Running back Leonard Fournette is apparently confused by comments suggesting his days with the Jacksonville Jaguars are numbered."I'm still under the (impression) that Leonard is gone," Mark Long of The Associated Press said Sunday on ESPN690AM. "I don't think Leonard plays another down for this franchise. I think he's absolutely on the trading block. I think that whatever they can get for him, they will get for him."Long, who covers both the Jaguars and Gators, also criticized Fournette for possibly recruiting free-agent quarterback Cam Newton last week.The 2017 first-round pick responded to Long:

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.The AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year is always interesting because the criteria to win the award is so broad. The player can be returning from an injury (Ben Roethlisberger), suspension (Myles Garrett), or disappointing season (Andy Dalton).Here are the odds to earn the distinction in 2020, along with a few bets to consider or fade.PlayerOddsBen Roethlisberger+250J.J. Watt+500A.J. Green+600Nick Foles+600Cam Newton+750Matthew Stafford+750Myles Garrett+1100Andy Dalton+3300C.J. Mosley+3300DeSean Jackson+3300Joe Flacco+3300Jordan Reed+5000Malcolm Butler+5000Akiem Hicks+6000Alex Smith+6000Alshon Jeffery+6000Bradley Chubb+6000Antonio Brown+6000Odds for players +6000 or shorter.A.J. Green (+600)Green is the third favorite behind Roethlisberger and J.J. Watt. While Green certainly has the talent to win the award, there are a couple of things working against him. The obvious issue is health, as Green played just nine games last season and 10 in 2017. He'll also likely be playing with a rookie quarterback in Joe Burrow. Green has just one 80-reception campaign since 2014, and even if Burrow has a strong rookie year, it will be difficult for him to reach that mark in 2020. Pass at +600.Nick Foles (+600)Instead of taking Green at 6-1, consider Foles at the same price. It seems like the Bears and head coach Matt Nagy want anyone other than Mitchell Trubisky to start at quarterback, so Foles has the inside track to win the job.Assuming he does, Foles enters a good situation in Chicago. The Bears are projected to have one of the NFL's top defenses, and the signal-caller has underrated weapons at his disposal in receivers Allen Robinson and Anthony Miller along with versatile running back Tarik Cohen. If the Bears recapture the NFC North title behind Foles, he'll be a strong contender for the award.Myles Garrett (+1100)Garrett at 11-1 is the best bet on the board. He appeared on his way to a career season in 2019 before he was suspended for trying to knock Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph's head off with his helmet.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.With the 2020 NFL Draft less than a month away, we’ve had time to go over prospects' game tape, analyze their athletic testing, watch interviews, and assemble as many puzzle pieces as possible to project what their professional careers will look like.As we wait to find out how NFL front offices value the incoming crop of rookies, the process of translating available information to help us make fantasy decisions can begin.Landing spots will have a major fantasy impact in terms of a player's opportunity, draft capital, the coaching he receives, and the team culture. A promising athlete drafted into a positive environment can reach his full potential, while the same player may never overcome his situation on the wrong team.The range of outcomes is vast, but let's start this series by looking at the quarterbacks most likely to become fantasy relevant at the next level.Potential franchise-changerJoe Burrow, LSUKevin C. Cox / Getty Images Sport / GettyComing off a fairy tale season that ended with a national championship, Burrow is a lock to be the first overall pick.He may have logged just one year of elite production, but it was one of the best statistical campaigns we've ever seen from a college quarterback. Burrow set the FBS record for passing touchdowns (60), while also leading the nation in passing yards (5,671), completion percentage (76.3%), adjusted passing yards per attempt (12.5), and passing efficiency rating (202.0).The Heisman Trophy winner profiles as a franchise quarterback who will make those around him better after shining against quality competition in 2019 and carrying himself with confidence while displaying a vast football IQ.Though his arm strength isn't elite, Burrow possesses enough power to complete any throw. He's shown good accuracy and touch, often placing the ball where only his receiver can make a play.Bengals fans worried about the team's offensive line impacting their new QB should take solace in the fact Burrow excels at sensing pressure and either stepping up, rolling out, or running. His ability to extend plays will be fun to watch as the 23-year-old tests himself against the sport's best defenders.However, Burrow isn't without his flaws. He's at least a year older than most of the other quarterbacks in this class. By comparison, Sam Darnold is entering his age-23 season with two NFL campaigns already in the books. We're not talking about a Chris Weinke or Brandon Weeden situation, but Burrow's age is something to keep in mind, especially with just one year of success on his resume.Overall, perhaps in part due to his age, Burrow seems extremely prepared to take the next step in his career.Fantasy outlook: Unlike most prospects, we know with a degree of certainty where Burrow will be playing in the fall, and the Bengals are an underrated landing spot for his fantasy potential.Cincy features an offensive-minded coach in Zac Taylor and a strong set of skill position players in A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd, and Joe Mixon. If tackle Jonah Williams, Cincinnati's first-round pick last year, can return to full health - accompanied by a couple of more upgrades on the line - Burrow will get a chance to deliver immediately.He's not fast enough to be a true rushing threat in the pros. But he'll provide sufficient yardage on the ground to boost his fantasy value as a QB2 with some upside in Year 1, then develop into a possible QB1 down the road.Injury questionsTua Tagovailoa, AlabamaKevin C. Cox / Getty Images Sport / GettyA healthy version of Tagovailoa would belong in the section above with Burrow. Unfortunately, his history of ankle surgeries and a very serious hip injury suffered last season make him a more volatile prospect. That's forcing interested teams to make a decision about his draft stock during an unorthodox offseason when private workouts and individual medical testing aren't permitted.Tagovailoa continues to rehab, and he recently shared a clip of what appears to be very positive progress on social media:

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.NFL Players Association medical director Thom Mayer said Monday he's hopeful the 2020 season will take place despite the coronavirus pandemic that's forced other major sports leagues to shut down."So OTAs, probably not going to happen. As you know, the clubs are closed for now and will remain closed for a while. But I'm very optimistic," Mayer said.Mayer said on "The Adam Schefter Podcast" the league and the players' union will know more about the viability of playing this season as scheduled in late May or early June.The medical director, who was the command physician at the Pentagon on 9/11, said every NFL team is located near a COVID-19 hotspot, with the possible exception of the Green Bay Packers."So all that stuff on our side is going through, and obviously we've encouraged the league to do their side and to provide a safe environment, including how do we play games and what that might look like," Mayer said. "So I'm optimistic by nature. We're smart people in America, and I think we can get this done."All NFL teams were told to close their facilities until at least April 8 in a response to the ongoing pandemic.The 2020 draft is set to go ahead as scheduled April 23-25, though the NFL has yet to confirm its plans for the presentation following the decision not to hold public events in Las Vegas.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have been contacted by multiple unspecified teams regarding a trade for franchise-tagged defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.While Ngakoue has publicly said he wants to leave Jacksonville, Garafolo added that the Jaguars "value him and won’t give him away for little return, but it'll be interesting to see how this plays out as we draw closer to the draft."On Tuesday, the 25-year-old repeated his desire for a trade while quote tweeting Garafolo's report:

In a free-agent market where record-breaking deals are signed every year, teams deserve credit when they manage to land solid players on more affordable terms.After two weeks of 2020 free agency, these 10 contracts appear to be the best values for the franchises that signed them.WR Robby Anderson ➡️ Carolina PanthersContract: 2 years, $20 million ($12 million guaranteed)In the Panthers' attempt to reinforce quarterback Teddy Bridgewater's offense, they acquired Anderson for just $10 million annually - less than the $12 million to $15 million per year the wideout was reportedly seeking.Anderson is one of only eight receivers who posted at least 50 catches, 700 receiving yards, and five touchdowns in each of the last three seasons. He's earning the lowest average salary among that group, with Chargers star Keenan Allen coming in next at $11.25 million.However, the deal also carries some upside for Anderson, as he's set to hit free agency again at the age of 28.LB Cory Littleton ➡️ Las Vegas RaidersContract: 3 years, $35.25 million ($22 million guaranteed)Littleton provides a great combination of pass coverage and tackling ability, as he averaged 84 tackles, 11 passes defensed, and almost four sacks per year over the last two seasons. That made him this offseason's top available linebacker.But at $11.75 million annually, Littleton won't be paid significantly more than fellow free-agent linebackers Joe Schobert (five years, $53.75 million with the Jaguars) and Blake Martinez (three years, $30.75 million with the Giants), even though he has much more to offer.Littleton's deal is also more team-friendly than those inked by C.J. Mosley ($17 million per year with the Jets) and Kwon Alexander ($13.5 million per year with the 49ers) last year.TE Eric Ebron ➡️ Pittsburgh SteelersContract: 2 years, $12 million ($5 million guaranteed)Ebron's contract went in the opposite direction of where the tight end market has been trending this offseason. Greg Olsen agreed to $7 million annually with the Seahawks, Tyler Eifert got $7.7 million per year from the Jaguars, and Jimmy Graham landed $8 million per season from the Bears. Austin Hooper, meanwhile, signed a record deal worth $10.5 million annually with the Browns.Overall, Ebron's average salary ranks just 18th among tight ends. While he's coming off a subpar campaign (31 catches, 375 yards, and three TDs), he amassed 14 total touchdowns and made the Pro Bowl in 2018.He probably won't replicate that production in 2020, but Ebron is still a 26-year-old who's averaged almost 50 receptions per year throughout his career.CB Chris Harris Jr. ➡️ Los Angeles ChargersContract: 2 years, $17 million ($9.5 million guaranteed)After reportedly declining a three-year, $36-million extension from the Broncos last year, Harris stayed in the AFC West as a member of the Chargers for a much lower price.One of the greatest slot corners in NFL history, the four-time Pro Bowler played mostly outside in 2019, which likely explains why his production took a hit. However, the 30-year-old Harris still has something left in the tank, and his new annual salary ranks only 24th among cornerbacks.While the league slightly underpays slot corners, this is a great deal for the Chargers, who now feature perhaps the most complete secondary in football.OT Bryan Bulaga ➡️ Los Angeles ChargersContract: 3 years, $30 million ($19.25 million guaranteed)This may seem like a lot of money for a 31-year-old who's battled injuries throughout his career, but Bulaga showed he's still a solid right tackle last year while playing a full regular season for the first time since 2016.The Chargers, whose offensive line struggled in 2019, can also get out of this contract at two years and $19.25 million, making it even less of a risk.Meanwhile, unproven offensive tackles Halapoulivaati Vaitai and George Fant will both make $9 million per year on deals signed elsewhere this offseason.CB Mackenzie Alexander ➡️ Cincinnati BengalsContract: 1 year, $4 million ($1.5 million guaranteed)Alexander continued to emerge with the Vikings in 2019, and the former second-round pick entered free agency as one of the better slot corners available - even if his one-year pact suggests otherwise. Over the last two seasons, he held opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating below 85 while in coverage.Cincinnati may have to think about a bigger contract for the 26-year-old in the near future, but for now, the club can reap the rewards of signing a defensive back who's entering his prime to a salary that would normally be paid to a declining player.WR Emmanuel Sanders ➡️ New Orleans SaintsContract: 2 years, $16 millionSanders turned 33 this offseason, but landing him for an average salary of $8 million was a great move by the Saints, who addressed an area of need for a relatively low price.Good comparisons can be made with DeSean Jackson ($9.3 million with the Eagles), Golden Tate ($9.37 million with the Giants), and even Larry Fitzgerald ($11 million with the Cardinals), who all signed new deals beyond the age of 30 in the last two offseasons.In 2019, Sanders amassed 66 receptions for 869 yards and five touchdowns. He also played 17 regular-season games due to a midseason trade from Denver to San Francisco - shutting down injury concerns in the process - and then helped the 49ers reach Super Bowl LIV.S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix ➡️ Dallas CowboysContract: 1 year, $4 million ($2.5 million guaranteed)The Cowboys made a smart move by adding Clinton-Dix's versatility to their secondary after losing some important defensive players. The 27-year-old hasn't lived up to his first-round pedigree, but he's coming off a solid campaign with the Bears and signed a cheap deal in Dallas.Additionally, Clinton-Dix has played in every possible game since entering the league in 2014. He posted 78 tackles, five passes defensed, and two interceptions last season.In comparison, the Texans gave safety Eric Murray $6 million per year this offseason - the same annual salary that Tre Boston and Vonn Bell will earn with the Panthers and Bengals, respectively. Elsewhere, the 49ers re-signed Jimmie Ward to an extension worth $9.5 million per year.DT Javon Hargrave ➡️ Philadelphia EaglesContract: 3 years, $39 million ($25.5 million guaranteed)Hargrave is coming off the best pass-rushing campaign of his four-year career, as he amassed 60 tackles - including seven for a loss - and four sacks with the Steelers in 2019.Though Hargrave's contract carries big numbers, it was inked in a hot market for interior defensive linemen. For instance, fellow free agent D.J. Reader signed a deal worth $13.25 million annually with the Bengals. Reader is solid against the run, but his pass-rushing ability is not at Hargrave's level.RB Jordan Howard ➡️ Miami DolphinsContract: 2 years, $9.75 million ($4.75 million guaranteed)The value of an NFL running back is always up for debate, but paying $4.87 million annually to Howard looks like a great deal for Miami.Melvin Gordon and Todd Gurley were the only high-profile running backs to sign free-agent deals this offseason, and their contract terms were significantly higher: Gordon inked a two-year, $16-million pact with the Broncos, while the Falcons will pay $6 million to Gurley in 2020 despite reports that his knee looks "very bad."Howard hasn't been able to replicate his great rookie production from 2016, but his numbers have remained pretty good. He was averaging 4.4 yards per carry in 2019 before suffering a shoulder injury, and he's posted 1,093 yards (4.3 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns on the ground per 16 games over his career. Additionally, the 25-year-old hasn't even reached 1,000 career touches yet, which means he should have plenty of juice left in his legs.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Denver Broncos signed Melvin Gordon in free agency with the intention of pairing him with Phillip Lindsay to form a "one-two punch." But Lindsay has no intention of resigning himself to being option No. 2."When camp comes around, it's going to be a battle," Lindsay told Mike Klis of 9News. "I'm not just going to sit there and give somebody the job. They can. But I'm going to go out there and I'm going to battle."Gordon may have a leg up on the competition, considering he's a two-time Pro Bowler who signed a two-year, $16-million deal. Lindsay is a former Pro Bowler in his own right, but he's scheduled to make just $750,000 in base salary in 2020 before becoming a restricted free agent in 2021.The 5-foot-8 running back is used to playing the underdog role, however."I've heard this stuff my whole entire life. And it's never, ever panned out how everybody has wanted it to pan out," Lindsay said. "Until someone proves me wrong, I'm going to continue to do what I do."Lindsay does have Gordon beat in a couple of areas. While Lindsay broke 1,000 yards in each of his two seasons, Gordon has only reached that plateau once in his five years. Lindsay also averaged 4.5 and 5.4 yards per carry in 2019 and 2018, respectively. Gordon has seasons of 3.5, 3.9, 3.9, 5.1, and 3.8 yards per carry.Lindsay said Gordon is not his "enemy," but also left what could be viewed as a parting shot."At the end of the day, I don't need 20 carries to make 100 yards. I don't think I've ever had 20 carries," he said.