Indianapolis Colts defensive back Julian Blackmon is disappointed by the state of the safety market this offseason."It's a one-year deal, and for me, I feel like my value is worth more than one year, but unfortunately, we all saw how the market went," said Blackmon, who recently re-signed with Indianapolis on a one-year deal worth up to $7.7 million, according to NFL.com's Kevin Patra.Xavier McKinney and Kyle Dugger are the only safeties who signed deals worth more than $10 million this offseason. McKinney - a former New York Giants starter - joined the Green Bay Packers on a four-year, $67-million contract, while Dugger recently inked a four-year, $58-million pact with the Patriots after receiving the transition tag from New England in March.Other safeties who signed multi-year deals include C.J. Gardner-Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles (three years, $27 million), Kevin Byard of the Chicago Bears (two years, $15 million), and Darnell Savage of the Jacksonville Jaguars (three years, $21.7 million).Meanwhile, former Pro Bowl safeties Justin Simmons, Eddie Jackson, Quandre Diggs, Micah Hyde, and Jamal Adams remain unsigned. Simmons, who was released by the Denver Broncos this year, earned his fourth career All-Pro berth in 2023."I think it was something similar to how it was for the running backs a year ago," Blackmon added. "It just kind of shows you that you've got to be prepared for anything. It's one of those things where you can never truly say that you've got it. Especially when there's so much talent in the NFL. For me, it's just one of those things where I just tried to take it for what it was. It was a unique situation, especially going into my first free agency."The state of the running back market was a hot topic around the NFL last year after Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, and Tony Pollard - who all received the franchise tag in 2023 - didn't ink multi-year deals and had to play on one-year contracts. Several star tailbacks held a Zoom meeting to discuss contract issues for the position in July. Barkley, Jacobs, and Pollard signed multi-year pacts while joining new teams in 2024.Derwin James of the Los Angeles Chargers is currently the NFL's highest-paid safety with a $19.13-million average annual salary, according to Spotrac. He's followed by Minkah Fitzpatrick of the Pittsburgh Steelers ($18.4 million) and Antoine Winfield Jr. of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($17.1 million)Blackmon may not have signed as lucrative a contract as he would've liked, but the 25-year-old said he's happy to return to the Colts for his fifth season with the club."This was home. This is the place where it started, and this is the place I want to finish if I can," he said Monday. "Everybody knows how free agency went this year for safeties. We just wanted to be patient with the whole process, and we were able to come up with something that everybody was happy with."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite big changes to AFC East teams this offseason, Pro Bowl offensive tackle Terron Armstead is confident the Miami Dolphins possess the pieces to compete in the division."It's all in house, it's all in house," he said Monday, according to the NFL Network's Kevin Patra. "We don't really look at all the other moving pieces within the division or around the league because we feel like we have enough. We're talented enough, we're skilled enough, we're tough enough, we just have to do."Armstead added that the Dolphins aren't focusing on action outside the team's facility."It doesn't matter who's traded, we don't look at that. We have enough to beat anybody at full strength, and that's really our mindset. It's our mentality," Armstead said.Significant changes took place across the AFC East this offseason. Jerod Mayo will make his head coaching debut in 2024 after the New England Patriots parted ways with Bill Belichick. The Buffalo Bills traded star wideout Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans. The New York Jets appear poised to take another step, signing Mike Williams and acquiring Haason Reddick this winter.The Dolphins were on pace to win the AFC East last year for the first time since 2008 but lost three of their final five regular-season games to drop the division crown. The team ended the campaign by losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the wild-card round.Miami lost starters Christian Wilkins, Robert Hunt, and Jerome Baker to free agency this offseason but managed to ink Shaq Barrett, Jordan Poyer, and Kendall Fuller to contracts.Armstead said Monday that he contemplated retirement over the past few seasons. The 32-year-old standout left tackle added that he told the Dolphins this offseason that he was considering ending his playing career. However, he informed the club in March that he intended to return for a 12th season.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Veteran defensive back Logan Ryan announced his retirement Tuesday."Man, what a great career. What a ride it was. A beautiful journey of highs and lows," Ryan said in a video posted to X. "Shout out to my friends, my family, my teammates. All those who supported me. I tried to play the right way."

The Los Angeles Chargers' new coaching staff has sky-high expectations for their offensive unit in 2024."We're trying to create something epic," run game coordinator and tight ends coach Andy Bischoff said Monday. "This morning in our team meeting with the offense, (offensive coordinator Greg Roman) used the word 'epic' in front of the guys and defined it. Why not create something different that's never been done? As much success as we've all had in different places in doing different things, none of that matters. All that matters is right now and creating that here."The Chargers hired Jim Harbaugh as head coach in one of this offseason's biggest moves. The 2011 NFL Coach of the Year put together a new coaching staff that features Roman, Bischoff, and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who worked with him at Michigan. Los Angeles also named Joe Hortiz as its new general manager.The main goal behind L.A.'s coaching changes is to help Justin Herbert - one of the league's most talented quarterbacks - take his team to the next level. Herbert, who was limited to 13 games in 2023 due to injury, has played just one playoff game since being drafted sixth overall in 2020."Epic is scoring points," Bischoff added. "You have to not turn the ball over. ... You want numbers that have never been seen before."Prior to last season, the Chargers' offense had never ranked outside the top 10 in yards with Herbert. However, the defense has been below average for most of the quarterback's time in the NFL.Hortiz, Harbaugh, and Co. stole headlines this offseason after trading receiver Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears in a stunning move and releasing wideout Mike Williams. Defensively, the Chargers managed to keep veteran edge rushers Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa by restructuring their contracts.Los Angeles' most notable offensive additions have been running back Gus Edwards and tight ends Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst. The team owns the No. 5 overall pick in this year's draft."We want a group of men that are smart, tough, dependable, vicious players," Bischoff said of his squad. "It doesn't only have to involve the run game. Every down provides the opportunity for a competitive down, and we want that, and we're going to build that kind of a team through Joe's and Jim's leadership, and through the vision of our offense."It'll be fascinating to see how the Chargers' new coaching staff explores Herbert's skill set and builds around him. The 26-year-old ranks second in the NFL in pass attempts over the last four seasons behind only Patrick Mahomes. Meanwhile, Roman is known for his run-heavy schemes.The former NFL Assistant Coach of the Year said in February that the Chargers are focused on building "a great running game" around Herbert. With Roman on the sideline, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was named NFL MVP back in 2019.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and finished among the top seven each of his last seven years in the contest.In an effort to help you find trades that could improve your fantasy team, we present the Dynasty Trade Value Chart.You can use this chart to compare players and build realistic trade offers. Values are based on 12-team PPR leagues.Follow the links below to see the trade values for each position.Dynasty Rankings & Trade Values

CeeDee Lamb's contract situation with the Dallas Cowboys remains uncertain, but the All-Pro receiver expects to stay with the team this season."Yeah, I'll be in Dallas," Lamb said Monday when asked about his future, according to TMZ Sports.Lamb is entering the last year of his rookie contract. The 2020 first-round pick is expected to become one of the NFL's highest-paid wideouts when he signs a new deal, but it's unclear when Dallas will reward its top weapon with a lucrative extension.Without a new contract, Lamb is expected to skip his team's voluntary work this offseason, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, who adds that the pass-catcher may also hold out of mandatory work.The 25-year-old, who's led Dallas in receiving in the last three seasons, is coming off a career year. He topped the NFL with 135 receptions in 2023 while setting career highs with 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Oklahoma product added two scores on the ground en route to earning a Pro Bowl berth for the third consecutive campaign."Looking forward to winning, being out there with my guys, and making another run at this thing," Lamb said of his 2024 expectations, per TMZ.The Cowboys have posted a 12-5 record in each of the last three seasons. Mike McCarthy's outfit, however, is only 1-3 in the playoffs in that span. Dallas suffered a wild-card home loss to the Green Bay Packers in January.Lamb isn't the only star Cowboys player looking for a new deal, though. Quarterback Dak Prescott, whose contract also expires at the end of the season, reportedly hasn't received extension offers. Star linebacker Micah Parsons is eligible to sign a new deal but said in February that extending Lamb should be Dallas' priority.