NFL Player News
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Tyler Huntley QB | BAL
Tyler Huntley: Cut by Cleveland
The Browns are slated to release Huntley on Thursday, Jordan Schultz of BleacherReport.com reports.
Cleveland kept four quarterbacks on the first iteration of the 53-man roster and had attempted to trade Huntley, but it looks like there weren't any takers. With Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Jameis Winston viewed as the top backups to Deshaun Watson, Huntley will now get an opportunity to search for a premium reserve role elsewhere. He suited up for 20 games with Baltimore across the past four seasons.
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Drake Maye QB | NE
Patriots' Drake Maye: Backing up Brissett in Week 1
Head coach Jerod Mayo has informed his team that Jacoby Brissett will be the Patriots' starting quarterback in Week 1 against the Bengals, while Maye will serve as Brissett's backup, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.
Though Brissett appeared to have the upper hand in the competition for much of the summer, Maye -- the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft -- made a late push for the job. However, the Patriots coaching staff ultimately elected to turn to the more experience Brissett to helm the offense to begin the season. That said, Maye, who turns 22 years old Friday, is no doubt viewed as the team's quarterback of the future, and the North Carolina product has plenty of upside down the road. Maye boasts the prototypical size (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) for the position and possesses the arm talent and mobility of a potential star signal-caller.
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Jacoby Brissett QB | ARI
Patriots' Jacoby Brissett: Named Week 1 starter
Head coach Jerod Mayo has informed his team that Brissett will be the Patriots' starting quarterback Week 1 against the Bengals, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
A shoulder issue that Brissett sustained in New England's preseason finale is evidently not a concern, and the veteran quarterback is now slated to face Cincinnati on Sept. 8. As a result, rookie first-round pick Drake Maye will serve as the team's top backup out of the gate this season, though he's eventually destined to ascend to the top of the depth chart. With Brissett at the helm and the wide-receiver corps in transition, the Patriots offense could be heavily run-based early on, a context that limits his fantasy ceiling.
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Taylor Heinicke QB | LAC
Chargers' Taylor Heinicke: Joins Bolts via trade
The Chargers acquired Heinicke from the Falcons on Wednesday in exchange for a conditional sixth-round draft pick, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.
Heinicke was the odd man out in Atlanta's quarterback room, where both Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix stood firmly above him on the depth chart. He now joins a Los Angeles team that will feel more secure with a more proven option behind Justin Herbert (foot), who recently returned to 7-on-7 work while recovering from a plantar fascia injury. Herbert is expected to be ready for Week 1, but if the Chargers have any concerns about his recovery timetable, Heinicke and Eason Stick could both be in the mix as backup options. Stick is familiar with the offense and looked fine in limited action in 2023, but Heinicke is the more experienced signal-caller, having started 28 games over the last three seasons.
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Sam Hartman QB | WAS
Sam Hartman: Joins Commanders' taxi squad
Hartman signed with the Commanders' practice squad Wednesday.
Hartman sat out for most of training camp due to a shoulder injury, but he will stick around in Washington to serve as the team's practice squad quarterback. Marcus Mariota (groin) and Jeff Driskel are slated behind 2024 No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels on the depth chart. Hartman would figure to move up to the active roster should either of those three quarterbacks miss time.
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Austin Reed QB | CHI
Austin Reed: Signs with Bears' practice squad
The Bears signed Reed to the practice squad Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Reed was unable to beat out Tyson Bagent for the backup quarterback job behind Caleb Williams. However, Reed will stick around on the practice squad and will serve as the emergency quarterback unless Chicago picks up another signal caller before Week 1 against Tennessee.
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Carter Bradley QB | JAC
Carter Bradley: Sticks around as practice squad QB
The Raiders signed Bradley to the practice squad Wednesday.
The undrafted free agent quarterback out of South Alabama signed with the Raiders in April. Las Vegas opted to keep just two quarterbacks on the roster after training camp -- Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell -- and if no other signal caller is signed to the active roster, Bradley could see some early call-ups as the emergency quarterback.
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Drew Lock QB | SEA
Giants' Drew Lock: Expected to be ready for Week 1
Giants head coach Brian Daboll said Sunday that Lock (hip) will likely be good to go for the start of the regular season, Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic reports.
Lock hurt his hip in New York's preseason opener versus Detroit and didn't play in either of the team's remaining two exhibition contests. Daboll indicated that the quarterback is "moving in the right direction," which is supported by the fact that Lock recently returned to team drills and even suited up for the Giants' preseason finale against the Jets on Saturday, though he didn't take the field. It's worth noting, though, that New York included three quarterbacks -- Lock, starter Daniel Jones and second-year pro Tommy DeVito -- on its initial 53-man roster, with DeVito possibly making the cut as insurance for Lock.
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Mitch Trubisky QB | TEN
Bills' Mitchell Trubisky: Uncertain for Week 1
General manager Brandon Beane said Wednesday that the status of Trubisky (knee) is uncertain for Week 1, Chris Brown of the Bills Radio Network reports.
Trubisky is working his way back from a knee injury sustained mid-August in a preseason game against the Steelers, and while he doesn't seem like a candidate to begin the regular season on injured reserve, he's not a lock to be ready for Buffalo's opener against the Cardinals on Sept. 8. As an insurance option behind Josh Allen, the Bills prioritized inking Mike White to the practice squad Tuesday after he was cut by the Dolphins.
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Justin Fields QB | NYJ
Steelers' Justin Fields: Beginning season as backup
Fields will begin the regular season as the backup to Russell Wilson, who was named the Steelers' Week 1 starting quarterback Wednesday, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reports.
Fields began the offseason clearly behind Wilson on Pittsburgh's depth chart, and though he managed to pressure the veteran during training camp and the preseason, the 25-year-old signal-caller will ultimately have to wait in the wings for an opportunity as the season progresses. Throughout the preseason, Fields' performance was largely a mixed bag, as turnovers and unfortunate sacks reminiscent of his time in Chicago detracted from otherwise impressive athleticism and accuracy in the middle and short areas of the field. Fields will likely need Wilson to struggle or miss time in order to gain a starting opportunity of his own this season, but if such an outcome does materialize, he'll immediately enter the mix as a high-upside fantasy option thanks largely to his rushing ability.