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Giants have gone a dismal 9-23 with Dave Gettleman as their general manager, and he may not have much longer to improve that record.In response to a fan's question about Gettleman's future with the team, Jay Glazer of The Athletic stated that 2020 is a make-or-break season for the embattled executive."He made a case to ownership to come back. He presented a plan for how he'll turn it around in a year. That needs to happen. If it doesn't happen, he'll be gone, and rightfully so," Glazer wrote.Gettleman was brought aboard ahead of the 2018 campaign, along with head coach Pat Shurmur. The Giants have finished 5-11 and 4-12 in the time since, resulting in Shurmur's firing at the end of the 2019 season.Gettleman was retained for the 2020 campaign "and hopefully for many years after that," co-owner John Mara said at the time.In the two seasons under Gettleman, the Giants traded away star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. and replaced franchise icon Eli Manning with Daniel Jones. They also used the second pick in the 2018 draft on running back Saquon Barkley, who went on to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.Gettleman said at the close of the 2019 season that he's ready to embrace analytics and new ways of thinking to improve the franchise's fortunes."If he doesn't follow through, it's time to go," Glazer said. "I would hope that Gettleman has also learned a bit about himself and his interactions with people during this process. Anytime you're on the hot seat, you have to look inside yourself and say, 'What's my responsibility in this?' and make changes."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tua Tagovailoa is ready to begin his NFL journey."Tua is fully cleared and ready to compete without any restrictions," said Steinberg Sports & Entertainment president Chris Cabott, whose firm represents Tagovailoa, according to Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports.The former Alabama signal-caller's condition has steadily improved since he underwent hip surgery in November.Tagovailoa was expected to be healthy by April and his rehabilitation process has seemingly gone as planned.He was considered a candidate to be selected first overall in the 2020 NFL Draft before suffering a dislocated hip and associated fracture midway through last season.Tagovailoa intended to hold an individual pro day on April 9, but the event was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.He shared a video last week of his progress:

NFL safety Eric Reid wants a new vote on the league's collective bargaining agreement after it was discovered language in the CBA was changed following its approval.

The NFL Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's football editors.1. Kansas City ChiefsJamie Squire / Getty Images Sport / Getty2019 record: 12-4, won Super BowlThe reigning Super Bowl champions have been quiet in free agency, mostly due to the lack of cap space. But the team easily keeps its top spot thanks to retaining Chris Jones via the tag and owning the NFL's best quarterback.2. New Orleans Saints2019 record: 13-3, lost in wild-card roundDrew Brees is back and has arguably the best one-two punch at receiver he's had in his career thanks to the addition of Emmanuel Sanders.3. Baltimore Ravens2019 record: 14-2, lost in divisional roundThe Ravens' 2019 campaign ended far earlier than most predicted. But the AFC North kings have set themselves up for a redemptive campaign with a strong start to the offseason, highlighted by the trade for pass-rusher Calais Campbell.4. San Francisco 49ers2019 record: 13-3, lost in Super BowlThe 49ers lost star defensive lineman DeForest Buckner, but the first-round pick received in exchange gives the NFC champions even more ammo to take advantage of a wideout-loaded draft class.5. Seattle SeahawksGrant Halverson / Getty Images Sport / Getty2019 record: 11-5, lost in divisional roundThe Seahawks added weapons for Russell Wilson, depth to the offensive line, and reinforced the secondary by trading for Quinton Dunbar. If Jadeveon Clowney can be re-signed for a below-market rate, Seattle will be among the early big winners of free agency.6. Green Bay Packers2019 record: 13-3, lost in NFC championshipA year after splurging to fix the defense, the Packers focused on cheaper, low-risk signings like wideout Devin Funchess. That means the pressure will be on to get Aaron Rodgers some more playmakers in the draft.7. Buffalo Bills2019 record: 10-6, lost in wild-card roundSean McDermott's club looks poised to take over the AFC East after reeling in Stefon Diggs and Mario Addison, among others, while watching Tom Brady finally leave the division.8. Tennessee Titans2019 record: 9-7, lost in AFC championshipThe Titans have a lot of money riding on the hope quarterback Ryan Tannehill and running back Derrick Henry can replicate their career numbers from 2019.9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers2019 record: 7-9, missed playoffsThanks to the blockbuster addition of Tom Brady, the Bucs find themselves in an unfamiliar position: a legitimate threat in the NFC South and a potential conference power.10. Philadelphia EaglesGregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport / Getty2019 record: 9-7, lost in wild-card roundThe Eagles still have concerns at wide receiver and on defense, but they addressed their greatest weakness by acquiring cornerbacks Darius Slay and Nickell Robey-Coleman.11. Pittsburgh Steelers2019 record: 8-8, missed playoffsOutside of signing tight end Eric Ebron to an affordable deal, the Steelers have sat on the sidelines as they usually do. But their inactivity makes sense - the defense is already championship-caliber and Ben Roethlisberger's play upon his return will make or break the offense.12. Dallas Cowboys2019 record: 8-8, missed playoffsTalent was never an issue for the Cowboys, a team that should be able to absorb the losses of Byron Jones and Travis Frederick without collapsing. The issue was always coaching, and Dallas rectified that by replacing Jason Garrett with Mike McCarthy, who is competent at the very least.13. Indianapolis Colts2019 record: 7-9, missed playoffsPhilip Rivers represents the polar opposite of Jacoby Brissett. A little more excitement on offense might be enough for the Colts to make the leap and become a playoff team.14. Arizona Cardinals2019 record: 5-10-1, missed playoffsNot even the most optimistic Cardinals fan would've expected a better first wave of free agency. Arizona not only kept some important players of its own but also added one of the NFL's premier receivers in DeAndre Hopkins without losing its first-round pick in the draft.15. Minnesota VikingsJonathan Bachman / Getty Images Sport / Getty2019 record: 10-6, lost in divisional roundStefon Diggs finally got his wish to leave Minnesota, and the team also lost or released a host of longtime defenders. Expect Mike Zimmer and the new-look Vikings to rely even more heavily on running back Dalvin Cook in 2020.16. Houston Texans2019 record: 10-6, lost in divisional roundIt's hard to envision the Texans making another run at the AFC title game without their former homegrown star DeAndre Hopkins.17. Las Vegas Raiders2019 record: 7-9, missed playoffsThe Raiders solved one of their biggest weaknesses by signing linebackers Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski. They also added a lot of depth as the team continues a strong rebuilding project under Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock.18. New England Patriots2019 record: 12-4, lost in wild-card roundThe Patriots will return most of the players from their top-ranked defense, but it's hard to see how they sniff another Super Bowl with Jarrett Stidham or Brian Hoyer at quarterback.19. Los Angeles Rams2019 record: 9-7, missed playoffsTodd Gurley's departure raises big questions regarding the Rams' backfield, while the losses of pass-rusher Dante Fowler and breakout linebacker Cory Littleton could expose Los Angeles' defensive issues even more.20. Denver BroncosIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty2019 record: 7-9, missed playoffsThe Broncos filled a bunch of holes with smart trades and signings. Most notably, John Elway got second-year quarterback Drew Lock a new center and formed one of the league's deepest backfields by signing Melvin Gordon.21. Los Angeles Chargers2019 record: 5-11, missed playoffsThe Chargers are one quarterback away from having perhaps the best free agency this offseason. The team added new assets to areas of need, such as cornerback Chris Harris Jr., and important depth to an already solid roster.22. Chicago Bears2019 record: 8-8, missed playoffsThe Bears couldn't go into 2020 with only Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback. But in a market stuffed with starting-caliber passers, was trading a fourth-round pick for Nick Foles and his bloated contract really the best Plan B?23. Cleveland Browns2019 record: 6-10, missed playoffsBaker Mayfield's supporting cast is improved thanks to the additions of tight end Austin Hooper and right tackle Jack Conklin, though at a steep cost. But after spectacularly failing to live up to lofty expectations in 2019, the Browns will need to do more to convince they're ready to contend in the AFC.24. Atlanta Falcons2019 record: 7-9, missed playoffsThe Falcons have a new starting running back in Todd Gurley and are soon to reveal new uniforms, but will it be the same old problems with Dan Quinn entering his sixth season?25. Detroit LionsScott Taetsch / Getty Images Sport / Getty2019 record: 3-12-1, missed playoffsMatt Patricia continues to hoard every former Patriots player on the market and drove star cornerback Darius Slay out of town. Lions fans better hope Matthew Stafford's back is healthy enough to carry this team once again.26. Carolina Panthers2019 record: 5-11, missed playoffsThis is Christian McCaffrey's team now. Teddy Bridgewater and Robby Anderson are along to bridge the gap between two eras.27. Miami Dolphins2019 record: 5-11, missed playoffsSlowly but surely, the Dolphins are getting better. Key word - slowly. Byron Jones and Kyle Van Noy will make this team more competitive, but there's still considerable work to be done.28. New York Giants2019 record: 4-12, missed playoffsThe Giants added some nice role players like cornerback James Bradberry and linebacker Blake Martinez, but still don't have enough cornerstones to contend in the NFC East.29. New York Jets2019 record: 7-9, missed playoffsAll those needs and all that cap space, and the Jets' biggest acquisition was ... George Fant? Yikes.30. Cincinnati BengalsIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty2019 record: 2-14, missed playoffsThe Bengals better hope Joe Burrow can pick up where he left off at LSU because their costly dips into free agency have produced mixed results at best.31. Jacksonville Jaguars2019 record: 6-10, missed playoffsWhen Gardner Minshew returns from his cross-country RV trip, he'll learn he's the unquestioned starting quarterback of a barren team.32. Washington Redskins2019 record: 3-13, missed playoffsSomehow, the Redskins may have gotten worse. They added nothing of significance to a roster that went 3-13 last year and traded away disgruntled cornerback Quinton Dunbar.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Houston Texans and left tackle Laremy Tunsil have begun negotiations for a multi-year contract extension, a source told ESPN's Josina Anderson.The Texans' preliminary offer to Tunsil is worth $18.5 million per season, according to the Houston Chronicle's Aaron Wilson. However, Tunsil's counteroffer to Houston was reportedly significantly higher.The proposed deal from the Texans would make Tunsil the highest-paid offensive tackle in the league, passing Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson's $18 million annual salary. Indianapolis Colts veteran Anthony Castonzo set a new bar for left tackles at $16.5 million prior to the start of free agency.The Texans traded two first-round picks and a second-rounder to the Miami Dolphins for Tunsil last August. The 25-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is set to earn $10.35 million.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It would be fair to assume the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, one of the NFL's least successful franchises, needed to sell themselves in their meeting with legendary quarterback Tom Brady.But Bucs general manager Jason Licht says the six-time Super Bowl champion made the sales pitch during their first talk after free agency began."We had a great conversation - (head coach) Bruce (Arians) and I - we talked to him for over an hour and a half. And he made it clear in the conversation that he was very, very interested," Licht said Monday on "Get Up," according to ESPN's Jenna Laine."It was almost like a recruitment on his part, telling us why it would make sense for him to come to Tampa Bay. The next call we made, we signed him, but it was at that phone call that we realized, that we felt like we had him," he added.Brady made the stunning decision to leave the New England Patriots following an unprecedented 20-year run.Speculation about Brady's future dominated the NFL news cycle prior to free agency, with the Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, and Tennessee Titans widely regarded as the most likely landing spots.But the Bucs swooped in late to secure the passer on a two-year deal reportedly worth $50 million fully guaranteed, with another $9 million available in incentives.Some failed to connect Brady to Tampa Bay partly because of the questionable stylistic fit with Arians. However, Licht is confident the 42-year-old can thrive in the head coach's downfield-oriented scheme."The tape showed to us that he had plenty of arm. In fact, we thought that he had an ideal arm for Bruce in his system," Licht said. "He can still throw it deep. We felt like the mobility was still the same as he's always had, which, he's never been able to outrun anybody. But he certainly is good in the pocket in terms of eluding pressure and with his poise and his instincts."We did not see a decline in his arm talent whatsoever. And, in fact, we feel like he could still play for over two years for us, and hopefully that's the case."Brady changed teams for the first time after producing one of the worst statistical seasons of his storied career in 2019. The future Hall of Famer threw for 4,057 yards and 24 touchdowns with eight interceptions while completing 60.8% of his pass attempts.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tyrod Taylor is a strong candidate to start at quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020, and the signal-caller thinks he could make the most of the opportunity."We have a lot of talent on our team," Taylor said, according to Gilbert Manzano of the Orange County Register. "If I am the guy that would be calling the shots, I know for sure that we'll go out and turn a lot of heads."Taylor added, "I've spoken with our coaches. There hasn't been anything that's been directly told to me (about starting), but I guess through our conversations you get a hint of where the team is going as far as personnel, and ... I can't control what moves would be made and I won't look to control them. "The Chargers are set to begin a new era following the departure of Philip Rivers after 16 seasons with the team. Los Angeles reportedly plans to move forward with Taylor, who served as Rivers' backup last season.The Chargers are also a possible destination for a top rookie quarterback, as they currently own the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and they could still sign a veteran.The team was rumored to be interested in Cam Newton after Taylor posted a photo of him working out with the former MVP, but Taylor said the session had nothing to do with the Chargers."Me and Cam have been really good friends since college days. ... So I was working out, and I guess just because of everything going around free agency, I didn't think twice about it when I posted pictures of getting a throwing session," Taylor said.Taylor last started a game in November 2018 during his lone season with the Cleveland Browns. After the Baltimore Ravens drafted him in 2011, he barely played for his first four years in the NFL, but he then took over the starting role with the Buffalo Bills from 2015-17.The one-time Pro Bowler completed 62.6% of his passes for 8,857 yards and 51 touchdowns against 16 interceptions through 44 games (43 starts) with the Bills. Taylor, who led Buffalo to the playoffs in the 2017 season, also amassed 14 scores on the ground.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's Mike Alessandrini and Dan Wilkins break down the top quarterback prospects in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft as part of a position-by-position series.QB | RB1. Joe BurrowSchool: LSU

theScore's Mike Alessandrini and Dan Wilkins break down the top running back prospects in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft as part of a position-by-position series.QB | RBRunning backs1. Clyde Edwards-HelaireKevin C. Cox / Getty Images Sport / GettySchool: LSU

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton was recently given a clean bill of health after contracting the coronavirus and, on Sunday evening, he was ready to open himself up to the world.Payton took to Twitter to share some play designs from his playbook.

Tom Brady is just like us.Like much of the rest of the world, the future Hall of Fame quarterback was sitting on the couch watching TV while under quarantine Sunday. What he was watching was perhaps the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.FOX Sports re-aired the full broadcast of Super Bowl LI on Sunday, just one day after 3-28. It was almost the perfect time to recall the New England Patriots' 28-3 comeback against the Atlanta Falcons, a Super Bowl victory authored by Brady himself.Brady shared on Instagram Live his thoughts while watching the rebroadcast.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.A worker at the construction site of SoFi Stadium, the future home of the NFL's Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, has tested positive for COVID-19, a spokesperson for the construction firm told Josh Peter of USA Today."First and most importantly, the worker is doing well, receiving care, and is recovering," said Chris McFadden, vice president of communications for Turner Construction Company. "The safety of the people on-site and in our community remains our top priority."The worker was assigned to an isolated area outside of the stadium and did not enter the building or use any of the common areas, McFadden added. Any equipment that may have been used by the worker is being disinfected. Any colleagues who were in contact with the worker have since been identified and contacted.Construction continues on the $2-billion stadium. SoFi Stadium is scheduled to open July 25.A construction worker at Allegiant Stadium, the future home of the Las Vegas Raiders, also tested positive for the coronavirus. Construction also continues at that site.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Late in the 2019 season, the Buffalo Bills were attempting to make history. As they clung to a one-point lead with nine minutes to go in Week 16, the Bills were threatening to snap the Patriots' historic 10-year streak atop the AFC East by giving themselves a shot to win the division for the first time since 1995.Then Tom Brady did what Tom Brady does, engineering a fourth-quarter comeback to beat Buffalo as Bills quarterback Josh Allen missed a last-chance pass on fourth down. But while the breaks didn't go their way, it was clear the Bills are coming. This year, they may finally arrive.Buffalo will begin 2020 with 21 of the 22 starters from its most-used lineups last year back in the fold, and it'll be one of just three teams that have employed the same head coach and coordinators for more than two full seasons. In a potentially shortened offseason, that continuity is even more important than usual. So is improving along the margins, which includes acquiring a star receiver in Stefon Diggs and adding depth to a young, elite defense.Meanwhile, Brady is gone, throwing the door wide open for the Bills to win the division and launch a title run. As of Thursday at theScore Bet in New Jersey, Buffalo is listed at 22-1 to win the Super Bowl, 13-1 to win the AFC, and +120 to win the AFC East. Those aren't just solid values - they're the best bets you can make right now.An offense built for successLet's get this out of the way first: Allen won't be a liability this season. And if things break right, he could be a valuable asset.If the memory of Allen choking away last year's wild-card game against the Houston Texans is seared into your memory, you should scrub it clean, because Allen will. As The Ringer's Robert Mays explained so well a year ago, Allen is among the best at diagnosing a personal weakness and turning it into a strength.During his rookie season in 2018, Allen was the worst in the league at intermediate throws, so he spent the next offseason honing that one skill. Then in 2019, he was among the best QBs in the NFL at intermediate throws - a skill that generally translates well to future success. That development was a quintessential case of a quarterback with gobs of talent actually unlocking it. Do you want to bet against that happening in 2020?Allen's next frontier is improving his deep accuracy, and the Bills are taking steps to make it happen. The team unloaded a cache of picks to nab Diggs, one of the best route-runners in the game and an elite deep threat. The former Vikings wideout also excels at running hitches and crossers - Allen's two most-targeted routes, according to PFF's Anthony Treash - and is strong against press coverage, which is important when battling elite corners in the AFC East.At this point, Diggs, John Brown, and Cole Beasley form arguably the best receiving trio in the AFC, which is to say nothing of promising tight end Dawson Knox. The Bills also feature running back Devin Singletary, who tied for the NFL lead in yards per attempt (5.1) as a rookie among all players with at least 150 carries. And the offensive line, which was built from scratch a year ago, is returning all five starters - a rare advantage in today's NFL.A title-ready defenseThe Patriots and 49ers drew all the praise last year, and rightfully so, for their historically great defenses led by smothering secondaries. But the Bills' defense deserved to be recognized too, and that unit could become the NFL's best in 2020.This offseason, both New England (at linebacker) and San Francisco (along the defensive line) sustained significant losses on defense. What did the Bills do? They returned 10 of 11 starters - with rising star Ed Oliver sliding into that 11th spot - and added depth at all three levels to a group that ranked sixth in defensive DVOA in 2019 and second in 2018 with a top-five pass D both seasons.Last year, Buffalo's defense also ranked second per drive in points allowed (1.34), punts forced (.475), and three-and-outs (.271). It allowed just three teams to score more than two touchdowns in a game, and it held Baltimore's juggernaut offense to a season-worst 257 total yards. Five of Buffalo's key projected starters will be 26 or younger when the 2020 season starts, which suggests the unit could improve on its strong 2019 numbers.Add it all up, and it's easy to see why there's optimism in Buffalo. The Bills are building a strong, experienced core around an improving quarterback and a unified coaching staff - the same framework that propelled the Ravens to the NFL's best record and the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2019.When factoring in rival teams' moves, it seems the stars have perfectly aligned this offseason for Buffalo, which is already drawing strong betting interest the way Baltimore and San Francisco did a year ago. And with the team's title odds as high as 30-1, it's hard not to buy the Bills as the best value in the current market.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 © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Free-agent cornerback Ronald Darby has agreed to a one-year contract with the Washington Redskins worth $4 million, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.Darby spent the last three seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, capturing a Super Bowl with the team while also battling multiple injuries.The speedy defensive back was a second-round pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2015 and was traded to Philadelphia prior to the 2017 campaign.Darby flashed Pro Bowl potential in his rookie campaign but has struggled with consistency in coverage since then. Lacking high-level ball skills, he recorded just six interceptions over three years with the Eagles.The 26-year-old is reportedly joining a Redskins squad in desperate need of an upgrade at cornerback. After trading Quinton Dunbar to the Seattle Seahawks, Washington was left with Kendall Fuller, Fabian Moreau, and Jimmy Moreland atop its depth chart.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.Michael Vick is among a group of current and former NFL players competing in the first-ever FOX Esports Madden NFL Invitational to raise awareness for the CDC Foundation's COVID-19 relief efforts.The event will air live Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on FS1.Joining Vick will be retired quarterback and FOX Sports analyst Matt Leinart, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, free-agent cornerback Orlando Scandrick, former receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James, former cornerback Antonio Cromartie, and former running back Ahman Green.The event will be a single-elimination Madden NFL 20 tournament consisting of seven matches across three rounds. The competitors will all play remotely.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Geronimo Allison is sticking in the NFC North, as the former Green Bay Packers receiver agreed to terms with the Detroit Lions on Sunday.Allison will ink a one-year contract worth $910,000 that includes a $137,000 signing bonus, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.In Green Bay, the 26-year-old Allison flashed the potential to be a starting-caliber slot receiver but never emerged as a consistent presence opposite Davante Adams.Allison amassed 34 catches, 287 receiving yards, and two touchdowns last season in a part-time role.The former undrafted free agent will join a deep receiver room in Detroit, where he'll compete for snaps behind Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones with Danny Amendola, Travis Fulgham, and Marvin Hall.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Normally, we'd have to wait much longer for NFL win totals to dominate the market, but in this sports-less world, we can bet on the 2020 season just days after the first rush of free agency.With these early lines come some serious value on teams that are still taking shape or that bettors might not have caught up to. Here's our current lean on all 32 franchises using over/under lines from theScore Bet:Atlanta Falcons under 7.5I'm not buying Atlanta's offensive makeover being the antidote to its woefully undermanned defense. Here comes another 7-9 season.Arizona Cardinals under 7I love the DeAndre Hopkins trade as much as the next guy. But until the Cardinals fix their defense or O-line, I'm not betting on a .500 campaign.Baltimore Ravens over 11.5The Ravens are projected to face the easiest schedule in the league, and all the core pieces are back to avenge 2019's early exit.Buffalo Bills over 8.5Buffalo is returning 21 of 22 starters and added a much-needed star receiver in Stefon Diggs amid a wide-open division. This is my favorite win total of them all.Carolina Panthers over 5.5The defense took some major losses, but Carolina's offense is still as stocked as any under a savvy coaching staff. We're leaning over - by a hair.Chicago Bears under 8We all know about Chicago's issues on offense, but are we sure the defense is still up for the task? A quarterback competition between mediocre options doesn't inspire confidence, either.Cincinnati Bengals under 5.5It's not hard to see the Bengals climbing out of the cellar with Joe Burrow and splashy free-agent additions, but 5.5 is still a high bar to climb. We're going with a tentative fade here.Cleveland Browns over 8.5If I could pass the Browns into oblivion, I would. If forced to choose, though, I have faith that the new coaching staff can turn Baker Mayfield's play around with the help of a soft schedule.Dallas Cowboys over 9.5The Cowboys won eight games last year but were a top team by nearly any advanced metric. With a cupcake schedule this season, they should hit the over.Denver Broncos over 7.5I love what the Broncos are doing as they build around Drew Lock, who's the X-factor in this pick. if you believe in him - as Denver does - this is an easy over.Detroit Lions over 6.5The Lions were aggressive in free agency, and there's a path to NFC North contention after a puzzling offseason by the other three teams.Green Bay Packers under 9Few teams are stronger regression candidates, and that was already true before Green Bay's lackluster offseason. I'm all out.Houston Texans under 7.5Last year's team was a bit worse than its record ... and then free agency happened. Houston is the third-best squad in its division, which makes eight wins a tough sell.Indianapolis Colts over 8.5The Colts were big winners this offseason, filling major needs on a roster that was already set for contention. Hitting double-digit victories is in play.Jacksonville Jaguars under 5What exactly is the Jaguars' plan? After shipping out key starters in exchange for scraps, it's hard to expect a winning culture to manifest in 2020.Kansas City Chiefs under 11.5The Chiefs have narrowly cleared this number for two straight years, but we expect a bit of post-title regression in 2020.Las Vegas Raiders under 7.5The Raiders should be improved, but their division rivals improved more, leaving Las Vegas in a tough spot to hit eight wins.Los Angeles Chargers over 7.5The Chargers are better than they were a month ago due to stellar moves in free agency, but I'm still hesitant because of that O-line. We're leaning over, but not by much.Los Angeles Rams under 8.5The Rams somehow won nine games a year ago, but they got substantially worse this offseason and more moves are still possible. In a brutal division, don't expect a big leap from Jared Goff and Co.Miami Dolphins over 6Miami is much better on paper, but the schedule will be tougher this year, too. Still, the coaching staff should squeeze the most out of a rebuilt group.Minnesota Vikings under 8.5It's hard to drum up optimism for Minnesota after it gutted so many key starters from a year ago. Any regression from Kirk Cousins would kill the chance of an over.New England Patriots under 9The Patriots lost so many key pieces from 2019 that it's hard to know how low this number could go.New Orleans Saints over 10.5The Saints might actually be better than last year's 13-win group. If Drew Brees is healthy, this is an easy over.New York Giants over 6New York made key strides in patching up holes from a year ago via free agency. Daniel Jones needs to cut down the fumbling, though.New York Jets under 6.5Another year behind the Jets' awful O-line could break Sam Darnold for good. Under, under, under.Philadelphia Eagles over 9.5The Eagles should improve after an injury-ravaged 2019. But isn't that always the case with this group? We'll go over, but cautiously so.Pittsburgh Steelers under 9These aren't the Steelers of past seasons, and a 38-year-old Ben Roethlisberger likely won't change that. Expect more 2019 than 2018 in 2020.San Francisco 49ers over 10.5San Francisco is built like a dynasty, and its offense should be even better this year. Buy all the stock you can get.Seattle Seahawks over 9.5Every year, I fade the Seahawks. Every year, they win 10 games. I've learned my lesson.Tampa Bay Buccaneers over 9This isn't just about Tom Brady. The defense is due for serious positive regression once the offense cuts down its turnovers. Buy this number before it climbs.Tennessee Titans over 8.5Last year's deep run wasn't a fluke - it was a product of strong coaching and a well-built roster. Both still exist in Tennessee, so expect another strong season.Washington Redskins under 5The Redskins didn't do enough in free agency to justify a big leap from last year when they were among the worst teams in the NFL. Unless Burrow magically falls to No. 2, the draft haul won't be enough, either.