Sean Culkin's plans to convert his entire 2021 salary to Bitcoin have come to a halt after the tight end was released by the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, according to Sam McDowell of the Kansas City Star.Culkin intended to make history this season by becoming the first NFL player ever to convert their entire salary into Bitcoin. He signed a reserve/futures contract with the Chiefs in February and would have made $920,000 in U.S. dollars if he made the roster.Other players have ventured into Bitcoin, as former Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Russell Okung switched roughly half of his 2020 salary to cryptocurrency.Culkin's release comes after the Chiefs brought in more reinforcements to help with depth around tight end Travis Kelce. Kansas City recently drafted Noah Gray in the fifth round and signed Blake Bell during free agency earlier in the offseason.A four-year veteran, Culkin spent three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers before signing with the Baltimore Ravens last year. He has two career receptions.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Aaron Rodgers' potential exit from the Green Bay Packers could have a domino effect across the franchise, and Davante Adams is one player whose future may be affected.The star wide receiver, who's set to become a free agent after the 2021 season, said on The Herd with Colin Cowherd he'd "potentially" consider not re-signing with the Packers if Rodgers isn't his quarterback anymore."That's my guy, that's the only guy that I've had other than 2017 season when he got hurt," Adams said. "We've established a lot together. It would change a lot. It doesn't mean I'd be gone, but I'd definitely have to do some extra thinking if my guy wasn't here."Adams and Rodgers form one of the NFL's most productive duos, with the four-time Pro Bowler helping Rodgers win the MVP award last year by leading the league with 18 touchdown receptions.Rodgers has reportedly told multiple teammates he doesn't want to return to Green Bay in 2021. The signal-caller's frustration stems from several issues, including the franchise's recent personnel decisions. The nine-time Pro Bowler is apparently also willing to make the Packers choose between him and general manager Brian Gutekunst moving forward.Adams was enjoying his free time on a golf course when the unpleasant news came out."I didn't really know what to think, hadn't really spoken to him," Adams said of his reaction to the reports. " ... It scared me a lit bit. (But there are) a lot of things that go into this, so I was like, 'Let's just calm down, see what's going on.' We'll talk to him and then ultimately try to figure out what's going on with this thing."I've been behind him 100% throughout the whole thing. Obviously, I'm praying everything works out, that we get him back, and we can continue to go out there and do stuff like what you see on the screen there because it's a lot of fun doing that."Adams has led Green Bay in receptions in each of the last four seasons while averaging 1,271 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns per 16 games played since 2016.The 28-year-old is expected to become one of the NFL's highest-paid wideouts once he inks a new contract. Arizona Cardinals pass-catcher DeAndre Hopkins currently tops the position after adding a two-year, $54.5-million extension to his deal last year, with Atlanta Falcons receiver Julio Jones placing second at $22 million annually.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tim Tebow is nearing a return to the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars nine years after he last appeared in a regular-season game.The Jaguars plan to sign Tebow, formerly a quarterback, to a one-year contract as a tight end, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. Jacksonville brought him in for a workout before the NFL draft.Tebow, 33, spent time with four NFL teams between 2010 and 2015, though he only saw regular-season action in his first three seasons. He famously led the Denver Broncos to seven wins in 11 games in 2011 before throwing a miraculous overtime touchdown in the playoffs to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers.Tebow embarked on a professional baseball career with the New York Mets in 2016 after laying his football aspirations to rest. He played in the Mets' minor-league system until retiring in February 2021, finishing his career with a .223 batting average and 18 homers across 287 games.Over the last several years, the former Heisman Trophy winner has also contributed to the SEC Network and ESPN as a college football analyst, working on TV in the fall before gearing up for baseball in the spring.In Jacksonville, Tebow will reunite with Urban Meyer, his coach at Florida. Tebow won two SEC Player of the Year awards and two BCS national championships with the Gators before leaving the program as one of its most legendary players.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Indianapolis Colts are signing left tackle Eric Fisher to a one-year, $9.4-million deal, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.The Kansas City Chiefs released Fisher in March after eight seasons. Kansas City selected him first overall in the 2013 NFL Draft.Fisher is currently rehabbing from a torn Achilles suffered in the AFC Championship Game. He underwent a physical during a recent visit with the Colts, and the team is pleased with his progress ahead of the 2021 season, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.The 30-year-old is expected to replace Anthony Castonzo, who retired in January after 10 NFL seasons. He'll compete with fellow offseason signings Sam Tevi and Julien Davenport for the starting left tackle job as Indianapolis prepares to protect new quarterback Carson Wentz.Fisher has started 113 of his 117 career games, earning two Pro Bowl nods.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins will not place their fate next season solely on the shoulders of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.Instead, Dolphins head coach Brian Flores is more concerned with Tagovailoa showing improvement ahead of the 2021 campaign."I never like to put it on one player," Flores told Peter King of NBC Sports. "I think we've got a lot of young players, and we're looking for all of those players - as well as really everyone on our team - to improve in a variety of ways. If they're putting all the work in, I expect them to improve, get better, and perform better. Tua is obviously at the top of that list."He's been working. All signs point to - or I would say based on my experience, he's doing everything necessary to make some improvements. That's really all we can ask for. My thing is, if you put the work in, the results will take care of themselves."Tagovailoa, 23, is entering his second NFL season after a rocky rookie campaign.The native of Hawaii took over as the Dolphins' starter after the team benched Ryan Fitzpatrick following its Week 7 bye, passing for 1,814 yards, 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions with a completion percentage of 64%. But the Dolphins pulled Tagovailoa twice in favor of Fitzpatrick during a late-season playoff push.Flores is confident those decisions won't impact the young signal-caller's growth."If he had started the season, we wouldn't have pulled him," Flores said. "We put him in. We're in a playoff chase. ... it's, 'Hey, we've got to do whatever we've got to do to try to win.' But no, my confidence wasn't shaken in him."With Fitzpatrick now a member of the Washington Football Team, Tagovailoa is the clear front-runner to start under the center for Miami this fall.The Dolphins will have some new receiving weapons this season after signing Will Fuller in free agency and drafting Jaylen Waddle - Tagovailoa's former teammate at Alabama - in the first round of the NFL draft.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chad Johnson and Adam "Pacman" Jones spent time together in the NFL, and it sounds like the duo were close to getting in the ring against one another as well.The two former NFL players were in talks to fight on the Floyd Mayweather vs. Logan Paul undercard until Johnson refused to fight Jones, a source told Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.Jones and Johnson both enjoyed stints with the Cincinnati Bengals over the course of their NFL careers, but their time together in Cincinnati only overlapped for one season. Johnson played with the Bengals from 2001-2010, while Jones was with the team from 2010 to 2017.Johnson has already agreed to a boxing match on the Mayweather-Paul card scheduled for June 6, but his opponent has not yet been finalized. The 43-year's bout will likely be a four- or six-round exhibition and is expected to be against an athlete or celebrity.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf showed off his blazing speed on Sunday at the 2021 USATF Golden Games and Distance Open, running the 100m in 10.37 seconds.Though Metcalf placed last in the nine-man race, the 6-foot-4, 229-pound pass-catcher held his own among some of the world's top professional sprinters. Cravon Gillespie was the first to cross the finish line, posting a time of 10.11 seconds.

