NFL News & Rumors This Week: Dotson Trade & Starting QBs + Fantasy Help
This is it, folks. The FINAL preseason games are this weekend. Then we have roster cutdown day next Tuesday by 4 PM ET. And the first game of the NFL season will kick off on Thursday, September 5th between the Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs.
We only have ONE MORE of these Friday update articles before the season kicks off. So, let’s just keep doing what we’ve been doing every Friday to make sure you haven’t missed anything.
First, we’ll hit on the big NFL news and rumors this week regarding trades, contracts, injuries, etc. Then we’ll get into those juicy rumors and hype that can help us get an edge in our fantasy football leagues. Football is (almost) BACK!
NFL News & Rumors This Week: Washington Commanders Trade Jahan Dotson To Philadelphia Eagles
- With roster cuts looming, teams have begun shopping around the guys on the bubble. Cade York was recently traded to the Commanders under these circumstances, and now, Jahan Dotson has been traded from the Commanders to the Eagles. Dotson and a fifth go to Philadelphia, a third and two sevenths go to Washington. We gave a full breakdown of the fantasy football impact regarding the Dotson trade here.
NFL News & Rumors This Week: Dolphins Tua Tagovailoa Says Brian Flores “Told Him He Sucked”
- Tua Tagovailoa didn’t hold back in a recent interview on the Dan Le Batard Show when it came to former coach Brian Flores. He said that Brian Flores’ hard-nosed, old-school approach included telling him that he “sucked” and “didn’t belong” in the NFL, going as far as to mention other QBs that should be there. Well, Brian Flores ended up losing his job and Tua secured a monster contract, so it looks like things worked out just fine for Tua. Flores has since addressed the comments saying he is working on growing as a person and a coach, but he’s mostly focused on the Vikings and 2024.
News & Rumors This Week: NFL Starting QB Jobs Are Finalized
- We are getting close folks, so it’s time for some of these battles to finally be decided. Antonio Pierce has officially named Gardner Minshew as the Raiders starting quarterback.
- Rookie Jayden Daniels has officially been named the starting quarterback for the Washington Commanders.
- Sean Payton also named Bo Nix as the Denver Broncos starting quarterback.
- We are still waiting on some teams. Jerod Mayo hinted that the Patriots would name a starting quarterback by Monday night.
- Russell Wilson has been operating as the Steelers starting QB and Mike Tomlin has said “nothing has changed”. Yet, that doesn’t quite serve as an official announcement.
NFL News & Rumors This Week: Signings, Extensions & Holdouts
- Falcons CB A.J. Terrell received a four-year, $81M deal.
- Chiefs C Creed Humphrey received a four-year, $72M deal. That’s the highest contract for a center in NFL history.
- Bengals K Evan McPherson signed a three-year, $16.5M deal.
- The Vikings have signed CB Stephon Gilmore to a one-year, $10M deal.
- The following players continue to hold out from camp:
NFL News & Rumors This Week: Training Camp Injuries Continue
- J.J. McCarthy underwent a successful meniscus repair that will end his 2024 season.
- Bengals running back Chris Evans suffered a torn patellar tendon which will end his 2024 season as well.
- Jahmyr Gibbs is dealing with a hamstring issue but is expected to be fine for Week 1.
- Matthew Stafford also suffered a hamstring injury on Wednesday.
- Malik Nabers was stepped on and suffered a minor ankle sprain in practice.
- Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison was carted off the field with an ankle injury.
- Bills linebacker Matt Milano tore his bicep – a return in December could be possible.
- Bills WR Chase Claypool was placed on season-ending IR.
- Chiefs WR Hollywood Brown suffered a sternoclavicular joint dislocation and is expected to miss some time to start the season.
- Brandin Cooks was seen “heading to the injury tent” on Wednesday.
- Diontae Johnson is day-to-day with a groin sprain.
Fantasy Football News & Rumors
This section is dedicated to fantasy-relevant rumblings from around the various off-season practices and meetings.
- Aaron Rodgers claims that training camp is “much harder this year”. Maybe it’s age, maybe it’s injury or maybe this Jets team is just taking things very seriously.
- Rams’ Jordan Whittington hype is steaming up after two great games to start the preseason. Puka Nacua 2.0?
