1 month agoCarolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson had his contract restructured, reducing his base pay in 2024 to $3.1 million with $1.7 million guaranteed to help clear around $3 million in salary cap space for this season. The former 25th overall pick by the Panthers in 2015 out of Washington played in only two games last year before suffering a season-ending fractured fibula against the New Orleans Saints. The 29-year-old had a run of four straight seasons with 100-plus combined tackles before getting hurt in 2023. Thompson also restructured his contract with the Panthers last offseason, which gave him an extra year with the team. He'll be entering his 10th season in Carolina and he's started in 108 of his 119 career games, totaling 717 combined tackles, 12 sacks, three interceptions and four forced fumbles over nine NFL seasons.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
1 month agoBefore the Los Angeles Chargers traded wide receiver
Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears on Thursday evening in exchange for a fourth-round pick, the New York Jets and Houston Texans were interested in trading for him. After restructuring his contract last offseason, Allen declined to take a pay cut in 2024 and was traded to the Bears. Even though he missed the final four games in 2023 with a heel injury, Allen set the Chargers' single-season record for catches with 108 and also led the team with 1,243 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. The six-time Pro Bowler is coming off his fifth season with 100 catches, which is tied for third-most in NFL history. The 31-year-old has one year left on his four-year, $80.1 million extension he signed in 2020. He said he and the Bears are approaching the prospect of a new deal "one day at a time," and his hope is to remain with Chicago on a long-term basis.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Courtney Cronin
1 month agoThe Carolina Panthers plan to host former Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver
Mike Williams (knee) for a visit next week, according to a league source. Williams, who suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Week 3 of last year, was released earlier this week due to salary cap purposes. The 29-year-old they call Big Mike was set to make $20 million in the final year of his three-year extension in 2024. Now that most of the big free agents have already chosen new teams, Williams is one of the biggest names available on the open market and would give young quarterback
Bryce Young a big new target in the passing game after Carolina already traded for wideout
Diontae Johnson. The former seventh overall pick in 2017 by the Bolts out of Clemson has two 1,000-yard seasons in his seven NFL campaigns and scored nine touchdowns in 2021, but his lengthy injury history outweighs his upside at this point.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Charlotte Observer - Mike Kaye
1 month agoThe New York Jets are expected to sign former Dallas Cowboys All-Pro and Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith, according to a source. Smith will become the team's new blind-side protector for quarterback
Aaron Rodgers, who will be returning in 2024 after tearing his Achilles in Week 1 of last season. The Jets have made it a point to upgrade their offensive line this offseason so they can do a better job of keeping Rodgers upright in the pocket, adding left guard John Simpson, right tackle Morgan Moses, and now Smith. The 33-year-old Smith, the former ninth overall selection by the Cowboys in 2011 out of USC, is an eight-time Pro Bowler, although he hasn't played a full season since 2015. But when he's been healthy, Smith has proven to be one of the better left tackles in the league, so the signing is a big plus for Rodgers and the Jets offense.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
1 month agoThe Green Bay Packers officially re-signed running back
AJ Dillon on Friday. Dillon was originally selected by the Packers in the second round (62nd overall) in 2020 out of Boston College. He has played in 60 games (11 starts) for the team during the regular season and has compiled 2,428 yards on 597 carries (4.1 yards per carry) with 16 touchdowns while recording 86 receptions for 763 yards (8.9 yards per catch) with two touchdowns. The 25-year-old had a career-low 3.4 yards per carry in 15 regular-season games (six starts) in Green Bay in 2023 and failed to take advantage of
Aaron Jones missing some time with injuries. Dillon missed the final three games due to a neck stinger, but he should be fully healthy for the start of the 2024 season this fall, where he'll be back as the No. 2 RB behind newcomer
Josh Jacobs.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Packers.com
1 month agoThe Pittsburgh Steelers are signing free-agent wide receiver
Van Jefferson to an undisclosed one-year deal on Friday. After the trade of receiver
Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers this week, the move to sign Jefferson will give new quarterback
Russell Wilson a new weapon alongside
George Pickens and
Calvin Austin III. The 27-year-old former second-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 2020 spent time with new Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith with the Atlanta Falcons last year, catching 12 of 28 targets for 101 yards in 12 games (five starts) with the team. The move to Pittsburgh should be a boost for Jefferson's weak fantasy value, but the Steelers could also add to the position in the upcoming NFL draft. In four years in the NFL, Jefferson has 113 receptions for 1,600 yards and 10 touchdowns in 61 games (35 starts).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The 33rd Team - Ari Meirov
1 month agoAfter the Los Angeles Chargers traded wide receiver
Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears on Thursday night and released
Mike Williams this week, they are fully expected to pursue receiving help in the upcoming NFL draft. Allen is the franchise's
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1 month agoThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed former New York Giants offensive guard Ben Bredeson to a one-year deal worth up to $3.5 million on Friday, according to a source. The former Baltimore Ravens' fourth-round pick in 2020 out of Michigan started a career-high 16 games in his third season for the Giants last year. The 26-year-old offensive lineman spent only his rookie season in Baltimore before playing for the G-Men the last three seasons. In his four seasons in the NFL to this point, Bredeson has only started 25 of the 45 games that he's appeared in, so he shouldn't be expected to fill a starting role on Tampa's offensive line to begin the 2024 season this fall.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Mike Garofolo
