Did Falcons’ Cousins reject Browns before Steelers rumors emerged?
Many reporters and analysts have assumed ever since wantaway quarterback Kirk Cousins lost the Atlanta Falcons’ starting job in December that he’d want to play for the Cleveland Browns because he had Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski as a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator when the two were with the
Browns’ Watson, agent seem to respond to comment from owner
The track record of Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson suggested it was only a matter of time before he would offer a response via social media after Browns owner Jimmy Haslam acknowledged on Monday that the franchise “took a big swing and miss” by acquiring Watson and giving him a
Shane Steichen thinks “big jump” is coming for Laiatu Latu
Quarterback has been the position of focus for the Colts this offseason as their decision to sign Daniel Jones and set up a competition with Anthony Richardson has been the biggest move they’ve made since the end of the 2024 season. It’s not the only place they need to improve
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti: We have a window with Lamar Jackson, I want to win now
The Ravens have been a perennial playoff team since drafting quarterback Lamar Jackson and they have had some success in the postseason, but not enough of it to end their Super Bowl drought. Jackson and the Ravens have not advanced past the AFC Championship Game and last year’s season came
Christian Benford: Contract is life-changing, but won’t change how I approach the game
Bills cornerback Christian Benford’s new contract will change his life. But not his approach. Benford said in announcing the deal that the money, about $70 million over the life of the contract, will make an enormous difference to his family. “Let’s be for real – like, it’s a life-changing moment,”
Russell Wilson will wear No. 3 jersey with Giants, Deonte Banks switches to No. 2
Russell Wilson will keep his old number on his new team. The Giants have announced that Wilson will wear No. 3 this season. That’s the number he’s worn throughout his NFL career, for 10 years in Seattle, two years in Denver and last year in Pittsburgh. Deonte Banks, who previously
Do Steelers have rookie QB other than Jalen Milroe in mind?
Rumblings emerged during the second half of March that the Pittsburgh Steelers could make Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe the 21st overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft even if the club signs veteran Aaron Rodgers. However, ESPN’s Field Yates predicted in his latest mock draft published on Wednesday that Pittsburgh
Will Browns essentially choose Pickett over Falcons’ Cousins?
Individuals such as Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated continue to insist the Cleveland Browns should and will trade for Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins at some point this offseason. However, people who cover the Browns are convinced that head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry are prepared to
Ryan Fitzpatrick asks good question he wants NFL owners to answer
The NFL has once again expanded its list of gestures that will trigger an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and former quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick wants to know why. The NFL sent a report to teams highlighting new rules or changes for the 2025 season. In the section regarding rules for unsportsmanlike conduct
How Browns owner challenged Garrett after signing of extension
Cleveland Browns star pass-rusher Myles Garrett rescinded his trade request and signed a massive four-year, $160M extension that included $123.5M guaranteed in March to stay with the franchise. Shortly after that, Jason Lloyd of The Athletic revealed that Garrett has been “frequently late to the facility” and has “skipped mandatory team activities on
NFL executive doubts Raiders would make big Geno Smith move
Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll revealed during this week’s NFL owners meetings that the club is “working on” a contract extension for recently acquired quarterback Geno Smith. For a piece published Wednesday, Mike Sando of The Athletic shared that at least one NFL
NFL passes proposal that will bring significant change to legal tampering period
The NFL’s annual free agency signing window officially begins at the start of the new league year, but teams are allowed to negotiate terms with agents for two days beforehand, known as the legal tampering period. Teams can agree to deals, but players can’t officially sign contracts until free agency
2025 NFL Draft: 20 famous names who won’t be drafted until the later rounds
Most of the NFL mock drafts focus on the early rounds, but there are still many prominent college players who will hear their names called later. These are just some of the big names that could hear their names in the later rounds. Kirby Lee / USA Today Sports
Talks regarding 18th game could start soon
For the 18-game season, it’s a question of “when” and not “if.” And the “when” could be coming soon. Per a source with knowledge of the dynamics, talks between the NFL and the NFL Players Association could begin as soon as June or July. The addition of another regular-season game
QB Prospect Notes: Dolphins, Colts, Saints, Rams
While much of the pre-draft quarterback talk has been focused on teams atop the draft board, there are plenty of additional squad eyeing prospects at the position. Over the past few weeks, the Dolphins, Colts, Saints, and Rams have been among the teams connected to rookie quarterbacks. As mentioned, the
