March 2017 4for4 Player News Articles

This offseason, Seahawks TE Jimmy Graham and RB Thomas Rawls are healthy and HC Pete Carroll seemed like he could hardly contain his excitement at that thought. As he also could have noted but didn’t, it’s also the first full offseason for each healthy and as a Seahawk. Two years ago, Rawls didn’t join the team until signing as an undrafted free agent following the draft while Graham was traded to the Seahawks in March.

But this year, each headed into the offseason with a clear understanding of what the team expects  and a full off-season to try to get that done.

As Carroll noted, this time a year ago, Graham and Rawls were each limited in their offseason work, resigned to rehabbing from significant injuries that had knocked them out the year before. Rawls' fantasy value likely loses some luster with the signing of Eddie Lacy and the return of injured C.J. Prosise. It's the final year of deals for both Graham and Rawls.

Vikings HC Mike Zimmer said that RB Latavius Murray’s signing doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll be an every-down back, but he’s confident that Murray will help improve a run game that struggled in 2016.

According to the head coach, Minnesota’s rushing performance last season caused its offense to be one-dimensional. The Vikings were forced to continually pass because of an inability to gain any momentum on the ground.

“It allowed opposing defenses to lay their ears back, play a lot of coverage,” Zimmer said. “So in a perfect world, I want to be able to run the football, [use] play action and still be able to throw like we were able to throw it.”

Related players: Jerick McKinnon

Jerick McKinnon will likely continue to get work, but the good news is Zimmer did compliment Murray on his pass protection and pass catching, so it seems like he could be on the field in any situation. Murray should continue to get chances at in-close touchdowns, too. Right now we have Murray ranked 22nd on our RB list.

From the look of things in late March, it doesn’t appear the Chiefs will have a player get to 1,000 yards rushing next season either. Their featured-back role could be split between Spencer Ware, a soon-to-be-acquired rookie and perhaps either Charcandrick West or recently signed veteran C.J. Spiller.

The story was mainly about the author feeling the team shouldn't give up on Ware, despite his struggles over the second half after a concussion. It seems pretty likely the Chiefs will be drafting a running back who could make an immediate impact so it looks as if this backfield will need to be sorted out from a fantasy angle. Right now we have Ware ranked 15th so there's still RB2 value.

Mike McCarthy doesn’t look at Ty Montgomery as a receiver anymore. But does the Green Bay Packers coach consider the third-year pro a No. 1 running back after Montgomery made the full-time position switch midway through last season?

"I think Ty definitely has that ability,” McCarthy told reporters at the NFL annual meetings in Phoenix.

Montgomery averaged a remarkable 5.9 yards per carry last regular season, and he rushed for three touchdowns in the regular season and two more in the playoffs.

Still, there’s a big difference between the 77 carries Montgomery had in the regular season and the 239 carries that Eddie Lacy averaged per year over his first three NFL seasons. When Lacy signed with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency earlier this month, it left Montgomery as the Packers’ only running back. Since then, they re-signed Christine Michael to a one-year deal, but it contained almost no guaranteed money (just a $25,000 signing bonus) and his spot on the opening-day roster is far from assured.

This is a key offseason for Montgomery, who last spring spent the majority of his time working with receivers coach Luke Getsy. This offseason, he’ll work almost exclusively with running backs coach Ben Sirmans, who was instrumental in the conversion process for Montgomery last season.

Montgomery started getting significant playing time in Week 6, and from that point on, he averaged 73 total yards and 0.27 TD, not including the playoffs. This resulted in 13.0 PPG in PPR formats and 9.0 PPG in standard in that span. In two healthy playoff games (versus the Giants and the Cowboys) he gained a combined 149 yards and found the end zone twice. His fantasy stock in 2017 will depend largely on what else the Packers do at the position. Montgomery is best suited to be part of a committee since he's already shown a tendency to get dinged up. He'll be a PPR option in the middle rounds.

Are the Browns willing to part ways with eternally suspended wideout Josh Gordon?

It doesn't sound like it.

"We're not in a position at wide receiver to turn down a guy like Josh if we feel like he's settled himself," Browns executive VP of football operations Sashi Brown said Tuesday at the Annual League Meeting in Phoenix, per the Akron Beacon Journal.

In the process of applying for NFL reinstatement, Gordon hasn't appeared in a regular-season game since 2014. The 25-year-old wideout voluntarily entered an in-patient rehabilitation facility last October to, as he stated, "gain full control of my life."

"Now, that's a separate question," Brown said of Gordon's off-the-field issues, "but Josh is going to have an opportunity to reapply to the NFL, and, at that time, we'll make a decision when we know what's going on."

