NFL Player News

Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski declined to announce Monday whether or not Penix (knee) will be ready to handle 11-on-11 reps during mandatory minicamp next week, Marc Raimondi of ESPN reports.

Stefanski said during OTAs in May that clearance for Penix to handle team reps would be "coming soon" and that the quarterback has impressed in 7-on-7 drills, but it remains to be seen whether the 2024 first-round pick will be on the field for full-team activities during minicamp. The 26-year-old had a scheduled day off Monday, and Stefanski said he is "hitting every milestone he's supposed to hit" in his rehab. Penix is recovering from mid-November surgery to repair a partially torn left ACL. Stefanski also noted that Atlanta's quarterback competition between Penix and Tua Tagovailoa will not truly begin until both players are available for full-team reps.

Brissett reported for the start of mandatory minicamp Monday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Brissett would've been subject to fines if he didn't show up for minicamp after he stayed away from the Cardinals during voluntary workouts earlier this offseason. It's unclear if Brissett is giving up on his quest for more money or if he'll "hold in" during minicamp and training camp in an effort to squeeze some guaranteed money out of Arizona. The veteran quarterback is in the final year of a two-year deal and is set to collect a $4.88 million salary for 2026 as his contract currently stands.

Brissett is expected to report to the Cardinals' minicamp this week, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.

Brissett has been away from the team as he's been holding out to get an increase in pay for the 2026 campaign, but the quarterback will at least be in attendance this week. It's unclear how much he'll participate, but his arrival is still a notable development. Brissett is coming off of a 2025 campaign during which he completed 65 percent of his passes for 3,366 yards and 23 touchdowns while throwing eight interceptions over 14 contests with Arizona.

Dolphins head coach Jeff Halfley said Tuesday at the start of mandatory minicamp that Willis building a rapport with his new pass-catching corps is "a work in progress," David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

When Willis signed his three-year, $67.5 million deal in March, Miami still had an established No. 1 receiver in Jaylen Waddle, who has since been traded to Denver. As a result, the Dolphins now enter the summer with a far less proven receiving corps headlined by Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell and TE Greg Dulcich, while rookies Caleb Douglas (undisclosed), Chris Bell (ACL) and Kevin Coleman continue to compete for roles. Another factor in Willis' uneven start to OTAs and minicamp has been the absence of De'Von Achane (shoulder), arguably Miami's most dynamic pass catcher, as Achane has been limited to individual drills while recovering from an offseason procedure. OC Bobby Slowik suggested Thursday developing chemistry with the team's receivers will "probably be an ongoing process all the way up to the regular-season start." Much of Willis' fantasy appeal stems from his dual-threat ability, but it would still be encouraging to see the passing game gain traction once training camp begins in July.

Mayfield said Friday negotiations with the Buccaneers on an extension are ongoing and he would "love to have a long-term deal" beyond 2026, but talks are currently "not anywhere close" and he considers the start of training camp a firm negotiation deadline, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Mayfield suited up for all 17 regular-season games with Tampa Bay in 2025 despite playing through biceps, shoulder, knee and oblique injuries, factors which help explain the step back his in production (3,693 passing yards, 26:11 TD:INT) compared to 2024 (4,500 passing yards, 41:16 TD:INT). While Mayfield will need to adjust to the departure of Mike Evans (signed with 49ers) in 2026, new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson could provide a schematic upgrade, and the Buccaneers have added pass-catching playmakers in rookie third-rounder Ted Hurst and RB Kenneth Gainwell. It would be encouraging for Mayfield's long-term fantasy value if he were to ink a new multi-year deal with Tampa Bay -- where he has displayed a QB1 ceiling -- but the 31-year-old would be highly sought after if he were to hit the free-agent market in 2027. Mayfield is heading into the final season of the three-year, $100 million deal he signed in March 2024.

Broncos coach Sean Payton said Thursday that Nix (ankle) has been throwing at OTAs and will resume practicing with teammates at June minicamp, Luca Evans of The Denver Post reports.

Coming back from a broken ankle suffered during the playoffs, Nix had a minor clean-up procedure in mid-to-late April but still seems to be on track in his recovery. Payton previously mentioned June minicamp as a target date to increase Nix's participation, with the Broncos hoping their starting QB will then be a full participant at the start of training camp in late July. For now, Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger are handling Denver's QB reps while battling for the No. 2 job behind Nix.

Jones (undisclosed) did not throw during practice Wednesday, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Jones said Wednesday that he would be ready for training camp in July, so it doesn't seem like there's any major cause for concern. He should be considered the favorite to land San Francisco's backup job behind Brock Purdy in 2026.

Wilson confirmed Wednesday that he is joining CBS Sports and "The NFL Today" via a video that he posted to social media, Jayna Bardahl and Dan Shanoff of the Athletic report.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Monday that the QB had accepted an offer to join the CBS Sports team, but at the time it wasn't clear whether Wilson was leaving the door open to taking the field again down the road. Wednesday's "thank you, football" video seems to confirm that's not in the cards. Assuming his retirement becomes official, the 37-year-old will finish his NFL career with 46,966 passing yards, 353 touchdowns, 114 interceptions, 10 Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl XLVIII win.

Herbert said Tuesday that a priority during OTAs has been to overhaul his footwork under the direction of new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, Kris Rhim of ESPN reports.

Herbert said for each of the next few weeks he expects to dedicate one day to footwork and throwing-motion drills, with the goal of speeding up his release. Under McDaniel's new offensive scheme, Herbert said an early emphasis has been "just getting the ball out as quick as possible" rather than relying on his arm strength, in order to allow his pass catchers "maximum ability to turn upfield and have time before a defender gets to them" and accumulate yards after the catch. That shift will play to the strengths of the Chargers' athletic skill-position group, led by playmakers like RB Omarion Hampton, WRs Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, and TEs Oronde Gadsden and David Njoku, and help reduce some of the attrition Herbert faced as the most pressured quarterback in the NFL last season. Offensive tackles Rashawn Slater (kneecap) and Joe Alt (ankle) are both expected to be cleared for training camp as well, so there are multiple reasons to be optimistic that Los Angeles' offense will take a productive step forward in 2026, with Herbert being a focal beneficiary of McDaniel's creative playcalling.

Brissett was not present for the first day of the final week of Arizona's voluntary OTAs on Monday, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.

Brissett continues to hold out as he seeks a reworked contract for 2026. He's yet to show up at Arizona's OTAs, though the sessions so far have been voluntary. However, the Cardinals begin mandatory minicamp next Monday, so the situation could escalate if Brissett remains absent then (assuming he hasn't gotten the new deal he desires).