NFL Player News

The Patriots selected Zappe in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 137th overall.

Zappe spent four years at Houston Baptist of the FCS before transferring to Western Kentucky for 2021. He put together a historic season for as a senior, as he threw for 5,967 yards and an FBS-record 62 touchdowns, a record that was previously held by Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (60). Of course, Zappe did it against Conference USA competition while Burrow did it in the SEC, but the production is convincing nonetheless. Zappe probably lacks the arm strength and athleticism to be a difference-maker under center. However, he has the intelligence and touch to potentially be a steady game manager if he's ever thrust into NFL action. He'll first need to beat out Brian Hoyer and/or Jarrett Stidham to be 2021 first-round pick Mac Jones' backup.

Fields now has two receivers that run a sub-4.4 40-yard dash after the Bears added Velus Jones in the third round of the NFL Draft, Adam Jahns of The Athletic reports.

Jones, who ran a 4.31 40-yard dash, joins Darnell Mooney as the second receiver on the Bears with elite speed. During the offseason, the Bears made it a point to add weapons to complement Fields' arm strength when signing Byron Pringle and Equanimeous St. Brown, but Jones adds another level of speed to the mix. If the team can put together an offense that combines Fields' running ability with a downfield-passing element, he could emerge as a strong fantasy starter with elite upside this season.

Tannehill will remain the Titans' starting quarterback even after the team drafted Malik Willis in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Turron Davenport of ESPN reports.

Tannehill helped lead the Titans to the top seed in the AFC in 2021, yet there was some concern about his level of play throughout the season. That stemmed primarily from turnovers, as he threw 14 interceptions and lost four fumbles across 17 games. He also threw three interceptions in the team's playoff defeat to Cincinnati, ending his campaign on a particularly sour note. However, Tannehill isn't likely to be immediately pushed for his starting job by Willis, who is regarded as an extremely talented -- but raw -- prospect. On the other hand, the selection of Willis could be the first sign that Tannehill's reign is nearing its end in Tennessee, as he is entering his age-34 season and his current contract expires at the conclusion of the 2023 season.

The Panthers selected Corral in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 94th overall.

Corral (6-foot-2, 212 pounds) was a highly successful starter at Mississippi in college, posting some of the best dual-threat production nationwide while leading one of the country's highest-scoring offenses. Corral is a bit small to be doing much running in the NFL, though, and his abilities as a passer at the NFL level are up in the air at best. He'll compete with Sam Darnold for the chance to start for Carolina in 2022, though the latter should probably be considered the favorite for now.

The Titans selected Willis in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 86th overall.

Willis was expected to be a first-round pick, so while that assumption was off the mark, this still looks like a good pick for the Titans. Willis (6-foot-1, 219 pounds) had accuracy and processing issues at Liberty, but the coaching and surrounding personnel there were lacking to the point that underdevelopment might be the issue more than a lack of ability. If Willis can sharpen his reads and accuracy, he otherwise has substantial athletic tools to work with, including running ability that might match any quarterback aside from Lamar Jackson. Ryan Tannehill is naturally locked in as Tennessee's starting quarterback in the short term, but Willis now profiles as his successor.

The Falcons selected Ridder in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 74th overall.

Ridder fell much further than expected, and while there was a reason for that descent, this still looks like an excellent pick for the Falcons. Ridder lacks a strong arm and isn't the most natural passer, but his leadership character and work ethic are exceptional and he should present as a rushing threat in the NFL thanks to his 4.52 speed. Ridder (6-foot-3, 211 pounds) was a program-defining player at Cincinnati, where he was a highly successful four-year starter, and he'll likely get a shot to start in Atlanta even with Marcus Mariota the favorite for the top job in the short term.

The Eagles bolstered the pass-catching corps that Hurts (ankle) will be working with this coming season by trading for wideout A.J. Brown, Tim McManus of ESPN reports.

The 6-foot-1, 226 pound Brown -- who subsequently agreed to a four-year, $100 million contract with the Eagles -- will provide the team with a talented and experienced wideout to pair with 6-foot, 170-pounder DeVonta Smith, who Philadelphia drafted 10th overall last year. Along with that improved 1-2 WR punch, Hurts also has a quality tight end to throw to in Dallas Goedert, with the likes of Quez Watkins, Zach Pascal and Jalen Reagor also in the mix for passing targets. Hurts, who is bouncing back from an offseason procedure on his ankle, thus has a chance to grow as a passer in his third season as a pro; any improvement on that front would bolster the 2020 second-rounder's fantasy prospects, which last season were driven by his production as a rusher (784 yards, 10 TDs).

Rudolph isn't guaranteed a roster spot with the Steelers in 2022 after the team drafted Kenny Pickett with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic reports.

Rudolph will likely be in consideration for the starting quarterback job during camp, but Mitch Trubisky and Pickett seem like the much stronger options in the competition. While the 26-year-old Rudolph initially appeared to be in line for the No. 2 job to begin the season, Kaboly reports that the Oklahoma State product could struggle to make Pittsburgh's 53-man roster.

Trubisky will have additional competition for the starting quarterback job during training camp after the Steelers drafted Kenny Pickett with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic reports.

The 27-year-old was the clear favorite for the starting job when he signed a two-year contract with Pittsburgh in mid-March, but Kaboly reports that Pickett should compete for the starting role once training camp gets underway. Trubisky is still seen as the frontrunner to serve as the No. 1 option to begin the season, but he's unlikely to have too much job security, particularly if Pickett impresses in practice and preseason games. Trubisky appeared in 10 games with the Bears in 2020 and completed 199 of 297 passes for 2,055 yards, 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions while rushing 33 times for 195 yards and a score.

The Steelers selected Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 20th overall.

The Steelers made Pickett the first quarterback selected, setting him up for a competition against free agent pickup Mitchell Trubisky. Pickett was basically disregarded as an NFL prospect his first four years at Pittsburgh, but in his fifth year he underwent a transformation perhaps never before seen at quarterback, going from plainly bad to about as good as anyone, throwing for 4,319 yards (67.2 percent completed, 8.7 YPA) and 42 touchdowns versus seven interceptions. He'll be a dual threat at the NFL level, too, after consistently posting standout rushing totals in college. Pickett's hands are small by quarterback standards and he had trouble with fumbles in the past, so that concern will linger even if he wears gloves. It would be somewhat discouraging if he can't beat Trubisky for the starting role.