The Broncos selected Nix in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 12th overall.

The Broncos might have preferred to target Nix in a trade back, but it might have understandably scared them a bit when the Falcons shockingly selected fellow quarterback Michael Penix eighth overall, inflating the quarterback market at a time that the Broncos probably weren't expecting. Nix (6-foot-2, 214 pounds) in any case always made sense as Denver's eventual target, especially after dominating at Oregon the last two years (74 passing touchdowns to 10 interceptions and 20 rushing touchdowns in 27 games). His two years at Auburn before that were less promising, as the Tigers offense routinely struggled and Nix only threw for 23 touchdowns in his 21 games. Perhaps Nix's Auburn struggles can be forgiven since he was a true freshman/sophomore on a team with a lot of problems. Nix's fantasy upside could be considerable if his rushing activity carries over to the NFL level, and it seems like it should. Nix is unafraid and seasoned as a runner, but he might need to be as the Denver offense rebuilds.

The Vikings selected McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 10th overall.

The Vikings moved up from the 11th spot to nab McCarthy, who was almost universally expected to go before fellow quarterback Michael Penix (eighth overall, Atlanta). From that frame this could arguably be a good value for the Vikings. What's less clear is whether McCarthy is immediately prepared to take the starting Minnesota quarterback role from free agent pickup Sam Darnold. McCarthy (6-foot-3, 216 pounds) was extremely successful but largely untested at Michigan, where he averaged only 22.6 pass attempts per game over the last two years. The good news is that McCarthy raked with his otherwise limited pass volume, finishing his Michigan career completing 67.6 percent of his passes at 8.7 yards per pass, with 49 touchdowns versus 11 interceptions. If McCarthy can immediately earn the starting role in Minnesota then it would bode well for his long-term future, and it would also make him an immediate fantasy consideration if only for his enviable group of pass catchers (Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson).

The Falcons selected Penix in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, eighth overall.

It's a stunning pick for Atlanta to make, both because Penix wasn't expected to go this high and because the Falcons just gave Kirk Cousins a four-year, $180 million contract. Penix will be about 24.5 years old as a rookie, and he'll have no shot to play anytime soon if Cousins is healthy. Penix in any case boasts a uniquely strong arm, and he was memorably good at avoiding sacks as a college quarterback. Before Penix emerged as a star passer for Washington he did his best to carry the Indiana program before that, but unsurprisingly he found it easier to move the ball in a Washington offense with three NFL receivers and two NFL tackles. Despite possessing a 40-yard dash time just under the 4.60 mark, Penix very rarely attempted to run in college and therefore is unlikely to leverage his speed in the form of rushing production at the NFL level. It's possible that Penix's lack of rushing activity was influenced somewhat by his injury history, as he tore his ACL twice (2018 and 2020).

The Patriots selected Maye in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, third overall.

Maye entered the 2023 season in contention to be the first overall pick after a remarkable first season as the starter at North Carolina, taking over for Sam Howell. He earned freshman All-American honors, throwing for 4,321 yards on a 66 percent completion rate with 38 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. Maye's athleticism was also on display as he ran for 698 yards and seven touchdowns. His supporting cast was not nearly as strong in 2023 and his numbers suffered. The completion rate dropped three percentage points, the interceptions increased to nine on fewer pass attempts, and he struggled against some of the tougher competition he faced like Clemson and North Carolina State. That opened the door for Maye to be surpassed by LSU's Jayden Daniels. Now Maye will take over for a Patriots team that is still looking for an answer at quarterback in the post-Tom Brady era. Maye has the talent to win the job out of training camp, but once the season starts, he will be tested given that New England is lacking in obvious skill position talent. In all, Maye has the prototypical size (6-foot-4, 223 pounds), arm strength and mobility of a modern NFL star quarterback, drawing comparisons to Los Angeles' Justin Herbert. He will have an uphill battle in making New England a winner once again and the team context may portend some struggles as a rookie. However, C.J. Stroud wasn't expected to take Houston to the playoffs as a rookie in 2023, either.

The Commanders selected Daniels in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, second overall.

Daniels (6-foot-3, 210 pounds) was a productive three-year starter at Arizona State before transferring to LSU in 2022. Although his first year with the Tigers featured only modest production (2,913 yards and 17 touchdowns passing in 14 games), Daniels' passing numbers went off the chart in his second season with LSU in 2023. The improved numbers brought a Heisman Trophy with them, as Daniels threw for 3,812 yards (11.7 YPA), 40 touchdowns and just four interceptions in 12 games while running for 1,134 yards (8.4 YPC) and 10 touchdowns. Daniels lacks throwing velocity and might be a little slight to get away with running quite as much at the pro level, but his rushing ability is uniquely dangerous on any given play and Daniels showed an effective deep ball throughout his college career. It remains to be seen what kind of offense new coordinator Kliff Kingsbury runs with Washington, but if the team were to emulate the Air Raid offense from Kingsbury's Arizona days then there could be substantial pass attempt and rush attempt volume both for Daniels. Elite rushing production can bring substantial fantasy upside for a quarterback, so Daniels' fantasy value could prove significant even if he has any trouble adjusting to the NFL as a passer.

The Bears selected Williams in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, first overall.

Williams has long been tabbed as the obvious choice to be the first overall pick in this year's draft, and with the Bears jettisoning Justin Fields this offseason, the USC product has been dubbed the future of the franchise in Chicago for some time. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner began his career at Oklahoma where he supplanted fellow 2024 draft hopeful, Spencer Rattler, as the starter for the Sooners and looked to be the next great quarterback in Norman. He followed coach Lincoln Riley to USC the following year and won the Heisman on the strength of a tremendous season with 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and five interceptions while adding 10 rushing touchdowns. Williams entered 2023 with expectations of building on that season but the Trojans fell short, dropping five games. The losses, coupled with some shaky individual performances from Williams in those games, put him under the scouting microscope during the pre-draft process. Questions arose regarding Williams' ability to play within structure and whether he was over-reliant on the type of improvising outside the pocket that won't translate to the NFL. However, Williams' overall body of work -- the ability to be deadly accurate to any spot on the field, to move around in and outside the pocket, and anticipate throwing windows -- made him the consensus top player in the class. He will be in a uniquely favorable setup for a top overall pick as oftentimes, the first pick is tasked with saving a flailing franchise with a bad roster. The Bears are solid along the offensive line and have a stable of top-notch receiving talent in DJ Moore and Keenan Allen to help Williams get on track from the jump. Williams immediately becomes a viable quarterback in redraft leagues and is a premier asset in dynasty formats.

The Steelers informed Fields on Wednesday that they won't exercise his fifth-year option for 2025, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

The Steelers' decision comes as little surprise, given that Fields is coming into his new organization as the second quarterback on the depth chart and would be guaranteed around $25.66 million in 2025 if Pittsburgh were to pick up his option before the May 2 deadline. While the team may have interest in keeping him around beyond the upcoming season, it won't be at a hefty price before he's ever put on a Steelers uniform. Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports that fellow offseason acquisition Russell Wilson will enter offseason workouts in "pole position" at quarterback, with Fields then getting a chance to compete at some point in the future, according to head coach Mike Tomlin. Fields is on track to be a free agent next spring, and his playing time between now and then seems largely dependent on Wilson struggling or missing time with an injury.

Woodside signed a one-year contract with the Bengals on Tuesday.

Woodside was selected by Cincinnati in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft and will return to the team after stops with the Titans and Falcons. The Toledo product has made spot appearances in 13 games over the past four seasons, completing four of seven pass attempts for 34 yards and an interception.

Browning signed a two-year contract with the Bengals on Tuesday.

Undrafted back in 2019, the QB spent two years on Minnesota's practice squad and then two seasons on Cincinnati's. Browning finally got his shot in 2023, winning the No. 2 QB job for the Bengals and eventually replacing an injured Joe Burrow (wrist) for the final seven and a half games of the season. Browning played surprisingly well down the stretch, with 15 total TDs (three rushing) and seven turnovers (all INTs) while leading all qualified passers in completion percentage (70.4) and ranking fifth in yards per attempt (8.0). The 28-year-old's status as an exclusive-rights free agent this offseason essentially locked him into staying with the Bengals, and the two-year deal now sets him up to be a restricted free agent after 2025. His solid performance in 2023, combined with 2-3 more years of team control, could make Browning a trade target for QB-needy teams, though there haven't been rumblings of interest this spring.

The Jets are trading Wilson to the Broncos for a late-round pick swap, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports.

The Jets will give up the 256th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and receive pick No. 203. They'll also hold some of Wilson's salary, with the 24-year-old scheduled for $5.45 million in guaranteed compensation for the final year of his rookie contract. This could give Wilson a shot to compete for a starting job, depending on what the Broncos do in the upcoming draft. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are the other QBs on Denver's roster, with Stidham the favorite to start Week 1 if no early draft pick is added to the room.