Buccaneers plan “massive renovation” to Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium opened in 1998. The Buccaneers currently plan not to replace it but to renovate it. Via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, Bucs co-owner Joel Glazer told reporters on Tuesday that the team plans a “massive renovation” of its longtime home. “It’s something you’re always looking
Comparison to bust could hurt Shedeur Sanders’ draft stock
Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders is being compared to a bust, which may explain why he could fall during the 2025 NFL Draft, scheduled for April 24-26 The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman released his mock draft on Wednesday, which featured opinions from college coaches and NFL sources. Feldman had the New York
Chargers sign TE Jordan Petaia as part of the International Player Pathway program
The Chargers signed tight end Jordan Petaia on Wednesday, the team announced. He joins the team as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway training program. Petaia trained in the IPP program over 10 weeks at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, culminated by showcasing his skills at a Pro Day
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/2/25
Just one minor move to pass along: Los Angeles Chargers New York Jets Xavier Newman-Johnson was tagged as an exclusive rights free agent last month, so his return to New York was all but inevitable. A former UDFA, the lineman has spent the past year-plus with the Jets, including a
Browns have challenged Myles Garrett to become “a real leader of the team”
The Browns signed Myles Garrett to a four-year, $160 million extension in March that included $123.5 million guaranteed. They now expect more out of the edge rusher. “What we’ve challenged Myles on is, by his practice habits, by his actions, etcetera, to become a real leader of the team,” Browns
Latest Stefon Diggs update is good news for Patriots
The Patriots finally landed their coveted WR1, but the signing came with a major caveat. Stefon Diggs is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in late October. Fortunately for both team and player, it sounds like the wideout is ahead of schedule in his recovery. During his introductory news
Guaranteed possession in 10-minute OT could have unintended consequences
The chatter regarding the Eagles’ trademark play has taken attention away from other proposed rules, including a change submitted by the Eagles. The suggested change in regular-season overtime to guarantee a possession for both teams passed. But it came without a corresponding expansion of the extra period from 10 to
Buccaneers Restructure Antoine Winfield Jr.’s Contract
The Buccaneers continue to restructure veteran deals. After reworking Tristan Wirfs‘ contract last month, the team has now restructured the contract of safety Antoine Winfield Jr., according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. Specifically, the team took Winfield’s impending $21MM base salary and converted it into a minimum salary and
Falcons will listen to trade offers but have made no promises to Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins wants to go somewhere he can start. The Falcons quarterback made that clear in a one-hour phone conversation with owner Arthur Blank in early March. Cousins expressed the same in face-to-face meetings with coach Raheem Morris and General Manager Terry Fontenot. Morris said this week that if a
Bengals’ Hendrickson reacts to blunt comment about negotiations
Cincinnati Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn’s comment about contract negotiations with Trey Hendrickson clearly upset the star edge-rusher. Hendrickson is entering the final year of his contract in 2025 and seeking an extension. On Tuesday, Blackburn said, “[Hendrickson] should be happy at certain rates that maybe he doesn’t think
Brian Daboll on Travis Hunter: Takes a long time to evaluate, there’s a lot of tape
Giants General Manager Joe Schoen said this week that signing quarterback Russell Wilson leaves the team open to taking a player at any position with the third overall pick in the draft, but attention has shifted to a player who plays a couple of them. Betting markets now favor the
Stefon Diggs Says He’s Ahead Of Schedule; Texans Had Interest In Re-Signing WR
The Patriots finally landed their coveted WR1, but the signing came with a major caveat. That’s because Stefon Diggs is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in late October. Fortunately for both the team and the player, it sounds like the wideout is ahead of schedule in his recovery.
NFL tweaks definition of a hip-drop tackle, allowing for more fines in 2025
The NFL wants hip-drop tackles out of the game completely. Armed with data that showed that the tackling technique is 20 to 25 times more likely to cause an injury than other tackles, NFL teams voted unanimously in 2024 to ban the hip-drop. “We were tracking about one hip-drop tackle
The ‘Active NFL leaders in Pro Bowl selections’ quiz
After spending eight seasons away from the franchise that drafted him, veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell is returning to the Arizona Cardinals for an 18th season. “What a story it would be! Started my career with a bang. Now it’s time to finish it with a bang where it began,”
OL Xavier Newman-Johnson re-signs with Jets
Offensive lineman Xavier Newman-Johnson signed his exclusive rights tender to return to the Jets, according to the NFL’s transactions report. Newman-Johnson, 25, spent the past two seasons with the Jets. In 2024, he played 11 offensive snaps and 31 on special teams in nine games. Newman-Johnson signed with the Titans
49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk On Track For Midseason Return; Trade Unlikely To Happen After 4/1?
