NFL Player News

A 2021 enrollee, Bullard (5’10/198) took over a starting slot role in 2022, where he logged 510 of his 624 snaps and recorded 46 tackles, 7.0 TFL and 3.5 sacks while earning an 80th percentile PFF defensive grade. Bullard saved his best for the CFP National Title game with a two interception performance that earned him the game’s Defensive MVP Award. Bullard built on his MVP showing by having the best season of his career, holding opponents to a 34.0 NFL passer rating while shifting to the back line and playing 362 of his 596 snaps at free safety. His 88.9 PFF cover grade ranked fifth nationally, as Bullard allowed a microscopic .27 yards per coverage snap with a 32% forced incompletion rate. On the tackling front, Bullard sports a very respectable 9.2% missed tackle rate while grading in the 78th percentile. He’s on the short side, but his Combine weight of 198 pounds and dense frame help him bring the pain over the middle when called upon. While his lack of length and poor 33” vertical (34th%) suppresses his overall athletic profile, there’s nothing wrong with an 8.25 Relative Athletic Score. Bullard has the smarts to diagnose route concepts and not get baited, while also having the heft to make his presence felt across the middle. His stubby proportions present challenges with his sideline-to-sideline and deep range, but he’s a plus defender with the action coming at him. Bullard is a self-made, undersized grinder who is best suited in a scheme that can utilize his slot and free safety versatility.

The Broncos add Ahmed after Tyler Badie went down in Sunday’s win over the Jets. Playing four seasons with the Dolphins, Ahmed has 163 carries for 593 yards and five touchdowns, adding 40 catches for 274 yards and a score. He will be depth for the Broncos, who have not found much consistent production from their running back room this season.

The 27-year-old Cager went undrafted in 2020 and bounced around the Jets, Browns, and Giants throughout his NFL career. In his most recent stint with the Giants, he was signed to a one-year deal in the offseason, waived, then re-signed to the practice squad. Cager is now let go from the team’s practice squad with an injury settlement after competing for a tight end spot in the offseason.

It sounds like Ekeler has worked his way through most of the concussion protocol. It was a fun random week for Jeremy McNichols, but Ekeler could assume the secondary work behind Brian Robinson again in Week 5.

The Panthers will take a shot at rehabilitating the tools that made Farley a first-round pick in 2021 while managing the long-term back injury that has plagued him for most of his NFL career. The Panthers have almost nothing in the cupboard at cornerback beyond Jaycee Horn, so it makes sense to take a low-risk stab on a player who is still just 25.

Ditto Lucas Havrisik. Brayden Narveson has missed four of 13 field-goal attempts this year for the Packers, including the league’s only sub-40 yard miss through four weeks. The Packers may be ready to make a change.

The club is still evaluating how much time Phillips will need to miss, but it’s not surprising that he won’t be up for Week 5 after Miami quickly ruled him out on Monday night. Miami’s Week 6 bye will give them a little more time to figure out the situation. It’s possible he winds up on injured reserve.

We simply can’t trust any of Miami’s once-reliable fantasy weapons until we see better at quarterback, and Huntley was ghastly last week. McDaniel was quoted as saying: “after reviewing the tape, there’s reason for guys to be excited about [Huntley] ... There were some things to build upon, and we’re excited to do that tomorrow.” It’s possible that another week of practice in the system will help Huntley play better than he did on Monday night. It’s hard to believe he’ll be better enough to do more than make Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Devon Achane FLEX options against the Patriots.

In theory, it would be great for the Dolphins to have a third quality receiver on the field. In actuality, it probably won’t matter until Tua Tagovailoa returns. The Dolphins will have 21 days to activate him from the PUP list, meaning Beckham won’t necessarily return this week. He might be worth a stash in the deepest of the deep leagues with the idea that the Dolphins offense will be back on track in Week 8 after Tagovailoa is eligible to return.

Hall had been on the commissioner’s exempt list following a domestic violence arrest in August. He’ll be eligible to return in Week 11 against the Saints, after Cleveland’s bye week.

He’ll be eligible to return in Week 9 against the Dolphins. Miller had three sacks and five tackles in four games so far this season, rejuvenating himself after a zero-sack 2023. Only a situational pass rusher at this point, Miller will be missed but isn’t exactly a linchpin piece of the Buffalo defense anymore. It’s a slight upgrade for the Texans passing attack this week.