Back in 2013, Gordon set the league on fire with 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns in just 14 games. He followed that up with just 303 yards and zero touchdowns in five games in 2014. He's been suspended since then, but the Browns wouldn't be doing their due diligence if they didn't evaluate Gordon's current ability to contribute to the team.

Before he was hired as Browns head coach last season, Hue Jackson worked closely with Rex Burkhead for three years and saw the 5-foot-10, 210-pounder's versatile skill set on a daily basis. With the Patriots, under Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels, Jackson believes Burkhead has a chance to see that skill set maximized.

"He's very talented," Jackson said during the league meetings at the Arizona Biltmore. "He's a guy that was playing behind some very talented players [with the Bengals], and so he's going to get his opportunity now, and he's going to flourish. He's a really good player. A really good player.

"He's very versatile because he's a good runner, a good pass-catcher. He's a good blocker. He's very bright. He's been a sensational special teams player there so he brings a lot of different elements to that football team."

With Giovani Bernard sidelined, Burkhead averaged 10.8 touches for 56 yards as the change-of-pace back. Then, in Week 17 with Jeremy Hill also out, Burkhead turned in an epic 29-touch, 144-yard, two-touchdown effort against the Ravens. As a junior at Nebraska, Burkhead rushed for 1,357 yards and scored 17 total touchdowns. He's currently first in line for goal line carries and could see his role grow from there.

HC Bruce Arians said Andre Ellington is coming back as a wide receiver. Will meet in the wide receivers room.

This could result in a significant boost to his stock, especially in PPR formats. This leaves Kerwynn Williams as the primary backup to David Johnson, though it's conceivable that Ellington could fill in if something were to happen to Johnson. Ellington will fight for targets behind Larry Fitzgerald.

Theo Riddick, who missed the final month of the regular season last year, had surgery on both of his wrists, which prompted his season-ending trip to injured reserve, two people familiar with the procedure told the Free Press. They would not go on record because they are not authorized to talk about it publicly.

The Lions did not announce Riddick's surgery at the time he went on IR, and Riddick declined comment on his injury after the season, while he was wearing a cast on his left wrist.

Riddick is expected to be a full participant in organized team activities later this spring, but his injury is another consideration for a Lions team looking at possibly upgrading its backfield this off-season.

Riddick's per game average of 16.2 fantasy points (PPR) was the 8th-highest at his position. With Ameer Abdullah also returning from injury, Riddick may not see as many carries, but he should continue to play a big role in the passing game. He averaged 5.3 catches per game last year.

The Carolina Panthers want running back Jonathan Stewart around beyond 2017.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday that Carolina extended Stewart's contract one year, meaning he's signed through 2018.

The 30-year-old running back was slated to count $8.5 million against the salary cap in 2017. The extension alleviates part of that hefty number this season, while giving Stewart some security for next year.

This type of extension for a veteran is a common move for teams to earn cap space in the short term. What it secures, is that Stewart -- a player some thought could be a surprise cap casualty -- is in the Panthers' plans at least this season and perhaps beyond.

Stewart finished as the #28 fantasy running back (PPR) even though he missed three games and a large portion of a fourth. Stewart's 2017 value will depend in large part on what the Panthers do in the draft (and the rest of free agency).

The Redskins have agreed to terms with WR Brian Quick.

Quick is still only 27 and has been playing in the league's worst passing offense of the last few years. Still, he has had his moments. Over the last four seasons, in the 17 games where he was targeted at least five times, he averaged 3.4 catches for 51 yards and 0.24 TD per game (9.9 PPG in PPR formats). When the threshold is bumped up to six-plus targets (11 games), his averages are 3.6-62-0.36 (12.0 PPG). In 2014, he averaged 54 yards per game (on 5.6 targets) in seven games with Austin Davis at quarterback. Given the number of targets available in Washington after the departure of both Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson, it's not inconceivable that Quick carves out a significant role in a much better passing game than the one he's been a part of over the last few seasons.

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Statement From The Vikings Regarding Latavius Murray's Surgery
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REPLAYBurleson on Murray: 'He's A Home Run Hitter'00:00/01:42

From the Vikings' official website:

Vikings RB Latavius Murray had successful ankle surgery today. The surgery was performed by Dr. Bob Anderson in Charlotte, North Carolina. We were aware of the required surgery prior to signing Latavius on March 16. Latavius is expected to fully recover and be available for training camp.

The team was aware of Murray's ankle injury at the time of the signing, so this doesn't appear to be much of an issue at this point.

Panthers believe Cam Newton's March 30 rotator cuff surgery will sideline him about four months.

Newton supposedly first injured the shoulder in Week 14, but if he sustained it earlier, it might explain why his completion percentage (52.9%) and YPA (6.9) fell off a cliff in 2016. His career numbers entering the season were 59.5% and 7.7, respectively. It's a four month recovery, which would put Newton back in mid-July.

Josh McCown's 1-year deal with Jets is worth $6 million fully guaranteed. Also has $2M in playtime incentives, $5M in team-based incentives.

McCown had the best stint of his career playing for Marc Trestman in Chicago in 2013. That year, he posted a 13-to-1 TD-to-INT ratio and averaged 8.2 YPA, a career high. In his 74 other appearances, he averaged 6.54 YPA and posted a 66-to-68 TD-to-INT ratio. Don't expect any miracles in New York, but Eric Decker and the other Jet receivers could have done worse than McCown.

Two tidbits on Marshawn Lynch: 1. Source on un-retiring says it’s “realer than it’s ever been” … 2. It’s Raiders or bust.

In his final season with the Seahawks, Lynch gained 497 total yards and scored three touchdowns in seven games (3.76 YPC). That equates to 11.5 PPG (PPR), which are high-end RB3 numbers. The Oakland offensive line is excellent, so the soon-to-be 31-year-old would be back on the radar as a fantasy RB2 if he does un-retire and find his way to the Raiders.

Tyler Lockett (leg) is "ahead of schedule" in his recovery and should be ready to go for Week 1, ESPN's Mike Clay reports.

There's been plenty of optimism that Lockett, who's on the mend from a compound fracture to his left fibula suffered in late January, will be ready to go for the start of the 2017 campaign, and this report only reinforces that notion. However, there doesn't seem to be any certainty in regard to his return date. Seattle enters the offseason program with the starting job opposite Doug Baldwin "wide open," according to ESPN's Sheil Kapadia, but Lockett likely won't even have a shot if he's out of commission most of the summer. Thus, the third-year wideout has plenty of incentive to return to the field as quick as possible in order to join Paul Richardson, Jermaine Kearse and potentially a draft pick or two for what could evolve into a heated competition for the No. 2 wide receiver spot.

Lockett averaged 12.9 PPG (PPR) from Week 10 to Week 15, before breaking his leg in Week 16. In that span, he converted 21 of 35 targets for 345 yards and a touchdown. He also added four carries for 99 yards and a touchdown. Paul Richardson stepped up in his absence, so the two, along with Jermaine Kearse, will compete for snaps alongside Doug Baldwin.

For the Bills and new WR Andre Holmes, it's a 3-year deal worth $6.5M total, source said.

This is an intriguing signing for a couple of reasons. Holmes had a semi-breakout season in 2014 (his third year) with 47 catches for 693 yards and four touchdowns. Then, both Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree joined the team and he even fell behind Seth Roberts on the depth chart. His targets dropped from 99 in '14 to 33 in '15 and then to 25 last year. Still, even with just 58 targets, he caught seven touchdowns in the last two years, so his 6-5 frame is useful around the end zone. The Bills are struggling to put a receiving corps together, so it's feasible that Holmes could ultimately start opposite Sammy Watkins. Warning: his career catch rate (48.3%) is terrible.

The Raiders are going to sign FA TE Jared Cook. A huge addition for QB Derek Carr and their offense.

Once Cook returned from his high-ankle sprain in Week 10, the Packers made a concerted effort to involve him in the offense. Over the final 10 games (including the playoffs) he averaged 4.2 catches for 55 yards and 0.30 touchdowns per game. That equates to 11.5 PPG, or low-end TE1 numbers. It's a nice signing for the Raiders, who seemingly want to involve the position more in their passing attack. Derek Carr gets a bump and Cook is in the mix as a late-round tight end.

The New Orleans Saints brought back one of their own running backs.

The Saints on Wednesday signed Travaris Cadet, a source familiar with the transaction confirmed.

Cadet set a career high for receptions (40) last season and caught four touchdown passes. He'll continue to play in a pass-catching role behind starter Mark Ingram.

Rams and RB Lance Dunbar agreed to a 1-year deal worth up to $3m, source told ESPN.

Benny Cunningham is a free agent, so this signing may be in preparation of his departure. Dunbar is a solid pass-catching back, but he has missed 15 games in the last two seasons.

The Vikings announced that they have signed RB Latavius Murray.

