2026 TEAM PREVIEW: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Changes:
Offense
Josh McDaniels commences his second season in his second tenure with the New England Patriots.
Defense:
Head Coach Mike Vrabel remains with the organization as he navigates one of the more unusual offseason narratives this year. Zak Kuhr has been elevated to defensive coordinator following his management of defensive plays for a significant portion of the 2025 season, subsequent to the cancer diagnosis of former defensive coordinator Terrell Williams.
Personnel Changes:
The organization acquired wide receiver A.J. Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a first-round pick in 2028 and a fifth-round pick in 2027. Additionally, the Patriots signed wide receiver Romeo Doubs, safety Kevin Byard, offensive guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones, fullback Reggie Gilliam, safety Mike Brown, cornerback Kindle Vildor, and linebacker K.J. Britt.
In the recent draft, the team selected offensive tackle Caleb Lomu in the first round, linebacker Gabe Jacas in the second round, and tight end Eli Raridon in the third round. The organization released wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Departures via free agency included defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga, tight end Austin Hooper, offensive tackle Vederian Lowe, running back Antonio Gibson, linebackers Jahlani Tavai and Anfernee Jennings, cornerbacks Alex Austin and K’Lavon Chaisson, and safety Jaylinn Hawkins.
Schedule:
Divisional Games (6):
Buffalo Bills (twice), Miami Dolphins (twice), New York Jets (twice).
AFC West (4)
Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos, at Kansas City Chiefs, at Los Angeles Chargers.
NFC North (4)
Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, at Chicago Bears, at Minnesota Vikings.
Additionally, the team will face the Pittsburgh Steelers, and compete against the Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars on the road.
Quarterback Drake Maye is entering his third professional season and his second year under the guidance of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. This is particularly significant due to the unique aspects of McDaniels’ offensive scheme, which heavily emphasizes reading concepts and options. He consistently seeks to create mismatches through formations, plays, and structural designs, placing trust in the quarterback’s ability to assess developments swiftly and execute timely throws. Following substantial progress in Maye’s understanding of the game during his second season, further advancement is anticipated in 2026. The team also bolstered its skill position roster by departing from veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs while acquiring both Romeo Doubs and A.J. Brown. There is potential to surpass the 26.5 points per game achieved in 2025 (ranking eighth), potentially propelling the offense into the top five in the forthcoming season.
The running back duo of Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson is expected to deliver consistent production, combining reliable short-yardage execution (Stevenson) with explosive play-making ability (Henderson). Both athletes are also adept pass-catchers, providing McDaniels with the flexibility to target multiple areas of the field. Furthermore, the New England secondary ranks among the most skilled units in the AFC, bolstered by the addition of Kevin Byard in 2026 and Carlton Davis in 2025.
There are significant concerns regarding the performance of the New England offensive line, particularly concerning the abilities of the soon-to-be second-year left tackle, Will Campbell. Campbell entered the league with considerable potential; however, concerns regarding his length became apparent during the playoffs, where he permitted four sacks at an alarming pressure rate of nearly 12 percent. These uncertainties were compounded by the selection of left tackle Caleb Lomu in the first round of the draft. The organization appears to prefer Lomu’s development at right tackle as a future solution, particularly after veteran Morgan Moses retires. Nevertheless, Campbell’s on-field performance may compel the franchise to reconsider its strategy. Despite these challenges, the acquisition of Alijah Vera-Tucker allows Jared Wilson to revert to his natural position at center, and the right side of the line remains robust, featuring Mike Onwenu and Morgan Moses.
It will be interesting to see how McDaniels chooses to deploy his new weapons. A.J. Brown is the easy one, but how will he integrate Romeo Doubs into an offense that sees Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, and DeMario Douglas return? Doubs has seen modest slot snap rates the previous three seasons while in Green Bay (13-18 percent) and the only holdover to rarely see the slot was Boutte (9.9 percent slot snap rate) last season. Brown also rarely played in the slot with the Eagles and the team clearly values Hollins’ well-rounded skillset. Considering all those moving pieces and the types of players they currently have on the roster, I would expect Brown and Doubs to lead the team in route participation while primarily playing on the perimeter, with Hollins largely reserved for package snaps, Boutte the primary “backup perimeter” receiver, and Pop Douglas and the tight ends largely handling slot duties. McDaniels’ offense makes it difficult to place these players into a descriptive box like that, but I believe that’s what we’ll see in the data at the end of the season. Either way, this offense clearly gets a substantial boost as Brown and Doubs represent significant improvements to the pass catching corps from a season ago.
