Recent NFL Player News

Alexander Mattison signs contract with Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders have signed free agent running back Alexander Mattison to a contract for the 2024 season.

What It Means:

Mattison was expected to handle lead back duties for the Minnesota Vikings in 2023 after the team parted ways with longtime starter Dalvin Cook, but struggled to get into a rhythm before eventually losing work to Ty Chandler. The Athletic's Vic Tafur believes the Raiders have signed Mattison to back up Zamir White, rather than to compete for starting reps with the third-year back.

Mattison's 2023 was an error-filled one -- the back committed 7 drops on just 44 targets and lost 3 fumbles -- but he had shown flashes of solid play in previous years. Hopefully the change in scenery helps him bounce back in 2024.

Patriots ink K.J. Osborn to 1-year deal

The New England Patriots signed free agent wide receiver K.J. Osborn to a 1-year, $4 million contract.

What It Means:

Osborn operated as the Vikings' WR2/3 in each of the last three seasons, averaging 52.7 catches, 615 yards, and 5 touchdowns per season behind Justin Jefferson. The former fifth round pick could become more involved in the Patriots' offense in 2024 given their lack of production at the position in recent years.

Osborn had an opportunity to step up after Jefferson suffered a hamstring injury in 2023, but that opportunity dried up after quarterback Kirk Cousins suffered a season-ending injury. In three games with Cousins but without Jefferson (while still competing with T.J. Hockenson and rookie first rounder Jordan Addison) he averaged 5.7 catches for 64.7 yards per game.

Steelers' Russell Wilson expected to be Week 1 starter; Justin Fields to operate as backup

The Pittsburgh Steelers "made clear" to Russell Wilson that he will be the team's starter in 2024, despite the recent addition of Justin Fields reports CBS Sports' Aditi Kinkhabwala.

What It Means:

Wilson should get every opportunity to become Pittsburgh's Week 1 starter this offseason after signing with the team in free agency. The team acquired Fields via trade with the Chicago Bears, but only at the cost of a sixth round pick that could become a fourth round pick depending on his playing time. Fields could still push Wilson, but it seems clear that the Steelers have their priorities set on Wilson becoming the starter.

Wilson's recent seasons in Denver did not go to plan, but we still saw him lead a competitive offense as recently as 2021. The Steelers have a strong running back duo in Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren as well as potential WR1 in George Pickens, giving Wilson better weaponry to start with than he experienced in his two seasons with the Broncos.

Steelers acquire quarterback Justin Fields in deal with Bears

The Pittsburgh Steelers have acquired quarterback Justin Fields on Saturday for a 2025 sixth rounder pick that could upgrade to a fourth rounder if he logs 51% of their plays this season.

What It Means:

Pittsburgh continues their movement in their quarterback room with their third transaction to address the position. Expect Fields to compete with Russell Wilson for the Steelers' number one job in a potential run heavy offense under coordinator Arthur Smith while the Bears will likely draft Caleb Williams as the new leader of their franchise.

On 370 pass attempts last season, Fields ranks 21st among quarterback with a 74.6 Pro Football Focus rating while producing 227 completions for 16 touchdowns and 2,562 yards.

Steelers sign Van Jefferson to 1-year deal

Former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Van Jefferson signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday.

What It Means:

Jefferson, who spent part of last season in Atlanta after starting his career on the Los Angeles Rams, has agreed to a one-year deal with the Steelers.

In 17 games last season, Jefferson caught 20 of 43 targets for 209 yards.

Rams sign Jimmy Garoppolo to 1-year deal

Former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo agreed to a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Rams on Friday.

What It Means:

Garoppolo, who was released by the Raiders earlier in the week, has agreed to a one-year deal with the Rams. He will back up Los Angeles' starter, Matthew Stafford.

In 7 games for the Raiders last season, Garoppolo completed 110 of 169 passes for 1,205 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions.

Cowboys release Michael Gallup

The Dallas Cowboys released wide receiver Michael Gallup on Friday.

What It Means:

Gallup, who has spent his entire six-season career in Dallas, was released with a post-June 1 designation on Friday. The move will save the Cowboys $9.5 million this season, but also carries a cap hit of $8.7 million in 2025.

In 17 games last season, Gallup caught 34 of 57 targets for 418 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Schefter: Eagles acquire quarterback Kenny Pickett in trade with Steelers

The Philadelphia Eagles have reportedly acquired quarterback Kenny Pickett on Friday.

What It Means:

After a brief 25 game stint with the Steelers, Pickett will head to Philadelphia in a backup role behind Jalen Hurts while Russell Wilson will take over as Pittsburgh's starting signal caller. Today's deal involved Pickett, a 2024 fourth rounder, 2025 seventh rounder, and a 2025 seventh round pick in exchange for Philadelphia's 2024t third rounder.

On 324 attempts last season, Pickett ranked 25th among quarterbacks with a 70.6 Pro Football Focus rating while producing 201 completions for 6 touchdowns and 2,070 yards.

