April 2023 4for4 Player News Articles

The New York Giants had conversations with Saquon Barkley's representatives last week. They'll "reconvene" now that the draft is over to see if there is a deal that makes sense for both sides at this point. An unhappy Barkley has not signed his franchise tag and therefore is not participating in the voluntary portion of the team's offseason program. The two sides were not able to reach an agreement on a new long-term deal prior to the tag deadline last month.

Related Players: Matt Breida, Eric Gray

Regardless of what you may think of Daniel Jones, it makes sense that the team made the quarterback a priority during the offseason if that's who they think will be their franchise signal-caller. Barkley has a right to be upset, but he also has a risky injury history that the team needs to take into account.

The Giants didn't add a ton to their pass-catching group through the NFL Draft, so if a deal can get done, and Barkley remains healthy, he should have a good chance to operate as the main cog of the team's offense.

“Nope” Chargers GM Tom Telesco says when asked if they received any calls during the draft from teams interested in trading for running back Austin Ekeler.

Related Players: Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller

Los Angeles was considered an RB-needy team heading into the Draft, so it's a bit of a surprise that they exited without adding anybody. It looks like Ekeler and the team will need to reconcile their differences, but at the moment, that doesn't seem to be in the form of a new contract.

As it stands, Ekeler should be considered a high-value three-down back with a great quarterback.

The Lions are receiving a fourth-round pick in 2025 and a seventh-rounder (No. 219) this year, while the Eagles get D'Andre Swift and Detroit's seventh-round pick (No. 249).

Related Players: Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Rashaad Penny, Kenneth Gainwell, Boston Scott

Swift has had quite the Draft weekend after Detroit snagged Gibbs incredibly early in the proceedings. The writing was on the wall, and now he joins a moderately crowded backfield in Philadelphia. The move doesn't necessarily kill the value of Penny, because the team was practically guaranteed to add someone due to Penny's extensive injury history.

Scott and Gainwell, on the other hand, will once again be on the outside looking in, in terms of fantasy viability.

"Ryan will be the starting quarterback on Monday," Vrabel revealed at a news conference following Friday's second and third rounds. "Malik will be the backup. Will will be the third quarterback. And what I've told them is whatever happens after that will be up to the players. That's what it's always been here. That's what we always want it to be."

Related Players: Will Levis, Ryan Tannehill, Malik Willis

As far as finding an option for 2023, this entire situation is going to be a stay-away. You would imagine that Levis will finish the summer higher on the depth chart than Willis, but we can't be certain at this time.

Vrabel would go on to say, "That's our job is to bring in competition at every position," Vrabel said. "It's not a secret. I hope that by now that everybody understands that we have to prove our value to this football team each and every day."

Maybe we will see a trade for any of this guys, but a lot of the situations around the league are already locked in.

Bill Belichick said late Friday that he "absolutely" feels the same way about Mac Jones as he did prior to training camp last year when he complimented the quarterback's progress, which marked the New England Patriots coach's strongest vote of confidence as speculation has swirled regarding Jones' future with the team this offseason.

Jones had a down year in the second season of his career and first without offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Granted, the whole offense was a cringe-fest, but Jones finished with 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in an awful fantasy season. At this point in the draft the team hasn't gotten him any help, using their first three picks on the defensive side of the ball.

GM John Lynch announced the 49ers have exercised the 2024 fifth-year option for receiver Brandon Aiyuk, valued at $14.1 million, but declined the option for defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw. The 49ers had previously hinted that they’d make both of these moves, which are obviously tethered to the fact that Aiyuk has been productive — he notched a 1,000-yard season in 2022 — while Kinlaw has struggled to stay available due to knee issues.

Related Players: Danny Gray, Ray-Ray McCloud

The 49ers did add former Alabama tight end Cameron Latu, but we should expect them to add more talent to their pass-catching group before the draft is over. They have six late-round picks to do so, and whether or not any of those picks hit may effect the team's long-term view of Brandon Aiyuk.

The Los Angeles Chargers picked up quarterback Justin Herbert’s fifth-year contract option Friday after he said Thursday he has “complete faith” in the team’s front office regarding his contract negotiations.

Herbert also said Thursday his left shoulder is “getting closer to 75 percent.” Herbert underwent surgery on his non-throwing shoulder in January and is expecting it to be a five- to six-month recovery process. Herbert and draft-mate Joe Burrow are next in line to get mega-contracts ala Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson.

Cardinals’ general manager Monti Ossenfort said that he doesn’t expect to trade DeAndre Hopkins at any point during this week's draft.

Related Players: Marquise Brown, Rondale Moore, Zach Pascal

Kyler Murray got protection in the form of OT Paris Johnson on Night 1, but he still may be losing his biggest offensive piece before long. The entirety of the offense would immediately become suspect if that were to happen, with Murray missing time and a middling WR room behind Hopkins

Lamar Jackson and the Ravens have agreed to terms. He has his deal, and it will keep him with the team through the 2027 season.

They certainly picked an interesting day to pull the trigger, making the news official during Day 1 of the NFL Draft. The team went and got Odell Beckham and may add more weapons this coming weekend. Jackson remains a top-5 fantasy option at the quarterback position.

