Tag: NFL

After a mostly quiet first campaign, Barner became a pivotal cog in the Seahawks offense in 2025, generating 519 yards and six touchdowns on 52 catches (second on the club). In the Super Bowl win over New England, he earned 54 yards and a pivotal TD on four grabs.

Barner’s pass-catching ability helps round out the offense alongside receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed. The TE particularly plays a key role in the red zone. Barner was also utilized in short-yardage situations, generating nine rushing first downs and a TD in a “tush-push” role.

Barner has yet to participate in offseason workouts while rehabbing from two offseason surgeries. Barner didn’t specify what he had fixed, but he played through several injuries last season. He was on the injury report at various times last season with hip, elbow, shoulder, knee, ankle and calf issues. Barner said he expects to be ready for training camp and believes he’ll be healthier than a year ago following the surgeries.

“Y’all saw what it was during the season,” Barner said. “It’s stuff that I’ve been dealing with, honestly, for my whole pro career. I’m somebody that, no matter how I’m feeling, I’m going to play, just like a lot of other guys in our locker room. So I’m definitely feeling better, it’s definitely still a process to get back out there, but by the time training camp rolls around, I’m going to be ready to go.”

As the Seahawks break in new coordinator Brian Fleury, Barner profiles as a significant element in an offensive scheme that has heavily utilized the tight end position. If he can stay healthy, the Indiana and Michigan product could see his production take another leap in 2026.

After a mostly quiet first campaign, Barner became a pivotal cog in the Seahawks offense in 2025, generating 519 yards and six touchdowns on 52 catches (second on the club). In the Super Bowl win over New England, he earned 54 yards and a pivotal TD on four grabs.

Barner’s pass-catching ability helps round out the offense alongside receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed. The TE particularly plays a key role in the red zone. Barner was also utilized in short-yardage situations, generating nine rushing first downs and a TD in a “tush-push” role.

Barner has yet to participate in offseason workouts while rehabbing from two offseason surgeries. Barner didn’t specify what he had fixed, but he played through several injuries last season. He was on the injury report at various times last season with hip, elbow, shoulder, knee, ankle and calf injuries. Barner said he expects to be ready for training camp and believes he’ll be healthier than a year ago following the surgeries.

“Y’all saw what it was during the season,” Barner said. “It’s stuff that I’ve been dealing with, honestly, for my whole pro career. I’m somebody that, no matter how I’m feeling, I’m going to play, just like a lot of other guys in our locker room. So I’m definitely feeling better, it’s definitely still a process to get back out there, but by the time training camp rolls around, I’m going to be ready to go.”

As the Seahawks break in new coordinator Brian Fleury, Barner profiles as a significant element in an offensive scheme that has heavily utilized the tight end position. If he can stay healthy, the Indiana and Michigan product could see his production take another leap in 2026.

Pittsburgh Steelers 2025 third-round pick Kaleb Johnson is aiming to prove he’s not a bust after a wholly disappointing campaign.

Entering Year 2, the running back is taking positive lessons from his first-season struggles.

“There’s ups and downs to football,” Johnson said after a minicamp practice last week, via the Pittsburgh Tribune Review.

For Johnson, Year 1 was filled with mostly downs – plummets to be more accurate. The most memorable moment from Johnson’s rookie season came with his Week 2 mental cramp against Seattle, in which he left a kickoff return in the end zone to be recovered by the Seahawks for a touchdown, which proved costly in the loss.

“I feel like that was a down moment for me,” Johnson said, “but everybody has down moments. I feel like it’s me overcoming that and really just keep my mind straight. Keeping my mind forward and getting ready to go.”

Mike Tomlin didn’t give Johnson many opportunities to right the ship from there. The rookie was benched from kick return duties after the mess-up and didn’t play on special teams again. Johnson appeared in 10 games, taking 28 rushes for 69 yards and catching one pass on two targets for nine yards. The RB never took more than 11 offensive snaps in a game (twice in Weeks 4 and 6) and didn’t see the field after Week 15.

