6 hours agoCarolina Panthers rookie tight end
Ja'Tavion Sanders said his goal in the NFL is to be as good as former All-Pro Greg Olsen. Sanders, a converted receiver at Texas, averaged 49.5 catches a year with the Longhorns with an average of 648 yards and 3.5 touchdowns. His role with the Panthers is not clear yet, but head coach Dave Canales said on Saturday that Sanders will play both the "F" and the "Y" roles, dependent on pass plays versus 12 personnel. "He's a guy, you can move around a little bit more, maybe play him in the slot a little bit," Canales said, adding, "we look for those versatile type of tight ends." The 21-year-old was taken with the 101st overall pick in the fourth round this year but could immediately become the team's best pass-catching tight end over both
Tommy Tremble and Ian Thomas. Still, fantasy managers in single-year leagues in 2024 should temper expectations for Sanders in Carolina's offense.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Panthers.com - Kassidy Hill
7 hours agoDenver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said he liked what he saw from rookie quarterback
Bo Nix during practices at the team's rookie minicamp over the weekend. "He had two or three down the field throws [Saturday]," Payton said. "It's almost like watching a good golfer when you watch his game ... there's a patience to how he plays, the ball comes out." The Broncos took Nix 12th overall, which many thought was a massive reach, and hope he will become their next franchise signal-caller. With only
Jarrett Stidham and
Zach Wilson to compete with, Nix has a clear path to the starting job right away in his first season in the NFL, but the Broncos aren't getting ahead of themselves. "We'll figure it out, we'll figure it out ... We'll have a rotation and we'll go from there," Payton said when asked how the team's QB competition will unfold in the weeks ahead.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Legwold
7 hours agoNew England Patriots first-year head coach Jerod Mayo said that rookie quarterback Drake May, who was taken third overall in last month's NFL draft, "has a lot to work on." Saturday's practice featured a heavy emphasis on footwork fundamentals, with Maye spending the first few periods of practice taking snaps directly under center instead of the shotgun, which he mostly used the last two years at North Carolina. "The guy can sling it, man," said wide receiver
Ja'Lynn Polk, the second-round pick from the University of Washington. "He's very confident. He's a leader, very vocal; he's setting the tone in practice, trying to get guys moving around and operating at a high level." Maye is expected to compete with veteran
Jacoby Brissett for starting duties in 2024. The Patriots aren't going to rush Maye's development, so he's more of a dynasty/keeper asset in fantasy this year than a redraft one.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN Boston - Mike Reiss
7 hours agoFree-agent tight end
Tommy Sweeney signed an undisclosed deal with the Chicago Bears on Sunday after a tryout at their rookie minicamp, according to a source. Sweeney was with the New York Giants most of last year but sat out after he collapsed and had a "medical event" on the practice field. The 28-year-old was originally drafted in the seventh round (228th overall) by the Buffalo Bills in 2019 out of Boston College. All three of his NFL seasons came with Buffalo, and Sweeney has caught a total of 18 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown on 26 targets in just 24 games played (four starts). Sweeney will be competing for a roster spot in training camp this summer among a tight end group in Chicago that already includes
Cole Kmet,
Gerald Everett,
Stephen Carlson and rookie
Brenden Bates.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN New York - Jordan Raanan
7 hours agoThe New England Patriots officially named Eliot Wolf as executive vice president of player personnel on Saturday. Wolf will oversee the overall direction of the personnel department, the management of the salary cap and is in control of the 53-man roster. He's effectively the Patriots' general manager under owner Robert Kraft after previously serving as director of scouting. Wolf will essentially be taking over the role that former head coach Bill Belichick had for so long. The 42-year-old Wolf is a veteran of 20 NFL seasons with the Green Bay Packers (2004-17), Cleveland Browns (2018-19) and the Patriots (2020-23). He's entering his fifth season with the Patriots after originally joining the organization as a scouting consultant in 2020.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
21 hours agoFree-agent linebacker Bud Dupree has reportedly signed a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers. Dupree met with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons in addition to the Chargers. The 31-year-old has played with both the Steelers and Falcons during his career so it appears Dupree was looking for a new home. The veteran linebacker still has something left in the tank. He recorded 6.5 sacks last season with Atlanta. Those 6.5 sacks were the most for Dupree since the 2020 season. His addition should be a solid boost for this defensive unit heading into next season.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Los Angeles Chargers
21 hours agoThe Denver Broncos have released wide receiver
Phillip Dorsett. The veteran wideout was already a longshot to make the roster. The 31-year-old joined the Broncos last season and failed to make a catch during his two appearances. Dorsett has bounced around quite a bit throughout his time in the league. Dorsett is viewed more as a depth option than an actual impact player on a roster. He could sign elsewhere before the season starts, but his chances of having fantasy value are low.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Chris Tomasson
21 hours agoFree-agent wide receiver
Albert Wilson has decided to retire from professional football after seven seasons. Wilson joined the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent ahead of the 2014 season. He spent four seasons with the Chiefs, and Wilson achieved a career-high 554 receiving yards during his final season with the team. After that, Wilson joined the Miami Dolphins for the next three seasons. He was fairly lackluster during his time with the Dolphins. He bounced around with the Raiders and Vikings but hasn't seen the field since the 2021 season. Wilson will finish his career with 218 receptions, 2,499 yards, and 12 touchdowns.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Sports Illustrated
