NFL Player News
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Sam Howell QB | SEA
Seahawks' Sam Howell: Competing for backup job
Howell will compete for the No. 2 job behind Sam Darnold after the Seahawks signed Drew Lock on Friday, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports.
GM John Schneider added that he looks forward to Howell's development in the new scheme after the Seahawks fired OC Ryan Grubb after just one season and replaced him with Klint Kubiak. Schneider also stated that Lock's arrival doesn't mean the team won't add another quarterback during the draft. Howell played just 25 snaps during 2024, completing five of 14 passes for 24 yards and an interception. Such a small sample size isn't determinative of Howell's future, however, as he was a serviceable option in Washington in 2023 with 3,946 yards, 21 touchdowns and 21 interceptions in addition to five rushing scores. Meanwhile, Lock's career numbers aren't much better, but he has familiarity with the organization and may be a more steady backup as the Seahawks look to perform a quick rebuild with Darnold's lead.
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Aaron Rodgers QB | NYJ
Aaron Rodgers: Willing to play on $10M contract
Rodgers said Thursday on the Pat McAfee Show his decision whether or not to play this season is not "about the money" and that he would "play for $10 million," Brooke Pryorand Rich Cimini of ESPN report.
"I never once said I needed a multi-year deal," Rodgers said, doubling down on the notion that if he does opt to suit up in 2025, the decision will be made solely based upon team circumstance and fit. The 41-year-old QB also made clear that his "focus" currently is "and will continue to be" his personal life, noting that "retirement still could be a possibility." Rodgers has been oft linked to the Steelers since being released by the Jets, especially in the wake of the Giants signing both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, but Pittsburgh is now only one week away from heading into the 2025 NFL Draft without a clear commitment from Rodgers, which could motivate the team to make other moves at the position.
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Derek Carr QB | NO
Saints' Derek Carr: Wants out of New Orleans?
Carr's discussion of shoulder surgery may be related to dissatisfaction with the Saints and a desire to be released, according to Mike Triplett and Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.
Carr reportedly preferred to be released earlier this offseason, but the Saints instead did a simple contract restructure to shift more of his cap hit to future seasons without adding/removing money. It was then revealed last week that the 34-year-old QB is considering surgery for a previously unreported shoulder injury, and with a recovery timeline that could keep him out for the start of the 2025 season. It's hard to say exactly what's going on here, but it is clear that fantasy managers shouldn't assume Carr will be the Week 1 starter in New Orleans under new head coach Kellen Moore. The other options under contract are Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener and Ben DiNucci, which makes the Saints a top candidate to draft a QB on Day 1 or 2 next week.
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Dak Prescott QB | DAL
Cowboys' Dak Prescott: Says hamstring is improving
Prescott said Friday that he is progressing in his recovery from a torn right hamstring to the extent that he could theoretically play now, if needed, per ESPN.com. "If I had to play a game today, I definitely could do that," Prescott stated.
Prescott's season came to an end after just eight games last season due to the hamstring injury, and he underwent surgery in mid-November. The veteran quarterback has been rehabbing since, and his comments Friday suggest that everything has gone smoothly in his recovery. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said in late March that Prescott will be limited during the initial portion of the Cowboys' offseason program, but Jones also mentioned that Prescott's rehab was going well. It appears both the organization and the player are eyeing a cautious approach to organized team activities, which begin in May, as Prescott indicated Friday that he'll take part in some capacity but added, "Then again I just understand my age, what I've had, what I've went through, it's about being my best in the fall. So I'm not rushing anything, but I'm where I want to be."
