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Texas DT Byron Murphy is confident he’ll go in the first half of Round 1

Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy is feeling confident that his name will be called before the first round is half over on Thursday night.

“I’ve been hearing that I won’t go later than 16,” Murphy told the Dallas Morning News.

The betting odds agree with that assessment: Murphy’s draft position over-under is 14.5, with the under a -154 favorite at FanDuel. In other words, he’s more likely than not to go within the first 14 picks. Murphy is highly likely to be the first defensive tackle drafted, and he says the team that takes him is going to be glad.

“With my style of play, I feel like nobody can play like me,” he said. “Nobody can do the things I do. I feel like I’m one of a kind. My tape speaks for itself.”

[Woodman]

Bengals re-sign Jake Browning to two-year deal

The Bengals announced on Tuesday that they’ve re-signed exclusive rights free agent quarterback Jake Browning to a two-year deal.

Browning, 28, has been with the Bengals since 2021 after entering the league as an undrafted free agent with the Vikings in 2019. He did not play in a regular-season game until last season, when he filled in for an injured Joe Burrow.

In nine games with seven starts, Browning performed admirably while filling in for Burrow. he completed 70.4 percent of his passes for 1,936 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 127 yards with three TDs.

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Texans reveal their new uniforms - NBC Sports

A leak last week showed that the Texans would have new light blue alternate helmets for the 2024 season, but that’s not the only new option that will be available to them.

The team unveiled all of their redesigned uniforms on Tuesday and they include a third helmet to go with the traditional one and the light blue version we saw last week. They will also have a red helmet with a new logo that the team says is inspired by bullhorns.

That red helmet will go with the team’s alternate red uniforms while the light blue one will be part of their Color Rush look. It will be paired with uniforms that say H-Town on the front and feature the same light blue along with the team’s familiar color scheme.

“Today, for the first time since 2000, we are so proud to reveal our new uniforms. They are even more special because they are inspired by and for our fans,” Texans owner Cal McNair said in a statement. “Our fans asked us to be more H-Town and we delivered. They were with us every step of the way and there’s truly something for everyone over the four uniforms.”

[Woodman]

Rams could make a first-round pick for the first time since 2016 - NBC Sports

The Rams haven’t made a first-round selection since 2016 when they took quarterback Jared Goff with the No. 1 overall choice. They were set to make a first-round pick in 2018 but traded out of the first round.

The Rams have the No. 19 pick on Thursday night.

General Manager Les Snead said Tuesday that all options — trading up, trading down and staying put — are on the table.

“All three of those options are probably as real as it can get, in a reality, for sure, and we’re going to explore all three,” Snead said, via Stu Jackson of the team website.

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Report- Broncos have done a lot of work on Oregon QB Bo Nix - NBC Sports

Albert Breer of athlonsports.com reports the Broncos have quietly done a lot of work on Oregon quarterback Bo Nix.
The team had an hour-long Zoom with him on March 7 before coach Sean Payton and others attended a private workout with him 11 days later.
The Broncos have the 12th overall pick, and they don’t have a second-round choice to use as compensation to move up in the first round. So, they may have to sit and wait their turn, taking whatever quarterback is there.

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Bears want $2.3 billion in public financing for new stadium project

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Chiefs re-sign Jack Cochrane - NBC Sports

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Jayden Daniels says he'll try to pass Michael Vick, Lamar Jackson as best running QB ever - NBC Sports

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Steelers are not expected to pick up Justin Fields’ 2025 option

The Steelers traded for quarterback Justin Fields this offseason and it looks like any future for him in Pittsburgh will be contingent on what happens in the coming months.

Fields is in the fourth year of the rookie deal he signed with the Bears after being drafted 11th overall in 2021 and the Steelers have until May 2 to decide on picking up an option for the 2025 campaign. That would cost a fully-guaranteed $25.7 million and Fields is currently No. 2 on the depth chart, so Adam Schefter of ESPN’s report that they are expected to pass on the option isn’t a surprising one.

[Woodman]

Reggie Bush is getting his Heisman Trophy back

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Sean McVay- Stetson Bennett looks good, all options on table for QB in draft

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Bengals exercise Ja’Marr Chase’s fifth-year option

Cincinnati announced on Wednesday that the team has exercised receiver Ja’Marr Chase’s fifth-year option, putting him under contract through the 2025 season.
Chase is now set to make a projected $21.8 million guaranteed in 2025 to finish his rookie contract.
The No. 5 overall pick of the 2021 draft, Chase has played at an elite level since entering the league. Playing with his college quarterback, Joe Burrow, Chase caught 81 passes for 1,455 yards with 13 touchdowns as a rookie to help Cincinnati reach Super Bowl LVI.
While he missed five games due to injury in 2022, he still caught 87 passes for 1,046 yards with nine TDs.

