NFL News & Rumors This Week: Jordan Addison, Brandon Aiyuk & More
Can you feel it? Fantasy football is in the air! Most of the Scott Fish Bowl Drafts are either underway or done which means that redraft season is finally upon us. And with that, the Fantasy Alarm 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Guide is available now! Grab your copy now for all your favorites like Yin & Yang Tight End Rankings as well as rankings from Howard Bender, Jim Bowden and myself!
Top NFL News & Rumors This Past Week
As we proceed through the NFL offseason, we’ll be doing a quick roundup of NFL news every Friday to keep you looped in on the goings on that are ongoing. First, we’ll take a look at the big NFL news that even the most casual of fans might find interesting. Then we’ll dive into the news and rumors that could help out the deep cut fantasy football players out there. A little something for everyone!
Minnesota Vikings WR Jordan Addison Arrested For Alleged DUI
- The star wide receiver was reportedly arrested near LAX under suspicion of driving while over the legal limit. This comes merely days after his rookie teammate, Khyree Jackson, was killed by a drunk driver. Last year, Addison was also pulled over for driving 140 miles per hour but claimed it was due to a vet emergency. Following the incident, Addison removed mentions of the Minnesota Vikings from his social media accounts.
San Francisco 49ers Wide Receiver Brandon Aiyuk Requests Trade
- Brandon Aiyuk has been in talks for a new deal with the San Francisco 49ers and, after those talks have stalled, he has now formally requested a trade. When A.J. Brown was with the Tennessee Titans, he did something similar and was promptly traded to the Philadelphia Eagles (who then paid him). Aiyuk’s teammate (who has the same agent as Brown) made the same request and the 49ers opted to pay him. It will be interesting to see what the 49ers do this time around.
Jacoby Jones, Former Ravens WR & Super Bowl 47 Star, Dies At Age 40
- Reports confirmed that former Ravens and Texans player Jacoby Jones has passed away at the age of 40. No official cause of death has been cited as of now but it is believed that he passed away in his sleep. At the time of his death, he was the wide receiver coach for Alabama State. Tributes to Jones continue to pour in from former teammates and coaches across the football world.
Miami Dolphins Assessing Damage On Stadium After Copa America
- The final game of the Copa America soccer tournament was held in Miami at Hard Rock Stadium this past Sunday. But there were issues of overcrowding after more tickets than seats were sold to patrons (and some patrons without tickets attempted to enter). This reportedly has led to “significant damage” to Hard Rock Stadium after the break. It’s yet to be reported exactly the cost of the damage, but there was clearly extensive vandalism after walls and barricades were broken down by attendees.
Denver Broncos Hall Of Famer Terrell Davis Placed In Handcuffs On Flight
- The former Broncos running back said he was “in shock” after he was placed in handcuffs on a United Airlines Flight. A flight attendant on the flight claimed that Terrell Davis reached back and hit him. Davis claimed that he tapped the attendant while asking for a cup of water. They did not interact again for the remainder of the flight but, upon arrival, Davis was placed in handcuffs and escorted away.
New York Giants Hall Of Famer Lawrence Taylor Arrested On Felony Warrant
- In more serious matters, all time great linebacker Lawrence Taylor was arrested on Wednesday on a felony warrant for failing to report his residence change as a registered sex offender. Taylor was required to register as a sex offender after he pled guilty in 2010 to patronizing an underaged prostitute in New York. He was sentenced to six years of probation. This is not the first time that Lawrence has failed to report an address change as he was arrested on the same charges in December of 2021.
Fantasy Football News & Rumors
This part focuses on important updates related to fantasy football from different offseason practices and meetings:
- Anytime a player requests a trade, the rumors begin on where he will end up. Brandon Aiyuk has been rumored to the Raiders to join former coach Antonio Pierce, as well as the Commanders to join his friend Jayden Daniels (who he has appeared on video with now multiple times. He’s also been rumored to be traded to all other 29 teams on social media.
- Davante Adams claimed he “signed off” on the Raiders benching Jimmy Garoppolo. I wonder who he will choose to start out of Aiden O’Connell or Gardner Minshew?