Aaron Donald announces retirement after 10 seasons

Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald has retired after ten seasons.

What It Means:

After rumors last year of a potential retirement, Donald will end his career at 154 games. The future Hall-of-Famer will finish his prestigious career with tons of accolades including 3 Defensive Player of the Year awards, 8 first team All-Pro nominations, a Defensive Rookie of the Year award, and ten Pro Bowls

On 8,461 total snaps, Donald produced 120 sacks, 525 hurries, and 145 quarterback hits.

Chiefs adding Marquise Brown to offense

The Kansas City Chiefs are signing wide receiver Marquise Brown to a one-year contract worth up to $11 million, reports Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

What It Means:

Brown missed eight games due to injuries during two underwhelming seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, but he will have a great opportunity to rebound with Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. The former first-round pick should be able to settle in as a reliable third option behind Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice.

Brown averaged 8.4 FanDuel points across 14 games last season, with 51 catches (101 targets) for 574 yards and 4 touchdowns. Among the 35 receivers with at least 100 targets, Brown ranked third-worst in Reception Net Expected Points per target.

Bears acquire Keenan Allen from Chargers for 4th-round pick

The Chicago Bears acquired wide receiver Keenan Allen from the Los Angeles Chargers for a fourth-round pick, per Jay Glazer of FOX Sports.

What It Means:

Allen had 108 catches on 150 targets for 1,243 yards and 7 touchdowns last season for the Chargers, despite missing multiple games due to injury. He will likely be the No. 2 receiver in Chicago behind D.J. Moore, but Allen is a solid upgrade for the offense as a whole. Quentin Johnston and Josh Palmer are currently the top receivers for Justin Herbert in Los Angeles.

Allen averaged 17.3 FanDuel points across 13 games last season. Among the 35 receivers with at least 100 targets, Allen ranked 16th in Reception Net Expected Points per target. Moore finished 4th in that same group.

Drew Lock to compete for Giants' starting job in 2024

Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock will have a chance to compete for the New York Giants' starting quarterback job in 2024, reports Dan Duggan of The Athletic.

What It Means:

Seahawks GM Jon Schneider reportedly said that while the Seahawks attempted to re-sign Lock for the upcoming season, the Giants "basically sold him on the opportunity to compete to be the starter." The Giants still have Daniel Jones (knee) under contract, but are likely to be looking for their quarterback of the future after his poor 2023 season.

Lock made two starts in relief of Geno Smith in 2023, completing 44 of 64 passes for 477 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. He held his own against the San Francisco 49ers and pulled off an upset victory over the Eagles, and could be an upgrade over Jones for the Giants.

Curtis Samuel to sign 3-year deal with Buffalo

The Buffalo Bills are reportedly signing wide receiver Curtis Samuel to a 3-year contract worth up to $30 million, NBC Sports' Albert Breer reports.

What It Means:

Samuel's new deal reportedly includes $15 million in guarantees, insinuating that the Bills could have big plans for the shifty playmaker. Buffalo allowed Gabriel Davis to walk in free agency and had a noticeable need at the receiver position heading into the draft. Adding Samuel should provide Josh Allen with a reliable target in the short area of the fields, but it's unclear if the team intends to use him in Davis' old role.

Samuel has reliably put up over 600 receiving yards in each of the last two years while playing for crowded offenses in Washington, and also adds a unique dynamic to the rushing game. He could see a sizeable bump in workload with the Bills, whose top wideout struggled down the stretch last year and whose WR2 departed in free agency.

Seahawks trade for Sam Howell

Former Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell was traded to the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday.

What It Means:

Howell will head to Seattle along with a fourth-round pick and a sixth-round pick. The Seahawks will send Washington a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick. With Drew Lock now on the New York Giants, Howell is expected to compete with Geno Smith for the starting job in Seattle, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. For the Commanders, Marcus Mariota is expected to back up whichever signal caller they select with the second pick in April's draft.

In 17 starts for Washington last season, Howell completed 388 of 612 passes for 3,946 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions.

Colts sign Joe Flacco to 1-year deal

Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco agreed to a one year deal with the Indianapolis Colts on Wednesday.

What It Means:

Flacco, winner of last season's Comeback Player of the Year award, has agreed to a one-year deal with the Colts. The deal includes $4.5 million guaranteed and is worth up to $8.7 million. Flacco will operate in a back up role behind sophomore Anthony Richardson, who is recovering from shoulder surgery.

In 5 starts for the Browns last season, Flacco completed 123 of 204 passes for 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions.

Titans sign wide receiver Calvin Ridley to 4-year deal

The Tennessee Titans have signed wide receiver Calvin Ridley to a four-year contract on Wednesday.

What It Means:

After playing his first season back from his suspension in Jacksonville, Ridley will stay in the AFC South on a four-year deal with $50 million guaranteed. Look for Ridley to see WR2 type volume in a vastly improved receiving group with DeAndre Hopkins.

