NFL Player News

The Bills and Samuel agreed to a three-year, $24 million contract Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Over the last two seasons in Washington, Samuel combined for 126 catches (on 183 targets), 1,269 yards and eight touchdowns in 33 regular-season games. He also boasts an average of 5.9 yards on 121 carries across seven years as a pro. With Buffalo, Samuel will bring a versatile aspect to a passing game headlined by QB Josh Allen, WRs Stefon Diggs and Khalil Shakir and TE Dalton Kincaid.

The Falcons signed McCloud to a two-year deal worth up to $6 million Thursday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

McCloud has agreed to terms with Atlanta after spending the last two years of his career in San Francisco. The 27-year-old wideout was primarily utilized as a return specialist in 2023, returning 24 punts and 10 kicks for 428 yards. McCloud played just 28 percent of the 49ers' offensive snaps last season, catching 12 of his 15 targets for 135 yards and no touchdowns. He's expected to have the opportunity to compete for a depth role at wideout this offseason, most likely behind both Drake London and Darnell Mooney.

Hodge re-signed with the Falcons on Thursday, Tori McElhaney of the team's official site reports.

Hodge will get a third year with Atlanta after spending the two previous seasons with the team. The 29-year-old played in all 17 games last season, recording 14 catches on 23 targets for 232 yards. With Drake London returning and the acquisitions of Darnell Mooney and Rondale Moore so far this offseason, Hodge likely won't be high on the team's positional depth chart at wide receiver to start the 2024 campaign.

The Cardinals are slated to trade Moore to the Falcons in exchange for Desmond Ridder, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Per Pelissero, this is a 1-for-1 player deal, with Ridder headed to Arizona to back up signal-caller Kyler Murray and Moore on his way to Atlanta to bolster the team's wideout corps. In 17 regular-season games for the Cardinals in 2023, Moore caught 40 of his 62 targets for 352 yards and one touchdown and logged 28 carries for 178 yards and another score. In his new locale, the 2021 second-rounder should have a chance serve as a key target for new QB Kirk Cousins alongside fellow WRs Drake London and Darnell Mooney. In that context, Moore has a chance to re-emerge on the fantasy radar in deeper formats this coming season.

London is positioned to benefit from improved quarterback play going forward, with Kirk Cousins (Achilles) having officially inked a four-year deal worth up to $180 million with the Falcons on Wednesday.

London has sketched solid behind-the-scenes metrics in each of his first two pro seasons. However, while having to endure a combination of Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke under center, the 2022 first-round pick has also failed to record a 1,000-yard receiving campaign yet. He finished his rookie season with a 72-866-4 line while playing all 17 games, and 2023 with a 69-905-2 line in one less contest. Even coming off an Achilles tear at 35 years old, Cousins promises reliable passing production, with London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson as his go-to playmakers, in addition to recent addition Darnell Mooney. Cousins threw for 4,000-plus passing yards in seven of his last eight seasons from 2015-22, and regularly hovered around the 30-touchdown range. Considering his improved situation, London figures to be a popular breakout candidate in 2024 fantasy drafts, one who it wouldn't be surprising to see come off the board top-10 at his position.

The Ravens released Beckham on Wednesday, Ryan Mink of the team's official site reports.

Beckham signed a one-year, $15 million contract last offseason, with void years tacked on to push the cap hit to 2024. He then renegotiated this winter to allow the Ravens to designate him as a post-June 1 release and spread the dead cap charge between 2024 and 2025. That also means Beckham won't factor into the compensatory pick formula, as he technically was released rather than having his contract expire. The 31-year-old caught 35 passes for 565 yards and three TDs in 2023, rotating with Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor in a WR room where Zay Flowers was the only full-time player. Ravens coach John Harbaugh has already suggested Flowers and Bateman will be the starters in 2024, though that doesn't necessarily preclude Beckham re-signing and taking on a similar role to what he had last year.

Westbrook-Ikhine is signing a one-year contract to stay with Tennessee, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

He reaches the agreement a week before his 27th birthday, following a third straight campaign in the range of 350-500 receiving yards with either three or four touchdowns. Westbrook-Ikhine started 29 of his 47 games the past three years but is more likely to come off the bench now that the Titans have added Calvin Ridley to a WR room that returns DeAndre Hopkins and Treylon Burks. At this point, Westbrook-Ikhine should be recovered from the hand injury that sent him to injured reserve for the final three games of the 2023 regular season.

Crowder agreed to one-year deal with the Commanders on Wednesday, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports reports.

Crowder spent his first four NFL seasons in Washington from 2015 through 2018 and made his way back to the Commanders last fall. He had one big game in a Week 8 loss to the Eagles but mostly served as a return specialist and depth receiver. Crowder turns 31 in August and may not have a guaranteed roster spot heading into training camp this summer.

Boyd and the Steelers have mutual interest, though no signing is imminent for the veteran free-agent receiver, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic reports.

Boyd is from Western Pennsylvania and went to college at Pittsburgh, so it comes as little surprise that he has interest in joining one of the Bengals' division rivals. He spent the first eight years of his career in Cincinnati, where he topped 1,000 yards in 2018 and again in 2019 before taking a back seat in the Bengals offense to Tee Higgins and then Ja'Marr Chase. The 29-year-old has mostly worked out of the slot, especially in recent years, but he could also get perimeter snaps in a Pittsburgh offense with minimal talent at wideout behind George Pickens.

Ridley agreed to terms Wednesday with the Titans on a four-year, $92 million contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Ridley was initially reported to be choosing between New England and Jacksonville as potential landing spots in free agency, but he now becomes the new No. 1 wideout for second-year quarterback Will Levis (foot) in Tennessee. His deal reportedly includes $50 million guaranteed, a notable sign of long-term confidence. While seeing his NFL action since 2021 last season in Jacksonville, Ridley put together a 76-1,016-8 receiving line while playing in all 17 regular-season games. His speed and route-running prowess will nicely complement fellow wideouts DeAndre Hopkins and Treylon Burks, providing the Titans with a solid three-receiver group alongside new top running back Tony Pollard and third-year tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo.