4 days agoPhiladelphia Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson says that he'll be returning next season whether they win or lose the upcoming Super Bowl. The 12-year veteran did mention that he's going to take it year-to-year after the 2025 season. Johnson has been a key piece to the Eagles success on offense and will now head to his second Super Bowl over the last three seasons. The 34-year-old can likely pick when he wants to retire as the Eagles are likely going to continue bringing him back as long he plays at an elite level. Johnson isn't a free agent until 2027, so he'll likely be in Philly until then.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Tim McManus
4 days agoThe Chicago Bears have hired Eric Bieniemy for their vacant running backs coaching position. Bieniemy is mostly known for his five-year stint as the Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator. Since then, Bieniemy was the OC with the Washington Commanders for a season. Last year, Bieniemy left the NFL and went to UCLA to be the offensive coordinator. Now, Bieniemy is back in the NFL and will join new head coach Ben Johnson's staff in Chicago. Bieniemy is a knowledgeable offensive mind, so he should be a benefit to the Bears staff.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Jonathan Jones
4 days agoAccording to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Buffalo Bills were "happy" with wide receiver
Amari Cooper's production and play with the team this season and are interested in re-signing him. Fowler noted that sources within the team are "intrigued" about getting him in a full offseason plan with quarterback
Josh Allen. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor the 30-year-old's status during free agency, as a return to Buffalo could be a possible destination. Cooper was traded to Buffalo prior to their Week 7 matchup against the Tennessee Titans. Throughout his eight regular-season games with Buffalo, Cooper caught 20 passes for 297 yards and two scores. He also did not have much of a role during the playoffs, as he caught just six passes for 41 yards. If Cooper re-signs with Buffalo, fantasy managers should expect him to share targets with
Khalil Shakir and
Keon Coleman.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jeremy Fowler
4 days agoAccording to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, the New York Jets may attempt to re-sign defensive end Haason Reddick. Fowler noted that several sources within the Jets still believe the 30-year-old can still be a "double-digit" sack producer. In addition, sources believe his offseason may have contributed to his drop in production. Leading up to the 2024 season, Reddick was traded to the Jets from the Philadelphia Eagles but held out during training camp and the first seven games of the season due to a contract dispute. While Reddick eventually made his season debut during Week 8, he tallied only 14 tackles and one sack, which were the lowest marks of his career. Reddick tallied double-digit sacks over his previous four seasons leading up to 2024. Fantasy managers should expect the former 13th-overall selection to return to form in 2025 with a full offseason and training camp.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jeremy Fowler
4 days agoAccording to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Las Vegas Raiders safety Tre'von Moehrig is expected to draw significant interest on the open market. Fowler noted that multiple evaluators believe that Moehrig's film "is the best of any free agent safety" and that the Raiders will have a "hard time keeping him." The TCU product enjoyed a career season in 2024. Moehrig tallied a career-high 104 tackles (64 solo) with 40 assists. He added one sack, two interceptions, 10 pass deflections, and two fumble recoveries. This was a solid improvement compared to the 83 tackles and 18 assists he logged during the 2023 campaign. Despite winning just four games this season, the Raiders defended the pass well, allowing the 15th-fewest passing yards per game (216.2). If Moehrig were to walk in free agency, Thomas Harper would be slated to move up the depth chart.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jeremy Fowler
4 days agoAccording to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expected to attempt to re-sign wide receiver
Chris Godwin. Fowler noted that multiple executives believe Godwin views himself as a "Buc-for-life," similar to
Mike Evans. Godwin had his 2024 season cut short due to a season-ending ankle injury during their Week 7 contest. However, prior to the injury, Godwin was enjoying a strong season as he tallied 82.3 yards and 7.1 receptions per game. He found the back of the end zone five times and averaged a solid 11.5 yards per reception. While sidelined, rookie
Jalen McMillan enjoyed a late-season breakout as he found the back of the end zone seven times over the final five contests. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Godwin's status during the offseason, as he would likely return to his role in the slot if he returns to Tampa Bay in 2025.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jeremy Fowler
4 days agoAccording to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Washington Commanders could target defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa during free agency. Given his versatility and traits, Fowler noted that teams view Odighizuwa as the top defensive tackle available on the market. Fowler mentioned that Washington is a team to watch as head coach Dan Quinn has been a "big fan" of Odighizuwa's play during their time together in Dallas. During the 2024 season, Odighizuwa appeared in all 18 contests with the Dallas Cowboys and tallied 47 tackles (25 solo) with 4.5 sacks and one forced fumble. This was a slight improvement compared to the 46 tackles and three sacks he tallied during the 2023 campaign. The Commanders struggled to defend the run this season, as they allowed the third-most rushing yards per game this season. Odighizuwa would provide much-needed depth to the interior of their defensive line.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jeremy Fowler
4 days agoNFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports that the San Francisco 49ers will interview former Carolina Panthers assistant defensive backs coach DeAngelo Hall for their defensive backs coaching position next week. Hall and the Panthers recently parted ways so that he could look for another job as a primary position coach. Hall, the former eighth overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 2004 out of Virginia Tech, spent the last two years in Carolina. He played 14 years in the NFL with the Falcons, Raiders and Commanders until 2017. The 41-year-old has limited coaching experience in the NFL, but he could be a nice addition to defensive coordinator Robert Saleh's staff for the 2025 campaign. The 49ers currently have Daniel Bullocks as their defensive backs coach, but its believed Bullocks would stay if the team hires Hall.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Mike Garofolo
