The Falcons' new coaching staff has big plans for TE Kyle Pitts this season. OC Zac Robinson said that Pitts is playing both TE and WR in his offense. “He’s learning basically two different positions,” Robinson said. “There’s some tight end and there’s some receiver. So, he’s got a lot on his plate. He’s handled it really well. I’m just excited to see him continue to get more comfortable in the system. The sky is the limit for what kind of season that he can have."
The Athletic's James Boyd highlighted WR Josh Downs as the Colts' 2024 breakout player. It's a noteworthy selection after Indianapolis added WR Adonai Mitchell with the 52nd overall pick of this spring's draft. Downs, though, was a Round 3 pick just a year ago. And Boyd noted that he and QB Anthony Richardson connected often this spring.
The Athletic's Nick Kosmider chose WR Marvin Mims as the Broncos' breakout player this season. Kosmider notes that WR Jerry Jeudy's departure opens up opportunity for Mims, and that HC Sean Payton promised more work for Mims in his second season.
The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue expects Rams TE Colby Parkinson to have a "big role in this next iteration of [Sean] McVay's offense.” The 25-year-old spent his first four seasons in Seattle, totaling 57 catches, 618 yards, and 4 TDs. Back in March, he signed a three-year contract with a surprising $15.5 million guaranteed.
The Browns have agreed to a three-year, $15.9 million extension with K Dustin Hopkins.
The Ravens have placed RB Keaton Mitchell on the physically unable to perform list for the start of training camp. It's no surprise, given that Mitchell is working back from a late December ACL tear. HC John Harbaugh said back in May that the team doesn't expect Mitchell back until "sometime during the season."
The Los Angeles Daily News reports that Vikings WR Jordan Addison was arrested Friday night on suspicion of DUI. Addison reportedly was caught sleeping at the wheel of his Rolls-Royce on a freeway near LAX.
Falcons OC Zac Robinson said he'll find "creative ways" to get the ball to RB Bijan Robinson, drawing a comparison to how the 49ers use RB Christian McCaffrey. Zac Robinson never coached McCaffrey -- but he did spend the last five seasons working under Rams HC Sean McVay, whose offense has regularly produced big RB numbers.
The Raiders drafted TE Brock Bowers 13th overall, which says plenty about how much they like his talent. But that doesn't guarantee he'll get enough playing time to produce right away. According to The Athletic's Tashan Reed, new OC Luke Getsy's "run-first offense asks a lot out of tight ends in the run game, so Bowers will have to make strides in that area to stay on the field."
The Titans have agreed to a one-year contract with S Jamal Adams, according to multiple sources. Adams spent the past four seasons with the Seahawks, who released him earlier this offseason.
Browns RB Nick Chubb didn’t take part in OTAs or minicamp. Per The Athletic’s Zac Jackson, “it remains to be seen” if Chubb will participate in training camp. The seventh-year pro is returning from surgeries to repair meniscus, ACL, and MCL damage (left knee).
Asked about the current depth chart in the Chargers backfield, Daniel Popper of The Athletic this week listed Gus Edwards up top, J.K. Dobbins second, rookie Kimani Vidal third, and incumbent Isaiah Spiller fourth.
Daniel Popper of The Athletic says he's concerned about the Chargers having enough talent at WR. That's not a surprising worry, given that the team shed Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason, while adding only second-round pick Ladd McConkey and low-level free-agent D.J. Chark Jr. So who will lead the group? "Joshua Palmer is a complete receiver poised for a career season at the top of the depth chart," Popper wrote this week. That's most noteworthy because Palmer (WR53) sits well behind McConkey (WR42) in best ball ADP.
Broncos RB Javonte Williams was one of the least efficient runners in the league last year. He averaged just 3.6 yards per carry and ranked 42nd among 49 qualifiers in NFL Next Gen Stats’ Rush Yards Over Expected Per Attempt. It's certainly worth noting that Williams was returning from an October 2022 multi-ligament knee injury. He was cleared for the start of training camp last summer, but it’s fair to wonder if the knee was still a factor throughout the season.
Ben Standig of The Athletic writes that TE Zach Ertz "showed more speed than expected" in spring practices. He added that second-round rookie TE Ben Sinnott "might ultimately be more H-back or fullback than tight end."
The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. sees a career-best year in store for Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase. “The position-less nature of the rest of the receiver and tight end group allows the Bengals to move Chase around more and dial up more explosive plays from different alignments,” Dehner wrote. “While his overall usage might not go up, the aggressiveness of his targets should and sets up for the three-time Pro Bowler and 2021 Offensive Rookie of the Year to enjoy his best season yet.” Last year, Chase ran 76% of his routes from out wide. His average depth of target (aDOT) sunk to a career-low 9.1 yards. Of course, Joe Burrow made only 10 appearances – his fewest since 2020.
Bengals QB Joe Burrow said recently that his offense should be ready to use more varied formations this season after some personnel changes. New OC Dan Pitcher highlighted TE as a position group he likes.
Bengals RB Chase Brown spent much of the offseason training with independent receiver coach Drew Lieberman. Brown and Lieberman worked on everything from the fundamentals of catching the football to the finer points of route running. Lieberman was blown away by the progress Brown made. “I’ve never seen a transformation like it,” he said.
The Raiders expect WR Tre Tucker to "take a big leap as their starting slot," per The Athletic's Tashan Reed. A third-round pick in 2023, Tucker managed just 19 catches, 331 yards, and 2 TDs as a rookie. At 5'9 and 185 pounds, Tucker brings exciting speed (4.40 forty time; 1.48 ten-yard split). This offseason, the Raiders added Brock Bowers to an offense that already includes Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers. Bowers is expected to see a good chunk of his snaps out of the slot.
Nate Taylor of The Athletic believes Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco is in for a "huge role" in 2024. “Pacheco should eclipse his career high of 205 rushing attempts, which he set last season,” Taylor predicted. The rationale? Kansas City’s current lack of RB depth, which includes Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Deneric Prince, and rookie Louis Rees-Zammit. That matches our current sentiment. Head to the fantasy RB rankings, and you’ll find Pacheco projected for a career-high in carries (in fewer than 17 games).
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