NFL Player News

Tagovailoa boasts immediate chemistry with former Alabama teammate Jaylen Waddle, whom the Dolphins selected sixth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, Cameron Wolfe of ESPN reports.

As a rookie, Tagovailoa struggled to make the most of a receiving corps compromised of contested-catch specialists who don't provide much separation, and it's clear that Miami's priority this offseason has been to surround him with more explosive playmakers. By making Waddle the second wideout selected in April's draft, the Dolphins are allowing Tagovailoa the benefit of linking up with a playmaker whose skillset he's already familiar with, and who should be able to start out of the slot immediately. It's worth noting that Miami also had the option of reuniting the young quarterback with DeVonta Smith, the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner and a potentially more complete receiver at the NFL level. The decision to grab Waddle instead clearly points to a bet on Tagovailoa's ability to maximize the potential of an explosive playmaker capable of bringing separation to the short and intermediate game. Even if Waddle doesn't play outside right off the bat, he should provide Tagovailoa with a perfect complement to new deep threat Will Fuller (suspension).

The Patriots' selection of Mac Jones with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft could present a threat to Stidham's roster spot, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports.

With 2020 starter Cam Newton having been re-signed this offseason and Jones now on board to be groomed to be the team's long-term answer at QB, Stidham's role with the Patriots is currently unclear. That could change if either Newton or Jones are forced to miss time, but if all three approach the season healthy, then New England's coaching staff will have to make a call on whether to keep three signal-callers. In such a scenario, it's possible that Stidham could be the odd man out.

Dalton may open the year as the Bears No. 1 quarterback before eventually turning the job over to Justin Fields, Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com reports.

Although Dalton was signed in free agency to start under center, once the team spent significant draft capital to move up to the 11th pick, it's likely the Bears will go to Fields as soon as they feel he's ready to lead the offense. Even before the draft, Dalton was unlikely to be valued inside the top-20 quarterbacks in fantasy drafts, and now it appears his value is little more than early-season depth in leagues that start two quarterbacks.

The Panthers have picked up Darnold's fifth-year contract option, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

Per the report, the decision to do so guarantees Darnold $18.9 million in 2022, keeping him under team control for the next two seasons. Darnold, who the Panthers obtained from the Jets earlier this month in exchange for second-, fourth- and sixth-round draft picks, thus appears locked in as the team's franchise signal-caller for the foreseeable future. That's a notion solidified by the team having dealt Teddy Bridgewater to Denver on Wednesday and then passing on taking a QB with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday. Currently in the mix to back up Darnold are Will Grier, P.J. Walker and Tommy Stevens, but it's possible the team could bring in additional competition for the assignment.

GM Brian Gutekunst said the Packers won't trade Rodgers and believes the quarterback will play again for the team, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reports.

It was reported prior to the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft on Thursday that the 37-year-old has told some people he doesn't want to return to the team, though management expressed optimism about mending the relationship while talking to media after making the first-round selection. Gutekunst said he received one call inquiring about the veteran quarterback during the draft, but it wasn't a long conversation. It previously appeared Rodgers was locked in with Green Bay at least until the 2022 offseason, but he may try to hasten his departure depending how the spring/summer unfold.

With the Giants trading out of the 11th pick (Justin Fields), it appears they're entirely committed to Jones for this season at least. Moreover, they added another receiver, Kadarius Toney, with the 20th overall pick.

Jones now has Toney and Kenny Golladay to go along with Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard, Evan Engram and Saquon Barkley. The offensive line is still a question mark, but the Giants are doing everything they can to surround Jones with playmakers. By passing on Fields, the last of the top QB prospects, the team seems to be all-in on Jones, despite his uneven performance to date.

The Patriots selected Jones in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, 15th overall.

Jones' draft day slide comes to an end as the Alabama product ends up in New England. Rumored to go as high as No.3 overall to the 49ers, Jones wound up being the fifth quarterback selected in the first round. Jones lacks the physical traits of Trey Lance or Justin Fields, but he is a polished and accurate passer who executed at a high level as the leader of the Crimson Tide. He torched the opposition in 2020, throwing for 4,500 yards on 11.2 YPA while tossing 41 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Having a star-studded supporting cast helped, but Jones showed an ability to operate an offense and read defenses. The Patriots have Cam Newton back on a one-year deal, so this is a move for the future in all likelihood with Jones likely set to take over in 2022 after a year of learning the system.

The Bears selected Fields in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, 11th overall.

With Fields sliding past the Top 10, the Bears jumped at the opportunity to find their next quarterback by trading multiple picks and moving up from No. 20. Fields is widely viewed as one of the best quarterback prospects in this class, possessing an impressive track record built on elite ability. The Ohio State quarterback lit it up in his two years in Columbus, completing 68.4 percent of his passes with a 9.3 YPA. He tossed 63 touchdowns against just nine interceptions and added 867 rushing yards and 15 scores. Fields twice led the Buckeyes to the College Football Playoff and performed at a high level on the biggest stage. His performance against Clemson in the 2021 Playoff underlines what he can be at the next level when he threw for 385 yards and six touchdowns on just 28 attempts, showing poise and toughness throughout. Fields (6-foot-3, 227 pounds) has an NFL-ready frame to go with top-end arm strength and impressive athleticism (4.46 in the 40-yard dash). Chicago has veteran Andy Dalton in place, but make no mistake, Fields is the future of the franchise and the future could start as soon as 2021.

The 49ers selected Lance in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, third overall.

This pick has been one of the great unknowns since the 49ers used multiple future first-round picks to move up from No.12 overall. Alabama quarterback Mac Jones had been rumored to be the pick since the trade, but the Lance to San Francisco connection proved to be the ultimate result. Lance, at age 20, comes to San Francisco with just one full year of starting experience at North Dakota State in 2019, when he completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 2,786 yards, 28 touchdowns and zero interceptions while adding 1,100 yards and 14 scores on the ground. He possesses all the traits, combining elite arm strength with game-breaking mobility when plays break down. There is some projection with Lance given his lack of experience and the level of competition he faced, as well as spotty ball placement at times. However, his fit in Kyle Shanahan's offense in San Francisco makes him a fascinating prospect both in real life and for fantasy. The question now resides with how San Francisco handles his development alongside Jimmy Garoppolo.

The Jets selected Wilson in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, second overall.

Wilson (6-foot-2, 214) was a standout three-year starter at BYU, where he showed dual-threat ability and intriguing arm talent that eventually made him the sole draft target of new head coach Robert Saleh. The Jets were locked onto Wilson all offseason, and this pick was one of the few that were all but settled going into the draft. Wilson's dual-threat abilities should prove interesting in an offensive scheme that means to emulate the structure built by Kyle Shanahan, who offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur served under with the 49ers previously. Wilson completed 73.5 percent of his pass attempts in his dominant 2020 season, averaging 11.0 yards per attempt while producing 3,692 yards with 33 touchdowns versus three interceptions. With the Jets he has a few interesting targets already lined up, especially Corey Davis and Denzel Mims on the outside.