Murray wasn't particularly good last season, averaging 4.0 YPC behind one of the best offensive lines in the league. (Oakland's two other running backs, DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard, averaged a combined 5.6 YPC.) He joins a Minnesota offense that struggled mightily in the running game -- their running backs averaged 3.2 YPC -- so this does not look like a good match. Murray's arrival hurts Jerick McKinnon, who was otherwise shaping up to be a nice middle round value. In Oakland, the Raiders are left with DeAndre Washington (104 touches, 582 yards, 2 TD) and Jalen Richard (112 touches, 685 yards, 3 TD). Washington probably has the edge since he saw 24 carries (for 165 yards and two scores) in the final three games while Richard toted the ball 15 times in the same span. The Raiders are likely to address the position in the offseason, but it's possible that they go into the season with a plan to use Washington and Richard in a committee. The two youngsters have proven capable.

Jets announce the NFL has suspended Austin Seferian-Jenkins for two games for violating the substance abuse policy.

He wasn't much of a fantasy factor before the suspension was announced.

Big restricted free-agent deal:

Vikings and WR Adam Thielen reach agreement on three-year deal, per source.

Thielen stays in Minnesota.

$17 M deal that could get to $27 M with incentives, including $11 M guaranteed.

Thielen broke out in his third season with 69 catches for 967 yards and five touchdowns. He scored more fantasy points than Stefon Diggs, yet he's going seven rounds later in early MFL10s. In fairness, Diggs missed three games, but these two are closer in value than their ADPs would indicate.

The New England Patriots announced the signing of the free agent running back, who joins the team after four seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. Burkhead represents the seventh addition to the Patriots' roster this offseason.

A former sixth-round pick out of Nebraska, Burkhead proved himself as a third option for the Bengals during his four years with the team. Burkhead rushed for 344 rushing yards and two touchdowns in 2016, despite sharing time with Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard. The running back also added 145 yards receiving out of the backfield.

The 26-year-old posted a breakout game against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17, rushing for 119 yards on 27 carried to go along with two touchdowns.

Related players: Dion Lewis, James White

With Giovani Bernard sidelined, Burkhead averaged 10.8 touches for 56 yards as the change-of-pace back. Then, in Week 17 with Jeremy Hill also out, Burkhead turned in an epic 29-touch, 144-yard, two-touchdown effort against the Ravens. As a junior at Nebraska, Burkhead rushed for 1,357 yards and scored 17 total touchdowns. Burkhead is similar in skillset to Dion Lewis and James White, though he's bigger. Even though LeGarrette Blount is 40 lbs heavier, Burkhead could assume some of Blount's work on early downs.

Eddie Lacy's deal with the Seahawks: 1 year, $5.55M with $3M fully guaranteed, per source.

Related players: C.J. Prosise, Thomas Rawls

In 20 games over the last two years, Lacy has averaged 67 total yards on 14.1 touches (4.33 YPC) and 0.25 touchdowns, for a per game average of 9.4 FP in PPR formats. He was significantly better (16.8 PPG) in his first two seasons, though his YPC (4.37) was similar. Prior to undergoing ankle surgery, Lacy was running well (5.1 YPC, 72 yards per game). His arrival in Seattle submarines any budding value for Thomas Rawls or C.J. Prosise. He's not a shoo-in to win the RB1 job, however. In Green Bay, Ty Montgomery looks safe as the team's RB1, though they may still address the position in the draft (likely) or free agency (less likely).

WR Andre Roberts signed with the Falcons for one year, $1.8 million ($750k guaranteed).

Roberts was trending up through his third season, when he caught 64 passes for 759 yards and five touchdowns. He took a step back in his fourth season, and then the Cardinals let him walk. He spent last year in Detroit, where he caught 14 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown.

Andre Ellington re-signed with the Cardinals Monday on a one-year contract.

With David Johnson’s emergence as one of the best backs in the NFL, Ellington’s work dwindled to career-lows in all categories. He finished with 96 yards rushing on 34 carries last season, along with 12 receptions for 85 yards.

He'll serve as Johnson's primary backup. He's a wise handcuff for Johnson owners since he's a proven commodity.

Bears agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth up to $4m with WR Kendall Wright, source said.

Wright had 94 catches for 1079 yards and two touchdowns on 139 targets in his second season, but it’s been pretty downhill since then. He gained 715 yards in 2014, 408 yards in 2015 and finally 416 yards last year. He’ll provide depth behind presumed starters Cameron Meredith and Kevin White.

One day after signing Martellus Bennett, Packers now bringing former Rams TE Lance Kendricks back to Wisconsin.

The Packers now boast one of the deepest and most talented tight end groups in the league with Martellus Bennett, Richard Rodgers and Kendricks in the fold.

