April 2014 4for4 Player News Articles

Ravens said they had planned to add one or two running backs before Ray Rice's incident.

At just 26 years old, it was surprising to see Rice's production fall off the way it did, but he was dealing with hip and quad injuries throughout the season. He was also coming off of a Super Bowl run the previous year, which likely wore him down. GM Ozzie Newsome said he expects Rice to return to Pro Bowl form, but HC John Harbaugh said after the season that the team could take more of a committee approach at running back, which would limit Rice's upside. Still, assuming his offseason legal issues don't impact his availability -- and that's a big assumption -- he is a bounce-back candidate in Gary Kubiak's offense.

Adrian Peterson is back on the field and said to be looking good.

The Vikings' star running back, who had groin surgery in January, practiced Tuesday and Wednesday, the first two days of a three-day minicamp. He displayed his usual burst of speed during Wednesday's non-contact workout.

"Adrian is doing fantastic," first-year Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. "He's been in good spirits. ... He's doing great."

With Toby Gerhart gone, Peterson should have a big year with heavy usage under new OC Norv Turner. He's locked in as a top 3 pick in standard formats.

Panthers HC Ron Rivera said there are no plans for Cam Newton, recovering from left ankle surgery to tighten ligaments that have been bothering him since college, to run less in 2014. He believes Newton will be stronger than ever once he fully recovers, likely by the start of training camp.

"We don't want to take away a weapon,'' Rivera said.

Newton has finished in the top 4 in each of his three seasons in the league, but his PPG has dropped from 22.9 to 20.6 to 18.7 during that span. His WR situation is also worrisome.

Tony Romo’s passes have the same velocity as they always have. That’s what teammate Jason Witten said Tuesday when asked about the Cowboys quarterback who underwent surgery to repair a herniated disk in December – his second back operation in a span of eight months.

“He is throwing good,” said Witten, who co-hosted the Albertsons All-Star Gala at the Hilton Anatole. “I have caught a lot of balls over the years and it’s the same zip, same as always. He looks good.”

Much has been written about how Romo will thrive under new “Passing Game Coordinator” Scott Linehan. Under Linehan, the Lions threw the ball 62.2% of the time in the last two seasons. Over the same span, the Cowboys threw it 64.3% of the time, so the Cowboys may not be that much more "pass happy" under Linehan, though the number of plays they run could increase, helping the offense as a whole. The Lions have averaged 1,105 plays in the last two seasons, while the Cowboys averaged just 968 plays, so Detroit ran 14% more plays than Dallas in that span. This bodes well for Romo and Co. He has finished in the top 11 in six of the last seven seasons, and is a threat to do so again in 2014.

It certainly sounds as if the Jets’ starting quarterback job is Geno Smith’s to lose.

Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said Smith will open with the first team when the Jets begin their on-field spring practices in a few weeks as he tries to beat out Michael Vick for the starting job.

Mornhinweg said the Jets don’t want to impede the progress Smith made in his rookie season.

“We’re going to structure it in a certain way,” Mornhinweg said on a conference call with reporters. “One thing I want to make sure of is nothing impedes the young quarterback’s progression. I’m talking about Geno. He progressed beautifully. … I’m talking the last quarter of the season.”

Mornhinweg mentioned Smith's play in the final four games of the season. He did average 20.0 fantasy points during that span, compared with just 10.0 FP in the first 12 games. He ran for three TDs down the stretch while throwing for just 198 yards and 1.0 TD, so those numbers may not be repeatable. (It will be difficult for him to maintain that rush TD rate.) From a fantasy perspective, it would probably be better if the experienced Michael Vick were under center, but it certainly sounds like it's Smith's job to lose.

New HC Jay Gruden commented again on how he plans to use QB Robert Griffin III...

“Robert’s the quarterback and ultimately Robert will play the position the way Robert plays it,” Gruden told Pollin. “You know, I’m not gonna turn him into a robot and say, ‘Stay in [the pocket] no matter what.’ Part of his effectiveness as a quarterback is his ability to run. But will we have designed runs for him? Maybe not as many as they had last year, but there’s a possibility of having those.

“Obviously when we call drop-back passes, we want him to be a drop-back passer, but if things break down like sometimes they do – sometimes guys are covered, they’re not open – he needs to be Robert and make good decisions. And sometimes throwing it away is a good decision, sometimes running for two yards is a good decision and getting down. So he’s got to play the position the way he plays it.”

Regarding the read-option...

“We’ll have sprinkles here and there,” Gruden said. “It’s not going to be a major part. I want to make sure that we have other things that we can do besides the read-option, because it takes a toll. You have to practice it a lot to be very good at it. It kind of takes away from the defense’s ability a little bit, it takes away from other plays that you need to work on, your protection schemes, your running game, all that stuff. It just takes away from that. So we want to make sure that we work on the core running game that we have, the core drop-back passes we have. And then once we get going, we get those implemented, maybe sprinkle in some read-option.”

Griffin is a major bounce-back candidate with the addition of DeSean Jackson and the arrival of Gruden, who coaxed top 5 numbers out of Andy Dalton. Rushing yards are a big part of his fantasy value, but he'll still be a threat in that area of the game even if the Redskins don't feature the read-option.

Titans WR Justin Hunter has beefed up this offseason. He's at 208 pounds -- was at 193 last year.

Bulking up is usually a good thing but it can sap a player's speed. At 6'4", Hunter has the frame to carry that type of weight gain. He's a breakout candidate if he gets starter's snaps and decent QB play.

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who is recovering from surgery to repair a torn ACL sustained on Dec. 8, deflected a question Tuesday about whether he will be ready for the 2014 season opener.

"Oh man, that's too far away. I'm just improving every day right now," Gronkowski said Tuesday on the "Hill-Man Show" on WAAF-FM. "I'm working hard every day to put myself in the best situation so that I'm ready."

Gronkowski had surgery on Jan. 9, with the procedure performed by Dr. James Andrews. He waited one month after the injury to undergo surgery so that his MCL, which also was torn, could heal.

The "oh man" response isn't encouraging. Usually if there is a chance a player will be ready for the start of the season, they will answer in the affirmative. At the very least, we now have an explanation why they waited so long to fix the ACL. The bottom line is that Gronk is no sure thing for Week 1, and we may be playing the same waiting game as we did last summer.

Trouble has found new Chicago Bears wide receiver Josh Morgan in his hometown.

D.C. Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Paul Metcalf confirmed to NFL Media on Monday that Morgan was arrested early Sunday morning and booked on one charge of misdemeanor simple assault.

Morgan claims he did nothing wrong. We'll wait and see how this situation plays out.

Calvin Johnson attended but did not take part in the Lions’ three-day minicamp last week as he recovers from surgery on his right knee and a finger on his left hand. But he moved very well as he darted around the field.

The Lions begin their organized team activities May 20. Johnson said he had no timetable for on-field debut this offseason.

“It feels good,” he said of the knee. “It’s definitely coming around. We’ve got all this time right now to get it strong, take our time. There’s no need to rush back.”

Johnson didn't crack the 100-yard mark or score a TD after Week 13 and missed the final game of the season. A healthy Calvin is still the top fantasy receiver, but his knee issues have to be a worry for owners thinking about taking him in the first round of 2014 fantasy drafts.

Ray Rice and Janay Palmer whom he married in March, got into a physical altercation on Feb. 15 at Revel Casino in Atlantic City, N.J., according to police.

Rice and Palmer were both originally facing simple assault-domestic violence charges. After Atlantic City police referred the case to prosecutors for review, the charges were upgraded to the more serious charge of third-degree aggravated assault when Rice was indicted by a grand jury.

Palmer, who was arrested along with Rice the night of the incident, had her case administratively dismissed.
According to the indictment, Rice allegedly did "cause significant bodily injury to Janay Palmer, and/or did purposely or knowingly cause significant bodily injury to Janay Palmer and/or under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life, did recklessly cause significant bodily injury to Janay Palmer."

Should Rice be convicted of aggravated assault, Rice could face jail time. However, as a first-time offender, Rice could potentially avoid that outcome through a diversionary program.

This isn't just going away. Rice will likely face a suspension if he is convicted, but the case may not go to trial before the 2014 season. If he is suspended this year, his stock will take a major hit and Bernard Pierce would get a bump.

The Giants quarterback is learning a new playbook for the first time since his rookie season and underwent the first significant surgery of his career earlier this month. And for the first time since he became involved with the March of Dimes' annual March for Babies event, Manning was unable to participate in the 3.5-mile walk that began on the upper West Side.

Manning still served as the New York Celebrity Chairman of the event. He even did it without the boot that protected his surgically repaired left ankle earlier in the week.

Manning needs to get healthy quickly so he can fully digest and practice his new offense. For more on how he'll fit into Ben McAdoo's offense, click here.

Jermichael Finley is scheduled for an X-ray tomorrow. MRI/CAT if checks out. Standard 6- to 8-week update. Keep doing it until he's cleared.