1 month agoVeteran free-agent offensive lineman Jon Feliciano signed an undisclosed one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers on Friday, according to a source. Feliciano will re-sign with the defending NFC champions after playing in 16 games (seven starts) for the team during the regular season before helping them advance to the Super Bowl in his first year with the organization in 2023. The 32-year-old came into the league as the Las Vegas Raiders' fourth-round pick in 2015 out of Miami of Florida. He spent the first four years of his career with the Raiders before playing three seasons with the Buffalo Bills and then one season for the New York Giants in 2022. Now that he's back in the Bay Area, expect Feliciano to compete for the team's starting right guard spot in training camp.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: FOX Sports - Peter Schrager
1 month agoThe Carolina Panthers signed former Jacksonville Jaguars edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson to a one-year, $5 million maximum deal on Friday, according to a source. The former first-round pick (20th overall) in 2020 by the Jacksonville Jaguars out of LSU will head to the NFC after tallying 73 tackles (48 solo), five sacks, 11 tackles for loss and 23 QB hits in 57 games (11 starts) in his four years with the Jaguars. The 24-year-old has not performed up to his draft status and hasn't started a game since 2021, so he's clearly well off the IDP fantasy radar. The Panthers will be hoping that a change of scenery for Chaisson will spark more production as he battles for a starting spot at linebacker in Carolina this summer.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
1 month agoThe Philadelphia Eagles agreed to terms with pass-rusher Josh Sweat on a restructured contract on Friday to keep him in Philadelphia, according to sources. Sweat was drawing interest from other teams for what likely would have been a pay increase, but he'll instead stay with the team in 2024. With the restructure, the 26-year-old has a chance to make $13 million this season with $10 million guaranteed. The former fourth-round pick of the Eagles in 2018 out of Florida State was a Pro Bowler for the first time in his career in 2021, but his production dipped slightly last season. In 17 regular-season starts, he had 43 tackles (30 solo), 6.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss, 23 QB hits and two forced fumbles a year after recording a career-high 11 sacks in 16 starts. Sweat won't be on the IDP fantasy radar in most leagues in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
1 month agoThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers agreed to terms on an undisclosed deal with free-agent quarterback
John Wolford, according to Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht. Wolford will return to Tampa after spending the end of last season on the team's practice squad. The 28-year-old didn't actually appear in a game in the NFL in 2023. The Wake Forest alum entered the league in 2020 with the Los Angeles Rams and has appeared in all seven of his games (four starts) in LA. Over that time, he's gone 61-for-104 (58.7 completion percentage) for 626 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions. Wolford will strictly operate as quarterback depth for the Bucs in 2024 behind starter
Baker Mayfield and backup
Kyle Trask.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Jason Licht
1 month agoNew Tennessee Titans wide receiver
Calvin Ridley said "let me run all the routes" when giving his introductory press conference. It sounds like the Jacksonville Jaguars only let him run certain routes as their No. 1 pass-catcher in 2023, which kept him somewhat limited. Ridley would like to express more creativity with his routes in Tennessee, but it remains to be seen how that will play out as he starts across from veteran wideout
DeAndre Hopkins. The 29-year-old signed a four-year, $92 million deal to become the Titans' top receiver, and he'll now be taking passes from young quarterback
Will Levis. After missing all of 2022 due to a suspension, Ridley caught 76 passes for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games in 2023 for Jacksonville. Even with an inexperienced QB, Ridley should have a solid fantasy floor while being consistently targeted in the Titans' new offense.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: TicTac Titans
1 month agoThe Las Vegas Raiders restructured wide receiver
Jakobi Meyers' contract on Friday to create $4.125 million in salary cap space for 2024. Meyers joined the Raiders in free agency last offseason and signed a three-year, $33 million deal. He immediately paid off for the Raiders as the No. 2 behind All-Pro
Davante Adams, as Meyers finished his first year in Sin City with 71 receptions on 106 targets for 807 yards and a career-high eight touchdowns in 16 starts. The 27-year-old pass-catcher has now gone over 800 receiving yards in each of the last three seasons, although keeping that trend alive could be more difficult in 2024 with the Raiders potentially using a rookie signal-caller under center for much of the year. Still, he should at least be in play as a WR3/flex option on a weekly basis with a solid target floor.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Las Vegas Review-Journal - Vincent Bonsignore
1 month agoThe Los Angeles Rams agreed to terms with free-agent quarterback
Jimmy Garoppolo on an undisclosed one-year deal on Friday, according to sources. Following his disastrous year with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023, Jimmy G is now set to join the Rams for one season as
Matthew Stafford's backup. Garoppolo must first serve a two-games suspension to start the year for performance-enhancing drugs, but then he will be holding a clipboard on the sidelines with the Rams. The 32-year-old signal-caller played in seven games with the Raiders last year before getting hurt and eventually benched for rookie
Aidan O'Connell, going 110-for-169 for 1,205 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions. Pretty much all of the fantasy value that Jimmy G had going into last season is now gone.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Mike Garofolo
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