The 22-year-old isn’t focusing on the past, but on what he can change for the future.

“I mean, right now, it’s just all about me doing little things, getting better, just waiting on my time to come,” Johnson said. “That’s my main thing that’s been on my mind. Just waiting on my time to come, and my time will come to shine for sure.”

The Steelers’ new brass under Mike McCarthy has spoken positively about Johnson, but the front office moves have underscored that he still has a long way to go to be a productive contributor.

After losing Kenneth Gainwell, who took most of the snaps that might have gone to Johnson last season, in free agency, the Steelers inked Rico Dowdle to pair with Jaylen Warren. Dowdle brings a similar physicality that Johnson was expected to provide when they used a Day 2 pick on the RB. The Steelers also drafted hybrid back Eli Heidenreich in the seventh round and inked veteran Travis Homer, who brings pass-catching and return abilities. Fourth-round receiver Kaden Wetjen‘s arrival also ensures Johnson likely won’t get a return role back this season.

If Johnson isn’t going to earn significant special-team duty, he could have trouble being active on gamedays. Entering Year 2, the third-round might not be a cut candidate, but he needs an impressive camp and preseason to ensure he has a role in 2026.

“Adversity, just overcoming stuff like (what happened) early on,” Johnson said. “And really being able to bounce back. Just keep my head straight and keep (looking) forward, because stuff like that happens.

“I’ve just got to take it on the chin and just keep going.”

Arizona Cardinals quarterback @Jacoby Bri’s contract standoff continues, but it won’t keep him away from mandatory minicamp.

The veteran quarterback plans to be in attendance as the club kicks off minicamp for the next three days, ESPN reported. The Cards’ minicamp runs June 8-10.

Brissett has skipped voluntary workouts, seeking a pay bump more in line with his status as a starting quarterback. Reporting to mandatory minicamp avoids a $107,911 fine that would have been assessed for a three-day absence.

While he’ll report to avoid fines, it’s unclear how much on-field work Brissett will do during minicamp. He could stage a hold-in – reporting but not practicing – which has become the preferred method of players seeking new contracts.

The veteran inked a two-year, $12.5 million contract in Arizona as Kyler Murray’s backup. Brissett wound up starting 12 games and passed for a career-high 3,366 yards with 23 TDs and 8 INTs.

With most starting quarterbacks not on rookie deals making over $30 million, Brissett would like a pay bump from his $6.25 million average that better aligns him with his current standing — or at least gets him a smidge closer. His contract also calls for just $1.5 million guaranteed.

Arizona inked Gardner Minshew this offseason as a backup on a one-year, $5.75 million contract with nearly all of it guaranteed. The Cards then drafted Carson Beck in the third round. Minshew is in line to start if the Brissett situation lingers into the season, with Arizona likely to allow Beck more time to learn from the sideline before tossing him into the fire down the stretch if Mike LaFleur’s first season goes awry.

Brissett’s desire to make more than backup money is understandable. He played well last season and is the best QB currently on the roster. However, he’s not the long-term solution, and an Arizona team still in rebuild mode might not view it as money well spent, considering the club went 1-11 with Brissett under center last year.

It’s been unclear this offseason how willing the Cardinals are to meet Brissett’s pay-bump request. But with the QB reporting for minicamp, the discussion will become more focused.

The 2023 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Anderson is coming off a second Pro Bowl campaign and a first All-Pro selection. His 2025 season was all kinds of tremendous as he earned runner-up honors for AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year after tallying career bests of 12 sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 35 tackles, 20 for loss and 23 QB hits.

Anderson’s been complemented by veteran edge Danielle Hunter to become the lynchpins of a defense regarded as one of the NFL’s best.

Anderson sees Hoston’s roster as one boasting elite talent throughout.

“I look at this team and we’ve got Super Bowl caliber players all over the field,” he said. “It’s just about taking that next step.”