Jaguars RB Toby Gerhart is ready for his chance to start.

“I had the skill set to be a [NFL] starter from the onset, but I was playing behind one of the best in the game,” Gerhart said of [Adrian Peterson]. “I’ve gotten comfortable with the speed of the game, but don’t have the wear and tear on my body of someone carrying it 250 times a year.

“I think I’m in a unique situation. Even though it’s my fifth year in the league, I can come in and be a dominant guy. I’m ready for my shot now.”

Gerhart had a season-high 109 carries for 531 yards in 2011, when he started four games for the injured Peterson. That’s his biggest NFL workload. The Jaguars are banking on his production not trailing off if Gerhart gets into the 240- to 300-carry range.

240 carries represents 15 totes a game, which is in line with the 15-20 touches per game that HC Gus Bradley mentioned when discussing Gerhart after the Jaguars signed him. To put that workload in perspective, just 13 running backs carried the ball at least 240 times in 2013, and the lowest rank in standard formats of any of that group was Zac Stacy at #18. Gerhart is a good receiver as well, so if he gets 240-plus carries, he'll be a very solid RB2 who will likely go in the 4th or 5th round of fantasy drafts. For an in-depth look at Gerhart, click here.

The NFL's rushing champion, LeSean McCoy, was a guest on ESPN's Mike and Mike on Friday morning. He was asked his thoughts on the addition of Darren Sproles. The Eagles sent a fifth-round pick to New Orleans for the dynamic all-purpose back in March.

McCoy could view the addition of Sproles as someone who will cut into his workload, but the All-Pro has a different take on the move.

"I think 366 touches is a lot," McCoy said of his combined rushes and receptions last season. "Being in the prime of my career and bringing in a guy like Sproles who can do so much, we'll work well together. I think having me fresh in the fourth quarter with fewer carries can be even more dangerous."

McCoy was the #2 RB in standard formats last season and figures to be a safe pick in the 1st round despite the addition of Sproles. The Eagles' offense is so productive and HC Chip Kelly will have to account for the departutre of DeSean Jackson; McCoy can help offset that loss.

Goals for the offseason? Zach Ertz expects to take a massive step forward in Year 2.

“I want to be more of a complete tight end. I don’t want there to be a situation where I have to come off the field because it’s a running play or a passing play and the coaches feel they have to get me off the field. That’s what I’m working for this year.”

That's expected to be the case. Ertz could move around the formation quite a bit as the Eagles ultilize his ability to get down the field. The depth at tight end is going to be a weapon as the offense creates favorable matchups.

"We have a great group and Brent (Celek) and James (Casey) have been so helpful," said Ertz. "You hear horror stories from around the league, but that's not the case here. It's been great."

Ertz averaged 2.8-32-.56 over the final nine games of the season (including the Eagles' sole playoff game) and that included two goose eggs in Week 10 and Week 14. That equates to 6.6 fantasy points per game, which is what Martellus Bennett averaged as the #10 TE in fantasy football. If he can take a step forward in the blocking department, it will help his overall fantasy outlook.

Victor Cruz stated on Thursday's "NFL Total Access" that the Giants "definitely" needed help on the outside at wide receiver. It once again left everyone wondering what the team currently has with third-year wideout Rueben Randle. Former offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride made similar remarks last week.

"[A big-play receiver] is something we need in this offense to be successful," Cruz said when pressed into answering where the Giants should go with the 12th pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. "I think an outside guy that can do the job and that can help fuel all the other receivers in the locker room and put some fire up under them to get them where they have to be, I think it will be beneficial to us."

t sounded at the NFL Meetings last month in Orlando that coach Tom Coughlin believed Randle could be that guy. Randle led the Giants in touchdown receptions last year with six, but also has been inconsistent with his route-running and there are questions about his reliability.

"Rueben, we have great expectations, high expectations for," Coughlin said. "Rueben has to continue to develop and continue to become a better pro -- focus, concentration, consistency, day in and day out, practice in and practice out. You can see the plays he can make. He's made some great plays."

Randle himself even admitted he has significant work to do this offseason. He must prove to the coaches and quarterback that he can be a reliable option.

"Just gain the trust of the coaches, the players around me, Eli," Randle said earlier this week. "Like I said, continue to go out there and make plays and just get comfortable with the atmosphere around me."

We'll have to wait until the dust settles after the draft to determine Randle's value heading into fantasy drafts this summer. He missed early workouts with Eli Manning at Duke University for unspecified reasons. One thing's for sure -- if the Giants don't draft a wideout, Randle will have a great opportunity to produce this season.

Detroit Lions tailback Mikel Leshoure practiced the first day of minicamp, but was absent from the final two workouts.

Coach Jim Caldwell clarified Leshoure is not injured, but rather was excused because of an off-field matter.

"He did have a personal issue, let's put it that way," Caldwell said after the Lions wrapped up camp Thursday afternoon. "We knew he was gone and what was happening. We were well aware of it."

Titans HC Ken Whisenhunt said that QB Jake Locker's progress (from Lisfranc surgery) is encouraging, some jogging, no team stuff in next week's minicamp.

This week, as the Colts began offseason workouts, Ahmad Bradshaw went into some detail on the procedure and gave a better sense of where he is on his road back.

"I'm six months after surgery. I feel great," Bradshaw said. "Getting stronger. I'm just glad to be back here and be a part of this team."

But Bradshaw, 28, isn't all the way back. This surgery was hardly minor. He said his doctors fused two vertebrae in his neck, something he believes will strengthen the area. Bradshaw initially contemplated addressing the problem with rest before settling on the surgical option.

"They say (the correction) is permanent," Bradshaw said. "I think it makes it stronger. They fused the bone, the C3 and C4. It's two vertebrae working together now, so I think it makes it stronger. And (the doctors) think so, too. Everything's coming along. I'm getting stronger. I'm starting to touch the field and run a lot more. It's all upside for me."

If healthy, Bradshaw will push Trent Richardson for snaps, though Richardson seems to have first dibs on that RB1 job at this point.

Bills WR Steve Johnson was slowed by back, groin and hamstring injuries last season after admitting he didn't work out in the previous offseason. He said Tuesday that he recovered from the injuries and felt good. He sounded like he was making a stronger commitment to conditioning this year, but only he really knows.

Johnson's per game targets in Buffalo's run-heavy offense may take a hit with the arrival of Mike Williams.

Dwayne Allen said today he has been cleared to participate in everything. Said it felt great running around today, catching the ball.

Allen is a sleeper at the tight end position, but his upside is capped by the presence of Coby Fleener.

After sitting out Tuesday’s first voluntary minicamp practice, Lions third-year receiver Ryan Broyles had a helmet and participated in drills during Wednesday’s open session to the media.

Broyles is in the middle of his third consecutive offseason rehabbing a major leg injury.

He tore an ACL as a senior at Oklahoma, tore the other ACL as a rookie and ruptured an Achilles tendon last season. He’s has played in 16 games in two years with 30 catches, 395 yards and two touchdowns.

"I know the deal with the Lions right now and you feel like you have a deadline because there's guys counting on you, especially coming in from the second round," Broyles told detroitlions.com earlier this offseason. "I feel like I have to go in there and prove something and maybe I did that a little bit before my body was ready (last year)."

Broyles is fighting for snaps behind Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate. How he looks in offseason activities could help the Lions decide whether they'll draft a receiver next month.

Jaguars WR Cecil Shorts had two hamstring injuries as a rookie that cost him six total games. In 2012, Shorts missed the final two games with a concussion. Shorts was unavailable for the final three games last season with a groin injury that required surgery.

“The biggest thing for me when it comes to [a new deal] is remaining healthy and being durable for a season,” Shorts said. “Being able to show my talents consistently throughout the year.”

Shorts still isn’t at full strength from the surgery, but expects to be soon.

“I’m on the right path where I’m able to run without any pain,” Shorts said. “I still have some work to do and I’m not 100 percent yet, but I’m looking to get there soon. Now, I have to get my strength back and confidence back.”

Shorts was the #22 WR in 2012 before slipping to #46 last season. His draft day value will depend on the status of Justin Blackmon and whether the Jaguars draft a QB early next month. He is currently the #40 receiver off the board in the 9th round and may be a good value there if the situation variables break his way.

Rams WR Chris Givens has taken a lot of steps to get his game back on track since the 2013 finale against Seattle when he didn’t have a single catch. He decided that he had to make changes in his life and make football his No. 1 priority.

“When I was young, I felt like I was trying to do too much, please too many people,” he said. “Saying ‘yes’ too much. Being afraid to let my light shine because of how it made someone else feel. So I humbled myself and made football my job. Made it a priority. And I just started writing goals and doing a lot of things.”

In Arizona he worked with longtime fitness and martial arts instructor Mack Newton. Givens described him as “this 68-year-old trainer. ... Old school. No weight-lifting. He works on building you up from the inside-out. Before every class, we’d sit down and talk for like an hour, just about spiritual things, and having the proper self-esteem.”

