NFL Player News

Smith was held out of Wednesday’s practice but returned for two limited sessions before being listed as questionable. He told reports on Friday that he still didn’t know if he would be able to suit up this week, making him a true game-time call heading into Sunday. If active, Smith will be a high-ceiling WR2 for a potential shootout with the Ravens.

Without directly naming Kelce as his source, McAfee, who was reading text messages from his phone, all but confirmed it was Kelce who confirmed his return. McAfee said the “source” he reached out to regarding Kelce’s future replied to his text saying, “I’m coming back for sure. I’m gonna try and get to the best shape I’ve been this offseason and get back to the mountaintop.” This “source” also said he had a “real bad taste” in his mouth about how he played in his last game. Kelce caught 97 passes for 823 yards and three touchdowns last season — all very strong numbers by most tight end standards. That said, his play took a noticeable dip last season, as the 823 yards he totaled were his fewest since 2014, while his 8.5 YPR set a new career low by more than two yards. Kelce will be 35 at the start of next season and can still provide the Chiefs reliable hands in the passing game, but it seems clear that his best days are likely behind him, even if he does manage to get in the best shape of his career.

This marks the fourth-straight season that the league has increased the cap number after it fell to $182.5 million in 2021 following a COVID-stricken 2020 season. The $279.2 million ceiling also sets a new league record for the fourth-straight season, and will raise every team’s cap space for the upcoming season once adjustments for the approved amount take effect.

Disappointing, but not surprising. Per Tomasson, an NFL official passed on this information regarding Hunter’s decision to skip combine workouts, meaning we won’t get a chance to look at the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner until Colorado’s pro day. An elite two-way player in college, Hunter could have the opportunity to play a similar dual role in the NFL, although that decision will likely depend on the team that drafts him. Colorado has not yet set a date for their pro day, but with Shedeur Sanders also expected to participate, it’s safe to say it will be one of the most anticipated pro days of this year’s NFL Draft news cycle.

The latest rumors on Higgins are that the Bengals will franchise tag him if they cannot reach a deal before free agency kicks off. Even if that doesn’t come to fruition, Graff believes the Patriots will prioritize the offensive and defensive lines. Patriots executive VP of player personnel reinforced those sentiments at the combine when he said “The game is always won on the lines — offensive line, defensive line.” Graff adds that the Patriots are “going to feel out the trade market for a receiver,” but any move for Higgins appears unlikely at this point.

Milano has been marred by injuries in back-to-back seasons and has appeared in just nine regular season games since 2023 as a result. The Bills could release the eight-year vet and former First-Team All-Pro as a post-June 1 cut that would result in $9.640 million in savings while also carrying a dead cap hit just over $6.1 million, but it sounds like Milano will be running things back with the Bills in 2025. Milano will have the rest of the offseason to prepare for training camp and won’t have any additional hurdles to clear as far as surgery or rehab is concerned. If he can get back to his old form, a healthy Milano should provide a nice boost to a Bills defense that ranked 11th in the league in points allowed last season.

A likely top five pick in this year’s draft, Graham becomes the latest incoming rookie to shirk most combine workouts this week, as he will instead go through a complete workout at Michigan’s pro day. Graham put together a dominant final season at Michigan, totaling 45 tackles, seven TFLs, and 3.5 sacks while earning First-Team All-American honors. Graham has already met with a handful of teams holding high draft picks and will be an immediate upgrade for whatever defense he lands on.

David, 35, has spent his entire 13-year career with the Buccaneers and is still producing at a high level. The veteran linebacker racked up 122 total tackles and 5.5 sacks while also forcing three fumbles and one interception. While the Bucs are willing to give David time to decide on his playing future, Anderson reports other teams have also checked in on the possibility of David’s willingness to play elsewhere in 2025.

It was revealed on Wednesday that Carter was dealing with a stress reaction in his right foot that may require surgery. Now, per Schefter’s report, further scans have advised against surgery. Carter will presumably rest and let the injury heal on its own while preparing for his pro day, which is scheduled for March 28th. Drew Rosenhaus doubled down on his statements regarding Carter and his injury, saying, “I couldn’t be more confident that this will be a non-factor where he’s drafted.”

It’s not a fracture, but stress reactions can lead to stress fractures over time. Now, the star pass rusher will have to decide on whether or not he should have surgery to correct the issue. Carter wasn’t expected to work out at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine due to a shoulder injury he suffered last season, but this latest injury is now another thing to monitor. Carter’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said there are “mixed opinions” on whether or not Carter needs surgery, but that he doesn’t expect the injury to impact Carter’s draft status.

Previously, referees would measure the first down line-to-gain using a chain measurement. Now, the NFL is instituting a Hawk-Eye virtual measurement to measure if a ball crossed the first down line. The chain gang will remain as a backup. This is a big response to the yearly criticism that manual chains can be inaccurate and take a long time to measure. The 2025 regular season is the first time the virtual measurement will be used.