Rob Gronkowski isn't a member of the New England Patriots anymore, but he's still finding a way to help members of the Boston community.The Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end gave $1.2 million for the renovation of Charlesbank Playground, located in Boston's Charles River Esplanade, according to The Associated Press.The star returned to Boston on Friday to deliver the check, prompting the Governor of Massachusetts to describe him as "a big man with a big heart."Legislation has also been put forward to rename the park "Gronk Playground."The 31-year-old played the first nine seasons of his career with the Patriots before briefly retiring following the 2018 campaign. After sitting out the 2019 season, Gronkowski came out of retirement in 2020 and reunited with Tom Brady on the Buccaneers where they ultimately won Super Bowl LV.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Zach Wilson doesn't think the New York Jets' starting quarterback role is his to lose.Wilson - this year's second overall pick and the Jets' presumptive starter for the foreseeable future - said Saturday it's "important" to be under center in Week 1 but that it isn't his top priority at the moment."My focus is to learn the offense, keep getting better every single day, do what I can with the guys around me, and I think the rest takes care of itself," the 21-year-old said on the second day of rookie minicamp."In this position, the coaches want to play the best player, and that position has gotta be earned."The Jets moved on from Sam Darnold this offseason, trading him to the Carolina Panthers just weeks before selecting Wilson. The team's quarterback depth chart currently offers little competition for the former BYU star; James Morgan and Mike White are the only alternatives at the position, and neither has played a regular-season NFL game.New York is expected to sign a veteran signal-caller before training camp, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. The team has reportedly already met with Brian Hoyer.New Jets head coach Robert Saleh praised Wilson on Friday following his first day with the first-year passer at rookie camp."The ball was in and out of his hands very crisp," Saleh said, according to Corey Hersch of SNY. "He was in rhythm, he was on time, the guys did a job running routes, and the ball was barely on the ground. He did a nice job - now he's got to stack it up and get better every day."Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Steelers receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster doesn't regret his "the Browns is the Browns" remark."At the end of the day, I said what I said. I don't take anything back," the pass-catcher recently said on "PFT PM," according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.Smith-Schuster made his now-infamous comment in the week leading up to last year's AFC wild-card matchup and was in reference to the Browns' lack of success over the years. At the time, Cleveland had just broken its 17-year playoff drought, but Smith-Schuster also said, "They're still the same Browns team I play every year."Cleveland went on to upset Pittsburgh on the road, clinching its first postseason victory in over two decades.Smith-Schuster believes his shot against the Browns helped them win."Probably a lot, honestly," Smith-Schuster said when asked if his comments motivated the Browns. "I'm not going to lie to you. It got to a point where the Cleveland Browns had a billboard up in Cleveland that said, 'The Browns is the Browns.' I think by me saying that, it says that a lot of people care about what I say."He added: "They did come out there, they did whoop our ass. It is what it is. We lost that game. We lost early in that game in the first five, 10 minutes."The Steelers and Browns also met twice during the 2020 regular season, with each team winning once.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Jets got creative in scouting their eventual No. 2 overall draft pick, Zach Wilson.Ahead of the quarterback's pro day on March 26, new Jets head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur ran into San Francisco 49ers linebacker and BYU alum Fred Warner. LaFleur and Saleh were both 49ers assistants from 2017-20, and Warner thrived in the latter's defense.Saleh asked the star linebacker to hug Wilson when meeting him to get a feel for the size of the prospect's upper body, as there were concerns around the NFL regarding his narrow shoulders, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini.New York's head coach assigned Warner to the task as the team and Wilson couldn't meet during February's scouting combine due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Warner reportedly told Saleh that the BYU passer's size reminded him of Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes. The Jets became confident that he could fill out his upper body, per Cimini.Wilson will be tasked to turn around a franchise that struggled to find consistency following its most recent high-profile quarterback selection, Sam Darnold.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

During last month's Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, Nick Caserio shared a story about how predictive analytics changed the way the New England Patriots scouted a particular position."I don't want to mention the position," Caserio said. "But there was a view that, 'OK, length is important for this position,' whether it's height, whether it's arm length. We actually went back and looked at that data and that information, and there wasn't a correlation."This goes back to your scouts. In their mind, they're watching a player and you see it in the reports: 'He lacks length,' which, if you're thinking length is an important criteria, it's going to predict success. Well, the position we actually studied and looked at said actually not. Some of our best players, they didn't have the requisite 'length,' but they were some of our best players."Caserio is now the general manager of the Houston Texans after nearly 20 years serving in a variety of roles with the Patriots. His anecdote neatly summed up how the application of data and analytics is influencing team-building approaches around the NFL."I think that's what it just forces you to do," Caserio added. "Just go back and maybe take another look and look at it through a different lens."Nick Caserio, left, and Patriots owner Robert Kraft in 2019. Tim Warner / Getty ImagesThe NFL draft is still largely a crapshoot that involves projecting a player's future development, an inexact process that also factors in murky characteristics like intangibles, confidence, and maturity. Teams are now armed with more information than ever before - at all levels of football operations - and in the years ahead, they'll have access to even more data. The challenge is figuring out how best to apply that information and how to adjust those applications over time.It's only been three years since the NFL began providing league-wide access to player-tracking data that dates back to the 2016 season. As Los Angeles Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff explained at Sloan, that's enough time and enough information to allow teams to fine-tune some statistical models that may have influenced past decision-making."Five years ago, not every team had an analytics department, or if they did, they didn't necessarily talk about it," Demoff said. "We can now look back after four or five years on decisions we made primarily based on the analytics and refine them. That wasn't true four or five years ago."There's still a long way to go, particularly with regard to player tracking, where the ample data that's become available in recent years is constantly being applied in new ways. What's largely missing from the scouting process is the presence of that tracking data at the college level, which would allow NFL teams to make more quantitative assessments about, say, a linebacker's maximum speed, a receiver's ability to create separation, or a safety's reaction as a quarterback starts to throw.Some of this is already happening. Last year, Robert Mays, then writing for The Ringer, delved into how tech companies Sportlogiq and Telemetry partnered to use video analysis to develop a tracking system for college players. But the surface is really just being scratched.Tracking data on college players could provide far more information to NFL teams than its annual combine. Joe Robbins / Getty Images"When the college tracking stuff does come online, it's really going to be a watershed," ESPN's Brian Burke said last month at Sloan. "That's really where the money's going to be. Teams are going to need those models, they're going to need analysts that are going to make sense of the tracking data. There's going to be a huge payoff when that comes online."This trend toward increased reliance on data and analytics need not be done at the expense of conventional methods like watching tape and utilizing qualitative scouting reports. If anything, they can complement each other, as Demoff said Rams GM Les Snead tries to have his scouts and personnel people do."I think as the league gets younger from a coaching perspective, from a scout perspective, from a GM perspective, I think those walls will come tumbling down," Demoff said of the divide between traditional scouts and data analysts."Some of the things you need from scouts - how (players) learn, what their background is, what their work ethic is - is really important, and stressing where they can contribute value, versus where machine learning is picking up some of their blind spots.”At Sloan, Burke provided a specific example. Take an offensive lineman doing a vertical jump at the combine. Jumping straight up in the air doesn't seem to have any correlation to a lineman's ability to do his job at the NFL level. But what if that information is combined with other data sets?"We have more advanced modeling techniques now, and we can combine them with other information like scout grades," Burke said. "If you combine weight and vertical jumping, now you're getting something. Of course, the heavier guys have a harder time jumping high; that makes sense, right? It's just physics. But when you have a heavier, bigger, stronger guy who can jump high, there's a lot of power in his legs. Some of these metrics really matter in ways we didn't suspect."Colts running back Jonathan Taylor at the 2020 scouting combine. Alika Jenner / Getty ImagesOne of the trickier characteristics for teams to nail down regards a player's psychology, from measuring his capacity to learn, assessing his personality, knowing how he'll fit as a teammate, and gauging his instincts. Quantifying all of that might yet be pretty far off. Burke, for one, noted how difficult it is for findings in psychological studies to be replicated, and how many papers have had to be retracted."I would just be very cautious with those kinds of things," Burke said. "I agree it's one of the most import things, if you could measure these personality aspects that are desirable in a player, but there's just no good way to do that."For now, look for teams to apply statistical modeling to find draft inefficiencies that fit their systems, as the Patriots did when it came to how length applied to that particular position Caserio mentioned."Until the league catches up to those studies," Demoff said, "you'll have a short-term window where you'll have a draft advantage."Dom Cosentino is a senior features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tom Brady lent his voice to the NFLPA's fight against voluntary offseason workouts.On an NFLPA conference call Friday, the seven-time Super Bowl champion implored players to stand united in their stance against attending voluntary workouts, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports."We, as players, are big boys. We can take care of ourselves. The only way to take a different stance is to be united," Brady said on the call, according to NFL reporter Aaron Wilson.In his speech, the 21-year veteran highlighted his point that the NFL is the only pro sports league with "overly competitive" drills in the offseason."There's no f---ing pro baseball player that's throwing 95 mph in mid-December," the Super Bowl MVP said, per Pelissero.Twenty-one teams skipped voluntary offseason workouts that were set to begin in April. Chief among their concerns was the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and lack of "adequate protocols."The NFLPA has pushed for no in-person workouts before training camp.Denver Broncos right tackle Ja'Wuan James tore his Achilles while working out away from the team facility earlier this week. It has yet to be determined whether the Broncos will withhold any of James' $10-million base salary.