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 © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Kansas City Chiefs are re-signing wide receiver Demarcus Robinson to a one-year contract, a source told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.The deal is worth $2.298 million fully guaranteed, Pelissero adds.Robinson spent the first four seasons of his career in Kansas City and was one of the top free-agent wideouts remaining on the market.A number of teams had reportedly expressed interest in the 25-year-old, but he'll instead rejoin the reigning Super Bowl champions.The Chiefs selected Robinson in the fourth round of the 2016 draft and his production has improved every year since. He set career highs with 32 catches and 449 receiving yards last season.Robinson will likely slot in as Kansas City's fourth receiver behind fellow dynamic pass-catchers Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, and Mecole Hardman.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.If you had an idea a few weeks ago about which team you wanted to bet to win the Super Bowl, you might want to take a fresh look at the oddsboard.Since the week before free agency began, 26 of the NFL's 32 teams have seen their futures odds change, including dramatic moves for a few potential contenders. Here's a look at how the odds have shifted since March 9, with notes on 12 teams that saw the biggest adjustments:TEAMODDS (3/9)ODDS (3/27)Kansas City Chiefs+450+450Baltimore Ravens+700+500San Francisco 49ers+800+1000New Orleans Saints+1200+1400New England Patriots+1200+3000Pittsburgh Steelers+2000+3000Dallas Cowboys+1200+1400Philadelphia Eagles+1800+2000Green Bay Packers+2000+2000Seattle Seahawks+2000+2000Los Angeles Rams+2500+4000Chicago Bears+3000+4000Cleveland Browns+5000+4000Los Angeles Chargers+5000+4000Indianapolis Colts+4000+2000Houston Texans+4000+8000Tennessee Titans+4000+6000Minnesota Vikings+3000+3000Buffalo Bills+4000+3000Atlanta Falcons+5000+6000Las Vegas Raiders+3000+4000Denver Broncos+6000+5000New York Jets+10000+6000Tampa Bay Buccaneers+4000+1400Arizona Cardinals+8000+4000New York Giants+8000+5000Jacksonville Jaguars+10000+30000Detroit Lions+8000+10000Carolina Panthers+10000+10000Cincinnati Bengals+20000+30000Miami Dolphins+20000+6000Washington Redskins+20000+20000Trending upTampa Bay Buccaneers (+4000 to +1400)You don't need me to tell you what happened here, but I will, anyway: Tom Brady is in town. As we explained earlier this week, Brady's presence alone changes everything for the Buccaneers, who are legitimate - if perhaps slightly overpriced - contenders.Indianapolis Colts (+4000 to +2000)The Colts should be one of the most improved teams in the league next year thanks to two major moves: the swapping Jacoby Brissett for Philip Rivers and the trade for All-Pro DeForest Buckner to shore up a lousy pass rush. Those two fit seamlessly into a roster ready for contention.Arizona Cardinals (+8000 to +4000)Unlike the Bucs and Colts, the Cardinals didn't need to make a quarterback change to slash their odds in half. Instead, their acquisition of superstar wideout DeAndre Hopkins for what felt like two nickels caught oddsmakers' attention and makes Arizona's offense a must-watch in 2020.New York Giants (+8000 to +5000)The Giants were among the league's most active teams in attempting to fix issues from a year ago, namely with the signings of corner James Bradberry and linebacker Blake Martinez. The jury's out on whether those players will significantly improve last season's suspect defense, but the betting market respects the overhaul.Miami Dolphins (+20000 to +6000)The Dolphins' roster looked about as bad as possible on paper last year, so a busy free-agency period headlined by the splashy signings of corner Byron Jones and linebacker Kyle Van Noy rightfully forced a major shift in their title price in 2020.Trending downNew England Patriots (+1200 to +3000)The Patriots have lost so many key figures on offense, defense, and from within their coaching ranks during a tumultuous offseason that it's a bit surprising their odds haven't moved even more. The 2020 campaign should easily be Bill Belichick's toughest coaching job.Pittsburgh Steelers (+2000 to +3000)The Steelers did very little to improve a roster that, despite having a well-graded defense, wasn't strong enough to make the playoffs last year. There wasn't much to suggest a move in either direction, so perhaps bettors just aren't biting after a dud of a free-agency period in Pittsburgh.Los Angeles Rams (+2500 to +4000)Todd Gurley stole the spotlight from the rest of the Rams' offseason departures, but a drain of defensive talent is arguably more concerning for a Los Angeles team that relied on its overpaid but talented stop unit to win games in 2019. Another cap-clearing deal is looming, which means this price could be on the move.Houston Texans (+4000 to +8000)As if giving away Hopkins wasn't enough, the Texans also let promising defensive lineman D.J. Reader walk and did very little to address the gaping holes left by both players. Deshaun Watson should win MVP if Houston manages to win the division.Tennessee Titans (+4000 to +6000)The Titans traded away Jurrell Casey for pocket change and saw a number of other contributors leave in free agency, so this adjustment seems fair. Still, the team did retain its two stars from last year's playoff run in Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry, so a move to also-ran pricing is probably too harsh an adjustment for Tennesse.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 © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Drew Brees agreed to a two-year contract worth roughly $50 million to re-sign with the New Orleans Saints last week, and his general manager was grateful the veteran quarterback gave up a pay raise to help the team."We needed to know what Drew was going to count on our (salary) cap this year, what resources are we using, because then that gives us the ability to do some other things," GM Mickey Loomis said Friday on the "New Orleans Saints Podcast." "To Drew's credit, his No. 1 goal was to make sure we had an opportunity to improve our roster, keep our roster together, and be as competitive as we can be."Brees will earn an average annual value of $25 million on his new deal, a figure that ranks outside the top 10 at his position. The 41-year-old's previous contract extension came in 2018 and was also worth $50 million over two years. Like his new deal, it compared favorably to those of other top players at his position."I'm certainly appreciative of how he's handled that contract the last couple times," added Loomis. "Because again, the most important thing to him is that we have a competitive team."Coming off a 13-3 campaign, the Saints have made a handful of impact moves thus far this offseason, including signing wideout Emmanuel Sanders, reuniting with versatile safety Malcolm Jenkins, and re-signing guard Andrus Peat. The team currently ranks near the bottom of the league with roughly $9 million in salary-cap space following the first wave of free agency, according to Over The Cap.Brees, the league's all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns, is set to embark on his 15th campaign in New Orleans and 20th NFL season overall.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Denver Broncos are set to re-sign defensive lineman Shelby Harris to a one-year contract worth up to $3.5 million, a source told Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic.The free agent reportedly also received $2.5 million guaranteed.Harris racked up career highs in sacks (six) and total tackles (49) last year in his third season with the Broncos (fifth overall). The 28-year-old also started 16 games for the first time in his career.It's a surprisingly modest deal for Harris, who was projected by Spotrac to earn an annual salary of $12.3 million on the open market.The veteran returns to a defensive line bolstered by Pro Bowler Jurrell Casey, who was acquired by the Broncos from the Tennessee Titans for a seventh-round pick last week.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.Green Bay Packers star quarterback Aaron Rodgers spoke about his hurried departure from Peru amid the coronavirus outbreak in an interview Friday."Have you seen the movie, 'Argo'?" Rodgers asked on "McAfee & Hawk: Sports Talks." "The scene at the end where they're racing to the airport. Nobody was chasing us thankfully or holding us."We didn't have to speak Farsi to get back into the country, but there were some moments where we worried we were not going to get out. It was absolute pandemonium at the airport."Rodgers said he and three travel companions made their private flight 15 minutes before the airport was set to be closed.The quarterback was visiting Cusco, which he said didn't have any COVID-19 cases at the time. He added neither he nor any of his companions experienced any symptoms in Peru or since arriving home."So I think we're in the clear," said the two-time MVP.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Los Angeles Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein is heading to the Dallas Cowboys on a three-year deal with a base value of $7.5 million, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.Zuerlein became of the NFL's most respected kickers during his stint with the Rams from 2012-19. In 2017, he was voted a first-team All-Pro and earned a Pro Bowl berth.Following a 2018 campaign in which a groin injury sidelined him for five games, Zuerlein converted just 24 of 33 field-goal attempts last season (72.7%), his lowest percentage since 2015. He also hit all 42 extra-point tries.Overall, the 32-year-old has converted 82% of field-goal attempts throughout his career.The Cowboys endured kicking issues throughout 2019, as their 75% conversion rate was the seventh-worst mark in the NFL.This offseason, Dallas also signed veteran kicker Kai Forbath to a one-year, $1.18-million deal with $137.500 guaranteed.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Denver Broncos running back Melvin Gordon expressed regret Friday while reflecting on his holdout last season with the Los Angeles Chargers."It was tough, but I definitely felt that I ruined some relationships," he said during his introductory conference call. "It's all part of it. Obviously, you try your best to kind of put that aside and try and go out there and still give it your all. That's what I tried to do."At times it was definitely difficult. You kind of felt some tension. I kind of felt some tension walking around, but I just tried my best to try and keep a smile on my face and just show up to work every day. Like I said, it was difficult. It was challenging, but I got through. Obviously, I can't take back what I did. What's done is done. Now I'm here."Gordon missed the first four games last year while involved in a contract dispute. He turned down a long-term deal worth around $10 million annually, demanding to be compensated similarly to Ezekiel Elliott, Todd Gurley, and Le'Veon Bell.The Wisconsin product ultimately requested a trade but nothing materialized. He rushed for 612 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 3.8 yards per carry, after rejoining the Chargers in Week 5."I probably would come back (from the holdout) just because - more so because of my legacy and what I'm trying to do as a player, my mark that I'm trying to leave," he responded when asked if he would do things differently in hindsight."Obviously, those are games that I can't get back. Starting out slow and being able to catch stride towards the end of the season, but then it's too late. I would say it was more so for my legacy and what I can do for my career as a player more so than anything else."Gordon, a two-time Pro Bowler, signed a two-year, $16-million contract with the Broncos in free agency, leaving the Chargers after five seasons.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story contains coarse languageTodd Gurley wasn't expecting his solid five-season stint with the Los Angeles Rams to come to an end this offseason."I didn't see it coming," the running back said during Thursday's episode of the "Green Light with Chris Long" podcast. "But obviously I've seen the process over the years, so I understand the business and I understand how it goes."The Rams cut Gurley last week before $10.5 million in salary and bonuses for the 2020 season became guaranteed. His release came one day after his four-year, $60-million extension with Los Angeles officially kicked in. Gurley became the highest-paid running back in the NFL after signing that contract in July 2018.Gurley agreed to a one-year, $6-million pact with the Atlanta Falcons one day after his release.The 25-year-old emerged as football's best running back during his time with the Rams, leading the league with 3,924 scrimmage yards and 40 touchdowns from 2017-18.But Gurley took a step back when he started battling an arthritic knee injury late in 2018. The Rams insisted the three-time Pro Bowler wasn't injured, but his production in 2019 marked a drop from previous campaigns.After splitting carries with C.J. Anderson through the team's run to Super Bowl LIII, Gurley posted career lows in both rushing attempts (223) and yards (857) this past season, though he still managed 14 touchdowns."I try not to press the issue about nothing ... just sit back and do my job," he said. "Like it's not my job to tell who to give me the ball, so if it happens, it happens. I'm not going to b---- about anything. I'm just going to keep quiet and do my part. But when I get the ball, you know I'm going to do good with it for the most part, especially when stuff is going good."But I don't know what happened, man. All I know is I'm with the Falcons now."The condition of Gurley's knee this offseason is "very bad," a source recently told The Athletic's Jeff Schultz.Gurley, a two-time All-Pro, also said he's considering changing his jersey from No. 30 to No. 21 in Atlanta.