2 weeks agoThe Chicago Bears are widely expected to trade the No. 1 overall pick of this year's NFL draft, but league sources are indicating that there's a chance they could trade down twice within the first round. It would result in the Bears netting multiple first-rounders this year and in 2024, along with several other Day 2 picks. It's unlikely Chicago would want to move down past the No. 15 overall pick within the first round. The Bears are moving forward with Justin Fields as their franchise signal-caller after he took a step forward in his second NFL season, but they'll need to surround him with better talent on offense, especially at the wide receiver position.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: CBS Sports - Jonathan Jones

2 weeks agoThe Arizona Cardinals have parameters to trade wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, and it would most likely come after free agency starts on March 15, according to a source. The Cardinals want a second-rounder and a conditional pick or another player in return for Hopkins. There will surely be plenty of teams interested in trading for the five-time Pro Bowler. He played in a career-low nine games in 2022 due to a suspension and injury, hauling in 64 of his 96 target for 717 yards and three touchdowns in his third year in the desert. With quarterback Kyler Murray (knee) potentially a good chunk of next season, Hopkins' fantasy value could benefit from a trade out of Arizona at this point. After having a fourth straight 1,000-yard season in 2020, Nuk has disappointed in back-to-back years.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Mike Jurecki

2 weeks agoThe Miami Dolphins will not be pursuing Baltimore Ravens franchise-tagged quarterback Lamar Jackson or any other starting QBs this offseason, according to multiple team sources. "Mike fully believes Tua Tagovailoa is the perfect fit for his system," according to a source. There was another recent rumor that the Dolphins might be trying to pull Tom Brady out of retirement for a second straight season in order to play for them, but the Dolphins continue to stand by the injury-prone Tagovailoa despite the fact that he hasn't played more than 13 games in any of his first three NFL seasons. The 25-year-old former fifth overall pick in 2020 had two documented concussions in 2022, but when he was healthy, he had the best season of his young career. Tagovailoa will be an injury risk as a low-end QB1/high-end QB2 in 2023.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Darlington

2 weeks agoSan Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (elbow) will have surgery on his right UCL on Friday, according to a source. He was originally set for surgery on Feb. 22, but an MRI exam showed too much inflammation around his injured right elbow. With a six-month recovery timetable, Purdy is expected to be ready the second week of September. Week 1 of the regular season begins on Sept. 7. The first three months will be spent recovering from the surgery while minimizing swelling and inflammation. Purdy should be able to start throwing the football in the second three months of the rehab. Third-year QB Trey Lance is set to take all first-team repetitions in the offseason after recovering from a season-ending right ankle injury that he suffered in Week 2 of 2022. It would be a surprise if Lance isn't San Fran's Week 1 starting QB.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NBC Sports Bay Area - Jennifer Lee Chan

2 weeks agoAccording to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Ravens have placed the franchise tag on quarterback Lamar Jackson. It's a non-exclusive tag, so the signal-caller will earn around $32 million. However, it opens the door for another team to swoop in and sign him, although Baltimore would have the right to match any potential offer. Jackson, who has been searching for a big-money deal for years, finished the 2022-23 campaign by throwing for 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also ran for 764 yards, the second-lowest mark of his career, while finding the end zone three times on the run. But the former MVP also battled a knee injury, costing him six combined games during the regular season and playoffs. Nevertheless, there will be plenty more to this situation moving ahead, but Jackson's fantasy outlook is contingent on where he'll be suiting up this year.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Ian Rapoport

2 weeks agoAccording to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, quarterback Daniel Jones has agreed to a four-year, $160 million contract to remain with the Giants. The deal includes $94 million in guaranteed cash, with the signal-caller eligible to earn an additional $35 million in incentives. New York declined his fifth-year option back in April after an unproductive 2021-22 campaign. However, under head coach Brian Daboll, Jones had the best year of his career, finishing with 3,205 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions while completing 67.2% of his throws. He also got it done on the run, amassing 708 yards and seven touchdowns off 120 carries. Without a doubt, Jones' fantasy stock is much higher heading into 2023-24, so he should draw more interest in all formats.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: Ian Rapoport

2 weeks agoThe Giants used the franchise tag on running back Saquon Barkley. With Daniel Jones inking a four-year, $160 million deal on Tuesday, New York can now focus on retaining Barkley beyond the 2023-24 campaign. The 26-year-old thrived last season under head coach Brian Daboll, finishing with 1,312 rushing yards, a career-high, and 10 touchdowns off 295 carries. He also caught 57 of his 76 targets for 338 yards. More importantly, the former Nittany Lion played 16 games for the first time since his inaugural season. With that said, Barkley still has to sign the tag, which would pay him north of $10 million. In addition, another team can attempt to sign him, although the Giants can match any offers or receive two first-round picks. There's also a chance he won't report for team activities in the months ahead, a common path for dissatisfied NFL superstars. But until this situation is sorted out, Barkley's fantasy attractiveness won't be as high, especially if things turn ugly surrounding negotiations.--Dennis Clausen - RotoBallerSource: ESPN