By now, Givens has put the frustration of last season behind him, a season that included a shoulder injury and an especially nagging ankle injury. Givens didn’t miss any games but said the ankle injury required a lot of maintenance and bothered him most of the year.

“My goals right now are to be really involved with the team, and to really embrace the whole concept of team,” Givens said. “And just to be a leader. Be a finisher. Be a catalyst. To do everything I need to do to put my body in the best position to start (training) camp.”

Givens is a candidate for a bounce-back season after a very disappointing sophomore campaign. A renewed focus on football will help, but so should the return of QB Sam Bradford, who missed much of the season with a torn ACL.

What Mike Wallace found in his return to Miami: A whole new offense, one that he believes is better suited to his strengths.

“My style: Big-play offense,” Wallace said, referring to first-year coordinator Bill Lazor’s new system. “I see [Ryan Tannehill is] excited about it. He’s called me about eight, nine times.

“I just want to make some plays for my team,” Wallace continued. “Go out and make some plays for my team and have a much better year than last year. We can't have the kind of year we had last year. We need to be on the same page.”

Wallace had a career-high 73 catches last year, his first in Miami, but believes he left 15 to 20 touchdowns on the field because he and Tannehill could never figure out the deep ball.

“It’s a process,” said Joe Philbin, also appearing on the team-run radio program. “We feel like we’re going to see greater dividends this year.”

Wallace finished as the #25 receiver in 2013 and is currently the #36 WR off the board in the 8th round. He will have a chance to bounce back this season in Lazor's offense. It's good to hear that he's a fan of Lazor's approach.

Once the Giants receivers learn the new verbiage, Ben McAdoo's offense in general should be easier to execute. Gone are the complicated route-reads the wide receivers were tasked with under Kevin Gilbride. In are the defined routes of McAdoo and his West Coast-style offense.

“As far as my route-running was concerned in the slot position, a lot of my routes were determined by what the secondary was doing, what type of coverage they were in. That would dictate my route,” Victor Cruz said. “As far as this offense is concerned, it’s a lot more of your route is your route, and you can dictate that off your coverage and know what you have and [Eli Manning] can find you within those different holes. Now it’s a lot less dependent on what my body language is.”

That should help the Giants cut down on the mistakes. It should help Manning cut down on the interceptions.

Defined routes should also help Rueben Randle, who struggled at times to stay on the same page as his quarterback. Randle was the #28 WR through the first 11 weeks, but faded down the stretch (12-151 in the final six weeks).

Dolphins HC Joe Philbin said he likes Knowshon Moreno’s “versatility and multiple skill set.”

Moreno figures to form a committee with Lamar Miller and Daniel Thomas, but he may work his way into a clear RB1 role given the team's interest in signing him as a free agent.

With his legal troubles having cast doubt on his playing future, Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice has been committed to what he can control: losing weight and getting back to full strength after a hip injury derailed him last season.

Rice is attending the start of the Ravens' offseason conditioning program and has impressed team staff.

"He looks great," strength and conditioning coach Bob Rogucki told reporters Tuesday.

Rice played too heavy last year and it showed. He's facing a major off-field issue, but if he can clear that hurdle he should be a RB2 in Gary Kubiak's offense.

Chargers WR Malcom Floyd participated in workouts today. Philip Rivers: "It was good to see him. He looks good. He has that smile he always does."

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is using crutches to get around the team's facility this week, but he cast them aside before coming out in a walking boot to address assembled media Tuesday.

Manning's message, as he always tries to make it, is that there's nothing to worry about -- that the ankle surgery he had a couple of weeks ago was the right move at the right time and that it shouldn't affect the Giants' 2014 season.

"I think I'm safe to say I'll be 100 percent by the start of training camp," Manning said. "I would hope so."

Manning had arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle April 10. At that time, he and the team said he expected to be cleared to start running again in six weeks. But cleared to run doesn't necessarily mean cleared to practice.

Manning is missing valuable time throwing to his receivers, specifically Rueben Randle, with whom Manning had several miscommunications during the 2013 season. The Giants are also installing a new offense; Manning surely will be getting "mental reps," but we'd feel better about the prospects of a bounce back season if he were able to throw this spring.

For Giants RB David Wilson, the hardest part has always been accepting the unknown.

He doesn't feel any pain in his neck, and never has. The only thing keeping him off the field are "pictures," or X-Rays that will show whether or not his spinal chord has fused properly following surgery in January.

He's not sure when that clearance will come, but has appointments for future MRI exams set up.

Nonetheless, he expects to be ready for offseason training activities, which begin in less than a month.

"For sure," he said. "I expect to. I want to."

He added: "We're just playing it by ear," he said. "I had the longest break out of anyone in this locker room. I'm just looking forward to getting back out with my teammates and competing. I love to compete. I'll always have that in me."

Given the negative comments by team officials in the last few weeks, we'll believe it when we see it. Wilson's return will certainly change the dynamic in the Giants' backfield, but for now we're expecting Rashad Jennings to be the clear RB1 with Wilson potentially rotating in as a change-of-pace back.

Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith said Julio Jones' participation in offseason workouts will be limited as the team continues to monitor the wide receiver's status coming off foot surgery.

"Julio is participating with our athletic performance department,'' Smith said Tuesday. "He will be able to get out on the field and do some walkthrough stuff with us when we start going. Our focus on Julio is one thing, and that's having him prepared for our opener. ... He's progressing well. We're not going to do anything to hinder his timeframe in terms of getting back to work with us."

Jones injured his foot in Week 5 of last season and missed the remainder of the 2013 campaign. Smith previously said Jones was ahead of schedule in his recovery, but the coach never put a timetable on when Jones would start running routes again.

Jones has the potential to be one of the most productive receivers in the league, but the foot injury is a bit concerning, especially since it’s a broken bone in the same location as his pre-Draft injury. If he plays a full season, he’ll very likely finish in the top 5. He's currently the #6 WR off the board in the early 2nd round.

The Buffalo Bills began their offseason program Tuesday morning, with quarterback EJ Manuel, wide receiver Stevie Johnson, and linebacker Brandon Spikes among those taking part in the voluntary workout.

After missing the final two games of last season with a sprained LCL in his left knee, Manuel underwent knee surgery in January. He took part in the entire portion of Tuesday's workout open to reporters.

Tight end Scott Chandler did not participate in the portion of the workout open to reporters. He worked on a stationary bike and did extra stretching with a member of the training staff.

It's a good sign for Manuel that the knee is not an issue at this point in the offseason. At best, he looks like a low-end QB2 in the Bills' run-heavy system.

Raiders trade Terrelle Pryor to the Seahawks, per league source.

Pryor fits in as the #2 or #3 QB, probably at #3 with Tarvaris Jackson already in Seattle. This is an interesting move by the Seahawks. Pryor is a terrific athlete and the team is hoping to mold him into a capable backup to Russell Wilson.

Bears add depth at receiver and competition for third spot by signing veteran Josh Morgan to 1-yr contract.

Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe said he hired a nutritionist and personal trainer for the first time in his career. He's been working with them for two months.

Bowe finished the season as the #44 fantasy WR, but was the #26 wideout from Week 11 to Week 16. (The Chiefs rested their starters in Week 17.) He had the 34th-most targets on the season, and he posted 8-150-1 against the Colts in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, so there is some reason for optimism heading into 2014.

Bengals WR A.J. Green says he's 6-10 pounds heavier at the start of off-season work outs. Says he wanted a stronger upper body to be more physical.

Green has finished as the #4 WR in each of the last four seasons, but may have a tough time finishing that high if new OC Hue Jackson installs a run-heavy offense. The Bengals threw the ball 55.0% of the time last season (which was below the league average of 56.6%) under supposed 'pass-happy' Jay Gruden, so the Bengals were already a tad run-heavy on offense. We're expecting a bit more running, so Green deserves a slight downgrade. He's still a very solid WR1.

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce (microfracture surgery) is progressing well and doing everything.

Kelce is a sleeper candidate since the Chiefs are in need of a receiving threat at tight end.

Jets HC Rex Ryan says Mike Goodson won't be able to do anything "in near future" coming off ACL/MCL repair.

It’s convenient to say that Cordarrelle Patterson will become the next Josh Gordon, but Patterson and Gordon were used much differently in 2013.

Nearly two-thirds of Patterson’s targets came within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, and a whopping 22 of them came on passes behind the line.

But Gordon did most of his damage downfield in Norv Turner’s vertical passing attack. More than 55 percent of his targets came when he was 10 yards or more past the line of scrimmage, and only Torrey Smith and A.J. Green were targeted beyond 20 yards more often. With just two targets behind the line of scrimmage, Gordon was rarely utilized in the screen game.

Patterson has the size and speeded needed to thrive in a vertical passing attack, so it’s going to be fun to watch him attempt to develop into an all-around receiver like Gordon. It will be also interesting to see how often Turner tries to take advantage of what Patterson already can do.