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles claimed running back Kerryon Johnson off waivers Friday, the team announced.The Detroit Lions released Johnson on Thursday, ending the former second-round pick's stint with the club after just three seasons.He rushed for 641 yards (5.4 per carry) as a rookie in 2018 but hasn't improved his production since. The Auburn product, who missed 14 games due to injury in his first two pro campaigns, had only 52 rushing attempts through 16 appearances last year, finishing third on the team behind Adrian Peterson and D'Andre Swift.Johnson, 23, will join an Eagles running back depth chart that features Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, Jordan Howard, and Kenneth Gainwell, who was selected in the fifth round this year.Sanders led Philadelphia with 164 carries for 867 yards and six touchdowns on the ground through 12 games in 2020.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL told teams Friday they'll be allowed to host summer training camp at locations other than their main site, according to a memo obtained by TheMMQB's Albert Breer.The league prohibited clubs from going away for training camp last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Teams with intentions to hold their camp at a different site in 2021 must submit a plan to the NFL, which will review it before potentially approving it. Those plans must be sent to the league as late as June 11.Several teams have long hosted training camp at locations other than their main site.The league hasn't yet announced whether it'll allow teams to hold joint practices this summer. The activity was also halted last year due to the pandemic.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The moment we've all been waiting for is here: NHL '94 or Madden 2004 - which one's the greatest sports video game of all time?Voting ends Saturday at 3 p.m.!Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Cowboys remain the world's most valuable professional sports franchise on Forbes' annual list.The Cowboys are worth $5.7 billion in 2021, an increase from $5.5 billion last year. Dallas has now topped Forbes' list in each year since 2016.The New York Yankees ($5.25 billion) and New York Knicks ($5 billion) are the other franchises worth at least $5 billion.Overall, the NFL features 26 of the top-50 franchises on the list, including two other organizations in the top 10. The New England Patriots and New York Giants rank eighth and ninth, respectively, at $4.4 billion and $4.3 billion.10 most valuable sports teamsRankTeamValueLeague1Dallas Cowboys$5.7BNFL2New York Yankees$5.25BMLB3New York Knicks$5BNBA4Barcelona$4.76BLa Liga5Real Madrid$4.75BLa Liga6Golden State Warriors$4.7BNBA7Los Angeles Lakers$4.6BNBA8New England Patriots$4.4BNFL9New York Giants$4.3BNFL10Bayern Munich$4.21BBundesligaCopyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Miami Dolphins signed veteran cornerback Jason McCourty, the team announced Friday.Miami will give McCourty a one-year pact, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The 33-year-old will reunite with head coach Brian Flores in Miami. The two spent time together with the New England Patriots, where Flores worked on the defensive staff before becoming the Dolphins' sideline boss.McCourty played for the Patriots the last three seasons, recording two interceptions and 19 pass breakups during his tenure there. The longtime corner started 11 games during the 2020 campaign but didn't record an interception.The Rutgers product spent the first eight years of his career with the Tennessee Titans after being selected in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. McCourty also enjoyed a one-year stop with the Cleveland Browns in 2017 before signing with New England.Miami will insert McCourty into a secondary featuring Xavien Howard and Byron Jones.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jeff Okudah is finally close to full health after battling a groin injury for the majority of his rookie campaign.The Detroit Lions cornerback, selected third overall in last year's draft, missed seven games in 2020 and played through pain in several others. With a disappointing season behind him, he's ready to rebound as a sophomore."It just feels like I have a different level that I wasn't able to kind of tap into last year," Okudah said, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "But I feel like this year just kind of moving around now and not having that pain in my groin anymore, it just feels like a different level so I'm excited to ... get with (secondary coach Aubrey Pleasant), craft it up and see what it turns out to be."Okudah underwent surgery in December, ending an inconsistent rookie year that saw him log 47 tackles and one interception while giving up a handful of big plays in coverage.As the Lions are set to open their offseason program this month, the young cornerback said he feels great and will have no restrictions when he takes the field."I'm definitely trending towards 100 (percent)," Okudah said. "I think that's a testament to the staff that the Detroit Lions have and me and (trainer) Tom Colt we put in a lot of work, (head trainer) Dave Granito, this offseason, every single day just getting after it. I'm definitely thankful that was I was able to stay and get a chance to work with them."Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Richard Sherman and the San Francisco 49ers have had preliminary discussions about a potential return to the team, a source told The Sacramento Bee's Chris Biderman.A signing is not imminent, but talks between the two sides could heat up soon, Biderman adds.The veteran cornerback is one of the top remaining free agents left on the market and has been linked to the Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, and Las Vegas Raiders throughout the offseason.The prospect of Sherman re-signing with the 49ers seemed unlikely entering free agency, but a slower market than expected could reunite the two sides.After the 2021 NFL Draft, head coach Kyle Shanahan also left the possibility of a reunion open, stating San Francisco won't ever rule out bringing back the corner.Sherman spent his last three seasons with the 49ers as the team's top cornerback, starting 29 games over his first two years with the club and earning one Pro Bowl nod in the process. However, a calf injury hampered Sherman in 2020, causing him to appear in a career-low five games.The 33-year-old has been one of the NFL's most decorated corners since entering the league in 2011, tallying 36 interceptions and five Pro Bowl selections. Sherman has previously said he wants to sign with a competitive team and play for two more years.Copyright © 2021 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.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, and Anchor.In this episode, Boone discusses the players whose fantasy stock rose or fell the most based on the 2021 NFL Draft and goes over the latest news.

In light of the Achilles injury Denver Broncos right tackle Ja'Wuan James suffered while training away from the team facility, the NFLPA maintains its position that players should not attend voluntary workouts.The association also offered a stinging rebuke to the NFL for its "gutless" response to James' injury.James' ailment may be season-ending and could cost him his $10-million salary for the 2021 season. The 28-year-old is one of many players boycotting voluntary workouts, but if he had been training at the Broncos' facility, his contract would be covered despite the injury.The NFL released a league-wide memo in the aftermath, stating teams don't have an obligation to "provide salary continuation during the year the injury is sustained.""Injuries sustained while a player is working out 'on his own' in a location other than an NFL facility are considered 'non-football injuries' and are outside the scope of a typical skill, injury, and cap guarantee," read the memo.NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith and president JC Tretter took issue with said response."It was gutless to use a player's serious injury as a scare tactic to get you to come running back to these workouts," read the NFLPA's memo to players. "This memo is yet another sign of what they think of you and also affirms that they simply want to control you year-round in any and every way that they can."Smith and Tretter have also noted teams have honored a player's contract despite such an injury in past circumstances.The NFLPA said it will continue to support each player as they choose to stay away from team facilities for voluntary offseason work.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Lions cut running back Kerryon Johnson after three seasons, the team announced Thursday.Johnson became expendable as a result of the rushers Detroit has added this offseason, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports. The Lions brought in Jamaal Williams and drafted Jermar Jefferson to bolster a backfield already featuring D'Andre Swift.The 24-year-old began falling out of favor in Detroit's crowded committee last season. The Lions opted to use veteran Adrian Peterson and Swift as their primary backs instead during the 2020 campaign.Detroit selected Johnson in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, but he hasn't started more than seven games in any of his three professional seasons. The Auburn product's numbers have declined since he rushed for 641 yards during his rookie campaign.Johnson compiled 403 rushing yards in 2019 before recording just 181 yards on the ground last year.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

One of the first orders of business after the NFL draft was to take a stab at Offensive Rookie of the Year. Now, we flip to the other side of the ball and spot value for Defensive ROY.PlayerOddsLB Micah Parsons (DAL)+400DE Jaelan Phillips (MIA)+600LB Jamin Davis (WFT)+900DE Kwity Paye (IND)+1000LB Zaven Collins (ARI)+1100CB Patrick Surtain II (DEN)+1200LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (CLE)+1400CB Jaycee Horn (CAR)+1500DE Gregory Rousseau (BUF)+1600CB Greg Newsome II (CLE)+2000LB Azeez Ojulari (NYG)+2000DE Jayson Oweh (BAL)+2000CB Caleb Farley (TEN)+2500S Trevon Moehrig-Woodard (LV)+2500CB Asante Samuel Jr. (LAC)+2500CB Eric Stokes (GB)+2500LB Joe Tryon (TB)+2500LB Nick Bolton (KC)+3300DT Christian Barmore (NE)+4000S Richie Grant (ATL)+4000CB Jevon Holland (MIA)+4000LB Pete Werner (NO)+4000LB Baron Browning (DEN)+5000LB Jabril Cox (DAL)+5000CB Kelvin Joseph (DAL)+6600DE Joseph Ossai (CIN)+6600LB Ronnie Perkins (NE)+6600LB Chazz Surratt (MIN)+6600CB Aaron Robinson (NYG)+8000Best betsZaven Collins (+1100)Micah Parsons is going to wreak havoc for the Cowboys. However, give me a very similar player in Collins at a much better price.The Tulsa product can do it all. He posted 7.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, four interceptions - two of which went for touchdowns - a pair of forced fumbles, and a blocked kick in just eight games last season.He'll find a number of ways to turn loose as a primary chess piece for the Cardinals' defense.Caleb Farley (+2500)I'd take a flier on Farley, just as the Titans did with the 22nd pick.His medicals were a red flag during the draft process - Farley tore an ACL early in his collegiate career, then underwent back surgery in March - but he's on track to return by late July.The Virginia Tech standout was an All-ACC first-team selection in 2019. He'll fill in Day 1 if healthy and has the potential to shine in a weak AFC South.Players to avoidKwity Paye (+1000)I really don't see the need to bet an edge rusher at 10-1 or lower despite the position producing three of the last five winners.There wasn't one bona fide stud in this class - Jaelan Phillips went in the back half of the first round at No. 18 - and it might be a crapshoot as to which pass rusher goes off in 2021.Jaycee Horn (+1500)Cornerbacks have won this award just twice since 1998, so make sure you're getting bang for your buck when going this route. In Horn's case, 15-1 simply isn't enough value.Plus, with matchups twice a year against the likes of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Michael Thomas, Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and other daunting weapons in the NFC South, Horn could endure some growing pains in his first season.SleeperNick Bolton (+3300)If I'm banking on one long shot to light up the stat sheet, it will be Bolton. He amassed 198 tackles, three sacks, two picks, and 12 pass deflections across 22 games in his final two seasons at Missouri.Bolton was one of the top impact defenders at the SEC level and will be a fixture on a team that's projected to lead the league in wins. This is great value.Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Lions and Frank Ragnow agreed to a four-year contract extension that'll make him the NFL's highest-paid center, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Ragnow's deal is worth $13.5 million per season and will run through 2026, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports. The extension contains $25.5 million fully guaranteed at signing and $42 million in total guarantees, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.The Los Angeles Chargers' Corey Linsley previously topped the center market in March after he signed a five-year deal worth $12.5 million annually.Ragnow was PFF's second-ranked center last season after allowing zero sacks and just nine pressures in 14 games. He also earned his first Pro Bowl nomination and second-team All-Pro honors.The Lions selected the 24-year-old in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Ragnow has made 45 career starts in three seasons.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Green Bay Packers have begun to explore adding quarterbacks to their roster for OTAs and training camp amid uncertainty with star signal-caller Aaron Rodgers, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst acknowledged last week Green Bay would need to sign quarterbacks for the offseason after not drafting one, but a source told Schefter that the search has included veterans as well.It's currently unknown whether Rodgers is planning to attend the Packers' offseason workouts.Rodgers has reportedly told some in Green Bay he no longer wants to play for the organization, and his dissatisfaction stems from both his contract situation and the team's recent personnel decisions.The reigning MVP's frustration appears directed at his GM. Reports indicate that the 37-year-old won't return to the Packers if Gutekunst remains with the club.Last year's first-round pick Jordan Love is currently the only other quarterback on Green Bay's roster aside from Rodgers.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL has told its 32 teams they should offer COVID-19 vaccines to their rookies at upcoming minicamps, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports.The league would like clubs to "highlight to all players that vaccinations may help players avoid missed practices and games, and therefore may have a competitive impact for the club."In late April, the NFL and the NFLPA agreed to impose less restrictive measures on fully vaccinated players. Such players will be test weekly rather than daily and will not have to quarantine if deemed a high-risk close contact.The league completed its 2020 season while instituting strict protocols that prohibited players from gathering outside of the facility and forced teams to impose measures allowing for social distancing.Each franchise had at least one player test positive for COVID-19, but the NFL recorded a 0.08% positivity rate during the course of the season. There were 262 coronavirus cases among players and 463 among personnel from Aug. 1 to the Super Bowl in February.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Francisco 49ers don't seem to be in a rush to get Trey Lance under center.49ers CEO Jed York is content with the prospect of Jimmy Garoppolo remaining the team's starting quarterback for the foreseeable future."We’ve talked about this internally," York said on "49ers Talk," according to NBC's Matt Maiocco. "If we’re in a situation where Jimmy goes out and takes us to a Super Bowl again and has an MVP-caliber season, and does it again, there are worse dilemmas to be in. And Jimmy certainly has the ability to do that."Garoppolo was part of a Niners team that appeared in Super Bowl LIV and has two more years left on his contract. York talked about the benefits of having Lance, who would still be on his rookie deal, potentially step in once Garoppolo's contract expires."And even if (Lance) doesn’t play for two years, we still have an extra $100 million to put back into our team on top of whatever we would have for free agency for the next five years," York noted.San Francisco selected Lance after trading up to the No. 3 selection. The dynamic between the soon-to-be 21-year-old and Garoppolo could be comparable to the situation Aaron Rodgers experienced early in his career with Brett Favre, according to York."If (Lance) doesn’t play until he’s 23, but he’s got a 15-plus year career ..." York continued."There were rumors about a guy, and obviously Kyle talked about trading for Aaron. How long did Aaron sit? Two or three years before he played? And, again, I want to make sure that we do everything we can to make sure that position is the best it can possibly be in the NFL."Lance started just 17 games during his time at North Dakota State, prompting questions about how quickly he will transition to the NFL. Ultimately, York says his road to starting will come down to his development."If he’s the best player, then he would play. And if he’s not ready to do it, yet, we’re not going to put that on his shoulders, and whether that’s Trey or whether that’s anybody else, we want to make sure there’s competition throughout the team."Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's only been three months since the opening odds to win Super Bowl 56 were released, and nearly half the league has already seen its price shortened - some based purely on speculation.That's clearly the case with the Broncos, which opened at 75-1 to win it all and are currently priced as 15-1 contenders amid swirling rumors about a potential trade for Aaron Rodgers. The disgruntled Packers quarterback has listed Denver as one of his preferred destinations, according to NBC Sports' Mike Florio, and the Broncos are the betting favorites to land him this offseason.Denver isn't the only team that has had its odds affected by the Rodgers saga. The Raiders have seen their price adjusted from 60-1 to 45-1 despite seemingly getting worse this offseason, but they were also listed as a Rodgers destination should Green Bay move on from the reigning MVP.Here are the updated odds to win Super Bowl 56, along with three teams to watch in the months leading up to the season:TEAMODDSKansas City Chiefs+500Tampa Bay Buccaneers+600Buffalo Bills+700Green Bay Packers+800Los Angeles Rams+1100Baltimore Ravens+1400San Francisco 49ers+1400Denver Broncos+1500New Orleans Saints+1500Seattle Seahawks+1500Indianapolis Colts+1700Cleveland Browns+2000Dallas Cowboys+2000Pittsburgh Steelers+2500Tennessee Titans+2500Arizona Cardinals+2800Los Angeles Chargers+2800Miami Dolphins+2800New England Patriots+3000Chicago Bears+3200Minnesota Vikings+4000Carolina Panthers+4500Las Vegas Raiders+4500Washington Football Team+5000Philadelphia Eagles+6000Atlanta Falcons+7000Cincinnati Bengals+7500New York Giants+7500New York Jets+7500Jacksonville Jaguars+10000Detroit Lions+12500Houston Texans+25000Denver Broncos (+1500)We mentioned the Broncos' price adjustment at the top, but it's worth reiterating just how big of an impact the Rodgers rumors have had on this club's price. In February, Denver was tied for the fourth-longest odds at 75-1. Now, with a similar roster but a lot more intrigue, the team's tied for the eighth-shortest price on the board.It's not a crazy price, either, given the upside. The Broncos defense ranked 11th a year ago in yards allowed per drive, but the unit's inability to force turnovers hindered that side of the ball. So Denver spent nearly $40 million for cornerbacks Kyle Fuller and Ronald Darby before loading up on defense in the draft.Still, it's asking a lot to bet this price before this franchise even acquires Rodgers. If John Elway can pull it off, his side will be worth backing at a price even shorter than this, but you're better off waiting for that certainty instead of assuming major risk at this short of a price.Arizona Cardinals (+2800)It's easy to get excited about the Cardinals, which added former Purdue star Rondale Moore to a receiving room already featuring DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Kirk, and A.J. Green. Combine that with running backs Chase Edmonds and James Conner and possibly the league's most electric quarterback in Kyler Murray, and it's easy to talk yourself into this group.But is that offensive firepower enough to change this team's outlook? Arizona had many of those same weapons a year ago and still finished with a below-average offense, per PFF, while its defense struggled to force turnovers or stop the run, which is a tough combination to overcome.The Cardinals were reasonably priced at 45-1 in February. The club is overpriced now, and it likely won't take more than a few games in the league's toughest division for these odds to normalize.Chicago Bears (+3200)Few teams have seen a bigger adjustment than the Bears, who were 50-1 back in February. I loved their odds back then, and I'm still a buyer at this price.When these odds were first released, I said that "any quarterback upgrade this summer will tighten this price." Sure enough, after adding Andy Dalton and Justin Fields this offseason, Chicago has seen plenty of love in the betting market behind a top-10 defense and legitimate offensive upside once Fields eventually wrestles away the starting job from Dalton.It doesn't hurt that the Packers - currently priced as the NFC North favorites - could be without their star signal-caller when the season begins, leaving the door open for the Bears to snag a top-four seed in the NFC. This price likely won't move much unless Fields wows in training camp, but if you missed the early value, it's still an ideal time to buy.C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sean Payton confirmed what was reported on the opening day of the draft: The New Orleans Saints pursued a trade into the top 10 for a cornerback."It was pretty simple. We felt there were a couple of players that we'd move up for, and for us, we have a must at corner. There were two corners graded - both (Jaycee) Horn and (Patrick) Surtain - with real high grades," the Saints head coach said Wednesday on "The Rich Eisen Show."The Saints held the 28th pick of the first round.The Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, and Denver Broncos - picking seventh, eighth, and ninth overall, respectively - all previously expressed an interest in trading their top-10 selections. The Atlanta Falcons, drafting at No. 4, also said they'd be open to trading the pick. Still, the Saints couldn't reach a deal with any of those clubs."Early in the week, it's pretty common for teams to say, 'Hey, we have an interest.' Everyone's basically open for business. But ultimately, there wasn't a team wanting to move out of the first 10 picks," Payton said."And so, I think that lasted all of a half an hour, maybe, the morning of, reaching out to these teams. And the cost would have been, if we found a trade partner, too high. So at that point, our feeling was, 'It's going to come to us at 28 and let's make sure we have our cloud of players ready.' And it's exactly what happened."The Panthers kept their pick and made Horn the first corner selected in the draft. Surtain went next at No. 9 to the Broncos.The Saints selected defensive end Payton Turner at the end of the first round and corner Paulson Adebo in the third round.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's no love lost between new Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva and his former team, the Pittsburgh Steelers.Villanueva said one reason that motivated him to sign with the Ravens this offseason was the chance to remain in the AFC North, which means he'll now face the Steelers at least twice a year."The fact that I knew the Ravens is a team that plays hard, a team that plays AFC North-type football, and I get a chance to play the Steelers as well was something that motivated me coming here for sure," Villanueva said Wednesday, according to ESPN's Jamison Hensley.Villanueva, who reportedly also generated interest from the Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins, inked a two-year, $14-million deal with Baltimore on Tuesday after spending the previous seven campaigns in Pittsburgh. The two-time Pro Bowler started 90 games for the Steelers from 2015-20.The 32-year-old apparently also took a shot at Steelers wide receiver and former teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster when asked about the Ravens' offense. Villanueva said it's better for him to play on Baltimore's run-first unit and added, "I'm assuming it's not as much fun for the receivers because they're not getting all of the catches, they're making the TikToks, and they're having fun on their social media."Smith-Schuster was criticized for posting TikTok videos of himself dancing on opponents' midfield logo before road games last year. The 24-year-old's TikTok account currently has almost three million followers.The Ravens led the NFL in rushing attempts and yards on the ground by a significant margin over the last three seasons.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has teamed up with Adidas to give back to his new community.Lawrence and Adidas announced they're launching a collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) commemorating his No. 1 overall draft selection, with net proceeds from the sales supporting charities in Jacksonville.