The Cowboys re-signed WR Terrance Williams to a 4-year deal worth $17M, source said.

Williams was the #62 fantasy receiver (PPR) last year despite the fact that Dez Bryant essentially missed four games. Expect more of the same from Williams in 2017.

The New England Patriots acquired wide receiver Brandin Cooks from the New Orleans Saints on Friday for a first- and third-round pick in the upcoming draft, multiple sources told ESPN's Dianna Russini.

The Patriots also will receive the Saints' fourth-round pick (No. 118 overall). New England's draft selections headed to the Saints are 32nd and 103rd overall.

The Patriots love receivers who can turn a short catch into a long gainer and with his speed, Cooks fits the bill. The signing is great for Tom Brady, but it's a downgrade for Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan and Malcolm Mitchell. Cooks figures to rank as a WR2 in early projections since the Patriots have several mouths to feed. In New Orleans, it's a small downgrade for Drew Brees while Michael Thomas, Willie Snead and newcomer Ted Ginn will pick up the slack.

Former New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett is signing with the Green Bay Packers.

Tight end Jared Cook, meanwhile, will sign elsewhere as a free agent, a source told ESPN's Rob Demovsky.

When the Packers broke off negotiations with Jared Cook earlier today, it looked like Green Bay would be without a dynamic presence at tight end. Not so fast. Bennett finished the season as the #10 fantasy tight end, but he was pretty nicked up for most the season, which possibly limited his production. He still needs to undergo surgery to clean up his ankle, but provided he makes a full recovery, this is a great pickup for the Packers. Bennett should be a solid TE1 in 2017.

Terrelle Pryor found a new home.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reports the receiver signed a one-year deal with the Washington Redskins for $8 million.

Pryor finished the season as the #21 receiver, though his numbers dipped over the final month of the season. Still, his output in the first 12 games -- 5.2 catches for 71 yards and 0.33 TD, #11 WR -- is very encouraging. He’d certainly benefit from an upgrade at quarterback, and should get one if Kirk Cousins remains in Washington.

As it turns out, the Browns have more than one expensive quarterback they didn’t really want.

Or at least, they did.

Per Josina Anderson of ESPN, the Browns are releasing Robert Griffin III, after last year’s experiment never really came to fruition.

Griffin looked pretty good in the preseason, but only appeared in five games for the Browns compiling 886 yards on 147 pass attempts (6.0 YPA) while throwing more interceptions (3) than touchdowns (2). He did run for 38 yards per game and found the endzone twice.

Source: The Bears are signing WR Markus Wheaton.

Wheaton showed promise in 2014-15 with a total of 97 catches for 1393 yards and seven touchdowns. He struggled with injury last year and the Steelers gave up on him. He'll provide depth in the Chicago receiving corps.

Ravens RB Kenneth Dixon has been suspended for the first four games of the 2017 season due to a PED violation.

This may shed some light on the Ravens' decision to sign Danny Woodhead. This puts a big dent in Dixon's stock, though his price may come down enough to make him an attractive pick as a fantasy RB3.

Jacquizz Rodgers, who led the Buccaneers in rushing in 2016 and proved he could handle a feature-back workload, agreed to a new deal with the Bucs on Thursday at the start of free agency.

Rodgers has seen at least 12 carries in seven games over the past four years. In those games, he averaged 97 total yards and 0.57 TD on 22.2 touches (4.25 YPC). Due to his size (5-7, 190 lbs), Rodgers is not considered an every-down back, but he’s certainly capable of carrying the load when called upon. Still only 27, Rodgers should have plenty of tread left on his tires. His value is tied to Doug Martin's status as the team's starter.

I am told Alshon Jeffery expected to sign with Eagles.

It's reportedly a one-year deal worth $14 million. In 53 games since his sophomore season, Jeffery has averaged 5.3 receptions for 79 yards and 0.43 touchdowns, or 16.0 PPG (PPR). That’s about what Doug Baldwin averaged last year as the league’s #8 fantasy receiver. Jeffery’s numbers are down a bit over the last two years (5.1-78-0.29 in just 21 games), but he still has plenty of potential. The signing is a clear upgrade for Carson Wentz, who now has a receiving corps of Jeffery, Torrey Smith, Jordan Matthews and Zach Ertz. Matthews' stock certainly takes a hit with the acquisition of Jeffery, who is likely to be ranked as a fantasy WR2 in our preseason projections.

How big a mistake did the Texans make when they signed Brock Osweiler last year? So big that they’re giving up a second-round draft pick to get out from under his contract.