All arrows are pointing up for Patterson, who was the #10 WR from Week 10 to Week 17 in his rookie season. He scored seven touchdowns in that span (three rush, four receiving) while racking up 29 catches for 323 yards to go along with 10 carries for 156 rushing yards. With Josh Gordon coming off of a breakout season under new Vikings OC Norv Turner, Patterson should be a fantasy starter sooner rather than later. His TD rate will be difficult to maintain, but he should see a jump in touches in 2014. Patterson is very raw as a route runner and needs to develop quickly in that facet of the game if he's to have the type of season that many are predicting.

Marshawn Lynch will make $7 million a year for the Seattle Seahawks, but he could be cut in 2015 if he experiences a decline.

Lynch has two more years on his contract, and Christine Michael (and Robert Turbin) are waiting in the wings. Michael is considered to be the RB of the future, but the Seahawks are likely to continue to give Lynch a big workload in 2014 and see how he holds up.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is expected to participate in the offseason program which starts Monday morning according to a source.

Romo missed the final game of the 2013 season to undergo back surgery and is on target in his rehab program.

The back is the biggest concern for Romo heading into the season. Otherwise, he has good weapons in Dez Bryant, Jason Witten and Terrance Williams and the successful Scott Linehan running the offense. He has finished in the top 11 in six of the last seven seasons.

SI's Peter King says that the Vikings won't be taking a QB with the #8 pick in the draft: "Not a quarterback. They want a sure thing.

If Matt Cassel is the starter for the Vikings, he'll be a sleeper with OC Norv Turner running the offense. The Vikings have pretty good weapons in the passing game (Greg Jennings, Cordarrelle Patterson and Kyle Rudolph) and Cassel is capable of posting good numbers in favorable matchups.

With today’s start of the Rams’ offseason conditioning program, quarterback Sam Bradford will be limited along with a few other players coming off injuries.

“Sam’s in a very good place considering what happened last year,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “I thought he was off to a great start. Had he stayed healthy his projected numbers could’ve been quite impressive. He’s worked hard through the process, and I would expect him at some point to be throwing in OTAs.”

“You’re not gonna hear a head coach say he has a player on his team that’s not ahead of schedule coming off an ACL. Everybody says they’re all ahead of schedule. But he is realistically way ahead of schedule."

Through the first seven games of the season, Bradford averaged 16.9 FP and was the #11 QB before injuring his knee late in a game against the Panthers. Fantasy-wise, he may have turned a corner, but he's going to have to put together a full, productive season to get a sizable extension from the Rams. He'll be a QBBC type in 2014.

49ers RB Frank Gore is the starter, having logged more than 2,100 career carries and posting seven 1,000-yard seasons in his nine-year tenure. But Gore will be 31 years old when the season begins, and the 49ers want to limit his carries so he can last. Kendall Hunter and Marcus Lattimore can be the guys who help save that wear and tear.

“Me and Kendall want to have a chance to do that,” Lattimore said. “Go out there and help that team. If we can go and take some pressure of Frank, we can also help (Colin Kaepernick) move around.”

As for the regular season, Lattimore won’t be tempted to approach fiery coach Jim Harbaugh for playing time during a game.

“If he wants to put me in, he’ll put me in,” Lattimore said, laughing. “If I prove it in practice, I don’t think there’s no excuse why I can’t play. I’m ready.”

Lattimore was considered the most talented RB in the Class of ’13 prior to the dislocated knee he suffered in October of 2012. He’ll be nearly two years removed from the injury at the start of the 2014 season and is expected to push Kendall Hunter (and perhaps a declining Frank Gore) for playing time.

Giants beat writer Dan Graziano gives his take on the Giants backfield:

The Giants signed Rashad Jennings to be their starting running back. They believe he's ready at this stage of his career, after backing up guys like Maurice Jones-Drew in Jacksonville and Darren McFadden in Oakland, to handle a starter's workload. They believe he can catch the ball for them out of the backfield, that he can grind out yards between the tackles and that he's capable of delivering a big play. Assuming he picks up the blocking schemes and can help in pass protection, he's their guy.

That said, Wilson is still on the team, and if the 2012 first-round draft pick shows he's recovered from neck surgery, there is surely going to be a role for a player with his skills. The Giants are hearing good things about Wilson's recovery, but they know they can't count on him, so they signed Jennings and brought back Peyton Hillis in order to construct a backfield in case Wilson can't be a part of it.

I think their plan is for Jennings to get the bulk of the carries with Hillis as his backup, and if they are pleasantly surprised by Wilson's health and availability, they will find ways to work him into the offense. If healthy, he offers a lot.

Jennings was the #6 RB from Week 9 to Week 15 (when he was playing starter’s snaps for the Raiders) and that included a missed game against the Jets in Week 14. The team still believes in David Wilson, but Jennings is fully capable of winning the RB1 job outright. The Giants had a very difficult time running the ball in 2013, so they need to sort out the offensive line as well. Still, Jennings is a three-down back and has a relatively clear path to a starting gig. For a closer look at Jennings' potential workload and production, click here.

Raiders beat writer Paul Gutierrez says that Darren McFadden has the inside track to be the team's RB1: "If healthy, and that's a big IF, Darren McFadden is the lead dog in the backfield, when you consider his home run potential and familiarity with the Raiders offense."

Both Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson are expected to be recovered knee injuries by the Dolphins' mini camp, the source said. Hartline tore his PCL in the season finale against the New York Jets.

It’s been a month since the surprise announcement that Panthers quarterback Cam Newton needs ankle surgery. So how’s he doing four-plus weeks after having the procedure?

Darin Gantt of PFT, who covered the Panthers 14 years before joining this establishment nearly two years ago, reported during Friday night’s edition of Pro Football Talk on NBCSN that Newton remains in a boot — and that the team remains hopeful Newton will be back to 100 percent in time for training camp.

Newton's offseason has been worrisome. He lost all of his receivers in free agency and he'll miss OTAs due to the ankle injury, meaning he'll miss valuable reps with his new wideouts. Given these concerns and the excellent depth at QB, he's not currently worth an early round pick in fantasy drafts.

Chris Johnson told Michael Kay and Don La Greca on ESPN New York 98.7 that the Jets plan to have Geno Smith and Michael Vick compete for the starting job during the team's training camp in Cortland, N.Y. Any idea who has the inside track?

"They didn't give me no indication," Johnson said. "They said those two will battle it out in camp and may the best man win."

At last month’s league meetings, Chuck Pagano said the Colts will be relying on more than one back in 2014 but are looking for a “bell cow” to emerge.

With a complete offseason in a comfortable setting, Trent Richardson is primed to be that guy.

“It’s going to be very, very important for (Richardson) to be here for the offseason program and to dive into this thing full steam ahead, which he will,” Pagano said.

“He wants to be great. He’s got all the talent. He’s got all the ability. We would have never done what we did if we didn’t believe that deep down in our core. So we look for him to have a great offseason and to have a great 2014 campaign.”

Richardson averaged a woeful 2.9 YPC after joining the Colts, but he blames the learning curve he faced after joining a new offense midseason. Since they gave up a first round pick for him, he’ll have the backing of this Colts regime, but OC Pep Hamilton wasn’t afraid to give more work to Donald Brown given the disparity in the quality of play between the two backs. The offseason has gone pretty well for T-Rich — Brown is now out of the way, but the Colts did re-sign Ahmad Bradshaw while Vick Ballard is back from a knee injury. As the #20 RB off the board in the 6th round, it appears that fantasy owners are expecting Richardson to post RB2 numbers. Even that may be a stretch given his career output.

The New Orleans Saints on Friday announced that they have re-signed the Robert Meachem to a one-year deal.

A couple days back, Santana Moss appeared on a podcast with ESPN’s John Clayton, and the topic of Robert Griffin III’s health came up. Clayton asked for a status report.

“He looks more comfortable, because he don’t have to worry about that brace,” Moss said. “I think the brace was the big discomfort last year. You know, he’s a young guy with those fiery legs that want to do so much, and that brace probably gave him a little pinch in the behind, because he couldn’t do the things that he was normally accustomed to doing. You can already see, when we’re out there in conditioning and stuff, he’s running around, looking like the old Robert Griffin.”

Which reminded me that Chris Cooley recently hit a local field with Griffin, and had a similarly rave review. This was before Griffin was permitted to work out with his teammates at Redskins Park; Cooley instead took the QB to his own gym, Lifetime Fitness near Ashburn. The men took turns running routes and throwing passes to each other.

“It’s unbelievable,” Cooley reported. “He’s another person right now. I was like, ‘you’re running unbelievably well.’ It was silly to watch….When you watch him run, you’re like ‘You’re a freak. You’re seriously a freak.’ ”

Griffin is a bounce back candidate now that he's another year removed from his ACL surgery and is able to discard the knee brace which obviously limited his mobility in 2013. Jay Gruden coaxed top 5 fantasy numbers out of Andy Dalton, so it's not inconceivable that he could do the same with RG3. It doesn't hurt that the Redskins have plenty of weapons in the passing game (e.g. Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson, Andre Roberts and Jordan Reed).

