Team news: New England Patriots | Page 2

Running back order of touch during rush period: Pacheco, Mitchell, Hunt, Smith, Steele

Related Players: Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, Brashard Smith, Carson Steele

We'll see if this is just to get the team some more looks at Mitchell or if this will last into the season, but it's a good sign nonetheless. Smith is likely to start off as an explosive passing-down option and nothing else, while we all know what Hunt is at this point in his career.

Mitchell would be an RB5 option if he ends up leapfrogging Hunt.

Just under nine months after Stefon Diggs tore his ACL, the New England Patriots cleared their biggest offseason acquisition for full participation in training camp, league sources said Tuesday. The team’s training camp opens Wednesday.

The story went on to say the team will, of course, monitor his reps early on. The story added Diggs has looked strong in his return after tearing his ACL last October while taking team reps with second-year QB Drake Maye. Diggs, 31, suffered the injury in Week 8 while playing for the Houston Texans. Diggs is expected to be the team's top target this season.

Wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk, a 2024 second-round pick out of Washington who had a rocky rookie season (12 catches, 87 yards, 2 TDs), is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. Vrabel said he has been excited about how Polk has approached his rehabilitation, working on his lower-body strength.

Related Players: Kayshon Boutte, Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, Javon Baker, Kendrick Bourne, Mack Hollins

There's no timetable for recovery here, but Polk certainly didn't need any setbacks after catching only 38.7% of his 31 targets as a 2024 rookie. He should be considered more of a Dynasty hold than a redraft option, particularly with the Patriots tied to a number of options in the '25 Draft class.

Free-agent WR Stefon Diggs reached agreement on a three-year, $69 million deal including $26 million guaranteed with the New England Patriots.

Related Players: Kayshon Boutte, Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas, Ja'Lynn Polk, Javon Baker

This is an incredible injection of talent to what is arguably the worst WR room in the NFL. Diggs should be immediately considered somewhere in the WR3 range, with (hopefully) more weapons for Drake Maye coming in the next month.

The Giants and Super Bowl-winning QB Russell Wilson reached agreement today on a one-year deal worth up to $21 million, including $10.5 million guaranteed.
The 10-time Pro-Bowl selection had been in discussions with the Giants, Browns, and Steelers, but is opting for New York, where Wilson won Super Bowl XLVIII in MetLife Stadium. Now, Wilson is returning there as the Giants’ projected starting QB.

Related Players: Jameis Winston, Tommy DeVito

We would have loved to see Winston airing it out to Malik Nabers, but the Giants have made a stand to bring Wilson on board. We'll have to see if they still make a move for a first-round option during the NFL Draft, but as it stands, no Giants QB is worth redraft consideration.

Veteran QB Jameis Winston is signing with the Giants, per source.

The team remains open to adding another QB through free agency or the draft, and Winston’s deal — two years, $8 million — doesn’t preclude them from making additional QB moves.

Related Players: Tommy DeVito

As the report says, this doesn't mean they'll be ignoring the QB position at the top of the NFL Draft, but it gives them a little more insurance at the position, and, hey, it brings some more excitement, too. Winston would be a much larger net positive to the receiving group over DeVito, if they need either to make some 2025 starts.

The Chiefs are re-signing RB Kareem Hunt to a one-year, $1.5 million deal with incentives, per source.

Related Players: Isiah Pacheco, Elijah Mitchell, Carson Steele

With Hunt and Mitchell finding themselves in KC this week, it feels like the Chiefs will be passing on a rookie once again, which is good news for Pacheco. A full offseason removed from his fibula injury, he should be back in RB2 consideration.

It looks like Drew Lock will be leading the Giants offense as the team tries to avoid extending their franchise record to 11 straight losses when they face the Colts on Sunday.

Related players: Tommy DeVito

Lock went for an MRI on his right shoulder on Monday after getting banged up during last Sunday’s loss to the Falcons. On Tuesday, head coach Brian Daboll told reporters that the tests showed no damage that would keep the quarterback from playing and that Lock is expected to start, the story went on to say.

The Giants have been swapping quarterbacks in and out of the lineup for the last few weeks and they may be making another change this week.

Head coach Brian Daboll said at a Monday press conference that Drew Lock is having an MRI on his right shoulder after hurting it in Sunday’s loss to the Falcons. The results of that test will help determine who starts against the Colts in Week 17.

Related players: Tommy DeVito

As the story said, Lock returned to the starting lineup after sitting out in Week 15 with heel and elbow injuries. DeVito started in that game and suffered a concussion, but was cleared to serve as the backup against Atlanta so he would presumably get the nod if Lock is unable to go.

After losing RBs Christian McCaffrey, Jordan Mason and Elijah Mitchell to season-ending injuries, it now looks as if the 49ers will be without RB Isaac Guerendo for Sunday’s game vs. Miami. Guerendo is dealing with a hamstring injury and is unlikely to play, per source.

Related Players: Patrick Taylor, Kyle Juszczyk, Israel Abanikanda

Sheesh. We're assuming Taylor will now be the next, next man up, but they also have Abanikanda, as well as Ke'Shawn Vaughn on the practice squad. Taylor should be considered somewhere in the RB3 range if Guerendo is out.