NFL Player News

Walker (6’1/263) brings jarring production from the FCS ranks, headlined by 82.5 tackles for loss and 39 sacks across four seasons. The 2024 Buck Buchanan Award winner and three-time conference Defensive Player of the Year, Walker exploded onto the draft radar with relentless effort and a rocked-up 263-pound frame that generates violent lower-half torque. His 2024 PFF grades paint the picture of a well-rounded disrupter: 94.6 overall, 92.6 in run defense, and 94.0 as a pass rusher, with a staggering 47 stops and 12 sacks. He’s a natural leverage winner with a powerful bull-rush, low pad level, and the eyes to diagnose blocking schemes. He graded highly in disruption metrics — 33.8 percent of his career tackles came in the backfield. However, concerns remain: Walker lacks length (31.88” arms) and ideal size, which may limit his scheme versatility. He faced only two Power 4 opponents and will be a 25-year-old rookie. Still, his 8.63 RAS shows legit NFL explosiveness. He’s got Carl Lawson vibes — short, sturdy, and twitchy with rotational value early and upside as a 3-4 OLB.

The Packers and Alexander hoped to find a trade partner for the veteran cornerback this offseason, but after failing to do so, Alexander, 28, will now be free to sign with any team. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the two sides also considered a restructured contract. Alexander was limited to seven games in each of the last two seasons due to injuries and seemed to be at odds with the organization late last season. Alexander is being released with two years left on his current deal. As a result, the Packers will be hit with a dead cap hit just north of $17 million in 2025, and a $9.5 million dead cap hit in 2026. He’ll almost certainly have a market now that he’s available, but will likely need to sign a one-year prove it deal after missing 34 regular season games since 2021.

Lynn uses the “A-back” label to denote big running backs who can be used as “a volume ballcarrier,” capable of running between the tackles. The “B-back” label is conversely used to describe quicker, scat-back and pass-catcher types. The “A-back” labeling puts Croskey-Merritt in a group with Brian Robinson Jr. and Chris Rodriguez Jr., and Lynn reportedly told Standig that Croskey-Merritt is “bigger than he thought” he would be. Croskey-Merrity (aka Bill) has a long way to go before the coaches would seriously consider him as a replacement for Robinson, and Lynn recently complimented Robinson’s “good mindset” at organized team activities. Still, it’s a positive start for a seventh-round rookie. Stay tuned.

Rapoport curiously closed the report by saying, “with plenty of money coming from [the Jaguars], Davis would command just a [one-year] deal from his new team.” That sounds like the opening line in negotiations, from the team’s side of things. Regardless, the Saints make sense as a landing spot. Davis can compete against relatively soft competition for the No. 3 role, which could allow him to get his career back on track after a disappointing 2024 season.

FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz’s Friday report regarding McLaurin’s frustrations prompted Standig to check in with his sources, who gave him no reason to change his “stance” that “this will get done.” Standig advised listeners to “be prepared for this to remain a topic past mandatory minicamp,” which runs June 10th-12th, and adds that he will only become concerned if the issue is not resolved within “a day or two” of the Commanders’ first training camp practice in July.

Wilson says Mixon has successfully graduated from his walking boot and now sports a small, precautionary brace. Details on Pierce’s injury are unavailable. While both players are expected to return by July 18th, the team’s pursuit of Nick Chubb makes sense. Wilson previously reported that Mixon’s current ankle injury is unrelated to the two ankle injuries he suffered last season.

Fowler adds that the Browns have also been involved but says that it is “unlikely” Chubb reunites with his former team. Fowler also notes that “multiple outlets reported” on Chubb’s scheduled visit and expected signing with the Texans, but Fowler stopped short of fully backing the claim. Per Fowler, going to a contender is “important” to Chubb, who “plans to sign as soon as Monday.” Stay tuned.

Assuming the pen is ultimately put to paper on a respectable deal, Chubb provides the Texans with reliable rushing depth behind starter Joe Mixon. Both players enter their age-29 seasons with notable injury records, but Mixon has managed to miss just three games over the last two seasons. Chubb has appeared in only 10. Chubb can be expected to rotate in on early downs, but he will not be involved in the passing game. Although it is perhaps unlikely, Chubb could find fantasy relevance by siphoning away red zone opportunities from Mixon. He will have to earn those touches this summer, though. Training camp just got a little bit more interesting.

Dugar said Kupp’s “wiggle” allows him to maintain high-level play on three “little” routes that keep him operating in the short-to-intermediate field depths. Dugar adds that Seahawks coaches are lining up Kupp and Jaxon Smith-Njigba “pretty much everywhere,” but he expects Smith-Njigba to handle perimeter duties in high-leverage situations. It sounds like the Seahawks will do everything they can to provide Kupp with fantasy-friendly layup opportunities in his age-32 season.

Critically, Smith-Njigba will still have ample opportunities to line up in the slot, and might not be used as a pure X-receiver “a ton,” due to OC Klint Kubiak’s frequent motion use and tight split formations. However, it appears as though Smith-Njigba’s career 77.3 percent slot rate will tick down a few notches this season. Dugar believes that when the Seahawks “need someone, on a particular play, to go win from the outside,” Smith-Njigba will be called upon while Cooper Kupp remains in the slot. Dugar simultaneously noted the Seahawks’ shallow wide receivers corps while complimenting Smith-Njigba’s development, saying he “is the only guy on the team who can win from everywhere.” Given that dynamic, Smith-Njigba should command both a WR1-worthy target share and the attention of No. 1 cornerbacks. Dugar thinks that “teams are going to learn very quickly that you have to put your best [cornerback] out there” when Smith-Njigba is lined up out wide.

Chubb is reportedly “hoping” to sign a contract “soon,” and Fowler was told that a return to the Browns is “unlikely” for Chubb, but “not totally off the table.” Although the Texans possess adequate pass-catching back depth, they lack a proven north-south rusher who could spell Joe Mixon on early downs. The role would likely be fantasy-unfriendly, but the 29-year-old Chubb fits the bill, and he could sufficiently fill in for Mixon if the starter were to miss time.