That leaves plenty of room for Brown to return a top-five wide receiver season if touchdown variance cooperates and it’ll be interesting to see how the team’s red zone tendencies change now that they have a legitimate red zone threat. Mike Clay currently has Brown projected for a solid 86/1,215/7 receiving line, and there is room in that projection for further upside should he crack double digits in the scoring column. Furthermore, his spike week potential remains elite considering the potential for the Patriots to be a top-five offense. No problems with Brown in Best Ball drafts, even into the end of the first round.
Doubs has also proven to be a legitimate red zone option in his own right but he remains a long shot to pierce 750-800 receiving yards. That still leaves him with plenty of value at current ADP, and I am most interested in Doubs when paired with Maye as opposed to a later-dart-one-off-type pick.
Rhamondre Stevenson has proven that he can be a reliable weapon in this offense, and I think the general fantasy community continues to over-hype second-year running back TreVeyon Henderson. Both backs could flirt with borderline RB2/3 numbers by the end of the season, making me much more likely to click Stevenson’s name at ADP. The backfield depth behind those two is almost nonexistent, meaning we should be clicking both of their names in drafts for the event that one of them misses time as this backfield would almost certainly devolve into a borderline workhorse unit in either’s absence.
Finally, Hunter Henry should be a target at current ADP due to his significant red zone role for a potential top-five offense.
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2026 NEW YORK JETS TEAM PREVIEW
Changes
Offense: Out is former OC Tanner Engstrand and in comes Frank Reich, giving the Jets one of the bigger offensive scheme changes in the league heading into 2026.
Defense: HC Aaron Glenn was retained for his second season with the Jets. Former Dolphins passing game coordinator Brian Duker joins the Jets as their new defensive coordinator. Glenn confirmed he will call defensive plays in 2026 after former DC Steve Wilks did so a season ago.
Personnel Changes
The Jets were busy in free agency this offseason, signing EDGE/OLB Joseph Ossai, LB Demario Davis, DT David Onyemata, OG Dylan Parham, DB Kinsley Enagbare, S Dane Belton, WR Tim Patrick, and CB Nahshon Wright.
Acquired DT T’Vondre Sweat from the Titans in exchange for DE Jermaine Johnson, S Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Dolphins in exchange for a seventh-round pick, and QB Geno Smith from the Raiders for a late-round pick swap.
Drafted TE Kenyon Sadiq, WR Omar Cooper Jr, and EDGE/OLB David Bailey in the first and CB D’Angelo Ponds in the second. All four should be key starters for the Jets this season. Selected QB Cade Klubnik in the fourth.
Saw OG Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG John Simpson, LB Quincey Williams, and K Nick Folk depart in free agency. WR Josh Reynolds and RB Khalil Herbert also failed to re-sign with the Jets.
Schedule
Divisional Games (6)::
Patriots x 2, Bills x 2, Dolphins x 2
AFC West (4)::
Raiders, Broncos, @Chiefs, @Chargers
NFC North (4)::
Packers, Vikings, @Lions, @Bears
Browns, Broncos, @Titans
I’m going to be completely honest here – I struggle to find any argument for a bull case with the Jets in 2026. Only the Cardinals and Dolphins are projected for fewer wins (4.5) than the Jets (5.5) after the team registered only three wins a season ago, their answers at quarterback were aging veteran Geno Smith and fourth-round rookie Cade Klubnik, and much of their efforts this offseason were directed towards the defensive side of the ball. I’ll spend the rest of this team’s exploration expanding on that sentiment.
As is so normally the case in these team explorations, things truly start with the offensive line for the Jets. The addition of Dylan Parham gives the Jets five starters that played over 1,000 snaps a season ago, with each player playing a full 17-game season. That said, the team ranked just 28th in adjusted line yards and 30th in pressure rate allowed in 2025 and require significant improvements to play the style of football their coaching staff likely wants to play in the new season. Furthermore, their depth along the offensive line is entirely lacking, ripe with former, and current, late-round selections. Things can certainly turn south in a hurry for this unit if one or two key players gets bitten by injury variance.