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The quarterback-needy New England Patriots are heading into the 2024 NFL Draft trying to replicate the Houston Texans, who selected star passer C.J. Stroud and made a stunning last-to-first turnaround in the AFC South. However, head coach Jerod Mayo doesn't think fixing the issue at the sport's most important position will instantly put New England back on the right track."Remember, (Texans general manager Nick) Caserio had been building that team for (two) years before they got C.J. Stroud in that position," Mayo recently told ESPN's Mike Reiss. "So when you look at our team, I'm not asking for patience, but I kind of am. It's a process. It's not only about the quarterback. Obviously, you want to have that QB1 and build around him, but it doesn't always happen when you want it."The Patriots hired Mayo to replace Bill Belichick after they went 4-13 in 2023. New England, which traded quarterback Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars, is now in a position to draft one of this year's top quarterback prospects at No. 3 overall.Mayo's outfit also signed Jacoby Brissett, adding the veteran signal-caller to a quarterback depth chart that also features Bailey Zappe and Nathan Rourke."We could bring a QB in here, and he may not be ready to play, realistically," Mayo added. "That's why we have a guy like Jacoby coming along. Jacoby is great. He can still play football and also mentor someone in that room, and he has a connection to that offense with (offensive coordinator Alex) Van Pelt, so he can always be that teacher. That's how we're looking at it."The Patriots have lacked consistency at quarterback since Tom Brady left the team. Jones was solid as a first-round rookie in 2021 but couldn't replicate that success over the last two seasons. He started 11 games in 2023, while Zappe posted six starts. New England's combined 73.8 passer rating ranked 30th in the NFL last year.Three quarterbacks - Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels - headline the 2024 draft. The Chicago Bears are widely expected to take Williams first overall, while the Washington Commanders are also projected to select a passer with the No. 2 pick. New England is scheduled to meet with Maye, Daniels, and J.J. McCarthy, whose draft stock has been rising lately.Aside from picking a quarterback, the Patriots could choose to address other roster needs at No. 3. Top receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has also been linked to the club.In the latest edition of theScore's NFL mock draft, New England lands offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu at No. 13 after trading the third overall pick to the Las Vegas Raiders.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is eager to return to action after a shoulder injury prematurely ended his rookie campaign in 2023."I've never waited this long to get back to playing football," Richardson told ESPN's Stephen Holder. "I'm just on a mission this year. Once that mission's complete, then I'll be good."Richardson's first pro campaign ended after he underwent surgery to repair an AC joint sprain in October. The 2023 first-round pick was limited to four games, passing for 577 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. He added 136 rushing yards for an additional four scores."People didn't really get to see everything I could do on the field. So, it's kind of like a rookie season for me still," Richardson said. "But now, I've gained a lot more knowledge and understanding about football and the NFL. So, I'm a rookie at heart, but now I'm slowly turning into the leader that my team needs me to be."Colts head coach Shane Steichen expressed excitement about the prospect of Richardson being cleared to participate in offseason workouts with the team later this month.Doctors cleared Richardson to resume throwing in February. The young passing prospect is six-to-eight weeks ahead of his projected recovery schedule, per Holder.The 21-year-old is taking a positive outlook on his journey through rehab."It'll make me stronger mentally, physically, and emotionally. So, I'm thankful for it because it's given me a different outlook on myself and the season I'm about to have," he said.The Colts concluded the 2023 season with a 9-8 record. Gardner Minshew served as the starting QB in 13 games. Indianapolis signed last year's Comeback Player of the Year winner, Joe Flacco, in March to back up Richardson.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Parris Campbell believes teammate Saquon Barkley is the best player at his position."He's going to show people why he's the best running back in the league," Campbell said, according to Olivia Reiner of The Philadelphia Inquirer. "I know there's a bunch of debate between him and Christian McCaffrey. And don't get me wrong, Christian McCaffrey's by far one of the best running backs in the league."But being able to see Saquon up close and personal, being in the same locker room, on the same team, man, he's a different guy when he's on that field."Campbell also played alongside Barkley on the New York Giants last year. Barkley had a down year as New York's offense struggled to move the ball. In 2022, Barkley had a terrific campaign, totaling 1,650 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also led the league in yards from scrimmage in his rookie season.McCaffrey was the league's most productive offensive player last year. He led the league in rushing yards, scrimmage yards, and touches. The 27-year-old has been outstanding since joining the San Francisco 49ers, racking up 3,233 yards and 31 touchdowns in 27 games.Campbell emphasized that Barkley's new offensive infrastructure in Philadelphia will help him show off his skill set."Running behind that offensive line that we have, I think it's going to be pretty scary for defenses," Campbell said. "You pair that with Jalen (Hurts) and the things he can do with his feet, just as far as extending plays, getting outside the pocket, I'm sure there will be some type of read-option game that we go on and RPO stuff that'll happen."Since the Eagles hired head coach Nick Sirianni in 2021, they've led the league in EPA per rush and rushing success rate, according to Ben Baldwin's database.Philadelphia signed Barkley to a three-year contract in March. The 27-year-old has 7,311 total yards and 47 touchdowns in 74 career contests.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Free-agent running back Dalvin Cook believes he can still be a productive rusher in the NFL."I've got it all," Cook said, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC Houston. "The tools are still here. I didn't really get no reps last year. So, the legs are fresh, so the resume speaks for itself. I'm still Dalvin Cook. I'm still that guy."He added: "I don't like to toot my own horn. I just like to go out there, put my helmet on, and line up on the grass."Cook signed a one-year, $7-million deal with the New York Jets last August after being released by the Minnesota Vikings. He played 50% of the offensive snaps Week 1, but his playing time rapidly declined as the season progressed.The Jets and Cook agreed to part ways a few days after the club's Week 17 contest against the Cleveland Browns, in which he didn't play a single snap. He totaled only 214 yards on 67 carries and zero touchdowns. He signed with the Baltimore Ravens for their playoff run but didn't play in the conference championship."I think last year was really like a learning curve for me," Cook said. "I got kind of itchy.""I'm going to go earn my spot wherever I go," the four-time Pro Bowler added. "For now, (I'll) just see how everything is going to fill out for everybody. And then, you know me, I'll show up on the scene."The 28-year-old has 6,207 rushing yards and 47 touchdowns in 88 career games.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New England Patriots are signing safety Kyle Dugger to a four-year, $58-million contract, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Dugger's deal could rise to $66 million, and it includes $32.5 million guaranteed, Rapoport adds.The Patriots placed the transition tag on Dugger in March. The tag allowed him to negotiate with other teams while providing New England the opportunity to match any contract offered to the safety."Kyle is a talented player with a strong work ethic who has improved every year and been extremely productive since joining our team in 2020," head coach Jerod Mayo said after the team tagged Dugger."We value players with high character and chose to use the transition designation to give both sides more time to try to reach a long-term agreement, which is our goal with Kyle."The 28-year-old has been a key player for New England's defense since entering the league as a second-round pick. He's a versatile player, racking up at least 150 snaps at slot corner, free safety, and as a box safety in 2023, per PFF.Dugger has 343 tackles, 20 passes defended, and nine interceptions in 61 career games.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Aaron Donald picked his successor as the best defensive player in the NFL."I think it's T.J. Watt," Donald said on the "Green Light with Chris Long" podcast. "You talk about a guy that's consistent. Been doing it year in, year out, consistently, that's gonna get you 15 sacks, 13 sacks, 22 sacks, consistent. He's the guy who's been doing it consistently, interceptions every year, touchdowns. His stats are ridiculous every single year. He's that guy to me."Donald, who recently retired after a 10-year career with the Los Angeles Rams, and Watt have often been in the mix for the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year accolade. Donald won the honor three times and finished in the top five in voting on seven occasions, while Watt has won it once and placed in the top five in voting four times.Watt finished runner-up for 2023 Defensive Player of the Year behind Cleveland Browns pass-rusher Myles Garrett, with Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons placing third. However, Donald said Watt's consistency gives him the edge over his rivals."I know you've got Micah Parsons that's coming up, you've got Myles Garrett, you've got a bunch of good players," Donald added. "But in my opinion, in the time I've seen T.J. Watt in this league, from the first time I've seen him to last year, he's consistently been dominating in this league. So a lot of respect for him."Watt has recorded an NFL-leading 96.5 sacks since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2017.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins remain interested in adding Odell Beckham Jr.Miami has possibly made up to two contract offers to the veteran wideout, reports ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed in March that his team offered Beckham a deal after he visited the club. However, both sides have yet to agree to financial terms, according to Fowler.The wideout is reportedly willing to wait to sign if needed.The latest report on Beckham comes after Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill posted a photo of him with the 31-year-old on Snapchat."OBJ to Miami confirmed," Hill wrote on the post, which quickly went viral around the NFL.

Free-agent wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling has nothing but good things to say about Aaron Rodgers as a teammate.Valdes-Scantling, who played with Rodgers for four seasons on the Green Bay Packers, came to the New York Jets quarterback's defense Thursday on CBS Sports Radio's "The Zach Gelb Show," calling him "one of the greatest teammates" ever."Man, he's one of the greatest teammates you'll ever find," Valdes-Scantling said. "He cares more about his teammates than about the game of football. I think that's something that people don't really understand. Because people get this perception of him that he's this, whatever, this diva or that he's all about himself, and that's the furthest thing from the truth."Aaron has taught me so much stuff on the field and off the field. He's a big advocate of mental health and how you approach life, not even just football. The things that he's gone through over the years, he shares that and kind of just lets you know, like, 'Hey, I'm human too. I may throw this football really, really well, but I'm human too, and I have bad days, I have good days.' And just for him to be able to open that up and be a great friend to me, not even just a teammate, be a great friend to me, I'm forever indebted to him."Valdes-Scantling spent the past two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, winning back-to-back Super Bowls. The team released him in February.The 29-year-old didn't reveal whether the Jets have expressed interest in signing him but did say that he and Rodgers have been in touch.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Panthers signed defensive tackle Derrick Brown to a multi-year contract extension, the team announced Friday.Financial details weren't confirmed, but it's a new four-year, $96-million deal that includes $63.165 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Brown, who had one year remaining on his rookie deal, is now contracted through the 2028 season. His $24-million average salary is tied for fourth among all defensive tackles, while his guaranteed money ranks fifth, according to Spotrac.The 2020 first-round pick earned his first Pro Bowl berth in 2023 after setting an NFL record for a defensive lineman with 103 total tackles. He added two sacks and 15 quarterback hits.Brown has appeared in 66 games in four years with the Panthers, racking up 245 tackles, eight sacks, and 48 quarterback hits.The 25-year-old is the key player on Carolina's defense after the club traded star pass-rusher Brian Burns to the New York Giants in March.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NBA's investigation into Jontay Porter for betting irregularities is the most high profile such case in North American sports in more than a decade, and it raises questions about the legal penalties athletes may face.ESPN reported March 25 that Porter was being investigated by the league for a type of match manipulation sometimes referred to as spot-fixing. Two of Porter's performances - Jan. 26 and March 20 - triggered the probe. In both cases, Porter left the game early, resulting in his points, rebounds, and 3-pointers falling significantly under the prop bet over-under lines available to bettors.Leagues and teams can ban or suspend athletes or other insiders who are found to have contravened betting policies. But legal punishments are a more complex issue.Jeremy Luke, president and CEO of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, said his team is leading a charge to make match-fixing illegal and criminal. Currently, there are no federal laws in either Canada or the United States specifically criminalizing competitive manipulation in sports."Leagues themselves have policies in place to deal with issues like this," Luke said. "If someone does something that would violate that policy, the league would be investigating that particular issue. And these leagues have ways to be able to monitor betting lines and have any irregularities reported to them, and the ability to investigate these types of things. They ultimately have the ability to take action and from a sport perspective to prohibit individuals from participating in their sports."Laying criminal charges in such cases wouldn't be straightforward because of the laws on the books in both countries."In this particular case with Porter, it would have to be proven that he intentionally influenced the outcome of the bets on him with the intent of benefiting from it," Ben Michael, an attorney at M&A Criminal Defense Attorneys in Austin, Texas, wrote in an email to theScore. "Though it may seem clear that this is what he did to most people, actually proving his actions and intent may not be so easy."Financial and health records, in addition to personal communications, will be vital if evidence of any wrongdoing is to be proven.The NBA is currently investigating Jontay Porter for irregularities in two of his performances Mark Blinch / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe NBA has had no further comment on its investigation, and it's not clear whether any law-enforcement agencies in Canada or the U.S. are also looking into the matter. The Canadian Press reported March 26 that Toronto police were not looking into the matter.Sportradar Integrity Services, a branch of the global data services company, reported in March that it found 1,329 suspicious matches in 11 sports around the world in 2023, which represented just 0.5% of competitions. Only 35 of those irregular findings happened in North America.Betting irregularities are not just the domain of teams and leagues. ESPN reported that DraftKings said prop bets on Porter, who averages only 14 minutes a game, in the two games flagged were the biggest winning prop bets of the night.Sports betting became legal under federal law in the U.S. in 2018 after a Supreme Court ruling struck down a 1992 law called the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. Individual states have since enacted their own frameworks to regulate the industry. Betting is legal now in 38 states.Canada's law was amended in 2021 to allow single-game betting. Only one province, Ontario, has opened a regulated market to betting companies. Other provinces have government-run betting operations within their lottery commissions.The advent of legal sports betting in North America means integrity issues will crop up more often. "With that comes great risks of competition manipulation, both the outcome of competitions, but also component parts of competitions that people are wagering on," Luke said. "It's a very, very serious issue."The increase in popularity of prop bets has underscored the risk of spot-fixing in particular. "It's not specific to the outcome of a competition and trying to fix the outcome," Luke added.The rise in popularity of prop bets, such as the color of the Gatorade at the Super Bowl, has created more opportunities for spot-fixing Michael Zagaris / Getty ImagesJurisdictions worldwide grapple with how best to address match-fixing. In 2014, European nations adopted the Macolin Convention - currently the only rule of international law on the subject of match-fixing. Nine European nations have ratified it and 32 more have signed the treaty. Australia and Morocco are also signatories."What that convention does is that it requires governments to put in place regulatory approaches to protect the integrity of competitions and to make sure that any issues related to manipulation can be reported, that they can be identified, and that they can be investigated, so that the public can have confidence in our support system and we can also know that we're protecting the health and safety of our athletes," Luke said. "It speaks to how significant an issue it is, when there's an international convention signed on by over 30 different countries."Other jurisdictions have developed homegrown solutions. Germany amended its criminal code in 2017 to address betting fraud in sports and the manipulation of professional sports competitions. This amendment was passed in response to a 2005 match-fixing scandal involving a German football referee.In North America, there are no specific provisions in U.S. or Canadian federal law to directly address match-fixing or spot-fixing. In Canada, the "cheating at play" provision of Section 209 of the Criminal Code is perhaps the closest legislation on the books. It is worded to include, "Everyone who, with the intent to defraud any person, cheats while playing a game ..." However, it's thought that professional sporting events would not fall under the legal definition of a "game" because they do not involve the required amount of chance."The challenge for us in Canada is that we are far behind what those other countries have put in place. While we recently legalized all that sports betting and people are becoming more and more familiar with the issue, the reality is other countries have done a lot to protect their athletes and it's incumbent on us to be doing the same right now," Luke said. Over the last five years, his organization has held two symposiums on match-fixing, and has openly called on the Canadian government to adopt the Macolin Convention.In the U.S., the federal Sports Bribery Act makes it a felony to bribe anyone involved in a sporting event to intentionally influence the outcome. But there is no provision for cases where trainers, referees, coaches, or athletes may be influencing games without payment from others.In one of the few American precedents, former NBA referee Tim Donaghy was sentenced to 15 months in prison for his role in a gambling scandal. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud and transmitting wagering information but wasn't charged for betting on games or affecting outcomes. If an athlete was charged with an offense related to match-fixing or spot-fixing, prosecutors would likely have to prove the more general fraud charge.Basketball referee Tim Donaghy received a 15-month prison sentence for his role in a 2006 gambling scandal Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty ImagesCriminal fraud may not be the only legal trouble awaiting an athlete. Chicago-area attorney Jonathan Rosenfeld said an athlete may face disciplinary action from regulators in the form of a fine. "Sports betting regulations, established by governmental authorities or regulatory bodies, often prohibit actions that compromise the fairness of betting outcomes," Rosenfeld wrote in an email.An athlete also could face civil liabilities. "Affected parties, such as betting agencies or sponsors, may pursue legal action to recover damages resulting from the misconduct," Rosenfeld said. This is all in addition to league sanctions and contract termination, which are likely if the allegations are proven.The NFL and NHL have taken such actions for other infractions of their codes of conduct. Three NFL players last season were suspended for six games for betting on other sports inside their team facilities. Nine others have been handed minimum one-year suspensions for betting on NFL games since 2019. Several of those players had their contracts terminated by their teams.Shane Pinto of the Ottawa Senators was suspended for half the current NHL season for violating the league's gambling policy. It was found he didn't bet on NHL games, although no further details were provided.Shane Pinto of the Ottawa Senators received a 41-game suspension for violating the NHL's betting policy Rich Graessle / National Hockey League / Getty ImagesLuke believes that beyond criminalizing match-fixing, the best solution is for all sports to adopt a system similar to what the World Anti-Doping Association uses to penalize athletes who use banned substances."I'd like to see a sport system where we treat competition manipulation at the same level and with the same severity that we do doping issues, where we have a global regulator, we have a very sophisticated set of rules, we have organizations that have been set up specifically with a mandate to deal with those things and to investigate them," Luke said."I think we will see more and more cases like this. And we need the systems in place to be able to protect the integrity of our sports and health for athletes."Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