That next step must be taken in the winter, but as of the spring, the strides that can be made are being made, according to Anderson.

“I’ve thought since the four years I’ve been here, this has been the best OTAs that we’ve had, offensively and defensively,” he said. “Everybody is locked in I love the rookie class that we got. “

Houston began its draft by taking guard Keylan Rutledge to bolster an offensive line that’s been a bugaboo for the squad over the past few seasons. In the second round, Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald arrived to stack more talent in a defense that was sixth in total defense a season past.

“We want to be a staple defense,” Anderson said. “We want to be a household name defense. We want to be one of the greatest defenses to be out there. But I think it starts at this time.”

If it ends in February with a Super Bowl celebration, Anderson and the Texans will very likely become a household name.

Crosby missed the final two games of the 2025 season despite his desire to play out the season for the 3-14 Raiders, who placed him on injured reserve.

Crosby subsequently underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in January.

The five-time Pro Bowler was traded to the Ravens in March after seven seasons with the Raiders and 69.5 sacks (third in franchise history). In exchange, the Raiders were set to receive two first-round picks in exchange.

Concerns about Crosby’s injury were ultimately the cause of the Ravens reneging on the deal.

The pass rusher is expected to be good to go around training camp in July, though concern is likely to linger until then.

While Crosby wasn’t away from the Raiders for long, he’s returned to a vastly new team.

Las Vegas has restocked its roster, adding No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza at quarterback, along with veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins, with one of them set to take snaps from former Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum.

Klint Kubiak will be Crosby’s fourth full-time head coach since he was drafted in 2019.

Rob Leonard will be Crosby’s fourth full-time defensive coordinator.

And the defense is loaded with new faces such as fellow pass rusher Kwity Paye and linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker. Before he can truly get into the mix with his new running buddies, Crosby has to heal up.

Then his journey back to the Silver and Black should be complete after one heck of an offseason.

“This has been a long road to recovery,” Crosby said. “It’s probably the longest rehab I’ve been through, but ultimately it’s been the best by far and we’re not even to the finish line. … I’m real close, but I’m at that point where I forget. I need to relax a little bit. That’s kind of been the biggest battle right now because I’m almost back to being out there.”

Replacing Myles Garrett, swiftly becoming an all-time pass-rushing great, is a task the Cleveland Browns are unlikely to accomplish.

Still, maintaining the team’s defensive prowess in the seasons to come could be in the realm of reality as the Browns’ roster boasts a historical first when it comes to its youthful talent.

Obtained in the Garrett trade with the Los Angeles Rams was Jared Verse, the 2024 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He’ll join Cleveland linebacker Carson Schwesinger, the 2025 Defensive Rookie of the Year, making the Browns the first team to roster defensive rookies of the year from each of the last two seasons since the AP began awarding DROTY in 1967.

The closest such scenario came in 1980, when the Atlanta Falcons celebrated linebackers Al Richardson and Buddy Curry sharing the AP DROTY honor.

“Man, that boy can fly,” Verse, 25, said Wednesday during organized team activities, via Cleveland.com’s Ashley Bastock, of Schwesinger. “Nah, he can work. I like that a lot. I like knowing that with that behind me that I can — I don’t got much to worry about.

“I can play freely because I don’t have to worry if something gets by me. He’s going to be able to handle that. He’s going to be able to clean everything up. So no, that’s the exciting factor there.”

Clowney led the Cowboys with 8.5 sacks last season, one in which Dallas tied for 24th with just 35 team sacks.

Over the previous four seasons, Parsons produced at least 12 sacks per season and led the Cowboys in sacks in each campaign. In 2020, Lawrence was the team’s sack leader.

In 2026, a cast likely to be led by edges Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku, rookie first-rounder Malachi Lawrence, James Houston and Sam Williams is aiming to improve upon those numbers while employing an it-takes-a-village approach.

