4 weeks agoAccording to Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth, he recently got together with new quarterback Russell Wilson in San Diego for throwing drills. Also in attendance were Calvin Austin III and Van Jefferson, who signed with the Steelers a few weeks ago. Interestingly enough, wideout George Pickens reportedly skipped out on participating with the group. Although a reason hasn't been revealed, it's something to monitor ahead of offseason workouts and moving toward training camp. However, with Wilson looking to bounce back from an unproductive year, not having his No. 1 wideout join him for voluntary drills isn't ideal. It also isn't a good look for Pickens, who fell below expectations throughout the 2023-24 campaign.Source: Allison Koehler
4 weeks agoFree-agent defensive end Calais Campbell remains unsigned. Although the 2008 No. 50 overall pick hasn't said if he'd return for another season, it appears the Falcons are interested in bringing him back. He played in Atlanta during the 2023-24 campaign, and despite his advanced age, he appeared in all 17 games. Campbell totaled 56 tackles and 6.5 sacks, his most since his final season in Jacksonville in 2019. With that in mind, it's logical to assume serious talks between both sides may not happen until after the NFL Draft. But if the 37-year-old doesn't return to Atlanta, there should be at least a handful of teams interested in acquiring his services, especially if it's at a discounted price.Source: Charean Williams
4 weeks agoThe Athletic's Bruce Feldman isn't sold that Oregon quarterback Bo Nix or Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. are the right fit for the Denver Broncos at pick No. 12 overall in this year's NFL draft, which is why he's projecting them to take Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell instead. The speedy cornerback would be a great addition opposite Patrick Surtain in Denver's secondary after posting a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine in February. "He's a phenomenal football player. I'm actually showing a tape of him in our team meeting later this week. His technique, the aggressiveness that he plays with, are things you can study to help your game. He's a very physical player, plays with good anticipation, very good change of direction, good feet, great ball skills," one coach said about Mitchell.Source: The Athletic - Bruce Feldman
4 weeks agoThe Athletic's Bruce Feldman predicts that the Arizona Cardinals will trade down to pick No. 11 in a swap with the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of this year's NFL draft to take LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas. The 21-year-old pass-catcher has been in the shadow ofread more...
4 weeks agoThe Athletic's Bruce Feldman predicts that the New York Jets will give quarterback Aaron Rodgers another receiving weapon in the upcoming NFL draft by taking Georgia tight end Brock Bowers with the 10th overall pick. Bowers is the best skill player that Georgia has produced since head coach Kirby Smart took over in 2016. He was the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2021 and a first-team All-American. The 21-year-old had 21 touchdowns over three seasons for the Bulldogs, and the 6-foot-3, 243-pounder is a terrific athlete. "What separates him is on the 50-50 balls, he's just such a competitor. He seems to have that 'clutch gene,'" one coach said. The Jets haven't had a fantasy relevant tight end in what feels like ages, but Bowers could change that quickly in 2024 if he goes to the Jets and Rodgers can stay healthy.Source: The Athletic - Bruce Feldman
4 weeks agoThe Chicago Bears could upgrade at edge rusher in this year's NFL draft by taking either UCLA's Laiatu Latu or Florida State's Jared Verse with the No. 9 overall pick in the first round, but The Athletic's Bruce Feldman thinks they'll go with LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers to give more firepower to rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who they are expected to take first overall. Nabers thoroughly impressed at his pro day workout and dominated for the Tigers in 2023, catching 89 passes for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns. "He can separate like nobody else. He has super speed and explosiveness. He's got this big lower half and is so scary in the open field. He is elite with the ball in his hands," one coach said. Having wideouts DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Nabers would give Williams some serious weapons in his rookie year.Source: The Athletic - Bruce Feldman
4 weeks agoThe New England Patriots and safety Kyle Dugger agreed to a four-year, $58 million contract extension on Sunday, according to sources. Dugger will get the long-term deal he desired after having the transition tag placed on him this offseason. The contract is worth up to $66 million and contains $32.5 million in guaranteed money. The 28-year-old former second-round pick in 2020 out of Lenoir-Rhyne had a career-high 109 tackles (71 solo), 1.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, five QB hits, two interceptions, seven passes defended and a forced fumble in 17 starts last year in his fourth season in the NFL with the Patriots. Coming off the best season of his career, Dugger will be in play in IDP fantasy drafts at the defensive back position this fall.Source: NFL Network - Mike Garofolo
4 weeks agoAccording to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, speaking on Friday's edition of NFL Live, the Dolphins are "trying pretty hard" to land free agent wideout Odell Beckham Jr. "They've made him at least one contract offer, possibly two," reported Fowler. "There has not been that financial gulf bridged." The 31-year-old sat out in 2022 after injuring his knee in Super Bowl LVI. However, he returned for the 2023-24 campaign, amassing 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns in 14 regular season games. Nonetheless, Beckham could wait things out before signing with a team. But if he lands in Miami, he could have difficulty getting routinely involved.Source: Adam Stites
