NFL Player News

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).

Stick signed with the Colts on Monday.

The quarterback spent the 2025 campaign in Atlanta, rising from the practice squad following Michael Penix's late-season knee injury, though Stick never appeared in a regular-season game. Stick last saw action in 2023 with the Chargers, when he played in five games and finished with 1,129 yards and three touchdowns against one interception. The fifth-round pick of the Chargers in 2019 is likely competing for a backup role again, this time behind Indianapolis' projected starter, Daniel Jones (Achilles).

Zappe is serving as the second-team quarterback for the Jets during OTAs, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.

Zappe has nine career regular-season starts, giving him more experience than fourth-round pick Cade Klubnik and second-year pro Brady Cook. With Geno Smith locked in as the team's starter, Zappe, Klubnik and Cook are competing in an "open competition" for the backup role, per Cimini.

Maye has a new No. 1 wide receiver after the Patriots traded for A.J. Brown from the Eagles on Monday, Evan Lazar of the team's official site reports.

The deal did not become official until June 1 due to Philadelphia's salary-cap considerations, but it now caps what has been an exceptionally productive offseason for Maye and New England's offense. A three-time All-Pro and true alpha target for Maye, Brown is an upgrade over departed 2025 team receiving leader Stefon Diggs. Brown joins a capable No. 2 option in Romeo Doubs, who inked a four-year deal in free agency, plus TE Hunter Henry and returning WRs Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams. Maye, who has fully recovered from the shoulder injury he played through in Super Bowl XL against the Rams, thus looks primed for another step forward after finishing as the MVP runner-up in 2025. Across 17 regular-season appearances last year, he threw for 4,384 yards and a 31:8 TD:INT while adding 450 yards and four touchdowns on 103 carries. Maye figures to be one of the most sought-after quarterbacks in 2026 fantasy drafts, and his dual-threat skill set paired with New England's revamped receiving corps gives him the upside to justify those expectations.

Jones (Achilles) is participating in 7-on-7 drills Monday, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.

After participating in individual drills the previous week, Jones has progressed to team drills at OTAs. He's 176 days removed from tearing his Achilles, and Jones' ability to ramp up his activity level at OTAs suggests he remains on track to conclude his recovery in time to take the field Week 1 against the Ravens on Sunday, Sept. 13.

Wilson has accepted an offer to join a television broadcast team Monday in lieu of pursuing a backup quarterback position for the 2026 season, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Wilson reportedly had been offered a contract by the Jets to provide depth behind Geno Smith, but the 37-year-old veteran instead will turn his attention toward a broadcasting career. While it remains to be seen whether Wilson intends to officially retire from the NFL, it appears at the very least that he doesn't plan to suit up during the 2026 campaign. He opened the 2025 season as the Giants' starter but only held onto that gig until Week 3, after which point then-rookie Jaxson Dart took the reins. With Wilson out of the mix, Cade Klubnik, Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe remain positioned as Gang Green's top reserve options behind Smith.

When asked earlier this week whether he would continue to run less this coming season after logging a career-low 67 rushing attempts through 13 regular-season games in 2025, Jackson was noncommittal, Jamison Hensley of ESPN reports.

On that topic, Jackson indicated "whatever it takes to win. So whether I'm running less or running more, it's whatever it takes to win." It's worth noting that various injuries throughout the 2025 campaign affected the star QB's practice participation, including a hamstring issue that cropped up in Week 3 and led to Jackson missing three contests. Now that he's had the offseason to heal up, a healthy Jackson, in general, profiles as a bounce-back candidate in 2026, with a return to triple-digit carries plausible in the absence of injury setbacks. While Jackson declined to elaborate on how talks regarding a possible contract extension with the Ravens were going, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic relays the 29-year-old signal caller maintains he wants to remain with the franchise for the foreseeable future. "I love this organization. I love this city," Jackson said. "This is the team that drafted me, got a lot of love for me and I got a lot of love for this city and the team as well." Meanwhile, the two-time MVP has been a regular at Baltimore's voluntary offseason workout program, with an eye toward gaining familiarity with a new offensive scheme/system being implemented by the team's incoming coaching staff.

Rattler (finger) is participating during the Saints' OTAs, John Sigler of USA Today reports.

Rattler was inactive for New Orleans' season finale at Atlanta back in January due to a finger injury, but it doesn't seem to be an issue for him any longer. He'll be competing with Zach Wilson for the backup quarterback spot behind 2025 second-rounder Tyler Shough in 2026.

Mahomes (knee) has been participating in OTAs this week in a limited capacity, Pete Sweeney of ArrowheadPride.com reports.

As expected, Mahomes hasn't been cleared for 11-on-11 work, as he continues his rehab from a torn ACL and LCL suffered in Week 15 of last season. Still, Mahomes' progress has been impressive, and he looks to be well ahead of schedule with an eye toward being ready for Week 1 of the 2026 campaign.