- Deshaun Watson is dealing with “general arm soreness”. He had surgery last year and has not played much football over the last couple of years.
- Dennis Allen continues to bash Kendre Miller for his lack of availability.
- Anthony Richardson has reportedly struggled in camp and also struggled in the preseason game this week.
- Michael Penix has not played much in the preseason but that’s reportedly because he has already won the QB2 job.
- Daniel Jones continues to look rough though he has the support of the team.
- Saquon Barkley is dealing with a minor back injury that has kept him out of team drills.
- Ricky Pearsall remains out, meaning he won’t play at all this preseason.
- Week 1 is now in doubt for Jaylen Warren following a hamstring issue.
- Jermaine Burton continues to make highlight reel plays.
- The legend of preseason Carson Steele and his pet alligator continue to grow.
Player News
NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reports “nothing is imminent” regarding a Jalen Ramsey trade.
Wolfe noted June 1st as a date to keep in mind when looking at a potential trade. Miami would take a cap hit of over $25 million if they move Ramsey before then. That number falls below $7 million after the date. Despite the lack of urgency from Miami, it sounds like Ramsey is as good as gone. Ramsey isn’t attending OTAs and Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver simply said, “Relationships are hard,” when asked about the star corner’s upcoming departure. Wolfe mentioned the Rams, Panthers, and Falcons as teams to look out for. Ramsey has played under a member of each team’s coaching staff in the past.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Saints QB Jake Haener suffered an oblique strain and is expected to miss “a couple of weeks.”
As Schefter notes, Haener was one of three quarterbacks vying for the starting gig in New Orleans. Haener was unlikely to overtake both Spencer Rattler and second-round rookie Tyler Shough on the depth chart and missing time in practice will put him even farther behind. Per Schefter, Haener is expected to miss the remainder of OTAs but should be back for training camp.
Vegas Nation’s Vinny Bonsignore reports that “the feeling” is that DT Christian Wilkins (foot) “should be ready by August” after suffering a setback in his recovery.
Bonsignore’s sources were unable to identify the exact nature of Wilkins’ Jones fracture setback, but Bonsignore says “it essentially comes down to the screw breaking or (in the rare case) he rebroke the bone.” That’s not good. Earlier today, Raiders head coach Pete Carroll told reporters that “this has been a difficult recovery” for Wilkins and he is, unfortunately, “not ready” to resume practicing. Carroll provided an ambiguous expected return date, , “there’s a lot of time—and we’re going to take every bit of it.”
NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reports Dolphins assistant HC and RB coach Eric Studesville said the team is “preparing” to give De’Von Achane “more work” this season.
Per Wolfe, Achane asked Studesville for more touches in 2025 after racking up a career-high 281 touches in 2024. When discussing whether Achane (5'9/188) can handle the workload required of the “clear No. 1 player in that backfield,” Studesville reportedly said, “yes,” before adding, “he can handle whatever we give him.” Achane has reportedly set his sights on clearing 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in a single season. He accomplished the latter feat with 592 receiving yards last season, but topped out at 907 yards on the ground. All signs point to Achane repeating as a fantasy football RB1 in 2025.
ESPN reports that the “NFL is introducing the Protector of the Year Award, which will be given to the league’s best offensive lineman.”
NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent credits Bills LT Dion Dawkins and retired OT Andrew Whitworth for the award’s creation. Per ESPN, the “winner will be decided by a panel that includes a number of former offensive line greats.” Whitworth adds that Protector of the Year Award “isn’t just about stats—it’s about the mindset, grit, and leadership it takes to be the foundation of a football team.” The phrasing indicates that all offensive line positions will be eligible for the award, not just the high-value left tackle position that stars in today’s pass-heavy league.
Colts owner Jim Irsay has died at the age of 65.
The cause of death has not yet been released, but Irsay reportedly dealt with a severe respiratory illness in 2024. Irsay assumed control of the Colts organization when his father, Robert, passed in 1997. Jim signed on as a Colts staffer in 1982, quickly joining the scouting department while being trained in administrative duties. He was named vice president and general manager in 1984, at just 24 years old. We wish the Irsay family well.