DALLAS (AP) - Kansas City Chiefs player Rashee Rice was the driver of one of two speeding sports cars who left after causing a chain-reaction crash on a Dallas highway over the weekend, the wide receiver's attorney said Thursday.Why Rice left the crash Saturday was a good question that's still being investigated," said Rice's attorney, state Sen. Royce West, but he declined to elaborate. West expects charges to be filed against Rice, who was driving a Lamborghini sport utility vehicle, he said at a news conference without his client.He's a young man that made a mistake," West said Thursday, adding that Rice's heart goes out" to those who were injured. The crash involved the Lamborghini, a Corvette and four other vehicles and left four people with minor injuries, police said.The driver of the Corvette also left without determining whether anyone needed medical attention or providing their information, police said. The Corvette belongs to Rice, West said Thursday, but no information has been released on the driver.Rice posted to his Instagram Story on Wednesday that he was taking full responsibility" for his part in the wreck.Police have said the drivers of the Corvette and Lamborghini were speeding in the far left lane when they lost control and the Lamborghini traveled onto the shoulder and hit the center median wall, causing the chain collision.West said that Rice, who is 23, will do everything in his power to bring their life back to as normal as possible in terms of injuries, in terms of property damage."Investigators are interviewing witnesses, victims and others who may have been involved, police said Thursday.Rice was leasing the Lamborghini from The Classic Lifestyle, said Kyle Coker, an attorney for the Dallas-based exotic car rental company.Rice was born in Philadelphia but grew up in the Fort Worth, Texas, suburb of North Richland Hills. He played college football at nearby SMU, where a breakout senior season in 2022 put the wide receiver on the radar of NFL teams. The Chiefs selected him in the second round of last year's draft, and he quickly became one of the only dependable options in their passing game.___Associated Press Sports Writer Dave Skretta contributed to this report from Kansas City, Missouri.___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflCopyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Deshaun Watson is excited about what the Cleveland Browns have built ahead of his third season with the team."That's the plan, being able to pull out a full season. ... We get one full season, and it's going to be a special thing. I really believe that, the organization believes that, and the locker room believes it, too. We're putting together a great contender," the quarterback said Thursday about the 2024 campaign, per Camryn Justice of News 5 Cleveland.Watson was traded to the Browns from the Houston Texans during the 2022 offseason but has yet to play a full season with Cleveland. He served an 11-game suspension in his first year with the team, and a shoulder injury limited him to six appearances in 2023.Injuries forced the Browns to start four different quarterbacks in 2023. Despite that, Kevin Stefanski's outfit reached the playoffs before suffering a wild-card loss to the Texans. It was a special season in Cleveland, as Stefanski was named Coach of the Year and Myles Garrett earned the Defensive Player of the Year award. Additionally, quarterback Joe Flacco claimed Comeback Player of the Year honors, while defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was named Assistant Coach of the Year.Watson - a three-time Pro Bowler in Houston - hasn't been able to replicate that success with the Browns. The 28-year-old has completed only 59.8% of his passes for 2,217 yards and 14 touchdowns against nine interceptions in 12 starts in Cleveland, good for a passer rating of 81.7.He remains optimistic about finding his best form again soon, though."(I'm) passionate about getting out there on the field and being a success so we can bring that championship back to Cleveland where it belongs," Watson said. "I'm gonna do whatever I need to on and off the field to be able to have that goal achieved."The Browns gave Watson a new weapon this offseason, landing former first-round receiver Jerry Jeudy in a trade from the Denver Broncos. Watson described Jeudy's arrival as "amazing.""It's gonna be a great addition with Amari (Cooper) and Elijah (Moore), and those three guys already been together this offseason. ... It's gonna be fun to be able to toss the ball around to those guys," he added.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Houston Texans made a significant change to Stefon Diggs' contract as part of the recent trade for the star receiver from the Buffalo Bills.Houston wiped out the final three years on Diggs' contract, which gives him the ability to hit free agency in 2025, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The Texans also reportedly moved $3.5 million guaranteed that Diggs had in his contract beyond 2024 and moved it up into this season. The veteran wideout will now earn $22.5 million in guaranteed money this year.By giving Diggs the ability to cash in during the 2025 offseason as a free agent, the AFC South club expects to have the best version of the four-time Pro Bowler on the field in 2024, notes Schefter.The Texans acquired Diggs, as well as a 2024 sixth-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round selection, in exchange for a 2025 second-round choice (via the Minnesota Vikings).Diggs had signed a four-year, $104-million extension with the Bills in April 2022. Buffalo will eat a non-quarterback record dead cap hit of $31.1 million this year.Diggs, who joined the Bills in 2020 in a trade from the Vikings, topped 100 catches and 1,000 yards in each of his seasons in Buffalo while catching 37 touchdowns across 66 regular-season appearances. His 445 receptions rank first in the NFL over the last four campaigns.After drafting their quarterback of the future in C.J. Stroud last year, the Texans have been aggressive this offseason. In addition to Diggs, Houston also acquired running back Joe Mixon and signed pass-rusher Danielle Hunter, among other moves.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Baltimore Ravens re-signed linebacker Kyle Van Noy to a two-year deal, the team announced Thursday.The contract is worth $9 million and includes up to $1 million per year in incentives, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Van Noy signed a one-year, $1.4-million deal with Baltimore last offseason after spending the 2022 campaign with the Los Angeles Chargers. He had previous stints with the New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, and Detroit Lions.The 33-year-old enjoyed a career year with the Ravens, racking up a personal-best nine sacks in 14 contests. Baltimore deployed Van Noy primarily as a pass-rusher after he spent time as an off-ball linebacker on other teams.The move paid off for the Ravens as Van Noy racked up 53 pressures, per PFF: fourth on the team and his second-highest total in a single season since 2019.Detroit selected Van Noy in the second round of the 2014 draft. The BYU product has 500 tackles and 42.5 sacks in 142 career games.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas mayor Eric Johnson thinks it's time for the Kansas City Chiefs to return to Texas.Following the news earlier this week that Jackson County, Missouri residents voted against a sales tax measure that would have helped fund renovations to Arrowhead Stadium, Johnson made a pitch for the Chiefs to join the Cowboys in Dallas."Dallas was named the top sports city in the United States because we play to win," Johnson said Wednesday in a statement to The Dallas Morning News. "As I have said previously, our market is big enough, growing enough, and loves football more than enough to support a second NFL team - especially a franchise (and an owner) with deep roots here."The Chiefs were founded in 1959 as the Dallas Texans, one of the original teams in the American Football League. The franchise relocated to Kansas City in 1963 and rebranded as the Chiefs.

The Philadelphia Eagles and left tackle Jordan Mailata have agreed to a three-year extension through the 2028 season, the team announced Thursday.Financial details of the pact weren't disclosed, but the three-year deal is worth $66 million and contains $48 million in guarantees and a $20-million signing bonus, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.Mailata's $22-million average salary is the fourth-highest among offensive tackles, adds Schefter.The 27-year-old is the second Eagles offensive lineman to receive a new deal this offseason after guard Landon Dickerson inked a position-record four-year, $84-million extension in March.Locking down both Mailata and Dickerson for the foreseeable future ensures continuity for a unit that lost star center Jason Kelce to retirement. Mailata was PFF's third-ranked offensive tackle last season after allowing just three sacks in 17 games.The Eagles selected the Australian former rugby player in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft after he went through the International Player Pathway.Mailata didn't appear in any games his first two seasons because he was a backup and due to injury, but he's been a constant presence on Philadelphia's offensive line over the last four years, appearing in 62 games with 57 starts. He signed a four-year, $64-million extension before the 2021 campaign.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles are giving cornerback Avonte Maddox a one-year deal after releasing him in early March, the team announced Thursday.Maddox was set to have a $9.6-million cap hit in 2024, and Philadelphia saved close to $2 million by releasing him. He signed a three-year, $22.5-million deal with the team in 2021.The Eagles selected Maddox in the fourth round of the 2018 draft, and the 28-year-old was a reliable piece for Philadelphia's defense before he signed the extension. However, injuries have plagued him in recent years.Maddox played 13 games over the last two seasons, including four in the 2023 campaign. He suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Week 2 and was placed on injured reserve. He returned in Week 17 and started at safety for the Eagles in their wild-card loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to multiple injuries at the position.The Pittsburgh product will likely compete for the starting slot cornerback job in training camp. Other players at the position on the roster include Mario Goodrich, Tyler Hall, and Zech McPhearson.Maddox has 250 tackles, 31 passes defended, and four interceptions in 64 career games.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Bills have agreed to trade four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans in a blockbuster move, the Bills announced Wednesday.The Bills will receive a 2025 second-round pick (via the Minnesota Vikings), while the Texans get Diggs, a 2024 sixth-round pick, and a 2025 fifth-rounder.The move for Diggs caps an aggressive offseason for Houston after Offensive Rookie of the Year winner C.J. Stroud helped the Texans to a shocking last-to-first turnaround in the AFC South in 2023.Houston also signed pass-rusher Danielle Hunter to a two-year, $49-million deal in free agency, traded for running back Joe Mixon and signed him to a three-year, $27-million extension, and retained tight end Dalton Schultz on a three-year, $36 million contract.Diggs will join a Texans pass-catching group headlined by 2023 breakout star Nico Collins and Tank Dell, who produced a standout rookie year before a season-ending leg injury.The Bills' decision to trade Diggs, their leading receiver in his four seasons with the club, leaves Josh Allen with a new-look wideout group of Curtis Samuel, Khalil Shakir, and Mack Hollins. Buffalo added Samuel and Hollins through free agency."Are we better today? Probably not," Bills general manager Brandon Beane said, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. "I just hope people know I'm competitive as hell."Beane also declined to answer if Diggs requested a trade and said he hasn't spoken with Allen since the transaction went through, per Buscaglia.Diggs was rumored to be a potential trade candidate. However, his contract appeared to be a big hurdle, with a pre-June 1 trade giving the Bills a non-quarterback record dead cap hit of $31.096 million in 2024, according to Over The Cap's Jason Fitzgerald.Buffalo will also lose around $4 million in 2024 cap space, as Diggs was set to carry a $27.85-million hit after signing a four-year, $104-million extension in April 2022.Diggs has been among the most productive NFL receivers since joining the Bills in 2020 in a trade from the Vikings, ranking first in catches (445) and fourth in receiving yards (5,372) and touchdowns (37).But Diggs' role in Buffalo's offense diminished last season. After producing five 100-yard games in the first six weeks, the veteran failed to hit that milestone for the rest of the campaign, culminating with a three-catch, 21-yard performance in the divisional-round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.Diggs is the latest key veteran player the Bills have parted ways with this offseason, along with receiver Gabe Davis, cornerback Tre'Davious White, center Mitch Morse, and safety Jordan Poyer."I can't begin to express the amount of love and respect I have for the city of Buffalo. Four of the best years of my life; the city welcomed me with open arms. I'm forever grateful for you all and the Buffalo Bills organization," Diggs wrote in a statement posted to Instagram.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.This time last year, we didn't know who was going No. 1. The signs started to point toward Bryce Young, but there was enough reason to believe C.J. Stroud might be in the mix that it wasn't worth betting until the price became too prohibitive.The lead-up to the 2024 NFL Draft is more like when Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence went first overall, as Caleb Williams (no better than -400 throughout the 2023 season) is now -5000 to go No. 1 to the Bears. Therefore, the second pick, held by the Commanders, gets the spotlight for bettors.No two drafts are the same, but it's worth remembering that after Young went No. 1 last year, there were plenty of juicy payouts for the subsequent picks in the 2023 draft (odds as of nine days before).Player to be drafted 2nd overallPLAYERODDSJayden Daniels-135Drake Maye-110J.J. McCarthy+400Caleb Williams+4000Marvin Harrison Jr.+5000(Odds source: theScore Bet)Last year: C.J. Stroud (+350)The debate between quarterbacks for the second overall pick is similar to the debate between Young and Stroud for No. 1 last year. Jayden Daniels recently nudged ahead of Drake Maye as the favorite.The Heisman Trophy winner is probably still a good bet at -135 (57.4% implied probability) or better. But with weeks of subterfuge still to come, a better payout may become available (like Stroud last year), or Washington could admit that Daniels is its choice, and his odds become prohibitive.Player to be drafted 3rd overallPLAYERODDSDrake Maye-115Jayden Daniels+130J.J. McCarthy+350Marvin Harrison Jr.+1200*Players with odds 60-1 or longer not listedLast year: Will Anderson Jr. (+275)It's easy to remember the top of the 2023 NFL Draft as Young versus Stroud, but just three days before, Stroud was available for as long as +400. With Williams a lock to go first overall, that scenario might manifest itself with the second and third picks. Daniels could go No. 2, but the Patriots are a team with new decision-makers who look ready for anything. That could mean taking the third-best QB available (Maye at -115), trading the pick, or taking the shiniest bauble outside of the quarterbacks.Player to be drafted 4th overallPLAYERODDSMarvin Harrison Jr.-190J.J. McCarthy+200Drake Maye+550Jayden Daniels+1200Malik Nabers+1400Rome Odunze+3500Dallas Turner+4500*Players with odds 60-1 or longer not listedLast year: Anthony Richardson (+1200)Sure-fire superstar Marvin Harrison Jr. is the favorite to go No. 4, but New England could do something it never did under Bill Belichick - draft a stud wide receiver - and worry about the quarterback of the future later when they can inject one on a rookie deal into a more talented roster. Between that and some chance that the Cardinals could trade down (as they did last year) with a team interested in J.J. McCarthy, laying -190 on Harrison to be picked fourth seems like an unnecessary risk.Player to be drafted 5th overallPLAYERODDSMalik Nabers+200Marvin Harrison Jr.+225J.J. McCarthy+375Joe Alt+450Rome Odunze+1000Drake Maye+1400J.C. Latham+2000Taliese Fuaga+2000Jayden Daniels+2400Brock Bowers+3500Dallas Turner+3500*Players with odds 50-1 or longer not listedLast year: Devon Witherspoon (+3300)This brings us to McCarthy, whom former head coach Jim Harbaugh called the "best quarterback in the draft." That praise doubles as a supportive nod from their time together at Michigan while sounding like he's hoping to entice another franchise to trade up into the fifth slot. That seems like the ideal scenario for the Chargers, who suddenly have multiple holes to fill.McCarthy's stock has gone up since the end of the season, and his draft odds in every market have shortened with it. With his shortest odds of +200 (to go fourth overall), where he goes is the key to where other players fall into place. Given last year's mountain of lies and misdirection in the days leading up to the draft, that might result in some significant long shots landing in the various slots after Williams goes No. 1.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Houston Texans made a gigantic splash Wednesday by acquiring four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs in a trade with the Buffalo Bills.Under the full terms of the deal, the Bills are sending Diggs, a 2024 sixth-round pick, and a 2025 fifth-round selection to Houston in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick (via the Minnesota Vikings).Here's how both teams made out.TexansThe Texans already loaded up this offseason, but the acquisition of Diggs was the warning shot they needed to send to the rest of the AFC. There's no reason to dislike this deal from the Texans' point of view. A four-time Pro Bowler like Diggs upgrades Houston's offense - which already contained C.J. Stroud, Joe Mixon, and Nico Collins - from dangerous to a juggernaut. For the cost of a 2025 second-round pick, that's a trade worth making 100 times out of 100.Diggs makes Stroud a legitimate MVP candidate. After throwing for over 4,000 yards in his first NFL season, the Offensive Rookie of the Year gets a three-headed monster of Diggs, Collins, and Tank Dell at receiver. Diggs is also the perfect complement to this receiving corps. While Collins and Dell posted explosive numbers in 2023, respectively averaging 16.2 and 15.1 yards per reception, Diggs is a route-running maestro who can attack both vertically and underneath. The importance of a security blanket like that can't be overstated when it comes to developing young passers like Stroud.A player of Diggs' caliber demands serious attention, which should help Collins and Dell pick up where they left off. Diggs will also affect the run game, where offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik's usage of 11 personnel with Diggs, Collins, and Dell will lead to lighter boxes for Mixon to run through. There just aren't enough defenders to account for all them, let alone stop them.More than anything, though, the trade represents another stroke of genius from Texans general manager Nick Caserio. One year ago, the Texans looked set to begin a rebuild with a new coach and quarterback. A season later, they are in the conversation about the AFC's top heavyweights. Caserio deserves a lot of credit.Diggs may or may not be the final piece of Caserio's plan, but it's his biggest move to date. While there are lots of advocates for going all-in with a quarterback under a rookie contract, Caserio's calculated aggressiveness is showing how it's done. Diggs was the DEFCON 1 move, but similarly smart thinking led to the trade for Mixon and free-agent deal for Danielle Hunter. Caserio's providing a blueprint for how teams should treat their first-round quarterback investments: Leave no stone unturned and no doubt that they had the resources to give them the best possible chances of success.Although Diggs is approaching his age-31 season, there are safeguards in place should he enter his decline. He won't be expected to carry the load like he did in Buffalo where the passing offense flowed through him. His contract also has no guaranteed salary remaining after 2024, according to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap. That makes this a low-risk move even if Diggs' play falls off a cliff.For the cost of a future second-round pick, the Texans potentially raised the floor and ceiling of their championship aspirations in the coming seasons while taking on little risk. That's a home run.Grade: A+BillsBefore we consider the on-field impact of trading Diggs to the Texans (spoiler: it's bad), we have to dive into the absolutely wild financial implications for Buffalo.Diggs will carry a $31.096 million dead-money charge in 2024, a non-quarterback record by about $4 million. The Bills also lose $4 million in net cap space. Those eye-watering numbers are why so many people dismissed the Bills trading Diggs as a possibility. He seemed locked in after signing a four-year, $104-million extension in April 2022, which was restructured a year later. But Buffalo bid farewell to a host of veterans this offseason. Trading Diggs is the final confirmation that the club realizes it needs to reload instead of trying to squeeze every drop of competitiveness out of a squad that's been on the cusp in recent years but never gone all the way.Diggs will be off the books in 2025, but Buffalo paid a very high price for that freedom. The Bills did do better in draft-pick compensation than the Los Angeles Chargers, who received a fourth-round pick for Keenan Allen. But Diggs has been a far more productive and healthy player than Allen, and conventional wisdom indicates that waiting an extra year to receive a pick drops the value of the selection by a round. The Bills also had to send two Day 3 picks to Houston to seal the deal. Buffalo simply could've avoided this pain by not extending Diggs, who was under contract through 2023 on his previous pact.On the field ... Did the Bills watch Patrick Mahomes knock them out of the playoffs (again) and win the Super Bowl (again) with a weak wide receiver group and think, "Hey, that ain't a bad idea"? Buffalo now has serious questions at receiver. The team signed Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins in free agency, but you felt much better about their potential impacts with Diggs in the picture. Quarterback Josh Allen is undoubtedly talented enough to succeed without a top wideout group, but Samuel, Hollins, and Khalil Shakir won't keep many defensive coordinators up at night, and Allen has his work cut out to create chemistry with the trio.Even if Diggs was showing signs of decline - he had zero 100-yard games from Week 7 through the divisional-round loss - he's still much better than what the Bills will trot out in 2024, even if they use their first-round pick (No. 28) to land a receiver in a stacked class.This is a long-term move for Buffalo, and it could end up being the right one. Diggs has long had a reputation as a diva, and at some point, his talents were no longer going to balance out the distractions he creates. But the Bills will be worse in 2024 without him, and they can't be commended for backing themselves so thoroughly into a corner that they had to waste a year of prime Josh Allen. How quickly they reinvigorate the weapons around the star quarterback will go a long way in determining how we evaluate this trade in hindsight.Ultimately, the Bills got the bad end of this deal by taking an astronomical dead-money hit, severely weakening an offense that carried them last season, and strengthening one of their main AFC competitors.Grade: CCopyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.Last week, bettors got the first signal of the new season approaching as regular-season win-total markets opened.Bettors who think they have an edge on a market with a 3.5% hold and won't be paid out for 10 months immediately weighed in on some of the 32 teams. That lets us see how these teams are ordered, not just relative to their chances of winning the Super Bowl but by how many wins they're expected to record.NFL regular-season win totalsTEAMWin Total (Over odds)Chiefs11.5 (-120)Ravens11.5 (+110)49ers11.5 (+115)Bills10.5 (-130)Bengals10.5 (-125)Lions10.5 (-115)Cowboys10.5 (+100)Eagles10.5 (+110)Dolphins9.5 (-150)Packers9.5 (-140)Falcons9.5 (-140)Texans9.5 (-110)Jets9.5 (+100)Chargers8.5 (-135)Bears8.5 (-125)Jaguars8.5 (-125)Browns8.5 (-120)Rams8.5 (-120)Steelers8.5 (-110)Colts8.5 (+110)Buccaneers7.5 (-150)Seahawks7.5 (-125)Saints7.5 (-120)Vikings6.5 (-140)Raiders6.5 (-140)Cardinals6.5 (-130)Commanders6.5 (-130)Giants6.5 (+110)Titans6.5 (+115)Broncos5.5 (-150)Patriots4.5 (-145)Panthers4.5 (-135)Unsurprisingly, the three favorites for Super Bowl LIX have the highest win totals. The Chiefs went from a 2023 win total of 11.5 (-140) to Super Bowl champions, but they went under with 11 wins, so it makes sense they're being lined the same this offseason - although it may look as though their stock has dropped.As we slowly prepare for the 2024 regular season without the full schedule, let's note which teams are perceived the most differently since they played their last game.Stock rising Regardless of its record at the end of last season, every team was rated by how many wins it would be capable of if the season started today. For example, the Bengals without Joe Burrow would have been considered between an 8- and 8.5-win team if there was a Week 20. It didn't take much insight to assume Cincinnati expects to be better with Burrow under center in 2024. Now that the regular-season win-total market has opened, we know the median expectation for the Bengals is 11 wins.Here are the other big movers from where they were rated at the end of last season (2023 close) to the current regular-season win-total market, after accounting for the juice on either side of a potential bet:TEAM2023 CLOSE2024 win totalDIFF.Falcons6.510.25+3.75Jets79.5+2.5Texans7.259.75+2.5Bears79+2Steelers6.758.75+2Packers8.510+1.5The Falcons' acquisition of Kirk Cousins sent their stock through the roof, and it helps that they play in the worst division in the NFL. The Jets, Steelers, and Bears should all get significantly different quarterback play next season, so there's cautious optimism about those teams.The Packers' and Texans' boosts are built on the expectation that their strong finishes to the season will carry into this year, with each team bringing back much of the same roster around a young quarterback.Stock falling Conversely, some teams' statuses have been downgraded since the 2023 season ended, according to their opening win totals.TEAM2023 CLOSE2024 win totalDIFF.49ers13.2511-2.25Cowboys1210.5-1.5Eagles11.510.25-1.25Ravens12.2511.25-1.0As we noted weekly last year, the 49ers were rated historically high by the end of the season. They won 12 games, but in December, they were considered on the level of a 14-win team. Following their free-agent losses, their win total is lower than last offseason.The Eagles and Cowboys were considered big deals until they lost as favorites in the playoffs. The market has tempered its enthusiasm about those two, along with the Ravens, who had the best 2023 regular-season record.There are fewer massive downward moves than significant climbs because teams like the Patriots, Broncos, and Titans - who had much higher win totals last offseason - had already cratered by the end of 2023.The win-total market will continue to mature once the draft is complete and the full schedule is released. We'll then have a better grasp of how the betting market feels about each team once sportsbooks offer Week 1 and "Game of the Year" spreads.