The New York defense appears much improved on paper after a busy offseason and this team should continue to derive its identity from that side of the ball considering the retention of head coach Aaron Glenn. Which is to say, we shouldn’t expect this offense to be fully pushing games throughout the season. On top of that, the elite concentration that we’ve grown accustomed to from the Jets in recent years could be subject to a bit of smoothing after the additions of Omar Cooper and Kenyon Sadiq.
The Jets enter 2026 with eight to nine projected new starters on the defensive side of the ball, a bridge quarterback in his second stint with the franchise in Geno Smith, and two new primary skill position players in wide receiver Omar Cooper and tight end Kenyon Sadiq. Not that those moves are bad, but that is a lot of turnover for a franchise that has not reached the postseason since 2010 (the longest active playoff drought in the league). I don’t think I’ll get much push back by saying this team is likely to start off slow, particularly with a gauntlet of NFC North teams (Packers, Lions, and Bears) on their schedule in the first month of the season. The “defense first” identity of the Jets should continue into 2026 considering their offseason personnel moves and the decision to retain Glenn, something that is likely to lead to a situation where the Jets are not the ones pushing games.
It’s hard to completely argue against Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall at current ADP, but I am currently taking an underweight stance on both. The current state of this team, mixed with the potential for volume smoothing after the offseason additions, leaves me less than excited on both. I completely expect Hall to finish at or above his current RB14 valuation, but I fully question the spike week potential and we’re paying a third-round cost for his services. Wilson is a bit more palatable at a current WR18 and No. 40 overall valuation (although that number is far higher at No. 35 overall on Drafters, currently). Even then, Wilson has nine career 100-yard performances in 58 games, which would put him in line for an expectation of 2.6 100-yard games in 2026; except the elite volume we’ve seen throughout his career could take a slight hit. Again, I don’t doubt he’ll finish right around his WR18 valuation over the course of the entire season (or his WR16 projections), but I fully question the spike week potential in this weekly game we play.
Both Cooper and Sadiq are “fine, I guess” at current valuation but neither does enough for me to fully target overweight stances. Geno Smith is a pipe dream, if we’re being completely honest with the expectations from this team. And that’s really it for the Jets in 2026 – we’re not targeting Adonai Mitchell or Mason Taylor in Best Ball this season.
In total, the Jets are an extremely interesting team to discuss regarding the theoretics of Best Ball and why per-week ranges of outcomes are so much more important than season-long projections or expectations. Sure, Wilson and Hall appear highly likely to finish somewhere around where they are being drafted as far as end of season stats versus current ADP, but the per-week upside is a tough sell. It isn’t wise to fully fade players of their caliber in playoff formats as they are always capable of hanging crooked numbers – both players should put up two to three spike weeks in 2026, at minimum, and if it happens when it matters most to playoff formats (in the playoffs), they could become a player you need this season. That said, I don’t know if I’ll have much of either, if any, in cumulative scoring formats.
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2026 NFL TEAM PREVIEW: BALTIMORE RAVENS
Changes:
Longtime HC John Harbaugh was let go following another disappointing end to their season, failing to make the playoffs after a loss to the Steelers in a winner-take-all, Week 18 game. It was the first time they missed the playoffs since 2021, and only the second time since Lamar Jackson entered the league in 2018.
Offense: Also new to the franchise is OC Declan Doyle. Doyle served as the OC for the Bears in 2025, making him the youngest OC in the league at that time (28). That said, it was HC Ben Johnson that called the offense, making this Doyle’s first opportunity to call an offense.
Defense: Former Chargers DC Jesse Minter was hired as the new HC in Baltimore, joined by former Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver as the new DC. Weaver coached with the Ravens from 2021 to 2023. Minter announced in his introductory press conference that he will be calling defensive plays in 2026.
Personnel Changes:
The Ravens were involved in the biggest story of the offseason with the handling of the trade with the Raiders. Star DE Maxx Crosby was on his way to the Ravens before they backed out with the classic “failed physical” excuse. More interesting was the fact that they hastily swooped in and signed FA OLB Trey Hendrickson, the timing of which raised some serious questions around the league. The fallout is easy to digest—Hendrickson is a Raven.
The biggest offseason departures for the Ravens were C Tyler Linderbaum, EDGE Dre’mont Jones, TE Isaiah Likely, TE Charlie Kolar, EDGE Odafe Oweh, S Alohi Gilman, and FB Patrick Ricard.