APRIL 2: Lynch effectively confirmed the 49ers do not intend to trade Aiyuk. As the Tuesday bonus vesting date has come and gone — meaning the $76MM fully guaranteed to Aiyuk has now triggered (via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo) — San Francisco will move forward with its 2024 extension recipient. MARCH
Ravens lose two rushing records to 1948 49ers after NFL incorporates AAFC stats
Two NFL single-season rushing records, both owned by the Baltimore Ravens, have just been broken — by a team whose players are all deceased. The 1948 49ers are now the NFL’s official record holders for most rushing yards in a season and highest yards per carry in a season. That
Insider thinks Titans have doubts about NFL Draft plans
The Tennessee Titans have plenty of needs, and a new report suggests they may be torn on how to fill them through the NFL Draft. Dianna Russini of The Athletic said on her “Scoop City” podcast that some within the Titans organization still want the team to trade down from
Report: Bucs, Ravens plan to have joint practices this summer
The Buccaneers and Ravens hooked up for an entertaining game last season and they are set to spend some more time together this summer. JoeBucsFan.com reports that the Bucs and Ravens plan to hold joint practices together before squaring off in a preseason game in August. Per the report, the
NFL Passes Proposal To Expand Player Contact During Legal Tampering Period
The NFL’s annual free agency signing window officially begins at the start of the new league year, but teams are allowed to negotiate terms with agents for two days beforehand, known as the legal tampering period. Teams can agree to deals, but players can’t officially sign contracts until free agency
Inside the Christian Benford deal
The Bills recently signed cornerback Christian Benford to a four-year extension. As always, the truth of the deal comes a few days later. As to Benford, the full details have arrived. Here they are, per a source with knowledge of the terms. 1. Signing bonus: $7.5 million. 2. 2025 base
Giants reportedly ‘love’ QB prospect other than Shedeur Sanders
Back on March 28, ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller revealed that the New York Giants “loving” Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was “the worst-kept secret in the league” as the Giants continue to contemplate how they will spend the third overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft. According to a
Former NFL offensive lineman John Vella dies at 74
John Vella, an offensive lineman who started for the Oakland Raiders when they won Super Bowl XI, has died at the age of 74. “The Raiders Family mourns the passing of John Vella, a standout on the dominant Raider offensive lines of the 1970s and a starter on Oakland’s Super
Latest On Bengals-Trey Hendrickson Talks
When the Bengals finally signed wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to long-term extensions, it appeared that defensive end Trey Hendrickson would be next to cash in. Reports indicated that the Bengals had engaged with Hendrickson on contract talks and took the possibility of a trade “off the table.”
Browns set for joint practices with Panthers and Eagles this summer
We’re still several months away from training camp, but the Browns have started making some summer plans. Head coach Kevin Stefanski revealed at this week’s league meetings that the team has scheduled joint practices with a pair of teams for August. They will practice with the Eagles and Panthers during
Eagles Planning To Extend HC Nick Sirianni
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie is planning to sign Nick Sirianni to a contract extension following the team’s victory in Super Bowl LIX, their second championship appearance in Sirianni’s four years as head coach. “Nick is going to be our coach,” said Lurie at league meetings in Florida this week (via
Roger Goodell: Justin Tucker review is ongoing, no updates until it’s complete
The Ravens say the status of kicker Justin Tucker won’t change until the NFL’s investigation into alleged violations of the league’s personal conduct policy is completed. The NFL says there’s no update on the status of that investigation. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was asked about Tucker’s case at the league
Trey Hendrickson has blunt warning for Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals edge-rusher Trey Hendrickson sent a blunt warning to the team, saying he is unhappy with how the team has handled his contract talks so far. Hendrickson appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday to discuss his contract situation and sent a clear message to the Bengals. He
Trey Hendrickson: Katie Blackburn’s comments about contract talks disappointing and confusing
The Bengals have signed wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to contract extensions this offseason, but they have not signed defensive end Trey Hendrickson to a new deal and comments from executive vice president Katie Blackburn this week didn’t do much to suggest that an agreement is imminent. It’s
Patriots’ Joe Milton Drawing Trade Interest; QB Interested In Being Moved
Mentioned as a 2025 trade chip, Joe Milton continues to see a path back to a second Patriots season appear murky. The Josh Dobbs signing began the trade buzz involving the rocket-armed backup, and it persists. Milton is drawing trade interest, according to MassLive.com’s Karen Guregian and Mark Daniels, who
Tush push debate is a bad look for pro football
The arguments have been made. The goalposts have moved. The question is whether the ongoing effort to get rid of the tush push is good for the game. It’s not. And the entire effort is a bad look for the sport. Yes, some want to get rid of it. And
Commanders creating pocket protection for Jayden Daniels
An offensive line makeover may turn Washington Commanders’ Jayden Daniels into a pocket passer. Washington coach Dan Quinn told reporters at the NFL meetings on Tuesday that last year’s left tackle Brandon Coleman will compete at right tackle. Right tackle Andrew Wylie may move to right guard while veteran Sam
Report: Quinn Ewers to visit Saints
Quarterback Quinn Ewers has lined up another pre-draft visit. John Hendrix of Athlon Sports reports that Ewers will visit the Saints. Last week brought word of visits with the Colts, Raiders, and Cowboys. Ewers’s visit with the Saints is expected to take place in mid-April. Saints head coach Kellen Moore
Patriots, Saints To Host DT Mason Graham
One of the top prospects in this year’s draft, Mason Graham will be a candidate to go off the board early. Naturally, Shedeur Sanders‘ landing spot will be of interest to teams eyeing Graham; the Colorado QB going in the top three would keep a higher-rated prospect on the board.
Jeffrey Lurie: White House visit is “totally an optional thing” for players
The Eagles will be visiting the White House later this month. Whether all of the Eagles will be visiting the White House remains to be seen. On Tuesday, owner Jeffrey Lurie emphasized that each player must decide whether he wants to go. “Our culture is that these are optional things,”