NFL Player News

Witherspoon had to be carted off the field in the team’s first practice of OTAs. It’s tough luck for a player who was facing an uphill battle to make the final roster.

After Moody missed 10-of-34 field-goal attempts last season, it would be a little silly not to. The 49ers’ kicker appears to be yet another cautionary tale against drafting kickers early. The former third-rounder was acceptable in his rookie season, hitting 21-of-25 attempts and a league-high 60 extra points, but has made just 16-of-29 attempts beyond 40 yards in his first two years. The competition is not on the roster yet, but the 49ers are likely waiting for the draft at this point to see if anyone they grade highly shakes loose.

In other words, the postseason format is coming to the regular season, guaranteeing both sides a chance to possess the ball once. Overtimes will remain 10 minutes in the regular season. NFL owners also approved bringing Sony’s Hawk-Eye technology to spot the ball in 2025, expanding instant replay assist, bringing touchbacks up to the 35-yard-line, and (on a trial basis) allowing free agents more contact with teams during the Two-Day Negotiation Period. These rule changes all seem broadly good for the game, though it remains to be seen how tedious instant replay will become in 2025 with even more expanded opportunities.

Shanahan expressed no concerns about McCaffrey’s 2025 status after he missed much of the 2024 season with an ongoing Achilles injury. CMC totaled 348 yards over four games last season, posting the lowest rushing success rate of his NFL career. Shanahan complimented Isaac Guerendo, who “ran harder as the year went, which is a good sign.” The team this offseason parted ways with RB Jordan Mason, who was traded to the Vikings. Guerendo started three games and averaged a healthy five yards per carry on 84 rushing attempts last season. He could be used as a complement to McCaffrey in 2025 if the Niners are intent on keeping the veteran healthy and upright in his ninth NFL season.

Rooney pointed to “positive signs” that Rodgers could finally be ready to sign with Pittsburgh after flaming out with the Jets last season. He added that the team would not wait “forever” for Rodgers to make his final decision. Rodgers, entering his age-41 season, reportedly meshed well with Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in a March visit to the team facility. With the Giants signing Russell Wilson, the Steelers are the last viable landing spot for the mercurial veteran. The Vikings could change that calculus if they don’t commit to JJ McCarthy as their Week 1 starter, however.

Proposed by the Packers, who could not stop the Jalen Hurts-led tush push in last year’s postseason, the tush push ban will be kicked down the road to another owners meeting. CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones said 16 teams opposed the rule to ban the tush push. “There will be much more conversation, with many teams in favor of having the NFL’s competition committee continue to study the play,” Jones said. NFL head coaches have spoken out against the tush push in part because they can’t stop it and partly due to concerns about injuries, even though the tush push does not have a high injury rate. A ban of the short-yardage play would constitute a major blow to the Eagles offense, and it appears the issue will be brought back again in May.

Gladstone said Brown, who last month signed a one-year, $10 million deal with Jacksonville, will be a solid complement to alpha WR Brian Thomas in the Jaguars offense. “Somebody else that can go down the field so [Thomas] is not always having to be that guy on the top shelf,” Gladstone said when asked about acquiring Brown, who had his most productive stretch as a pro last December and January for the Commanders. Jaguars head coach Liam Coen described Brown as “somebody that’s able to attack the field at all three levels.” Brown, entering his age-26 season, should be the team’s No. 2 target behind Thomas now that Evan Engram is in Denver.

The rule tweak means NFL replay officials can now reverse flags thrown for hits to defenseless players, along with facemask penalties, horse collar penalties, tripping, and running into/roughing the kicker, according to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. The change will not allow officials to apply a penalty when one has clearly occurred on the field.

Blackshear will return to Carolina for a fourth season with the Panthers. Mostly used as a special teams player Blackshear, 25, has sometimes been used as an emergency running back. He has 203 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns over his three seasons with the Panthers.

Moore called Kamara a “premiere player” who will have an outsized role in the New Orleans offense next season. This comes as Saints coaches and front office officials reportedly “look hard” at incoming rookie running back prospects. That includes a recent meeting with Boise State RB Ashton Jeantey, widely expected to be the first back off the draft board. Kamara, entering his age-30 season, could take on more of a pass-catching role if the Saints take a running back in the first or second round of the draft. Kamara has 330 receptions since the start of the 2020 season, leading all running backs over that span.

Usurped by Michael Penix as Atlanta’s starter late last season, Cousins, entering his age-37 season, reportedly hopes to be traded after the 2025 NFL Draft. Cousins has a no-trade clause in his Falcons contract, meaning he has a say in where he’s dealt in the coming weeks or months. Though Falcons officials have been cagey about Cousins’ future with the organization, there’s almost no way Cousins remains on the roster headed into the summer. Penix is widely viewed as the team’s long-term starter. Cousins in 2024 posted the second-lowest touchdown rate of his NFL career and the lowest adjusted yards per attempt of his 13 seasons in the league.