Guest of the League
Monkeys Business Est. 2001
FFL: Preseason | NFL: Week 1

Ex-No. 1 overall pick, college Hall of Famer Kenneth Sims dies at 65

Fri Mar 21 5:26pm ET
Field Level Media

Former No. 1 overall NFL draft pick and College Football Hall of Famer Kenneth Sims died Friday at age 65, the University of Texas announced.

The university said Sims died peacefully at his home. According to a report, Sims had been battling an illness.

Sims played defensive end for Texas from 1978-81 and was a consensus All-American as a junior and senior. He had 23 tackles for loss as a senior, won the Lombardi Award and finished in eighth place in Heisman Trophy balloting.

Sims then went No. 1 in the NFL draft to the New England Patriots in an era in which quarterbacks didn't always go first overall. In this draft, Ohio State's Art Schlichter went No. 4 overall to the Baltimore Colts and BYU's Jim McMahon went fifth to the Chicago Bears. Heisman Trophy-winning running back Marcus Allen was the 10th pick by the Los Angeles Raiders.

Sims had three sacks in nine games as a rookie and placed fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year balloting. He had a career-best 5.5 sacks in 13 games in 1985 before breaking a leg. That caused him to miss the postseason, including the Patriots' Super Bowl XX loss to the Chicago Bears.

Overall, Sims had 17 sacks and five fumble recoveries in 74 games (64 starts) over eight NFL seasons with the Patriots.

Sims was inducted into the College Hall of Fame in 2021. According to Texas, Sims had 322 tackles (50 for loss), 29 sacks, 15 forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and three blocked kicks during his stellar college career.

Top Headlines
The Paur Report
Player Notes
Joe Burrow Mar 21 3:50pm CT
Joe Burrow

The Cincinnati Bengals have agreed with free-agent offensive lineman Lucas Patrick on a one-year contract. ESPN's Adam Schefter did not report the details of the deal. Patrick will join his third team in four years, previously starting 64 games during stints with the Packers, Bears, and Saints. The Tennessee native appeared in 11 games for the Saints in 2024 (10 starts) while dealing with calf, ankle, and knee injuries. He spent time at center and guard for New Orleans. Patrick is listed behind returning teammate Cody Ford on the team's unofficial depth chart, though he did not allow a sack across 562 snaps a season ago, so he may push for a starting spot. Quarterback Joe Burrow was sacked the seventh-most times in the league last season (48), so Cincinnati could stand to improve in pass protection.

From RotoBaller

Aaron Rodgers Mar 21 3:13pm CT
Aaron Rodgers

Dynasty | Free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers is visiting the Pittsburgh Steelers facility today. Dynasty Analysis: Rodgers' options are dwindling and this comes just days after the Vikings essentially ended their pursuit of him, Cameron Heyward publicly voiced his displeasure in Rodgers apparently giving the team the cold shoulder, so it seems logical Rodgers would need to make a decision here soon or risk losing the locker room before he even shows up. There's nothing imminent, so we'll just continue to monitor the situation.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Brandin Cooks Mar 21 3:13pm CT
Brandin Cooks

Dynasty | The Saints have signed wide receiver Brandin Cooks. Dynasty Analysis: And just like that, Cooks is back to where it all started, A former first round round pick of the Saints. Cooks spent the first three years in New Orleans posting back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and scoring 20 touchdowns in the process. His surprising trade to New England before the 2017 season started a strange journey that saw him play for the Patriots, Rams, Texans, and Cowboys over the past seven seasons. Cooks may not be the same player he once was, but it's hard to look at him and say he doesn't belong squarely on dynasty rosters. Should Chris Olave or Rashid Shaheed fail to return from their injuries quickly, Cooks could have an even bigger role next season.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Deebo Samuel Mar 21 3:10pm CT
Deebo Samuel

Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. noted in his introductory conference with reporters via The Associated Press that the team is "getting a motivated Deebo." "I'm just ready to get back to work." said the seventh-year pro. "I'm just ready to get around a group of guys, meet with the players, and we just go from there." The 29-year-old hasn't quite reached the heights of his absurd 1,770-yard, 14-touchdown All-Pro season in 2021. However, he has provided a versatile chess piece in Kyle Shanahan's offenses over the years. The South Carolina product also stated that winning is a motivator for him, and he was impressed with the play of second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels during his first stint in the pros. Samuel Sr. should fit opposite teammate Terry McLaurin nicely, adding another playmaker to deploy in Washington's dynamic offense.