The Vikings are exercising the fifth-year option on All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Jefferson was Minnesota's 2020 first-round pick and has made the Pro Bowl in all three years of his career.

General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O'Connell have each expressed interest in locking the wide receiver into a long-term deal, so that may be the next step here. If the Vikings were to make a move at quarterback in the near future, their next signal-caller would be in good hands with a stud WR1.

Jets GM Joe Douglas spoke today about Zach Wilson learning behind Aaron Rodgers, and sources say Wilson has been very receptive to the idea of a redshirt year or two. The coaches have been open with him on the plan, and good dialogue has followed on it.

So Wilson's on board.

This news obviously doesn't make a difference in typical redraft leagues, but for SuperFlex Dynasty leagues, it could be important. If the Jets build the offense up around Rodgers, but he ends up leaving in a year or two, it only makes sense that it could benefit Wilson down the road. Of course, Wilson's ineptitude is what forced their hand in the first place, but we've seen weirder things than a quarterback learning under a Hall of Fame veteran.

Per Breer, "Another name to watch as a potential trade target this weekend would be Dalvin Cook. The Vikings have been communicative with their star tailback—and receptive to the idea of bringing him back—but it just won’t happen at the rate of $11 million he’s due this fall."

Related Players: Alexander Mattison, Kene Nwangwu

Breer goes on to say that the Vikings haven't shopped Cook, but if they land a running back in the first two days, Cook could be gone by the weekend. In this scenario, they will likely land a talent superior to that of Alexander Mattison, which hurts his value just as much as it helps. A third-round RB in Minnesota would be an immediate fantasy asset.

The Packers and Jets have agreed to the mega-trade, sending four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers to the Jets for major compensation. The deal includes a 2nd rounder this year, a 1st round pick swap this year, and a conditional 1st rounder in 2024.

The first domino of the NFL Draft falls and the long-awaited trade finally comes through. The Jets skill position group gets a major boost while the Packers load up while inevitably losing Rodgers.

Titans GM Ran Carthon told reporters that he has not received calls about trading star RB Derrick Henry.

Related Players: Hassan Haskins, Julius Chestnut

Even with the team looking at a tough season ahead, they will likely need to address their running back room with or without Derrick Henry. Henry could be high on the list of big moves later this week during the NFL Draft.

NFL suspended 5 players, including Lions WR Jameson Williams, for violations of NFL gambling policy. Lions’ CJ Moore & Quintez Cephus, plus Commanders Shaka Toney, are suspended indefinitely (at least 1 year). Williams & Detroit’s Stanley Berryhill are suspended 6 games.

This puts a giant wrench into the further development of Williams, who was only healthy for six games during his rookie season, catching one-of-eight targets for a 41-yard touchdown. This could clear the way for a heavier role for veteran Marvin Jones, if the team doesn't decide to bolster the position through the NFL Draft.

The Buffalo Bills and kicker Tyler Bass have agreed to terms on a four-year extension worth up to $21 Million with $12.3 guaranteed.

Bass finished his sophomore year as the overall fantasy K6 in 2022 and 2021, locking him into lineups for years to come. This is on top of kicking in Buffalo, one of the most weather-impacted cities in the NFL.

Tua Tagovailoa says he discussed the idea of retiring from football after the season with family but he decided to keep playing. He says this is his health and life. He thinks this is what’s best for him and his family.

Tua talked to doctors that told him that he would have no more risk for concussions or CTE moving forward during the 2023 season. There are obviously more things to consider than just fantasy projections, but he is in an incredible spot with two of the most explosive playmakers in the NFL at his disposal.

Boston College WR Zay Flowers - Mel Kiper’s No. 10 overall prospect - is in Texas today to workout with Chiefs’ QB Patrick Mahomes at the request of the team. Flowers believed his pre-draft process was over after visiting the Titans on Tuesday…until the Chiefs called.

There haven't been many mocks that point towards the Chiefs aiming for Zay Flowers, but that's mostly because he doesn't tend to last until the 31st pick. If he slips, or if Kansas City moves up to grab him, it would be an incredible boost to his fantasy stock.

The 49ers have received inquiries from several teams looking into a potential trade for former No. 3 pick QB Trey Lance. The conversations have been the result of SF fielding the calls, not making them, with teams aware that Brock Purdy is likely the future starter.

Rapoport went on to say, "While no trade is imminent, and the 49ers would almost certainly want to make sure Brock Purdy's rehab continues to go as smoothly as it's been going, the interest from other teams in Lance has been there."

It looks as though Purdy will be the locked-in starter if he's healthy by Week 1.

The Rams and Steelers are working to finalize a trade that would send Robinson to Pittsburgh, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday. Pittsburgh has been granted permission to give Robinson a physical, and if the Steelers are comfortable with the results, the former Pro Bowler is expected to land in Pittsburgh.

Related Players: George Pickens, Calvin Austin

Assuming Robinson can return to form, this is a huge upgrade over 5'8" slot receiver Calvin Austin. Robinson is coming off two disappointing seasons but lodged a 1,305-108-6 year in 2020 with the Bears.

