| Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal on changes to NFL Committees. The NFL’s two most recent owners move into prominent slots: The NFL’s two newest owners have been appointed to two of the league’s most powerful committees, a clear signal of their growing influence and ties with Commissioner Roger Goodell, according to this year’s committee assignments obtained by Sports Business Journal. Commanders owner Josh Harris has joined the finance committee, filling the vacancy created when longtime Colts owner Jim Irsay died in May. This is not entirely unexpected, given Harris’ successful financial career as co-founder of Apollo Global Management. For the last year, he had served on the league’s ownership policy committee, an offshoot of the finance panel that developed the league’s private equity program. Also new this year: Broncos owner Greg Penner has been appointed to the Management Council Executive Committee, which handles the league’s relationship with the NFL Players Association and all matters related to the union contract. Stepping down from that committee are former Packers CEO Mark Murphy, who retired in July, and Chargers owner Dean Spanos. The arrival of Penner and the departure of Murphy and Spanos represents the most turnover in many years on the Management Council committee, which has had a stable roster of the league’s most senior and respected owners for years. The panel’s last change came in 2021, when Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill replaced Bengals owner Mike Brown, who served for three decades. As part of the changes, Penner left the business ventures committee. There’s one entirely new committee this year: The flag football working group, dedicated to “all aspects of flag football,” according to a memo from Goodell explaining the changes. Other committees will still deal with flag issues, including the Fan Engagement & Major Events, 32 Equity (the venture investing group) and Business Ventures committees, but Goodell said: “We felt that it was appropriate to dedicate a new working group to flag football given its strategic important to our long-term plan and global growth.” The new Flag working group members include: The retired Murphy as chairman; Falcons President Greg Beadles, Jets President Hymie Elhai, Colts co-owner/Chief Brand Officer Kalen Jackson; Bucs co-owner Darcie Glazer Kassewitz; Patriots President Jonathan Kraft; Houston Texans Foundation VP Hannah McNair; and Raiders President Sandra Douglass Morgan. The committees both oversee and guide the work done by league executives, and are a key way that NFL owners get involved in the substantive business of the league. They generally include owners, their family members and senior executives, and changes to the committee rosters can be a sign of growing or decreasing influence in high-level league politics. The following prominent committees have no changes (chairs listed in parenthesis): 32 Equity (no chair); compensation (Patriots owner Robert Kraft); ownership policy (no chair); Stadium (Vikings owner Mark Wilf); Media (Robert Kraft); Owned & Operated Media (Cowboys owner Jerry Jones); Diversity (Art Rooney II); Fan & Engagement & Major Events (Jonathan Kraft); International (Joel Glazer); Legal Sports Betting (Shad Khan). One change was made to the Competition Committee: Dolphins GM Chris Grier left and was not replaced. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com expounds on Grier’s departure from the Competition Committee: Via the NFL Operations website, the current members of the Competition Committee are Falcons CEO Rich McKay, Cowboys executive Stephen Jones, Bengals executive V.P. Katie Blackburn, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles, 49ers G.M. John Lynch, Giants co-owner John Mara, Bills coach Sean McDermott, Rams coach Sean McVay, and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. McKay and Jones are co-chairs. No reason was given for Grier’s exit, or for the decision not to replace him. The bulk of the Competition Committee’s work happens after the season. It’s possible that Grier will be replaced before February 2026 — and the inevitable renewed assault on the tush push.– – -Former QB Jay Cutler will see the inside of a jail cell. Madison Williams of SI.com: Last October, former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler was arrested in Franklin, Tenn., on multiple charges, including driving under the influence and gun possession while under the influence. Cutler was initially booked into Williamson County Jail, and later bailed himself out on $5,000 bond. Now Cutler will face additional jail time for the charges. Cutler has agreed to plead guilty to driving under the influence, via WSMV4, and the weapon charge was dismissed. Therefore, the 42-year-old will serve four days of jail time, along with paying a $350 fine, forfeiting a gun and giving up his Tennessee license. Additionally, Cutler will be on unsupervised probation for one year and will attend a DUI safety class. His jail time will begin on Sept. 29. On Oct. 17, 2024, Cutler rear-ended another car while driving under the influence. He reportedly offered the other drive $2,000 to not call the police and let him drive away. When police did arrive at the scene, they noticed Cutler looked visibly intoxicated. They also found “a rifle and a loaded Glock pistol in the center console of his truck.” Cutler’s 12-year NFL career ended after the 2017 season, in which he started 14 games for the Dolphins. He was drafted 11th overall in the 2006 draft by the Broncos, where he played for three seasons. He spent the rest of his NFL career with the Bears. |
| NFC NORTH |
