NFL Player News

This could be a make-or-break season for Cousins with the Vikings, according to Arif Hasan of The Athletic.

Cousins has thrown 91 touchdowns against 29 interceptions in his three years with the Vikings, but he's reached the playoffs just once and has a .543 winning percentage in the regular season. While a poor defense was the bigger problem in Minnesota last year, the team's selection of QB Kellen Mond at 66th overall in the 2021 draft suggests Cousins could be in trouble if he doesn't reach the playoffs this season. His two-year contract includes fully guaranteed base salaries in 2021 ($21 million) and 2022 ($35 million), so any financial incentive for moving on from Cousins would have to involve a trade. In any case, it's more of a concern for next offseason, as the Vikings are optimistic Cousins can lead them to the playoffs with the help of a seemingly improved defense. The soon-to-be 33-year-old QB has plenty to work with in the Minnesota offense, surrounded by RB Dalvin Cook, WR Justin Jefferson, WR Adam Thielen and TE Irv Smith.

Wilson has impressed New York's coaching staff with his work ethic and quick learning ability in camp, Jack Bell of the Jets' official site reports. "We've thrown a lot at (WIlson)," offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said. "I thought these last two weeks have been awesome for him...it's cool because he recognizes all that, he learns, and he's eager."

Wilson's tremendous arm strength and accuracy led the Jets to select him second overall in the 2021 draft, and early reports from camp suggests he has the mental makeup to get the most out of his physical gifts. With a creative offensive mind in LaFleur guiding him, Wilson should help restore some excitement to a Jets aerial attack that has failed to leave the hangar over the past couple seasons.

The Jaguars have signed Lawrence, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, John Oehser of the team's official site reports.

Per ESPN.com, Lawrence's deal, which has a fifth-year option, is projected to be worth $36.8 million, including a $24.1 million signing bonus. The 21-year-old QB, who dealt with a minor hamstring issue in June, should be good to go once training camp opens and is expected to be installed as the team's starter in advance of Week 1. From a fantasy perspective, Lawrence's long-range outlook is bright and though rookie signal callers often take time to develop, the Clemson product is a viewed as a generational talent capable of quickly ascending to pro stardom.

Murray believes his running ability "should be a luxury" for the Arizona offense, rather than a crucial component the way it was last season, ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss reports.

Fantasy managers were thrilled with his 133/819/11 rushing line, a big step forward after Murray put up 93/544/4 as a rookie. He hopes the team won't need him to run quite as much moving forward, in part because it's harder to do so when he's banged up. Murray does have a little more help in the pass-catching department this year, with the Cardinals bringing in 33-year-old A.J. Green and rookie second-round pick Rondale Moore, while James Conner replaces Kenyan Drake (LVR) in the backfield. The hope is to create a more balanced offense, after last year's attack largely relied on Murray's legs and DeAndre Hopkins' hands. That's not the worst formula, but a more versatile offense could improve Murray's passing efficiency, perhaps making up for any lost rushing volume.

Chargers head coach Brandon Staley wants the offense to "run through Herbert," according to Hayley Elwood of the team's official website.

Formerly the Rams' defensive coordinator, Staley figures to primarily focus on the other side of the ball, yet he clearly understands that Herbert is his most important player by a mile. The fifth overall pick from the 2020 draft set an NFL rookie record with 31 passing touchdowns, also adding five additional scores (and 234 more yards) on the ground. Herbert will again have Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and RB Austin Ekeler at his disposal this season, while Jared Cook is replacing Hunter Henry (Patriots) as the top tight end. Perhaps most important, the Chargers added three new starters for the offensive line, signing center Corey Linsley and LG Matt Feiler before using a first-round pick on Northwestern LT Rashawn Slater. The unit may need some time to gel, but it's the best collection of blocking talent the Chargers have put together in years. Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi couldn't have asked for a better situation, getting his second shot as an OC after a respectable stint with the Lions in 2014-15.

Carr may be facing a make-or-break season in 2021, with the Raiders likely to consider a change at quarterback if they miss the playoffs again, Tashan Reed and Vic Tafur of The Athletic reports.

Rumors percolated this offseason regarding the Raiders' desire to seek a replacement under center, despite Carr's career highs for passing yards (4,103) and yards per attempt (7.9) in 2020. The team finished 10th in points scored and 30th in points allowed, so it was no surprise to see the front office ultimately make addressing the defense more of a priority. Carr is back as the starter, but he doesn't have any guarantees remaining on a contract that runs through 2022, and backup Marcus Mariota could eventually make starts if the Raiders are mediocre or subpar again.

Michael Giardi of NFL Network suggests that "a legit competition is on tap" this summer between Jones and incumbent starting QB Cam Newton.

Citing Newton's uneven 2020 campaign, as well Jones having held his own over the course of the Patriots' OTAs and mandatory minicamp, Giardi believes that the No. 15 overall pick in this year's draft has a chance to push his veteran counterpart in the coming months. That said, the rookie is slated to head into training camp behind Newton on the depth chart and still has some ground to make up if he's to vault into an immediate starting role. For his part, Mike Reiss of ESPN.comsuggests that the Newton/Jones competition "could be one of the NFL's most compelling training camp storylines."

Trask was quick to pick up coach Bruce Arians' offensive system during the Buccaneers' offseason program, Carmen Vitali of the team's official site reports. "Yeah, it's not easy when you're going against our defense," said Arians. "He has seen a multitude of coverages and blitzes, so I'm really impressed. Having worked with guys for the first time in this offense, he's at the top of the list as far as the learning curve and he's throwing the football really well."

The rookie second-round pick thus far has made an impact on anyone who's worked with him, with Scott Smith of the team's official site reporting during OTAs that quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich had both taken note of how coachable and studious Trask was from Day 1. The Florida product is expected to have at least two seasons to operate under Tom Brady, which is about the highest caliber of apprenticeship going for a developing signal-caller. While Trask is likely to find reps at a premium during training camp with four quarterbacks present, he should see his fair share of playing time during the Bucs' three preseason games.

Blough likely will remain in a No. 3 role to open the 2021 campaign, Benjamin Raven of MLive.com reports.

The Lions let incumbent No. 2 QB Chase Daniels walk this spring, only to replace him with another high-priced backup in former Green Bay quarterback Tim Boyle. However, with Boyle only under contract for one season, Blough -- who will be a restricted free agent at the end of the league year -- could be in the mix for the backup role behind Jared Goff next summer.

Boyle is the odds-on favorite to earn the backup quarterback job behind Jared Goff, Benjamin Raven of MLive.com reports.

With Chase Daniel no longer on the roster, Boyle and David Blough are the top depth options for Detroit at quarterback. Since Boyle is being paid like a top-10 backup quarterback while Blough is making near the league minimum, it's no surprise that Boyle is considered the favorite for the No. 2 role, especially after the former Green Bay signal-caller drew consistently positive reviews throughout spring workouts.