Harrison Smith Returns To Practice Friday

The Minnesota Vikings logged safety Harrison Smith (illness) as completing a limited practice on Friday, a sign he could be available when the team opens its season Monday at Chicago. The veteran safety has missed significant practice time the past few weeks with the undisclosed illness, but was estimated to be limited for Friday's walk-through. […]

L'Jarius Sneed Questionable Against Broncos

Tennessee Titans cornerback L'Jarius Sneed (knee) is listed as questionable on Friday, following a week of limited practices. Sneed underwent an offseason knee procedure to clean up a prior injury and began training camp on the PUP list. A quad injury cost Sneed most of his 2024 season, allowing him to play in only the […]

Myles Garrett Returns to Practice Friday

Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett (hip) returned to practice Friday after sitting out the day prior. The Texas A&M product was a surprise addition to Thursday's practice report with a hip injury, but it doesn't appear to be a significant issue, as he was back out there the following day. It's worth noting that […]

Trevon Diggs' Reps to Be Limited Vs. Eagles

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Dallas Cowboys defensive back Trevon Diggs (knee) will be on a pitch count in Thursday night's season opener against their division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles. Diggs dealt with another significant injury in 2024 but has progressed more quickly than initially anticipated in his rehabilitation. While he'll suit up and […]

Week 1 IDP Rankings for Fantasy Football (2025) - Defense Positional Rankings for LB, DL, DB

Every year, like clockwork, fantasy fans and analysts cling to the notion that team performances and trends translate from year to year. It is this notion that helps some NFL owners or general managers cling to a roster just past its prime, or drives fantasy managers to assume certain players or teams have an easy […]

Packers "Hopeful" Micah Parsons Will Play in Week 1

Green Bay Packers All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons (back) is not a lock to play in the Week 1 regular-season opener this Sunday versus the division-rival Detroit Lions. "We'll see. He's doing everything in his power. Got to get through a couple practices to see how he responds, but certainly hopeful," head coach Matt LaFleur said. […]

Jaguars List Travis Hunter as Starting Wide Receiver, Backup Cornerback

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie two-way star Travis Hunter is listed as a starting wide receiver and backup cornerback on the team's initial depth chart. Hunter and Brian Thomas Jr. are listed in the first-team offense, along with Dyami Brown. The Colorado product exploded for 96 catches, 1,258 receiving yards, and 15 touchdowns last year, cementing his […]

Broncos Being Smart With Dre Greenlaw

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said that the team is being "smart" and "conservative" with how they manage linebacker Dre Greenlaw's workload. Greenlaw has a lengthy injury history, so Payton and his staff have decided that it's in their best interest to take some of the load off him before the season even begins. […]

Micah Parsons Still Up in the Air to Play in Week 1

Green Bay Packers All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons (back) has been practicing this week as he attempts to play in the Week 1 regular-season opener against the division-rival Detroit Lions this Sunday, but one source said it's still uncertain if he'll be active. Parsons has been dealing with an L4/L5 facet-joint sprain in his back and […]

Chiefs, Trent McDuffie Not Expected to Finalize Extension

The Kansas City Chiefs and starting cornerback Trent McDuffie are not expected to finalize a contract extension before the 2025 regular season gets underway, according to Nate Taylor of ESPN.com. The former first-round pick is a two-time All-Pro. He started 16 games last season, totaling 59 tackles, 13 passes defended, two interceptions, and one fumble […]

Walter Nolen to Open Season on PUP List

Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Walter Nolen (calf) has been placed on the PUP list and will miss at least the first four games of the 2025 season. It's crushing news for Arizona, which spent its 16th overall pick on the Ole Miss product. During his final year at school, Nolen totaled 48 tackles, 14 tackles […]

Shemar Stewart Draws Praise From Defensive Star

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart earned the praise of Trey Hendrickson, who returned to the field this week and was able to observe his new and returning teammates in action. "A great football player with a tremendous amount of potential," Hendrickson said of Stewart, via Geoff Hobson of the team's official website. "And I […]

DeWayne Carter Done for Season with Torn Achilles

Buffalo Bills defensive tackle DeWayne Carter tore his Achilles and will miss the entire 2025 season, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. Carter was the Bills' third-round pick last year, and he was expected to take on a bigger role following a strong rookie campaign. Through 11 games (three starts) in 2024, the Duke […]

Trevon Diggs Uncertain for Week 1, Will Return by Week 4

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (knee) said that he was able to do everything in practice on Sunday, according to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. However, he's still unsure whether he will play in the team's season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday. At the very latest, he intends to return by […]

Jared Verse a Defensive Player of the Year Candidate?

