May 10, 2025
Per the team's transaction log, the Cleveland Browns have signed fourth-round running back
Dylan Sampson and second-round linebacker Carson Schwesinger to their rookie contracts. Schwesinger will make $11.8 million over his four-year deal, while Sampson is set to make $5.13 million over his. Sampson, 20, broke out in his final season at Tennessee with a stellar 1,491 yards and 22 TDs over 258 carries, adding another 20 catches and 143 yards through the air. He took home SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors. Schwesinger, on the other hand, was a Butkus Award finalist (nation's best linebacker) and ranked third in the FBS with 136 total tackles. Sampson's path to playing time is a little murkier than Schwesinger's, as the latter should push for immediate snaps in the Browns' linebacker room. Still, both players stand to make an impact on a rebuilding Cleveland roster in 2025.
--Alex CiullaSource: Cleveland Browns
May 10, 2025
The Indianapolis Colts have signed rookie wide receiver
Blayne Taylor, among 13 other undrafted free agents, on Friday. Taylor appeared in 51 games over three years at Abilene Christian and one at Cisco College, but did his best work in his final season as a Wildcat. In 2024, the Texas native garnered Second Team All-UAC honors with 73 receptions, 1,117 yards, and eight touchdowns. He's a big, explosive, wideout who tested well at his pro day and would be an exciting NFL talent if he could put it all together at the next level. However, Taylor still has some holes in his game and requires polish. The 6-foot-3 wideout's athleticism alone gives him a shot in the NFL. We'll see if he can do enough to make the team's roster over the next few months.
--Alex CiullaSource: Indianapolis Colts
May 10, 2025
Per the team's transcript on Thursday, San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak noted that wide receiver
Jauan Jennings still views himself as the No.1 guy in San Francisco. Specifically, Kubiak was asked if Jennings would resume WR1 duties for the team with uncertainty surrounding teammate
Brandon Aiyuk's (knee) status. "I think, if you ask Jauan, he says 'I'm No. 1," he replied. "And that's his mindset, and that's why we love Jauan." The 27-year-old was an afterthought in fantasy drafts last summer, but injuries opened up opportunity, and the former seventh-round pick ran with it. Jennings led all 49ers pass-catchers not named
George Kittle in receptions (77), yards (975), and touchdowns (six). He may have to stave off a second-year ascension from fellow wideout
Ricky Pearsall, but Jennings should again have a shot to be productive in 2025.
--Alex CiullaSource: Grant Gordon
May 10, 2025
Buffalo Bills rookie fourth-round defensive tackle Deone Walker (back) is feeling great despite playing last year with a back injury, but the Bills are playing it safe and easing him into rookie minicamp. "I had a pars defect in my back," Walker said. "I didn't know about it until after the season, really until the combine. We didn't really know what it was, but I feel a 100% right now." While the former Kentucky product wasn't always on the field with his fellow rookie teammates, he said he got in a lot of drill work and was putting in the mental reps while learning the playbook. The 21-year-old is a beast of a human being at 6-foot-7, 331 pounds. He was much more productive for the Wildcats when he was fully healthy in 2023, and he's expected to begin his NFL career as more of a rotational interior defensive lineman in Buffalo.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: BuffaloBills.com - Alec White and Maddy Glab
May 10, 2025
Now that quarterback
Derek Carr (shoulder) has announced his retirement, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport writes that it sets the stage for rookie second-round quarterback
Tyler Shough to be the team's eventual starter in 2025. Shough's stock for his rookie campaign was already rising with Carr's availability in question for 2025 due to a shoulder injury, but now Carr is out of the picture completely. The 25-year-old Shough will be competing primarily with
Spencer Rattler, who completed just 57% of his passes while throwing four touchdowns and five interceptions in his rookie season in 2024. Even if the Saints give Shough a little more time to develop and name Rattler the starter for Week 1, it seems likely that Shough will be starting games in the Big Easy sooner than later in 2025. Shough is old for a rookie and has plenty of experience, making him the current favorite over Rattler for QB1 duties.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
May
10,
2025
The
New
Orleans
Saints
announced
on
Saturday
that
quarterback
Derek
Carr
(shoulder)
is
retiring.
Carr
experienced
pain
in
his
right
shoulder
in
March
while
ramping
up
his
preparation
for
the
2025
season,
and
medical
scans
showed
read more...