The Jets’ expectation is for Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory to provide a formidable 1-2 punch to help reduce pressure on quarterback Geno Smith.

Ivory and Bilal Powell had a nearly 50-50 split in carries last season, so it’s conceivable that Johnson could see about a 35%-40% decline in carries if the Jets stick to that formula. Johnson also provides insurance if Ivory, who has durability concerns, misses time.

A 35% to 40% decline would put Johnson in the 167-181 carry range, though we'd guess that he'll get at least 190 to 210 carries in the Jets' run-heavy offense. (Bilal Powell rushed the ball 176 times in 2013.) The Jets have averaged 493.5 carries over the past two seasons, so it's conceivable that Ivory and Johnson could both reach around 200 carries, provided they both stay healthy. Assuming 240 total touches for Johnson (200 carries, 40 catches) at his 2012-2013 FP/touch rate (.609), he would score around 146 fantasy points, or RB20 numbers.

Former Giants OC Kevin Gilbride implied that he isn't sure Rueben Randle is a quality NFL starting WR. Coming to the defense of Eli Manning, Gilbride said, "There's been no deterioration of his arm strength, there’s been no lack of preparation and effort.” He added, "I think he’s going to be fine as soon as they solidify the offensive line. They certainly made a move to do that by bringing in three interior offensive linemen and as soon as they get somebody that’s going to be productive for them as an outside receiver. Victor Cruz is terrific, but they need somebody that when they go match up, bump and run (and) go win for them.”

Gilbride didn't mention Randle, which is a bit worrisome for owners expecting him to assume a larger role in the offense with Hakeem Nicks out of the way. If the Giants take a receiver early in the draft, it may be bad news for Randle.

Sidney Rice agrees to terms with the Seahawks, per league source. One-year deal.

Rice's return puts a big dent in Doug Baldwin's upside. Baldwin was looking like a nice late round sleeper as a starter for the Seahawks, but his playing time is in some jeopardy now with Rice in the mix. Russell Wilson gets another weapon in the passing game. Rice should be fantasy relevant provided he stays healthy.

Former Titans RB Chris Johnson reached agreement with Jets on a two-year deal, per league sources.

Johnson will form a one-two punch with incumbent Chris Ivory, who started to run better as the season wore on. Obviously this is bad news for Ivory, who isn't likely to see a 'bell cow' type workload with Johnson on the roster. Neither player looks like a fantasy RB2 until we have an idea of how the depth chart and workload shake out.

It was reported this week that that New England tight end Rob Gronkowski is moving along just fine in his recovery from a torn ACL and MCL. That's all well and good, but a source close to him told me that the star player will "take his time and then take more time."

I'm told he might even take more time, and be more patient, than ever before. I'm not exactly sure when we'll see Gronkowski.

Gronkowski waited until January to have his surgery, so those expecting him to be ready to play nine months later in September may be disappointed. We may be playing the same 'will he' or 'won't he' (go on PUP) game in August when draft season is in full swing.

Done deal with the Giants and QB Josh Freeman. He's agreed to terms, per source.

Freeman will provide depth behind Eli Manning. He didn't get much of a chance to succeed in Minnesota.

Five months after a promising rookie season ended with a broken left ankle, Buccaneers running back Mike James said he's pleased with his recovery and is running and cutting.

"The healing process is going well," James said. "I've got a good opportunity to do what I need to do to get back in the swing of things and get acclimated with everything."

Asked if he has been cleared to participate in the first minicamp (April 22-24), James said the team is still "taking everything day by day." His focus is on getting back to full strength and full speed.

James will compete with Bobby Rainey for touches behind Doug Martin.

Broncos QB Peyton Manning said this morning he believes Montee Ball ready to be starting RB.

Ball actually outperformed Knowshon Moreno on a per carry basis (4.7 to 4.3 YPC) but Moreno was significantly better in the passing game. The big question mark with Ball is his habit of putting the ball on the ground, though he cleaned that up down the stretch and in the postseason. Ball has the blessing of his QB and as the RB1 in a high octane offense, his ADP is going to rise into the 2nd (or even 1st) round.

Golden Tate is joining a Lions offense that's expected to feature a much more wide-open scheme than the one he played in Seattle. He's expecting more opportunities to make plays in the passing game.

New offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi has brought over a lot of concepts from New Orleans’ offense after spending the last seven years there as both an offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach.

“I watched some tape on the Saints over the last few years and just looking at that – I haven’t talked to coach Lombardi that much – I see myself being a Lance Moore type of player, but just more explosive and able to do a few more things,” Tate said.

“That’s exciting, because Lance Moore caught a lot of balls and he’s a terrific player that did a lot for the Saints. That’s kind of how I see myself having the best receiver in the league (Calvin Johnson), and one of the best to ever to play the game, opposite of me or sometimes on the same side.”

Tate has top 20 potential if he gets enough work in the offense, though that may be a bit of a stretch. The top 30 seems likely given his per target production and the role he'll have in the offense, provided the Lions don't draft a starter-caliber wideout this summer. Click here for an in-depth look at Tate by Senior Editor John Paulsen.

The San Francisco 49ers announced they have signed wide receiver Brandon Lloyd to a one-year deal.

Lloyd was out of football in 2013 and doesn't have a reputation for being a good locker room guy. The 49ers are looking for receiver depth behind Michael Crabtree and Anquan Boldin.

Kyle Rudolph said he's had no foot problems, has been running since mid-Feb.

Rudolph was the #13 TE through Week 9 prior to a season-ending fracture in his foot. He was 15th in targets per game during that span, so there’s some opportunity in the workload department, especially with new OC Norv Turner in town. Turner isn’t necessarily as TE-friendly as his old boss Rob Chudzinski, but he featured Antonio Gates and Jordan Cameron heavily while with the Chargers and Browns.

Lions OC Joe Lombardi on using Reggie Bush and Joique Bell: "I see these guys kind of having a split role and both being very productive."

Bush's stock has taken a hit this offseason with the Lombardi hire -- coming from New Orleans, where they use a RBBC -- and the team's decision to re-sign Bell to a long-term deal. Bell was the #17 RB in 2013 (#29 in 2012), so he should be a nice middle round value again in '14. Bush has three straight top 14 finishes in standard formats, but his usage may take a hit this season.

WR Sidney Rice has been cleared for football activities by Dr. Andrews, per league source.

Rice was the #8 WR back in 2009, but that seems like a long time ago. The 27 year-old is capable of posting top 50 numbers if he lands in a starting role in a good situation (and can stay healthy).

Even though coach Lovie Smith has said he plans to use a rotation in his backfield, don't go dropping Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin from your fantasy team.

Martin still is going to be the main ball carrier and that means he still will be a fantasy force. Smith and his staff will work Mike James and Bobby Rainey into the rotation, but that’s not going to diminish Martin’s impact.

If anything, not having to handle virtually all the carries, the way he did under former coach Greg Schiano, should help keep Martin fresh. James and Rainey showed they’re capable runners last year when Martin was out with a shoulder injury.

Martin should bounce back in 2014, though he has a couple of solid RBs behind him in Rainey and James. Rainey was particularly good down the stretch, racking up 559 total yards and six TDs on 148 touches. His YPC (3.9) wasn't great, but that should improve in a smaller role. Martin's ADP will likely settle in around the 1/2 turn in fantasy drafts.

Vikings beat writer Ben Goessling suggests Adrian Peterson will play more on third down this year with Toby Gerhart out of the picture:

Vikings RB Adrian Peterson could find himself on the field in passing situations more often this year, getting asked to chip a defender before releasing on a pass route, he's probably not going to just be sitting in the backfield picking up blitzes.

Pittsburgh beat writer Scott Brown believes that Markus Wheaton starts for the Steelers in 2014:

The Steelers return every offensive starter from 2013 except for wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders but I think you'll see second-year man Markus Wheaton emerge this season opposite Antonio Brown.

Wheaton will be fantasy relevant with a big jump in snaps and targets and a solid QB throwing him the ball.

Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski visited Dr. James Andrews this week. He's right where he should be. Will start jogging soon.

Gronkowski has been hugely productive when healthy, but his health is a major concern heading into 2014. He reportedly had surgery on Jan. 9 to reconstruct a torn ACL. He was injured on Dec. 8, and we’re not sure why he waited a month to have the surgery. Regardless, it typically takes a full year to recover, though Adrian Peterson and Robert Griffin III have made quicker returns (with varying success). Gronkowski is tentatively expected to be ready for the start of the season, but don’t be surprised we don’t know his status until deep into August or even early September. This makes him a major risk in 2014 fantasy drafts. The ACL surgery was the eighth (known) surgery of his career.

Robert Griffin III's mechanics are back on point after his footwork lapsed during a miserable 2013 season that ended with the Washington Redskins star quarterback's benching the final five games by fired coach Mike Shanahan.

