3 days agoFree-agent wide receiver
Zay Jones is signing with the Arizona Cardinals, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. The 29-year-old went on visits with the Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys this week, but he ultimately landed in a spot where he can compete for targets right away. Jones was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars after they selected LSU wideout
Brian Thomas Jr. in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but there's a real chance his situation is better in Arizona. Rookie
Marvin Harrison Jr. is expected to occupy the WR1 role right away, but Jones is almost certainly slated to start in three-wide sets, and he might even beat out
Michael Wilson to start in two-wide sets. He and tight end
Trey McBride could battle it out to be
Kyler Murray's No. 2 option in the passing game. Pencil in Jones as at least a deep league flex option in 2024.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Ian Rapoport
3 days agoThe Carolina Panthers released veteran running back
Tarik Cohen, who was attempting a comeback from a series of injuries that derailed his time as a Pro Bowl return man with the Chicago Bears. Cohen hasn't played in a regular-season game in the NFL since 2020, and it remains to be seen if he'll latch on with another club this offseason. The 28-year-old was a former fourth-round pick in 2017 by the Bears out of North Carolina A&T. He was never much of a ball-carrier at 5-foot-6, 181 pounds, but he excelled as a returner and as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. Cohen suffered an ACL tear in Week 3 of 2020 and also tore his Achilles in May of 2022. He spent most of last year on Carolina's practice squad but missed two months with a hamstring injury.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
3 days agoJacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said that wide receiver
Gabe Davis (knee) is working through an injury, so the team hasn't been able to see much from him yet after adding him in free agency this offseason. Davis missed the postseason last year with the Buffalo Bills due to a knee injury that he suffered in the Week 18 season finale against the Miami Dolphins, and apparently it's still an issue. While we don't expect the injury to keep him from participating in training camp or being ready for the start of the 2024 season, it's bad news for a player looking to learn a new offense in Jacksonville. The 25-year-old is another strong offensive situation in Jacksonville, but he'll face competition for targets from
Christian Kirk and Brian Thomas and tight end
Evan Engram, likely making him a boom/bust fantasy option yet again.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Florida Times-Union - Demetrius Harvey
3 days agoWhen asked who would be calling the team's offensive plays in 2024, Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson remained non-committal. "Don't play a game until September. So, we've got some time," Pederson said. Offensive coordinator Press Taylor was responsible for calling most of the team's plays in a disappointing 2023 season, so Pederson is seriously considering taking back those duties in 2024. A lot of the team's offensive struggles in the second half of last year had to do with the fact that quarterback
Trevor Lawrence was playing injured, and that they were missing one of their top receivers in
Christian Kirk. The Jaguars finished with 339.5 total yards per game (13th in the league) and 22.2 points per game (tied for 13th).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Juston W. Lewis
3 days agoThe New York Giants signed No. 6 overall pick, wide receiver
Malik Nabers, to his rookie deal on Friday. The deal is a four-year, $29,207,750 fully guaranteed deal that includes an $18,062,000 signing bonus and a fifth-year team option. The Giants passed on adding competition for quarterback
Daniel Jones in this year's NFL draft and instead gave Jones big-time receiving help with perhaps the most explosive and athletic wideout in this year's strong class of receivers. The 20-year-old from LSU will immediately slot in as New York's No. 1 pass-catcher in 2024. He was wildly productive for the Tigers and should be heavily targeted as he transitions to the NFL, but he won't turn 21 until later this summer and could struggle for consistency if Jones continues to struggle as a passer. Fantasy managers in single-year leagues shouldn't be relying too heavily on Nabers in his rookie season in a Giants offense that has had its share of problems with Jones leading them.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
3 days agoChicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus officially named rookie quarterback
Caleb Williams as the team's starting QB on Friday at rookie minicamp. Everyone already knew that Williams would be Chicago's starting signal-caller when they selected him first overall in last month's NFL draft
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4 days agoGreen Bay Packers wide receiver
Alex McGough, a former USFL MVP who transitioned from quarterback this offseason, could use his pure athleticism to secure a roster spot prior to the 2024 campaign, head coach Matt LaFleur told the media. McGough spent all of 2023 operating as Green Bay's No. 3 quarterback. "He's a really athletic guy," LaFleur explained. "He spent a lot of time on the scout team running receiver routes, and he did such a great job. We feel like he's such a talented athlete, [so] why not give him a chance there? He's a smart guy, works his tail off. I think he can contribute [on special teams] as well. We felt like that might be his best chance here." These comments suggest that the Packers place great value on McGough's athleticism and don't want to risk losing someone like him, even if his impact is limited to special teams in 2024.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: Zach Kruse
4 days agoFree agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore still wants to play football but is waiting for the right opportunity, he told NFL insider Josina Anderson. "I know the value I still bring," Gilmore said. "If you watch the tape, I feel like I played well the last two years, and literally almost played every snap last year." Indeed, Gilmore was impactful in 2023. He started all 17 games for the Cowboys, registering two interceptions, 13 passes defended, 68 tackles, and one forced fumble. He's still a starting-caliber defender who could justify holding out for a specific opportunity, perhaps with a contender.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: Josina Anderson
4 days agoIndianapolis Colts running back
Evan Hull could still earn the backup role despite some speculation suggesting the job belonged to
Trey Sermon. According to James Boyd of The Athletic, "it remains unclear" who will operate as the No. 2 option behind
Jonathan Taylor in 2024. He notes that while Sermon may be the early favorite, the former 49ers draft pick has just 78 carries for 346 yards and one touchdown in his career. Whoever takes over as Taylor's backup will be filling big shoes. Last season, that role belonged to
Zack Moss, who finished the year with 986 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns. Moss is now in Cincinnati, leaving a competition of sorts for Sermon and Hull. As a rookie last year, Hull mustered just one rushing yard and six receiving yards.