May 9, 2025
The San Francisco 49ers waived former second-round defensive end Drake Jackson (knee) with a failed-physical designation on Friday, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Jackson continues to rehab a knee injury but is expected to be cleared by the start of training camp this summer. The Niners also waived offensive lineman Jalen McKenzie and cornerback Tre Tomlinson after signing offensive linemen Andre Dillard and Nicholas Petit-Frere and cornerback Dallis Flowers. Jackson, 24, the 61st overall pick in 2022 out of USC, missed the final 12 games of the 2023 season, including the postseason, and all of the 2024 campaign due to his knee injury. In his first two seasons before the injury, he had only 21 tackles (12 solo), six sacks, five tackles for loss, nine QB hits, an interception and nine pass breakups in 23 games (no starts).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
May 9, 2025
The San Francisco 49ers signed offensive lineman Andre Dillard, cornerback Dallis Flowers and offensive lineman Nicholas Petit-Frere to undisclosed one-year deals on Friday, according to NBC Sports Bay Area's Jennifer Lee Chan. Dillard appeared in 10 games (no starts) for the Green Bay Packers in 2024 but was unable to play in the wild-card playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles due to a concussion. The 29-year-old offensive lineman was the 22nd overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft by the Eagles out of Washington State, but he'll now compete for a reserve tackle role in the Bay Area for the 2025 campaign. Dillard spent the first three years of his NFL career in Philadelphia before joining the Tennessee Titans in 2023 and the Packers a season ago.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NBC Sports Bay Area - Jennifer Lee Chan
May 9, 2025
Former Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants linebacker Jaylon Smith, who last played in the NFL in 2023, is taking part in the Las Vegas Raiders' minicamp this weekend on a tryout basis, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Smith was a second-round selection (34th overall) in 2016 out of Notre Dame and had 100-plus total tackles in three of his first four NFL seasons with Dallas, earning his lone Pro Bowl selection in 2019. He has bounced around the league and dealt with injuries since leaving the Cowboys, but he did have 88 total tackles (46 solo) and a sack in 13 games (11 starts) with the Giants in 2022. He only played in one game with Vegas in 2023 and was briefly on the Pittsburgh Steelers' practice squad last year, but he didn't see any action. The 29-year-old would give the Raiders some additional linebacker depth if he reunites with them.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
May 9, 2025
The New Orleans Saints signed rookie first-round offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. to a four-year, $27.7 million deal on Friday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Saints passed on a quarterback in the first round and instead took Banks with the ninth overall pick out of Texas. The 21-year-old should help stabilize the Saints' starting right tackle spot in the long term after Ryan Ramczyk retired. He has the size (6-foot-5, 315 pounds) and athleticism to be a Pro Bowl tackle in the long run, but it remains to be seen if he'll earn a starting gig at right tackle out of the gates in his first NFL season in 2025. It will all depend on how Trevor Penning, who has disappointed so far in his career, looks during training camp and the preseason.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
May 9, 2025
The Atlanta Falcons signed rookie first-round linebacker Jalon Walker to his four-year deal on Friday, the team announced. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it's estimated to be $20.56 million in total value. He would carry salary cap number of $3.74 million this year before topping out at $6.54 million in 2028. In addition to Walker, rookie safety Xavier Watts, defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. and offensive tackle Jack Nelson signed their rookie deals. Atlanta took Walker with the 15th overall pick in this year's draft out of Georgia. It remains to be seen if the Falcons will use the 6-foot-1, 243-pounder as an inside linebacker or as a pass-rushing outside linebacker in his first year in the NFL. In 11 starts with the Bulldogs in 2024, the 21-year-old had 60 tackles (10.5 for loss), 6.5 sacks and two pass breakups.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: AtlantaFalcons.com - Terrin Waack
May 9, 2025
The Pittsburgh Steelers announced on Friday that they signed third-round rookie running back Kale Johnson to his four-year deal. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Steelers took Johnson out of the University of Iowa with the 83rd overall pick. "Really explosive running back that we spent some time with on a 30 visit here," said offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. "One of the more instinctive backs that I've watched in a couple of years coming out of the draft." In 35 career games (22 starts) for the Hawkeyes, Johnson had 508 carries for 2,779 yards and 30 touchdowns, adding 29 catches for 240 yards and two touchdowns. The 21-year-old stands at 6-foot-1, 224 pounds and is a big bruising back with plenty of big-play potential. Johnson figures to eventually supplant
Najee Harris as the Steelers' lead back after Harris left in free agency this offseason.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Steelers.com - Teresa Varley
May 9, 2025
The New York Giants released wide receiver
Lil'Jordan Humphrey on Friday, a source told The Athletic's Dan Duggan. Humphrey will head right back to the free-agent market after signing with the G-Men in late March. Humphrey posted career-highs in catches (31), targets (45) and receiving yards (293) while catching one touchdown pass in 17 regular-season games (seven starts) in his second year with the Denver Broncos in 2024. The 27-year-old was set to serve as wideout depth in the Big Apple this year, but he has lost his roster spot after the Giant recently signed five undrafted rookie free-agent wideouts. Humphrey should latch on with another team as receiver depth. In six NFL seasons, Humphrey has produced only 62 receptions for 770 yards and seven touchdowns on 92 targets over 58 games played (23 starts).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Dan Duggan
May 9, 2025
While searching for a wide receiver, the Dallas Cowboys looked into a trade for Baltimore Ravens wideout
Rashod Bateman, sources told FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz. The talks between the two teams didn't go far, though, and Dallas ultimately ended up acquiring pass-catcher
George Pickens after this year's NFL draft. Bateman attracted interest from a receiver-needy team after a career year in 2024 in which he caught 45 of his 72 targets for 756 yards and nine touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (14 starts). It was nice to see from the 25-year-old former first-rounder, but fantasy managers probably shouldn't expect more growth in 2025, especially not in the touchdown department. The Ravens remain a run-first offensive operation, and the addition of veteran
DeAndre Hopkins won't help Bateman's cause.
Zay Flowers should once again lead Baltimore in targets if he stays healthy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: FOX Sports - Jordan Schultz
May 9, 2025
Chicago Bears rookie first-round tight end
Colston Loveland (shoulder) has been unavailable during practice during rookie minicamp while rehabbing from surgery that he had on his shoulder in January. While he's unavailable for on-field work, Loveland is focusing on the mental side of things, learning the offensive scheme and developing chemistry with quarterback
Caleb Williams. The 21-year-old 10th overall pick in this year's NFL draft is expected to increase his activity by the time mandatory minicamp rolls around early next month, and he should be fully ready to go by training camp this summer as he enters his first year in the NFL. The Bears still have
Cole Kmet at the position, but the 6-foot-6, 260-pound Loveland could be Chicago's top pass-catching TE by season's end. As he shares playing time with Kmet in Year 1, fantasy managers should temper expectations in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Marquee Sports Network - Scott Bair
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