Quarterback guru Terry Shea, who tutored Griffin prior to the 2012 scouting combine and during the run-up to the draft, spent six days recalibrating RG3's footwork and release point the last week of March in Arizona.

It isn't coincidence that without his bothersome knee brace, Griffin again looks the gifted player who took the league by 2012 offensive rookie of the year storm.

When he signed with Washington, Andre Roberts envisioned a role in which he’d play inside and outside, being a second option after Pierre Garcon. Of course, that was before the Redskins signed receiver DeSean Jackson.

“Well, I envisioned one thing and then we signed DeSean Jackson,” Roberts said on ESPN 980's "Inside the Locker Room" Thursday. “So I haven’t really thought too much.”

“That’s how the league is, that’s how the league works,” Roberts said. “Going into my situation, I wanted to be the No. 2 receiver. But I still don’t how it’s going to work out. Obviously, when you look at how much money is being made each guy, you’d think that’s going to be [the] No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3.”

Before the Jackson signing, Roberts was looking like a nice sleeper candidate as the Redskins' WR2, but now he'll be relegated to WR3 snaps and targets. He's basically in the same situation as Arizona, though at least he's getting paid.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning will undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his left ankle this afternoon.

The procedure, a debridement of the ankle, will be performed by foot and ankle specialist Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, N.C.

Manning suffered a high left ankle sprain in the Giants’ 2013 season finale against Washington and had been rehabbing the injury since.

“I went through the recovery and rehab after suffering the sprain,” said Manning. “I was still experiencing some discomfort as I began my normal offseason preparation, and after consultation, we felt the right thing was to have Dr. Anderson clean out the ankle. The doc tells me I should be running in about six weeks. I’m looking forward to the start of the offseason program on the 21st. I will be in the weight room and in the meeting rooms so we can all learn the new offense. I got some good work in this week at Duke, and I think it’s smart to get this procedure done now so the ankle isn’t an ongoing issue. I’m eager to get to work with our new offensive coaches and system.”

Six weeks puts Manning's return in late May. He should have plenty of time to recover before the start of training camp.

Panthers sign free agent tight end Ed Dickson to a one-year deal, per league source.

Dickson will back up Greg Olsen.

During a Thursday interview on NFL Network's "NFL AM," running back DeAngelo Williams sounded particularly exasperated that the Panthers lost "all" of their wide receivers this offseason.

When asked if the lack of receiving weapons puts more pressure on the running game, Williams pointed to general manager Dave Gettleman's office.

"It puts more pressure on the front office because you make these moves, getting rid of our four receivers, but you got to bring in guys," he said. "No slight to Cotchery and Avant that we just signed. I don't know many receivers on other teams, so I'm not saying they're no-name guys, but our guys made their names all by themselves ... I mean, I don't know where we go from there."

Williams also noted that Cam Newton's recent ankle surgery makes the turnover at receiver more troubling because the quarterback won't be able to get his timing down with the new pass-catchers.

"I don't have any concerns so to speak," he said about the offense in the regular season. "I just don't want to see eight, nine guys in the box week in and week out because we're working on our timing."

Newton's stock has taken a hit given the current state of the Carolina receiving corps. The team will need to find 1-2 talented rookies who are ready to contribute immediately.

Lions RB Reggie Bush is expecting a reduced workload in 2014.

“We had a pretty good rotation going last (season), so, you know, we did some pretty special things with that,” Bush said. “It can only go up from there, even if the workload is less for both of us, that’s only going to help us toward the end of the season, help us to stay healthy and probably play a little bit stronger and better toward the end of the season.”

Last season, both Bush and Joique Bell topped 500 yards in rushing and receiving -- the first time two running backs on the same team accomplished that in the same season. Considering the way the New Orleans offense is run, it could happen again in 2014.

Some of that speculation comes from the New Orleans Saints history. Under Sean Payton -- and this is the offense Lombardi said his attack will be based on -- the Saints used more running backs in varying rushing and route-running situations than the Lions did last season, when the team primarily used Bush and Bell with small doses of then-rookie Theo Riddick.

Last season, no New Orleans running back had more than 150 carries, although four had at least 60. Two, Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles, had more than 70 catches. That type of breakdown has been typical of a Saints' offense in recent years.

Bush may be overdrafted this year based on last year's numbers. The team re-signed Bell to a long-term deal and intend to use him. Bell may end up being the better value on draft day.

Gil Brandt of NFL.com sees 49ers RB Marcus Lattimore getting a big role in the team's offense this season: "Lattimore missed the entire 2013 campaign while recovering from a serious knee injury that cut his final college season short -- something the Niners surely expected when they picked him in the fourth round last year. I think San Francisco is about to rewarded for its patience. Lattimore is a tough, one-cut runner with great instincts, exactly the type of power back the 49ers like to run with, in the mold of incumbent starter Frank Gore. I wouldn't be surprised to see Lattimore get some crunch-time carries this season and become the starter by 2015, when Gore is set to hit free agency. Lattimore -- who is a great person, by the way -- has plenty of promise; I think he's an even better running back than Eddie Lacy."

He was considered the most talented RB in the Class of ’13 prior to the dislocated knee he suffered in October of 2012. He’ll be nearly two years removed from the injury at the start of the 2014 season and is expected to push Kendall Hunter (and perhaps a declining Frank Gore) for playing time.

Gil Brandt of NFL.com thinks that Saints WR Kenny Stills could break out in 2014: "Stills' debut season was one of the biggest surprises for me in 2013. The fifth-round pick made a fine impression as a rookie, averaging 20 yards per catch and playing in all 16 games (making 10 starts). The former Oklahoma standout has great speed -- he really jumps off the line -- and is very smooth, with lots of upside. Stills also has an NFL pedigree, as his father, Ken, and uncle, Gary, both played in the league for five-plus years."

Stills was not dependable enough to start with confidence in 2013, but with Lance Moore out of the way, Stills’s snap rate will likely jump from the 61% he played in his rookie season. He’s bound to improve as a second year receiver and is playing in one of the best pass offenses in the league. There’s a lot to like here.

Gil Brandt of NFL.com likes what Redskins TE Jordan Reed brings to the table: "Reed burst onto the scene relatively late in 2013, catching nine passes for 134 yards and a touchdown against the Bears in Week 7, and he started just four games before a concussion ended his debut season six games early. But in that brief window, he showed he could be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses, what with his speed and hands. The former third-round pick looks like a receiver, someone who can catch balls and move the chains -- he reminds me of a young Antonio Gates, though not quite as big. The Florida product is pretty slick and has definite Pro Bowl potential. He had three plays of 20 yards or more, which is pretty good for a tight end, and just three drops in 59 targets."

Reed was on pace for 80-887-5.3 (#7 TE-type numbers) prior to his injury, but didn't even crack the 50% snaps played mark until Week 6. In the five games where he played at least 50% of his team's snaps, he averaged 6.2-76-.40 or #3 TE-type numbers. The main concern with Reed is his injury history, specifically with concussions. According to NBC Washington, Reed suffered two concussions while at Florida. If he can stay healthy, he's a likely top 5 fantasy TE, but that's no sure thing.

WR Aaron Dobson, who led a host of Patriots rookie receivers with 519 yards in 2013, improved greatly before a foot injury put a damper on the end of his season, ultimately leading to surgery in March. The former second-round pick has the quickness to beat press coverage and an ability to make some spectacular catches, despite having relatively small hands. He can make adjustments on the ball and is a good blocker for a receiver. He's got some special stuff about him.

Dobson had some moments in his rookie season — namely the 4-60-1 and 5-130-2 he posted in back to back games against the Dolphins and Steelers — but was hobbled by a foot injury over the second half of the season. If he stays healthy, he'll likely see a lot of playing time and should produce in the Patriots' potent offense. He's currently going at the end of the 11th round and is a nice upside pick at that point in the draft.

Cardinals OC Harold Goodwin says that the Ted Ginn signing is going to help Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd: "Ted Ginn, speed. Great addition, and it's going to help the overall passing game a lot from a play-action standpoint and a drop-back standpoint. It's going to help Larry (Fitzgerald) and Michael (Floyd)."

Ryan Broyles ruptured his Achilles tendon while fielding a punt in an Oct. 27 win against the Dallas Cowboys, ending his season.

Five months later, he was cleared by doctors to rejoin the Detroit Lions for the start of voluntary conditioning this week. And that's huge news for him.

The receiver has missed 16 games through his first two seasons in the league, and the Lions, who once thought Broyles would be a complement to Calvin Johnson, could be looking to revamp their starting lineup.

Broyles figures to serve as the Lions WR3 or WR4 depending on how the depth chart shakes out after the draft.

Hue Jackson is taking over as offensive coordinator after spending the 2013 season coaching Bengals running backs. In 2010, he was the offensive coordinator in Oakland before getting promoted to head coach in '11. The Bengals signed his quarterback from those two teams, Jason Campbell, last month in part to give Andy Dalton a veteran voice at the position that he hasn't really had throughout his career.

