News About AFC Teams

Baltimore Ravens News

The Ravens will pay TE Mark Andrews' $4 million roster bonus, which was due on March 15.

Why It Matters: There was a line of thinking that the Ravens may not keep Andrews after his two fourth-quarter errors cost the Ravens a playoff game. Paying this roster bonus increases the chances that Andrews will play in Baltimore this season, but it is still not guaranteed. General manager Eric DeCosta brought up the Ravens' ring of honor when asked about Andrews at the combine, and beat writer Jeff Zrebiec from The Athletic said the team would trade him if they received a "legit offer". It wasn't surprising that the team would agree to pay Andrews' bonus instead of releasing him and getting nothing for a player who scored 11 touchdowns last year, but we shouldn't close the door completely on a trade. Zrebiec said he thought it would take a day 2 pick to get the Ravens to part with Andrews, and he wasn't sure if any team would offer that. Isaiah Likely still has a very bright future, even if the chances of him being the primary receiving tight end for Lamar Jackson went down this week. A team like the Chargers or Panthers could still decide to deal for Andrews depending on whether they are able to land one of the talented tight end class early in next month's draft.

The Ravens signed QB Cooper Rush to a two-year, $6.2 million deal.

Why It Matters: The spend is modest, but this represents an upgrade at backup quarterback for the Ravens and a change in their philosophy. The team has had mobile backups like Josh Johnson, Tyler Huntley, Anthony Brown, and Robert Griffin III behind Jackson. Rush isn't going to threaten defenses with his legs, but he went 4-4 as the starter for a mediocre Cowboys team, including wins over the playoff-bound Commanders and Buccaneers, and 9-5 in his seven-year career with Dallas. This move improves the passing and rushing potential for the Ravens offense if Jackson misses time.

Cincinnati Bengals News

The Bengals signed WR Tee Higgins to a four-year, $115 million contract and WR Ja'Marr Chase to a four-year, $161 million contract.

Why It Matters: The Bengals would have saved tens of millions of dollars if they had done this last offseason, but in the end, they still did the right thing to keep the Super Bowl window open at the urging of quarterback Joe Burrow. The Chase deal resets the top of the wide receiver market, while the Higgins deal is at or even a little below what he was expected to get if he had been traded or hit the open market. Burrow's and Higgins' dynasty values get bumps now that Higgins will be with the team for the foreseeable future. Some believe that spending so much at one position will be a limiting factor for the Bengals Super Bowl possibilities, but they won nine games last year with offensive line woes, a poor defense, and almost every break going against them in close games. Defensive end Trey Hendrickson was seeking a trade before these deals got done, but now it's believed that it is more possible that he and the team may find a middle ground on a contract extension.

Houston Texans News

The Texans signed OT Cam Robinson to a one-year, $12 million contract.

Why It Matters: Here's your Laremy Tunsil replacement. Robinson is adequate, but only a stopgap, as the one-year deal for low-end starter money indicates. This shouldn't preclude the Texans from taking a tackle in the first or second round, and that player could take over for Robinson before the end of the season. Robinson allowed a lot of pressure and nine sacks last year, including seven after he was dealt to the Vikings to replace Christian Darrisaw after the starter went down. The Vikings should get a fourth- or fifth-round compensatory pick after giving up a fourth to the Jaguars to get Robinson last year.

Kansas City Chiefs News

The Chiefs signed WR JuJu Smith-Schuster and RB Kareem Hunt.

Why It Matters: The Chiefs got admirable service from Smith-Schuster and Hunt last year when injuries forced the team to play them as street free agents. The hope is that they won't need them this year after also bringing back WR Marquise Brown and adding RB Elijah Mitchell in free agency. But we know now who to have on waiver-wire speed dial if the wide receiver and running back depth charts are decimated again. 

Los Angeles Chargers News

The Chargers signed OL Mekhi Becton to a two-year, $20 million deal.

