NFL Player News

Osborn signed a contract with the Patriots on Sunday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Osborn will join up with the Patriots on a one-year, $4 million deal, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. The 2020 fifth-round pick is coming off three solid seasons with Minnesota, producing an average stat line of 52.7-615-5.3 while starting all but one regular-season game over that span. His numbers did take a slight dip despite the absence of star Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson for seven games in 2023, as Osborn logged 48 catches for 540 yards and three touchdowns over 16 games. Nevertheless, the 26-year-old slot receiver should see a healthy workload in a New England receiving corps that is in need of help. Osborn will likely compete with Demario Douglas and Tyquan Thornton (ankle) for a starting role alongside Kendrick Bourne (knee) and JuJu Smith-Schuster (ankle).

The 49ers re-signed Conley on a one-year deal Saturday.

The veteran wideout will remain in San Francisco after spending last season with the 49ers. Conley saw minimal offensive work in 2023, playing just 110 offensive snaps and recording 69 receiving yards on three receptions. Given that he appeared in only eight games last year, Conley will likely be competing for another depth role in San Francisco's wide receiver room as the offseason progresses.

Berrios signed a one-year contract worth up to $3 million with the Dolphins on Saturday, Adam Schefter of ESPNreports.

Berrios tallied just seven receptions for 44 yards over the Dolphins' final nine contests, which is surprising given he played at minimum 40 percent of the offensive snaps in every contest. Expect the veteran to primarily be the team's return man once again, a role that allowed him to tally 676 total return yards last season.

Peoples-Jones has agreed on a one-year, $2 million deal to re-sign with the Lions. Jordan Schultz of BleacherReport.com reports.

Peoples-Jones played seven games with the Browns in 2023 before finishing the second half of the season in Detroit. He finished the regular season with 13 receptions on 25 targets for 155 yards between both teams. The 25-year-old will now look to solidify a role for himself as a pass catcher during the offseason, but he also has the potential to contribute as a returner on special teams.

The Steelers and Jefferson agreed to a one-year contract Friday, Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Jefferson has a 50-802-6 line on 89 targets in 17 regular-season games from 2021 with the Rams on his resume, but the 2020 second-round pick otherwise has put together 63 catches, 798 yards and four touchdowns in his other three campaigns between L.A. and Atlanta. With his new squad, he'll be a part of a Pittsburgh receiving corps that lost Diontae Johnson via a trade with Carolina, meaning Jefferson currently slots in as the Steelers' No. 2 WR behind George Pickens. Ultimately, Jefferson's place in the pecking order for passes from quarterback Russell Wilson will depend on other additions made this offseason.

The Texans waived Matthews (knee) with a failed physical designation Friday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

The San Diego State product signed with the Texans after going undrafted in 2023, but he tore his ACL shortly thereafter and was forced to miss the entire year. Matthews appeared in 48 games across his four-year collegiate career, catching 174 passes for 2,109 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Dortch is part of a thin WR room in Arizona after the team traded Rondale Moore and lost Marquise Brown in free agency, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.

The 5-foot-7 slot man and return specialist had eight games with seven or more targets over the past two seasons, seeing passes at an unusual rate for someone that only got significant playing time when injuries forced other players out of the lineup. Dortch might get a real opportunity in 2024, though the Cardinals still have time to strengthen their WR group, particularly via the NFL Draft in April. Dortch received a qualifying tender last week as an exclusive rights free agent, and he'll turn 26 this spring heading into this fourth year with the Cardinals.

Wilson is part of a thin WR room in Arizona after the team traded Rondale Moore and lost Marquise Brown in free agency, Bo Brack of GoPHNX.com reports.

That said, the Cardinals own the fourth overall pick in a draft with three elite wide receiver prospects and might end up having their choice of the three. They also have time to pursue veterans, though journeyman Chris Moore has been the only free-agent addition so far. Wilson came in as a third-round pick last season and started 12 of his 13 games while posting excellent per-target efficiency numbers -- 65.5 percent catch rate, 14.9 YPR, 9.7 YPT -- but his low rate of targets per route (14.1 percent) leaves him as somewhat of a question mark. He's got opportunity and size (6-2, 213) working in his favor, while speed (4.58 40) and age (turned 24 in February) were dings on the prospect profile coming out of Stanford. If nothing else, Wilson seems to be in pretty good position to reprise his role as a starter who doesn't see that many targets.

Johnston and Joshua Palmer (knee) are the top wide receivers left on the Chargers after the team released Mike Williams (knee) and traded Keenan Allen to Chicago.

The 2023 first-round pick should have every chance to earn a starting job even if the Chargers end up bringing in another wide receiver via an early pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The lack of target competition is promising for fantasy purposes, while Johnston's rookie-year performance and new coaching staff are considerably less promising. Jim Harbaugh and OC Greg Roman are known for prioritizing the running game, and the team's willingness to move on from both Allen and Williams further hint at that being the plan in Los Angeles despite having QB Justin Herbert under contract long term. Johnston said earlier this offseason that he expects a "breakout" under Harbaugh, after managing just 431 yards in 17 games as a rookie.

Palmer (knee) and Quentin Johnston are the top wide receivers left on the Chargers after the team released Mike Williams and traded Keenan Allen.

The other part of the equation is that the Chargers own the fifth overall pick in a draft with three elite WR prospects. That doesn't necessarily mean they'll end up with Marvin Harrison, Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze, but it'll certainly be a common prediction in mock drafts over the next six weeks. Palmer averaged a career-high 58.1 receiving yards per game in 2023, his third NFL season, albeit while missing six games with a knee injury and a seventh with a concussion. He then hurt his knee in the regular-season finale, but there hasn't been any follow up suggesting it was a serious injury. Palmer now enters the final year of his rookie contract under a new head coach (Jim Harbaugh) and offensive coordinator (Greg Roman), with those hirings and the team's offseason moves hinting at a more run-oriented offense in 2023. That could still work out well for Palmer in fantasy terms given the likelihood of reduced competition for targets relative to his first three seasons.