| MINNESOTAAnd the Vikings get their man as WR ADAM THIELEN makes his way back to the Land of 1,000 Lakes. When contemplating the 2025 season in the spring, Adam Thielen indicated it could be the last of his career. If that comes to fruition, he’ll play his final season where it all began. The Carolina Panthers are trading Thielen to the Minnesota Vikings, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday. Carolina will receive a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 fourth-rounder, while Minnesota receives the veteran receiver, a 2026 conditional seventh-rounder and a 2027 fifth-round pick, per Rapoport and Pelissero. The teams announced the deal later on Wednesday. Thielen, 35, spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Vikings from 2014 to 2022, producing a pair of 1,200-plus-yard seasons and earning two Pro Bowl selections. A Minnesota native and an undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State, Thielen was released by the current Vikings regime in the spring of 2023, but general manager Kwesi Odafe-Mensah, head coach Kevin O’Connell and Co. are in need of some veteran wide receiver help so they’ve worked out a reunion.. |
| NFC EAST |
| NEW YORK GIANTSQB TOMMY DeVITO is out. Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post with a clever lead: The Giants put the “cut” in “Tommy Cutlets.” Tommy DeVito — the North Jersey native turned Cinderella fan favorite and Italian cultural symbol — was cut Tuesday by the Giants. As was expected all along, there was no room on the 53-man roster to carry a fourth-string quarterback. DeVito is expected to have options with other teams, league sources told The Post. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be the end of the DeVito Era. If a team claims DeVito and his one-year, $1.03 million contract off waivers by noon Wednesday, it must carry him on the 53-man roster for at least the first three weeks of the regular season. Twelve NFL teams, including the Giants, rostered three quarterbacks in Week 1 of last season. If DeVito passes through waivers, he will face a difficult choice: Either accept the invitation to return to the Giants practice squad, where he will be stuck behind Russell Wilson, Jaxson Dart and Jameis Winston … or sign to another team’s practice squad with a shorter path to the field as a backup who maybe could compete for second-string reps. Did Giants make the right call in releasing DeVito?DeVito, 27, has given no indication privately or publicly as to which path he would choose — he punted on the question when asked last week — but Giants head coach Brian Daboll has declined three opportunities since the preseason ended to voice an epilogue for the pride of Don Bosco Prep. Daboll deferred comment on all of Tuesday’s roster moves — 29 in total, including 26 cuts — until Wednesday. “I think he goes unclaimed,” one league source told The Post, “because you have to keep him on your 53-man roster as a No. 3 quarterback, so a team would have to truly fall in love with who he is and what he’s about, and you won’t have that idea.” The perks of staying with the Giants are twofold. First, DeVito, whose pinched-fingers touchdown celebration had fans clamoring to pay about $200 for his autograph during his viral rookie season, faces more off-field revenue opportunities as the local celebrity than he does in any other city. Second, DeVito’s comfort in his third year operating Daboll’s offense was on display as he went 17-for-20 with three touchdown passes in the preseason finale against the Patriots. Sensing the possible farewell moment, the home crowd responded with a warm ovation before DeVito’s first snap. “I kind of feel like I’ve been in a cameo of ‘The Sopranos’ or something like that,” receiver Darius Slayton said of teaming with DeVito, “but it’s been awesome to have him around, be able to see a local Jersey kid and the community rally around him, and him being able to have the success that he’s had here. It’s been awesome to witness somebody in real time get that type of opportunity where they’re from.” DeVito is 3-5 as an NFL starter with eight touchdowns and three interceptions. Undrafted out of Illinois in 2023, he made the lifeless Giants interesting with three straight wins — including beating the Packers in prime time — that first season when Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor were injured. “It was dope,” edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux said. “Him coming in when he did and winning those games definitely brought some fire to the team. Super grateful and excited for his journey and excited to have been a part of it.” The Giants also briefly turned to DeVito over second-stringer Drew Lock when looking for a “spark” last season, after cutting Jones. When free agency opened in March, DeVito was the Giants’ only quarterback. But they signed Wilson and Winston, and drafted Dart to be the future. Dart and DeVito formed a quick friendship, with the rookie first-round pick crediting DeVito with helping him get acclimated to New York both on and off the field. “Tommy has probably been the one, [since] I first got here, I kind of learned the most from,” Dart said during training camp. If DeVito returns to the practice squad, it would give the Giants some flexibility to trade Winston (who is signed through 2026) before the Nov. 4 deadline. |
| PHILADELPHIAMuch-traveled QB SAM HOWELL has landed in Philadelphia. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com: The Eagles recently traded for quarterback Sam Howell, making Philly his fourth team in three full NFL seasons. Meeting with reporters on Tuesday, Eagles G.M. Howie Roseman explained the decision to make the deal with Minnesota for the 2022 fifth-round pick of the Commanders. “We know the player really well,” Roseman told reporters. “Spent a lot of time on him coming out. Ironically, I think the only college Thursday night game I’ve gone to in the last 10 years was Pitt-North Carolina, and we ended up getting both those quarterbacks, which is ironic, like I said.” Not ironically, ironic isn’t the proper explanation for what happened. (Even a conspiracy theorist knows that.) “We had done a lot of work on him coming out,” Roseman added. “Saw him firsthand as a starter with Washington. Obviously, he had tremendous success in those games, had a lot of appreciation for him as a player and his talent level and the person that he was spending time with him. So, a guy who’s always on our radar. Just felt like for our team right now, the hardest part for us is trying to balance the development of players, the development of young players who we like, and doing whatever we can to go out and defend our title and to put the best team forward here for Dallas and going forward.” “We just thought it was an opportunity to improve in the short-term quarterback position, which is obviously a hugely important position,” Roseman said. “For us, having those three guys again as we start the season, the opportunity to have those guys with the experience that they have in that room, just we felt like it was in the best interest of the team for this season.” The Eagles currently have three quarterbacks on the roster. McKee has a fractured thumb; his presence on the active roster suggests he’ll be ready to go, sooner than later. Philly opens the season in nine days, with a visit from the Cowboys. The game will be televised by NBC and streamed on Peacock. |
| WASHINGTONFor an up-and-coming team with a young quarterback, the Commanders have an old roster. Heck, they have an old team, period. Michael David Smith ofProFootballTalk.com: The Commanders have the oldest team in the NFL this year, and the oldest team in the NFL in more than a decade, based on the average age of all the players on their 53-man roster. The Packers, meanwhile, are the youngest team in the league for the third consecutive year. According to data compiled by Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice.com, the average age of the Commanders’ 53 players is 28.1. Kempski has been tracking the average ages of all NFL initial 53-man rosters since 2012, and the Commanders are the first team ever to have an average age over 28. The previous oldest teams were the 2023 Saints and 2018 Raiders, who both had an average age of 27.4. There’s plenty of optimism about the Commanders’ future because of 24-year-old quarterback Jayden Daniels, but plenty of other key players on the roster are past their 30th birthdays. That includes 36-year-old pass rusher Von Miller, 35-year-old linebacker Bobby Wagner, 34-year-old tight end Zach Ertz, 31-year-old left tackle Laremy Tunsil and 30-year-old running back Austin Ekeler. Having an old roster isn’t necessarily a bad thing for this year, but it does point to the Commanders facing a future in which they’ll need to bring in plenty of new faces to build around Daniels. The Packers continue to prioritize young talent: Green Bay’s average age is 25.2. The Packers also had the youngest rosters at the start of both the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Here is the whole list: 1 Packers: 25.23 🐣 2 Eagles: 25.49 3 Cowboys: 25.74 4 Bengals: 25.77 5 Seahawks: 25.77 6 Jets: 25.81 7 Chargers: 25.91 8 Chiefs: 25.92 9 Dolphins: 26.0010 Jaguars: 26.0411 Patriots: 26.0812 Raiders: 26.1113 Ravens: 26.1314 Browns: 26.1515 Cardinals: 26.1916 Bears: 26.2317 Bills: 26.2518 Buccaneers: 26.2519 Colts: 26.2620 Saints: 26.2621 49ers: 26.3022 Panthers: 26.3223 Texans: 26.3824 Rams: 26.3825 Vikings: 26.4026 Broncos: 26.4327 Titans: 26.5828 Giants: 26.5829 Lions: 26.6030 Falcons: 26.7131 Steelers: 27.2832 Commanders: 28.09 👴 |
| NFC WEST |
| ARIZONAJosh Weinfuss of ESPN.com on Arizona’s biggest cutdown moves: Biggest move: After an impressive camp despite missing time with a leg injury, wide receiver Simi Fehoko was one of the most surprising cuts by the Cardinals. He was consistent during training camp and made plays during preseason games. Veteran running back DeeJay Dallas, who was a key component on Arizona’s special teams last season, was cut after an up-and-down preseason. However, the most meaningful move might have been Arizona keeping first-round pick Walter Nolen III on the physically unable to perform list. It means Nolen can’t return to practice for the first four weeks of the season, and once his 21-day window opens after Week 4, he could miss up to three more games. — Josh Weinfuss |
| SEATTLEBrady Henderson of ESPN.com on the cutting of WR MARQUES VALDEZ-SCANTLING: Biggest move: The Seahawks released Marquez Valdes-Scantling after they couldn’t find someone to trade for the veteran wideout and the $2.5 million that remains on his one-year contract. From a financial standpoint, that had to be a tough move to make since he is guaranteed another $1.5 million on top of his $1.5 million signing bonus. But from a competitive standpoint, it was their only choice absent a trade. Seattle signed Valdes-Scantling to be its WR3 and to help replace some of the speed the offense lost in the DK Metcalf trade. But because Valdes-Scantling doesn’t play on special teams, he couldn’t be any lower than that on the depth chart if he wanted to make the team. Rookie fifth-round pick Tory Horton clearly outperformed Valdes-Scantling over the summer, as did Jake Bobo, Dareke Young and Cody White, all of whom made the 53 behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp. — Brady Henderson |
| AFC WEST |
| KANSAS CITYWR RASHEE RICE has “accepted” a 6-game suspension for his horrible driving in 2024. Chris Cwik and Ian Casselberry of YahooSports.com: Kansas City Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice reportedly accepted a six-game suspension from the NFL on Wednesday as a result of a 2024 car crash, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Early reports Wednesday suggested the NFL was seeking at least six games for Rice, with the suspension kicking in at the start of the 2025 NFL season. That will reportedly be the case, making Rice available to return to the team ahead of its Week 7 game vs. the Las Vegas Raiders. The news comes after Rice was sentenced in July to 30 days in jail and five years’ probation for his part in the crash. At the time of the crash, Rice’s lawyer confirmed that his client was driving a Lamborghini that was racing a Corvette involved in an accident