NFL Player News

Smith (knee) made his one-year deal with the Giants official after passing a physical Monday, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.

Smith is coming off a torn ACL suffered in Week 7 of last season, but after medical testing revealed no red flags with his condition, the former Jets quarterback has now officially switched his colors. According to Smith, he expects be ready by the time training camp rolls around, which bodes well for his chances of securing the Giants' No. 2 gig behind starter Eli Manning, who is yet to miss a single start in his 13-year career due to injury.

Nassib (elbow) may not have a future in New York, Syracuse.com reports.

Nassib struggled during the 2016 preseason and then battled an elbow injury for much of the year, ultimately requiring surgery. It was a rough way to enter unrestricted free agency, and the Giants have since re-signed Josh Johnson and agreed to terms with Geno Smith. It thus appears Nassib, a 2013 fourth-round selection, will head elsewhere after attempting only 10 regular-season passes in his four years with the Giants. He may have to settle for a shot to compete for a No. 2 job.

Smith (knee) agreed in principle to a contract with the Giants on Friday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. He's expected to take a physical over the weekend and officially sign with the team Monday.

The Giants addressed the depth behind starting quarterback Eli Manning by inking journeyman Josh Johnson to a deal earlier in the day, but it now looks like Smith will be the leading contender for top backup duties. After a tumultuous four-year run with the Jets that included only three appearances over his final two seasons with the team while Ryan Fitzpatrick served as the team's primary signal-caller, Smith should face significantly less pressure to perform in joining New York's other team. Manning has been a picture of durability throughout his tenure with the Giants -- having not missed a start due to injury at any point in his career -- so it's likely that any action Smith gets this season will come in the second half of blowouts.

Johnson signed a two-year contract with the Giants on Friday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

The Giants could look to address their quarterback depth in the 2017 NFL Draft, but as things currently stand, Johnson or Geno Smith looks in line to serve as Eli Manning's top backup. The 30-year-old Johnson brings a mobility to the position that Manning lacks, but he hasn't logged a snap in a regular-season game since the 2013 season. Fortunately for the Giants, Manning is about as durable as it gets, so Johnson's lack of reps the last few seasons shouldn't be a major issue.

Lynch, who is working with a private tutor in Florida, has been in contact with new head coach Vance Joseph ahead of next month's team activities, the Broncos' official site reports.

Joseph told reporters that while Lynch has the physical traits to be a successful quarterback, taking up that mantle requires leadership and study -- a challenge Lynch is ready for. The comments seem to address rumors that have circulated claiming that Lynch showed some immaturity during his rookie season, which was primarily spent serving as Trevor Siemian's backup. So long as Lynch heeds his new coach's words, it'd be a surprise if he doesn't win the starting job come August. The second-year passer has a unique blend of size, athleticism and arm strength, and the switch in systems from the West Coast offense Denver used last season to a hybrid scheme under new offensive coordinator Mike McCoy would seem to fit those traits.

Taylor's restructured contract increases the Bills' flexibility to release him after the 2017 season, ESPN.com reports.

In addition to slashing his 2017 base salary by more than $6 million, the deal improves Buffalo's long-term flexibility, which is something the team has heavily emphasized while negotiating with Taylor the past two offseasons. The 27-year-old quarterback has been good enough that the Bills don't want to let him go, but he apparently hasn't quite been good enough to warrant a true long-term investment. It's a bit surprising Taylor was amenable to a restructure that so obviously works in the team's favor, as he'd likely draw plenty of interest if he hit the open free-agent market. He's locked in as the starting quarterback in Buffalo, but only for the upcoming season. If he disappoints, the Bills will be able to trade or release him without taking much of a cap hit. Meanwhile, the team hasn't actively addressed its shaky receiving corps, signing Philly Brown but losing both Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin. Of course, Sammy Watkins' health is more important than anything that happens in free agency or the draft.

Cousins said he didn't ask for a trade but rather asked Redskins owner Dan Snyder and team president Bruce Allen if they were thinking about trading him, The Washington Post reports.

Some of last week's reports were apparently inaccurate, as Cousins said he hasn't asked for a trade and was told the team isn't trying to trade him. While a long-term contract still hasn't been worked out, Cousins did sign his franchise tender Friday, setting the stage for the two sides to resume negotiations. Even if no agreement is reached, it seems the Redskins are fine with keeping Cousins around for another season under the franchise tag. The 49ers were the team most often mentioned in trade rumors, but it seems the rumors were exactly that. Unless another team completely blows them away with an unexpected trade offer, the Redskins will keep Cousins under center in 2017.

Smith (knee) visited with the Giants on Saturday, the New York Post reports.

A 2013 second-round selection, Smith struggled through the first two years of his rookie contract, and then spent the past two seasons mostly serving as Ryan Fitzpatrick's backup. Smith actually got a shot to replace Fitzpatrick as the starter in Week 7 last season, but the 26-year-old promptly suffered a torn ACL. Smith said he expects to be ready for training camp, with his recovery coming along as expected through five months. He hopes to have a shot to compete for a starting job, but has conceded that he may need to settle for a backup role. The Giants' No. 2 QB from last season, Ryan Nassib (elbow), is an unrestricted free agent who is also recovering from surgery.

Winston, who has demonstrated a proficency for the deep ball over his first two NFL seasons, should see his fantasy value increase with the addition of wide receiver DeSean Jackson.

The third-year pro already has 97 pass completions of greater than 20 yards on his resume over his first pair of NFL campaigns, with 12 of those connections eclipsing 40 yards. What Winston hasn't been too prolific in is 300-yard games, as he's compiled a modest five over 32 starts to date. Those numbers could see a notable boost with the addition of Jackson, who proved he still has plenty of downfield speed last season by averaging 17.9 YPC and hauling in 19 completions of greater than 20 yards. Winston clearly would have benefited from a viable No. 2 option in the receiving corps last season, when a knee sprain knocked Vincent Jackson out of commission in October and the team was besieged by additional injuries at the position. Despite that challenge, the 2015 first overall pick still eclipsed the 4,000-yard mark for the second time in as many pro campaigns and also upped his touchdown total to 28 even though the Bucs ranked just 29th in yards after the catch. With Jackson bringing an abundance of playmaking ability, Winston's already solid ceiling should see a considerable bump.

Taylor's restructured contract reduces his 2017 cap hit from $16 million to just under $10 million while also decreasing the overall guaranteed money, The Buffalo News reports.

Taylor's old contract called for $30.75 million in guarantees if he remained on the roster past Saturday. The Bills want to keep him around for at least one more year as the starter, but they aren't quite ready for a more serious commitment -- apparently still unconvinced in the wake of back-to-back solid campaigns from the speedy quarterback. The result is a team-friendly deal which suggests Taylor has a strong desire to remain in Buffalo, as there's little question he'd be able to find a starting job in free agency. It will be interesting to see how Taylor works with new head coach Sean McDermott -- particularly if top wideout Sammy Watkins (foot) can finally get back to full strength. Taylor was medically cleared in late February for offseason activities; he underwent surgery in January to repair a core muscle.