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Kansas City Chiefs are re-signing running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire to a one-year deal, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Edwards-Helaire hit free agency for the first time in his career in 2024 after the Chiefs declined the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. The 2020 32nd overall pick amassed 1,100 scrimmage yards in Year 1 but hasn't been able to replicate that production in recent years.The 24-year-old, who's missed 20 games due to injury since entering the NFL, had a career-low 70 rushing attempts for 223 yards (3.2 per carry) and one touchdown in 15 appearances in 2023 while serving as the team's second option behind Isiah Pacheco. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes also set a career high with 75 carries last year.The Chiefs have been looking for running back depth and also met with free agent J.K. Dobbins earlier on Tuesday. The meeting between Kansas City and the former Baltimore Ravens rusher was productive for both sides, according to Nate Taylor of The Athletic.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A familiar face could be returning to Lincoln Financial Field this weekend for the 40th annual WrestleMania.WWE reached out to recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce about making an appearance at the two-night event, according to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.WrestleMania XL will take place April 6-7 at Lincoln Financial Field, marking the first time that the event has been held at the Eagles' stadium. Philadelphia previously served as the host city for WrestleMania XV in 1999, which took place at what was then known as First Union Center.The 36-year-old Kelce announced his retirement last month after 13 seasons in the NFL, all of which he spent with the Eagles.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles believes wide receiver Keenan Allen is "an absolute perfect fit" for his team, according to Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune."I don't think there's a better receiver in the league that can be better for a young quarterback in terms of understanding the NFL, timing, space, reading defenses," Poles said.The Bears acquired Allen from the Los Angeles Chargers for a fourth-round pick in March. The veteran wideout had spent his entire 11-year career with the Chargers after the club selected him in the third round of the 2013 draft.Allen has been a quarterback's best friend since entering the league. Only five pass-catchers have more receiving yards since 2013, and he's showed no signs of slowing down. He racked up 1,243 yards in only 13 contests last campaign - the most he's had in a single year since 2017.The 32-year-old will join star wideout D.J. Moore, who set career highs in yards and receptions last year."It balances the field with D.J. on the other side, Cole (Kmet) and (Gerald) Everett at tight end, (D'Andre) Swift at running back. We have a lot of really cool things that can get going and allow us to be dynamic and really special."Allen is entering the final year of the four-year, $80-million extension he signed in 2020. Poles said an agreement to keep Allen in Chicago beyond the 2024 season might come "down the road.""We'll review that and see what our order looks like. But for what he stands for, I would love to have him long term."The 2024 NFL Draft kicks off on April 25 with the Bears owning the No. 1 selection.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Tennessee Titans cornerback L'Jarius Sneed's trade market wasn't as competitive as most expected, and some attributed that to long-term concerns about his knee.But the former Kansas City Chiefs star shrugged off that idea during his introductory presser Tuesday."Ain't nothing wrong with my knee," Sneed said, according to Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper. "I'm fine. I played the whole season. Years before that I played as well."I had a couple (of) problems before, but I'm good right now. Nothing is really wrong with the knee. ... I know what to do with my knee. I'm coming out here to play ball."Sneed suffered a knee injury during the Chiefs' postseason run in the 2022 campaign, though he didn't miss any game time.The veteran sat out a significant portion of 2023's training camp with the injury but suited up for the entire regular season (except when the Chiefs rested their players in Week 18) and the playoffs.While Sneed dismissed concerns, his knee injury "had a real effect" on his trade market and caused a deal with another team to fall through, reports Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star.Tennessee had no such worries, signing Sneed to a reported four-year, $76.4-million deal that includes $55 million guaranteed after acquiring him from the Chiefs for a 2025 third-round pick and a swap of 2024 seventh-round picks.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Kansas City Chiefs are signing quarterback Carson Wentz to a one-year deal, reports Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz.Wentz, 31, is expected to replace Blaine Gabbert as Patrick Mahomes' backup as Kansas City tries to become the first team ever to win three straight Super Bowl titles.The Chiefs will be Wentz's fifth different team in as many years. The former No. 2 pick played his first five NFL seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles (2016-20) before posting short stints with the Indianapolis Colts (2021), Washington Commanders (2022), and Los Angeles Rams (2023).Once considered a top franchise quarterback in the NFL, Wentz joined the Rams midway through the 2023 campaign and started just one game when L.A. rested Matthew Stafford in Week 18.Wentz was an MVP contender in 2017 before suffering a torn ACL in the season's final stretch. He was replaced by Nick Foles, who helped the Eagles win their first-ever Super Bowl title that season. Wentz has lacked consistency since returning from injury and posted an 89.6 passer rating in 66 appearances from 2018-23.Wentz will be Mahomes' third different backup since the 2022 season. The three-time Super Bowl MVP hasn't missed a start due to injury since the 2019 campaign but has battled multiple postseason injuries in his career.He most recently sustained a high ankle sprain in January 2023 in a divisional-round matchup versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. Chad Henne entered the game for K.C. in the second quarter and quarterbacked a 12-play, 98-yard drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Travis Kelce.Not only did Mahomes return to that contest to start the third quarter, but he also managed to play through his ankle injury in the playoffs en route to a Super Bowl LVII triumph over the Eagles.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Haason Reddick is optimistic he'll help an already solid New York Jets defense reach the next level after recently joining the team in a surprising trade from the Philadelphia Eagles."It's going to be fun," the veteran pass-rusher said Monday during his introductory press conference, according to NFL.com's Eric Edholm. "I don't think people are ready for what's going to happen."The Eagles sent Reddick to the Jets last week in exchange for a conditional 2026 third-round pick that can become a second-rounder if he plays at least 67.5% of New York's snaps and records 10 or more sacks in 2024.Reddick has hit those milestones in each of the last four seasons, and the 29-year-old thinks he can keep producing at a high level on the Jets, who will be the fourth team of his career."I have a lot left in the tank. If I didn't, I wouldn't be here," he said. "I feel like when I don't have any more left to give, I'll retire. Until that point, I'm going to continue to try to play my best ball."The two-time Pro Bowler is looking for a new deal after not signing an extension with the Eagles, who gave former Jets pass-rusher Bryce Huff a three-year, $51.1-million pact this offseason. Reddick could hit free agency in 2025 but said he won't let his contract situation affect him on the field."Whatever happens, I'm gonna be happy," Reddick said about potentially signing a new contract with the Jets, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. "I'm gonna give my all no matter what, that's just who I am as a person."A first-round pick in 2017, Reddick had a relatively disappointing start to his NFL career as a member of the Arizona Cardinals, who mostly used him as an off-ball linebacker from 2017-19. Arizona finally decided to use him primarily as an edge rusher in 2020, and the Temple product stood out before hitting free agency and signing a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers during the 2021 offseason. He then had another double-digit-sack campaign en route to earning a three-year, $45-million contract with the Eagles in 2022.Led by cornerback Sauce Gardner and lineman Quinnen Williams, the Jets boast one of the NFL's best defenses and ranked in the top five for total yards allowed in the last two seasons. Three New York defenders (Gardner, Williams, and Jermaine Johnson) earned Pro Bowl berths in 2023. Gardner, as well as linebacker Quincy Williams, also claimed first-team All-Pro nods.The Jets, however, have struggled offensively. They traded for Aaron Rodgers last year, but the four-time NFL MVP suffered an Achilles injury four snaps into his New York debut. The team ultimately finished the campaign 7-10 and missed the playoffs for a 13th consecutive season.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles are signing safety Reed Blankenship to a one-year extension through 2025, the team announced Monday.With the new deal, Blankenship will receive $3.935 million over the next two seasons, sources told NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. He can also reportedly earn an extra $1.375 million in incentives.Blankenship started 15 games for the Eagles last year, racking up 113 tackles, three interceptions, 11 passes defended, and a fumble recovery.The 25-year-old's production and 89% defensive snap share were huge improvements on his rookie campaign: He totaled 34 tackles and one interception in 10 games as a first-year player in 2022.Blankenship earned an extra $923,059 for his efforts in 2023 thanks to the performance-based pay program, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. His payout was the second-highest in the league, trailing only Baltimore Ravens guard John Simpson. The fund awards players relative to their playing time and salary.Blankenship, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Sydney Brown are expected to lead the Eagles' safeties in snaps next season.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former NFL cornerback Vontae Davis died Monday at the age of 35, police confirmed to ESPN.Davis was found at a residence in South Florida by the house assistant, who contacted the authorities."Preliminary information suggests that foul play is not involved," Davie police said in a statement, adding that the investigation remains active.

Free-agent running back Ezekiel Elliott and the Dallas Cowboys share mutual interest in reuniting, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.Elliott spent the first seven seasons of his career in Dallas after being drafted fourth overall in 2016. The Cowboys released Elliott last offseason amid a decrease in production and Tony Pollard's emergence, and he signed with the New England Patriots.The 28-year-old finished as the Patriots' leading rusher, compiling 642 yards and three touchdowns on 184 carries. However, Elliott's 3.5 yards per attempt marked a career-low and the third straight year that his YPA decreased. He started the last five games of the regular season after Rhamondre Stevenson suffered an ankle injury.The Cowboys lost Pollard in free agency this year as he signed with the Tennessee Titans.Elliott rushed for at least 876 yards in each of his seven seasons with the Cowboys. His best campaign came as a rookie when he posted personal bests in yards (1,631), touchdowns (15), and yards per attempt (5.1).Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon is excited about his team's acquisition of cornerback L'Jarius Sneed."It's a huge get," Carthon said, according to team reporter Jim Wyatt. "It gives you three top-flight corners in him and Chidobe (Awuzie) and Roger (McCreary) that can just flat-out cover people. He matches Chido's energy of being a physical, aggressive corner that can also play in run support. You see a lot of the way (the) game is going with the toss crack, and forcing the corners to come up there and play more in run support, and we have guys who are willing to stick their face in there and tackle people."The trade in which the Titans acquired Sneed and a seventh-round pick from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a 2025 third-rounder and their seventh-round selection became official on Friday.Carthon said it took due diligence from the Titans' front office and effort from the Chiefs to facilitate the trade."You just remain patient," Carthon said. "You did your due diligence prior to them franchising him, and then when he was franchised, you kind of got a feel on where it could possibly go."The 27-year-old defensive back reportedly agreed to a four-year, $76.4-million deal with $55 million guaranteed on Tuesday.Sneed finished his 2023 campaign with 78 tackles, 14 passes defended, and two interceptions. The fourth-year standout added another 17 total tackles, three deflections, and a forced fumble during the Chiefs' Super Bowl LVIII run.Tennessee has been among the more proactive franchises since the start of free agency. The Titans signed Calvin Ridley, Tony Pollard, and Lloyd Cushenberry, among others, in an effort to improve their roster after a 6-11 finish in 2023.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles are trading star pass-rusher Haason Reddick to the New York Jets in exchange for a conditional 2026 third-round pick, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The pick will reportedly become a second-round selection if Reddick plays 67.5% of New York's snaps and records at least 10 sacks in 2024. The 29-year-old has hit both of those milestones in each of the last four campaigns.The Eagles gave Reddick permission to seek a trade in February as he's entering the final season of his current contract. The veteran defender currently doesn't have a new deal with the Jets, according to Schefter, who adds that N.Y. would get a compensatory pick if Reddick leaves in free agency in 2025.New York is expected to take on $14.5 million of Reddick's 2024 compensation, while Philadelphia will be responsible for the $1-million roster bonus he was due in early March, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.Reddick has been the Eagles' best edge rusher since joining the team on a three-year, $45-million contract during the 2022 offseason. In two years, the 2017 first-round pick led Philadelphia in sacks twice and combined for 27 sacks while earning two Pro Bowl selections.In 2022, Reddick posted a career year, leading the NFL with five forced fumbles and setting career highs with 26 quarterback hits and 16 sacks. He claimed his first second-team All-Pro nod that season.The Reddick trade marks a significant loss to the Eagles, who will now rely on pass-rushers Josh Sweat, Bryce Huff, Brandon Graham, and Nolan Smith, among others. Huff joined the team this year on a three-year, $51-million deal after playing four seasons for the Jets.After losing Huff to free agency, New York was in the market for a veteran edge rusher but recently missed out on Jadeveon Clowney, who signed with the Carolina Panthers. Reddick is the Jets' first main defensive acquisition this offseason and will join a front four headlined by defensive lineman Quinnen Williams and pass-rusher Jermaine Johnson.New York will be the fourth team of Reddick's career, as he's also played for the Arizona Cardinals (2017-20) and Panthers (2021).The Jets, who haven't advanced to the playoffs in 13 years, have been aggressive in 2024. Robert Saleh's outfit made splashes by signing receiver Mike Williams and left tackle Tyron Smith and also traded for right tackle Morgan Moses.New York's defense - the 12th-best in the NFL in scoring in 2023 - ranked in the top five for yards allowed in the last two seasons.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Carolina Panthers pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney played with a chip on his shoulder last season and posted one of the best years of his career after multiple injury-plagued campaigns.The 2014 No. 1 pick, who revived his career on the Baltimore Ravens last year, now wants to prove he has more left in the tank in his age-31 season."That was very important, really for myself because I already knew I could play the game and make plays," Clowney said Friday about his 2023 campaign, according to ESPN's David Newton. "I tell people all the time if I play in 16, 17 games, it's going to look like a Pro Bowl season. That's all I got to do, is just be out there playing."I know I can make the plays no matter what team I'm on. I've just got to be available and take care of myself. The older I get, the more I figure out how to stay healthier."Known for his solid run defense, Clowney tied a career high with 9.5 sacks last year while playing a full season for the first time since 2017. He also had 19 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles.Clowney joined Baltimore during the 2023 offseason and decided to start a new personal chapter by changing his jersey number after a disappointing 2022 season on the Cleveland Browns. The South Carolina product picked No. 24 after wearing No. 90 for most of his career, and he thinks the decision paid off."That was my Kobe Bryant year - the return of the killer," said Clowney. "I said Kobe because when I was in Cleveland, a lot of stuff happened my last year there when I didn't have my best season."In Carolina, Clowney plans to wear No. 7, the same number he wore in high school and college.The Panthers will be the sixth team of Clowney's career after the Houston Texans (2014-18), Seattle Seahawks (2019), Tennessee Titans (2020), Browns (2021-22), and Ravens (2023).Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins and running back Raheem Mostert agreed to a contract extension that keeps the rusher with Miami through the 2025 season, his agency announced Friday.It's a new two-year, $9-million deal beginning this season, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Mostert was set to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2024 season. He signed a two-year, $5.5-million deal last offseason after playing on a one-year contract with the Dolphins in 2022.The 31-year-old secured his first 1,000-yard rushing season last year and led the league in rushing touchdowns with 18. Mostert has been the Dolphins' leading rusher over the last two campaigns and was a key cog in one of the league's most lethal ground attacks.Mostert has battled injuries for most of his career but has suited up in 31 contests since joining Miami. He has 3,513 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns in 90 career contests.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jayden Daniels said there's nothing wrong with his throwing arm after a picture revealing an ugly look at his right elbow went viral on social media earlier this week.The LSU product - considered one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft - tweeted that his elbow is "perfectly fine."