“I really do think it’s more of the unit,” Schottenheimer said. “And that’s what we’re excited about with the depth that we feel that we have.”

On paper, Gary would be the hopeful leader. He was a 2024 Pro Bowler with the Green Bay Packers and is a 2019 first-round pick acquired via trade this offseason. However, he’s never reached double-digit sacks in a season, and his individual performance last year with the Packers was oddly emblematic of the Cowboys’ team performance.

Gary had 7.5 sacks in 2025, but none after Week 8. That, obviously, includes the final three games of the season, which were after Parsons’ injury. Thus, he struggled aplenty sans Parsons, just like Dallas did.

Malachi Lawrence was a surprising selection at No. 23 overall. Houston, who had eight sacks as a rookie with the Detroit Lions in 2022, hasn’t had that many total in his three seasons since, though he did provide 5.5 last year for the ‘Boys. Williams had just one sack last season in 17 games after missing all of 2024 with an injury. And Ezeiruaku, a 2025 second-rounder, mustered only a pair of sacks in 17 games’ worth of action as a rookie.

The potential is plentiful, but production is lacking and a star is absent.

With Christian Parker joining the fray as defensive coordinator, though, pass rush by committee is offered up with a proven track record. Over the past two seasons, Parker was a defensive assistant for the archrival Philadelphia Eagles, who won back-to-back NFC East titles and Super Bowl LIX in that span. Philly achieved that success by, in part, using a defense in which pass rushers came from all over. Neither of the last two Eagles squads had a pass rusher with more than eight sacks, but pressure was had and so too were wins.

The end result for Dallas in 2026 was a 7-9-1 record with much of the blame laid upon the feet of a defense that was 31st in points allowed.

Remedying those lackluster numbers will be a team effort, including from the pass rush.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who has not played since Week 7 of the 2024 season and is on the team’s reserve/left squad list, spoke for the first time since he was placed on the list Dec. 13.

Aiyuk posted a video message roughly 90 seconds long Sunday morning on Instagram, captioned, “IF YOU SCARED JUST SAY DAT [sic]!!”

The 49ers have been opening to trading Aiyuk, but 49ers general manager John Lynch said in April following the 2026 NFL Draft that that the team had no plans to release him “anytime soon.” According to Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan in January, Aiyuk’s relationship with the club broke down after the receiver stopped coming to the team facility and disengaged in communicating with them.

Aiyuk did not provide any details on what’s caused the disharmony, but left a lengthy message in which he didn’t shy away from disparaging the team.

In his full video statement, Aiyuk, 28, said the following:

“We dealing with, ya know like them kids when they don’t get picked for the basketball game at the court, but they the ones that brought the ball, so they like, ‘Alright, you all don’t want to pick me, I’m taking my ball, I’m going home.’ Ass boys. Little-ass boys.

“Or like when your kid, he got this one toy, but he don’t really know how to use it correctly, so somebody else about to pick it up and play with it. And they like, ‘Oh yeah, this s— litty.’ And they like, wait, wait, wait, wait, hold on, that’s my toy. Ass boy. Little-ass boy.

“Man, stop running from the bill. The bill coming. You scared. They scared. Truth is, they scared. They know how I get. They gonna say, ‘Oh yeah, BA, BA, BA did this, BA did that. BA did, you know that s—, allegedly. Allegedly. But what they not gonna say is, ‘BA suck at football,’ cause they know how I get. And they running from that bill that’s on the way.

“It’s inevitable. It’s coming Stop running. Stop being a female dog. Stop being a little cat. Stop running from the bill.”

Aiyuk’s message comes days after an arrest warrant was issued for him by the Santa Clara County (California) District Attorney’s Office for a misdemeanor traffic violation. The warrant, issued for exhibition of speed, stems from another video Aiyuk posted in December when a clip showed him driving and reaching speeds of more than 100 mph on Santa Clara roads, including near the 49ers’ homefield, Levi’s Stadium.