NFL Player News

“I didn’t feel like I played to the ability that I should have,” said Smith. “I didn’t play at a high level.” DC Jerry Gray believes Smith also had trouble adjusting to the Titans 4-3 defense after a history in the 3-4. Smith vows to work harder this offseason to improve his gap penetration.

Slater is awaiting a contract extension as he enters his fifth season with the Chargers. The former No. 13 overall pick has made two Pro Bowls while starting all of his 51 games played over four years. He is the Chargers’ starting left tackle and is due $19.05 million this season on his fifth-year option. A lucrative extension would get Slater paid for the long haul while also reducing his potential cap hit for 2025. The Chargers have been in negotiations with Slater, and while we have not reached holdout territory, this is an extension situation to monitor for Justin Herbert’s blindside.

Hart was a fifth-round pick by the Chargers last year, starting six of fourteen games and tallying seven passes defended with a forced fumble as a rookie. He suffered a torn labrum against the Texans in the playoffs and underwent surgery in January. Though Hart won’t participate in OTA’s, he expects to be back for minicamp.

Jaguars head coach Liam Coen made comments on Hunter’s practice status as a defender, saying the 22-year-old practiced with the defense last Wednesday for “fundamentals and techniques and communication.” He won’t practice offensively and defensively on the same day in training camp but Coen envisions that happening more in-season with “maybe a third-down day, in-season, where he’s playing receiver, but he has to go get some reps on defense...I don’t see us doing that any time soon.” The Jaguars head coach’s comments indicate Hunter will primarily be a wide receiver while slowly getting some time with the defense leading up to the season. As a defensive back, he may be used more situationally on third downs and other scenarios. Fantasy managers can pencil Hunter in as a wide receiver first, though there will be cases down the road where he will play defensively.

Tremble re-signed with the Panthers early this offseason after finishing his rookie deal out as mostly a blocking tight end. He’s expected to start camp on the PUP list. We’ll keep an eye on this one as August rolls around, but given the optimistic initial timeline, Tremble probably isn’t at risk of missing much time once the season starts.

It wouldn’t be overly surprising if Pitts was rankled at heading into the fifth-year option of his rookie deal without an extension, but this is the first we’ve heard of him missing any time and so we shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Entering his age-25 season, Pitts is a low-end TE1 at best for fantasy purposes. Given how little time Michael Penix Jr. got with the starters last year, it would probably have helped Pitts’ cause to be working with the young quarterback as much as possible this offseason.

Terms weren’t announced. The former Texans stalwart has become a journeyman, spending 2022 with the Titans, 2023 with the Eagles, and 2024 with the Broncos. He didn’t start any games in Denver last year. He’ll play a role for the Lions in camp as they deal with Alex Anzalone holding out.

We’ve had optimistic reports on Diggs’ rehab from a Week 8 torn ACL, but this wouldn’t seem like a far-fetched timeline. It’s plausible that Diggs opens training camp on the PUP list. The Patriots now have a crowded wideout room after signing Diggs and Mack Hollins to join Kendrick Bourne and five drafted receivers in the last three years. Diggs should be able to command targets right away when healthy, but if they hold Diggs back at the start of the season they might be able to keep another receiver on the initial 53-man roster.

Graham will get, per Ian Rapoport, a fully-guaranteed $40,874,191 on his contract. He’ll slide right into the middle of the Browns defensive line rotation instantly as a replacement for Dalvin Tomlinson. Graham is a high-floor prospect who should be counted on to help control the interior for Cleveland in 2025.

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris hardly seemed surprise by Cousins’ no-show, as the team tries to find a way to sever ties with Cousins, 36, following his disastrous 2024 season. The team has repeatedly committed to Michael Penix as the Week 1 starter, even suggesting they could keep Cousins — scheduled to make $40 million in 2025 — as Penix’s backup. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowlers reported last week that Cousins is “on the Steelers’ radar” if Pittsburgh can’t come to terms with Aaron Rodgers as their 2025 starter. That could be the only remaining path for Cousins if he’s intent on getting out of Atlanta this summer.

It’s hardly a surprise as Cook angles for a new contract entering the final year of his rookie contract with Buffalo. Bills officials, including general manager Brandon Beane, have dismissed Cook’s unhappiness with his current contract as a distraction. The team seems intent on hanging on to Cook for 2025 following his stellar 2024 campaign, which included nearly 1,300 total yards and 18 touchdowns as the Bills’ No. 1 back. It wouldn’t be a shock if Cook were to hold out during training camp if a deal has not been done. He said in March that he wants $15 million per year. Cook is set to make $5.7 million in 2024.