The hallmark of Jackson's Raiders scheme was running, and he has already vowed to do more of that in his new role with the Bengals in an effort of easing the pressure on Dalton.

"You have to have the threat of running the ball and the threat of being a physical unit in order to last for the duration of the season," Jackson said on the radio interview.

This is good news for Giovani Bernard and not so good news for the fantasy prospects of Dalton, A.J. Green and Marvin Jones. The Bengals were 12th in pass attempts in 2013 and it sounds as if that number (587) is going to drop in 2014.

Redskins WR DeSean Jackson won't work out with his new team until next week, a team source said. He told coaches before signing that he had a vacation scheduled for this week based on Eagles players not needing to report until April 21.

Wide receivers changing teams usually take a hit in production and that's likely with Jackson given his outstanding season in 2013 and his new role in Washington. We'd like to see him in town building a rapport with Robert Griffin III and new HC Jay Gruden, but it's still early in the offseason.

Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas is still recovering from a left shoulder injury he suffered in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Thomas suffered what some with the team have described as a separated left shoulder in the Broncos' 43-8 loss to the Seattle Seahawks when he was hit by Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor in the first quarter of the 35-point loss. He played through the injury and did finish out the game with a Super Bowl record 13 catches.

Thomas could still be limited in some of the OTA work in the weeks to come, but the Broncos don't expect issues when training camp opens. Thomas had shoulder problems during the regular season as well, even leaving the Dec. 1 win over Kansas City after the first series but he did return to the lineup just before halftime.

Update: Mike Klis reports that Thomas's shoulder is fine and he is in fact participating at Manning's camp on Wednesday.

No worries here. Thomas is at camp and the shoulder should be fine.

Texans RB Arian Foster is coming off surgery for a herniated disc. "I can tell you the surgery wasn't as major as it sounded," said Foster. "That's why I rebounded so quickly. I also worked my ass off. I'm expecting to do bigger things and bounce back."

Will turn 28 before the season so he's just past the prime of a RB, which is typically at age 27. Foster's value heading into 2014 is a bit up in the air since there's a new regime in Houston. He figures to be the team's bellcow, but a new offense and his injury history will have fantasy owners a bit wary heading into draft season.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne is on the fast track in his return from October surgery to repair a torn ACL.

Appearing on WNDE-AM in Indianapolis, Wayne said Tuesday that he expects to be cleared for football activities on April 25.

That date would put Wayne back on the practice field six months after suffering the injury.

"I'm way ahead of schedule," Wayne added. "I feel great."

It's good news for Wayne and his owners, though it remains to be seen if the 35 year-old lost another step due to the injury. The Colts signed Hakeem Nicks as insurance.

The Cincinnati Bengals reached an agreement with their last restricted free agent Tuesday, re-signing receiver Dane Sanzenbacher.

The Vikings added a little more pass catching depth on Tuesday, announcing the signing of former Texans wide receiver Lestar Jean.

Bears announced: Agreed to terms with TE Matthew Mulligan on a one-year deal.

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Williams believes he has some growing up to do.

Williams, who was traded Friday to the Buffalo Bills for a 2014 sixth-round draft pick, admitted as much during an introductory press conference in Buffalo on Monday.

“Yes, I think I do need to grow up a little bit more,” Williams, 26, told The Buffalo News. “I think with me having a son, it made me realize things a little bit more and how important it is, and what type of future I have for him and my family. A lot of people are depending on me, so you’re right, I do have to grow up.”

Williams, who averaged 65 catches for 910 yards and seven touchdowns during his first three years in the league, was traded during what has been a problematic offseason for the 2010 fourth-round draft pick. His name surfaced three times in connection with off-field incidents.

It's good to hear Williams admit that he has some work to do in the maturity department. From a fantasy standpoint, he's not entering a good situation in Buffalo. The Bills were very run-oriented in 2013 and Steve Johnson is still the team's WR1, but things could change quickly if the rumors are true and the team parts ways with Johnson.

Former Eagles receiver Jason Avant signs a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers.

Avant has good hands but is merely a possession receiver who will serve as a third or fourth receiver, assuming the Panthers draft 1-2 WRs this offseason.

The loss of Ben Tate has left a significant hole in the Houston Texans backfield, especially given starting running back Arian Foster’s injury history, so the team is looking for a relatively cheap replacement.

Enter Andre Brown, formerly of the New York Giants, who visited the Texans on Monday and agreed to terms on a deal with the team, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

Brown will back up Arian Foster and offer some insurance in case Foster's injuries catch up with him.

Titans QB Jake Locker said he's ahead of schedule in rehab. Still shooting for OTAs in May.

The Buccaneers announced that they had inked receiver Lavelle Hawkins to a contract.

It will be running back by committee for the Titans. Shonn Greene returns, along with Jackie Battle and Leon Washington. Dexter McCluster was signed the first day of free agency, and though he was primarily a receiver/returner for much of his time with the Chiefs, the Titans plan to line him up at running back. More help is needed, however. Although there aren't any great free-agent options left, the Titans are likely to pick a running back in the May 8-10 draft. Fresh legs are desired.

McCluster will play the Danny Woodhead role in Ken Whisenhunt's offense, but we're not expecting Woodhead-type numbers. The Titans are not likely to be as good on that side of the ball as the Chargers were in 2013. McCluster may be usable as a spot starter in PPR formats.

The Browns have agreed to terms on a deal with WR Nate Burleson, the club announced.

Burleson, who spent the past four seasons in Detroit, will provide the Browns with some depth and an experienced veteran who can help mentor young receivers such as Josh Gordon. In 2011, he won the Lions' Good Guy Award from the local sportscasters and Pro Football Writers Association and was a leader in the locker room.

The Browns also signed Andrew Hawkins to man the slot, so Burleson is likely to be the team's WR4 assuming they find a starter in the draft. If not, he is capable of starting opposite Gordon, though he doesn't offer much playmaking ability at this point in his career. Greg Little's days in Cleveland look to be numbered.

The Jaguars feel Toby Gerhart be a back who can get more yards after contact (than Maurice Jones-Drew).

“Dwayne Allen, the guy’s a beast,” said Colts GN Ryan Grigson at February’s combine. “Anyone who game plans against him or watches the tape, or Joe Fan that just sees him how he plays in the red zone, how he plays in traffic, how he blocks at the point of attack, the tempo he plays at and the ferocity he plays at, he’s a guy you want on your team."

“He’s doing very well and we look forward to him having a great year.”

Allen said that he feels like he's fully recovered from the hip injury that caused him to miss most of the 2013 season. He is an intriguing player, but his upside is somewhat capped by the presence of Coby Fleener. Allen played 78% of the snaps as a rookie in a full 16-game season, which is a good sign. But he was only 27th in targets among TEs that year, but that was in Bruce Arians' offense, and he's not known to feature the tight end position. Fleener was 11th in targets in 2013.

Owen Daniels passed a physical Friday and signed his one-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens.

“Just couldn’t be more happy, more excited. … I guarantee his role will be plenty big,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “He’s going to have a lot to do with our success next year, and we’ve got a lot of big plans for him.”

Gary Kubiak’s offense with the Texans featured a lot of two-tight end sets. With Daniels now in the mix to go along with Dennis Pitta, Daniels said to “look for more of that in the future.”

“We’ve got the guys here to do it, and that makes things tough for defenses,” Daniels said.

Look for the Ravens to run a lot of two-TE sets taking advantage of both Pitta and Daniels. We still like Pitta's upside in Kubiak's offense, but the arrival of Daniels does take some of the wind out of Pitta's sails.

TE Kellen Davis has signed a one-year deal with the Giants, per league source.

The Ravens have signed running back Justin Forsett to a one-year deal.

Baltimore was looking to add to its running back corps this offseason. Ray Rice’s recent legal troubles, which could lead to a suspension, also a consideration, according to Head Coach John Harbaugh. Forsett joins Rice and Bernard Pierce.

He spent the 2012 season with the Houston Texans and new Ravens Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak, which gives him an understanding of Kubiak’s system that he can help pass along to the other running backs.

Bills trade a sixth-round pick to Buccaneers in exchange for WR Mike Williams, according to a league source.

Williams was born in Buffalo and played (briefly) for Bills HC Doug Marrone while at Syracuse in 2009 before leaving the team to avoid a possible suspension due to his involvement in a car accident with teammates. Marrone clearly feels that Williams' talent is worth a 6th round pick. He's penciled in as the Bills' WR2 or WR3, depending on the status of Steve Johnson.

Titans have released Chris Johnson, officially. Johnson free to sign with another team.

