NFL Player News

The Seahawks selected Smith-Njigba in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 20th overall.

Smith-Njigba was widely expected to go in the top 12 or so, meaning at 20 the former Ohio State star looks like a bargain for the Seahawks. Tyler Lockett will be tough to displace from two-wideout formations, something the Seahawks run often as they trot out many multi-TE sets, but whenever Lockett declines it will be Smith-Njigba that the Seahawks depend on to step up. Smith-Njigba should make an immediate impact when Seattle goes three wide, likely running from the slot most of the time. At 6-foot-1, 196 pounds Smith-Njigba has only an average build and his 4.52-second pro day 40 time might have been more like a 4.60 on the combine track, but his excellent agility testing (6.57-second three-cone drill, 3.93-second 20-yard shuttle) should make Smith-Njigba stand out from the slot.

Higgins took part in the Bengals' voluntary offseason workout Wednesday, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.

Prominent players in contract years often skip the voluntary portions of offseason programs and sometimes the mandatory parts as well. Higgins' decision to do otherwise in the final year of his rookie deal suggests he's optimistic about signing an extension or doesn't mind playing out the season without one. He's been mentioned in trade rumors for a while due to the expectation of quarterback Joe Burrow and receiver Ja'Marr Chase signing extensions that take up a big chunk of Cincinnati's budget, but it wouldn't be all that complicated for the Bengals to keep all three players, especially if they're willing to backload the cap hits and/or make sacrifices on the defensive side of the ball.

San Francisco re-signed Snead to a one-year contract Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Snead, now entering his age-31 season, will thus get a chance to compete for a depth role with the 49ers this coming season. He appeared in four contests with the team in 2022, contributing on special teams and playing 30 offensive snaps (zero targets).

The Vikings exercised Jefferson's fifth-year option for 2024 on Tuesday, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.

This was a no-brainer for Minnesota, but it would be a shock if the two sides don't have a long-term contract worked out well before the start of the 2024 campaign. This is likely just a placeholder keeping Jefferson tied to the Vikings for at least the next two seasons. Since being taken 22nd overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, Jefferson has 324 catches for 4,825 yards and 25 touchdowns and has yet to miss a game. Turning 24 in June, Jefferson is coming off Offensive Player of the Year honors last season.

Pittsburgh re-signed Boykin to a one-year deal Monday.

After catching 32 of 55 targets for 464 yards and seven touchdowns during his first two NFL campaigns in Baltimore, the 2019 third-round pick has secured just three of four targets for 17 yards over his past two seasons. Last year, his first with Pittsburgh, Boykin recorded just two receptions for 11 yards and had more work on special teams than offense. He's unlikely to crack the top of the Steelers' wideout depth chart in 2023, but his special-teams experience gives him an early advantage for a spot on the initial roster.

The Lions have released Cephus (foot), NFL.com reports.

The move follows news that Cephus has been suspended indefinitely for violating the league's gambling policy. Per the report, Cephus can reapply for reinstatement after the conclusion of the 2023 season. The 2020 fifth-rounder is coming off a 2022 campaign in which a foot injury limited him to four games with Detroit, during which he caught two passes for 15 yards.

The NFL announced Friday that Berryhill will be suspended six games for violation of the league's gambling policy, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Berryhill and his teammate Jameson Williams were given six-game suspensions for violating the league's gambling policy, while fellow Lion Quintez Cephus along with C.J. Moore and Shaka Toney were handed indefinite suspensions, minimum one season. The incidents involving Berryhill and Williams occurred within the team's facilities as the athletes bet on non-NFL games according to Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com. While the loss of Williams is significant to the Lions' offense, Berryhill was likely set to operate as a practice squad option in 2023.

The NFL announced Friday that Williams will be suspended six games for violation of the league's gambling policy, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Williams and Stanley Berryhill are being handed six-game suspensions for violating the NFL's gambling policy, while C.J. Moore, Quintez Cephus and Shaka Toney are receiving indefinite suspensions, minimum one year. Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com reports that the incident involving Williams and Berryhill occurred within team facilities, and involved online betting on non-NFL games. The surprising development throws a wrench in projecting Williams' prospects for the 2023 campaign, as he had been a popular breakout candidate after coming off a rookie season largely lost to injury. Though now fully recovered from his ACL tear, Williams will now have to wait at least six games before being able to get on the field and produce in the 2023 regular season.

As part of the deal slated to send him to the Steelers, Robinson's contract has been re-worked, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Per the report, this coming season the Rams are in line to pay the wideout $10 million, while the Steelers will give him a $3.8 million signing bonus and base salary of $1.2 million. Then in 2024, Robinson is on track to earn a $10 million base salary, down from $15 million. The deal makes his cap hit more palatable for Pittsburgh and is also an indication of his underwhelming production across the last two seasons. Robinson will be in search of a rebound campaign in 2023, but he'll have to compete directly with Diontae Johnson and George Pickens for targets.

The Cowboys exercised the fifth-year option on Lamb's rookie contract Thursday, Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Teams have a deadline of May 1 to make such decisions with first-round picks from the 2020 Draft, and the 17th overall selection that year now is locked in with Dallas through the 2024 season. Lamb is coming off a second consecutive 1,000-yard campaign, having put together a 107-1,359-9 line on 156 targets in 17 games last season. He's also been plenty durable during his three-year career, missing just one of a possible 50 regular-season contests to date. After the Cowboys added Brandin Cooks to their receiving corps this offseason, Lamb may have even more room to operate in a Dak Prescott-led offense.