1 day agoFree-agent wide receiver
Jarvis Landry spent an hour running around catching passes as a tryout player at the Jacksonville Jaguars' rookie minicamp on Friday. Landry was one of the league's top receivers in the first seven years of his career, making five Pro Bowls with the Dolphins and Browns. He led the NFL in catches in 2017 with 112 and had three 1,000-yard seasons in that span. But Landry only played in 12 games in 2021 with Cleveland due to a knee sprain, and he had a career-low in catches (52) and receiving yards (570). He played in just nine games with the Saints in 2022 due to an ankle injury and sat out in 2023. Landry looked healthy on Friday and was pleased with his workout, but it remains to be seen if the Jags will add him as receiver depth in addition to
Christian Kirk,
Gabe Davis and first-round rookie Brian Thomas.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Michael DiRocco
1 day agoWashington Commanders rookie quarterback
Jayden Daniels didn't have any "wow" moments during his first rookie minicamp practice, but he still managed to impress fellow rookies and the coaching staff. "He's a stud," third-round receiver
Luke McCaffrey said. "I know he's one heck of a quarterback and a lot of fun to play with from a personality standpoint. I've had a blast in these 24 hours with him. He's just fun to be around; he's good energy." Daniels was the No. 2 overall pick in last year's NFL draft and is expected to take over as the team's starter under center right away in Week 1 this fall. The 23-year-old former LSU Tiger is a dual-threat QB with plenty of athleticism, and he could be the most NFL-ready signal-caller of all the rookie QBs not named
Caleb Williams. In Year 1, Daniels will be a low-end QB2 in fantasy with considerable upside for his rushing ability.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - John Keim
1 day agoWashington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said that second-round rookie defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton (foot) has an injury to his left foot -- not the same foot as his college season but the same injury -- and has surgery scheduled for next week. "Not giving any timelines for that," Quinn said. The 21-year-old had surgery in January on his right foot to fix a partial Jones fracture, but now he'll be forced to undergo a similar surgery on his other foot. It's not what you want to hear from a high draft pick as they head into their first NFL offseason. It remains to be seen when Newton will be able to practice with the team. Any missed time in training camp this summer would be a big blow to his development as he looks to carve out a role on the interior of Washington's defensive line in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NBC Sports Washington - JP Finlay
1 day agoCarolina Panthers rookie first-round wide receiver
Xavier Legette, who was taken 32nd overall in this year's NFL draft last month, has had trouble connecting with the team's rookie quarterbacks so far in rookie minicamp practices. Legette has always had the size-speed combination -- his 4.39-second 40-yard dash tied for the sixth-fastest among wideouts at this year's scouting combine -- but he kept hearing that he had to improve as a route-runner as he took part in Senior Bowl practices and the combine. At 6-foot-1, 221 pounds, some questioned Legette's ability to drop his hips and quickly get out of his breaks. Legette has been compared physically to
DK Metcalf, who Panthers head coach Dave Canales worked with in Seattle. At the very least, Legette will give second-year QB
Bryce Young a speed, big-bodied target deep down the field in 2024, but expecting much more than that might be unwise in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Joseph Person
1 day agoChicago Bears rookie first-round wide receiver
Rome Odunze (hamstring) is dealing with hamstring tightness and will sit out of Saturday's rookie minicamp practice. It's likely nothing to worry about in the long run, but it's also not a great start for Odunze as he looks to get going as a top-10 pick in this year's NFL draft. It's something to keep an eye on with the 21-year-old from Washington as we get deeper into the offseason and closer to training camp. The Bears took Odunze at No. 9 overall to give rookie quarterback
Caleb Williams more weapons in the passing attack in addition to established veterans
DJ Moore and
Keenan Allen. Odunze was extremely productive in college and is ultra-athletic on the football field, but it's going to be tough for him to produce consistent numbers in Chicago's offense in his rookie season as long as both Moore and Allen stay healthy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Tribune - Dan Wiederer
2 days agoThe Tennessee Titans signed first-round offensive tackle JC Latham to his four-year, fully-guaranteed rookie deal on Friday worth $26.04 million. The deal was confirmed by his agents Drew Rosenhaus, Ryan Matha and Jason Rosenhaus. The contract also includes the standard fifth-year player option for first-round picks. The 21-year-old offensive lineman was taken by the Titans with the seventh overall pick out of Alabama. He will be a huge upgrade for an offensive line that was in need of serious help this offseason and should start from Day 1 in his rookie season, at least at right tackle. The addition of Latham in 2024 should have an immediate positive impact in fantasy for young quarterback
Will Levis and the rest of Tennessee's option as they enter their first season without workhorse back
Derrick Henry.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
2 days agoThe Denver Broncos signed rookie quarterback
Bo Nix to his rookie deal on Friday, according to a source. As is the case with all first-round selections, Nix will have a fifth-year team option attached to his first NFL contract. Needing to add more competition to their QB room this offseason after getting rid of
Russell Wilson, the Broncos reached for Nix, the former Oregon signal-caller, with the 12th overall pick in last month's NFL draft. The Broncos have admitted that Nix could probably benefit from sitting and learning a year, but it's not like Denver already has a veteran starter in place. Nix,
Jarrett Stidham and
Zach Wilson will all compete for the starting gig in training camp and the preseason. At best, Nix would be a low-end QB2 in superflex leagues if he's starting out of the gates in Week 1 in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
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