If the Green Bay Packers enter into a battle of wills with Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre believes the team is destined to lose.Rodgers is reportedly seeking an exit from the Packers, in large part due to a fractured relationship with the team's front office.Favre can relate to the reigning MVP's situation, having endured a messy departure from Green Bay in 2008 that paved the way for Rodgers to take over the starting job.The Hall of Fame quarterback said Tuesday on his podcast, "Bolling with Favre," that he believes Rodgers will retire before rolling over for the Packers."Knowing Aaron, and I think I know him fairly well, if he has a grudge - whether it be against the organization or a player or an archrival, or family, friends - he ain't budging," Favre said.He continued: "Whatever the issue is - if it's not resolved, or even if it's resolved, but he feels like they got one up on him - he ain't gonna play."Knowing Aaron, he would sit. Now, he would forego a lot of money, but he's also got a lot of money."If Rodgers does retire, he'll forfeit $44.5 million, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. He would be required to repay $23 million in unearned signing-bonus money and miss out on his $14.7-million base salary and $6.8-million roster bonus for this season.Rodgers' issues with Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst apparently revolve around the team's decision to select quarterback Jordan Love in the first round of last year's draft without informing Rodgers beforehand.The 37-year-old is reportedly adamant about not returning to Green Bay unless Gutekunst is fired. The NFC North club's reported offer to make Rodgers the NFL's highest-paid player has apparently done nothing to change his stance.Favre and Rodgers have become friends in recent years after a strained relationship during their three seasons together in Green Bay.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In one of the Green Bay Packers' attempts to fix their relationship with Aaron Rodgers, they offered to make the reigning NFL MVP the league's highest-paid quarterback, sources told Bob McGinn of The Athletic.Rodgers' $33.5-million average annual salary ranks fifth in the NFL, according to Spotrac. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes tops all players at $45 million per season.However, Rodgers' dissatisfaction reportedly stems from more than just his contract situation. He's also unhappy with Green Bay's personnel decisions.One move that reportedly "drove Rodgers nuts" last year was the release of wide receiver Jake Kumerow just one day after the signal-caller praised the pass-catcher.The 37-year-old is reportedly determined to not return to the Packers if general manager Brian Gutekunst remains with the team. Rodgers has mocked Gutekunst in group chats with his teammates by referring to the executive as Jerry Krause, reports McGinn.Krause was the Chicago Bulls general manager during the team's six NBA title campaigns and was heavily criticized by Michael Jordan.The Packers believe other clubs may have contacted Rodgers to determine whether he's interested in playing for them, sources told Rob Demovsky of ESPN. The San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos are reportedly among those teams.San Francisco general manager John Lynch said he called the Packers about Rodgers' availability but his inquiry was quickly rejected.Rodgers reportedly wants to be more involved in the Packers' personnel choices and would consider retiring if the situation isn't improved.Former quarterback Norm Van Brocklin and running back Jim Brown are the only reigning MVPs in NFL history to not return to their team the following season, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Both retired after capturing the award.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's a beef between quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers again, and this time it seems pretty serious.On Thursday - perhaps not coincidentally, the first day of the 2021 NFL Draft - ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the situation is so messy that Rodgers doesn't want to play for the Packers anymore.There have been several developments since, from Rodgers threatening to retire to Yahoo's Charles Robinson reporting the signal-caller refuses to play for Green Bay as long as Brian Gutekunst is still the team's general manager. Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio also reported that Rodgers wanted to be traded to the 49ers, Raiders, or Broncos (in no particular order). San Francisco acknowledged inquiring about a trade, but the club said it was rebuffed, according to Cam Inman of The Mercury News.Meanwhile, Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur spent the weekend telling anyone and everyone that the Packers have every intention of repairing the relationship and keeping Rodgers.How did things reach this point? And where does this saga go from here? Glad you asked.So, uh, how did things reach this point?Issues between Rogers and team management have been simmering for about a year now, ever since the Packers traded up to select QB Jordan Love in the first round in 2020. The move was a sign Green Bay had begun to plot its post-Rodgers future - a reasonable decision since he'll be 38 after the 2021 season.But part of what rankled Rodgers is not being informed of the club's plans to draft Love. Rodgers also reportedly wanted the Packers to bring in some better wide receivers, a position they didn't address during the 2020 draft.The passer then complicated any potential transition to Love after 2020 by leading the NFL in expected points added per play and Total QBR en route to becoming the league's MVP for the third time. The Packers reached the NFC Championship Game before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Packers GM Brian Gutekunst. Stacy Revere / Getty ImagesThat's it?Well, no - there's way more. Rodgers is supposedly unhappy with his contract with three years remaining and no more guarantees.Robinson reported the veteran wants an extension and a show of long-term commitment from the team, but Green Bay was only willing to restructure the existing contract terms (i.e., front-loading the deal with more money). Additionally, Rodgers wants input into the Packers' personnel decisions, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.And ex-ESPNer Trey Wingo adds this, which lends credence to the idea the Packers may have indeed been ready to give Love the wheel in 2021, at least until Rodgers lit up the league in 2020:

The NFL Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's football editors.1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images Sport / GettyPost-FA rank: 1The Buccaneers maintain their top spot, though the Chiefs closed the gap by continuing an aggressive approach to retooling the club's offensive line. But Tampa Bay's roster is still the league's most talented after a spectacular free-agency period, and its pass rush became even more fearsome with the first-round addition of Joe Tryon.2. Kansas City ChiefsPost-FA rank: 2Trading their first-round pick for Orlando Brown was a bold move from the Chiefs. But the decision looks even better in hindsight following the draft. There are two years left before Patrick Mahomes' cap hit spikes to lead the league, and no player available at No. 31 would've been anywhere near as ready as Brown to step in and protect the quarterback's blindside.3. Buffalo BillsPost-FA rank: 3With only a lack of pass-rushing talent potentially preventing Josh Allen and Co. from making another run at the AFC crown, Buffalo was wise to take two shots at landing an impact defensive end with its first two picks. Carlos Basham Jr. could be a surprise early standout from this draft.4. Cleveland BrownsPost-FA rank: 6Cleveland's offseason approach was one of the league's smartest, which still feels weird. The Browns engineered a top-eight draft class to complement a great free-agency period. Cornerback Greg Newsome and linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah can be immediate contributors for an ascending defense.5. Baltimore Ravens Andy Lyons / Getty Images Sport / GettyPost-FA rank: 7Baltimore didn't land any of the big-name wideouts it coveted in free agency, ultimately settling for Sammy Watkins. So it was imperative to get one of the tier-two receiver options at No. 27. Their pick, Rashod Bateman, boasts the kind of well-rounded skill set that's lacking in the rest of Lamar Jackson's weapons.6. Los Angeles RamsPost-FA rank: 5We were big fans of the Rams acquiring quarterback Matthew Stafford, even considering the hefty price tag. But the team's draft tempered our expectations somewhat. Los Angeles not selecting an offensive lineman was a baffling decision, as was using its first pick on a 155-pound receiver in TuTu Atwell.7. Green Bay PackersPost-FA rank: 4While Green Bay's draft was underwhelming, the team didn't hurt its standing among the NFL's elite. What will hurt, though, is antagonizing your star quarterback to the point he demands an exit. Aaron Rodgers' reported disgruntlement dominated draft weekend. Even if it's just a small chance the team