The Arizona Cardinals have signed QB Jeff Driskel to a one-year deal.

Related Players: Colt McCoy, David Blough, DeAndre Hopkins, Marquise Brown

Kyler Murray is officially out until around the start of the season, but it has been reported that he could be out until the second half of the season. There are also rumors that he may have taken his final snap as a Cardinal. That would mean that a team already looking at a possible No. 1 selection in 2024 will be starting Driskell, McCoy, or Blough. This offense will be one to avoid, and hopefully, we see DeAndre Hopkins with a new team come Draft time.

The Eagles and Jalen Hurts agreed to terms on a 5-year, $255M contract extension that makes him the highest-paid player in NFL history. The deal includes $179.304M in guarantees and a no-trade clause.

Hurts will continue his career in one of the best-run franchises in the NFL. Looking at his situation long-term, the offensive line is aging, but with the team's propensity to restock in the trenches, that is likely to be taken care of soon. Hurts will remain a top fantasy QB for years to come.

Former Panthers and Cardinals WR Chosen Anderson is signing a one-year deal with the Dolphins. Another weapon on offense.

Related Players: Cedrick Wilson, Braxton Berrios

The former "Robbie" Anderson will be another deep option to torture the back-ends of defenses in Miami. After he re-emerged with a huge 95-1,096-3 year in 2020, he has begun a late-career decline that culminated in a 17-target showing with the Cardinals through ten games last season. This is as good of a landing spot as we could ask for, for the 30-year-old WR.

Panthers signed veteran wide receiver Damiere Byrd, who returns to Carolina, where he played from 2015-2018.

A nice blast from the past who had a mini-breakout with the Patriots in 2020 (47-604-1). Byrd will be competing with the bottom of the depth chart for a job over the Summer.

New York Giants star running back Saquon Barkley does not plan to sign his franchise tender before the team's offseason program begins Monday, according to Newsday and ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Related Players: Matt Breida, Gary Brightwell

Barkley played a full season in 2022 for the first time since 2018. He was runner-up as the Comeback Player of the Year with his 1,650 scrimmage yards.

If the Giants do not sign Barkley to a long-term deal by July 15, he would make $10M in 2023 under the one-year franchise tender.

Chiefs re-signed WR Justin Watson to a two-year deal, per his agent.

Related Players: Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore

Watson worked as a rotational option in 2022, finishing with the third-most routes run by a wide receiver on the team. The only issue is, he also ranked behind Travis Kelce, Jerick McKinnon, and Noah Gray, which made him the sixth receiving option on the team. It's possible he could fight for a WR3 position with the team but we should expect them to pour draft resources into the position as well.

The Ravens are giving WR Odell Beckham Jr. a 1-year deal worth up to $18M. A weapon for Baltimore’s QB.

Related Players: Lamar Jackson, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor

A much needed boost to a WR room that has been lacking for years. There are clearly still questions about Beckham's health, as he is one of the final free agent fantasy pieces to fall into place, but Baltimore is in a position to take a risk here. We'll have to wait and see if this will impact Lamar Jackson's willingness to stick around with the Ravens.

Tyreek Hill says he's planning to retire at the end of his current contract with the Miami Dolphins, then it's on to something else.

"I'm going for 10 [seasons], man," Hill, who will be 31 years old when his contract runs out after the 2025 season, told Sports Radio 810 in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday. "I'm going to finish out this contract with the Dolphins and then I'm going to call it quits. I want to go into the business side. I want to do so many things in my life, bro."

Tyreek went on to say that he is building a (video) gaming team that launches next month. Regarding a future game in Arrowhead, he also had this to say, "Chiefs Kingdom, when the Miami Dolphins come to Arrowhead Stadium this year, guess what we gonna do?" Hill said. "Guess what we gonna do? I hate to say it, man. I hate to throw up the peace sign against y'all. I hate to do it! But guess what? I'm gonna be y'all worst enemy that day. I'm gonna be y'all worst enemy that day."

DeCosta told reporters today that based on the team's draft board and where they have quarterbacks ranked, it's possible they take one in the first round.

Related Players: Lamar Jackson

In almost the same breath, the GM also mentioned that they would like to have more than their current five picks, which hints at a trade back. The mostly likely scenario is that he wants teams to be wary of Baltimore's picks to put out feelers for a possible trade.

Vikings RB Dalvin Cook was recently in Minnesota for a post-surgery checkup on his shoulder and is said to be making excellent progress, per sources. Cook played the last three seasons while protecting the injured shoulder, which is now 100% stable and stronger.

Related Players: Alexander Mattison

If Cook is still on the trading block, it will be in the best interests of both himself and the Vikings to pump the positive news about his oft-injured shoulder. The running back has the fourth-highest cap hit on a team that is just barely below the cap as it is. The team recently re-signed backfield-mate Alexander Mattison to a two-year, $7M contract that could give us an idea of their future plans.

Mattison has performed decently in Cook's absences in the past, but doesn't have the prerequisite skill to truly hold a bellcow role.