- Mike McDaniel said there would be “supreme competition” at the running back position for Miami in a recent interview but also added that the whole group was “pretty much led by Raheem [Mostert]”. We already know that Mostert and breakout star De’Von Achane will both mix in, so the question is how much Jaylen Wright will factor in?
- Per OC Zac Robinson, the Falcons plan to play Kyle Pitts at both tight end and wide receiver and that Pitts is “basically learning two different positions”. After running ~70% of his routes from a wide receiver spot last year, it’s no surprise that he would be asked to play some WR in the new scheme as well.
- Falcons OC Robinson also added that they will find creative ways to get Bijan Robinson the ball, “like the Niners do with Christian McCaffrey”.
- It’s that time of year folks. Running back quads and running back squats. This time around it was a viral video of Nick Chubb squatting 540 pounds coming off a serious knee injury:
- Some fantasy-relevant players have landed on the active/physically unable to perform (PUP) and non-football injury (NFI) lists as we head into training camp:
- Nick Chubb, CLE, RB (PUP)
- Ricky Pearsall, SF, WR (NFI)
- Tucker Kraft, GB, TE (PUP)
- Mike Williams, NYJ, WR (PUP)
- Juwan Johnson, NO, TE (PUP)
- Chris Olave, NO, WR (NFI)
- Keaton Mitchell, BLT, RB (PUP)
Player News
ESPN’s Jordan Raanan expects Jaxson Dart to sit his entire rookie year if “all goes well.”
The problem with that otherwise sensible opinion, of course, is that it is extremely unlikely “all goes well” with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston on a roster that found itself picking at No. 3 overall last month. If the Giants are genuinely serious about redshirting Dart for a year, it will be easier than most places because of the presence of two veteran quarterbacks instead of just one, but coach Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen both have their jobs on the line. That almost equals “break rookie glass.” Teams have become more amenable to sitting blue-chip rookie QBs in recent years, but we would be stunned if Dart fails to make 2025 starts.
Colts claimed DT Eric Johnson II off waivers from the Patriots.
A 2022 fifth-round pick of the Colts, Johnson spent two years in Indy before last year’s sojourn in Boston. Waived at final cuts last summer, Johnson was claimed by the Pats. He’s been a steady special teamer and rotational depth piece up front. Johnson’s Colts experience greatly enhances his 53-man roster odds, but his spot will be far from a given. He turns 27 in July.
NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco reports that the 49ers and OT D.J. Humphries do not have a deal in place.
Humphries reported on his social media account a few weeks ago that he had agreed to a contract with the 49ers, but that does not appear to be the case. At least for now. Humphries tore his ACL at the end of the 2023 season and was released by the Cardinals. He spent most of the 2024 season rehabbing before signing with the Chiefs. He started at left tackle in Week 14 before hurting his hamstring and missing the rest of the season. He will continue to search for another opportunity.
Patriots DT Christian Barmore (blood clots) will be ready to play in Week 1.
Barmore was limited to just four games last season while battling blood clots. He told reporters on Thursday that he’s been cleared for all football activity and has been a full participant in the Patriots’ offseason workout program. He expects to be fully ready by Week 1.
Raiders hired Brandon Hunt as Vice President of Player Personnel
Hunt was most recently the senior director of scouting for the Philadelphia Eagles and spent the previous two seasons as their director of scouting. Before joining the Eagles, Hunt spent 12 seasons (2010-21) as the pro scouting coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
ESPN’s Seth Wickersham reports Caleb Williams considered forcing a pre-draft trade from the Bears before ultimately deciding he could win in Chicago.
In other words, he mulled pulling an Elway. “Chicago is the place quarterbacks go to die,” were the words of Caleb’s father Carl to ESPN’s Seth Wickersham. Williams reportedly desired a trade to the Vikings, but he changed his mind after touring the Bears’ facility. “I can do it for this team,” Caleb reportedly told his dad. “I’m going to go to the Bears.” Williams acknowledged any attempt to force a trade would require going scorched earth on the Bears and city of Chicago, a process he did not have the stomach for. There have been zero reports of Bears/Williams drama since he made his peace with the idea, even after former coach Matt Eberflus’ clown show 2024 mistakes. It’s an interesting story, but one firmly planted in the past.