2 weeks agoGreen Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had conversations with the New York Jets and is reportedly open to the idea of playing for the franchise. While nothing is imminent, this is big news and a possible precursor to a change of scenery for the future Hall-of-Famer. There have been reports that Green Bay is ready to move on and hopes Rodgers doesn't want to come back. Ultimately, there will be a lot more developments in this situation, but after Derek Carr signed with New Orleans, New York looks to be focusing on acquiring the 39-year-old signal caller.--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Trey Wingo

3 weeks agoUniversity of Oklahoma offensive tackle Wanya Morris (hamstring) suffered a Grade 2 right hamstring strain while running the 40-yard dash during the NFL combine in Indianapolis, according to a source. He's expected to face a three- to four-week recovery timeline, and it's unclear if he'll be able to work out for scouts at his school's pro day this month. Morris is one of the draft's top offensive lineman, but it's unclear how this will affect his draft stock in April. He finished with an unofficial 40 time of 5.19 seconds at the combine. The 6-foot-5, 307-pounder was Oklahoma's right tackle in 2022.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport

3 weeks agoUniversity of Florida offensive tackle Richard Gouraige (ankle) woke up with a swollen ankle on Sunday after a pain-tolerance test created an injury, according to sources. As a result, he wasn't able to take part in any on-field drills during the combine in Indianapolis. It's a missed opportunity for Gouraige to impress scouts before April's draft. The 6-foot-5, 306-pounder projects to be a solid backup at the next level, but he's versatile, logging 42 combined starts at tackle and guard at the collegiate level. Gouraige spent the last two seasons with the Gators at left tackle. Given his length (34-inch arms), he's expected to make the transition to guard in the NFL.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport

3 weeks agoOld Dominion tight end Zack Kuntz (knee) impressed during the NFL combine in Indianapolis on Saturday and became the tallest player ever (6-foot-7) to jump 40 inches. He also ran a 4.55-second 40-yard dash, which is incredible considering he had surgery late this year to fix a dislocated kneecap. Kuntz was fully cleared to take part in the combine and took full advantage by impressing scouts. The knee injury caused the 23-year-old to miss most of the 2022 season, but he caught 73 passes for 692 yards and five touchdowns in 2021. Kuntz's natural athleticism stood out last weekend, and he also had the best three-cone drill at 6.87 seconds. With his impressive combine results, he could enter the top 100 on draft day in April.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport

3 weeks agoUniversity of Virginia wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (hip) tweaked his hip flexor while running the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in Indianapolis on Saturday and shut it down for the day, according to a source. The good news is that his injury isn't considered serious, so it shouldn't negatively affect his draft stock in April. He ran an official 4.62-second 40-yard dash before shutting things down for the day. Wicks was mostly used as a field-stretcher in college due to his speed down the field, but he dropped 23.1 percent of his targets in 2022, which was among the highest among college receivers with at least 50 targets last year.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport

3 weeks agoUniversity of Alabama tight end and Senior Bowl standout Cameron Latu (hamstring) didn't take part in the NFL combine on Saturday after he tweaked his hamstring earlier in the week, according to sources. Latu will do everything at his school's pro day on March 23, and his hamstring injury shouldn't negatively affect his draft stock in April. In the last two seasons at Alabama, Latu caught 56 passes for 787 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Crimson Tide. Latu has limited straight-line speed, which could limit his contributions in the passing game in the NFL in his rookie season in 2023. He's more of an underneath chain-mover and blocker.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport

3 weeks agoMichigan State wide receiver Jayden Reed (eye) was battling a severe eye infection during last week's NFL combine, one so bad that his infected eye was almost fully closed. Despite the eye issue, he decided to compete on the same stage as every other player during the combine. Reed ran a 4.45-second 40-yard dash, had a 33 1/2-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-1 broad jump. The 22-year-old pass-catcher caught 147 passes for 2,069 yards and 18 touchdowns in his three seasons with the Spartans and was an All-American in 2021 while also being a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award as the nation's most versatile player. His eye injury should not affect his draft stock in a negative way.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport

3 weeks agoUniversity of Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt (hamstring), who ran a 4.40-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine on Saturday, felt tightness in his hamstring while doing positional work, according to sources. He was forced to shut things down out of caution and will be ready for his school's pro day on March 30. Hyatt also put up a 40-inch vertical jump and 11-foot-3 broad jump. The 21-year-old pass-catcher is extremely athletic and caught 67 passes for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns in his final collegiate season in 2022. "I'm not really worried about running routes; I can run routes," Hyatt said last week. "I know how to release. I played in the SEC. So, I know how to do all those."--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport