3 days agoThe Dallas Cowboys will decline to pick up the fifth-year option on quarterback
Trey Lance, according to a source. The move isn't a surprise at all after the decision was essentially made last August when Dallas acquired him from the San Francisco 49ers for a 2024 fourth-round pick. Lance's 2025 option would have cost the Cowboys a fully guaranteed $22.4 million. The Cowboys don't have a QB on their roster signed beyond the 2024 season, with
Dak Prescott, Lance and
Cooper Rush all set for unrestricted free agency next March. They cannot use the franchise tag on Prescott and haven't started serious talks on an extension. Lance will make $5.31 million in base salary in 2024 as part of the fully guaranteed, $34.1 million deal he signed with the Niners as the third overall pick in 2021. Dallas liked the progress Lance made in 2023, but he was inactive for every game.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN Dallas - Todd Archer
3 days agoFree-agent wide receiver
Tyler Boyd was in Los Angeles this week to meet with the Los Angeles Chargers and is also scheduled to meet with the Tennessee Titans later this week, according to a source. The market should be heating up for Boyd, who had 513 catches for 6,000 yards in his eight seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. The 29-year-old wideout fell out of favor in fantasy circles as the No. 3 behind
Ja'Marr Chase and
Tee Higgins in recent seasons, though, but perhaps he'll resurface with a change of scenery. His best chance to do so would probably be with the Bolts after they traded
Keenan Allen and lost
Mike Williams to free agency this offseason, although LA is also transitioning to more of a run-first offense under new head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
3 days agoNew York Jets offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker (Achilles), who just had his fifth-year option picked up, said he is "on pace for a good start to the season." The No. 14 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft suffered a torn Achilles in Week 5 of last season
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3 days agoThe New York Giants signed defensive back David Long Jr. on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 26-year-old corner was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Michigan, but New York will already be the fifth organization he has spent time with in his brief NFL career. In 2023 alone, he was on the Las Vegas Raiders, Carolina Panthers, and Green Bay Packers roster. Overall, he has racked up 97 tackles, one interception, and eight pass deflections in 63 games. Assuming he makes the 53-man active roster, he'll likely act as a depth option in New York's secondary which was a middle-of-the-pack unit in 2023.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Ari Meirov -- 33rd Team
3 days agoIn a media availability this week, Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski spoke on the team's current running back situation. "I think Jerome [Ford] has done a nice job. He had some really, really, really big moments for our football team and he made big plays for us
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3 days agoA few days after selecting former Iowa punter Tory Taylor in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft, the Chicago Bears released Trenton Gill. Gill was a seventh-round selection by Chicago in the 2022 NFL Draft and started all 34 games over the last two seasons. He punted 133 times for an average of 46.1 yards per punt and pinned 38 kicks inside the 20-yard line. Taylor, the 2023 Ray Guy Award winner and unanimous All-American, became the highest-drafted punter (No. 122 overall) since 2019 when the 49ers selected Mitch Wishnowski (No. 110 overall).
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: Field Yates
3 days agoThe New Orleans Saints signed free-agent cornerback Will Harris on Wednesday, according to NFL.com. Harris spent the first five seasons of his professional career with the Detroit Lions after being selected in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Through the first 81 games (40 starts) of his career, Harris has racked up 246 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and 14 pass deflections. Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, Alontae Taylor, and second-round rookie Kool-Aid McKinstry form a strong two-deep depth chart at cornerback, but Harrison also has experience as a safety. He could be a primary backup for Jordan Howden or Tyrann Mathieu if he makes the team's 53-man roster.
--Jackson Sparks - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
3 days agoBuffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane said that quarterback
Josh Allen really liked wide receiver
Keon Coleman before the team selected him in the second round of this year's draft at No. 33 overall. Coleman said that after he was drafted, Allen texted him to say, "You're the guy that I wanted." The 20-year-old big-bodied wideout from Florida State was as impressive as any of the team's top pass-catchers in this year's draft with his ability to make tough, contested catches down the field. That will be useful when working with Allen and his gunslinging ways, but Coleman's weakness is that he doesn't generate much separation from defensive backs. Outside of his 11 touchdowns in 2023, Coleman had just 7.3 yards per target and isn't a burner. Despite his weaknesses, he should have plenty of opportunity in Buffalo in his rookie season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Sirius XM NFL Radio
3 days agoCarolina Panthers rookie running back
Jonathon Brooks (knee), who was the first RB taken in this year's NFL draft in the second round (46th overall), is on track to be ready to participate in training camp this summer. The 20-year-old tore his ACL in November, but the injury didn't come with additional ligament damage. Brooks has already resumed running. The Texas Longhorn alum racked up 1,139 rushing yards and also had 286 receiving yards in 11 games in his final collegiate season in 2023 before tearing his ACL. He'll enter a crowded backfield in Carolina alongside
Chuba Hubbard and
Miles Sanders. The Panthers plan to utilize all three RBs in 2024, but given Sanders' struggles last year, Brooks will have the opportunity to leapfrog him on the RB depth chart eventually if his knee holds up. Still, Brooks will be more of a dynasty/keeper asset in fantasy in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Charlotte Observer - Mike Kaye
3 days agoThe Denver Broncos have informed quarterback
Zach Wilson and his representatives that they won't pick up his fifth-year option, according to sources. The Broncos acquired the New York Jets' former second overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft early last week and then selected QB
Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick in this year's draft. Wilson's option would have been for a guaranteed $22.408 million in 2025. The Jets will pay a significant portion of Wilson's $1.055 million base salary in 2024, and he's now headed for free agency next spring. Wilson, Nix and
Jarrett Stidham, who started the final two games in 2023 when the team benched
Russell Wilson, will compete for the starting job in Denver in training camp this summer. It's a fresh start for Wilson, but he has not looked like a starter in his first three years in the league with a 57% completion rate, 25 interceptions and 23 touchdowns.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Legwold
3 days agoThe Indianapolis Colts posted a video of quarterback
Anthony Richardson (shoulder) throwing at offseason spring practices, and he appears to be fully healthy after needing season-ending shoulder surgery in his rookie season in 2023. The 21-year-old is expected to be ready to take part in organized team activities in May and June, although the Colts could choose to ease him in. The former fourth overall pick last year out of Florida played in just four games in 2023 due to a head injury and his shoulder ailment, but he flashed high-end QB1 upside in that small sample size by throwing for 577 yards, three touchdowns and an interception while also picking up 136 rushing yards and four touchdowns. There's obvious injury risk involved because of his propensity to take off and run, but fantasy managers can't deny the upside.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - James Boyd
3 days agoThe San Francisco 49ers were engaged in trade talks involving wide receivers
Brandon Aiyuk and
Deebo Samuel leading up to the draft, but the team elected not to trade either of their star receivers, with all signs pointing toward both being on the 2024 roster. Aiyuk is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and the assumption was that he'd be the odd man out after the team paid Samuel and other star players. Samuel still has two years left on the deal he signed before the 2022 season. San Fran has been to at least the NFC Championship game in four of the last five seasons, and losing Aiyuk or Samuel would almost certainly make the team worse in 2024. The 49ers can afford to keep both this year, but an Aiyuk extension would likely reduce his $14.124 million salary cap number for 2024. Samuel's fantasy value would have likely taken a hit with a move out of the Bay Area.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Nick Wagoner
4 days agoThe Arizona Cardinals have chosen not to pick up defensive end Zaven Collins' fifth-year option, according to general manager Monti Ossenfort. With the move, Collins will be in the final year of his rookie deal in 2024 and will become a free agent next March. It's a surprising move after the 24-year-old former 16th overall pick has recorded 166 tackles (103 solo), 5.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, 10 QB hits, two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 12 passes defended, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 50 games (39 starts) in his three years in the NFL. Collins isn't exactly on the IDP fantasy radar as a defensive lineman because of his lack of sacks, but he should continue to be a starting edge defender for Arizona in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Arizona Sports - Tyler Drake
4 days agoThe Arizona Cardinals took running back
Trey Benson in the third round of this year's NFL draft, and it's unlikely that he will take over lead-back duties from
James Conner this year, even though Conner hasn't shown that he's up to bell-cow duties in the NFL. Mainly because of injuries, Conner has posted between 200 and 250 touches in each of the last four seasons with the Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers, never playing in more than 15 games. Conner has been a pretty big injury risk for fantasy managers, but when he's been on the field, he's been impressive. The 28-year-old had 5.1 yards per touch in 2023. However, with Benson now in the fold, Arizona's backfield could easily evolve into a platoon situation that turns both Conner and Benson into solid RB2 candidates.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - KC Joyner
4 days agoThe Green Bay Packers selected former USC running back
MarShawn Lloyd with the 88th overall pick in this year's NFL draft, and The Athletic's Matt Schneidman writes that he could compete for the backup to new feature back
Josh Jacobs in 2024. The Packers re-signed
AJ Dillon this offseason, but he might not be a lock to make the final roster. The Athletic's Dane Brugler doesn't think Lloyd has the profile of a high-volume back, but he has the ability to spark an offense with his mix of patience, burst and promise as a pass-catcher. Green Bay may want to take some of the load off Jacobs -- in five seasons with the Raiders, Jacobs ranked second in the NFL in carries and rushing yards since 2019. Lloyd will at least compete with 2023 undrafted RB
Emanuel Wilson for the No. 3 job.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman
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