Bengals Declining John Ross' Fifth-Year Option

The Cincinnati Bengals have informed wide receiver John Ross III that they are declining his fifth-year option, according to a source. Ross will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2020 season. The Bengals took the 25-year-old with the ninth overall pick in the 2017 draft mainly because of his blazing speed. Ross is still […]

NFL Season Highly Likely To Occur In 2020

There is an "extremely small" chance that there won't be an NFL season in 2020, according to sources with direct knowledge of both the league's deliberations and the current and expected medical and scientific developments in the coming weeks and months. The biggest potential impediment to playing football later this year will be the availability […]

James Conner Could See Reduction In Carries

The Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to "cut back" running back James Conner's carries in the 2020 season, in the opinion of The Athletic's Ed Bouchette. Conner remains atop the team's running back depth chart, but he has a lot to prove this year after playing in just 10 games in 2019 due to injuries. He […]

Steelers Unlikely To Re-Sign JuJu Smith-Schuster

The Pittsburgh Steelers are unlikely to re-sign wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster after the 2020 season, in the opinion of The Athletic's Ed Bouchette. Injuries and poor quarterback play didn't help his cause in 2019, but Smith-Schuster had his worst season as a professional with 42 receptions for 552 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games. […]

Willie Calhoun Says He's 100 Percent Healthy

Texas Rangers outfielder Willie Calhoun (jaw) said that he is back to 100 percent health after fracturing his jaw in spring training before the 2020 MLB season was suspended due to the coronavirus. "The only thing that’s really limiting me is I have numbness from my right cheek down to the middle of my chin. […]

Lions Not Expected To Pick Up Jarrad Davis' Option

The Detroit Lions are not expected to pick up the fifth-year option on linebacker Jarrad Davis, according to a source. Davis will now become a free agent after the 2020 season. He was the 21st overall pick in the first round by the Lions in the 2017 draft, but Davis just hasn't had the production […]

Chiefs Sign Taco Charlton

The Kansas City Chiefs agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal with defensive end Taco Charlton on Saturday, according to a source. Charlton was a first-round pick (28th overall) in the 2017 draft for the Cowboys, but he has not lived up to expectations in the NFL so far. The 25-year-old was recently released from the […]

Nick Mullens Signs Tender

San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback Nick Mullens signed his one-year, $750,000 tender as an exclusive-rights free agent on Friday, according to a league source. Mullens had no other choice but to return for the 2020 season. He'll be a restricted free agent after next season. With Jimmy Garoppolo staying healthy in 2019, Mullens didn't attempt […]

Jaguars Not Exercising Leonard Fournette's Option

The Jacksonville Jaguars are not exercising running back Leonard Fournette's fifth-year option for the 2021 season, according to a source. Fournette was the fourth overall pick in the 2017 draft, but the Jaguars are clearly ready to move on from him after the shopped him in trades leading up to and during last week's draft. […]

Emmanuel Clase Suspended 80 Games

Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase was suspended 80 games by Major League Baseball on Friday for testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance. Clase came over from the Rangers in the trade involving starting pitcher Corey Kluber over the winter. The 22-year-old tested positive for Boldenone, which is an anabolic steroid. Clase's suspension won't […]

Broncos Decline Garett Bolles' Option

The Denver Broncos declined the fifth-year option on offensive tackle Garett Bolles on Friday, according to a source. Bolles hasn't lived up to expectations as the team's starting left tackle ever since the Broncos took him with the 20th overall pick in the first round in the 2017 draft. Penalties have been a big issue […]

Patrick Mahomes Confident Long-Term Deal Will Get Done

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes is confident that a long-term contract extension will get done in time. In an unexpected move, the Chiefs exercised Mahomes' fifth-year option, so he's currently under team control for two more years. But it's safe to expect that a new deal will get done before […]

49ers Declining Option On Solomon Thomas

The San Francisco 49ers are declining their fifth-year option on defensive lineman Solomon Thomas on Friday, according to a source. Thomas was taken third overall in the 2017 draft but has been a bust for San Francisco. The 24-year-old has just six sacks and 93 combined tackles (73 solo) in 46 games (28 starts) in […]

Dion Sims Retiring

Former Chicago Bears tight end Dion Sims, who didn't play at all in 2019, announced on Twitter on Friday that he is retiring from the NFL. The Michigan State product played six seasons in the league with the Bears and Dolphins after being selected in the fourth round by Miami in 2013. Sims caught 91 […]

Seahawks, Titans Have Made Offers To Jadeveon Clowney

The Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans are both still interested in defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and have made multiple offers, but nothing has matched Clowney's desired price tag, according to sources. Sources think "he is just not in a hurry to sign." The pass-rusher has already dropped his asking price of around $20 million per […]

