NFL Player News

On one hand, this doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Dowdle has handled 33 of the Cowboys’ last 64 running back opportunities, and that’s after missing Week 8’s game against the 49ers due to an illness. Still, this is the first time McCarthy has gone out of his way to endorse Dowdle as the team’s lead back. Dowdle has earned 15 or more opportunities in his last two games and has totaled 163 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown over that span. He’ll have some RB3/FLEX appeal in Week 11 against the Texans.

The deal comes with a $1.75 million signing bonus, $1.5 million guaranteed, $1.5 million in playtime incentives, and a $500,000 Pro Bowl escalator. Speed set a career high in tackles in 2024 with 142, including seven tackles for loss and five pass break ups. He’ll bolster an aggressive Texans linebacking corps after spending the first six years of his NFL career with the Colts.

A sixth-round pick from Villanova in the 2022 NFL Draft, Benford finished the season with an 82.6 overall PPF grade (fifth among CBs). The 24-year-old cornerback played like a top-five player at the position and now he’ll be paid like one on a deal that will keep him in Buffalo through the 2029 season. Benford’s deal comes after extensions for EDGE Greg Rousseau, LB Terrel Bernard and WR Khalil Shakir as the Bills continue to lock up their core players this offseason.

Per Robinson, “multiple league and player’s union sources” say that Goodell and the owners are expected to “make more assertive efforts” for an 18th game this summer. Robinson also indicates that team owners would like to opt out of the leagues’ domestic media right contracts, “which Goodell and the owners believe are underpriced.” The contracts are not set to expire until 2029, though. Opting out of the contracts before cementing an 18-game schedule would create more problems for the owners down the road, which may provide the NFL players’ union with leverage, as time is on the latter party’s side. The players reportedly wish to increase their split of league revenue from 48.0 percent to an even 50-50, which could play a role in negotiations.

Brown must recover from a season-ending knee injury suffered on September 23rd, 2024. Assuming he can return to form, though, this is a great signing for the Texans. Brown is an extremely accomplished offensive tackle, with 3,005 snaps logged at left tackle and another 1,579 at right tackle. He can play effectively both as in pass protection and as a run blocker.

Harbaugh’s current deal was set to expire after the upcoming season. The 62-year-old head coach has guided the Ravens to double-digit regular season wins in each of the last three seasons. The team has advanced to the AFC Championship Game once during that span while making the playoffs each year, resulting in a 2-3 postseason record. This will be Harbaugh’s 18th season with the Ravens.

Charles rarely produces as a receiver but has proven himself to be an elite special teams player. His 88.6 PFF special teams grade ranks seventh among more than 225 NFL players to record at least 210 special teams snaps in 2024. He boasts 13 special teams tackles in his two-year NFL career.

Frazier entered the NFL as an assistant to the head with the Colts in 2018. He advanced up the ranks during his time there before parlaying his interim offensive coordinator role in 2022 to a passing game coordinator role with the Panthers in 2023. He spent 2024 serving as an offensive assistant with the Dolphins.

Quitoriano will settle into a backup role behind Kyle Pitts, Charlie Woerner and Feleipe Franks. The former Texan has dealt with knee, oblique, groin and calf issues in his short career but perhaps a change of scenery will be helpful. He did not earn any targets last year.

Welch has had an adventurous two-year span. The special teams standout left the Ravens roster after the 2022 season, signing on with the Packers in 2023. He then spent the 2024 season playing for the Broncos (Weeks 1-6) and Ravens (Weeks 7-Divisional Round). He now returns to Green Bay, where he previously tallied a career-high six special teams tackles in 2023. Welch has earned at least a 69.9 PFF special teams grade in 3-of-5 NFL seasons.

Moon contributes minimally but makes his mark regularly via special teams. His 85.2 PFF special teams grade ranks third among Steelers players and his six special teams tackles ranks fifth.