Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan answered questions from the media at training camp on Thursday and said "There's nothing going on right now," in terms of a trade for a wide receiver. Outside of George Pickens and Calvin Austin III, the rest of the receiving corps is new to the team. Roman Wilson, the rookie from Michigan, seems to be battling for the third spot while Van Jefferson appears to be the front-runner for the second receiver. There's still plenty of time between now and the start of the season, but the Steelers appear to be comfortable with the state of their receivers.
Jul 26, 2024 9:22 AM EST
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Thursday at training camp that he will call the offensive plays for the team in 2024. The Browns hired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey this offseason, but Stefanski will at least start the new season as the play-caller after holding the role since arriving as head coach before the 2020 campaign. Ultimately, Cleveland's offensive success hinges on whether quarterback Deshaun Watson can stay on the field. The 28-year-old former 12th overall pick by the Houston Texans in 2017 out of Clemson was suspended for the entire 2021 season and has only started 12 games in the last two seasons with Cleveland due to injuries. Still, the Browns offense has finished in the top half of the league in points per game in two of the last four seasons.
Jul 25, 2024 7:30 PM EST
Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan discussed the team's tight end room at training camp earlier this week. "It's not a room that's gonna be dominated by one guy We're gonna fill the tight end role with a lot of different players, as opposed to maybe just one or two guys like some teams do," Callahan said. Chigoziem Okonkwo was the team's top pass-catching tight end in 2023, but that resulted in only 54 receptions on 77 targets for 528 yards and one touchdown in 17 games (11 starts) in his second NFL season in an offense that didn't see a lot of passing volume. The 24-year-old is probably the best bet to lead the position again in 2024, but it doesn't guarantee he'll be a weekly fantasy play, especially after the team added receiver Calvin Ridley this offseason. Competing with Okonkwo for playing time at the position will be Josh Whyle and Nick Vannett.
Jul 25, 2024 1:28 PM EST
Washington Commanders defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton (foot) passed his physical this week and is being activated from the non-football injury list. The No. 36 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft underwent surgery in May to fix a Jones Fracture in his left foot, just four months after undergoing the same surgery on his right foot. The Illinois alum could be brought along slowly in his rookie season, especially since Washington has Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen operating in the interior of Dan Quinn's defense.
Jul 24, 2024 9:14 AM EST
The Detroit Lions announced on Monday that former wide receiver Calvin Johnson will be added to the team's Pride of the Lions, signaling a repairing of the team's relationship with the Hall of Famer. The 38-year-old will be honored at halftime of the Sept. 30 game against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football. The Lions asked Johnson to repay $1.6 million of the signing bonus he had been given at the start of the his last contract after he retired following the 2015 season. But since then, the Lions have worked to fix their relationship with Johnson the last few years. Johnson holds the Lions franchise record for catches (731), receiving yards (11,619) and touchdown receptions (83) and was selected to six Pro Bowls and three first-team All-Pro squads in his nine-year career. He also holds the NFL's single-season receiving yards record with 1,964 in 2012.
Jul 15, 2024 2:08 PM EST
Former Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl star Jacoby Jones died at the age of 40. The cause of Jones' death was not immediately available. The nine-year NFL veteran was most famous for scoring three playoff touchdowns in the most dramatic fashion during Baltimore's Super Bowl run in 2012. He caught a 70-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Flacco with 31 seconds left in the AFC Divisional Round win over the Denver Broncos and became the first player to score a receiving touchdown and a return touchdown in the same game in Super Bowl history against the San Francisco 49ers. Jones signed a one-day contract in 2017 to retire with the Ravens. He was originally a third-round selection (73rd overall) by the Houston Texans in 2007 out of Lane College. Jones had 203 receptions in his career for 2,733 yards and 14 touchdowns with the Texans and Ravens.
Jul 14, 2024 1:23 PM EST
A contract situation to watch for the Los Angeles Rams as training camp begins in late July aside from quarterback Matthew Stafford's will be Jones'. He is entering the final year of his rookie deal and has solidified himself as a multi-year starter and leader on a defense that is now without Aaron Donald. General manager Les Snead said in March that the Rams would have Jones play on his final year instead of extending him early. However, with the Rams, that could always change. There is little depth behind Jones, who missed the football part of organized team activities with what head coach Sean McVay said was leg soreness. Jones was physically present for the rest of the offseason work. The 24-year-old finished as the No. 17 linebacker in IDP fantasy formats in 2023 with 75 solo tackles, 4.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, six QB hits and six pass breakups in 15 regular-season starts in his third year in the league.
