NFL Player News

Packers coach Mike McCarthy believes Rodgers can play into his 40s, ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky reports.

The 33-year-old superstar changed his diet last offseason in an effort to maximize his longevity, suggesting he at least plans to play deep into his 30s, if not his 40s. His skill set should allow for graceful aging, though a recurrence of the concussion issues that plagued him earlier in his career could throw a wrench in his plans. As for the more immediate future, Rodgers enjoyed a healthy offseason and should enter Week 1 with his best group of pass catchers since the days of Greg Jennings and Donald Driver. The team did lose two starting linemen (guard T.J. Lang and center JC Tretter) in free agency, but TE Martellus Bennett should be an upgrade over Jared Cook, joining the wideout trio of Jordy Nelson, Davante Adams and Randall Cobb to give Rodgers plenty of options. The team also used draft picks in the fourth, fifth and seventh rounds on running backs, hoping to add some power to complement Ty Montgomery's prowess as a receiver.

Cousins and the Redskins remain apart on a long-term deal, but both sides have described the talks as positive, Mike Jones of The Washington Post reports.

It appears as if the Redskins are making a push to get Cousins a long-term deal before the July 17 deadline, but the two sides are still a ways apart. The quarterback's camp believes all offers thus far have been under market value, a benchmark that has been made much clearer after Derek Carr signed a $125 million extension last week. With Matthew Stafford also in talks for a new deal, it appears Cousins' best option at the moment is to remain patient. Both sides have made public their confidence in a new deal being reached, but with only 20 days until the deadline, there's a real chance Cousins will once again be stuck with the franchise tag.

Lynch made a strong push for the Broncos' starting quarterback job during the last week of OTAs and weeklong mandatory minicamp, Mike Klis of KUSA-TV 9 News reports.

Lynch is said to have underwhelmed early on during Denver's offseason program, but the second-year signal caller found his form over the final two weeks, playing more instinctively in a live setting. In doing so, he closed the gap on incumbent Trevor Siemian, who was the Broncos' starter for the majority of last season. New coach Vance Joseph has stated that Lynch and Siemian will compete for the No. 1 job during training camp and the preseason, so Lynch's noticeable improvement later in OTAs and during minicamp gives him momentum heading into the summer. Still, he'll need to maintain that level to oust Siemian for the starting gig this time around.

Watson impressed in offseason practices but still has a lot of ground to gain in the team's quarterback competition, NFL.com's Max Meyer reports. "We put a lot on [Watson's] plate during the spring, and he handled it very well," coach Bill O'Brien said. "He made mistakes, and he corrected them. You don't see him make the same mistake twice. He can do a lot of things. He can operate our running game and in our passing game. He's got a lot of athleticism. I don't think we'll have to limit him. Training camp and preseason games will be a big test."

Although the Texans coaching staff has been singing the praises of fellow QB Tom Savage this offseason, Watson appears to be impressing as well. O'Brien qualified the Clemson product as being "wise beyond his years" and also said he's adjusting nicely to the challenges that have been put on Watson's plate, which is a very encouraging sign given the complexity of O'Brien's offensive system. However, the coach admitted that Watson is "not nearly where he needs to be to be a full-time starter in this league," so it seems the rookie will need to make significant strides in advance of Week 1 in order to earn the starting gig.

Carr (fibula) and the Raiders have finalized a five-year, $125 million extension,NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reports.

The average annual value of $25 million in new money narrowly tops Andrew Luck's $24.6 million to set a new NFL record, though Matt Stafford and Kirk Cousins will both push for similar contracts in the coming weeks. Carr was limited throughout the Raiders' offseason program while recovering from a broken fibula suffered in Week 16, but he should be a full participant at the start of training camp as he looks to build on a strong 2016 campaign. He'll benefit from one of the league's best supporting casts, with RB Marshawn Lynch and TE Jared Cook joining a unit that already boasts an elite offensive line and wideout duo. Given the new contract and the talent surrounding him, Carr will be expected to improve upon last season's mark of 7.0 yards per pass attempt. His completion percentage (63.8) and TD:INT ratio (28:6) were impressive, but he'll need to have more success throwing downfield to be mentioned among the league's elite quarterbacks when the discussion moves beyond salary.

Bridgewater (knee) stands a chance of being cleared to return at some point during the upcoming season, Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune reports.

Bridgewater still has a long way to go to return from last year's catastrophic knee injury, but being cleared to throw passes to teammates and participate in individual drills has encouraged many with his progress. While he still can't go through team drills, run full speed, plant or cut on his left leg, or absorb contract to his knee, Bridgewater's 2017 campaign hasn't been written off yet. Without a timetable for Bridgewater's return, though, Sam Bradford will remain Minnesota's starter for the foreseeable future.

Mahomes displayed his arm strength, better touch on his passes and a willingness to stretch the field at OTAs, the Kansas City Star reports. "If you took how he was in the rookie camp and compare it to now, there's no comparison there," said head coach Andy Reid. "He's done a good job against the blitz, which is important for a young guy. I thought yesterday was his best day against the blitz, and that's a positive thing he can take into this off-offseason."

While Mahomes shouldn't challenge Alex Smith for the starting job this season, the rookie gunslinger has instilled confidence in his coaches early in his career. The Texas Tech product should get a season under his belt as a backup to an established veteran, which will put him in a good position to learn as he prepares to take the reins as soon as 2018, or earlier should Smith suffer an injury.

Goff said he has a full understanding of new coach Sean McVay's offense, which has already had 95 percent of its plays installed, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.

Goff took a notoriously long time to grasp the Rams' playbook as a rookie last season, when he didn't earn his first start until Week 11. From there, Goff looked nothing like a No. 1 overall pick, finishing with a 54.6 completion percentage, 5.3 yards per attempt and five touchdowns versus seven interceptions. In the wake of a coaching staff overhaul, however, Goff appears to have adjusted to McVay's scheme much better this offseason. While that reportedly comes thanks to simplified terminology and concepts, it remains to be seen whether Goff can translate his improved knowledge into on-field success.

Hackenberg performed better than anticipated during minicamp, ESPN's Rich Cimini reports.

Hackenberg is reportedly ahead of Bryce Petty for the Jets' No. 2 quarterback job, but the second-year pro could be closing the gap on projected starter Josh McCown some. According to the report, the 37-year-old McCown underwhelmed during minicamp, which made the timing of Hackenberg's improvement all the better. However, with training camp and the preseason still ahead, Hackenberg will have to sustain his challenge to unseat the veteran.

Bridgewater (knee) has impressed his Vikings teammates and coaches with the zip on his passes and his work during individual drills, ESPN's Ben Goessling reports.

Bridgewater was recently cleared to make more lateral movements, which has allowed him to throw to teammates and take part in most of Minnesota's quarterback drills. While his passing ability has reminded teammates of the player he was prior to last year's devastating injury, Bridgewater is still unable participate in team drills, run full speed, plant or cut on his left leg, or absorb contact to his knee. That details the steep hill Bridgewater still needs to clear before returning in full, and there remains no solid timetable for him to do so, but the signal-caller is at least making a positive impression on his coworkers with his continued progress.