Saints Really Wanted Tommy Stevens

The New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers engaged in a bidding war during the 2020 draft for Mississippi State quarterback Tommy Stevens. The Saints had traded their remaining picks late in the draft on Day 2, so they had to sit and wait. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady worked with Stevens in their time together at […]

Damien Williams, Clyde Edwards-Helaire To Form One-Two Punch

Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said that running back Damien Williams will remain the starter heading into the 2020 season, but first-rounder Clyde Edwards-Helaire will definitely be in the mix in his rookie season. "I mean, both these guys can run and catch and certainly Damien will come in as the starting running […]

Packers GM Was Driving Force Behind Jordan Love Selection

Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst started digging into future quarterbacks last offseason when he held a pre-draft visit with quarterback Drew Lock, who the Broncos drafted in the second round in 2019. Gutekunst comes from the Ron Wolf/Ted Thompson school of scouting in which the importance of the QB is ingrained. Wolf traded […]

K.J. Wright Underwent Shoulder Surgery

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider revealed on Thursday that linebacker K.J. Wright (shoulder) recently underwent shoulder surgery. However, Schneider said the surgery wasn't serious, but it remains unclear when Wright will be back. The Seahawks also drafted Texas Tech linebacker Jordyn Brooks in the first round last week, and he could slide into the […]

Rashaad Penny Could Start Season On PUP List

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider implied that running back Rashaad Penny (knee) will start the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list while he recovers from a torn ACL last year. Penny's injury is typically a nine- to 10-month injury, and he suffered it on Dec. 8. Schneider said "he's doing great but […]

Chris Carson Will Be Ready For Season

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider said that running back Chris Carson (hip) is doing great and will be ready for the start of the 2020 season. The Seahawks have been optimistic all offseason that Carson will be ready after he fractured his hip in Week 16 of last season. He rushed for 1,230 yards […]

Von Miller Cleared Of Coronavirus

Denver Broncos defensive end Von Miller said that he's "negative" for COVID-19 two weeks after he admitted publicly that he had tested positive for the virus. It's great news for Miller and the Broncos, although it was never reported that Miller was in serious condition while battling the coronavirus. The 31-year-old former Super Bowl MVP […]

MLB Targeting Early July For Start Of Season

There remains optimism that there will be a Major League Baseball season played in 2020, and early July remains the target for the start of the season. However, health remains the overriding factor and the plans for a season depend on having ample and reliable testing for the coronavirus. Spring training would likely be around […]

Bears Signing Tashaun Gipson

The Chicago Bears are signing safety Tashaun Gipson to an undisclosed one-year deal on Thursday, according to a source. Gipson was cut by the Texans this week, a year after he was signed to a three-year, $22.5 million deal. He went on Injured Reserve late last season with a back injury after starting the first […]

Justin Verlander Recovering Well From Surgery

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (groin, lat) said that he's doing "very well" since undergoing surgery on his groin on March 17. Verlander is just about healed and is throwing long toss at not quite 100 percent yet. The veteran right-hander is taking things slowly so that he doesn't aggravate his lat. The 37-year-old […]

Bears Restructure Nick Foles' Contract

Chicago Bears quarterback Nick Foles has restructured his contract heading into the 2020 season. He's under contract with Chicago for three years and $24 million, with $21 million fully guaranteed. Foles will make $8 million in 2020 and can make another $6 million in incentives. The contract was modified to reduce the salary cap hit […]

Reuben Foster Has Fifth-Year Option Declined

The Washington Redskins declined the fifth-year option on linebacker Reuben Foster, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. Foster was the 31st overall pick in the first round of the 49ers in 2017. He had 72 tackles (59 solo), seven tackles for loss and five QB hits in 10 starts his rookie season, […]

Redskins Not Very Interested In Cam Newton

Washington Redskins head coach Ron Rivera said it would depend on the circumstances on whether the team would even consider signing free-agent quarterback Cam Newton. "I think with Cam, and I have thought about it, I mean, it's something that's run through my mind, and it's about the situation and circumstances. I'm not sure I […]

Chiefs Exercise Fifth-Year Option On Patrick Mahomes

The Kansas City Chiefs have picked up the fifth-year option on quarterback Patrick Mahomes, according to a source. The Super Bowl MVP is now under contract through the 2021 season, but the team is hoping to reach a long-term extension with him soon, which will make him the league's highest-paid signal-caller. The move to pick […]

Chargers Pick Up Mike Williams' Fifth-Year Option

The Los Angeles Chargers exercised the fifth-year option on wide receiver Mike Williams on Thursday, according to a source. There was never much question that the Bolts would pick up William's option for the 2021 season after he reached the 1,000-yard receiving mark in 2019 in his third year in the league. However, Williams only […]