In standard formats, Johnson has finished #16 or better in each of his six seasons with the Titans, and managed to finish #12 and #9 in 2012 and 2013. He'll be 29 in September, but he's unlikely to land in a role where he'll get 300+ touches, which has been the norm in Tennessee. His detractors say that his explosion is no longer there, and while the Titans' O-line has struggled, Johnson hasn't produced as many big plays. From 2010 to 2011, Johnson gained 20+ yards on a single play 29 times. In 2012 and 2013, he gained 20+ yards just 18 times. He'll be fantasy relevant in 2014, but his days of 18+ touches per game are probably over.

Tom Coughlin says he's "counting on" RB David Wilson this year, but can he? "Just pray," Coughlin said. "All in due time with David. Just pray. You’re praying that he has a return to excellent health and that the doctors are totally convinced that he is recovered and ready to go. When that time comes, you’ll have another contributor who, if he gets a step, he’s gone.

“I’m counting on him, but I am not going to put him in any circumstance until it’s an absolute that he’s 100 percent. I’m not going to mess with that one.”

TE Owen Daniels agrees with Ravens and will be reunited with his Texans coaches.

It's a one-year contract. On the surface, this looks like bad news for Dennis Pitta, whose stock was up after the Ravens hired TE-friendly Gary Kubiak as offensive coordinator. But Daniels is 31 and past his prime. He'll likely provide depth at the position and offer some receiving punch in two-TE sets. We still like Pitta as a value pick in the middle rounds.

A kitchen fire in the home he rented last summer continues to cause problems for Buccaneers receiver Mike Williams, who faces a lawsuit from the insurance company that paid for repairs.

Not much fantasy news here other than to remind folks that the offseason headaches continue for Williams.

Chris Johnson's contract that calls for him to earn $8 million in salary this year clearly has been an obstacle to him staying in Tennessee. But even if the contract wasn't an issue the Titans probably would want to purge Johnson. The reason? New coach Ken Whisenhunt likes to spread around playing time and touches between multiple running backs. His plan is to have a running back by committee. Johnson is the type of player who demands the football and never would be happy as a role player. A trade or release, subsequently, is coming.

Whisenhunt ran the Chargers' offense last season, so it's conceivable that he plans to use Shonn Greene in the Ryan Mathews role and Dexter McCluster in the Danny Woodhead role.

FB John Kuhn will re-sign with the Packers.

Kuhn's days as a TD vulture are probably over as the Packers prefer to use Eddie Lacy in that role. Kuhn is valuable as a blocker and is an adept receiver out of the backfield.

The Detroit Lions have filled their backup quarterback vacancy by signing veteran Dan Orlovsky.

Yes, that Dan Orlovsky.

The Lions originally selected the quarterback out of Connecticut in the fifth round of the 2005 draft. He spent four years here, and started seven games, all of which came during the club's winless 2008 season.

He went on to play for Houston (2009-10), Indianapolis (2011) and Tampa Bay (2012-13). He started five games for the Colts - then coached by Jim Caldwell - but has attempted just seven passes since, and none in the past two years.

Next shoe to drop in NFL: Impending release of Titans RB Chris Johnson. Should happen at the end of this week or beginning of next week.

It seems to be pretty common knowledge that Johnson will be on another team next year. As we learned from DeSean Jackson, it's not always the most obvious team that gets the deal done. The Jets have been linked since this rumor started.

Former Falcons WR Kevin Cone is signing with the Miami Dolphins.

The Steelers have signed wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey to a one-year contract, the team announced today.

A former seventh overall pick of the Raiders, he was on the Colts last year and actually won the WR2 job from T.Y. Hilton. Eventually, DHB fell on the depth chart and wasn't really heard from much of the second half. At best, he'll be behind Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton and Lance Moore.

ESPN's Matt Williamson talked about Chargers WR Keenan Allen:

"As much as I like Allen, to ask him to improve dramatically in one season may be asking too much. He's a really good receiver, but he does not have the athletic ability of an A.J. Green or a Julio Jones. He could be close to his ceiling already.

Williamson added that Allen is an advanced route runner and has good hands, just lacks speed. He pointed out that teams will have another year to study him, too. Still, Allen was really the only WR threat on the Bolts last year, but put up nice numbers despite getting the full attention of defenses. He should fall in the WR2 or 3 zone with potential to exceed that in certain matchups.

The prospect of using QB Aaron Rodgers and running back Eddie Lacy in tandem for a full season is tantalizing to Packers head coach Mike McCarthy.

“I’m definitely excited to play with a healthy Aaron Rodgers and Eddie Lacy,” McCarthy said at last week’s NFL owners meeting.

For the first time since 2009, Rodgers will have a bona fide 1,000-yard rusher for a full season to help take some pressure off the passing game. Defensive coordinators no longer will be able to let their safeties sit back in coverage and show little or no regard for the Packers’ run game.

Even a little more running than in the past could help keep Rogers and WR Randall Cobb on the field more, as both missed significant time last season. It also will give the Packers an opportunity to ease in Jarrett Boykin and Myles White, who will likely be the WR3 and WR4 to start the season. Lacy is ranked sixth on our early season RB list and looks like a potential late first round or early second round pick.

Chargers beat writer Kevin Acee was asked about new RB Donald Brown.

"Filling in this year for 5-10 touches per game, plus insurance for if/when Ryan Mathews gets injured. He played 16 games for the first time in 2013, and he was not healthy in the postseason."

Last year's RB3, Ronnie Brown, rarely saw 5-10 touches so those are going to have to come from somewhere. Ryan Mathews began to get hot and get over 20 carries a game in the second half last year, but like Acee points out, Mathews wasn't healthy in the playoffs, perhaps as a result of that. Brown's fantasy value likely will be a handcuff to Mathews, but it looks like he's going to be used to prevent wear and tear on Mathews too. Danny Woodhead may also lose a carry or two, but will still be a factor in the passing game.

The Washington Redskins made their biggest move yet of the offseason Tuesday night, agreeing to terms with three-time Pro Bowl receiver DeSean Jackson less than a week after the dynamic playmaker was released by the rival Philadelphia Eagles.

The Redskins saw twice a year what Jackson can do in the NFL and never let him leave town. Jackson will join Pierre Garcon and Andre Roberts to give QB Robert Griffin III a very formidable group at WR in Jay Gruden's more pass-happy offense - which will also includes TE Jordan Reed. From a fantasy perspective, until last year, Jackson was never really a consistent point-producer, but Eagles HC Chip Kelly found ways to utilize him. The argument can be made that the Skins will have more legit targets this year than the Eagles had last season, so another 82/1,300/9 season likely isn't in store for DeSean. But, DJax is a huge deep threat with great speed who is going to produce big plays at times. Perhaps more important, he will draw eyes on defense that could open things up for the rest of the Washington offense. In Kelly's offense, Jackson was a big reason why Riley Cooper emerged last year, and guys like Garcon and Reed could similarly benefit in 2014.

Free agent TE Jermichael Finley reportedly couldn't pass a physical with Seattle when he visited the team. That's not a huge surprise, but there's no guarantee with his neck injury that he will be cleared over the summer. If he's healthy, it sounds like a matter of time until the Seahawks sign him.

Free agent WRs Santonio Holmes and Miles Austin are getting hurt by a deep wide receiver draft class. We've entered the phase of free agency where these guys are worth the risk at a bargain rate.

Sidney Rice is also available but may need to get medically cleared. There are certainly teams with needs at the position but it looks like going the route of the draft is going to be their first option.

Guys like Curtis Painter, Charlie Whitehurst, Luke McCown and Derek Anderson found work, while free agent Josh Freeman is wondering what happened to his once-promising career.

The Oakland Raiders were Freeman's best bet before free agency, but they preferred Matt Schaub. Freeman might have to wait until after the draft to find a team.

Last year at this time Freeman was poised for a big year but it obviously never panned out.

My guess is if Texas A&M WR Mike Evans lands in Buffalo, current WR Stevie Johnson could be moved.

Buffalo is also said to be interested in DeSean Jackson however, it looks like a deal with Washington is more likely. Either way, it seems like the Bills are trying to change their WRs for QB E.J. Manuel.

The New York Jets have signed free agent receiver-kick returner Jacoby Ford.

Ford saw limited action last season for Oakland, catching only 13 passes. He was used more on punt and kickoff returns, and figures to handle those chores for the Jets.

Ford could be used more out of the slot with Eric Decker and Jeremy Kerley likely to start on the outside. Ford, of course, has had injury issues most of his career. He has just three TDs in four seasons and likely won't be targeted in a lot of fantasy drafts.

Despite the fact the Dolphins just signed Knowshon Moreno, despite the fact they like Lamar Miller, I'm told the personnel department would still like to add one more running back -- likely somewhere between the fourth-fifth rounds -- to add juice and get more talent in the backfield.

The draft is considered deep with RB talent. As the story points out, and as we speculated after the Moreno signing, this likely means the end for Daniel Thomas in Miami.

Saints beat writer Mike Triplett wouldn't be surprised to see the Saints draft a tight end since veteran backup Benjamin Watson is getting older. But they are high on the potential of second-year pro Josh Hill.

Former Bears RB Michael Bush is set to visit the Patriots, source says.