with three other vehicles on a highway in northeast Dallas. He was driving 119 mph just before the crash occurred, according to a police report. The drivers of the Lamborghini and Corvette fled the scene without providing any information or checking if anyone involved in the crash required medical attention. At least four people were injured in the crash. Rice turned himself in to the police nine days after the incident. He faced eight charges for his role in the crash, including six counts of collision causing bodily injury, one count of collision causing serious bodily injury and one count of aggravated assault. Two people involved in the accident sued Rice and Teddy Knox, who allegedly drove the Corvette, for $1 million in negligence and punitive damages — a lawsuit that was settled during the offseason, in favor of the plaintiffs, Dallas County court records indicate. The lawsuit claimed that numerous injuries from the crash, including “trauma to the brain, lacerations to the face requiring stitches, multiple contusions about the body, disfigurement, internal bleeding, and other internal and external injuries that may only be fully revealed over the course of medical treatment.” Rice was also suspected of assaulting a photographer in May, but the alleged victim dropped the charges and incurred no punishment from the league. While the car crash occurred during the 2024 offseason, the NFL waited until Rice’s legal situation concluded before issuing a punishment. That didn’t occur until July, when Rice pleaded guilty to two felonies related to the crash in July. The NFL reportedly sought a longer suspension for Rice initially, with reports suggesting the NFL wanted him to miss double-digit games. |
| AFC NORTH |
| CINCINNATIErik Edholm of NFL.com sizes up how the Bengals managed to get everyone under contract for 2025: Bengals thread the needle for 2025. For six months the Bengals and Trey Hendrickson appeared to be at loggerheads over the reigning NFL sack leader’s contract, which is due to expire after this season. While the total value of an extension might have been relatively easy to sort out in talks, the guaranteed money beyond this season is where things seemed to get off track, as NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported back in July. With the four-time Pro Bowler heading into his age-31 season, the two sides finally agreed on Monday to a reworked contract, which included a $14 million raise for this season. The way things stand now, it’s hard for me to see the relationship extending further. It’s easy to sit back and give the Bengals guff for not reaching deeper into their pockets to get a longer deal done. But they didn’t technically have to pay Hendrickson more for this season. They essentially did it as an act of good faith. A bonus, if you will. This season is obviously a big one in Cincinnati. The Bengals did what few thought possible: keeping Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Hendrickson and others. Even if only for one season, they did it. If it ends in a Super Bowl next February, it will all be worth the trouble. If not, the Bengals — I suspect — will let Hendrickson walk, take the future compensatory pick and continue drafting younger replacements on defense. This is the pattern. Both sides got something out of this. Hendrickson gets a major short-term boost, and a chance to channel his energy into playing his best ahead of free agency. The Bengals gladly will take that version of their best defender this season. Both sides can claim victory if they want, even as tiresome as the standoff became, but don’t shortchange what the Bengals were able to accomplish this offseason — and how much better that will look if they once again become Super Bowl contenders. |
| AFC SOUTH |
| HOUSTONThe Texans won’t let S JIMMIE WARD sit on their active roster. The NFL placed Houston Texans starting safety Jimmie Ward on the commissioner exempt list, the league announced Tuesday. Ward may not practice or attend games while on the list. The placement stems from Ward’s arrest in Montgomery County, Texas, at 5:38 a.m. on June 12 for alleged family violence in his Magnolia home involving his fiancée. On the first day of training camp, Houston general manager Nick Caserio responded to a question about Ward’s initial arrest by saying the team would “kind of let the legal process take care of itself.” Almost two months later, Ward was arrested on Aug. 7 for violating his previous release conditions by testing positive for alcohol. As a result, he had to spend the night in jail. The woman involved in the alleged incident filed a lawsuit in Harris County (Texas) District Court on Aug. 21. She said on the morning of the arrest that she was “violently assaulted multiple times, both sexually and physically” by Ward in the presence of their 3-year-old child. She also said she was slapped, choked, threatened and forced to perform oral sex. She said she eventually ran off into the street and called 911. Coach DeMeco Ryans was asked about the latest lawsuit following the Texans-Detroit Lions joint practice on Aug. 21 and said, “we’ll let the situation play itself out.” “I know there are a lot of allegations and things with Jimmie,” Ryans said. “We don’t know the true story, and I hate to jump to judgment on any situation with Jimmie. Let whatever has to happen in the court system, let that play out. But, I think it’s unfair to rush to judgment when allegations and stories come out on players. Everybody’s quick to jump on it and jump on the negative side with the players. Let’s just allow it to play out.” Ward, 33, signed a two-year, $13 million contract with the Texans two years ago as a free agent after spending his first nine seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. In 2023, Ward played 10 games and had an interception. The Texans then gave him a one-year extension in August 2024 and had two interceptions in 10 games. |