[Woodman]

Will Patriots take Drake Maye if they don’t trade down?

Here’s the real question. If they don’t get an offer they like (from, for example, the Giants at No. 6 or the Vikings at No. 11), will the Patriots take Maye for themselves? There’s a school of thought in some league circles that they will.
It would be a big move, the highest spot in which the Patriots have taken a quarterback since they drafted Drew Bledsoe first overall in 1993. Even though it has been four years since Tom Brady left, a top-three quarterback would stand firmly in Tommy’s long shadow.
Complicating Maye’s arrival in New England would be whatever offer the Patriots reject from the Giants or the Vikings. At the end of the day, the Patriots will have to choose between taking Maye or loading up with whatever the best offer might be.

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Ravens extend Rashod Bateman through 2026 - NBC Sports

Baltimore announced on Wednesday that the club has signed receiver Rashod Bateman to a contract extension that runs through the 2026 season.
“We are pleased to announce that we have extended Rashod Bateman’s contract through the 2026 season,” General Manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement released by the team. “Congratulations to ‘Bate’ and his family. This is a good day for the Ravens.”
Bateman was selected at No. 27 overall in 2021 and the deadline to exercise his fifth-year option was coming up at the beginning of May. Instead of doing so, the Ravens elected to strike a new, longer deal — one that likely is not as lucrative as exercising the option.

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Jim Irsay- Colts have “great” interest in Marvin Harrison Jr.

If Jim Irsay has his way, Marvin Harrison Jr. won’t be wearing his college number in 2024.

The Colts have retired No. 18 for Peyton Manning, and owner Jim Irsay would like to draft receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

In a recent interview with Mike Chappell of Fox 59, Irsay admitted that the Colts have “great” interest in the son of Hall of Fame Colts receiver Marvin Harrison. Irsay also acknowledged that it will probably be “too difficult” to make the move from No. 15 to No. 4 with the Cardinals.

“I wouldn’t rule anything out,’’ Irsay added. “We’re open-minded.”

It would be an amazing move, if the Colts make it. But it would be very expensive to get all the way to No. 4.

[Woodman]

Xavien Howard tells teams he’s fully cleared for football activities after foot injury

Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports that Howard’s doctor sent a letter to NFL teams telling them that the veteran corner is cleared for all football activities. Howard dealt with a foot injury at the end of the 2023 season and missed Miami’s final two games.

The Dolphins released Howard with a post-June 1 designation in order to save more money under the cap. He called going home to Houston to play for the Texans a “realistic option” for him in March, but there’s been no further sign that the AFC South team is in the mix for his services.

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Lions agree to terms with OT Penei Sewell on four-year, $112 million contract extension

The Lions have agreed to terms with offensive tackle Penei Sewell on a four-year, $112 million contract extension that includes $85 million guaranteed, NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo reported, per a source.

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Rome Odunze- Bears drafting me would make an explosive offense - NBC Sports

There’s not much doubt that the Bears are going to be taking quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick on Thursday night, so the suspenseful part of their night will come with the ninth overall pick.
One popular choice for that spot in mock drafts is former Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze. On Wednesday, Odunze said that he thinks the Bears will “be in good hands” with Williams as their quarterback said joining the former USC quarterback in Chicago would “be awesome and something I’d love to be a part of” because of what he, Williams, Keenan Allen and DJ Moore would do together in the offense.

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Cowboys pick up Micah Parsons's fifth-year option - NBC Sports

The Cowboys have exercised the fifth-year option for Micah Parsons, via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. Per the report, the option is based on Parsons as a defensive end, not a linebacker. It will pay him $21.32 million for 2025, fully guaranteed.

If Parsons had been characterized as a linebacker, he would have been in line for even more in 2025.

The designation technically is made by the league, based on the player’s snaps in the prior year. Now that the lower number has been applied to Parsons, it’s possible if not likely that a grievance will be filed.

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Report- Extension for Jared Goff is not close - NBC Sports

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that no deal between Goff and the Lions is imminent. Goff is in the final year of a four-year extension he signed while with the Rams before being traded to the Lions ahead of the 2021 season.

It was unclear at the time of that deal how long Goff would be in the picture in Detroit, but he has played well over the last three seasons and will be positioned for a much longer run than just about anyone anticipated once the two sides can find the common ground that St. Brown and Sewell were able to find in their own talks with the team.