Osweiler is being shipped to Cleveland, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. The compensation? The Texans have to give the Browns a 2018 second-round draft pick and a 2017 sixth-round pick. The Browns ship a 2017 fourth-round pick to Houston.

That’s right, the Texans are trading Osweiler away and giving up better draft picks than they’re getting back, just to get the Browns to take Osweiler’s contract off their hands.

Essentially, the Browns are taking on Osweiler's contract to get a second round pick from the Texans. Rumor has it, they may cut him after the trade. Meanwhile, the Texans clear enough cap space to make a run at Tony Romo.

Bears are releasing QB Jay Cutler, per sources. Cutler asked for and was granted his release this morning. Now a free agent.

With Glennon in tow, this is the definition of unsurprising. The Jets are rumored to be interested in Smokin' Jay.

WR Ted Ginn is signing with the New Orleans Saints per sources.

Ginn finished the season as the #48 WR (PPR) after finishing #33 the year before. Even with Kelvin Benjamin back, Ginn’s targets remained remarkably consistent; he saw 95 targets in 2016 after getting 97 targets in 2015. Still one of the fastest receivers in the league, Ginn is being brought to New Orleans to stretch the field since it looks like Brandin Cooks is on his way out of town. The Saints’ three starting receivers each saw at least 104 targets, so Ginn could post similar (or better) numbers in 2017, provided he enjoys a smooth transition.

Barring any snags, Robert Woods intends to sign a 5-year, $39 million deal, including $15 million guaranteed, with Rams, per sources.

With Kenny Britt out of the picture, there are a ton of (poor quality) targets available with the Rams, and Woods is still just 24 years old. (He's turning 25 in April.) Woods has at least 550 receiving yards in each of his first four seasons and is a solid real-world WR2. His departure leaves a hole in Buffalo, so the Bills have some work to do to surround Tyrod Taylor with capable pass-catchers.

Torrey Smith, 3-year deal for $15 million with the Eagles, per source.

Smith was a poor fit in San Francisco given the 49ers' QB woes. Prior to leaving Baltimore, Smith was remarkably consistent, finishing in the #23-#30 range in each of his first four seasons. He's only 28, and he can still fly, but it remains to be seen if he's a good fit for Carson Wentz's inconsistent deep ball. One thing's for sure -- he should have plenty of opportunity to play in Philadelphia.

The Bears and Mike Glennon appear to be on the verge of a deal that will make Glennon the team’s starting quarterback, at a salary that sounds like a lot but is lower than most starting quarterbacks make.

Glennon is expected to get a three-year deal with an annual average of $14.5 million, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. That puts Glennon’s total deal at $43.5 million, although there’s no word on how much of that is guaranteed and no other details about the structure of the contract.

In 18 starts, Glennon has averaged 217 passing yards, 1.6 touchdowns and 0.8 interceptions per game en route to a 6.56 YPA (not good) and 13.6 fantasy points per game, which is what Trevor Siemian posted last season. In his defense, 13 of those starts were during his rookie year, and rookie quarterbacks are generally not very good. Still, his 19-to-9 touchdown-to-interception ratio as a rookie, and his improved YPA (6.98) as a sophomore has put him in the mix as a starting NFL quarterback in 2017. The Bears are probably not done at the position, though Glennon is now the odds-on favorite to be the starter.

Former Washington WR DeSean Jackson expects to sign with Tampa assuming no breakdown in final negotiations, sources tell ESPN.

If Jackson has lost a step, it’s hard to tell. He averaged 17.9 yards per catch last year, which was his second highest average of his last six seasons. In 24 games over the last two seasons, he has averaged 3.6 catches for 64 yards and 0.33 TD, or 12.0 PPG in PPR formats. He’s been a little hit or miss fantasy-wise, but should see consistent targets as the complement to Mike Evans in Tampa. This is an upgrade for Jameis Winston, Evans (who won't see quite as much defensive attention) and Cameron Brate. In Washington, Kirk Cousins has lost his top two receivers.

The Browns are signing WR Kenny Britt, source said. 4 years, $32.5M.

The Browns started with over $100 M in cap space, so this does not preclude the team from re-signing Terrelle Pryor. Given is situation, Britt had a great 2016. He averaged 4.5 catches for 67 yards and 0.33 touchdowns in 2016 with Case Keenum and Jared Goff throwing him the ball. The Rams had the worst passing game in the league, and Britt still managed decent numbers. He turns 29 in September. We'll see what the Browns are able to do at quarterback, but this isn't a bad landing spot from him considering where he spent the last few seasons.