puts Jordan Love under center in 2021, the Packers can no longer be seen as a top-five squad.8. Seattle SeahawksPost-FA rank: 9The Seahawks only owned three draft picks, so radically altering their outlook through the draft was always going to be hard. The biggest win for Seattle over the draft weekend was arguably Rodgers taking the trade-rumor heat off Russell Wilson for the foreseeable future.9. New Orleans SaintsPost-FA rank: 8Rumors were flying prior to Thursday that New Orleans would jump into the top 10 for a defender or Mac Jones. That speculation made the Saints' ultimate haul disappointing. Maybe they were right not to go all-in with Drew Brees gone, but their roster is still one of the NFC's best, and the Saints didn't land a Day 1 contributor.10. San Francisco 49ers Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport / GettyPost-FA rank: 16That giant sigh of relief you heard around 9 p.m. ET on Thursday collectively came from 49ers fans who had spent the last month hoping their team wasn't set to mortgage its future on Jones. Instead, Trey Lance is their next franchise quarterback. While Lance is raw and might not start right away, the 49ers take a leap up based on their raised ceiling for this season.11. Arizona CardinalsPost-FA rank: 10Rondale Moore landing with the Cardinals was one of the most ideal fits of the draft. Arizona needed more speed and run-after-the-catch ability from its wideout group, and Moore brings those skills. And with DeAndre Hopkins on the field, he also won't need to deal with defenses focussing on him too much.12. Tennessee TitansPost-FA rank: 12The Titans are regularly one of the NFL's biggest draft risk-takers, so it wasn't a surprise to see them select cornerback Caleb Farley. If Farley and second-round offensive tackle Dillon Radun can fill Tennessee's most pressing needs from Day 1, the team's spot in the AFC's second tier is solidified.13. Indianapolis ColtsPost-FA rank: 13After Carson Wentz's struggles against pressure in 2020, Indy took a gamble prioritizing its pass rush over getting a new left tackle. With so much riding on Wentz turning his career around, the Colts can't afford to miss out on a veteran addition to their offensive line.14. Miami DolphinsPost-FA rank: 14Miami hit its draft class out of the park, landing two of our top-10 talents in receiver Jaylen Waddle and pass-rusher Jaelan Phillips. Whether the Dolphins can compete with the AFC's top clubs will come down to Tua Tagovailoa's second-year development. But the team has done all it can to set him up for success.15. Washington Football TeamPost-FA rank: 11Washington remains our favorite for the NFC East crown, though that's not a major compliment because the rest of the division couldn't crack the top half of these rankings. But it's disappointing Washington didn't grab one of the top rookie quarterbacks, leaving the team to live and die this season on Ryan Fitzpatrick's erratic arm.16. New England PatriotsPost-FA rank: 15While Cam Newton didn't produce a good 2020 campaign, he should still hold off Jones for the starting job, at least to start the season. If the 2015 MVP can't rebound, it won't be due to a lack of talent around him this time. Meanwhile, Jones is a solid Plan B for the Patriots.17. Los Angeles ChargersPost-FA rank: 18The Chargers are the most likely team to raise your expectations in the offseason, then fall flat on their face once the games begin and make your confidence seem foolish. But with L.A. nabbing Rashawn Slater and Asante Samuel Jr. in the first two rounds without moving up, it's easy to fall into the trap again.18. Dallas CowboysPost-FA rank: 19Dallas focused on its defense while using eight of its 11 picks on the unit, including five straight to begin the draft. It was a much-needed infusion of talent, but it's fair to question if the Cowboys were smart to select multiple players with character issues, and use their first-rounder on another attempt to solidify the linebacker position.19. Minnesota VikingsPost-FA rank: 23Though Minnesota's draft wasn't the most eye-catching, general manager Rick Spielman is still making intelligent moves to keep his team competitive. Offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw offered great value at No. 23, and he fills the biggest void on a talented offense.20. Pittsburgh Steelers Alika Jenner / Getty Images Sport / GettyPost-FA rank: 17Najee Harris is a great prospect, but he's not a generational talent. And he needs to be on that level to produce behind one of the worst run-blocking offensive lines. Though Pittsburgh has earned the benefit of the doubt, picking Harris could soon be seen as a luxury with the Big Ben era winding down.21. Chicago BearsPost-FA rank: 26Justin Fields was the No. 2 quarterback in this class for many, including us. Trading up for him at No. 11 led to outstanding value, and the Bears also reinvigorated the feeling around their team. More mediocrity with Andy Dalton isn't inevitable now. For the first time in a while, Chicago will actually be fun to watch.22. Denver BroncosPost-FA rank: 20The Broncos passing on Fields at No. 9 could haunt them fast. Drew Lock is a borderline starter and not a franchise player, while Teddy Bridgewater is competent but unremarkable. But Denver's brass could look like geniuses if the team can pull off a trade for a certain aggrieved reigning MVP.23. Las Vegas RaidersPost-FA rank: 21You have to admire the Raiders' confidence in their evaluations and willingness to go against the general consensus on players. But if they don't start hitting on their early picks to validate the front office's process, general manager Mike Mayock might pay the price.24. Cincinnati BengalsPost-FA rank: 24Cincinnati selecting receiver Ja'Marr Chase over Sewell at No. 5 could be the most consequential decision of the Joe Burrow era. Sure, reuniting the ex-LSU teammates might produce fireworks. But if the team's offensive line remains unable to protect Burrow - who's coming off a torn ACL - fans will be quick to second-guess the move.25. New York GiantsPost-FA rank: 22Giants general manager Dave Gettleman finally realized the virtues of trading down while dropping in the first and second rounds to accumulate 2022 picks. Though Gettleman becoming more flexible is encouraging, he'll likely need New York to produce a winning season if the executive wants to stick around and use those future assets.26. Carolina PanthersPost-FA rank: 25There won't be any excuses for Sam Darnold if he can't resurrect his career in Carolina. He was already set to benefit from a dynamic trio in Christian McCaffrey, DJ Moore, and Robby Anderson. After taking cornerback Jaycee Horn at No. 8, the Panthers used their next three picks to bolster Darnold's supporting cast even further.27. Philadelphia EaglesPost-FA rank: 28An embarrassing clip showing general manager Howie Roseman and a team executive seemingly upset over a decision somewhat overshadowed the Eagles' rookie class. While Philadelphia came out strong with DeVonta Smith and Landon Dickerson, it's hard not to worry even more about the club's front office after last season's drama.28. New York JetsPost-FA rank: 27The Jets seemed to have learned their lesson from the Darnold era. After taking Zach Wilson at No. 2, New York made sure to get its new quarterback as much help as possible, using pick Nos. 14, 34, and 107 on offensive players.29. Atlanta FalconsPost-FA rank: 29Getting a grasp on what the Falcons are doing is difficult. If they want to compete right away with Matt Ryan, why are we hearing Julio Jones trade talk? Atlanta is seemingly trying to balance winning now and building for the future, and it could be in danger of failing on both fronts as a result.30. Jacksonville Jaguars Ben Jared / PGA TOUR / GettyPost-FA rank: 30Trevor Lawrence was the biggest slam-dunk pick at No. 1 since Andrew Luck in 2012, and he'll immediately elevate the Jaguars this season. But the team's 2021 fate will likely come down to how quickly head coach Urban Meyer adjusts to the professional level.31. Detroit LionsPost-FA rank: 31New Lions head coach Dan Campbell wants to build a team that will "bite a kneecap off" its opponents. Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes' first draft - with two maulers in offensive tackle Penei Sewell and defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike headlining the haul - was the first major step in that direction.32. Houston TexansPost-FA rank: 32Deshaun Watson's legal troubles continue to hang over the Texans. So it wasn't surprising that Houston used a third-rounder - which was its first pick in the draft - on quarterback Davis Mills. Even if Watson's off-field issues are resolved, he likely won't reconsider his trade demand.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dak Prescott feels ready to go.The Dallas Cowboys quarterback updated his recovery on Tuesday from the ankle injury that ended his 2020 season, saying he'd be able to play if the next campaign started right now.

Denver Broncos right tackle Ja'Wuan James suffered a torn Achilles while working out away from the team on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.As a result, $20 million of James' contract is in jeopardy.