4 days agoNFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that the New York Jets hired Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebackers coach Aaron Curry as their new linebackers coach and Denver Broncos assistant special teams coach Chris Banjo as their new special teams coordinator. Curry, 38, was a former first-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks and has been the Steelers' inside linebackers coach for the last two years. He began as a coaching assistant with the Seahawks in 2019 and then became a defensive assistant. Curry also worked with Charlotte at the collegiate level from 2013-18. Banjo just finished his second season in Denver. In both seasons, the Broncos finished in the top 10 in the league in several special teams rankings. He became a rising young assistant coach under former Jets special teams coach Mike Westhoff the last several seasons in Denver.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
4 days agoNFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that former New Orleans Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi is likely to become the Denver Broncos' special teams coordinator, although the Broncos will conduct a full search for the position. Although Rizzi was a candidate for the Saints' full-time head-coach position -- the Saints are also the only team with a vacancy at the position that hasn't been filled -- the job is expected to go to Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Philadelphia Eagles. Rizzi has 16 years of experience in the NFL, including the last six years in New Orleans, and he was initially hired by the Saints by current Broncos head coach Sean Payton. After the Saints fired Dennis Allen in 2024, Rizzi took over as the team's interim head coach and led the team to a 3-5 finish down the stretch in his first go as a head coach. If he joins Denver, he could bring long-time assistant Phil Galiano with him.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL.com
4 days agoESPN's Kevin Seifert reports that the NFL had its fewest number of concussions during the 2024 season since it began tracking the injury in 2015, according to the league. The total of 182 concussions reported during games and practices in the preseason and regular season represented a 17% drop from 2023. The previous low for the same timeframe was 187 concussions in 2022. "We're very pleased with the concussion numbers but not at all suggesting that the work is done," said Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL's chief medical officer. "We still have a lot to do to continue to make the game safer and reduce not only concussions, but to reduce avoidable head impact." The league attributed the drop in head injuries to a number of factors that included helmet quality and the mandatory use of Guardian Caps for most players during training camp and regular-season practices.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Kevin Seifert
4 days agoAccording to The Baltimore Banner, Baltimore Ravens kicker is facing three more sexual-assault allegations from massage therapists that have accused him of misconduct. Nine massage therapists in the Baltimore area have now accused Tucker of inappropriate behavior, with all of the incidents reportedly occurring from 2012 to 2016, his first five seasons in the NFL. On Thursday, Tucker wrote that The Baltimore Banner "takes innocuous or ambiguous interactions and skews them so out of proportion that they are no longer recognizable. This is desperate tabloid fodder." Tucker's conduct caused some therapists to refuse to work with him and resulted in two spas banning him. The 35-year-old seven-time Pro Bowler is the most accurate kicker in NFL history, but he could be subject to discipline under the NFL's personal-conduct policy heading into next season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Baltimore Banner - Julie Scharper, Brenna Smith and Justin Fenton
5 days agoThe Chicago Bears signed free-agent wide receiver
Maurice Alexander to a Reserve/Futures deal on Friday, according to KPRC's Aaron Wilson. New head coach Ben Johnson is poaching Alexander from the Detroit Lions after the 28-year-old spent the last three years in Detroit. The former undrafted free agent out of Florida International has only appeared in four NFL games, though, with all of them coming back in 2022. In his four games for the Lions, he caught his only target for a gain of seven yards. Alexander will head to Chicago with a firm grasp of Johnson's offensive concepts, although he will still be a long shot to make the 53-man active roster to begin the 2025 season out of training camp. He will most likely stick on Chicago's practice squad next season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: KPRC 2 Sports - Aaron Wilson
5 days agoThe Jacksonville Jaguars interviewed Minnesota Vikings assistant offensive coordinator Grant Udinski for their offensive-coordinator job on Friday, a source told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. There is a lot of intrigue around the 28-year-old, as he's now interviewed for five offensive-coordinator jobs around the league this cycle. He started out as Minnesota's assistant to the head coach/special projects in 2022 and was promoted to quarterbacks coach in 2023 before being given his current title this past season. Udinski started his coaching career as a graduate assistant in 2019 with Baylor and then followed Matt Rhule to the Carolina Panthers in 2020 to be a coaching assistant. If he were to land in Jacksonville as the offensive coordinator, he'd serve as first-time head coach Liam Coen's right-hand man.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
5 days agoKansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor (knee) returned to a full practice on Friday and was subsequently removed from this week's final injury report. Taylor was also a full participant in Wednesday's practice before being downgraded to limited on Thursday. The 27-year-old offensive lineman dealt with a knee injury late in the regular season but has not missed either of the team's playoff wins over the Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills, so it's not a surprise that he's fully expected to play in Super Bowl LIX next Sunday, Feb. 9, in New Orleans against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Chiefs might limit Taylor's reps in practice again next week, but it will purely be for rest purposes. Expect him to be off next week's injury report as well and be active on Super Sunday against the Eagles.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chiefs.com
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