Source: The Ravens are signing RB Danny Woodhead. He’s fully healthy after ACL surgery in 2016. Big pickup.

Related players: Kenneth Dixon, Melvin Gordon

Well, this puts a dent in Kenneth Dixon's budding value. Woodhead is an elite pass-catcher and an underrated runner. He's likely to form a committee with Dixon, who will serve as the team's primary back. Both players look like PPR RB2/RB3 types at this point. The signing is good news for Melvin Gordon, who will have virtually no competition for touches. It's also good for C.J. Anderson, since it was rumored that the Broncos were interested in reuniting Woodhead with OC Mike McCoy.

Not long ago, the Dolphins assumed receiver Kenny Stills would leave. He’s not.

PFT has confirmed that Stills is staying with Miami. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that it’s a four-year deal worth $32 million, with $20 million guaranteed.

Stills finished the season as the #46 fantasy receiver (PPR), but he caught six of his nine touchdowns in the final eight weeks of the season, and was the #24 receiver in that span. He averaged 5.6 targets per game in the back half of the season after averaging 4.4 targets in the first eight games. Given his big-play ability, he’s always been a high FP/target player. In the 19 career games where he’s seen at least six targets, he has averaged 4.3 catches for 65 yards and 0.37 TD (on 7.4 targets), or 13.1 PPG.

Bengals agreed to terms with WR Brandon LaFell per his agents.

LaFell finished the year as the #35 receiver (PPR), though he was significantly more productive in the six games that A.J. Green missed (5.2-74-.33 on 8.7 targets per game) than he was in the 10 games in which Green played (3.3-42-.40 on 5.5 targets per game). LaFell is more of a fantasy WR4/WR5 with a healthy Green on the field.

Colts are trading TE Dwayne Allen to the Patriots, per source.

The Patriots probably looked at Martellus Bennett's asking price and decided instead to trade for Allen, who was disappointing in the first year of the $29 M deal he struck with the Colts last offseason. Allen will serve as the Patriots' second tight end, assuming Rob Gronkowski is healthy. Bennett finished as the #10 TE in that role, though he was actually more productive with Gronk in the lineup. For the Colts, this is big news for the newly re-signed Jack Doyle, who will graduate to starter's snaps. Given Andrew Luck's propensity to throw to his tight end in the red zone, Doyle will be an appealing sleeper in 2017 fantasy drafts. Erik Swoope should also see an increase in snaps.

WR Marquise Goodwin is headed to the 49ers. Kyle Shanahan loves speed.

Goodwin is a burner (4.27 40-yard dash). He's built in the same mold as Taylor Gabriel, who thrived under new 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan last year in Atlanta.

It’s a 2-year deal for 49ers and QB Brian Hoyer. Fair to say, this makes it unlikely they bring in Kirk Cousins in a trade with Redskins.

This is a good landing spot for Hoyer, who is a fringe starter in the league at this point in his career. He's playing for a sharp offensive mind (HC Kyle Shanahan) and the 49ers figure to throw a lot as they try to stay competitive during a rebuilding year. In 25 career games where Hoyer has started and attempted at least 25 passes, he has a 12-13 record while averaging 268 yards passing (59.6 Cmp %), 1.48 TD and 0.84 interceptions (or 15.1 fantasy points per game). That's a bit more than what Sam Bradford and Alex Smith averaged last year. If he's the starter, he'll be in the streaming conversation in 2017.

Bills announce that Tyrod Taylor agreed to stay with them on a restructured contract.

HC Sean McDermott: "We are excited about the opportunity to keep Tyrod with the Bills. I've gotten a chance to know Tyrod and study him over the past several weeks and he is both a great person and competitor. Doug and I are confident that this was the best move for the Bills at this time."

Taylor was a 4for4 favorite in 2016 until Sammy Watkins’ injury and he STILL produced top 8 numbers with Watkins in and out of the lineup. He was also a top 8 quarterback on a per game basis in 2015, so he has now produced starter-caliber numbers in two straight seasons. The question in Buffalo is what sort of receiving corps will Taylor have to throw to? If Sammy Watkins can stay healthy it would be a big boost, but the promising Robert Woods is a free agent.

When Pierre Garcon finalizes deal with 49ers, as expected, league sources believe he will make $16 million in first year.

Garcon turns 31 in August, but is coming off a season where he caught 79 passes for 1,041 yards and three touchdowns. In fact, he has at least 68 catches in four straight seasons. In San Francisco, he’ll be reunited with his former offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan. In Shanahan’s last year in Washington, Garcon caught 113 passes for 1,346 yards and five scores. He’s four years older now, but should still see heavy volume playing for Shanahan.

