Nick Bitsko Has Huge Upside In 2020 Draft

Nick Bitsko, a 17-year-old right-handed high school pitcher out of Pennsylvania, could have the most upside of any pitcher in the 2020 MLB draft, according to many scouts. Bitsko's high school season was canceled due to COVID-19, but he's been rising on some draft boards because he's impressed in Zoom interviews and hit 98.5 mph […]

Cardinals Offense Could Be Explosive Under Kliff Kingsbury

Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury has had plenty of time to get more creative while designing new offensive plays during the COVID-19 pandemic this offseason. “Kliff is one of the more mad-genius, offensive-minded guys in this league because of how he can put players in different positions to go out there and be successful […]

Mitchell Trubisky Taking QB Competition Head-On

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy said that quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who is in a QB competition with Nick Foles, has handled the situation with aplomb and expects the two QBs to compete for the job whenever offseason workouts begin. "(Trubisky) has been really, really good in the fact that he's taken this head-on," Nagy […]

Shohei Ohtani, Griffin Canning Throwing Live BP

Los Angeles Angels starting pitchers Shohei Ohtani (elbow) and Griffin Canning (elbow) have each thrown three live batting practice sessions and are up to around 55 pitches. Both pitchers will remain at that level for now while the Players Union and MLB owners negotiate salaries and health concerns for a potential shortened 2020 season. Ohtani […]

No Evidence Of Progress Between Union, MLB

There has been no evidence of progress in talks between the Players Union and the owners, so there is no realistic hope to meet the "soft" deadline of Monday, June 1, for a deal. However, the hope remains to start a shortened season on July 4 weekend, and that is still a possibility if a […]

Melvin Gordon III A Better Fit With Broncos?

Denver Broncos running back Melvin Gordon III had 6,000-plus scrimmage yards and two Pro Bowl selections in five seasons with the Chargers, but he thinks the Broncos running scheme is better suited to his strengths as an explosive, downhill runner. Gordon had 2,587 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns in his final year in college in […]

Baker Mayfield In Position For Bounce-Back Year?

NFL.com's Bucky Brooks thinks that Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield is primed for the best season of his career in new head coach Kevin Stefanski's offense. Cleveland's 12-personnel packages featuring tight ends Austin Hooper and David Njoku, along with receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, and running back Nick Chubb, will be hard to […]

Lane Taylor Agrees To Reworked Contract

Green Bay Packers left guard Lane Taylor agreed to rework the last year of his deal, freeing up around $3 million in 2020 salary cap space. Taylor is now due $1.5 million this year, including a $100,000 signing bonus. He was scheduled to make around $4.55 million in 2020, according to OverTheCap. The 30-year-old has […]

Deshaun Watson Optimistic About Extension

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, a first-rounder in 2017, is under contract through 2021 after the Texans picked up his fifth-year option, but he expects to reach a long-term extension with the team that will keep him around for a while. He's not stressing about a timeline, but Watson is optimistic that something will get […]

49ers, George Kittle Far Apart In Extension Talks

The San Francisco 49ers and tight end George Kittle are far apart in negotiations on a contract extension, and Kittle's agent said that a "tight end deal" is a non-starter in talks. Kittle has 3,016 career receiving yards, including the playoffs, which is the most by a tight end in his first three seasons in […]

Jake Butt Back To Full Health

Denver Broncos tight end Jake Butt (knee) said he is back to 100 percent health heading into the 2020 season. Butt was drafted in the fifth round in 2017 out of Michigan, but he's played in just three games (all in 2018) and has had four pretty serious knee surgeries since 2014. As he heads […]

Cam Newton May Wait To Sign

With free-agent quarterback Cam Newton's market cooling over the last month, according to sources, he is expected to take his time before joining a team. Newton could wait until teams resume regular activity following the coronavirus shutdown. It would give teams a chance to check on Newton's health and meet with him in person. But […]

Matt Rhule Praises Teddy Bridgewater

Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule had great things to say about quarterback Teddy Bridgewater's character and influence on Around The NFL on Friday. Rhule has been able to familiarize himself with and strengthen his bond with Bridgewater during the virtual offseason program. "The best players in the world bring out the best in their […]

L.J. Collier Motivated To Prove Doubters Wrong

Seattle Seahawks defensive end L.J. Collier, the team's first-round pick (29th overall) in 2019, is eager to prove himself after a disappointing rookie season. "I am chomping at the bit to get out there because it's one of those things where you didn't have the year everybody wanted you to get, so they just kind […]

Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs Working Out Together

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver Stefon Diggs have gathered in Florida this week to work out together. Allen and backup Matt Barkley threw to rookies Isaiah Hodgins, Gabriel Davis and Zack Moss in California earlier this month. It's the first time that Allen and Diggs have met since the Bills acquired Diggs […]

