NFL Player News

Shanahan added that the team has “guys that can run the ball” and noted that while McCaffery has proven capable of handling 20-plus carries a game, at some point, the team would “like to take some of that off of him and give [the ball] to other guys also. McCaffery signed a two-year extension with the 49ers in early June after rushing for 272-1,459-14 while adding another 67-564-7 through the air. The 28-year-old running back played in 10 of a possible 33 games from 2020-2021 but has played in all but one regular season contest over the last two years. A potential decline in touches for a back who led the league with 339 touches in 2023 is worrisome for fantasy managers, but McCaffrey’s efficiency and pass-catching upside will always keep his ceiling high. We’d also expect him to remain the preferred back near the goal line and high-value areas of the field. Fantasy managers should still feel comfortable taking him at the top of drafts this season.

The Vikings are pouring resources into the defensive line in free agency, adding Hargrave and Jonathan Allen, who inked a three-year deal with the Vikings on Tuesday morning. Hargrave, who logged 21.5 sacks from 2021-2023, missed most of the 2024 season with a serious triceps injury. He’ll be an immediate upgrade for a Minnesota defensive line graded by PFF as last season’s eighth worst pass rushing unit.

The 27-year-old was a former 2nd-round pick out of UCF back in the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s a special teams ace and has proven to be incredibly durable, not missing a single game in his four seasons. In those 67 games (33 starts), he has posted 177 tackles, three sacks, 17 pass breakups, three interceptions, and four forced fumbles. He should provide competition for Ji’Ayir Brown.

The former seventh-round pick took over as the Colts’ starting right guard midway through his second season. He held the job into year three and was putting his best work on film over the first five weeks of his fourth and ultimately final season with the Colts. His season was then ended prematurely by a broken tibia that required surgery. Fries was on pace for a top-five overall grade at guard by Pro Football Focus before going down with the injury. The massive contract indicates his recovery won’t be an issue in 2025.

The Dolphins will keep Campbell in 2025 after he recorded 11 tackles over 17 games last season, operating mostly as a special teams player. Campbell, 29, who has played for Miami since 2021, should remain in that role in 2025.

The deal will reportedly pay Deablo $8 million for the 2025 season. The 26-year-old recorded 63 tackles, two passes defended, and one sack in 14 games for the Raiders in 2024 but had posted 106 tackles and a sack in a full 17-game season in 2023. He was originally a third-round pick of the Raiders in 2021. He had been a safety and a wide receiver at Virginia Tech, which allows him to be solid in coverage as a linebacker. He will bring speed and plus athleticism to the middle of the Falcons’ defense in 2025.

The former third-round pick largely played a reserve role in Detroit, never starting more than six games in a season. Injuries were a major issue for him over his four years in Detroit and that was especially true in 2024. He played just three regular season games and had two separate stints on injured reserve. Melifonwu recorded one sack and 10 tackles in his three late-season starts. The Dolphins will give him a shot at winning a starting job this summer, but the value of his contract says a starting role is far from a guarantee.

Minnesota lands one of the most sought-after defensive players in free agency. Allen will join a Vikings defensive line that last season had the NFL’s sixth highest QB pressure rate and the ninth highest hurry rate. Pro Football Focus graded Minnesota’s defensive line as the eighth worst pass-rushing unit in the NFL last year. Allen, 30, totaled 19 tackles and three sacks in eight games last season in Washington while generating 16 pressures. He’ll be an important part of the Vikings defense in 2025.

The tender is worth $5.3 million for one year. Mason can negotiate with other teams and the 49ers are free to match any offer he gets. If they choose not to, the team signing him gives up a second-round pick. For that reason, it’s safe to say Mason is sticking in the Bay Area for 2025. With Elijah Mitchell gone, Mason will compete with second-year back Isaac Guerendo for RB2 duties. The backup to Christian McCaffrey has some value as an insurance option for fantasy purposes, but it’s tough to say who that player is before the offseason program ramps up. It’s a waiting game for early fantasy drafters.

Holland will get $30 million guaranteed. The former second round pick out of Oregon is known for his physical play and should be an impactful addition to a revamped New York defense that last year allowed the ninth most yards and the 11th most points. Pro Football Focus graded the Giants coverage unit as the seventh worst in the NFL in 2024. Holland, 25, had five interceptions and 301 tackles over his four years in Miami.

Veteran Lucas served as the Commanders’ No. 3 tackle for the past half decade. He’s made at least four starts each of the past six seasons, reaching seven starts five times in that timespan. Going on 34, he’s an experienced depth signing for a Browns team that had no shortage of offensive line issues in 2024.