--Andersen Pickard - RotoBallerSource: James Boyd
4 days agoThe Athletic's James Boyd has Indianapolis Colts tight end
Jelani Woods projected as the team's starting tight end in May because he remains bullish on his potential, despite the fact he was sidelined all of last year due to hamstring injuries. Woods should be healthy for organized team activities, and his next-level athleticism will mesh perfectly with head coach Shane Steichen's play-calling to create mismatches all over the field. He's also big enough to block when needed, and
Kylen Granson can continue to use his speed and route-running to help move the chains.
Mo Alie-Cox will remain in the mix as a seasoned veteran. While Woods should have a bigger pass-catching role if he can stay on the field, this could once again be a frustrating committee situation at TE for fantasy managers.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - James Boyd
4 days agoThe Dallas Cowboys signed rookie offensive tackle Tyler Guyton to his rookie deal on Thursday. In addition to Guyton, Dallas locked up rookies Cooper Beebe, Maris Liufau, Caelen Carson,
Ryan Flournoy, Nathan Thomas and Justin Rogers. The only rookie that remains unsigned now is second-rounder Marshawn Kneeland. Guyton was selected 29th overall in the first round after Troy Fautanu and Amarius Mims came off the board earlier in the first round. The 6-foot-8, 322-pounder has excellent physical traits and the potential to play tackle at the next level, but it remains to be seen if he'll eventually develop as a starting-caliber left tackle. When the 22-year-old did enter the starting lineup at Oklahoma, he only played on the right side.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN Dallas - Todd Archer
4 days agoThe Las Vegas Raiders signed first-round rookie tight end
Brock Bowers to a fully guaranteed four-year deal on Thursday that is worth $18.1 million. He'll receive $10 million via a signing bonus and the standard fifth-year team option as a first-round pick. The Raiders held off on reaching for a quarterback in the first round in last month's draft and instead took one of the best players in the entire draft in Bowers at 13th overall. The 21-year-old was the highest-selected tight end since
Kyle Pitts in 2021 and is athletic enough as a tight end to play pretty much anywhere on the field. Bowers set a school record at Georgia with 26 touchdowns in his time there and is the complete package. Even with
Michael Mayer in town, Bowers should take over as the team's top pass-catching TE in his rookie year.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The 33rd Team - Ari Meirov
4 days agoThe Los Angeles Rams surprisingly selected Michigan running back
Blake Corum in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft despite breakout star
Kyren Williams racking up 1,350 total yards and 15 touchdowns in 2023. In a media availability, general
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4 days agoThe New Orleans Saints signed No. 14 overall pick Taliese Fuaga to his rookie deal on Thursday, according to NFL insider Ari Meirov. The first-round offensive tackle inked a fully guaranteed four-year deal worth $17.3 million. His contract includes a $9.4 million signing bonus and a fifth-year option. Pro Bowl right tackle Ryan Ramczyk (knee) has an uncertain future after a series of knee injuries, so there's a chance Fuaga could be a Day 1 starter on the Saints' offensive line. If not, he'll likely develop behind Ramczyk with the intention of taking over at some point in his rookie or sophomore campaign. The 22-year-old was a First-Team All-American at Oregon State in 2023 and was a consensus first-round prospect during the pre-draft process.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Ari Meirov -- 33rd Team
4 days agoThe Chicago Bears signed undrafted rookie quarterback
Austin Reed on Thursday, according to NFL.com. Reed had a monster college career, passing for 8,084 yards, 71 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions in his two seasons at Western Kentucky. Before his move to WKU, he threw for 7,464 yards, 78 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions in two years at West Florida and won a Division II National Championship. The 24-year-old spent six years in college and was not among the 11 quarterbacks selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, but he'll now have an outside chance of competing with
Tyson Bagent for the QB2 job behind No. 1 overall pick
Caleb Williams.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
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