49ers TE George Kittle revealed recently that the location of his Achilles injury could have him back on the field sooner than expected. He had a clean tear higher up on the Achilles. "They didn't have to drill into my heel," Kittle explained. "And where the repair was is where there's more blood flow. And so, it takes some time off the recovery time."

Chiefs WR Rashee Rice is facing civil assault charges in Texas. Rice's ex-girlfriend, Dacoda Jones, alleges that he assaulted her over an 18-month span from 2023 to 2025 and is seeking over $1 million in damages. Rice, through his attorney, has denied the allegations. "On October 9th, 2025, well after the parties' relationship had ended, Ms. Jones stated under penalty of perjury in a sworn Affidavit for Non-Prosecution that 'Mr. Rice and I had a verbal argument, but he did not punch me,'" Rice's attorney said in a statement.

Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving underwent offseason shoulder surgery, according to multiple reports. We don't have any other details on the procedure, but JoeBucsFan.com reports that rehab is not expected to "significantly impact" Irving's offseason. Pewter Report hears that he should be ready to get back on the field by May.

WR Tyreek Hill said on a recent Twitch stream that he still needs another surgery on the left knee he injured in September. Hill had surgery on September 30 to repair his ACL and other ligaments. This upcoming procedure will address the LCL, Hill said. It's unclear if this second surgery was planned or the result of complications in rehab.

WR Mike Evans plans to play in 2026. That's what ESPN's Kimberley A. Martin reports hearing from the player's agents. Evans has spent his entire 12-year career with the Buccaneers but is set to hit free agency in March. He'll turn 33 in August.

The Dolphins are releasing WR Tyreek Hill, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. The move is just one of several by the team this week to clear 2026 cap space. Hill would have had $11 million of his 2026 salary become guaranteed had he stayed on the Miami roster through the end of February. In all, his cap hit would have been $36 million for the coming season.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that the Dolphins are releasing edge Bradley Chubb. It's actually not a surprising move after a 2025 contract restructure left Chubb with a large 2026 cap hit. He has been with Miami since a 2022 trade from Denver. Chubb missed 2024 with an ACL tear but returned to play every game this past season. He'll turn 30 in June.

The Seahawks are hiring Brian Fleury as their new OC, according to multiple reports. Fleury spent the past seven seasons in San Francisco under HC Kyle Shanahan, working his way from defensive quality control coach to TEs coach and run game coordinator this past year. Fleury has never called plays at any level.

New Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak elevated defensive line coach Rob Leonard to defensive coordinator. Leonard also served as defensive run game coordinator last season and now replaces Paul Guenther, who was dismissed in December. Leonard has coached the Raiders’ defensive line for three seasons and previously worked with the Giants, Dolphins, and Ravens.

NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe reports that the Jaguars plan to play Travis Hunter full time at CB in 2026 and just part time at WR. CBs Montaric Brown and Greg Newsome are set to hit unrestricted free agency, and Wolfe says the team is expected to let at least one of them walk to open a starting spot for Hunter.

Former Saints and Raiders QB Derek Carr retired last May, opting not to undergo surgery for his right shoulder. Carr explained the rationale behind his decision last year. "I wouldn't have been able to play if I had the surgery," the now 34-year-old said via NFL.com. "And then if I tried to play with it, I wasn't near 100%, and so that doesn't help them, either. I just felt like it was the right thing to do for myself and for the team." Now, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, there’s a chance Carr returns to the field in 2026.

The Commanders' offense will look different in 2026 under new OC David Blough, HC Dan Campbell said. One change will be getting QB Jayden Daniels under center more often. Washington ran a league-low 192 plays from under center over the past two seasons, according to ESPN's John Keim. Only 18 of Daniels' 668 NFL pass attempts (2.7%) have come from under center.

New Browns HC Todd Monken says he's "intrigued" by a QB already on the Cleveland roster ... and it's not a guy who played for the team in 2025. The coach used that description for Deshaun Watson at his opening news conference. And Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot reports that Monken and Watson are "eager" to work together. The QB last played in Week 7 of 2024, when a torn Achilles' tendon ended his season. Watson spent most of this past season still working back from the injury, gaining clearance for football activity in November.

ESPN's Nick Wagoner reports that 49ers DL Keion White got shot in the ankle in downtown San Francisco early Monday morning. "According to the team, White is in surgery now," Wagoner posted on X at 7:48 p.m. ET.

The Chiefs and TE Travis Kelce plan to meet shortly after the Super Bowl to settle on his 2026 plans, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The team wants Kelce back, per Rapoport. And Kelce seemed to hint that he's leaning toward playing another season when he celebrated the return of OC Eric Bienemy on his podcast. "I can't wait to see him back in the building, man," Kelce said. "He's one of my favorite coaches of all time, one of my favorite people of all time. I've had so many unbelievable growing moments under him as a player, as a person, and I just love the guy."

Falcons Edge James Pearce Jr. got arrested Saturday in Florida on serious charges related to a reported domestic dispute with WNBA player Rickea Jackson, according to multiple reports.

The Cowboys are expected to place the franchise tag on WR George Pickens, ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport confirmed this week. Owner Jerry Jones said he'd like to keep Pickens in Dallas for "a long time." But Rapoport believes a tag-and-trade remains a possibility. "The Cowboys have shown a willingness to trade their star players for significant draft pick compensation," Rapoport notes, referring to Micah Parsons. Pickens and Parsons notably share the same agent.

Falcons beat writer Josh Kendall expects Falcons QB Michael Penix to remain the starting QB "in 2026 and beyond." The second-year QB made nine appearances last season before suffering a partial tear of his left ACL.

Rams QB Matt Stafford edged Patriots QB Drake Maye 366 points to 361 for 2025 MVP. Stafford announced at the end of his acceptance speech that he'll be back for the 2026 campaign. His career seemed to be on the ropes due to back trouble this past summer. But he was ready for Week 1 and turned in one of the best seasons of his career.

The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane reports that Vic Fangio will return as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator in 2026. After briefly weighing retirement, the 67-year-old is set for a third season running Philadelphia’s defense. The Eagles ranked first in the NFL in fewest yards allowed in 2024 and slipped to 13th last year, but they’ve finished top-5 in fewest points allowed in both seasons under Fangio. While Nick Sirianni shuffled his staff this offseason, Fangio’s return preserves continuity on a defense that remains one of the team’s strengths.