NFL Player News

Head coach Zac Taylor said earlier that some veterans, including Chase, would have “limited” days through the first two weeks as part of a ramp-up period. The one glaring difference between Chase and veterans like Joe Burrow, Trey Hendrickson, and Tee Higgins is that they’ve already practiced in some capacity, while Chase has been spotted on the sideline both days. It still feels too premature to call Chase a “hold-in,” but the star receiver is in search of a new contract after having his fifth-year option picked up earlier this offseason. Bengals team president Mike Brown said earlier this week that “It’s not so likely that this is the good time to negotiate” an extension with Chase, but it’s possible Chase is hoping to force the team’s hand a bit. A third-straight missed practice by Chase would only amplify any concerns of a hold-in. We’ll hopefully know more about this situation soon.

Bradley joined the Raiders last offseason as a rookie UDFA and spent all of last season on the practice squad before being promoted to the 53-man roster in December. The former South Alabama Jaguar didn’t attempt a pass in his rookie season and will now look to catch on with another team ahead of training camp in hopes of battling for a roster spot. Bradley may be better suited for a spring football league where he would have an opportunity for more playing time.

Diggs suffered a torn ACL in Week 8 of last season, but surprised during spring practices when he took the field in a limited capacity with the team. While he’s yet to be cleared for full football activities, Graff believes the encouraging spring we saw from Diggs may lead to some limited work to the side in camp while leaving the door open for Diggs to eventually participate in full closer to the end of camp. While opening the season on the PUP list, which would require him to miss a minimum of four games, remains a possibility, Diggs’ involvement in camp will be worth monitoring as the Patriots aim to get their WR1 back on the field.

The full report can be found at the link provided at the end of the blurb, but the details are quite disturbing. Arresting officer Steven Pohorence reported that the victim of Judkins’ alleged assault reported the incident the day after it occurred, alleging Judkins “punched her in the mouth/chin area with a closed fist” while adding he later struck her in the arm and thigh. The victim also showed pictures of her chin/lip area, with officer Pohorence noting in the report “the bruising was clearly evident.” Bruises could also be found on her arm and thigh. This situation is far from resolved and could have a direct impact on Judkins’ availability for training camp as he remains unsigned at this time.

This comes after it was announced that Jennings was seeking either a new contract or a trade before the start of this season. Jennings reporting to camp is good in theory, but as Barrows also points out, last year’s Brandon Aiyuk situation showed a player reporting to camp while in a contract dispute can be anything but beneficial. In recent years, players have resorted to “hold-ins” during camp to avoid fines for not reporting, which could be Jennings’ approach when he does report next week. We’ll likely get a better sense of where things are headed with this situation as camp draws nearer.

It’s odd that this would come out a week before training camp rather than earlier in the offseason, but Jennings’ desire for a new deal is warranted. The sixth-year receiver is coming off a breakout season in which he caught 77 passes for 975 yards and six touchdowns — all career-highs, and is expected to play a significant role this season. The 49ers extended Jennings’ contract last season, but he’s set to earn just $7.5 million in the final year of his deal, which is well-below what a player of his caliber should be earning. With Brandon Aiyuk (knee) a likely PUP candidate and Ricky Pearsall entering the season with much to prove, it goes without saying that Jennings is the best available receiver on the 49ers right now, which could spur the team to get a new deal done. That said, we’ve seen the Niners drag out contract discussions before, and wouldn’t expect anything immediate as this story continues to develop.

Cowing boasts 4.3 speed and reportedly added weight in the offseason after weighing in at 168 pounds as a rookie. With Samuel now in Washington and Aiyuk (knee) a candidate to open the season on the PUP list, it’s easy to see an early path for Cowing to earn more opportunities this season. Last year’s first-rounder, Ricky Pearsall, is also expected to see an uptick in targets and Jauan Jennings is coming off a breakout season (77-975-6), but Cowing makes for an interesting late-round target in deeper leagues given the current state of the Niners’ receiving room. Cowing caught 316 passes for 4,477 yards and 33 touchdowns during five college seasons while averaging a solid 6.3 yards after the catch per reception.

In addition to his belief that the Jets could lead the league in rush attempts, Rosenblatt also adds that Braelon Allen will “have plenty of opportunities” to make an impact this season as Breece Hall enters the final year of his rookie deal. Allen was selected 134th overall last season and finished his rookie year with 92 carries for 334 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 3.6 YPC. According to Rosenblatt, head coach Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand are hoping to model their offense after the one Ben Johnson ran in Detroit, with Breece Hall playing the “Jahmyr Gibbs role” and Allen playing the “David Montgomery role.” Should this come to fruition, Allen could have tons of late-round fantasy value for those willing to take shots on him.

Rodrigue believes that the two sides’ continued contract talk “is a good sign” for an early extension. Williams’ overall productivity works in his favor. Rodrigue notes that training camp is the usual timeline for such deals under this era of Rams leadership, giving fantasy managers an expected timeline to follow. The two sides have been negotiating all offseason.

The Patriots’ first training camp practice is scheduled for July 23rd. This report fails to provide clarity on Tavai’s expected participation status, though ESPN’s Mike Reiss does list LBs Christian Elliss and Jack Gibbens as Tavai’s “projected top competition” for the No. 2 inside linebacker job. Free agent signee, LB Robert Spillane, is locked into the No. 1 spot.

Howell came under scrutiny after it was revealed last week that he worked part-time as a paid consultant for The Carlyle Group, which is a private equity firm. On Sunday, the NFLPA released a statement that it rejects “attempts to mischaracterize the committee’s views or divide membership” regarding this news, while adding any reports of the NFLPA calling for Howell to step down are false. It would appear Howell, who was appointed to his position in 2023, will remain in his role for the upcoming season.