NFL Player News

More bad news for a Bills defense that just lost defensive tackle Ed Oliver for the season. Johnson picked up a groin injury in practice this week, which means the Bills will be without one of the league’s best slot cornerbacks and also without Shaq Thompson, who has been perhaps their best linebacker this season. It’s an overall upgrade to the Chiefs’ passing game over the middle of the field.

In the most recent meeting between the league and the NFLRA, “several owners” joined the league’s negotiating team, per Seifert. The league and the NFLRA continue to work toward hammering out a deal before the current deal expires on May 31st. The league is already laying the groundwork for replacement referees should a deal not be reached in time before the start of the season, and is expected to begin training said replacements in May if no deal is in place. Hopefully the latests meetings are a sign that things are moving in the right direction, but given the massive gap in salary demands between the league and NFLRA, we won’t rush to assume a deal is close to being signed.

Cooper, 22, continues to make the rounds this pre-draft cycle with the draft just over two weeks away. The versatile, do-it-all receiver who has drawn comparisons to Deebo Samuel is viewed as a fringe first-round prospect and could immediately step in to help whatever team drafts him. Cooper was a full-time slot receiver in 2025 with the Hoosiers, but can work on the outside, and would pair well opposite Chris Olave and would face little competition from incumbent receivers for snaps. Cooper caught 69 passes for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, and has totaled over 1,500 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns since 2024.

This isn’t the first time it has been reported that Hunter will serve primarily as a corner in 2026. NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reported similar back in February, but Hunter is still expected to have a minor role on offense. The Jaguars are three deep at receiver with Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, and Jakobi Meyers all on the roster. The decision to move Hunter to corner, where he allowed just nine catches on 15 targets while appearing on 120 coverage snaps, addresses a more pressing need for the Jags, who lost starter Greg Newsome earlier this offseason in free agency.

A nine-year vet of the league who rose to stardom after going undrafted in 2017, Moore has totaled 649 tackles, 21 interceptions, and 68 pass breakups during his time with the Colts and earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2021. The soon-to-be 31-year-old corner is a premier slot corner and played 578 of his 715 defensive snaps in the slot last season, per PFF. Moore started seven of the 14 games he appeared in last season and notched one interception, and is entering the final season of his contract. With no guaranteed money remaining on his current deal, Moore is likely eyeing a sign-and-trade deal.

NBC Sports Houston’s Aaron Wilson reports that today’s visit did not result in an “immediate” signing, but a deal “could be revisited later.” Dang. Green, 25, has not played since the 2024 season. He will likely sign with a new team at some point this offseason.

The details of Sample’s one-year deal have not been announced yet. The 26-year-old pass rusher has notched two sacks in each of his last three seasons. He did not play in 2024. He generated 12 quarterback pressures last year and will compete for a backup role in San Francisco.

For those wondering whether the 49ers view left tackle as a priority in the first round, Miller said that in “talking to people around the league, the 49ers don’t necessarily view offensive tackle as a Round 1 priority.” The team has instead been linked to the wide receiver position. Concepcion has made top-30 visits with the Browns, Raiders and Dolphins thus far, but the inside-outside wide receiver prospect could be a good fit in San Francisco.

The Buccaneers have reportedly “keyed in” on tight end and defensive end as positional options in the first round. The Buccaneers re-signed TE Cade Otton to a three-year, $30 million contract this offseason. He is not a high-end receiving tight end, but he could eat into Sadiq’s snap share as a blocker. The receiving corps is currently in flux, though. There are worse landing spots for Sadiq.

Popper begins by saying that the Chargers are excited to see their incumbent wide receivers in McDaniel’s new system, but thinks they need “a shifty, speedy, YAC weapon.” Branch fits the bill. He ran a 4.35-second 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine, possessing “dynamic speed and the linear twitch to threaten the defense before and after the catch.” That said, among the 93 targets he earned in 2025, 46 were screen passes. He will likely need time to develop as a route runner, regardless of his landing spot.

Per Reid, the team views him " as an ideal complementary WR2 to Garrett Wilson.” Although the Jets are doing their homework on quarterback prospects, some reports indicate that they are not interested in drafting a quarterback in the first round. Reid adds to that idea, telling readers not to be surprised if the Jets refrain from using any of their three picks in the Nos. 1-33 range on a quarterback. The Jets “are expected to be aggressive in boosting their wide receivers room.”