NFL Player News

The defensive turnaround of the Ravens in 2024 can be traced almost directly to benching Williams and installing Kyle Hamilton at free safety. Williams has been a healthy scratch for the last five weeks and hasn’t played meaningful snaps since Week 10. Both sides likely see a release as the best way for Williams to continue his career elsewhere. The major free-agent signing played just three seasons in Baltimore after the Saints let him walk, with injuries impacting him in both 2022 and 2023. He’ll be 29 and is likely to be regarded as a flier in free agency once he gets there.

It’s an important step for Hurts, who has been in the NFL’s concussion protocol since sustaining a brain injury in Week 16 against the Commanders. If Hurts is able to clear the protocol by Thursday or Friday, he should be good to go for Sunday’s Wild Card matchup against the Packers. Hurts had 278 passing yards and two touchdowns against the Packers in Week 1 along with 33 rushing yards. It was the third highest passing total of Hurts’ 2024 campaign.

Sorensen was promoted to defensive coordinator for the 2024 season, but it seems the 49ers will move on from him at that role. NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocoo reports the team still hopes to retain Sorensen to the coaching staff, but will be looking elsewhere for defensive coordinator. It will be Kyle Shanahan’s fourth defensive coordinator in four years as the rumor mill will begin to churn for which defensive coach will join the staff.

The Bears continue their head coaching due diligence, now lining up an interview with former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll. ESPN’s Adam Schefter had previously reported Carroll had interest in the Bears job, and now the feeling looks to be mutual. The 73-year-old spent 14 seasons with the Seahawks, finding postseason success and winning a Super Bowl. He was under contract with the Seahawks in an advisory role for 2024, but is now released from that commitment with Seattle’s season concluded. Amidst the several head coaching interviews the Bears have ahead of them, Carroll is one of the older but more decorated options.

The Bears had requested to interview McCarthy on Monday for their head coaching vacancy, but the possibility of him heading to the Windy City has lessened. The Cowboys denied the Bears’ request, perhaps an indicator they view McCarthy as a part of their 2025 plans. The Bears still have a long list of candidates to interview while the Cowboys are reeling from a 7-10 season. If they still want to interview McCarthy, they can do so after January 14th, when his exclusive negotiating window with the Cowboys expires. Meanwhile, the Cowboys look prepared to go down the path of retaining McCarthy; it would be his sixth season with the team.

Hodgins last played for the Giants in 2024, catching two passes for 12 yards while primarily spending time on the practice squad. He was used less and less by New York, totaling 33 receptions for 351 yards for the Giants in 2022, and 21 receptions for 230 yards in 2023. The 26-year-old now joins the 49ers on a reserve/future deal, giving him a chance to make the squad over the course of the offseason.

It’s a new listing for the lanky third-year receiver who left Week 18’s game against the Titans for a concussion check at one point. Xavier Hutchinson would move up the pecking order for the Texans at wideout if Metchie can’t go, but it’s likely that Nico Collins is the only name you actually want to play in DFS or best ball playoff leagues for the Texans. Between Diontae Johnson just joining the team, Metchie’s injury, and Robert Woods’ lack of burst, it’s tough to find an obvious No. 2 here.

The Heisman Trophy runner-up is widely expected to be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He rushed for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns with 374 carries this past season for Boise State, also handling 23 catches for 138 yards while being keyed on in every game and leading the Broncos to the College Football Playoff. Jeanty handled 30 carries for 104 yards in a loss to Penn State in the quarterfinal round. He is likely to be the first name called in most rookie fantasy drafts this summer.

“I wouldn’t take anything less to do this. It’s hard enough putting our bodies through it. And you’re trying to get everything you can for your family for it,” Carr added. Carr’s offseason status is an interesting one because the state of his wrist could mean a lot for the Saints. If he cannot pass a physical, his $30 million salary is guaranteed for injury. The Saints, perpetually over the cap, will likely have to restructure his deal to reduce his cap hit of $51.458 million. The Saints could also throw a post-June 1 designation on a release to spread his dead money hit if they so choose. That decision is one that awaits the next head coach of the Saints, whoever that may be.

The cynical way to look at this is that the Patriots have fulfilled their obligation to the Rooney Rule by interviewing Byron Leftwich and Pep Hamilton today and are now moving on to their main target. Guess we’ll see just how cynical things are. Vrabel has been rumored to be the main target of the Patriots for weeks ahead of Jerod Mayo’s firing and has already been linked to interviews for the Jets, Bears, Raiders, and Saints jobs. This is, of course, an obvious fit of former team and a highly-respected head coach who seems to be the top choice for many teams this hiring cycle.

It’s a new listing for the Chargers second-year wideout after he hauled in 186 yards in Week 18’s win over the Raiders. (And yes, we checked, Zion Johnson also is listed this time so the Chargers don’t appear to have made a mistake with this listing.) Johnston is probably just being managed ahead of the Wild Card Round game against the Texans on Saturday, but we’ll keep checking in on him.