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Derek Carr QB | NO
Saints' Derek Carr: May require shoulder surgery
Carr (shoulder/hand) is nursing a shoulder injury that may require surgery and could impact his availability for the 2025 season, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Carr, who missed seven games in 2024 (including the Saints' final four contests) due to a left oblique injury and a fractured left hand, is now dealing with an injury that could significantly impact the Saints' coming season, as well as the team's decisions in April's draft. Further details regarding the veteran signal-caller's injury should be forthcoming, but Rapoport reports that surgery is among the options being considered by Carr and New Orleans. With only Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener and Ben DiNucci currently available behind Carr on the depth chart, the Saints figure to be increasingly motivated to explore remaining free agency options at quarterback, and the team's decision at No. 9 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft could now more realistically trend toward the position.
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Drew Lock QB | SEA
Seahawks' Drew Lock: Reunites with Seattle
Lock agreed to terms Friday on a contract with the Seahawks, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Lock struggled amid less than ideal circumstances with the Giants last year, completing 59.1 percent of his passes for 1,071 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions across eight regular-season appearances. He now returns to Seattle, where in he suited up for four regular-season games in 2023 and looked modestly better while mustering a 63.0 percent completion rate, 543 passing yards, three touchdowns and three INTs. The 28-year-old figures to spend the offseason competing with Sam Howell for the top backup gig behind Sam Darnold.
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Josh Johnson QB | WAS
Commanders' Josh Johnson: Gets one-year deal in Washington
The Commanders signed Johnson to a one-year contract Friday, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.
Johnson, a 38-year-old veteran, threw just three passes across his six regular-season appearances in 2024 while working in relief of Lamar Jackson with the Ravens. Back in 2018, he appeared in four regular-season games with Washington. Johnson will now join Marcus Mariota as a depth option behind Jayden Daniels, the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year.
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Joe Flacco QB | IND
Browns' Joe Flacco: Returning to Cleveland
Flacco has agreed to a one-year deal with the Browns, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN reports.
Per the report, Flacco's deal is for $4 million, though the veteran QB could earn up to $13 million with incentives factored in. Flacco -- who played for the Colts last season -- is thus in line to return to Cleveland, where he won the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award in 2023. Bringing back the 40-year-old bolsters a signal-caller corps that also includes Deshaun Watson -- who could miss most or all of the 2025 season due to an Achilles injury -- and 2022 first-rounder Kenny Pickett. It's also quite possible that the Browns will select another QB in the upcoming NFL Draft, but as things stand now, Flacco is in a position to compete with Pickett to be the team's starter in Week 1.
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Trevor Lawrence QB | JAC
Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence: Will be limited during spring work
Lawrence (shoulder) will be limited during the spring as he continues to recover from AC joint surgery, Mike DiRocco of ESPN.com reports.
Lawrence underwent surgery on his left, non-throwing shoulder Dec. 17 and was in a sling until late January. While the Jaguars plan to bring him along slowly, he's expected to be fully cleared for the start of training camp later this summer. "We're optimistic that we'll get there in terms of where we need to go," coach Liam Coen said Wednesday. "He'll be on a pitch count for those things. In terms of the where he has to get to, because he has little touch points he needs to reach before he can obviously get out onto the grass and do it full speed, everything's moving forward. He feels really good right now, so excited about that." Lawrence relayed that he's "very optimistic" he'll be ready well ahead of Week 1.
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Kyler Murray QB | ARI
Cardinals' Kyler Murray: Intends to run more in 2025
Murray said Wednesday during an interview with PHNX Sports that he feels as though the season-ending knee injury he sustained in 2023 "never happened" and that he's "open to running more next year," Kevin Patra of NFL.com reports.
Murray said that his knee injury lingered at times during the 2024 season, but that with another healthy offseason under his belt, he doesn't anticipate being hampered at all moving forward. "I do feel like I have to run more next year," Murray said, comparing his dual-threat capabilities at full health to those of Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. The 27-year-old had a career-low 4.6 rushing attempts per game in 2024, though he was efficient on the ground, scoring five times and averaging a career-best 7.1 YPC. If Murray is indeed comfortable rushing more next season, and potentially able to develop improved chemistry with 2024 first-round pick Marvin Harrison, Arizona's offense will be primed to take a step forward.