From RotoBaller

Brandin Cooks Mar 21 2:20pm CT
Brandin Cooks

Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks has inked a two-year, $13 million deal with the New Orleans Saints, per Mike Garafolo. The 31-year-old returns to the team that drafted him. Cooks was plagued by a knee injury in 2024 -- an MCL sprain that evolved into an infection -- forcing him from seven games. Still, he was the team's clear No. 2 wideout ahead of Jalen Tolbert when healthy. Despite the time missed, he scored the third-most receiving touchdowns (three) of any Cowboys pass-catcher. Whether or not Cooks will make an impact in fantasy is unclear. However, he provides a valuable second option on the field alongside teammate Chris Olave, with Rashid Shaheed's (knee) status undetermined after a mid-season meniscus injury.

From RotoBaller

Aaron Rodgers Mar 21 12:10pm CT
Aaron Rodgers

Free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers visited the Pittsburgh Steelers' facility on Friday, an indication that a deal with the team could be coming soon, sources tell the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that no deal is done or imminent, but Rodgers spent time with Steelers coaches. The future Hall of Famer appeared to be waiting to see if the Minnesota Vikings had any real interest in signing him, but they recently said they aren't interested in the 41-year-old at this time, which could put Rodgers to sign with the Steelers. Pittsburgh reunited with QB Mason Rudolph in free agency, but if Rodgers were to sign, he'd be the unquestioned starter heading into the 2025 season. The 10-time Pro Bowler and four-time MVP threw for 3,897 yards, 28 TDs and 11 interceptions but was unable to lead the Jets to the postseason in 2024. Even with George Pickens and DK Metcalf as the top receivers, Rodgers wouldn't be much more than a midrange QB2 in fantasy if he joins the Steelers.

From RotoBaller

Lil'Jordan Humphrey Mar 21 11:13am CT
Lil'Jordan Humphrey

Dynasty | The Giants have signed wide receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey. Dynasty Analysis: The dream here is clearly that Lil'Jordan emerges as a fantasy superstar and they do a remake of the movie "Little Giants," called "Lil'Giants." However, that seems highly unlikely as Humphrey hasn't proven to be above average thus far in his career. Last year was his best as he posted career highs in receptions (31) and receiving yards (293) with Denver. He joins a depth chart ripe with opportunity, but it's hard to see him being a difference maker in dynasty leagues as he enters his seventh year in the leagues. Dynasty managers can look elsewhere.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Lil'Jordan Humphrey Mar 21 11:10am CT
Lil'Jordan Humphrey

The New York Giants are signing former Denver Broncos wide receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey to an undisclosed one-year deal on Friday, a source tells ESPN's Adam Schefter. Humphrey joins a Giants team after spending the last two seasons in Denver, catching 44 total passes on 64 targets for 455 yards and four touchdowns. He was much more involved last year and set career-highs in receptions (31), targets (45) and receiving yards (293) while scoring once in 17 regular-season games (seven starts). The 26-year-old's best asset is his size (6-foot-4, 225 pounds), but he's unlikely to be much more than the team's No. 4 pass-catcher behind Malik Nabers, Wan'Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton. The only quarterback currently on New York's roster is Tommy DeVito, too. However, the addition of a big downfield threat like Humphrey could mean the G-Men are getting close to adding veteran QB Russell Wilson.

From RotoBaller

Will Sheppard Mar 21 8:50am CT
Will Sheppard

The New Orleans Saints have reportedly invited Colorado wide receiver Will Sheppard for a prospect visit. This could be an interesting move for the Saints given Sheppard's success at Colorado last season. He hauled in 48 receptions for 621 yards and six touchdowns in 13 games. His numbers have been fairly consistent throughout his college career. Sheppard finished with 200 receptions for 2,688 yards and 27 touchdowns during his college career with Vanderbilt and Colorado. He's not projected to be a star, but could be a nice complimentary piece for the Saints offense.