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With over a week of free agency in the rear-view mirror, theScore evaluates how well every team has fared so far and dishes out grades.AFC I NFCNFC EastDallas CowboysHarry How / Getty Images Sport / GettyKey players signedKey players lostQB Dak Prescott (tag)CB Byron JonesWR Amari CooperC Travis FrederickS Ha Ha Clinton-DixOT Cam FlemingDL Gerald McCoyTE Jason WittenLB Sean Lee (re-sign)DE Robert QuinnDT Dontari PoeS Jeff HeathCB Anthony Brown (re-sign)WR Randall CobbK Kai Forbath (re-sign)DT Maliek CollinsThe Cowboys couldn't keep everyone. They perhaps rightfully prioritized their starting quarterback and his top wideout over Jones, who was always going to command top dollar as a coveted corner. How Dallas replaces him remains to be seen.The Cowboys painted themselves into a corner with their cap situation, and they've now taken on Cooper's $100-million contract over five years. The team is also continuing its extension talks with Prescott.America's Team lost Quinn and his 11.5 sacks in 2019, and Dallas is dealing with the surprise retirement of All-Pro center Frederick. And for now, Poe and McCoy are patchwork defensive solutions.Grade: B-New York GiantsKey players signedKey players lostDL Leonard Williams (tag)S Antoine BetheaCB James BradberryLB Alec OgletreeLB Blake MartinezTE Rhett EllisonRB Dion LewisOL Mike RemmersTE Levine ToiloloLB Markus GoldenWR Corey Coleman (re-sign)QB Colt McCoyS Nate EbnerOT Cam FlemingThe Giants were active this past week while building around their foundation of Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones, though they failed to land a true difference-maker.Bradberry, Martinez, and linebacker Kyler Fackrell are nice defensive additions. But even after placing the tag on Williams, the Giants failed to address their need at pass-rusher, a hole that became larger following the departure of Golden and his 10 sacks in 2019.New York added Cam Fleming as a placeholder at right tackle until the club likely uses its fourth overall pick on an offensive lineman.With this group, the Giants aren't much further ahead after a 4-12 season.Grade: C-Philadelphia EaglesKey players signedKey players lostCB Darius SlayT Jason PetersS Will ParksS Malcolm JenkinsLB Jatavis BrownCB Ronald DarbyDT Javon HargraveT Halapoulivaati VaitaiCB Nickell Robey-ColemanRB Jordan HowardQB Nate SudfeldWR Nelson AgholorLB Nigel BradhamQB Josh McCownThe Eagles, who suffered plenty of injuries in 2019, entered the new league year wanting to get younger. Out are respected vets Peters and Jenkins, and in comes a 29-year-old cornerback in Slay, a 26-year-old linebacker in Brown, and 25-year-old Philly native Parks.Philadelphia is hoping to be more durable amid the rigors of an NFL season. The team will pass starting responsibilities at running back and left tackle to Miles Sanders and Andre Dillard, respectively.One decision still hanging in the air is whether to trade wideout Alshon Jeffery, who's reportedly seeking a change of scenery. Philly is far from done this offseason.Grade: BWashington RedskinsKey players signedKey players lostG Brandon Scherff (tag)CB Quinton DunbarCB Kendall FullerCB Josh NormanG Wes SchweitzerQB Case KeenumLB Thomas DavisQB Colt McCoyRB Peyton BarberS Montae NicholsonQB Kyle AllenCB Coty SensabaughS Sean DavisG Ereck FlowersDE Nate Orchard (re-sign)TE Jordan ReedWR Paul RichardsonTE Vernon DavisThe end of the Bruce Allen regime meant many Redskins mainstays were shown the door. The list of departures is long, and it's expected to soon include left tackle Trent Williams.Washington failing to trade its top asset affects this grade. A rebuilding club greatly needs the resources the Redskins would recoup in a Williams deal.Until then, the team's job is incomplete this offseason. Right now, Washington has only secured the return of its stud guard Scherff, the additions of Schweitzer and Fuller, and a number of depth signings since the opening of free agency.Grade: DNFC NorthChicago BearsJonathan Daniel / Getty Images Sport / GettyKey players signedKey players lostQB Nick Foles (trade)LB Leonard FloydDE Robert QuinnS Ha Ha Clinton-DixCB Artie BurnsCB Prince AmukamaraTE Jimmy GrahamDT Nick WilliamsLB Barkevious MingoLB Nick KwiatkoskiOL Germain IfediQB Chase DanielTask one was to find competition or a replacement for Mitch Trubisky at quarterback. That was completed, though Foles came at a cost, with the Bears giving up a fourth-round pick to take on the veteran's exorbitant contract. However, he's the perfect option to either usurp Trubisky or mentor him.Though the Bears' defense dropped off significantly under Chuck Pagano, the free-agent losses on that side of the ball are a cause for concern.By picking up Quinn, Burns, and Graham, Chicago is also taking shots in the dark on aging veterans.Grade: C-Detroit LionsKey players signedKey players lostCB Desmond TrufantCB Darius SlayDT Danny SheltonLB Devon KennardLB Jamie CollinsT Rick WagnerDB Duron Harmon (trade)DT Damon HarrisonDT Nick WilliamsDT Mike DanielsT Halapoulivaati VaitaiG Graham GlasgowQB Chase DanielDT A'Shawn RobinsonCB Rashaan MelvinFor the second time in as many offseasons, general manager Bob Quinn and former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia are recruiting players from New England. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.Shelton, Collins, and Harmon were all major pieces of the league's top-ranked defense, but the list of players to leave Foxborough and thrive elsewhere is short.The Lions lose Slay, a disgruntled employee and one of their best players, for third- and fifth-round picks. Trufant should be able to fill the void, if he remains healthy.Detroit also lost starting offensive linemen Wagner and Glasgow. The team responded by handing $50 million over five seasons to Vaitai, a career backup with 20 starts over four years.Grade: DGreen Bay PackersKey players signedKey players lostLB Christian KirkseyLB Blake MartinezT Rick WagnerT Bryan BulagaWR Devin FunchessLB B.J. GoodsonTE Marcedes Lewis (re-sign)TE Jimmy GrahamLB Kyler FackrellAfter the Packers went against their history and were active participants in free agency last year, it was probably wrong to believe they'd go all-in again in 2020.All has been quiet in Green Bay. The Pack added Kirksey and Wagner to open strong, then waited until the second week of free agency to address their need at receiver. After losing out on Emmanuel Sanders, they instead signed Funchess, a former second-round pick who disappointed in Carolina and broke his collarbone a game into his stay in Indy.Though Wagner dulls the loss of Bulaga, and Kirksey does the same for losing Martinez, both former Packers were key contributors on a team that earned the second NFC seed in the 2019 playoffs.Grade: CMinnesota VikingsKey players signedKey players lostS Anthony Harris (tag)WR Stefon DiggsDT Michael PierceDE Everson GriffenK Dan Bailey (re-sign)CB Xavier RhodesWR Tajae SharpeCB Trae WaynesDE Anthony ZettelDT Linval JosephCB Mackensie AlexanderS Andrew SendejoWR Laquon TreadwellThe Vikings' secondary and receiving corps were decimated during free agency, with the team hard up against the cap.Though they underperformed recently, Rhodes, Waynes, and Alexander leave gaping holes in Minnesota's back end, voids the team has yet to fill.Offensively, the Vikings are down to Adam Thielen and Olabisi Johnson at wideout following the departures of Diggs and Treadwell. Minnesota was already thin at receiver, even with the Pro Bowl-pairing of Thielen and Diggs.At least the Vikings pocketed an extra first-round pick from the Diggs trade.Grade: C-NFC SouthAtlanta FalconsIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyKey players signedKey players lostRB Todd GurleyCB Desmond TrufantDE Dante Fowler Jr.RB Devonta FreemanTE Hayden HurstTE Austin HooperWR Laquon TreadwellLB Vic BeasleyOL Justin McCrayOL Ty SambrailoG Wes SchweitzerIt's been an offseason of change in Atlanta, as should be expected for a team that needed to win its last four games to finish at 7-9 in 2019. Three of the team's biggest recent names - Trufant, Freeman, and Hooper - are gone.Losing a Pro Bowl talent in Hooper only to trade second- and fifth-round picks for Hurst and get a fourth is a downgrade. Swapping out Freeman for Gurley is a short-term upgrade, especially since the latter is only signed for one season and no one knows if he can rediscover his 2017 Offensive Player of the Year form.One can't help but feel as though Atlanta's plan to this point has been to put a Band-Aid on a broken leg.Grade: CCarolina PanthersKey players signedKey players lostQB Teddy BridgewaterQB Cam NewtonWR Robby AndersonLB Luke KuechlyLT Russell Okung (trade)TE Greg OlsenWR Pharoh CooperCB James BradberryWR Seth RobertsS Eric ReidLB Tahir WhiteheadRG Trai Turner (trade)G John MillerDT Gerald McCoyQB P.J. WalkerLB Mario AddisonDT Vernon ButlerDT Dontari PoeA new era of football is upon those in the Carolinas. Gone are former franchise stewards Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly, and Greg Olsen, signaling the close of a competitive window that featured a Super Bowl 50 appearance.Enter new head coach Matt Rhule, who appears to be trying to get the 2015 Temple Owls back together. That team featured P.J. Walker and Robby Anderson, as Rhule's Panthers do now.But Carolina's biggest move was handing a $63-million contract to Teddy Bridgewater, making him the quarterback of the team's immediate future.The rebuild begins in earnest at the 2020 draft, and more reinforcements are coming.Grade: B-New Orleans SaintsKey players signedKey players lostQB Drew Brees (re-sign)QB Teddy BridgewaterWR Emmanuel SandersCB Eli AppleS Malcolm JenkinsLB A.J. KleinDE Noah SpenceS Vonn BellG Andrus Peat (re-sign)S D.J. Swearinger (re-sign)QB Taysom Hill (tender)The Saints entered the offseason with decisions to make on all three of their quarterbacks. The team chose to run it back with Drew Brees, slap a first-round tender on Taysom Hill, and let Bridgewater leave to lead a division rival.The next big-ticket item was finding a wideout to complement Michael Thomas. The Saints won the services of Emmanuel Sanders, who was also in talks with the Packers and Cowboys. The deep threat should fit perfectly in New Orleans' high-volume passing attack.And speaking of fits, safety Malcolm Jenkins returns to the Big Easy after six seasons in Philly. The Saints are retooling for another run at the Super Bowl.Grade: B+Tampa Bay BuccaneersKey players signedKey players lostQB Tom BradyQB Jameis WinstonLB Shaq Barrett (tag)WR Breshad PerrimanLB Jason Pierre-Paul (re-sign)LB Carl NassibOL Joe HaegRB Peyton BarberDT Ndamukong Suh (re-sign)The Buccaneers win the offseason after swapping out turnover-machine Jameis Winston for the most accomplished quarterback of all time, even if Tom Brady is in his final seasons.Tampa Bay lost very little from its roster while focussing on re-signing key pieces, including Ndamukong Suh and pass-rushers Shaq Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul.The grade would be bumped up to an A+ if, after signing Brady, the Bucs were able to add one of the top offensive linemen, running backs, or defensive backs available. The only other new face is an offensive lineman signed for depth.Grade: ANFC WestArizona CardinalsTim Warner / Getty Images Sport / GettyKey players signedKey players lostWR DeAndre Hopkins (trade)RB David Johnson (trade)WR Larry Fitzgerald (re-sign)LB Cassius MarshLB Devon KennardLB De'Vondre CampbellDT Jordan PhillipsRB Kenyan Drake (tag)C Max GarciaThe Cardinals came away with the surprise addition of this free-agent period. Already mulling discarding David Johnson, Arizona managed to turn the declining running back, a second-round pick, and a future fourth-rounder into DeAndre Hopkins.That trade and Larry Fitzgerald's decision to return for another season will make the Cards a popular pick to be a 2020 contender.However, general manager Steve Keim didn't rest there, making several under-the-radar defensive front-seven additions that should help turn around a dead-last defense in 2019.Bringing Kenyan Drake back for another season after he scored eight touchdowns in eight games with the team was also a savvy move. He's making top-five running back money though on an $8.4-million transition tag.Grade: ALos Angeles RamsKey players signedKey players lostOT Andrew Whitworth (re-sign)RB Todd GurleyDT A'Shawn RobinsonLB Clay MatthewsLB Leonard FloydLB Cory LittletonC Austin Blythe (re-sign)S Eric WeddleCB Nickell Robey-ColemanLB Dante Fowler Jr.The Rams just missed the playoffs in 2019 - and would have made it under the new format - and, as a result, Sean McVay and Les Snead have been busy shedding talent and salary. And they may not be done, with wideout Brandin Cooks also reportedly on the trade block.Retaining tackle Andrew Whitworth was a priority, but who's he going to be blocking for after the release of Todd Gurley?It appears L.A. has also made little headway while trying to ink star corner Jalen Ramsey to an extension.It's been a rough offseason for the Rams. At least their grade isn't as low as the one they received from the public for their revised logo.Grade: DSan Francisco 49ersKey players signedKey players lostS Jimmie Ward (re-sign)DT DeForest Buckner (trade)WR Travis BenjaminWR Emmanuel SandersDL Kerry HyderOL Mike PersonOL Tom ComptonLB Joe WalkerC Ben Garland (re-sign)Forgive the 49ers for being quiet this offseason. They're likely still licking their wounds after coughing up a fourth-quarter lead in the Super Bowl.San Francisco did make one major move, trading DeForest Buckner for the 13th overall pick in next month's draft. The Niners lost an elite interior defensive lineman, but the team likely recognized it couldn't afford the cost to keep him considering the going rates for Dee Ford and Arik Armstead, and Nick Bosa when he lands a rich extension.Nonetheless, the 49ers made out well in the deal, and they could turn the pick into Buckner's replacement or a top-flight wideout.The Niners also made sure to re-sign key contributors such as Jimmie Ward, Ben Garland, and Kyle Juszczyk.Grade: BSeattle SeahawksKey players addedKey players lostCB Quinton Dunbar (trade)DT Al WoodsTE Greg OlsenDE Quinton JeffersonWR Phillip DorsettT George FantDT Jarran Reed (re-sign)G Mike IupatiT Brandon ShellT Germain IfediOL B.J. FinneyG Chance WarmackT Cedric OgbuehiDE Bruce IrvinNo longer content to see Russell Wilson run for his life, the Seahawks have been busy during free agency, nabbing a number of offensive linemen and also trading for corner Quinton Dunbar.The team is opting for quantity over quality, but any help on its O-line will go a long way.After seeing their division rivals represent the NFC in the Super Bowl the past two seasons, the Seahawks are taking an aggressive approach to this offseason. A reunion with Jadeveon Clowney could put this free-agent class over the top.Grade: B+Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Defensive tackle Michael Brockers is heading back to the Los Angeles Rams, his agent announced Friday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Brockers' new contract with the Rams will be a three-year deal worth up to $31.5 million, reports Rapoport.Brockers was reportedly set to sign a three-year, $30-million pact with the Baltimore Ravens, but the team announced Tuesday that the two sides were unable to come to an agreement on the terms of a contract. A high ankle sprain Brockers sustained late in the 2019 season was flagged during a recent physical, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.Rams All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald quickly tweeted a reaction to news of Brockers' return:

