NFL Player News

Henry is signing a two-year contract with the Ravens, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

It's a match that's been rumored all offseason, after the Ravens infamously attempted just six RB carries in an AFC Championship Game loss to Kansas City. For Henry, it'll be the first change of scenery in his pro career, following an eight-year stint with the Titans that featured five 1,000-yard rushing seasons, including three over 1,500 and one over 2,000. He led the league with 280 carries in 2023 and hit pay dirt 12 times, though he averaged a career-low 4.17 yards per attempt while ceding nearly half of Tennessee's backfield snaps to rookie Tyjae Spears. There's reason to believe the 30-year-old's YPC mark will rebound with the move to Baltimore, where he'll have superior QB play and likely a better offensive line. Henry's contract reportedly has a base value of $16 million over two years, with $9 million guaranteed and then another $4 million available via incentives.

Spears faces a new backfield situation that's set to add Tony Pollard via a three-year, $24 million contract, while Derek Henry remains slated for free agency, Eric Edholm of NFL.com reports.

Spears, a 2023 third-round pick, is coming off a strong rookie season in which he compiled 838 yards from scrimmage and three total touchdowns, showcasing versatility and explosiveness despite only getting one chance to handle double-digit carries in a game. The Titans' decision to sign Pollard appears to simultaneously signal the end of Henry's era with the team. Spears could have an easier path to genuinely competing for touches with Pollard, whereas Henry was firmly entrenched as a true lead back, and both players profile similarly. Spears and Pollard are each versatile and elusive runners, which will allow Tennessee's offense to swap both players off the field relatively freely. Spears and Pollard look the part of a solid 1-2 punch, though for fantasy purposes it's possible they could both limit each other from attaining a true workhorse workload.

Hines (knee) is slated to sign a one-year deal with the Browns, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

The report indicates that Hines' deal is worth up to $3.5 million. The 27-year-old is attempting to bounce back from a left ACL injury that he sustained last July and which cost him the entire 2023 season. When healthy, Hines should provide the Browns backfield with an experienced pass-catching/change-of-pace option while also adding utility as a kick returner.

Robinson is slated to compete for backfield work with veteran Austin Ekeler, whom the Commanders are set to sign to a two-year contract, Kris Rhim of ESPN reports.

Robinson will also lose one form of competition with Antonio Gibson set to sign with the Patriots, but it's seems clear that Washington felt the need to bring in an established pass catcher out of the backfield. Ekeler is coming off the worst season of his career in terms of efficiency, though he did deal with a high-ankle sprain and questionable blocking. Robinson, on the other hand, improved his YPC to 4.1 after managing only 3.9 as a rookie, finishing with 733 rushing yards and five scores across 15 games, in addition to a respectable 36-368-4 receiving line. New offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury could envision Gibson as the preferred option for between-the-tackles work and Ekeler as the go-to-receiving back, but training camp could also go a long way in determining the eventual backfield split.

The Bengals are slated to trade Mixon to the Texans, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Previous reports indicated that Cincinnati intended to release Mixon, but instead the running back is in line to be dealt to Houston for a conditional seventh-round pick, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston. The 27-year-old will thus fill the void created by the departure of Devin Singletary and is on track to lead a Texans backfield that also includes Dameon Pierce. In 17 regular-season games with the Bengals in 2023, Mixon had 257 carries for 1,034 yards and nine TDs to go along with 52 catches for 376 yards and three more scores.

Herbert is part of a backfield that's set to add D'Andre Swift on a three-year, $24 million contract, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

Herbert has outperformed his draft slot since the Bears took him in the sixth round in 2021, averaging 4.9 yards on 364 carries. He's typically worked in timeshares and has just 43 receptions in 42 games, and it's not exactly surprising to see the cap-flush Bears brining in a more versatile running back. This isn't the worst outcome for Herbert's value given that the Bears were previously rumored to have interest in Saquon Barkley -- who is joining the Eagles -- but it does leave Herbert with a lot of snap/touch competition for the final year of his rookie contract, competing against Swift and 2023 fourth-round pick Roschon Johnson.

Jones is slated to sign a one-year deal with the Vikings, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Per Schefter, Jones' deal with Minnesota is worth $7 million. The move comes just one day after the 29-year-old was released by Green Bay after turning down a pay cut, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. With the Vikings, Jones will have a chance to lead a backfield that also includes Ty Chandler, with Alexander Mattison having recently been released by the team.

Mixon was released by the Bengals on Monday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

It was suspected that Mixon could be a potential cap casualty for the Bengals, and that has turned out to be the case. He spent his first seven seasons in Cincinnati and finished the 2023 campaign with 1,410 yards and 12 touchdowns from scrimmage. The veteran back turns 28 years old in July and now will be looking for a fresh start elsewhere.

Moss agreed to terms on a two-year, $8 million contract with the Bengals on Monday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

Moss vaults to the No. 1 spot on the running back depth chart for Cincinnati, as the team also released Joe Mixon on Monday. The 26-year-old is cashing in after an impressive showing during Jonathan Taylor's absence from the Colts last season. Moss finished the 2023 campaign with a career-high 794 yards and five touchdowns on the ground to go along with 192 yards and two touchdowns across 27 receptions.

Ekeler is signing a two-year contract with the Commanders, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

The deal reportedly is worth up to $11.43 million, but with only $4.82 million guaranteed in the first season and a significant portion being incentives. Ekeler turns 29 in May and is coming off a 2023 campaign in which he experienced a massive downturn from his 2021-22 production while dealing with a high-ankle sprain and poor blocking. Even if he can't recapture his peak form, he should be useful as a passing-down back given that he has 3,884 career receiving yards and 30 receiving TDs. The Commanders likely envision Ekeler and Brian Robinson sharing backfield snaps, though it might look quite a bit different than Robinson's split with Antonio Gibson in 2023 (Gibson is signing with the Patriots, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network). The Commanders have a new offensive coordinator (Kliff Kingsbury) and are widely expected to acquire a new quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.