From RotoBaller

Charles Omenihu Mar 21 8:20am CT
Charles Omenihu

The Kansas City Chiefs have re-signed defensive end Charles Omenihu. They've agreed on a one-year, $7 million contract for the upcoming season. Omenihu didn't play a full season in 2024 because he was still recovering from an ACL tear from 2023. Before suffering his season-ending knee injury, Omenihu recorded 28 tackles, five tackles for loss, and seven sacks in 11 games in 2023. He put up minimal stats last season, but he only played in six games. This is a solid deal for the Chiefs to bring back a valuable defensive piece.

From RotoBaller

Jaylon Jones Mar 21 8:08am CT
Jaylon Jones

The Arizona Cardinals signed Chicago Bears free-agent cornerback Jaylon Jones (shoulder) to an undisclosed deal on Thursday, according to KPRC's Aaron Wilson. Jones will reunite him with high-school teammate Kyler Murray. The former undrafted free agent out of Mississippi has 4.41-second 40-yard dash speed and will now head to the NFC West to give the Cardinals more depth for their secondary. Jones was a restricted free agent this offseason, but the Bears didn't tender him a contract in order to try and re-sign him. In his three seasons with the Bears, the 27-year-old defensive back totaled 85 tackles (64 solo), four pass breakups and a forced fumble in 41 games (five starts). Jones played in just eight games a season ago and finished the year on Injured Reserve due to a shoulder injury. He will likely continue to mostly be a factor on special teams in Arizona.

Leonard Floyd Mar 20 9:03pm CT
Leonard Floyd

The Atlanta Falcons will likely select an edge rusher of defensive tackle with the 15th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to pair with LB Leonard Floyd, according to Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com.

From TheHuddle

Patrick Johnson Mar 20 8:10pm CT
Patrick Johnson

The Philadelphia Eagles announced on Thursday that they agreed to terms on an undisclosed one-year deal with free-agent outside linebacker Patrick Johnson (knee). The 26-year-old entered the NFL as a seventh-round selection (234th overall) by the Eagles in 2021 out of Tulane, and he spent the first three seasons of his career in Philadelphia before he was waived by the team in September of last year. He eventually latched on with the division-rival New York Giants and played 12 games (no starts) in 2024, totaling only four tackles (one solo). A knee injury caused him to miss the final three games of the season. Johnson will now return to the Eagles, where he'll likely just be competing for a roster spot in training camp. In his first three years in Philly, Jones had only 35 tackles (23 solo), a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 48 games (two starts).

From RotoBaller

Uchenna Nwosu Mar 20 7:50pm CT
Uchenna Nwosu

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider said on Seattle Sports radio that linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (undisclosed) had offseason surgery, and "it's way too early to tell" whether he'll need to start on the Physically Unable to Perform list or not. Schneider said it will be "pretty close." It's unknown exactly what Nwosu had surgery for, but he missed time last season with knee, thigh and wrist injuries. The 28-year-old former second-round pick (48th overall) by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2018 out of USC had a career-high 9.5 sacks in 17 starts in his first year with the Seahawks in 2022, but he's played in only 12 games (eight starts) the last two years due to injuries. He had a career-low 14 tackles (eight solo), one sack and five QB hits in six games (two starts) in 2024 and now may not be ready for the start of the 2025 regular season this fall.

From RotoBaller

Jerry Tillery Mar 20 7:50pm CT
Jerry Tillery

The Kansas City Chiefs signed veteran free-agent defensive tackle Jerry Tillery to an undisclosed deal on Wednesday, according to Chiefs.com's Matt McMullen. Tiller will join the Chiefs in 2025 after recording 28 tackles (13 solo) and a forced fumble in 17 regular-season games (11 starts) in his lone season with the Minnesota Vikings. His 467 defensive snaps ranked fourth among defensive linemen on the team. The 28-year-old was mostly used as a defensive end in Minnesota's 3-4 defensive scheme, but he's expected to compete for an interior defensive-tackle role in the Chiefs' 4-3 defense this summer in training camp. Tillery is versatile for his ability to play both on the interior and on the outside, but he's unlikely to suddenly become an option in IDP fantasy formats. The former first-rounder of the Los Angeles Chargers has only 12.5 sacks in six NFL seasons and has never had more than 51 total tackles in a single season.

