NFL Player News

Reed has agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Packers, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Per Schefter, Reed's extension with Green Bay is worth $50.25 million in new money, including $20 million guaranteed. As the coming season approaches, Reed is entrenched as a key component of a Packers WR corps that also features Christian Watson and Matthew Golden, following the offseason departures of Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks. In seven regular-season contests in 2025, the 2023 second-rounder recorded a 19-207-1 line on 22 targets. Health permitting, a bounce-back season is plausible for Reed in 2026, with the vacated targets of Doubs and Wicks up for grabs.

The Eagles' selection of WR Makai Lemon with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft provides further indication that the team is preparing to move on from Brown, Tim McManus of ESPN.com and Zach Berman of The Athletic report.

McManus notes that Adam Schefter of ESPN previously suggested Brown appears likely to be traded to the Patriots on or after June 1, and the addition of Lemon to a Philadelphia wideout corps that has already brought in Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks and Elijah Moore this offseason is another sign pointing to such an outcome. Meanwhile, the Patriots opted to bolster their offensive line depth in Round 1 rather than add a high-profile rookie WR by selecting offensive tackle Caleb Lomu 28th overall. For his part, however, Eagles GM Howie Roseman remains reluctant to tip his hand regarding the team's plans for Brown, stating Thursday, "For us, A.J. is a member of the Eagles. ... We don't have any trades that have been made or that are done. And I think for us, we're taking this one day at a time."

Smith gained two key targets Thursday, as the Jets drafted tight end Kenyon Sadiq 16th overall and wide receiver Omar Cooper 30th overall, Mitch Sherman and Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic report.

Smith was acquired in the offseason to take over as the starting quarterback for a Jets offense that lacked playmakers in the passing game, as Garrett Wilson led the team with 395 receiving yards in 2025 despite being limited to seven games by a knee injury. The Jets are expected to get a healthy Wilson back in 2026 and now boast two additional first-round talents among their pass catchers in Sadiq out of Oregon and Cooper from Indiana. The 35-year-old Smith has thrown 90 touchdown passes over the past four regular seasons, with three of those campaigns coming in Seattle before he played for the Raiders in 2025.

Lew (knee) informed NFL teams last week that he's far ahead in his rehab for the ACL tear he suffered Oct. 18 and should be ready for football activities during training camp, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

The Auburn center also sustained an MCL sprain early on during the 2025 season, but he played through that injury before tearing the ACL in his left knee. The 6-foot-4, 310-pound Lew underwent surgery soon thereafter, and though he wasn't able to participate in any drills during the pre-draft process, he led all centers at the NFL Scouting Combine with 31 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press. Lew profiles as a potential Day 2 selection in the draft, and while he's unlikely to be ready to take part in rookie minicamp, he should be on track to avoid the PUP or NFI list once training camp gets underway in late July.

Rams coach Sean McVay said after the Rams drafted Simpson 13th overall Thursday that the rookie quarterback out of Alabama will compete with Stetson Bennett for the backup quarterback role, Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com reports.

The Rams drafted Simpson with an eye on the future, but Los Angeles remains focused on winning in the moment with 38-year-old Matthew Stafford locked in as the starting quarterback. Simpson, who made only 15 starts in college, should benefit from sitting behind Stafford, but the rookie first-round pick won't have the second spot on the depth chart handed to him. The Rams likely will use training camp and the preseason to evaluate whether Simpson or the 2023 fourth-round pick Bennett will go into the season as Stafford's top backup.

Cousins is set for a quarterback competition with rookie first overall pick Fernando Mendoza and Aidan O'Connell, Ryan McFadden of ESPN.com reports.

The Raiders drafted Mendoza on Thursday after signing Cousins earlier in April. According to McFadden, the Raiders' top brass would prefer not to thrust a rookie quarterback into action immediately, but GM John Spytek said the best player will start. Cousins' edge in experience gives the veteran signal-caller a viable chance to beat out Mendoza, at least initially, though it wouldn't be surprising to see Mendoza eventually take over the starting job at some point during the 2026 regular season.

Ridley will face competition for targets from Carnell Tate, whom the Titans drafted fourth overall Thursday, Nick Suss of The Tennessean reports.

Ridley led the Titans with 43 receiving yards per game in 2025 but was limited to seven appearances before a fractured fibula ended his season. Tennessee subsequently signed Wan'Dale Robinson in free agency and used a top-five draft choice on Tate out of Ohio State to bolster its wide receiver room. Ridley likely has the inside track on a starting role opposite Tate once the veteran wide receiver regains health, as Robinson operates primarily out of the slot. In addition to health and target competition, questionable quarterback play also clouds Ridley's fantasy outlook, as 2025 first overall pick Cam Ward ranked last among qualified passers with 5.9 yards per pass attempt during the quarterback's rookie season.

Taylor will face increased competition for targets and playing time at tight end, as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports that the Jets drafted Kenyon Sadiq 16th overall Thursday.

Sadiq has more upside as a pass catcher than Taylor, as the rookie first-round pick had 51 catches for 560 yards and eight touchdowns at Oregon in 2025 and set a position record with a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. That being said, Cimini believes Taylor will still get plenty of playing time, with the Jets likely to use a lot of formations featuring multiple tight ends. Taylor caught 44 of 65 targets for 369 yards and one touchdown as a rookie after being selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Wilson (knee) could see increased competition for targets but also less attention from defenses after the Jets drafted tight end Kenyon Sadiq and wide receiver Omar Cooper, respectively, with the 16th and 30th picks Thursday, Mitch Sherman and Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic report.

Wilson should remain the top target in a new-look Jets offense quarterbacked by offseason acquisition Geno Smith. Despite being limited to seven appearances in 2025 by a knee injury, Wilson still led the team with 395 receiving yards. The 10th overall pick in the 2022 Draft has averaged over nine targets per game through 58 regular-season NFL appearances. The addition of two more talented pass catchers may actually prove to be a net positive for Wilson, as he should retain a hefty target share once healthy while potentially getting more scoring opportunities if the Jets offense improves as a unit. Wilson has 18 touchdown receptions through four seasons.

Charbonnet (knee) will face increased competition for touches once he recovers from a torn ACL, as Brady Henderson of ESPN.com reports that the Seahawks drafted Jadarian Price 32nd overall Thursday,

The Seahawks lost running back Kenneth Walker in free agency but didn't take long to draft Walker's replacement, using the final selection of Thursday's first round on Price out of Notre Dame. Charbonnet split carries with Walker during the 2025 regular season, but Walker took on a workhorse role after Charbonnet tore his ACL in the NFC divisional-round win over the 49ers. Charbonnet's recovery is likely to stretch into the 2026 regular season, but if he can regain his pre-injury form, he'll likely return to a platoon role in a Seahawks backfield that also includes Price, Emanuel Wilson and George Holani.