| JACKSONVILLEVeteran WR TIM PATRICK is headed to JAX. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com: NFL teams slashed their rosters to get to the 53-player limit on Tuesday, but they aren’t static and changes will start coming on Wednesday. One of those changes will involve wide receiver Tim Patrick. According to multiple reports, the Lions have agreed to send Patrick to the Jaguars in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick. Patrick missed the 2022 and 2023 seasons with a torn ACL and a torn Achilles, but returned to catch 33 passes for 394 yards and three touchdowns in 16 games last season. The Lions kept six receivers through their final cuts and now have Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, third-round pick Isaac TeSlaa, Kalif Raymond, and seventh-round pick Dominic Lovett. The move also drops their roster to 49 players, so the Lions will have more moves to come. Jacksonville had Brian Thomas, first-round pick Travis Hunter, Dyami Brown, Parker Washington, and Austin Trammell at receiver on their initial 53-man roster. |
| AFC EAST |
| BUFFALOThe Bills will start their 2025 season without their first round draft pick CB MAXWELL HAIRSTON. Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com: Buffalo Bills 2025 first-round pick Maxwell Hairston will continue to miss time with his right lateral collateral ligament sprain as the team placed him on injured reserve with a designation to return on Tuesday. The cornerback will miss at minimum the first four games of the season but will be eligible to return after that point. Hairston suffered the injury during individual drills at training camp practice July 29 and has not returned to practicing since. The rookie was in a competition for the No. 2 cornerback role with veteran Tre’Davious White before the injury. White left Thursday’s practice early with a lower leg injury but is on the 53-man roster. The Bills shared that they were undecided if Hairston would end up on injured reserve leading up to Tuesday when active rosters around the NFL were required to go down to 53 players. Hairston’s placement on injured reserve opened opportunities for players such as Ja’Marcus Ingram and rookie Dorian Strong. “Still a ways away,” coach Sean McDermott said on Hairston’s ramp-up last week. “Just from what I heard … from [head athletic trainer Nate Breske] is really trying to still get a feel for exactly what we’re dealing with in terms of when we can start to push a little bit more without affecting the healing of it. … I get the vibe that we are moving in the right direction.” Offensive lineman Tylan Grable was also placed on injured reserve with a designation to return. He had been in concussion protocol.– – -Like WR ADAM THIELEN to the Vikings, S JORDAN POYER is going back to his roots. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: Veteran safety Jordan Poyer said this offseason that the fantasy ending to his career would be a return to Buffalo. He’s getting his wish. Poyer is signing with the Bills today, his agents told Jordan Schultz. The 34-year-old Poyer played for the Bills from 2017 through 2023 and now will get a second shot in Buffalo in what could be his final NFL season. He was a first-team All-Pro in 2021 with the Bills and was a team captain and leader of their defense. After originally entering the NFL as a seventh-round pick of the Eagles in 2013, Poyer was waived during his rookie season and claimed on waivers by Cleveland, where he stayed with the Browns through 2016. After his seven-year stint with the Bills, Poyer played in Miami in 2024. Last year Poyer started 16 games for the Dolphins, and the Bills will expect him to contribute right away despite missing all of the offseason. Poyer knows the defense, knows his coaches and knows his teammates, and he should be able to fit right in. |
| NEW ENGLANDT COLE STRANGE, a first round pick of the late Belichick Era, has been cut. Mike Reiss of ESPN.com: The New England Patriots cut 2022 first-round draft choice Cole Strange despite significant depth concerns along their offensive line, which was one of the team’s notable moves Tuesday in trimming the roster to the league-mandated 53 players. Strange, a guard from Tennessee-Chattanooga, started 29 games in New England since former coach Bill Belichick made him a surprise selection at 29th overall in the 2022 draft. He had opened 2025 training camp under new coach Mike Vrabel as the starter, only to slip down the depth chart after one week, when he began working more as a second- and third-unit center. The Patriots project to start 2025 third-round pick Jared Wilson, of the University of Georgia, at left guard, with four-year veteran Ben Brown a top backup. Strange had sustained a serious knee injury late in the 2023 season that limited him to just three games in 2024. But he had a clean bill of health this season, having earned one of the Patriots’ four offseason awards. In addition to Strange, the Patriots placed wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk (2024 second-round pick) and veteran linebacker Jahlani Tavai on injured reserve. Polk will miss the 2025 season, while Tavai has been designated to return from IR and thus is still eligible to play in 2025. The Patriots also waived 2025 fifth-round pick Bradyn Swinson, an outside linebacker from LSU who was tabbed with the 146th pick of the draft. Swinson was one of two members of the team’s 11-player draft class — along with seventh-round cornerback Kobee Minor, the last pick as Mr. Irrelevant — who were cut. Vrabel has said the next few days are expected to be fluid with the roster, so more moves are expected in New England, where an eye-opening eight receivers are on the initial 53-man roster — a group headlined by Stefon Diggs. In moving on from Strange, the team kept nine offensive linemen, with 2024 third-round pick Caedan Wallace earning one of the backup spots at guard for now. Meanwhile, the Patriots on Tuesday received multiple trade offers for safety Kyle Dugger, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, but his $9.75 million guaranteed salary — and how much of that New England was willing to absorb — was a hurdle in talks with other teams. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| ROOKIE WATCHNick Baumgardner of The Athletic goes through the first round draft picks – and most of them are doing just fine. You can read about them here. But below are five who have lagged behind – often through injury. The Falcons double down on first round pass rushers and both appear on this list: We’ll see Mykel Williams, edge, San Francisco 49ers (No. 11)On tools alone, Williams was a top-three talent in the 2025 draft. However, injury concerns — along with plenty of rawness in his game — caused some teams to hesitate. Williams also hurt his knee during joint workouts with Denver earlier this month. The injury isn’t expected to be serious, but it’s been a tough start for the former Georgia star. Jalon Walker, edge/LB, Atlanta Falcons (No. 15)Per The Athletic’s Josh Kendall, Walker has missed more than half of Atlanta’s padded workouts this month because of hamstring and groin injuries. Neither injury was deemed major, however, so Atlanta expects to have him for Week 1. How he’ll perform is another question. Walter Nolen, DT, Arizona Cardinals (No. 16)Nolen missed all of training camp with a calf injury. He’s reportedly expected to open the year on IR, with a return designation. James Pearce Jr., edge, Atlanta Falcons (No. 26)Pearce had his flashes in Falcons camp, including a combined seven pressures in games against Detroit and Tennessee. Still, the Falcons don’t intend to start him in Week 1. Pearce is going to play; it’s just a matter of how much. Maxwell Hairston, CB, Buffalo Bills (No. 30)Hairston has been off the field since spraining his knee during a practice in late July. |
| BROADCAST NEWSIn his second season as an analyst, Tom Brady will be allowed to talk to coaches and players in production meetings. Andrew Marchand of The Athletic: The “Brady Rules” are basically done. The NFL will allow Tom Brady, Fox Sports’ top TV game analyst and Las Vegas Raiders minority owner, to take part in production meetings with coaches and teams this season, sources briefed on the decision told The Athletic. In Brady’s rookie broadcasting year, he was banned from these information-gathering sessions for nearly the whole season. The rules were in place due to his ownership stake. The NFL relented for the Super Bowl. Brady’s play-by-play partner, Kevin Burkhardt, and other crew members would inform Brady of what was said in the meetings. The sessions, with coaches and players, can reveal nuggets that can be used during the broadcast. They take place over Zoom and/or in person. Stay in the know by selecting your interests on The Athletic:Brady is still expected to be barred from team practices, as he was last year. Fox Sports and the NFL declined to comment. During February’s Super Bowl, which Brady broadcast for Fox, the NFL suspended the Brady Rules for the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. Chiefs owner Clark Hunt was instrumental in originally advocating for the regulations against an owner from a rival AFC West team. Brady, 48, is entering the second season of his 10-year, $375 million contract. He will debut this year on Sept. 7, for Fox’s 1 p.m. ET game between the New York Giants and Washington Commanders. |
| 2025 FANTASY DRAFT RISERS AND FALLERSMatt Okada of YahooSports.com is monitoring ongoing Fantrasy Drafts and if yours is yet to come – here are some Risers and Fallers in ADP (Average Draft Position): 5 Biggest ADP Risers Honorable MentionsThere are several honorable mentions who saw big moves this past week but don’t quite crack the top five. These are names you need to clock in drafts! Emeka Egbuka was the No. 1 riser last week and continues to climb after Jalen McMillan’s injury — Egbuka could be a league-winning rookie. Nick Chubb is seeing a major spike as the Joe Mixon injury situation remains notably and terrifyingly quiet (except for news releasing as I write this that he’ll miss the first month). Stefon Diggs is seeing a late bump as drafters realize he’s probably the WR1 for a New England offense that should be better in 2025, and Tony Pollard is seeing a similar rise for similar reasons (as the RB1 in Tennessee). 5. Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts, TE (ADP -10.05)With the announcement that Daniel Jones will be the starting quarterback for Indy, I’m surprised to see only Tyler Warren on this list. The rookie tight end is one of several Colts pass-catchers who will benefit immensely from this decision (as opposed to the alternative of Anthony Richardson). The Penn State product is a star-in-the-making — which is why they selected him 14th overall — the only question is whether he’ll have an immediate impact in Year 1. Sam LaPorta and Brock Bowers have broken our expectations for rookie tight ends in recent years, as it’s usually a slow process of growth for the position. But considering Warren is a strong contender for targets alongside Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs, and has strong red-zone upside, it’s not impossible he continues the trend of history-breaking rookies. Warren should be drafted as a fringe TE1 (which he is) at the fringe of the single-digit rounds (which he now is). Just know that if you pick him, it’s not a bad idea to pair him with a quick-starting veteran like David Njoku or Jake Ferguson. 4. TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots, RB (ADP -10.40)Henderson went from the third-biggest riser last week to the fourth-biggest this week, and has jumped more than 20 spots over these past two weeks alone. He’s arguably the biggest consistent riser of the entire preseason, after scoring in each of the first two games and then resting with the starters in the third. Henderson has seen nothing but hype since New England drafted him early in the second round, and drafters have realized how hard it’s going to be for Rhamondre Stevenson to hold the “starting job” with this explosive youngster on roster. Henderson has climbed to right around RB20 at the 4-5 turn … and that still might not be high enough. Even after this meteoric rise, don’t hesitate to grab him at cost, or even to reach a little to snag him in the early fourth. 3. Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers, WR (ADP -13.74)The one guy who can challenge Henderson for “most consistent preseason riser” might be Ricky Pearsall, who was last week’s No. 5 and this week’s No. 3, jumping roughly 21 spots over that span. Pearsall was once going behind Jerry Jeudy, Jordan Addison and others at wide receiver, but has clawed his way up into WR3 range at the end of the seventh round. And it’s still not high enough. Last week I said that “while he’s up to WR37 on Yahoo, I’m ranking him much closer to WR27 (or higher).” I’m sticking to that — just like Jauan Jennings is sticking to a “calf injury/holdout” stance that may land him on IR to start the season. Pearsall should be taken ahead of at least Chris Olave, Rashee Rice, Jameson Williams and Zay Flowers (all going ahead of him), and arguably has far more upside than DeVonta Smith, Xavier Worthy and Courtland Sutton as well. If you’re looking for a wideout in the sixth round, Pearsall’s an excellent option. 2. Braelon Allen, New York Jets, RB (ADP -27.90)Breece Hall was the third-biggest faller in this series a couple weeks ago, but this is the first time Braelon Allen has seen the appropriate countermeasure rise. In the Hall blurb, I introduced his ADP fall by saying, and I quote, “Two words: Braelon Allen. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound specimen has gained a whole lot of traction in recent days as fantasy analysts contemplate a committee backfield in New York … alongside yet-unsubstantiated rumblings of a Hall trade.” All of that remains true, and Allen outrushed Hall during the preseason — on an admittedly small sample size — with 4.5 yards per carry (67 yards on 15 carries) to Hall’s 3.5 (35 yards on 10 carries). While we’re not saying that Allen is going to take the job outright, the gap is looking less and less wide as the weeks go by, and it’s not impossible we see a David Montgomery-Jahmyr Gibbs situation in 2025. (New OC Tanner Engstrand comes from Detroit, by the way.) Allen’s currently going 50 picks after Montgomery, as well as 25 picks after Jaylen Warren and Jordan Mason, who are in similar situations as elite handcuffs with standalone upside if they carve out enough volume. 1. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders, RB (ADP -58.59)Jacory Croskey-Merritt, or “Bill,” as he apparently prefers, is going to need some oxygen after the Brian Robinson Jr. trade launched him into the ADP stratosphere. JCM, Bill, or whatever we’ll be calling him this year was being drafted in the 200s a month ago … and is currently going in the 10th round (for now), roughly between Allen and Giants rookie RB Cam Skattebo. With Robinson off to San Francisco, the situation in Washington is undeniably intriguing … but almost equally murky. Austin Ekeler was a superstar just a few years ago, and was more efficient in Washington in 2024 than he had been in 2023. He’s also the clear favorite as a pass-catcher. And Chris Rodriguez Jr. remains a consideration for early-down work, despite all the hype around Croskey-Merritt. Who, as a reminder, was taken in the NFL draft’s seventh round, just 12 picks above Mr. Irrelevant. I’m not saying Bill is irrelevant, but the hype around the rookie has gone too far for my taste. I’d rather take Ekeler a round or two later than reach to secure Croskey-Merritt. If your league is less aware of the “hype train” and let’s him fall into the double-digit rounds, he’s absolutely worth a flyer there, but be wary of taking him earlier than that. 5 Biggest ADP Fallers Honorable MentionsBriefly, let’s remind ourselves about the consistent fallers to avoid: Joe Mixon (injury), Chris Godwin Jr. (injury), Rashee Rice (looming suspension) and Jauan Jennings (injury/holdout) are extremely volatile and feel more likely to take a negative turn than a positive one these days. Elsewhere, rookie Steelers RB Kalen Johnson has fallen a bit after leading the team in carries in the preseason — playing all three games while Jaylen Warren played just one — and averaging just under four yards per carry. I’m not all that worried by it, and am still targeting Najee Harris’ successor in drafts. Courtland Sutton has dipped in ADP as hype has continued to build around Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant and Marvin Mims Jr. He’s not a guarantee for the 135 targets he saw in 2024 and could underperform as a result. And Jonnu Smith is continuing to fall after his initial nosedive post-trade (from Miami to Pittsburgh). He’s not the sleeper tight end I’d be targeting in the 10th or 11th round — that would be Kyle Pitts, Dalton Schultz, Elijah Arroyo or Chig Okonkwo. 5. David Montgomery, Detroit Lions, RB (ADP +5.20)This is a late move for David Montgomery, but it’s one I’ve been campaigning for all offseason. Ever since the Bears poached Ben Johnson from Detroit’s offensive coordinator position, my concern for the 2025 Lions offense has only continued to grow. They also lost two excellent interior offensive linemen in Frank Ragnow and Kevin Zeitler, which doesn’t bode well for Montgomery in particular. He relies heavily on offensive dominance, touchdown opportunities and running the clock out with big leads — all of which may be less prevalent after the OC switch this season. With Jahmyr Gibbs becoming one of the premier backs in the league, and Montgomery’s late-2024 injury, we also might have seen the balance of volume tip heavily towards Gibbs moving forward. I wouldn’t be shocked if Montgomery still managed 1,000+ rushing yards (as he does every year), but if his touchdowns drop from the double digits back down to five or six (where they were pre-Ben Johnson Lions), he will not return value in the late fifth round. 