Jul 6, 2024 1:14 PM EST
The San Francisco 49ers were remarkably balanced and efficient with their passing offense last year, but they attempted fewer passes (491) than any team in the league during the regular season. Despite that, the 49ers finished fourth in passing yards (4,384), and both Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle hit the 1,000-yard receiving mark. Last year was the beginning of the team's evolution into a more aggressive pass offense, one that put more of an emphasis on big shots downfield to its receivers and Kittle. After taking wideouts Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing in this year's draft, the offense is more capable against man coverage through the air. And given head coach Kyle Shanahan's trust in quarterback Brock Purdy, the investment in young receivers makes sense. The Niners called more pass plays than run plays in the playoffs, which could be a sign that Purdy will get more opportunities to make things happen with his arm in 2024.
Jul 2, 2024 2:11 PM EST
Kansas City Chiefs edge rusher Charles Omenihu (knee) suffered a torn ACL in the AFC Championship victory over the Baltimore Ravens last season. The 26-year-old recorded a pivotal sack-fumble of Lamar Jackson but suffered the major injury soon after. The timeline of his injury almost guarantees he won't be ready for the regular season, Omenihu said "it's going good," when asked about his recovery. "Slow process, everybody told me it was going to be like that, but it's been decent," Omenihu said. Kansas City has Chris Jones and George Karlaftis on the roster to provide pressure on quarterbacks, but Omenihu is an important depth piece for Steve Spagnuolo's defense. The 2019 fifth-round pick has posted 18.5 sacks through his first 72 games with the Texans, 49ers, and Chiefs.
Jul 1, 2024 4:10 PM EST
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll earned his opportunity with the organization after one year as Alabama's offensive coordinator and four seasons as the Buffalo Bills' offensive coordinator. However, assistant coach Mike Kafka ran the Giants' offense in 2022 and 2023. This offseason, ESPN's Jordan Raanan observed Daboll calling plays, with Kafta serving in a complementary role. If Daboll keeps the play-calling duties into the 2024 regular season, it could provide a boost for New York's attack. However, that is far from a given considering the lack of high-end assets among their 11 starts on offense. Daboll is credited with helping Josh Allen develop into an All-Pro quarterback, but Daniel Jones has proven to be limited through his first five NFL campaigns.
Jun 27, 2024 4:34 PM EST
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said he's been impressed with defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike's (back) recovery from a back injury, describing him as "having a really good spring." Onwuzurike is looking for a bounce-back season in 2024 after needing spinal-fusion surgery for an injury he suffered in 2022. His strength and explosiveness have shown up during offseason repetitions, and he's hoping to be an asset once again for the Lions defense. The former second-rounder in 2021 has had his development derailed by injuries, as he's recorded just two sacks and made zero starts in his first three years with the team. "Redemption. I got to show people what I can do," Onwuzurike said during mandatory minicamp. "I got to show myself what I can do."
Jun 27, 2024 2:26 PM EST
The Athletic's Mark Kaboly writes that the biggest surprise of the Pittsburgh Steelers' offseason is that they seem perfectly satisfied watching how the WR2 position plays out in training camp among middle-of-the-road receivers Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins, Calvin Austin III, Scotty Miller, Marquez Callaway and Dez Fitzpatrick behind George Pickens. Whether they address the position before the season could hinge on the play of rookie Roman Wilson, but the entire group has been underwhelming enough that a big swing seems imminent. Receiver depth is severely lacking in Pittsburgh after they traded away Diontae Johnson this offseason. Austin, a fourth-rounder in 2022, could be the most intriguing option for an increased role in deeper fantasy leagues if the Steelers don't make a splash addition at the position. Training camp will give us a better idea of how the receiver depth chart will shake out.
Jun 21, 2024 2:26 PM EST
The Denver Broncos announced the hiring of former Stanford head coach David Shaw as a senior personnel executive on Thursday. Shaw interviewed for a few NFL head coaching gigs this offseason but now lands in Denver in a front-office role. The 51-year-old coached in the NFL from 1997 to 2005 before joining the college ranks. After taking over for Jim Harbaugh at Stanford in 2011, he compiled a 96-54 record and won five bowl games in 12 seasons.
Jun 20, 2024 4:41 PM EST
The Athletic's Zac Jackson writes that he has significant questions about the Cleveland Browns' receiving corps this year. WR1 Amari Cooper missed the whole offseason program because he's seeking a new contract, and new wideout Jerry Jeudy missed the last three weeks with a minor undisclosed injury. The Browns still have Cooper and tight end David Njoku, but there are a bunch of questions beyond them, and quarterback Deshaun Watson needs playmakers. Jackson said he didn't see many big plays from the Browns offense during offseason workouts, and he still wonders what the team will get from Jeudy, Elijah Moore and Cedric Tillman when the regular season begins. Watson has a lot of talent from under center, but injury question marks and the lack of receiving depth he has in Cleveland makes him a clear QB2 target in fantasy.
Jun 18, 2024 2:52 PM EST
The Cincinnati Bengals' schematic expansion under new offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher was on display through the offseason program, and the shift to versatility and unpredictable usage was a recurring theme for every position group. All receivers worked inside and outside, tight end Mike Gesicki shifted all around the line of scrimmage, and the running backs were more active in the passing game. Quarterback Joe Burrow talked about extra "eye candy" and being able to dictate more to defenses with new personnel groups and scheme tweaks. It's unclear exactly how this will look in competitive games, but it has to be good news for all players in the offense, especially Burrow, who is looking to bounce back after another injury-plagued year in 2023.
Jun 18, 2024 2:29 PM EST
The Philadelphia Eagles were under investigation for potentially violating the league's anti-tampering policy, but the NFL announced the team will not face punishment. The league found no evidence of tampering in regards to the signing of Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley. The Falcons, on the other hand, lost a 2025 fifth-round pick and were fined $250,000 for tampering with Kirk Cousins, Darnell Mooney, and Charlie Woerner.
Jun 13, 2024 12:08 PM EST
The Atlanta Falcons will have their 2025 fifth-round pick revoked following the NFL's investigation into potential tampering. The Falcons violated the anti-tampering policy with quarterback Kirk Cousins, wide receiver Darnell Mooney, and tight end Charlie Woerner. In addition to the pick loss, the team was fined $250,000, and general manager Terry Fontenot was fined $500,000, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. All things considered, this is a mild punishment. The Falcons have Super Bowl aspirations after signing Cousins to a $180 million contract this offseason, and the punishments will not affect their 2024 campaign.
Jun 13, 2024 12:03 PM EST
Washington Commanders new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury appears to be using some two-running back sets during mandatory minicamp this week involving Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler. In what will be a vastly different offense under Kingsbury in 2024 with rookie first-round quarterback Jayden Daniels at the helm, Washington figures to use Robinson as more of the between-the-tackles, early-down back, with Ekeler serving as the primary pass-catcher out of the backfield. The 25-year-old Robinson had 43 targets in 2023, but he stands to lose a hefty amount of targets to Ekeler this year. With more competition from Ekeler, B-Rob is going to need to remain productive and hold onto the football to be a viable RB3/flex for fantasy managers in standard-scoring leagues. Ekeler should be more valuable as an RB3/flex in point-per-reception formats.
Jun 13, 2024 12:35 AM EST
Carolina Panthers kicker Eddie Pineiro was spotted at minicamp on Tuesday, marking the end of an apparent contract holdout, according to David Newton of ESPN. The 28-year-old kicker missed all of the Panthers' offseason workouts while seeking a new deal but evidently decided to rejoin his team this week. Carolina's lack of offensive firepower makes it difficult for Pineiro to get many scoring opportunities, so he's off the fantasy radar in most leagues. However, there's no denying his accuracy. The former Florida Gator converted 17 of 20 extra points and 25 of 29 field goals in 2023.
Jun 12, 2024 12:38 AM EST
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed head coach Mike Tomlin to an undisclosed three-year contract extension on Monday that takes him through the 2027 season, according to the team. The 52-year-old said in January that he expected to get an extension this offseason after some people were starting to question his future with the organization. Under Tomlin for the last 17 years, the Steelers have never had a losing season, which is already an NFL record. Tomlin has a 173-100-2 regular-season record and is 8-10 in the playoffs as the Steelers' head coach. This year, he'll have an interest situation to navigate at quarterback with veteran Russell Wilson and former first-rounder Justin Fields potentially creating some QB controversy.
Jun 10, 2024 2:30 PM EST
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