Browns To Reopen Facilities On June 1

The Cleveland Browns announced that a limited number of employees will return to the team's facilities on June 1, according to Browns EVP/COO Dave Jenkins. The reopening will include their Berea headquarters as well as FirstEnergy Stadium in downtown Cleveland. The Browns are just the latest NFL team to announce a return to their facilities, […]

Dee Ford Had "Extensive Cleanup" On His Knee

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Dee Ford (knee) had "a pretty extensive cleanup" on his knee a couple weeks after the season and said that he feels great. Ford was limited during the 2019 season because of knee tendinitis and missed five games with a hamstring injury as well. The 29-year-old played just 22 percent […]

Patrick Peterson's Diabetes Could Affect Decision To Play

Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes during the 2014 season, and living with diabetes could force him to decide whether or not to play should the NFL return this year during the coronavirus pandemic. Peterson said he'll be comfortable playing if the proper protocols are followed by the league. The […]

Texans Restructure Zach Fulton's Contract

The Houston Texans and right guard Zach Fulton agreed to a reworked contract on Friday, according to a source. Fulton was due $14 million over the next two years with no guarantees, but now he'll be due $5 million guaranteed in 2020 and $3 million non-guaranteed in 2021. The Texans will also get some salary […]

Lamar Jackson To Take More Downfield Shots In 2020?

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said that quarterback Lamar Jackson must make defenses pay if they stack the box against the Ravens offense in 2020. "Those corners are going to be one-on-one and those safeties are going to be one-on-one against receivers, especially on some downfield throws, and we got to make them pay […]

Felipe Vazquez Facing New Charges

Suspended Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Felipe Vazquez is now facing child-pornography charges in St. Louis, as he's reportedly accused of sending pornographic pictures of himself to a minor last summer. The 28-year-old left-hander was charged with statutory sexual assault and other offenses in September of last year for having improper sexual conduct with a then-13-year-old […]

Not Much Traction For Chris Jones, Chiefs On Contract Front

Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones hasn't had much traction with the team on a contract extension, but both sides still have until July 15 to work something out. The two sides haven't talked since the Chiefs put the franchise tag on Jones.  Jones has yet to sign his franchise tender, but he's kept […]

Matt Judon Signs Franchise Tender

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Matt Judon signed his one-year franchise tender on Thursday, according to a source. The one-year deal will carry a value of $16.808 million in 2020, a midpoint between the rate for linebackers and defensive ends as a product of a "rare compromise" between player and team. The Ravens and Judon still have […]

NFL Extends Virtual Offseason

NFL teams have been gradually reopening their facilities, but commissioner Roger Goodell announced on Thursday that the league's virtual offseason programs have been extended for two more weeks amid the coronavirus pandemic. However, coaches could be back in team facilities as early as next week. The NFL is working with the Players Association "on developing […]

DeAndre Hopkins Expects Big Things In Arizona

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins expects to put up numbers in the team's pass-happy offense under head coach Kliff Kingsbury in his first season in 2020. "So myself, being a receiver, of course I see my stats going up. ... But I definitely see myself having one of my more productive seasons," Hopkins said. […]

Panthers Agree With Eli Apple

The Carolina Panthers agreed to terms on an undisclosed one-year deal with cornerback Eli Apple on Thursday. Apple agreed with the Raiders earlier in free agency, but the Raiders backed out of the deal and put Apple back on the open market. The 10th overall pick in 2016 by the Giants, Apple failed to live […]

Raiders Re-Sign Paul Butler, Place Nick O'Leary On NFI List

The Las Vegas Raiders re-signed tight end Paul Butler to an undisclosed deal on Thursday. In a corresponding move, tight end Nick O'Leary (undisclosed) was placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list. Butler hasn't appeared in a regular season game in two years in the NFL with the Raiders and Lions. O'Leary was signed as a […]

Gardner Minshew II Impressing During Virtual Program

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew II has impressed new offensive coordinator Jay Gruden with his work during the virtual offseason program. Gruden likes how Minshew has taken charge and seems to have a good grasp of the offense. "He has shown a skill set where he can sit in a pocket, step up, make things […]

Packers Want More Explosive Plays In 2020

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur is looking for his offense to find more explosive plays under quarterback Aaron Rodgers in 2020, the coach admitted on ESPN Wisconsin's Wilde & Tausch. The Packers ranked 19th in explosive-play rate in 2019, according to Sharp Football Stats. However, other than free-agent addition Devin Funchess in the […]

NFL Tables Fourth-And-15 Onside Kick Alternative

NFL owners tabled the proposal for a fourth-and-15 alternative to the onside kick during Thursday's virtual meeting. It would have given teams an alternative to the onside kick in an effort to retain possession after a score. If the play failed from the team's own 25-yard-line, the opponent would have taken possession. This could be […]