NFL Player News

Shedeur and Deshaun Watson split first-team reps for most of Wednesday's practice, but Watson then took all the reps at the end in a simulated hurry-up drill, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.

Reports from Cleveland beat writers are slightly conflicting, but there seems to be agreement that Watson went first through the rotation in early practice periods before Sanders took the first snap in full-team drills. Watson then handled the special period at the end of practice. It sounds like Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green didn't get much first-team work, if any, but the rotation could look different as soon as the next practice. Head coach Todd Monken has mentioned his preference for naming a starting QB before the start of training camp, though he eased off his prior statements Wednesday, telling reporters, "We'll have it set for [Week 1 at Jacksonville]," per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com.

Rodgers said Wednesday that 2026 will be his final NFL season, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.

Rodgers signed with the Steelers on Monday -- the first day of OTAs. He made the decision to play another season in late April or early May, after the NFL Draft, and was then in Pittsburgh for a couple of weeks before officially signing his one-year contract. He'll turn 43 late in the 2026 season, and there'd be no guarantee of a starting job in 2027 even if he wanted one. Rodgers also mentioned that he anticipated retiring once Mike Tomlin was gone, only to reconsider when the Steelers hired Mike McCarthy, who was Rodgers' head coach from 2006 to 2018 in Green Bay. The offense could look much different from last year's, with the Steelers adding WRs Michael Pittman and Germie Bernard to give a better three-wide look.

Wilson is a candidate for a contract extension as he enters the final year of his rookie deal, Darren Urban of azcardinals.com reports.

Coming off a 1,000-yard breakout last season, Wilson told reporters Wednesday that his contract situation won't dictate his offseason. He's been participating in voluntary practices, catching passes from Gardner Minshew, Carson Beck and Kedon Slovis while Jacoby Brissett remains away from the team due to his own contract situation. Anyone invested in Wilson's success is rooting for Brissett to make as many starts as possible, though the fantasy results presumably will be less impressive now that the Cardinals have a new coaching staff and a new backfield. Wilson's late-season surge occurred in an offense without WR Marvin Harrison or RB Jeremiyah Love, and with Brissett attempting more than 40 passes per game. Wilson handled the volume well, but that doesn't mean he'll see anything similar in a 2026 Arizona offense in which Love and TE Trey McBride look like the safest bets to pile up volume.

Watson was the first QB through the rotation at Wednesday's practice, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

Watson took the first snap in individual drills and 7-on-7s, but Shedeur Sanders then went first in 11-on-11s, per Zac Jackson of The Athletic. The two split first-team snaps for the rest of the session, with Watson then taking over at the end for a hurry-up simulation. For individual drills, Sanders was second through the rotation, with Dillon Gabriel going third and Taylen Green predictably last. It's more or less what was expected, given that Watson has 72 NFL starts to his name and is competing with a trio of mid-round picks from the past two drafts. What's less clear is if the initial position means anything beyond deference to age/experience. Browns head coach Todd Monken seems to take Sanders seriously as a candidate for the starting job, and it wouldn't be surprising to see Gabriel (or even Green) take some first-team reps as well.

As his second season as a pro approaches, Williams noted Tuesday that he's been working to improve his playing strength, Mark Daniels of masslive.com reports.

To that end, Williams -- who caught 10 of 21 targets for 209 yards and three touchdowns in 17 regular-season contests in 2025 -- said Tuesday that his weight has gone up to 193 pounds after playing at "185 soaking wet" as a rookie. As things stand, Williams is slated to compete for snaps in an already crowded New England WR corps that also includes Romeo Doubs, Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins and DeMario Douglas, but there's been plenty of speculation that the team could trade for Philadelphia's A.J. Brown on or after June 1. If that happens, Williams -- who the Patriots took in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft -- may face a challenging path to steady playing time/targets in 2026.

Judkins (ankle) is taking carries in 11-on-11s, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

Five months removed from surgery on a broken leg and a dislocated ankle, Judkins is already sprinting and making cuts during team drills at OTAs. While this rapid progress doesn't automatically mean he'll be a full participant when contact work begins in late July, it proves he is ahead of schedule in his rehab and on track for a Week 1 start. The Browns have shaky depth behind him in the backfield, rostering 2025 fourth-round pick Dylan Sampson and a quartet of undrafted young players.

Skattebo (ankle) said at the Giants Town Hall on Monday night that he is expecting to be ready to play in Week 1 of the upcoming campaign, Kevin Patra of the team's official site reports.

Skattebo's comments Monday echo what Giants GM Joe Schoen relayed in late March, when he shared that the running back was declaring himself "ready to go." Skattebo did add Monday that he's not yet ready to take the field for OTAs, but that doesn't appear to be causing him any concern about his readiness for Week 1. New York hasn't added to its RB room during the offseason outside of signing undrafted rookie Damon Bankston, but it did sign All-Pro fullback Patrick Ricard, so Skattebo could be set up for a big sophomore campaign.

Palmer (ankle) spent most of Tuesday's OTA session working to the side, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.

Palmer missed Buffalo's two postseason games last season after he was placed on IR due to an ankle injury. It appears he's not quite at 100 percent yet given his limitation to mostly side work Tuesday. However, there's no indication at this point that Palmer is at risk of not being ready for Week 1 of the upcoming regular season.

Robinson worked out with the Patriots on Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Robinson is healthy again after spending the entirety of the 2025 campaign on Kansas City's injured reserve due to a broken foot. The 28-year-old will now look to earn a spot on New England's roster, where he could contribute as a depth defender.

Pierre (undisclosed) reverted to Carolina's injured reserve Tuesday, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.

Pierre was let go by the Panthers on Monday but will remain with the team after going unclaimed on waivers. The 25-year-old spent last season on Carolina's practice squad but didn't appear in any games and will now have to miss the entirety of the upcoming campaign unless he's waived with an injury settlement.