On 132 targets last season, Ridley ranked 47th among wideouts with a 71.4 Pro Football Focus rating while recording 76 receptions for 1016 yards and 8 touchdowns.

Titans sign Mason Rudolph to 1-year deal

Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph agreed to a one-year deal with the Tennessee Titans on Wednesday.

What It Means:

Rudolph will move to the Titans after starting 13 games for the Steelers over the past four seasons. His deal is worth up to $3.62 million and he will back up sophomore starter Will Levis.

Rudolph completed 55 of 74 pass attempts last season for 719 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions.

Raiders release Jimmy Garoppolo

The Las Vegas Raiders released quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on Wednesday.

What It Means:

Garoppolo was one of several players released by the Raiders on Wednesday, including wide receiver Hunter Renfrow and quarterback Brian Hoyer.

Garoppolo spent one season with the Raiders and started 7 games, completing 110 of 169 passes for 1,205 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions.

Michael Thomas no longer under contract with Saints, officially a free agent on Wednesday

According to Nick Underhill, wide receiver Michael Thomas officially became a free agent on Wednesday.

What It Means:

It appears Thomas' tenure with the New Orleans Saints will end at 83 games after the 31-year old officially became a free agent on Wednesday. Expect the veteran to draw some interest as a potential part-time receiver after dealing with some many recent injuries.

On 63 targets last season, Thomas ranked 65th among wideouts with a 67.4 Pro Football Focus rating while producing 39 receptions for 448 yards and 1 touchdown.

Chargers release Mike Williams

Wide receiver Mike Williams was released by the Los Angeles Chargers on Wednesday.

What It Means:

With the Chargers needing to make moves to get back under the salary cap, they decided to release Mike Williams on Wednesday. Williams, who is coming off a season-ending ACL tear, has spent his entire seven-season career with Los Angeles. He will now become a free agent.

Williams played in 3 games for Los Angeles last season, catching 19 of 26 targets for 249 yards and 1 touchdown.

Panthers acquire wide receiver Diontae Johnson in trade with Steelers

The Carolina Panthers acquired wide receiver Diontae Johnson on Tuesday.

What It Means:

After previous reports earlier this week stated the Steelers were open to trade offers for Johnson, the 27-year old will head to Carolina along with a seventh round pick in exchange for a sixth rounder and cornerback Donte Jackson. Expect Johnson to immediately become the Panthers' lead receiving option while George Pickens should also see increased volume as Pittsburgh's unquestioned top wideout.

On 86 targets last season, Johnson ranked 25th among wide receivers with a 77.7 Pro Football Focus rating while producing 51 receptions for 717 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Eagles sign wide receiver DeVante Parker to 1-year deal

The Philadelphia Eagles have agreed to a one-year contract with wide receiver DeVante Parker on Tuesday.

What It Means:

After Parker was released by the New England Patriots on Monday, the 31-year old will join his third career team. Expect the veteran to play a part-time role as the Eagles' third wideout behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.

On 55 targets last season, Parker ranked 83rd among wideouts with a 61.2 Pro Football Focus rating while recording 33 receptions for 394 yards and 1.13 yards per route run.

Darnell Mooney, Falcons agree to contract

The Atlanta Falcons are signing wide receiver Darnell Mooney to a three-year contract, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

What It Means:

The deal is worth $39 million and includes $26 million in guarantees. Mooney should be the clear No. 2 receiver for Kirk Cousins, but he could be the fourth option in the passing game behind Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson.

Mooney caught 31 passes on 61 targets for 414 yards and 1 touchdown in 15 games last season. Among the 80 wideouts with at least 50 targets, he ranked 66th in Reception Net Expected Points per attempt.

Mike Gesicki to play for Bengals in 2024

The Cincinnati Bengals are signing tight end Mike Gesicki to a one-year deal worth up to $3.25 million, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.

What It Means:

Gesicki is set for greener pastures after a one-year stint with the New England Patriots. He should benefit from both superior quarterback play and less competition at tight end in Cincinnati.

Gesicki caught 29 passes on 45 targets for 244 yards and 2 touchdowns for the Patriots last season. He only averaged 0.80 yards per route run, but that efficiency should improve with Joe Burrow and the Bengals.

Sam Darnold signing with Vikings

The San Francisco 49ers are signing quarterback Sam Darnold to a one-year, $10 million contract, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

What It Means:

The Vikings may add another quarterback in the draft, but as it currently stands, Darnold would be the favorite to start in Week 1. He played backup for the San Francisco 49ers last season, with his only start coming in the last game before the playoffs. Darnold is a downgrade from Kirk Cousins, but he's an upgrade from the collection of backups the Vikings used last year.

Darnold completed 16 of 26 passes for 189 yards and 1 touchdown in his lone start of 2023, plus 19 rushing yards and another score, for a total of 17.5 FanDuel points. He averaged 0.01 Passing Net Expected Points for the season, which would have ranked 24th out of 36 qualifiers (200-plus attempts).

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