4. Jerry Jeudy & David Njoku, Cleveland Browns, WR (ADP +3.75) & TE (ADP +6.04)Presumably, Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku are falling because fantasy drafters are concerned about the Browns’ (admittedly apocalyptic) quarterback situation. Neither Dillon Gabriel nor Shedeur Sanders turned into the savior of the franchise during the 2025 preseason, which means they’ll be resorting to Joe Flacco in Week 1. But … that’s good news for Jeudy and Njoku. Flacco offers far more fantasy upside than any of the other options would have, and even turned Josh Downs into a top-10 wideout for a decent stretch of last season. While neither Jeudy nor Njoku is exactly safe for fantasy (nor is Flacco’s hold on the starting job), it doesn’t entirely make sense for them to be dropping in late August. Fortunately, this should make both slightly better values on draft day, if you’re looking for target-based upside in the middle rounds. 3. Brian Robinson Jr., San Francisco 49ers, RB (ADP +10.24)If this is the first time you’re seeing “San Francisco 49ers” next to Brian Robinson Jr.’s name, welcome to late August! The Niners acquired Robinson in a bag-of-chips trade with the Commanders, as additional depth behind Christian McCaffrey, in an otherwise banged up running back room. And that’s all it is. Depth. Questionably handcuffable depth at that. San Fran still has Isaac Guerendo, who might have the edge over Robinson for the “RB2” spot, but none of that really matters as long as CMC is healthy (which he currently is). Robinson might vulture a touchdown or two, and see a couple short-yardage snaps throughout the year, but he has lost nearly all fantasy shine for 2025. The fact that he remains as high as the eighth or ninth round is baffling — he should be in the Rico Dowdle, Will Shipley, Tyler Allgeier range, not the J.K. Dobbins, Tank Bigsby range he’s currently settled in. Unless B-Rob’s ADP drops another few rounds by draft day, he’s going to be off my boards. 2. Justin Fields, New York Jets, QB (ADP +11.03)Jets starting quarterback Justin Fields continues to slide down draft boards thanks to a lackluster preseason and the frequent passing “lowlights” out of camp. But this is a classic case of double-counting. We didn’t expect Fields to be a great passer. We draft him in fantasy because he breaks the game with his rushing upside — arguably the only guy in Lamar Jackson’s tier. Over the last three seasons, whenever he’s the starter, Fields has averaged 18.8 fantasy points per game. That’s good for somewhere between QB5 and QB8 in any given year … but his ADP is QB12 and falling. It might not be pretty, he might not win a lot of games, but as long as Fields doesn’t lose the job — which is less likely with Tyrod Taylor’s recent knee surgery — he will be a QB1. This drop makes the minimal risk even more palatable. Fields is a superb late-round QB option. 1. Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers, WR (+16.58)Nothing has gone right for Jayden Reed’s fantasy fans since his decent start to the 2024 season. He disappeared for the vast majority of the year, then the Packers drafted Matthew Golden in the first round and now Reed is dealing with a sprained foot that could last through early September. Even when healthy, Reed is shaping up to be somewhere between the 2A and 2D in this receiving corps, with Golden pulling ahead as the No. 1 and the mess of other complementary options in Green Bay. Even after this fall — third-biggest last week and biggest this week — Reed is perhaps the worst pick in the early double-digit rounds. You can get Khalil Shakir, Josh Downs, Keon Coleman or even Jayden Higgins in a similar range (and I would choose any of those guys). With no floor and a very low ceiling, Reed is likely headed further down the ADP list between now and opening kickoff. |
| MVP ODDSMost of the MVP bets are coming down for QBs LAMAR JACKSON and JOE BURROW. Ben Fawkes of YahooSports.com: Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow put up an incredible season last year, compiling 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns while throwing nine interceptions. He also was third in the NFL with a total QBR of 74.7, the highest of his career. However, the Bengals went 9-8 and missed the playoffs. The betting public is expecting an MVP season from Burrow this year. Burrow (+600) is tied for the third-best odds at BetMGM to win the 2025 NFL MVP award with Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen, the 2024 MVP, but behind the favorite and two-time MVP Lamar Jackson (+550) of the Baltimore Ravens. Yet Burrow has the most bets and total dollars wagered to win MVP at multiple sportsbooks. “Burrow is the most-bet player and our biggest liability [among realistic candidates],” BetMGM NFL trader Christian Cipollini told Yahoo Sports. Burrow has 15.7% of all MVP wagers at BetMGM sportsbooks, along with 24.3% of the handle. Over the past few weeks, Jackson has moved into the position of consensus MVP favorite at sportsbooks, albeit just slightly ahead of Allen and Burrow. “Jackson is the most-bet player to win MVP with us in terms of accumulation,” Jamey Pileggi, risk manager at Circa Sports, said. “We moved based on liability and just overall popularity that the public seems to have for him in this market.” There are two big reported bets on Jackson to win MVP at multiple sportsbooks as well: $50,000 on Jackson to win NFL MVP at ESPN BET at +550 odds to win $275,000. $50,000 on Jackson to win NFL MVP at Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas at +600 to win $300,000. Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels (+750) has the second-most wagers (8.5%) and total money bet (8.1%) in the MVP market at BetMGM. Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (+700), a two-time NFL MVP, has the third-most bets and total dollars wagered. Ever since Minnesota Vikings RB Adrian Peterson won the MVP in 2012, 12 straight quarterbacks have won the award. |
