All articles tagged with #nfl
An eight-player preview of 2026 fantasy-draft value and bust risk, spotlighting Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow at quarterback, Kyren Williams and Christian McCaffrey at running back, Jaylen Waddle and Drake London at receiver, and tight ends Juwan Johnson and Sam LaPorta, with analysis of ADP, durability concerns, fit in new offenses, and how to balance upside against crowded target shares.
Veteran tight end Jonnu Smith has agreed to a free-agent deal with the Green Bay Packers after being released by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Smith, 31, has played for five teams over nine seasons (Titans, Patriots, Falcons, Dolphins, Steelers) and posted a career year in 2024 with the Dolphins (88 catches, 884 yards, 8 TDs). With Tucker Kraft healthy and Luke Musgrave dealing with a neck injury, Green Bay adds veteran depth at tight end, aided by Smith’s prior familiarity with coach Matt LaFleur. His 2025 Steelers season was more modest (38 catches, 222 yards, 2 TDs).
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league is reviewing Jed York's Ohio arrest for two misdemeanors (disorderly conduct and possession of criminal tools) under the personal conduct policy, with York receiving a two-day jail sentence and a $1,150 fine. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan downplayed the impact on the team, and York’s absence from league activities will continue as the league weighs potential penalties.
Adam Schefter reports the Patriots aren’t close to matching Devon Witherspoon’s four-year, $132 million contract for Christian Gonzalez, keeping extension talks unresolved as the 2026 season nears.
ESPN's Adam Schefter said the Patriots aren’t close to a contract extension for cornerback Christian Gonzalez ahead of Week 1, with a potential push from both sides before the season but no agreement yet; Gonzalez is coming off a Pro Bowl season and the team is weighing long-term security as negotiations continue.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he recently met with Illinois lawmakers about a new Bears stadium, with the team weighing options in Indiana or Arlington Heights, Illinois. An Illinois bill to incentivize a move to Arlington Heights hasn’t cleared a floor vote yet, and Goodell stressed there’s no timetable, as the Bears continue to consider alternate groups in Indiana or Illinois and give both states a chance to present their case.
With training camp wrapped, the Eagles’ strong pass rush and overall readiness loom as the Commanders’ purportedly 'inoperable' offensive line raises concerns ahead of Week 1, while the piece also touches on Washington branding drama and broader NFC East chatter alongside some Giants preseason drama.
With final cuts looming, Washington’s front office weighs trading for an experienced reserve center and tapping the waiver wire to bolster depth, eyeing potential deals for players such as Dyami Brown, Jordan Magee, and Dorance Armstrong to balance the roster and future draft capital ahead of the 2026 season.
Tonight's Steelers preseason finale is do-or-die for players chasing 53-man spots, including Ryan McCollum on the offensive line; Eli Heidenreich and Kaleb Johnson at running back depth; Max Hurleman vs. Kaden Wetjen in the return game; linebackers Cole Holcomb and Malik Harrison in the mix after the Roberts addition; Spears-Jennings vs. Jenkins for a spot on special teams/defense; and Will Howard competing with Mason Rudolph for a QB role, all while teams weigh four-quarterback depth and special-teams impact.
Seattle reached a three-year, $90 million contract with defensive tackle Leonard Williams, including $56 million guaranteed, adding to recent extensions for Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon. Williams, 32, has posted strong production in Seattle’s system—50 quarterback hits, 25 tackles for loss and 18 sacks in 33 games since 2024—and will earn about $30 million per season, aligning him with top interior linemen like Vita Vea. The deal reinforces Seattle’s stout defense after allowing the fewest points last season, though there’s risk in committing long-term money to a player entering his age-32 season.
As the NFL-cut deadline looms, the Falcons’ 53-man roster projection tightens with camp wrapping and the preseason concluding; the piece outlines likely keepers, potential practice-squad moves, and the overall decisions facing Atlanta before Sunday’s 6 p.m. cutoff.
Washington’s offense looked out of sync in a joint practice with the Baltimore Ravens, missing key blockers Sam Cosmi and Laremy Tunsil and struggling with protection that hampered Jayden Daniels and stalled the run game, prompting concerns and calls for accountability as the team prepares for a season opener against the Eagles.
The NFL announced it will retire the Pro Bowl as a competitive game and instead honor players with Pro Bowl selections; rosters will be 44 per conference with voting unchanged, and the change aims to emphasize player safety while preserving the prestige of the honor for the league’s best players.
The Atlanta Falcons face a tense 53-man roster deadline following their preseason finale, with two QB locks (Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa) and Jack Strand competing with Cooper Rush for the third spot, while undrafted free agents Vinny Anthony II and Carlos Allen Jr. look to secure spots; ongoing decisions span multiple positions ahead of Friday's Dolphins game.
The NFL and NFLPA unveiled a rolling safety-rule suspension system: a one-game suspension after the third violation of any one of five rules (hip-drop tackles, horse-collar tackles, launching, hits on defenseless players, and blindside blocks). Violations carry over year-to-year with resets: players start each year with zero violations; two violations in a season carry one into the next, unless a new season has no violations, in which case it resets to zero. A third violation in a season triggers suspension, with further violations that year extending penalties; carryovers can keep a player near suspension in following seasons. The article notes this approach would have produced only one suspension in 2024 and one in 2025.