The Chicago Bears signing Jimmy Graham to a two-year deal worth a reported $16 million was among the most widely panned moves during the early stages of free agency, but the tight end is confident he still has plenty left in the tank."I'm still fast. ... I still have the ability to make big plays," Graham said, according to ESPN's Jeff Dickerson.It was expected that Graham would find it difficult to get top money on the open market after two disappointing years with the Green Bay Packers. He had 636 yards and two touchdowns in 2018 and 447 yards and three scores last year.However, the Bears guaranteed the 33-year-old $9 million and included a no-trade clause in his contract.While few are expecting Graham to recapture his Pro Bowl form in Chicago, the tight end says he's healthier than he's been in years."I know what player I am and I know what I can do," he explained. "I think I was able to show a little bit of that in the playoffs with some of the opportunities I was given. And after being 10 years in, I've only missed six games. That's coming off of, at times, all kinds of injuries ... at times I've kind of been on ice the last two years, so my knee right now is the best it's felt in four or five years."This is the best that I've ran, this is the fastest I've been in the last four or five years. I'm going to get back to being me. I'm going to get back to making big plays and scoring touchdowns because I think I'm somewhere in the top of scoring touchdowns and I want to continue that. I want to continue climbing that list and get to where I'm supposed to be."J.P. Holtz's 91 yards led all Bears tight ends last season, while Trey Burton - who had 569 yards in 2018 - missed eight games and only had 14 catches.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed to teams in a memo Thursday that the 2020 NFL Draft will proceed as scheduled on April 23-25."All clubs should now be doing the necessary planning to conduct draft operations in a location outside of your facility, with a limited number of people present, and with sufficient technology resources to allow you to communicate internally, with other clubs, and with draft headquarters," wrote Goodell.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians firmly shut the door on potentially signing Antonio Brown in an interview Thursday."Yeah, it's not gonna happen. It's not gonna happen, there's no room," Arians told Tiki and Tierney of CBS Sports. "It's not a fit here."The head coach, who previously coached Brown with the Pittsburgh Steelers, even said he wouldn't want the wideout on the veteran's minimum."No. I just know him and it's not a fit in our locker room," said Arians.It was reported last week that Tampa Bay was unlikely to sign Brown despite his connection to Tom Brady.Teams that chased the star quarterback reportedly believed he wanted a reunion with the receiver, who played one game for the New England Patriots last season before being released.On Wednesday, Brown appeared to lobby for a spot with the Bucs. Asked on Instagram if he would sign with the NFC South team, the receiver responded, "expeditiously."Tampa Bay has the Pro Bowl wideout duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin atop its depth chart.Brown's playing status is still being reviewed by the NFL following separate allegations of sexual assault and sexual misconduct.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The notoriously anti-media Bill Belichick has been nominated for a Sports Emmy award for his work on the NFL 100 show, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.Belichick co-hosted the "NFL 100 All-Time Team" series on NFL Network alongside Rich Eisen and Cris Collinsworth, breaking down what was dubbed the league's all-time roster.The New England Patriots head coach was nominated in the "Outstanding Sports Personality - Studio Analyst" category. Belichick is up against Charles Barkley (NBA), Jay Bilas (NCAA basketball), Al Leiter (MLB), Kenny Smith (NBA), and Michael Strahan (NFL) for the award.Last year's edition of HBO's "Hard Knocks," which featured the Raiders in their final season in Oakland, also received a nomination for "Outstanding Serialized Sports Documentary."The awards ceremony had been scheduled for April 28 but was postponed due to coronavirus concerns.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.The NFL announced Thursday that more than a combined $35 million has been donated for COVID-19 relief efforts by the league, the players' association, teams, owners, and players."We have all been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, more than ever, we need to unify to stay home and stay strong," said commissioner Roger Goodell. "The NFL will continue to find ways to give our support so we can get through this time of uncertainty together."The American Red Cross, CDC Foundation, and Meals on Wheels America are among the 10 organizations receiving donations.The NFL is also planning to incorporate charitable efforts as part of the upcoming 2020 draft, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The event is still scheduled to go ahead on April 23-25.Earlier Thursday, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and his wife, Brittany, announced they will give $5 million to the state of Louisiana in response to the coronavirus pandemic.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Minnesota Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes is signing a one-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts, his agency informed Adam Schefter of ESPN.Rhodes' deal is worth around $5 million, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.The 29-year-old is coming off a seven-year stint with the Vikings. He was cut before free agency opened in a move that saved Minnesota over $8 million against the salary cap.Rhodes made three Pro Bowls with the Vikings and was named a first-team All-Pro in 2017, but struggled over the last two years. He didn't record an interception in 2019 for the first time since his rookie year.The Colts added the veteran to their secondary just days after releasing Pierre Desir, who had been their top cornerback.In 15 games last season, Rhodes had 63 tackles and broke up six passes.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's been 10 days since the Buffalo Bills made one of the blockbuster moves of the offseason by trading for star wide receiver Stefon Diggs, and quarterback Josh Allen is still riding high from the news about his new weapon."I'm still pumped about it. I'm still floating on cloud nine right now," Allen told Mad Dog Sports Radio. "I just can't wait to get to work with him. Obviously with all this stuff going around, traveling and trying to get in touch, start throwing with him, that's going to be a little delayed. But I just want to get back to work. We’ve been staying in contact and trying to devise a plan of how we can get together."The Bills acquired Diggs, who racked up back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, for a package that included the 22nd overall pick in this year's draft.The 26-year-old joins John Brown and Cole Beasley in Buffalo to give the young quarterback one of the best wideout groups in the league."The things he can do on a football field are unbelievable. The route-running. The way he can make contested catches," said Allen. "I've talked to him on the phone a couple times and just how cool of a dude he seems. He's going to match in very well with our wide receiver group, he's going to match well within our locker room and with our team. Big-time playmaker. He's going to help us out a lot this year."Allen continued to progress in his sophomore season, doubling his touchdown passes from 10 to 20 while increasing his completion percentage from 52.8% to 58.8%, leading Buffalo to a wild-card spot.But with a true No. 1 wideout now at his disposal, Allen could be in line for a major leap in Year 3.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With more than a week of free agency in the rearview mirror, theScore dishes out grades for each team's activity so far.AFC I NFCAFC WestDenver BroncosPatrick McDermott / Getty Images Sport / GettyKey players signedKey players lostRB Melvin GordonQB Joe FlaccoDT Jurrell Casey (trade)CB Chris Harris Jr.CB A.J. Bouye (trade)FB Andy Janovich (trade)S Justin Simmons (tag)C Graham GlasgowTE Nick VannettThe Broncos traded for Casey and Bouye to add significant defensive reinforcements, only giving up a seventh-round pick for the former and a fourth-rounder for the latter. The five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle is a great addition alongside pass-rushers Von Miller and Bradley Chubb.Denver also acquired some help for second-year quarterback Drew Lock with two major moves - one of which was far better than the other.Glasgow received a big payday ($44 million over four years) after not allowing a sack for the Lions last season. His pass-protection skills and versatility are sorely needed on an offensive line that's struggled for years.Gordon, on the other hand, is a waste of resources. Phillip Lindsay produced back-to-back 1,000-plus-yard seasons and will only make $750,000 in 2020 as an undrafted running back. Lindsay's backup, former third-rounder Royce Freeman, has disappointed through two seasons. But the Broncos could've found an upgrade without shelling out $16 million over two years for Gordon, essentially negating the value of a cheap starter at the position.Grade: BKansas City ChiefsKey players signedKey players lostDT Chris Jones (tag)DE Emmanuel OgbahRB Damien Williams (option)OT Mike RemmersQB Chad HenneDT Mike PennelQB Jordan Ta'amuWith little cap space, the reigning Super Bowl champions have been quiet to begin free agency.The Chiefs' only major move thus far was slapping the franchise tag on Jones. The defensive tackle was key to Kansas City's title run, and he likely would've been the most sought-after free agent if allowed to hit the open market. Working out an extension to lower Jones' cap hit and free up money to help their title defense should be the Chiefs' top priority.Picking up Williams' option was a no-brainer after his standout performances. Remmers, meanwhile, will replace Cameron Erving as the swing tackle, and former XFL star Ta'amu should provide solid competition for Henne's backup job.Grade: C-Las Vegas RaidersKey players signedKey players lostLB Cory LittletonS Karl JosephQB Marcus MariotaCB Eli AppleTE Jason WittenWR Nelson AgholorLB Nick KwiatkoskiDE Carl NassibDT Maliek ColllinsHead coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock continued to remake the Raiders' roster in their image with an aggressive start to free agency.Littleton is the big prize. Las Vegas signed the linebacker, who excels in coverage, to a three-year, $35.25-million deal that was cheaper than most projected. Adding the former Rams standout along with Kwiatkoski all but fixes the Raiders' biggest weakness.The AFC West team took some intriguing low-risk, high-reward swings on Agholor, Collins, Apple, and, most notably, Mariota. At worst, those moves will give the Raiders some much-needed depth. The biggest blemish on Las Vegas' offseason so far is the team's decision to guarantee $3.5 million to a 37-year-old Witten just to back up breakout star Darren Waller.Grade: B+Los Angeles ChargersKey players signedKey players lostCB Chris Harris Jr.QB Philip RiversTE Hunter Henry (tag)OT Russell Okung (trade)G Trai Turner (trade)RB Melvin GordonOT Bryan BulagaDT Linval JosephRB Austin Ekeler (re-sign)The Rivers era is over for the Chargers, and it's not clear what the plan is moving forward. The team says it's happy with Tyrod Taylor for 2020, but with its desperate need to make cultural inroads and grow the fan base in Los Angeles, the team must add a more exciting quarterback. The best options seem to be either signing Cam Newton or using the sixth overall pick on Justin Herbert.Whoever lines up at quarterback should benefit from improved protection thanks to the additions of Turner and Bulaga, though losing Okung to land the former means left tackle is now a major need. The Chargers did the right thing elsewhere by re-signing Ekeler, who caught 92 passes in 2019, over Gordon.Harris is still a top-tier slot cornerback, and signing the veteran means Los Angeles can field one of the league's most imposing secondaries. Tagging Henry, meanwhile, was the smart play given his untapped potential and long injury history. If the Chargers find a quarterback upgrade over Taylor, they'll have put together one of the league's best offseasons.Grade: A-AFC EastBuffalo BillsIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyKey players signedKey players lostWR Stefon Diggs (trade)DE Shaq LawsonCB Josh NormanDT Jordan PhillipsDT Vernon ButlerLB Lorenzo Alexander (retirement)DE Mario AddisonLB A.J KleinS Jordan Poyer (re-sign)Signing receivers Cole Beasley and John Brown last offseason helped spark moderate improvement from Josh Allen in 2019. But the young quarterback still struggled to throw downfield despite his arm strength, and at times he clearly needed a No. 1 option in crucial situations. Enter former Vikings star Diggs.While the bizarre DeAndre Hopkins deal makes it seem like Buffalo overpaid, the club actually snagged Diggs for a fair price, giving up the 22nd overall pick plus three mid- and late-round picks in 2020 and 2021. Moreover, the wideout carries a below-market $47.5 million over the last four years of his contract. The only issue is Diggs' history of publically airing his frustrations with Kirk Cousins. Imagine how he'll react to Allen's erratic