The Jacksonville Jaguars are signing Foyesade Oluokun to a three-year extension, the linebacker's agency announced Friday.The deal is worth $45 million with $22.5 million guaranteed, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.Oluokun was entering the final year of a three-year, $45-million deal he signed in 2022 and had no guaranteed salary remaining. The new contract will lock him up through the 2027 campaign.The 28-year-old has been a pillar of the Jaguars' defense since joining. He led the league in tackles in 2022 and has an NFL-best 357 over the last two years.Oluokun was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the sixth round in 2018. He spent the first four years of his career in Atlanta before joining the Jaguars in free agency.The Yale product has 819 tackles and 22 passes defended in 98 career games.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk believes he's done enough to warrant a lucrative contract extension."I'm trying to get what I deserve," Aiyuk said on the "Nightcap" podcast. "I feel like this season playing football, I figured out who I was as a person and a player - what I bring to the table, what I bring to the locker room, what I bring to the organization, the value I hold when I walk in that building. People gonna follow me because I've done it the right way since I've been in that building."Aiyuk has been highly productive over the last two seasons and is coming off a career year where he racked up 1,342 receiving yards, 75 catches, and seven touchdowns. His 17.9 yards per reception in 2023 ranked second in the NFL only behind Pittsburgh Steelers receiver George Pickens.The 26-year-old has helped the 49ers offense become one of the league's elite units. Since San Francisco drafted Aiyuk in the first round in 2020, the club ranks fourth in EPA/play and offensive success rate.Trade rumors have surrounded Aiyuk this offseason, but 49ers general manager John Lynch said earlier this week that "nothing is going on there," according to David Bonilla of 49ers Webzone."We're actively talking with Brandon, trying to figure something out," Lynch said. "I always talk - we have a good history of working with the guys we want to get done to get something done, and it takes two sides. So, can we do that? We'll see."He added, "There's a number of different directions that it could go, but we appreciate the heck out of Brandon and who he is as a player. We want him to be a part of the Niners, so we're going to work towards making that a reality."The 49ers' cap situation isn't ideal for a player aiming for a long-term extension. They currently have $7.5 million in cap space, according to Spotrac, but are projected to be $23.8 million above the cap limit in 2025, per Over The Cap. Quarterback Brock Purdy is eligible for an extension next offseason.Aiyuk has 3,931 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns in 62 career games.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson strongly denied a report stating that he had a heated exchange with head coach Robert Saleh.Colleen Wolfe of NFL Media reported Wednesday on "Around The NFL" that Johnson and Saleh had a "very heated conversation" at the league's owners meetings, citing what she described as a " very reliable source.""It was a little awkward," said Wolfe, who added that she didn't know what led to the reported incident.Johnson blasted the report Thursday on social media.

Defensive tackle Arik Armstead was disappointed by what the San Francisco 49ers offered him before he decided to join the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason."(The 49ers) extended an offer to me of $6 million for a one-year deal with incentives to go up to, like, $8 (million)," Armstead said on the latest edition of his "Third and Long" podcast. "When they sent that over, I did feel extremely disrespected. I don't feel that that level of compensation is nowhere near the type of player that I am."Armstead, who was the longest-tenured player on the 49ers last year, would've had a $17.41-million base salary in 2024 under his previous deal before San Francisco tried to restructure his contract, which would have involved a significant pay cut. The Niners released Armstead after he declined the restructured deal.The 30-year-old then signed a three-year pact worth $43.5 million with the Jaguars in free agency. The deal includes $28 million guaranteed."I wanted to sign a four-year, $80-million contract. That was the goal of mine (at the beginning of the season)," Armstead said. "That's the type of player I feel that I am. And players who are on my caliber, that's what they make."A first-round pick in 2015, Armstead has spent his entire career with the 49ers and was a cornerstone of the team's defense. However, the Oregon product battled several injuries. He's missed 13 regular-season games in the last two years, including five contests in 2023.Armstead recently said he would undergo knee surgery after playing through a torn meniscus during the postseason. The 49ers reached Super Bowl LVIII but fell short against the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime.Though Armstead didn't want to leave the 49ers, he said he knew it was a possibility."Heading into this season," Armstead said, "I kind of felt like I might play myself out of being in San Francisco. ... I understand the business of football. I can see it would be hard to have two $20-million D-tackles and a $30-million defensive end and all this talent on our team."The 49ers boast one of the NFL's most well-rounded rosters with stars on both sides of the ball. San Francisco players rank in the top three in average annual salary at five different positions. That includes Christian McCaffrey - the league's highest-paid running back - and edge rusher Nick Bosa, who signed a record five-year, $170-million extension last year.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Detroit Lions wide receiver Josh Reynolds signed a two-year contract with the Denver Broncos, the team announced Thursday.The deal is worth up to $14 million, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Reynolds is coming off one of the most productive seasons of his career. The 29-year-old ranked third on the Lions with 608 receiving yards and five touchdown receptions, which tied a career single-season high. He also caught 40 passes on 64 targets.Detroit head coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday that his team was interested in bringing back Reynolds."We're still in contact with J-Rey," Campbell said, according to Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit. "I don't think it's a secret what we think about him as far as (what) type of player he is. The unselfishness, the dirty work, the versatility."Reynolds will presumably start in Denver while joining a wide receiver depth chart headlined by Courtland Sutton. The Broncos also roster second-year wideout Marvin Mims Jr. and Tim Patrick, among others. Sutton led the team with 772 yards and 10 touchdowns on 59 receptions in 2023.Sean Payton and Co. traded former first-round pass-catcher Jerry Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns earlier this offseason.The Broncos will be the fourth team of Reynolds' career. The 2017 fourth-round pick played his first four NFL seasons with the Los Angeles Rams and then had a brief stint with the Tennessee Titans in 2021 before joining the Lions.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Kansas City Chiefs agreed to terms with European rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit, a source told ESPN's Adam Teicher.Rees-Zammit is reportedly expected to have an initial role as a running back and potentially wide receiver. He worked out and impressed the Chiefs' coaching staff earlier this week, according to Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz, who was the first to report the agreement between Kansas City and its new dynamic playmaker.The Wales native also visited the Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, and New York Jets.Rees-Zammit could become a key contributor to the Chiefs' special teams unit as a kick returner under the NFL's new kickoff format.The 23-year-old announced his intention to quit rugby in a surprising move in January. Speed won't be an issue for him in the NFL, as he ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash last week during the league's international player pathway pro day. He also posted a 29-inch vertical.NFL teams expanded their practice squads in 2024 to include a 17th roster spot for one international player.Owners of one of football's most creative offenses, the Chiefs had a down 2023 regular season largely due to their struggles at wide receiver. Kansas City had the most dropped passes by wideouts in the league last year. However, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Co. stepped up in the playoffs and led K.C. to its second consecutive Super Bowl title.Here's what the Chiefs will be getting from their new offensive weapon:

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen believes quarterback Bryce Young was put in a challenging situation in his rookie season."I think everything was stacked against him last year, unfortunately," Thielen said on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football.""And I'm not gonna get into detail why that was, but I'm just really excited for him to have a fresh start, an ability to have a good coaching staff that is gonna put a good plan together to help him be successful, and also to put people around him to help him be successful."Young did not live up to expectations in 2023, going 2-14 in 16 starts with 2,877 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Carolina traded multiple first-round picks and wide receiver DJ Moore for the right to draft the Alabama product first overall in 2023.Carolina's struggles led to a series of in-season moves that complicated matters for Young. In mid-October, former head coach Frank Reich surrendered play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown to try and spark the offense.Reich reassumed those duties a month later but lasted just two games before owner David Tepper fired him after a 1-10 start to the year."His maturity level over the season was really cool to see. And his ability to handle adversity," Thielen said."I don't know how much adversity Bryce has had over his football career, and to handle the amount of adversity he did, to show up every week, week in, week out, put his head down and work, try to lead to the best of his ability was really impressive, and (that) makes me excited about Year 2 with him."The Panthers completely reworked the infrastructure around Young for his second season. They hired Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales as their new bench boss, and Canales also brought in a variety of new coaches to work with Young. Canales and the Bucs staff helped revive quarterback Baker Mayfield's career in 2023.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Free-agent running back J.K. Dobbins is scheduled to visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday, his agency told Adam Schefter of ESPN.Dobbins spent the first four years of his career with the Baltimore Ravens after entering the league as a second-round pick in 2020. He has battled significant injuries, suiting up in only 24 regular-season games.The Ohio State product's most recent ailment was a torn Achilles suffered in Week 1 of last season. Dr. Neal ElAttrache wrote a letter to select teams Tuesday stating Dobbins has been cleared for all football activities and looks "outstanding," according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.When healthy, Dobbins has been very productive. He's averaged 5.8 yards per carry on 234 attempts in his career and is still only 25 years old. In February, Los Angeles hired a new offensive coordinator in Greg Roman, who served in the same position for three of Dobbins' four years in Baltimore.Los Angeles signed former Ravens running back Gus Edwards to a two-year deal this offseason. Austin Ekeler, who had been the Chargers' full-time starting rusher since 2020, inked a deal with the Washington Commanders in March. Isaiah Spiller and Edwards are the only running backs L.A. has under contract.Head coach Jim Harbaugh is looking to revamp the Chargers' rushing attack, which hasn't ranked in the top 20 in yards since 2020.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Premier 2024 quarterback prospect Jayden Daniels honored his former LSU teammate Greg Brooks Jr., who was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer last year, by donning his name and number at his pro day Wednesday.