The Indianapolis Colts are set to bring in former Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Eric Fisher for a visit, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports.Indianapolis has a need at left tackle following Anthony Castonzo's retirement. The club opted not to draft a potential replacement this past weekend.Fisher, the No. 1 pick in 2013, spent eight seasons in Kansas City, winning a Super Bowl in 2019.The 30-year-old tore his Achilles in the 2020 AFC Championship Game and missed Super Bowl LV. Starting right tackle Mitchell Schwartz also missed the contest with an injury and, as a result, Patrick Mahomes spent much of the game under siege from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' pass rush.Fisher and Schwartz were both released on March 11, saving the Chiefs $18 million in cap space.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cornerback Casey Hayward signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, the team announced Tuesday.Las Vegas will give Hayward a one-year deal worth up to $4 million, a source told NFL reporter Josina Anderson.The Los Angeles Chargers cut Hayward earlier this offseason after five seasons. The 31-year-old will be reunited with Raiders defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, who coached him from 2017-2020 in L.A.A two-time Pro Bowler, Hayward has recorded 23 career interceptions and 100 pass breakups.The Raiders have spent much of the offseason revamping their secondary. They previously signed Rasul Douglas and Karl Joseph while also adding Trevon Moehrig through the draft.Las Vegas finished the season with the 26th-ranked pass defense and allowed 29.9 points per game.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This year's NFL draft was dominated by speculation about where the top quarterbacks might land. With the draft behind us, the real controversies begin.The Bears, 49ers, and Patriots all spent their first-round picks on a quarterback, with the first two teams trading up to grab their franchise guy. Will any of those rookie signal-callers get the nod in Week 1, or will they have to wait longer to earn the job?Here are the odds for the Week 1 starting quarterback for those three teams, along with our favorite early value in each spot.Chicago BearsQBODDSAndy Dalton-167Justin Fields+160Nick Foles+900When the Bears signed Andy Dalton to a one-year deal worth $10 million this offseason, it was with the understanding that he'd be the starting quarterback come Week 1 - even if the team drafted a signal-caller a month later. Yet now that the team has done exactly that, the rumors persist.Once again, the word from the organization is that Dalton is the guy. General manager Ryan Pace reiterated that hours after drafting Justin Fields on Thursday, while head coach Matt Nagy called Dalton to deliver the same message, per Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times.The last time the Bears spent a first-round pick on a QB was 2017, when Mitchell Trubisky went No. 2 overall before spending the first four games behind Mike Glennon. Will Fields steal the job at some point as Trubisky did? Probably. But don't expect that to happen in Week 1.Pick: Andy Dalton -167San Francisco 49ersQBODDSJimmy Garoppolo-400Trey Lance+300Josh Rosen+2500Nate Sudfeld+3300Trey Lance might have the highest ceiling of any quarterback in the 2021 class, but he's also the least seasoned. The 49ers knew that when they drafted him third overall, and they reiterated as much Monday when coach Kyle Shanahan said Jimmy Garoppolo was the team's starting quarterback.The Niners weren't nearly as emphatic as the Bears, though. Shanahan was careful to say that Garoppolo is the starter "right now" because Lance wouldn't be "in a position to compete," according to Yahoo's Jack Baer, though the coach conceded that he isn't against starting a rookie and he'd "let them compete" when Lance is ready. Does that sound like an endorsement to you?Add that to the speculation that Garoppolo could be traded this offseason and it's hard to feel comfortable laying such short odds on the oft-injured quarterback. If Lance proves comfortable with NFL schemes and terminology sooner than expected, it'll be his job to lose.Pick: Trey Lance +300New England PatriotsQBODDSCam Newton-400Mac Jones+500Jarrett Stidham+600Mac Jones is the quintessential fit for the Patriots at quarterback, and not just because of those Tom Brady-like shirtless photos. What made Jones so successful at Alabama was his pinpoint accuracy and ability to process his first, second, and third reads in a flash - which is precisely what made Brady so lethal in New England's offense.Bill Belichick reworked the team's offensive scheme to accommodate Cam Newton in 2020, and the results were less than stellar. The Patriots finished 24th in points per drive (2.00), and Newton finished 24th in PFF's passing grade among 35 quarterbacks with at least 250 dropbacks.Jones is arguably the second-most pro-ready quarterback in this class behind Trevor Lawrence, and the Patriots never shy away from open competitions at any spot on the roster. If Jones can run the offense better than Newton this summer - and I expect he will - he should reward those willing to back him at this price.Pick: Mac Jones +500C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story contains coarse languageBaltimore Ravens cornerback Marcus Peters still hasn't forgiven the Los Angeles Rams for trading him during the 2019 season."Fuck them. That's how I was feeling, and I'm still feeling like that," Peters said of the Rams on "Catchin' Fades with Aqib Talib."The Rams traded Peters to the Ravens for linebacker Kenny Young and a fifth-round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. Shortly after dealing Peters, L.A. acquired All-Pro corner Jalen Ramsey from the Jacksonville Jaguars."I felt disrespected in the sense of, 'Yeah, you can trade me' - that's part of the business," Peters said. "But two minutes after that, you bring in another guy who do the same shit I do, maybe a little bit different. And, if we play this compare game, I do a little bit more. That shit was disrespectful to me."Peters, a former first-team All-Pro, said at the time there were no hard feelings about the deal. But Peters and Ramsey had to be separated and restrained by security and on-field staff after the Ravens dominated the Rams 45-6 on Monday Night Football six weeks after the trade.Peters, who played alongside Talib with the Rams, said L.A.'s defensive backs were unjustly blamed for the defense's underwhelming play before his departure."I don't think we was the problem," said Peters. "I don't think we were the issue that was holding the Rams back from taking the steps of where we needed to get to."Peters has become a constant in the Ravens' secondary since joining Baltimore and signing a three-year, $42-million contract extension that runs through the 2022 campaign. The 28-year-old produced 52 tackles, nine passes defended, and four interceptions last season.The Ravens and Rams are set to meet again in 2021 following the announcement of a 17-game regular season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL draft is over, but the opportunities to make money aren't. Now that we have a lay of the land on how top-tier prospects fit with their respective homes, we can start taking stabs at a variety of NFL betting markets.Here's how the early odds shape up for Offensive Rookie of the Year, as well as our first initial looks on who we'd bet and fade.PlayerOddsQB Trevor Lawrence (JAX)+300QB Justin Fields (CHI)+600QB Trey Lance (SF)+600QB Zach Wilson (NYJ)+700RB Najee Harris (PIT)+1000WR Ja'Marr Chase (CIN)+1100TE Kyle Pitts (ATL)+1100QB Mac Jones (NE)+1200WR DeVonta Smith (PHI)+1400WR Jaylen Waddle (MIA)+1600RB Travis Etienne (JAX)+2500RB Trey Sermon (SF)+2500RB Michael Carter (NYJ)+3300WR Kadarius Toney (NYG)+3300RB Javonte Williams (DEN)+3300WR Rashod Bateman (BAL)+4000WR Elijah Moore (NYJ)+4000WR Terrace Marshall Jr. (CAR)+5000WR Rondale Moore (ARI)+6000Best betsJustin Fields (+600)This is the best value of the quarterbacks. Fields' dual-threat abilities offer huge upside and he'll likely see more action than Lance. Plus, if the Packers trade Aaron Rodgers out of the NFC North, the Bears become that much more intriguing.Ja'Marr Chase (+1100)There's a reason he was the first receiver off the board. Chase - who led the nation in receiving yards (1780) and touchdowns (20) for LSU in 2019 - is the most all-around weapon in this class, and one that won't necessarily need Joe Burrow under center right away to flourish.Volume won't be an issue, either. Cincinnati passed the ball at the fifth-highest rate in head coach Zac Taylor's first season two years ago, while Burrow put up a whopping 40.4 attempts per game in 2020 before hitting the shelf.Players to avoidTrey Lance (+600)Lance would likely be second in this field behind Trevor Lawrence if a starting job was guaranteed. Right now, Jimmy Garoppolo is an overwhelming -400 favorite to be under center for the 49ers in Week 1, meaning the No. 3 overall pick could miss out on valuable time early.Jaylen Waddle (+1600)Waddle may not see as many touches per game as Chase or Smith as a rookie, but he'll dazzle whenever he does. Unfortunately, this hasn't been the formula for winning the award.The splashy, big-play skill players rarely draw support in this market, save for Percy Harvin in 2009 and to a lesser extent, Odell Beckham Jr. in 2014 (he caught 91 passes).Tua Tagovailoa was one of the worst quarterbacks in yards per attempt in 2020 and Waddle won't get a huge share of touches alongside DeVante Parker, Will Fuller, and Mike Gesicki.SleeperRashod Bateman (+4000)Bateman was going to be a steal for any team picking late in the first round, but there wasn't a better fit than the Ravens. They've been starving for consistency at wide receiver, and Bateman's versatility - he'll play both in the slot and outside - will keep him on the field.Marquise Brown led the team with a paltry 58 catches in 2020 and it's only a matter of time until Bateman overtakes him as WR1 on Baltimore's roster. This is insane value at 40-1.Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ben Roethlisberger is set to return for his 18th season with the Pittsburgh Steelers this fall, though questions regarding the veteran passer's productivity and durability raise the possibility that it could be his last campaign.Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis, his former teammate, doesn't believe that will be the case."I don't get a sense of that," Bettis told "The Jake Asman Show" on SportsMap Radio. "I think Ben - under the right circumstances, if they can provide a running game and support - then I think you can see him another year or another two years. I think he still has the ability to throw the football down the football field."You saw in those 11 games when they were undefeated that he did a good job of getting the football to the receiver and letting them make plays."The 39-year-old Roethlisberger helped lead the Steelers to an AFC North title behind 3,803 yards, 33 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in 15 games. It was a bounce-back campaign after he missed all but two games of the 2019 season due to an elbow injury. Pittsburgh passed for 250 yards per game but finished 30th with 6.3 yards per attempt.The quarterback restructured his contract this offseason to provide the Steelers with some salary-cap wiggle room in 2021. Roethlisberger agreed to a $5-million pay cut in a deal that features four voidable years and expires after next season.While Bettis believes Roethlisberger can still make the same throws he did during his prime, he said it would require a decrease in pass attempts to prolong Roethlisberger's career."If you ask him to throw the football 20-25 times, I think he can do that for another two years," Bettis said. "But if you're asking him to throw the football for 40 times a game, then yes, this will probably be his last year. Because physically, I don't think him at that age is going to be able to do that consistently for 17 weeks and then ask him to do it for a second year."Bettis also suggested that improving a Steelers rushing attack that finished last in the league in rushing yards and yards per carry would aid Roethlisberger's career longevity. The Hall of Famer was pleased with Pittsburgh drafting Alabama tailback Najee Harris in the first round."You know what, I wasn't surprised," Bettis said. "I thought that that was definitely an area of need and they addressed it in a very, very big way. I thought Najee Harris is the best running back in the country and I thought, you know, for the Steelers to be able to get him where they were drafting at was a steal. So, I think he's going to have a bright future and I'm excited."For more, check out SportsMapRadio.com streaming live.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Baltimore Ravens and free-agent offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva agreed to a two-year contract, the team announced Tuesday.The deal is worth $14 million and includes $8 million fully guaranteed, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.It was previously reported the Ravens were eyeing the former Pittsburgh Steelers standout as a replacement for Orlando Brown, with the two sides waiting until after the draft to complete the deal.Baltimore sent Brown to the Kansas City Chiefs on April 23 in exchange for a package that included the Chiefs' 2021 first-round pick.Villanueva will move to right tackle after playing on the left side of Pittsburgh's offensive line for the last six seasons. He made the Pro Bowl in 2017 and 2018.Pro Bowler Ronnie Stanley is set to return to the Ravens' left tackle spot after a season-ending ankle injury in November. Brown took over from Stanley but didn't want to move back to right tackle and asked for a trade from Baltimore.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jimmy Garoppolo spoke publicly for the first time Tuesday after the San Francisco 49ers drafted Trey Lance with the third overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, and it seems he's ready to help his new teammate.Garoppolo has been the subject of trade rumors since the end of the 2020 season. The 29-year-old quarterback played in just six games last year after suffering a high ankle sprain, and 49ers general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan previously cited Garoppolo's injury history in their decision to seek out another passer.Despite the new competition, Garoppolo is prepared to show his heir apparent what it takes to be an NFL starter."It's kind of coming full circle," Garoppolo said on the "Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin show" on ESPN Radio, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "You go through this NFL career, and you start as a young guy coming in.He added: "I try to use my own personal experiences and just what I went through, what helped me, what challenged me as a young player. I'm going to use those tools that helped me and try to help Trey out."Drafted with high expectations when the New England Patriots selected him in the second round of the 2014 draft, Garoppolo entered the NFL in a similar position as Lance: He also found himself competing with an established veteran in future Hall of Fame passer Tom Brady."Tom kind of showed me the ropes. The competition between us was awesome," Garoppolo said. "It really made me grow as a rookie and as a young player."So, that's kind of what me and Trey - we'll mold our relationship into that. But it will happen naturally. It's one of those things you can't force anything. Just let it come as it may."Garoppolo amassed 1,096 passing yards and seven touchdowns against five interceptions while completing 67% of his pass attempts across six contests in 2020.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams broke a small bone in his foot and will likely have surgery that will sideline him for 8-to-10 weeks, sources told NFL Networks's Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo.Williams sustained the injury during on-field work at the Jets' team facility last week, Garafolo adds.The 23-year-old will reportedly miss OTAs and minicamp, but he's apparently expected to be fully healthy by training camp and ready for the regular season.Williams is entering his third NFL campaign and figures to be a focal point of the Jets' defense in 2021. He tallied 55 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and seven sacks last season.The Alabama product will team up with offseason additions Sheldon Rankins, Carl Lawson, and Vinny Curry on New York's defensive line to help improve a defense that allowed 28.6 points per game in 2020.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and has finished among the top seven each of the last seven years.Follow the links below to see his updated 2021 rankings.Half PPR

Top-tier free agents have been signed, schedules have been released, and all 32 teams have added to their rosters through the draft. It's time to start diving into how teams stack up in the NFL futures market.Following the offseason madness, here's which teams I'd buy or sell right now.Buy - Washington Football TeamWashington's offseason wasn't sexy. But it didn't need to be. Last year, the defense ranked No. 3 in DVOA, PFF graded the offensive line as its sixth-best unit, and the skill corps found two anchors in wide receiver Terry McLaurin and tight end Logan Thomas.All Washington needed was average play at quarterback after the unit clocked out at No. 30 in yards per attempt (5.8), No. 28 in passer rating (80.0), and No. 21 in completion percentage (64.3%). It got the boost it needed in Ryan Fitzpatrick, whose PFF grade from 2019-20 was nearly 10 points higher than any Washington quarterback who took more than 250 drop-backs in the same time frame.On paper, this is the NFC East's most complete team. After crushing it at the draft, the franchise should be on its way to a second straight divisional title. The sky's the limit, especially in a conference that might not include Aaron Rodgers this season.Sell - Steelers The Steelers were all over the place in 2020.They began the year 8-0 but were the fourth-luckiest team since 1960. Naturally, Pittsburgh regressed and finished 12-4 during the regular season before crumbling in the first round of the playoffs to the Browns. The Steelers should've been a 10.7-win team overall when factoring in point differential.They made a couple of attractive picks on paper in the draft, but it's not going to move the needle. Najee Harris will bulldoze three or four defenders per game, but Pittsburgh was also the outcast that plucked the first running back on Day 1 because, well, the position group was just that bad last year.All in all, the Steelers are regression candidates - they were projected for only 10.7 wins in 2020. Plus, no matter how you slice it, they have an uphill battle: Pittsburgh plays the most difficult schedule based on last year's opponents' win percentage, the third toughest by this season's win totals and the fourth toughest when using current Super Bowl odds.Buy - Falcons I'm more bullish on Washington in the long run, but Atlanta could also do some damage this season.The Falcons were easy fades last year in a strong division, but is this the year they turn it around? The franchise has gone under its win total in three straight years, missing the mark by at least two victories in all three campaigns.If there's any silver lining for last season's 4-12 squad, it should've been a 7.5-win team based on point differential - that's some solid work considering Atlanta had the NFL's fifth-toughest schedule.The Falcons didn't blow the draft out of the water, but their early picks patched up their primary problems: Safety Richie Grant helps out a secondary that ranked No. 30 in explosive pass rate last season, and Jalen Mayfield could be the Day 1 left guard.Atlanta also landed the best non-quarterback in the draft with tight end Kyle Pitts. Plus, the team draws the third-easiest schedule when taking into account last year's combined opponents' winning percentage.This might be a sneaky-good bandwagon to jump on.Sell - JetsGeneral manager Joe Douglas is putting on a clinic constructing the Jets' roster. I love New York's long-term outlook as the front office continues to shore up the team, but I feel the market's going to be high on a franchise that's still a ways away.The Jets went 2-14 last season, and that's not even the saddest part: They weren't even a full win better than their Pythagorean record (2.8-13.2). New York got a much-needed facelift this spring, but will rookie signal-caller Zach Wilson and Co. be able to pile on five or even six more wins in a division where all three other teams improved?The future's bright, but this ain't the year.Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah's fall out of the first round was one of the biggest surprises of the NFL draft. ​Owusu-Koramoah, who theScore ranked 15th overall, was taken 52nd overall by the Cleveland Browns. However, there may be an explanation for his declining stock.Many teams expressed concern over a heart issue that came up late in the process, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Despite doctors clearing him, it contributed to Owusu-Koramoah dropping to the second round.Browns general manager Andrew Berry was happy to trade up to the middle of the second round to select the linebacker."I think we probably had a building of maybe 30 people all pacing together. We certainly did not expect him to be there when he was. We are fortunate he was and think he is going to add something to our team," Berry said.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.