accuracy.Elsewhere, the Bills retooled their defensive line after losing two key contributors. They also took a low-risk gamble that Norman can find the fountain of youth under head coach Sean McDermott, his former defensive coordinator.Grade: BMiami DolphinsKey players signedKey players lostCB Byron JonesS Reshad JonesLB Kyle Van NoyRB Jordan HowardDE Shaq LawsonG Ereck FlowersDE Emmanuel OgbahMiami has been one of the big spenders during the early portion of free agency, dropping nearly $220 million to snag Jones, Van Noy, Howard, Lawson, Flowers, and Ogbah. Jones is the marquee signing and eats up $82.5 million of that spending.The Dolphins made the ex-Cowboys standout the league's highest-paid cornerback, and he'll form a scary combo with Xavien Howard, who previously held that distinction. Paying $31 million per year to your top two cornerbacks is a nearly unprecedented strategy. But after New England's defense dominated opponents by prioritizing pass coverage over pass rushing in 2019, it's easy to follow Miami's logic.The rest of the Dolphins' work has been mixed. Lawson is a solid pass-rusher, and paying $10 million per season to see if the 25-year-old has more untapped potential is a risk worth taking. The same goes for Ogbah, who cost $7.5 million. But the expensive Van Noy might just be a product of Bill Belichick, Flowers is nowhere near worth $10 million annually, and giving anything of significance to a running back is never a smart idea, especially one as limited as Howard.Grade: B-New England PatriotsKey players signedKey players lostG Joe Thuney (tag)QB Tom BradyS Adrian PhillipsLB Jamie CollinsS Devin McCourtyLB Kyle Van NoyWR Matthew Slater (re-sign)DT Danny SheltonQB Brian HoyerS Duron Harmon (trade)DT Beau AllenK Stephen GostkowskiIt's a new day in New England. You might have heard, but Brady is no longer a member of the Patriots, and the six-time Super Bowl winner's replacement remains unclear. Without Brady, New England faces a quarterback battle between Hoyer and 2019 fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham. Unless Belichick is gunning for Trevor Lawrence, signing or drafting another quarterback needs to happen.Brady isn't the only significant loss for the Patriots. Belichick was never going to pay market value for Collins or Van Noy, but that doesn't mean the losses won't be felt in the center of New England's defense. In addition to quarterback, kicker has long been a position Belichick never needed to worry about. But with Gostkowski cut after 14 seasons, a new long-term solution is required.Retaining both McCourty and Thuney boosts the Patriots' grade, and Belichick is sure to have a plan at quarterback. But until the head coach reveals that plan, it's hard to be happy with New England's offseason to date.Grade: D+New York JetsKey players signedKey players lostOT George FantWR Robby AndersonCB Pierre DesirCB Maurice CanadyCB Brian Poole (re-sign)G Connor McGovernG Alex Lewis (re-sign)WR Breshad PerrimanLB Jordan Jenkins (re-sign)Prioritizing improved protection for quarterback Sam Darnold was the right plan, but the Jets' execution of it has been underwhelming.Fant has only started 16 games at offensive tackle and has never played like someone who's worth $10 million a season. The 28-year-old looked serviceable last year, but Darnold deserves better than serviceable protecting his blindside.McGovern is a more proven player and an understandable signing for the Jets. He's expensive ($27 million over three years), but he allowed just one sack and had zero penalties for the Broncos in 2019. McGovern will give Darnold a reliable presence in the middle of the offensive line, and his ability to also play guard should be useful.Some of New York's more shrewd decisions include bringing back a pair of useful defensive contributors in Jenkins and Poole on relatively cheap one-year deals. Scooping up Desir, who struggled with the Colts in 2019 but was above average the year before, and Perriman, who should mitigate the loss of Anderson, are decent moves, too.Grade: C+AFC NorthBaltimore RavensMichael Reaves / Getty Images Sport / GettyKey players signedKey players lostDE Calais Campbell (trade)DT Michael PierceDT Michael BrockersS Tony JeffersonLB Matthew Judon (tag)G Marshal Yanda (retirement)P Sam Koch (re-sign)TE Hayden Hurst (trade)S Chuck Clark (re-sign)CB Brandon CarrCB Jimmy Smith (re-sign)DL Chris Wormley (trade)The Ravens pulled off one of the best moves of the offseason by trading just a fifth-round pick for Campbell. The pass-rusher will turn 34 before the start of the season, but he's still a difference-maker and will help fix Baltimore's most glaring flaw from a year ago. This is exactly the kind of aggressive move the AFC North champs should be making while Lamar Jackson is on his rookie deal.The Ravens also got what is easily the better end of the Hurst trade, shipping out the underperforming former first-round pick and a fourth-rounder for a second and a fifth. Considering the poor trade returns for most teams this year, getting such strong compensation for a player with 43 catches in his first two seasons is a masterstroke.Tagging Judon, the Ravens' sack leader in 2019, was a necessity even with the addition of Campbell. The defense did take a substantial hit with the loss of a premier run defender in Pierce, but Brockers should be able to fill his role and is a more versatile player.Grade: B+Cincinnati BengalsKey players signedKey players lostDT D.J. ReaderOT Cordy GlennWR A.J. Green (tag)CB Darqueze DennardCB Mackensie AlexanderG John MillerCB Trae WaynesG Xavier Su'a-FiloThe Bengals are widely expected to anoint Joe Burrow as their next franchise quarterback with the top pick in the draft, but they used the start of free agency to bolster the defense instead of finding help for the incoming rookie.Reader earned the biggest payday. The former Texans nose tackle got $53 million over four years - a massive investment for a position considered to be one of the least valuable. Reader made leaps and bounds in his progression as a pass-rusher in 2019, which likely helped his market. But it's his run-defense skills that will help Cincinnati most after the team ranked last in rushing yards allowed last season.The Bengals also bolstered their secondary, signing two former Vikings in Waynes and Alexander. The former landed a top-five contract at his position despite having never played like a No. 1 corner, while the latter inked a one-year deal.Burrow did get some good news with the team using the franchise tag to retain Green, but it's imperative Cincinnati inks the star receiver to an extension to ensure he's present for the rookie's early years.Grade: C-Cleveland BrownsKey players signedKey players lostOT Jack ConklinLB Joe SchobertTE Austin HooperLB Christian KirkseyQB Case KeenumS T.J. CarrieS Karl JosephTE Demetrius HarrisRB Kareem Hunt (tender)S Morgan BurnettFB Andy Janovich (trade)S Eric MurrayLB B.J. GoodsonDT Andrew BillingsCB Kevin JohnsonS Andrew SendejoAfter a hugely disappointing 2019, the Browns worked aggressively to upgrade their offense. On the first day of the legal tampering period, they agreed to make Hooper the league's highest-paid tight end and give Conklin $42 million over three years.Will both players be upgrades for Cleveland? Most likely. But there's a chance the AFC North team paid premium prices for less-than-premium players; Hooper isn't a big-play weapon and Conklin has struggled in pass protection before. Still, it's hard to criticize the Browns too harshly for trying to help Baker Mayfield as much as possible.On defense, Cleveland allowed Schobert to walk after balking at his asking price and signed Goodson as a replacement. The former is the better player and was the Browns' leading tackler in 2019, but his skills aren't enough to outweigh the value of the latter on a one-year deal.Grade: B-Pittsburgh SteelersKey players signedKey players lostLB Bud Dupree (tag)DT Javon HargraveTE Eric EbronLB Mark BarronG Stefen WisniewskiLB Anthony ChickilloDL Chris Wormley (trade)S Sean DavisFB Derek WattThe Steelers usually don't jump into the frantic early portion of free agency, and this year was no exception. Aside from Ebron, Pittsburgh has yet to make a splash ahead of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's return from injury.Ebron joins Vance McDonald to give Pittsburgh a top tight-end duo. The former Colts standout shouldn't be expected to replicate his 13 touchdowns from a Pro Bowl year in 2018, but he's a great fit for the downfield-minded Roethlisberger and is only signed for $12 million over two years.Pittsburgh's biggest loss is Hargrave, who blossomed in a diverse role following Stephon Tuitt's season-ending injury in October. But the Steelers will still field an imposing defensive line, which added some depth with the acquisition of Wormely.Grade: C+AFC SouthHouston TexansTim Warner / Getty Images Sport / GettyKey players signedKey players lostRB David Johnson (trade)WR DeAndre Hopkins (trade)WR Randall CobbDT D.J. ReaderCB Bradley Roby (re-sign)CB Vernon Hargreaves (re-sign)S Eric MurrayCB Phillip Gaines (re-sign)K Ka'imi Fairbairn (re-sign)The Texans entered the offseason without a first-round pick in this year's draft. Following the stunning trade of Hopkins to the Cardinals, Houston somehow still doesn't have one. It's not hyperbolic to say head coach and de facto GM Bill O'Brien concocted one of the worst transactions in NFL history.Not getting a first for arguably the game's best receiver was already a bitter pill for Texans fans to swallow. Taking on Johnson's albatross of a contract as well should have them reaching for the pitchforks. Worse still, the running back is a shell of his former self and will likely only be good for a third-down receiving role (O'Brien also seems to have forgotten he traded a third-rounder for pass-catching back Duke Johnson last year).The Texans bolstered their wideout group with Cobb, who bounced back during his lone season in Dallas and will be a solid complement to the deep threats of Will Fuller and Kenny Stills. But the veteran got $18.75 million guaranteed one year after landing a one-year, $5-million deal, and the Texans already had an underused slot receiver in Keke Coutee.Houston did retain important members of its secondary, but even those positives are overshadowed by the loss of nose tackle Reader and a confusing overpay for Murray. All in all, it's easy to argue the AFC South champs had the worst start among AFC teams.Grade: FIndianapolis ColtsKey players signedKey players lostDL DeForest Bucker (trade)OL Joe HaegQB Philip RiversTE Eric EbronOT Anthony Castonzo (re-sign)QB Brian HoyerCB Pierre DesirThe Colts made one splash that most saw coming (the addition of Rivers) and one that most didn't (the blockbuster trade for Buckner).Signing the former Chargers quarterback makes a ton of sense on paper. Rivers worked with head coach Frank Reich and offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni in San Diego, only required a one-year, $25-million commitment, and is just one season removed from top-level play.Buckner, meanwhile, fills the three-technique position that drives Indy's system, albeit at the steep price of the 13th overall pick. And convincing Castonzo to put off retirement and to return on a reasonable deal (relative to the contracts signed by offensive linemen on the open market) is one of the offseason's most underrated moves.However, the Colts still have no long-term answer at quarterback and are now without a first-round pick. Moreover, while acquiring a 26-year-old All-Pro will undoubtedly make the defense stronger, it's questionable if Indy's roster is one impact player away from seriously competing in the AFC.Grade: B-Jacksonville JaguarsKey players signedKey players lostLB Joe SchobertQB Nick Foles (trade)DE Yannick Ngakoue (tag)DE Calais Campbell (trade)TE Tyler EifertCB A.J. Bouye (trade)CB Rashaan MevinDT Marcell DareusDE Rodney GunterTE Geoff SwaimThe Jaguars smashed the reset button this offseason by trading or offloading key pieces of their formerly dominant defense along with last year's marquee free-agent signing.While the logic of moving on from the likes of Campbell and Foles is understandable, Jacksonville's fire sale didn't produce significant assets - a fifth-round pick for Campbell and a fourth for each of Bouye and Foles. Getting any kind of compensation for the former Super Bowl MVP's bloated contract was a win, but overall, the Jaguars got pennies on the dollar for their best talent.It's also hard to see the team's other moves as positives. Schobert is a solid linebacker, but $53 million over five years was an overpay at a position the AFC South team has already invested in (Myles Jack earns $14.25 million annually). The money would've been best spent elsewhere.Finally, while tagging Ngakoue was a must, the young pass-rusher had made it clear he doesn't want to be in Jacksonville after years of watching the team mismanage its talent. His exit, whether via trade or as a free agent in 2021, appears inevitable.Grade: DTennessee TitansKey players signedKey players lostQB Ryan Tannehill (re-sign)DT Jurrell Casey (trade)RB Derrick Henry (tag)OT Jack ConklinLB Vic BeasleyQB Marcus MariotaOT Dennis Kelly (re-sign)TE Delanie WalkerLB Cameron WakeRB Dion LewisK Ryan SuccopThe Titans went all-in on the backfield that led them to the AFC Championship Game for the first time since 2002, and the decision wasn't cheap. Tannehill was rewarded for his Comeback Player of the Year campaign with a deal that made him the league's ninth-highest-paid quarterback, while Henry was hit with the $10.28-million franchise tag to become only the fourth running back in the NFL to earn more than $10 million.While giving Tannehill $62 million in guarantees is a big commitment, the deal is essentially a two-year contract with a possible out in 2022 that would leave $10 million in dead money. A regression from Tannehill's spectacular play in 2019 should be expected, but it was the right call to choose the quarterback over the running back given the recent returns for teams that have paid up for the latter position (though an extension could still be coming for Henry).Outside of their two big moves, the Titans shipped off Pro Bowler Casey to the Broncos for a shockingly small return (a seventh-rounder), lost starting right tackle Conklin to the Browns, cut ties with a host of former key players who no longer held important roles, and bolstered their pass-rush corps with the addition of former sack leader Beasley.Grade: B-Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kyle Van Noy wasn't totally caught off guard when Tom Brady announced his exit from the New England Patriots."I was just like everybody else: I was shocked a little bit, but I felt like I could see the writing on the wall with just how things went and just how things played out," the veteran linebacker said Thursday, according to NESN's Zack Cox. "I wish he was a lifer in New England because I think that would have been a really cool story. But I'm happy for him. He got what he wanted, a $50-million contract guaranteed. That is amazing. It doesn't matter how much money you've earned, that's still a bunch of money."Brady spent two decades with the Patriots, winning six Super Bowls before walking out the door. His status with New England had been speculated upon for months before he left.Van Noy, who was teammates with Brady for three-plus seasons, also left the Patriots in free agency, inking a four-year, $51-million deal with the Miami Dolphins."I would say the writing on the wall was on getting a deal before free agency," he said of Brady. "That to me was, 'OK, it doesn't look like he's going to stay.' You would think with him being there that long, it would have got done. But who knows? I don't know how he's done stuff in the past, but for me, that was 'Oh, man. This is gonna get real.'"Van Noy was a part of two Super Bowl teams with the Patriots.