NFL Player News

Conner will likely have to settle for a reserve role in 2026, as Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports that Arizona drafted running back Jeremiyah Love third overall Thursday.

Conner started all 45 regular-season games in which he appeared over the previous four seasons, but he'll have to battle for touches in 2026 behind Love, who is expected to immediately take over as the starter for the Cardinals following a stellar NCAA career at Notre Dame. The nearly 31-year-old Conner, who was limited to three appearances in 2025 by a foot injury, also will face competition for touches from free-agent addition Tyler Allgeier and Trey Benson (knee).

Allgeier will likely have to settle for a backup role in 2026, as Arizona drafted running back Jeremiyah Love third overall Thursday.

Love is expected to immediately ascend to the top of the depth chart for the Cardinals after racking up 2,497 rushing yards and 35 rushing touchdowns over the past two years at Notre Dame. Allgeier spent the past three years backing up Bijan Robinson in Atlanta, and Arizona's free-agent addition now will have to compete for carries with another top-10 draft pick. The Cardinals also have James Conner and Trey Benson (knee) on the roster, so even reaching last year's total of 157 touches could be tough for Allgeier if Arizona's backfield stays healthy.

The Seahawks selected Price in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 32nd overall.

If Jeremiyah Love was Notre Dame's Darren McFadden then Price was their Felix Jones, providing consistent big plays off the bench and as a kick returner. Price is not quite as athletic at 5-foot-11, 203 pounds as Jones was out of Arkansas, but the general theme of big plays off the bench is the deal with Price. The unclear early-season availability of Zach Charbonnet (ACL) gives room for Price to make an immediate impact, and upon Charbonnet's eventual return a long-term workload split can be expected between him and Price not unlike the split between Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker previously. Price also might displace Rashid Shaheed from the kick return unit after returning three of his 22 collegiate kick returns for touchdowns (36.1 yards per return).

The Cardinals selected Love in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, third overall.

Love (6-feet, 212 pounds) might not quite be on the level of recent blue-chip running back prospects like Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs, yet the former Notre Dame standout finds himself drafted earlier than either. With such mammoth draft capital invested the Cardinals are compelled to feed Love, but Arizona might also find itself with the most crowded backfield in the league. Power back Tyler Allgeier was added with a two-year, $12.5 million contract in free agency, and the duo of James Conner and Trey Benson remain third and fourth on the depth chart, for the time being. Love is an automatic big-play threat as both a runner and pass catcher, leveraging his 4.36 speed with elusiveness and power. The one question is how much of a workload Love can withstand, especially in terms of power running. Love is a bit upright for a running back and might lack the anchor to be a regular 20-carry running back. That Allgeier is around means the Cardinals won't need to overwork Love.

Judkins (ankle) was spotted in uniform and rehabbing at the start of Cleveland's voluntary minicamp Tuesday, Dylan Feltovich of USA Today reports.

Judkins' exact participation level is difficult to determine, with Camryn Justice of News 5 Cleveland reporting that the 2025 second-round pick participated in on-field activities in some capacity, while Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports that he monitored practice from a side field. In any case, Judkins' activity level during spring figures to be largely limited to rehab work as he recovers from surgery undergone in late December to address a dislocated right ankle. Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, Judkins projects as the leader of a backfield that also houses Dylan Sampson, Raheim Sanders and Ahmani Marshall, all of whom are second-year pros.

The Buccaneers signed Tucker, who had been a restricted free agent, on Monday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Tucker recorded 320 yards on 86 carries in 17 games during the 2025 regular season, while working behind Bucky Irving and Rachaad White. While White is now with the Commanders, the Bucs added Kenneth Gainwell to their backfield via free agency last month, and the presence of the former Steeler sets the stage for Tucker to remain the team's No. 3 RB in 2026.

Singleton (foot) has been medically cleared and has resumed running, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Singleton suffered a fractured fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot while attending the Senior Bowl in late January, but he is now back to full health ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. The running back figures to be a mid-round selection in the three-day event beginning next Thursday in Pittsburgh. Singleton finished off a record-setting four-year career at Penn State in 2025, racking up 549 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 123 carries while also reeling in 24 of 34 targets for 219 yards and a score over 12 contests in his final campaign.

Achane was spotted at the Dolphins' training facility Thursday for the first time since the start of the team's voluntary offseason program, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Achane is in the midst of negotiations toward a long-term extension. The Dolphins have shut down trade rumors, and it sounds like Achane is on board for their rebuilding project as long as he's happy with his compensation. Given his age (24) and monstrous production, Achane probably hopes to top Saquon Barkley's RB-leading totals for average annual value ($20.6 million) and fully guaranteed money ($36 million). For now, Achane will focus on learning a new playbook under new head coach Jeff Hafley and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. On-field work doesn't start until mid-to-late May, with mandatory minicamp then scheduled for June 2-4.

Vidal signed his exclusive-rights free-agent tender with the Chargers on Tuesday, Howard Balzer of USA Today reports.

Los Angeles tendered the 2024 sixth-round pick as an ERFA in early March. The Chargers' offseason has seen Najee Harris (Achilles) depart in free agency, though the addition of Keaton Mitchell from Baltimore represents a new option in the backfield and potential competition for Vidal's grip on the No. 2 role behind Omarion Hampton. That said, Vidal has to be considered the favorite for the job after he broke out for 643 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 155 carries across 13 regular-season appearances in 2025, even if Mitchell ultimately sees more pass-catching reps.

The Falcons picked up the fifth-year option of Robinson's rookie contract Friday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

The transaction keeps Robinson under contract through 2027 and provides Atlanta more time to negotiate a potential long-term extension, so it's little surprise to see the team pick up the 2023 first-round pick's fifth-year option. Robinson has compiled back-to-back years with over 1,400 rushing yards, and in 2025 he added a 79-829-4 receiving line (104 targets) while suiting up for all 17 regular-season games. The star running back also had seven rushing scores and a career-high 5.1 YPC mark in 2025. Even given the uncertainty surrounding Atlanta's offense -- there's a QB battle between Michael Penix (knee) and Tua Tagovailoa looming this offseason, and the surprise retirement of RT Kaleb McGary (leg) has prompted the team to sign Jawaan Taylor -- Robinson is firmly in the mix for consideration as not only the top RB off the board in 2026 fantasy drafts, but as the No.1 overall selection.