrassing revelation. Rookie contract values increase each year, and the training camp bonus rate ostensibly should as well. After all, the deal is fully guaranteed anyway. Stewart has thus far refused to participate in the Bengals’ rookie minicamp and is apparently unlikely to change his mind until the Bengals at least give him the equivalent 2024 rate.

The “variety of arm angles” Ward employs reportedly “drew some attention during the scouting process,” but Callahan is unconcerned. He believes that if there are issues with a quarterback’s ball placement and delivery, “a lot of that usually still goes back to their body positioning and their lower-body work.” Ward spent much of Saturday’s rookie minicamp session participating in drills that emphasize proper pocket navigation, and maintaining one’s base while moving laterally. Any improvements Ward is able to make would be a boon to his fantasy value.

Winning a role on special teams is Restrepo’s ticket to the active roster. The beefy slot receiver could one day earn an offensive role, but for now, establishing himself as a utility player is key. Restrepo delivered middling results, serving as an occasional punt returner during his five-year college career. Overall, he returned 12 punts for 45 yards while forcing eight missed tackles along the way. His 3.8-yard average fails to inspire, but his 0.7 forced missed tackle average is notable.

Smith lands the deal after an ostensibly solid showing at the Raiders’ rookie minicamp last weekend. Head coach Pete Carroll is known for embracing competition across the roster and the Raiders’ inside linebacker depth chart gets murky behind starter Elandon Roberts. Free agent signing Devin White is coming off a shaky, two-team 2024 season, and sophomore Tommy Eichenberg was bothered by a knee injury last year, logging just 79 defensive snaps. It’s a good landing spot for Smith. He may be able to work his way into the lineup after spending a year away from the game.