Per The Athletic's Jeff Howe, one rival NFL executive predicts that Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse will be the league's best defensive player in 2025. Verse already won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024 by totaling 66 tackles (36 solo), 4.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 18 QB hits, two forced fumbles and […]

Micah Parsons' Status for Week 1 Unclear

Per Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst, he and the team are hopeful that edge rusher Micah Parsons can play "at least a little" in their Week 1 matchup with the visiting Detroit Lions. Gutekunst also noted that it's on the Packers to "be smart" with the 26-year-old. The Penn State product underwent his […]

Packers Acquire Micah Parsons, Sign him to Four-Year Extension

The Green Bay Packers are acquiring All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday and have agreed to a four-year, $188 million contract extension with him, including $136 million guaranteed, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. It's unclear at this time what the Cowboys received in return, but it includes two first-rounders. […]

Teams Checking on Za'Darius Smith

Free agent defensive end Za'Darius Smith has generated interest from several NFL teams, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Smith, a free agent, is reportedly "training and waiting on the right situation." The 32-year-old has spent 10 seasons with the NFL, splitting 2024 between the Browns and Lions. Over 17 games last year, he amassed […]

Asante Samuel Jr. Scheduled for CT Scan in October

Free agent cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. (neck) will undergo a CT scan in October to ensure his spinal fusion was successful, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Samuel underwent neck surgery back in April, which scared off several teams and complicated his free agency. Rather than signing now and trying to pass a physical, Samuel will […]

Jaylon Johnson Opening Season on 53-Man Roster

Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson (leg) will open the season on the team's 53-man roster, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Johnson missed all of training camp and the preseason after injuring himself while training away from the team. There's been plenty of mystery surrounding his status, including his timetable to return to […]

Cowboys Still Expect Micah Parsons to Play in Week 1

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer told the media that he expects linebacker Micah Parsons (back, personal) to play in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Schottenheimer noted that the star defender will likely be on limited reps for the first game because he hasn't practiced in a while and has also been dealing with […]

Jaire Alexander Could be Ready for Week 1

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) is pushing to return to practice and could be ready for Week 1, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. The 28-year-old has been dealing with the same injury all offseason, and while it looks like he's close to returning, his status is far from guaranteed. The veteran defender […]

Trevon Diggs Has No Limitations, Could Play Week 1

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (knee) told the media that he has no physical limitations and has not yet ruled out playing in Week 1. At the moment, Diggs says he is working on "ramping up the conditioning part, getting back to football speed, [and] getting back to in-game speed." The 26-year-old is working his […]

Bengals Give Trey Hendrickson a Raise

The Cincinnati Bengals and All-Pro pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson agreed on a $14 million raise for the 2025 season on Monday, raising his salary for this year to $30 million, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. Hendrickson is still scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the end of this season. The 30-year-old still hasn't […]

Trevon Diggs Moved to Active Roster

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (knee) has passed his physical and been moved from the team's PUP list to the active roster, signaling he has a chance to play in Week 1. The former All-Pro suffered a season-ending knee injury late in the year and has spent much of the offseason rehabbing. While the move […]

Keeanu Benton Might Not Be Ready for Week 1

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Keeanu Benton (upper body) is reportedly dealing with an undisclosed upper-body injury that has put his Week 1 status in doubt, according to Chris Halicke of DK Pittsburgh Sports. This is unfortunate news for Pittsburgh, as rookie defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (knee) was also recently injured. It doesn't appear that there […]

Carson Schwesinger a Smart Bet for DROY?

Cleveland Browns rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger recorded six total tackles and a QB hit across his 24 snaps this preseason, and NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein believes he could be in play for Defensive Rookie of the Year. The former walk-on turned 2nd-round pick has been the buzz of Browns training camp, as he plays […]

Tremaine Edmunds Dealing with Soft-Tissue Issue

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson divulged that linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (undisclosed) is dealing with a soft-tissue injury, though the affected body part was not detailed. Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times reported the news. Johnson also notes that the issue isn't a long-term concern. Edmunds is entering his third season with Chicago and has […]

Trevon Diggs Could Be Ready For Week 1

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (knee) said he's not ready to rule out playing in Week 1, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. The Cowboys' No. 1 cornerback has ramped up his rehab recently, though it's still viewed as unlikely he'll play right away. That Diggs is quickly getting back to full speed, however, […]

Derrick Harmon Not Expected to Land on Injured Reserve

According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Steelers defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (knee) is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. However, the team currently has no plans to place him on Injured reserve. With a few weeks to go before the start of the 2025 campaign, the best-case scenario could mean the rookie will be […]