Why It Matters: The Chargers running game should benefit from the addition of Becton, originally drafted as a tackle by the Jets at the 11th pick in 2020 before having his career derailed by injuries. Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland worked his magic, and Philadelphia will get a compensatory pick to reward their ability to turn Becton's career around. The Chargers offensive line now features four former first-round picks flanking center Bradley Bozeman.

News About NFC Teams

Dallas Cowboys News

The Cowboys signed RB Miles Sanders to a one-year deal.

Why It Matters: While it seems like a remote possibility that the Cowboys will go into training camp with a backfield of Sanders, Javonte Williams, and Deuce Vaughn, we didn't think they would be satisfied with Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott last year. Don't be surprised if the team doesn't take a back until the third day and leaves us with a muddled picture of who will have fantasy value in this backfield and how much. Dowdle was able to assert control of this backfield and produce in the second half of the season. But he might have overplayed his hand at the beginning of free agency and was forced to take a deal as the backup to Chuba Hubbard for Carolina. It's possible none of the backs currently on the Cowboys roster play at the level Dowdle did last year, which would mean the backfield yields no viable fantasy plays, and both the Cowboys and Dowdle are worse off for parting ways. It's also possible that Sanders doesn't even make the team with only $167,500 guaranteed on his one-year, $1.33 million deal.

Minnesota Vikings News

The Vikings traded a 2026 sixth-round pick and the 160th pick of the 2025 draft to the 49ers for RB Jordan Mason and the 187th pick of the 2025 draft and signed Mason to a two-year, $12 million deal.

Why It Matters: This is bad news for Aaron Jones' weekly upside but good news for his ability to stay healthy and play at a high level for the entire season. Mason will give the Vikings a 1-2 punch in the backfield, and his rugged style is probably better for valuable goal-line carries. Jones will still have a high weekly floor with his passing game involvement, but 20+ touch games are probably a thing of the past for him. This move, along with the signing of Ryan Kelly and Will Fries away from the Colts, also signals a more balanced, or even run-heavy approach with second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy starting, especially in the red zone. Mason has double-digit touchdown upside and should continue to move up draft boards after the Vikings were willing to give up draft capital for the right to sign him to a low-level starter contract.

Philadelphia Eagles News

The Eagles signed TE Harrison Bryant and TE Kylen Granson to one-year deals.

Why It Matters: Both deals are minor, and neither player is guaranteed to make the team. But together, they could be seen as increasing the chance that the Eagles trade Dallas Goedert before the season. There has been a lot of buzz that Goedert is available via trade as he's entering the last year of his four-year, $57 million contract. He has played well but had trouble staying healthy, missing 15 games over the last three seasons. 

Seattle Seahawks News

The Seahawks signed WR Cooper Kupp to a three-year, $45 million deal.

Why It Matters: Of course, a division rival would see Kupp in the most positive light and be willing to pay him after the team that knows him best decided to release him to free up a starting spot for Davante Adams. Kupp won't be in as efficient a passing offense or play with as good of a quarterback, and last year, he looked like he was unable to greatly influence the outcome of a game or a fantasy matchup down the stretch. Kupp's early Underdog ADP is down to 87 and it still might not have fallen enough to make him a consideration in best ball drafts. Kupp's presence could help Jaxon Smith-Njigba get more deep targets, where he was effective last year, but not used very often. Smith-Njigba's short-range targets and PPR volume could suffer with Kupp adding an experienced target, but if Kupp plays the way he did last year, he won't be much of a threat to Smith-Njigba's status as the top target-getter in the short passing game.

San Francisco 49ers News

The 49ers traded RB Jordan Mason and the 187th pick of the 2025 draft to the Vikings for a 2026 sixth-round pick and the 160th pick of the 2025 draft.

Why It Matters: Isaac Guerendo is now the top backup to Christian McCaffrey, which should boost his late-round ADP in best ball drafts… for now. Kyle Shanahan loves taking backs in the mid-rounds, and this is one of the deepest drafts at running back in a long time. Expect the 49ers to take another back this year and set themselves up with two options for life after McCaffrey.