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Teddy Bridgewater acknowledged Thursday the possible awkwardness of replacing Cam Newton, who for nine years served as the face of the Carolina Panthers."I'm aware of the situation," the 27-year-old quarterback told reporters during his introductory conference call, according to Steve Reed of The Associated Press. "It's a unique situation. I just have to be myself."Bridgewater signed a three-year, $63-million deal with the Panthers in free agency last week, paving the way for the release of Newton, a former MVP. Bridgewater spent the last two years as a backup with the New Orleans Saints but went 5-0 as a starter in 2019 when Drew Brees was sidelined with a thumb injury.The Louisville product said he hasn't spoken to Newton since agreeing to terms with Carolina, but called him "a great guy."A former first-round pick, Bridgewater started 30 games for the Minnesota Vikings from 2014-15 before a devastating knee injury set back his career in 2016. Though he wasn't known for posting prolific numbers, he did lead the Vikings to the playoffs in 2015."I understand what it takes to be a quarterback in this league," Bridgewater said. He added: "I'm a winner and everywhere I have gone I have won."The Panthers will be Bridgewater's fourth NFL team, but they'll be the first club to install him as a full-time starter since his knee injury."This is an opportunity for me to grow and compete and show I deserve to play in this league," Bridgewater said.He continued: "I am better than what I was a couple of years ago."Bridgewater is joining a team in transition. This offseason has seen Carolina bid farewell to longtime cornerstones such as Newton, Luke Kuechly, Greg Olsen, and Mario Addison.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and his wife, Brittany, announced they will donate $5 million to the state of Louisiana in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson wants the team to bring back an old look.On Wednesday, Wilson shared a Photoshopped image of himself in a throwback Seahawks uniform along with the caption, "This is a MUST."

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.The best bet in the NFL in recent years has easily been MVP, which has rewarded those who took chances further down the oddsboard. In 2018, Patrick Mahomes entered the offseason as a 100-1 long shot and easily cashed in a historic season. In 2019, Lamar Jackson followed a nearly identical script.We can't expect the same thing to happen in 2020, but that history does highlight the importance of finding value in the MVP race. Voters like a narrative, and defenses aren't always prepared for the "next big thing." Here are this year's MVP odds (50-1 or shorter), followed by three of the best bets in the field.PLAYERODDSPatrick Mahomes+300Lamar Jackson+1000Kyler Murray+1200Russell Wilson+1200Dak Prescott+1600Carson Wentz+2000Deshaun Watson+2000Drew Brees+2000Tom Brady+2000Aaron Rodgers+2500Christian McCaffrey+3000Ezekiel Elliott+3000Baker Mayfield+4000Ben Roethlisberger+4000Josh Allen (QB)+4000Matt Ryan+4000Cam Newton+5000Jimmy Garoppolo+5000Kirk Cousins+5000Matthew Stafford+5000Saquon Barkley+5000Russell Wilson (+1200)There are few players that it feels like the NFL intelligentsia wants to win more than Wilson, who's coming off an analytically stellar campaign that probably would have won in a "normal" season. He won't reproduce his ridiculous TD-INT ratio, but something in the ballpark could push him over the edge.He's got the weapons to do it, too, with the one-two punch of Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf and a new target over the middle in Greg Olsen. If Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer can loosen the reins a bit on his star QB, Wilson could gun for some passing marks to bolster his case.Baker Mayfield (+4000)If you bet on Mayfield last year at short odds, this is sure to make you sick, and understandably so. But all of the reasons for optimism then - the arm talent, the Browns' stacked receiving corps, the progressive coaching staff - exist this year, too ... except this coaching staff might actually help his case, not hinder it.New coach Kevin Stefanski put Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins in a strong position to succeed when he was a coordinator in Minnesota, and he could do the same for his new quarterback behind a rebuilt offensive line. Love Mayfield or hate him, he screams "post-hype sleeper" at a reasonable price.Josh Allen (+4000)This is the best bet on the board, without question. Allen fits the archetype of recent winners: a cannon-armed QB with improvisational ability and a knack for tremendous growth from year to year. In 2018, he was among the worst in the NFL on intermediate throws. In 2019, he was among the best. How's that for upside?If he can improve upon his woeful deep accuracy, he's an immediate contender, especially with speedsters Stefon Diggs and John Brown catching passes in Buffalo. The Bills return nearly their entire roster from last year's playoff team and are in a strong spot to snap the Patriots' historic AFC East streak behind double-digit wins, which would all but make Allen's case as long as the stats can follow.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 © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The eventual embrace of read-option quarterbacks was one of the defining characteristics of the NFL during the last decade. Cam Newton - all 6-foot-5, 245 pounds of him - was at the forefront of that revolution. His release from the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday is the price he paid for getting there the way he did.Newton played nine seasons for the Panthers, and in May he will turn 31. That's quite young in a league in which franchise quarterbacks routinely play into their late 30s and even mid 40s. But from the moment he entered the NFL, Newton played a hard-charging style that seemed to welcome punishment - which is what he often took, even as he was rarely afforded the protections the league frequently gives to other quarterbacks.This approach made Newton one of the decade's best players, if only for just a few years. He was the league MVP in 2015, when he led the Panthers to a 15-1 regular season and a berth in the Super Bowl. And now his body is broken.Newton is coming off a Lisfranc injury that ended his 2019 season after just two games, which came mere months after two shoulder surgeries in 22 months. He's also had ankle surgery, broken ribs, and multiple head injuries. And he fractured a pair of vertebrae during a 2014 car crash. Somehow, 2019 was the first season in which Newton failed to start at least 14 games. He was a trailblazer, even if the particular path he took is likely going to close behind him."Newton helped change the game for a lot of quarterbacks," Kevin Clark wrote last fall for The Ringer, "but there are no other quarterbacks to emulate him."Joe Sargent / Getty ImagesNewton did all this even as he carried the additional burden of being wholly himself while playing in a league that too often frowns on expressions of individuality. He won the Heisman Trophy and a national championship in college, yet a pre-draft scouting report famously described him with racist overtones:

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Like it or not, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New England Patriots will be compared and contrasted through the 2020 season. That's what happens when the greatest quarterback of all time moves from one team to the other.The Patriots won five more games than the Buccaneers in 2019, and the last time Tampa Bay earned more victories than New England, Jon Gruden coached Chris Simms to the 2005 division title. Yeah, it's been a while. This year, though, oddsmakers have both priced at nine victories, and the Bucs are slight favorites to win more games:Team to win more gamesOddsTampa Bay Buccaneers-125New England Patriots+105Here's a breakdown of each team's chances to win more contests in 2020:Brady cures all for BucsIt's as simple as it is unavoidable: Tom Brady's presence changes everything.The Buccaneers' offense ranked inside the top 10 in touchdowns per drive in 2019 but a league-worst 41 turnovers tanked the team's chances to consistently put up points. The Patriots' offense was below average in most metrics, but a top-three turnover margin kept the team's scoring in the league's top tier.The turnover differential wasn't just a matter of volume, either. In 2019, Jameis Winston (626) had just 13 more attempts than Brady (613) but threw 22 more interceptions. Brady also ranked second in drops by his receivers (34), while Winston tied for 17th (23). Pair the Hall of Famer with All-Pro weapons like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and Tampa Bay's offense could threaten to post top-five numbers.It's easy to rag on the defense, which allowed the fourth-most points in 2019. But, again, it all leads back to the quarterback. Because the Bucs committed so many turnovers, their defense was consistently put in tough situations; Tampa Bay faced the worst average starting field position of any defense last season.The Buccaneers actually tied for sixth in fewest yards allowed on a per-play basis (5.1), and they ranked fifth in turnovers forced (28) and in defensive DVOA, which measures total efficiency. They also boasted the league's best run defense, which should sustain next year with Ndamukong Suh expected to re-sign.The biggest concern, really, is continuity. Tampa Bay returns much of its starting offensive and defensive units from a year ago, but the biggest change defines everything. Can Brady rediscover his pre-2019 form in a new system? Can the defense produce under more "normal" circumstances? Will heightened expectations break a team with just one winning season since 2010?Pats starting overIf you think New England will waltz to another 10-win season in 2020, take a fresh look at the roster.Let's start with a positive: The Patriots' secondary was elite last year, and it remains mostly intact heading into 2020. On the strength of the back-end unit, New England's defense allowed the fewest yards (23.4), points (1.02), touchdowns (1.08), and plays (5.13) per drive, which helped supplement a lackluster offense.However, that underwhelming offense projects to get worse in 2020 without any major additions and an unproven quarterback under center, even if Brady didn't look as sharp in Year 20 as he did in Years 1-19.Brady isn't the only significant loss during a tumultuous free-agency period. The Patriots also parted with key linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins Sr., starting nose tackle Danny Shelton, starting center Ted Karras, and a handful of depth pieces from last year's 12-win group.Losing those linebackers is especially concerning for the Patriots' pass defense, which was dominant not just on the back end but in the middle of the field, too. Without an athletic unit patrolling the hashes, teams can avoid Stephon Gilmore and Co. and target the underneath routes - or, as many teams did, run right into the teeth of New England's undermanned front line.Dante Scarnecchia was another key loss, as he retired this offseason after spending 27 of the last 29 years as the team's offensive line coach. The Patriots haven't needed to invest much in their line thanks to the brilliance of Scarnecchia, who managed to patch together an above-average line seemingly every year. With him gone, Jarrett Stidham (or whoever starts) could face a rough year with few weapons and a shaky O-line.Which team wins more games?Things change fast, and even two weeks ago, this would have seemed bizarre. To some, maybe it still does. But the Buccaneers enter 2020 with a well-built roster, progressive coaching staff, and plenty of upside.New England enters 2020 with the NFL's toughest schedule based on 2019 records and won't have the same dominant defense to lead it through the gauntlet. That's to say nothing of how the loss of Brady looms over the organization. Maybe this team gets to 10 wins again, but Tampa Bay is a much safer bet to reach that mark.Pick: Buccaneers -125C 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 © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers re-signed defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, the team announced.The contract is for one year and is worth $8 million, reports ESPN's Adam Schefter.Suh played the 2019 season on a one-year, $9.25-million deal, joining Tampa on the heels of a one-year stint with the Los Angeles Rams. He helped the Buccaneers field the league's top-ranked defense against the run, finishing the year with 41 tackles.The three-time first-team All-Pro will head back to a Buccaneers team that recently signed Tom Brady to replace Jameis Winston at quarterback, giving the franchise immediate Super Bowl aspirations.Incidentally, Suh played against Brady in Super Bowl LIII while with the Rams. The two also battled for years in the AFC East when Suh was with the Miami Dolphins and Brady was a member of the New England Patriots.Suh, 33, will be embarking on his 11th NFL campaign. The former No. 2 overall pick has 58.5 career sacks, though most of them came in the first half of his career. He has never missed a game due to injury.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.