4 weeks agoAccording to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, free agent wide receiver Tyler Boyd doesn't appear to be heading to the Steelers. "From what I have been told, Boyd was extremely interested in Pittsburgh at the beginning of the free-agency process," wrote Kaboly. "But the offer wasn't something he was comfortable with." It's only April, so it is possible both sides could revisit things after the NFL Draft. However, Boyd should have more than a few teams willing to sign him, with recent reports suggesting that the Chiefs, Chargers, Dolphins, Lions, and 49ers have expressed interest in bringing him in. With that said, the 2016 No. 55 overall pick is coming off a down year, amassing 67 catches for 667 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games. Yet, Boyd should still command attention from fantasy managers heading into the 2024-25 campaign, although his outlook is contingent on where he lands during the offseason.Source: Allison Koehler
4 weeks agoThe Athletic's Bruce Feldman believes that Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner is an ideal fit for the Atlanta Falcons with the No. 8 overall pick in this year's NFL draft. The Falcons can use a pass-rushing spark, and Turner was the most disruptive player for Alabama's defense last year, recording 14.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks to go with 13 QB hurries and two forced fumbles. What the 21-year-old lacks in size (6-foot-3, 247 pounds), he makes up for in explosiveness and pure athleticism. "He's violent with his hands and is the best pass rusher we've faced the last two years. He's freaky athletically. We thought he was very versatile," one coach said.Source: The Athletic - Bruce Feldman
4 weeks agoThe Athletic's Bruce Feldman has the Tennessee Titans (at No. 7 overall) stopping the position-player run early in the first round of this year's NFL draft by selecting Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt. That will especially be the case if the Titans think quarterback Will Levis has a legitimate chance to be the long-term QB. Alt is the best offensive-line prospect in this year's class and would give Tennessee a strong foundation up front after they took Peter Skoronski in 2023. The 21-year-old Alt impressed at the scouting combine and won't turn 22 until after his rookie year. "I like him a lot. He's as good as I've coached against in a long time. He's athletic. He's big. He's strong. He moves his feet real well. He's never in a bad position and he's never on the ground. Some of these guys, you can get them moving. This dude always had his pads square and played with low pad level," one coach said.Source: The Athletic - Bruce Feldman
4 weeks agoThe New York Giants haven't hid the fact that they will consider taking a quarterback in this year's NFL draft with Daniel Jones (knee) coming back from an ACL tear, but The Athletic's Bruce Feldman writes that they'll have their choice of two stud wide receivers in Washington's Rome Odunze and LSU's Malik Nabers if they stand pat at pick No. 6 overall. But after drafting blazer Jalin Hyatt last year, Feldman believes they'll go for the bigger and more physical Odunze. The 21-year-old is a former track standout and is very explosive. He had 92 catches for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2023, and his ball skills are elite. However, landing with Jones and the G-Men might not be the most attractive spot for Odunze's immediate fantasy football value in his rookie year. But Odunze's contested-catch abilities and ability to play both inside and outside make him very attractive.Source: The Athletic - Bruce Feldman
4 weeks agoThe Los Angeles Chargers are an obvious candidate to swing big at the wide receiver position in this year's NFL draft after trading away Keenan Allen and cutting Mike Williams this offseason, which is why The Athletic's Bruce Feldman is predicting the Bolts take Ohio State wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fifth overall pick. The 6-foot-3, 208-pound Harrison checks every box and is the consensus top receiver in this class with good length, strength, burst, polish and competitiveness. The 21-year-old is the most complete of any receiver to come out of Ohio State in the last decade, which is saying something, and he'd have immediate weekly starting potential for fantasy football managers if quarterback Justin Herbert was throwing to him in Year 1. Harrison is one of two players in this draft that Feldman would say is the closest to a "sure thing."Source: The Athletic - Bruce Feldman
4 weeks agoWith quarterback Kirk Cousins now with the Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell needs a new QB to utilize a talented group of receivers, and The Athletic's Bruce Feldman is hearing the Vikes are very interested in Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy, who went 27-1 as the Wolverines starter and led the team to the national title last year. Feldman is even suggesting the Vikings could trade all the way up to No. 4 overall with the Arizona Cardinals to take McCarthy in this year's NFL draft. The 21-year-old didn't put up the gaudy stats that the high-end names in this year's draft did, but he has honed pro-style footwork and threw 44 touchdowns to only nine picks in two seasons as the starter. McCarthy can also run, going for nine TDs and more than 500 yards on the ground. Landing in Minnesota would probably give him the most short- and long-term fantasy upside.Source: The Athletic - Bruce Feldman
1 month agoThe Kansas City Chiefs agreed to terms to re-sign defensive end Mike Danna to an undisclosed three-year deal on Friday, according to a source. The Chiefs will bring Danna back after he had career-highs in combined tackles (50) and sacks (6.5) while also recording seven tackles for loss and 13 QB hits in 16 regular-season starts for the Super Bowl champions in his fourth year with the team. Kansas City originally drafted the 26-year-old pass-rusher in the fifth round (177th overall) in 2020 out of Michigan, and he's tallied 128 tackles (68 solo), 17 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, 39 QB hits and four forced fumbles in 59 games (23 starts) in his four years in the league. Danna will continue to be a starter for KC in 2024 but isn't much of a fantasy asset in IDP leagues.Source: NFL Network - Mike Garofolo