From RotoBaller

Tyler Conklin Mar 20 7:40pm CT
Tyler Conklin

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports that free-agent tight end Tyler Conklin is visiting with the Los Angeles Chargers. The former Jet has garnered interest from a few teams -- including New York -- but has yet to find a new home. Conklin spent the last three seasons with the Jets and seemed to be trending up. However, the addition of wide receiver Davante Adams put a damper on his production in 2024. The 29-year-old hauled in 51 passes for 449 yards on 72 targets last season, setting a career-high with four trips to the end zone. He'd be an intriguing fit in LA and would undoubtedly benefit from the play of signal-caller Justin Herbert. Conklin could provide some nice fantasy value as a Charger, as there isn't too much target competition behind wideouts Ladd McConkey and newly-acquired Mike Williams.

From RotoBaller

Feleipe Franks Mar 20 6:00pm CT
Feleipe Franks

The Atlanta Falcons are signing former Carolina Panthers tight end Feleipe Franks to a one-year contract. The financial details of the deal have not yet been disclosed. D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the news. Franks, a former quarterback, signed initially with the Falcons as an undrafted free agent back in 2021 but spent most of his time on the field as a wildcat QB. The 27-year-old was converted to tight end in 2022. However, he did not make an NFL roster the following season. In 2024, the Arkansas alum appeared in 16 games for Carolina, catching one pass for 12 yards on 45 snaps. He'll slot in behind teammates Kyle Pitts and Charlie Woerner in the team's tight-end pecking order.

From RotoBaller

Lorenzo Carter Mar 20 5:40pm CT
Lorenzo Carter

ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reports that the Tennessee Titans have signed veteran edge rusher Lorenzo Carter to an undisclosed contract. The 29-year-old spent the last three seasons with Atlanta after being selected by the New York Giants in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Carter played 13 games with the Falcons in 2024 and registered the team's third-most snaps off the edge. However, he failed to record a sack for the first time in his career. He'll join a Titans' defense that allowed the third-fewest yards per game in the league (311.2) but the third-most points per game (27.1). Tennessee is a gritty team, and the veteran should be a boost as a rotational piece for the organization. Still, he won't be a factor for fantasy.

From RotoBaller

Stefon Diggs Mar 20 5:00pm CT
Stefon Diggs

The New England Patriots' visit with free-agent wide receiver Stefon Diggs (knee) didn't end with a deal this week, but both sides intend to stay in contact, a source tells FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz. This meeting between the two sides was more of a "get to know you" and "where you're at medically" type of meeting after Diggs tore his ACL while playing for the Houston Texans in 2024. The Patriots have a big need at receiver with Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas and Kendrick Bourne currently their top three wideouts, so Diggs would make a lot of sense, even though he won't be guaranteed to be ready for Week 1 of the 2025 season. The 31-year-old four-time Pro Bowler broke a streak of six straight 1,000-yard seasons last year because of his injury. Diggs might lose a step when he returns, but he'd still be the unquestioned No. 1 for second-year QB Drake Maye if the two sides eventually work something out.

From RotoBaller

Jerome Baker Mar 20 4:50pm CT
Jerome Baker

Veteran free-agent linebacker Jerome Baker has visited with the Cleveland Browns. Baker remains on the open market after splitting time between the Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans in 2024. He only appeared in 10 games (eight starts) between both teams and had a career-low 61 tackles (34 solo), two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. The 28-year-old played in five games with Seattle before he was traded to the Titans to close out the year. Baker was originally a third-round selection (73rd overall) by the Miami Dolphins in 2018 out of Ohio State. With seven years of NFL experience with three different teams, he should eventually latch on with another squad, but Baker might have to compete for a backup role in his new digs. Baker has 648 career tackles (416 solo), 24.5 sacks, 33 tackles for loss, 49 QB hits, five interceptions (two returned for TDs), 25 pass breakups, seven forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 104 games (90 starts).

From RotoBaller