NFL Player News

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.

Cousins signed his franchise tender Friday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Cousins locked in his $24 million contract for the upcoming season and is now eligible to participate in team offseason programs. Washington reportedly has no interest in trading the quarterback despite rumors swirling throughout the offseason. However, now that he's under contract, the team is able to review its options. Cousins ended last season with 4,917 yards, 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions through 16 games.

Barkley signed with the 49ers on Thursday, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.

After signing Brian Hoyer to a two-year deal earlier Thursday, the 49ers further bolstered their quarterback situation by adding another former Bear in Barkley. The 26-year-old Barkley showed flashes of potential in his run as the Bears' starter in 2016, completing over 60 percent of his passes in his final five starts and throwing five touchdowns in that stretch. He was prone to turnovers, however, as he tossed a whopping 12 interceptions in that span and 14 interceptions overall. In any case, he'll likely serve as Hoyer's backup in coach Kyle Shanahan's quarterback-friendly system.

Cousins is expected to sign the Redskins' franchise tag in the near future, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

There's nary a recipient of a franchise tag worthy of two first-round selections, and clearly Cousins falls within this arena in NFL circles. One potential landing spot was seemingly filled when the 49ers brought former college teammate Brian Hoyer into the fold this week. With no other interested party emerging, Cousins may see the writing on the wall and opt to stick with the only team he's known as a professional. If he indeed remains in Washington, the offense will boast different playmakers following the departure of wide receivers Pierre Garcon (to the 49ers) and DeSean Jackson (to the Bucs). However, Cousins will still have tight ends Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis at his disposal, as well as a pair of intriguing wideout prospects, Jamison Crowder and Josh Doctson (Achilles).

The 49ers signed Hoyer to a two-year contract Thursday.

Entering free agency without a QB on the roster, the 49ers quickly filled one of the spots with Hoyer during the two-day window to contact unrestricted free agents. The destination could be kind to Hoyer, who previously put together his only 3,000-yard season under the watchful eye of then Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in 2014. Hoyer will also have a handful of interesting receivers, namely free-agent pickups Pierre Garcon and Marquise Goodwin, plus holdovers Jeremy Kerley and Vance McDonald (shoulder).

Cousins recently asked Redskins owner Dan Snyder for a trade, ESPN.com reports.

The Redskins remain hesitant to make a long-term commitment to Cousins, who understandably doesn't want to play under the franchise tag for a second straight season. He wants permission to discuss long-term contracts with other teams, who would then have to complete a trade with the Redskins after reaching terms with the 28-year-old quarterback. In addition to being frustrated with the team's stance in negotiations, Cousins probably doesn't like the idea of playing in a Washington offense that's expected to lose both Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson in the coming days. San Francisco is the most frequently mentioned landing spot, though the Niners have already reached an agreement with Brian Hoyer.