NFL News This Week: Rhamondre Stevenson, Tee Higgins & More Rumors

Do you feel it? Football is creeping up! OTAs are happening and we’re getting some highlights. Nothing crazy yet but a couple one-handed catches here, a spin move there. They are out tossing the pigskin, folks are arguing about Madden ratings and they’re trying to wrap their heads around the new changes, like the NFL’s new kickoff rules. We aren’t officially back but we are officially almost back!
And with that, we need to keep up to date on the goings on that are going on around the league. So, every Friday I’m just going to do a quick recap on the important NFL news and then I’ll add some relevant fantasy football rumors down at the bottom for the fantasy folks. If you skim this article every week and say, “I already saw that”, then great – you are up to speed. But I find something new myself every time I write this thing, so maybe you will too!
Rhamondre Stevenson Extension
- The Patriots announced a four-year, $36 million extension for Stevenson, including $17 million guaranteed. The Patriots had the most cap space of any team, so they have the luxury to do so. It is a rare extension for a Patriots starting running back compared to the past – it seems the Bill Belichick era is truly over.
Tee Higgins Signs His Franchise Tender
- Per Adam Schefter, Tee Higgins has signed his franchise tender. The Bengals now have until July 15th to sign him to a long-term extension, though some reports have described that as a “longshot”. It does, however, seem likely that Higgins will play in Cincinnati this year.
The Carolina Panthers Could Threaten Relocation
- It has not quite gotten to that point, but a public hearing could determine the future of the Panthers, according to James Dator of SB Nation. Charlotte City Council will hear statements from the public on Monday as to whether or not they think David Tepper and the Panthers deserve to receive $650 million from the city to renovate Bank of America Stadium. If they don’t receive the funding, threatening to relocate has been the classic tactic of NFL owners.
NFL Owners Discuss Potential QB Salary Cap
- We all know that quarterback is the most important position in football – it’s why they win all the MVPs. Cody Benjamin of CBS recently reported that some owners have been discussing a potential salary cap for the position after contracts like the Trevor Lawrence deal. It honestly doesn’t seem realistic or anything the NFLPA would go for, but I can see why some owners would be concerned about the escalating QB market.
Chiefs Isaiah Buggs Arrested Again
- Buggs was already arrested recently on animal cruelty charges after leaving two dogs locked on his property. Now he has been arrested AGAIN on charges related to domestic violence. I think Buggs’ time in the league may be coming to an end soon.
Gardner Minshew Shows His Raider Spirit
- Garner Minshew’s media day photos for the Raiders were… something. The NFL account shared them on Reddit and there is no doubt he’s got some pirate in there. There’s a whole set of them at that link, but here’s a little sneak peek:
Fantasy Football News & Rumors
This section is dedicated to fantasy-relevant rumblings from around the various offseason practices and meetings:
- Justin Fields was named one of the Steelers ‘biggest losers’ at OTAs.
- Reports were not positive on rookie Roman Wilson either.
- Nick Chubb has not ruled out a return for Week 1 of the 2024 season after a brutal knee injury.
- Ladd McConkey has been a standout for Justin Herbert, per Jeff Miller of the L.A. Times.
- De'Von Achane could “get more opportunities at wide receiver”. Stop me if you have heard this one before…
- Brandon Aiyuk said to Jayden Daniels on Tik Tok, “they don’t want me back”. Make of that what you will…
Player News
Dolphins signed No. 13 overall pick DT Kenneth Grant to a four-year contract.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Grant will sign his contract today. The former Michigan defensive tackle is expected to fill a major void left by Christian Wilkins, who left for the Raiders in the 2024 offseason. Grant totaled 32 tackles, three sacks, and seven TFLs in his final season at Michigan and excelled at stopping the run while also generating 27 pressures in his final season, per PFF.
Beat reporter John Hendrix reports that free agent WR Donovan Peoples-Jones is among the 16 players that the Saints will host for their rookie minicamp.
Peoples-Jones last played regular season snaps with the Lions back in 2023, when he caught 13-of-24 targets for 155 yards. He is highly unlikely to return to fantasy relevance at this point but could perhaps sign on as a special teams contributor.
Titans signed fourth-round pick WR Elic Ayomanor to a four-year contract.
Ayomanor will now begin learning behind Calvin Ridley. Although Ayomanor is unlikely to find a meaningful role in year one, dynasty managers should note his status as training camp gets underway this summer. The former Stanford receiver flashed big-play ability in his two college seasons.
Buccaneers signed seventh-round pick WR Tez Johnson to a four-year contract.
Johnson will serve as a rotational deep-threat option for Baker Mayfield. His thin frame (5'10/154) simply does not lend itself to the repeated hits one incurs in a full-time role. Johnson did earn 100-plus targets in his two seasons at Oregon, though. His big-play style make him a better fit in best ball for now, pending any major on-field breakthroughs.
Giants waived DT Casey Rogers.
Rogers was a 2024 undrafted free agent and logged 33 defensive snaps for the Giants in his rookie season. He is credited with zero tackles and/or sacks. He may find his way onto another roster as a practice squad option.
Vikings signed third-round pick WR Tai Felton to a four-year contract.
Felton is quietly in play to challenge Vikings No. 3 WR Jalen Nailor in training camp. Nailor (5'11/190) caught 28-of-42 targets for 414 yards and six touchdowns in his first season as a starter last year, with the latter category buoying his fantasy productivity. Felton (6'1/183), meanwhile, caught 96-of-143 targets for 1,119 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 2.32 yards per route run in his final college season. Fantasy managers should monitor Felton’s training camp reports this summer, as he could have a matchup-based WR5 role if everything falls into place.