After wearing green and white the past two seasons, Brandon Marshall has agreed to terms on a two-year, $12 million deal to join Eli Manning and the Giants, sources told Newsday.

In his age-32 season, Marshall struggled with injury and inefficiency en route to 59 catches for 788 yards and three touchdowns. It wasn't all his fault, however, as the Jets struggled to throw the ball all year. One year removed from a 109-catch, 1500-yard and 14-touchdown season, he might benefit from a move to the slot, a la Larry Fitzgerald. Eli Manning is an upgrade for Marshall and vice versa. The Giants were 8th in the league in pass attempts, so Marshall should have an opportunity to bounce back. The signing is not great news for Sterling Shepard, who is unlikely to see 105 targets again with a healthy Marshall in the mix. As for Odell Beckham, he'll benefit from the defensive attention Marshall will draw, but may see a drop in targets as well.

Redskins TE Vernon Davis signed a 3-year contract last night, per his snapchat, worth $15M, per a source.

Davis had 44 catches for 583 yards and two touchdowns on 59 targets. When he played 60% or more of the snaps -- typically when Jordan Reed was out or limited -- Davis averaged 3.4 catches for 40 yards and 0.14 TD, or 8.3 fantasy points (PPR). Those are low-end TE2-type numbers. Davis is already 33 years old, so a three-year contract is a bit surprising.

Colts are keeping TE Jack Doyle on a three-year deal, source says.

Doyle finished with 59 catches for 584 yards and five touchdowns, and played especially well when Dwayne Allen missed Week 7, posting nine catches for 78 yards and a touchdown against the Titans. He finished as the #13 TE (PPR) in 2016, but with Allen still around, his upside is capped.

Cardinals and TE Jermaine Gresham have reached agreement on a four-year deal, per sources.

Gresham began to see starter's snaps in Week 5, and while he never made a major fantasy impact, he gained at least 32 yards in eight straight games and even caught a couple of touchdowns in that stretch.

According to sources, 49ers WR Torrey Smith will be released, and become a free agent.

Still just 28 years old, Smith should get a fresh start elsewhere.

Jeremy Kerley and 49ers agree on a 3-year, $10.5 million deal.

Last year, Kerley finished with 64 catches for 667 yards and three touchdowns. He had at least five catches in eight games. He'll man the slot for new HC Kyle Shanahan.

Falcons WR Julio Jones is having foot surgery on Monday, source said. It's minor and won't affect his training camp availability.

Update: Jones isn't undergoing surgery on Monday, but is seeing a specialist about his foot. Stay tuned.

This doesn't sound like a major issue, but it's worth monitoring as the offseason progresses.

Jets WR Eric Decker was a 1,000-yard receiver for the Jets in 2015, but his status is uncertain because of health reasons. He underwent surgeries for hip and shoulder injuries last season, and it's unclear when he will return. There's a good chance he will miss training camp.

Over his last 18 games, which includes all of his games played during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, Decker has averaged 16.4 fantasy points per game (PPR). That's higher than what Doug Baldwin and Brandin Cooks averaged last year (as top 10 receivers). If he can get healthy, he'll be a good value once again in 2017, but his availability for Week 1 is a question mark.

Continuing their roster purge, the New York Jets intend to release wide receiver Brandon Marshall, sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Thursday night.

Marshall's impending release was first reported by Newsday and confirmed by ESPN.

Later Thursday, Marshall posted a farewell message on his Instagram account, thanking the Jets organization as well as "the incredibly loyal Jets fans." He also wrote in part, "I'm looking forward to finding a great organization where I can contribute and bring home a championship."

In his age-32 season, Marshall struggled with injury and inefficiency en route to 59 catches for 788 yards and three touchdowns. It wasn't all his fault, however, as the Jets struggled to throw the ball all year. One year removed from a 109-catch, 1500-yard and 14-touchdown season, he might benefit from a move to the slot, a la Larry Fitzgerald.

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce recently underwent surgery on his shoulder, Chiefs coach Andy Reid told The Star at the NFL Combine.

“Trav had his shoulder done — he had it cleaned up,” Reid said Wednesday.

When asked if it was a major injury, Reid shook his head.

“No, I don’t think so,” Reid said. “He’ll probably miss some time throughout the offseason, but he’ll be ready, I believe, for camp.”

After finishing #6 as a rookie and #8 as a sophomore (in PPR formats), Kelce was the top overall tight end in 2016, though he was #2 in per game average behind Rob Gronkowski. Although his usage isn't as consistent as we'd like, he's primed for another big year in Andy Reid's offense.