OG John Simpson was the most impactful free agent brought in. Others include C Jovaughn Gwyn, C Danny Printer, TE Dyrham Smythe, and S Jaylinn Hawkins, none of whom is expected to immediately enter the starting lineup (save Hawkins, who should see the field regularly from three-safety formations).
The Ravens spent the No. 14 overall pick on OG Olaivavega Ioane, who should immediately start. EDGE Zion Young joined the franchise in the second while WR Ja’Kobi Lane was added in the third. WR Elijah Sarratt, TE Matthew Hibner, TE Josh Cuevas, CB Chandler Rivers, RB Adam Randall, P Ryan Eckley, DL Rayshaun Benny, and OG Evan Beerntsen rounded out their 11 picks in this year’s draft.
Schedule:
Divisional Games (6)::
Bengals x 2, Browns x 2, Steelers x 2
AFC South (4)::
Jaguars, Titans, @Texans, @Colts
NFC South (4)::
@Falcons, Saints, Buccaneers, @Panthers
Chargers, @Bills, @Cowboys
Todd Monken brought former OC Greg Roman’s offense into the 21st Century in his three seasons with the team, immediately making an impact, as evidenced by Lamar Jackson’s MVP season in 2023. Monken departed to take the HC position for the Browns, leaving the Ravens with a complete overhaul amongst their coaching ranks after the team decided to move on from the then-second-longest-tenured HC John Harbaugh. In comes the youngest OC in the league in Declan Doyle, who had his come-up coaching under Sean Payton and Ben Johnson, both of whom have long been considered two of the top offensive minds in the league. Their offense remains anchored by Jackson and RB Derrick Henry, creating one of the scarier backfield duos in the league for opposing defenses to prepare for. That, alone, keeps the bull case high for the Ravens heading into 2026, particularly from a fantasy perspective for those two key players.
The continued presence of one of the most dynamic defenders in the league in Kyle Hamilton gives the defense a solid outlook for 2026. On top of that, the introduction of Trey Hendrickson should help the defense create more pressure than the middling numbers they were able to generate in recent history, giving Minter solid athleticism to scheme around. It’s not often we see first-time head coaches and offensive coordinators make an immediate impact for new teams, but this is a storied franchise with elite talent on both sides of the ball, playing in a division where three of four teams have completely new coaching ranks (only the Bengals have coaching continuity). The Ravens should once again challenge for the division come December and January.
The team saw 13 free agent departures, chose not to (as of this writing) re-sign six more players (including DE Kyle Van Noy, WR DeAndre Hopkins, and OT Joseph Noteboom), and have an entirely new coaching staff. That is a lot already working against them as they enter 2026. The team failed to add any impactful skill position players and 2026 will be the first season of Jackson’s career without FB Patrick Ricard. TE Mark Andrews turns 31 in September, Derrick Henry enters his age-33 season with 2,662 career carries at the NFL level on his frame, and the team’s top two wide receivers remain Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. The diminutive-but-speedy Flowers has not scored more than five touchdowns in any of his three seasons in the league, while Bateman has gone over a modest 32 receptions in just two of five professional seasons, scoring more than two touchdowns just once (his ridiculous nine touchdowns on 45 receptions in 2024 was a massive outlier). Furthermore, the team continues to have very little depth on the offensive side of the ball (which makes sense considering the monetary value attached to Jackson and Henry), something we have seen impact recent seasons.
There is a lot to be excited about in Baltimore considering the coaching changes, but this is still a team with an aging offense, very little depth on that side of the ball, and an entirely new coaching staff. We shouldn’t be surprised to see the Ravens win the division, but we also shouldn’t be surprised if a key injury or two, inefficiencies or inconsistencies in play calling, or a slow start has this team floundering in 2026. It feels like a cop out to say the Ravens carry an extremely wide range of outcomes heading into the new season, but that is the most accurate way of describing where this franchise is at. That said, this is still a team with a perennial MVP candidate at quarterback (who, in my eyes, should have won a second consecutive MVP in 2024 after completely surpassing all the metrics that won him the award the season prior), keeping the fantasy ceiling high for their primary contributors.
Aging TE Mark Andrews played only 37.1 offensive snaps per game in 2025, by far the lowest mark of his career. That said, the departure of both Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar could force Andrews back into a heavier emphasis in the offense. It remains unlikely that Andrews will sniff career-highs of 107 receptions and 11 touchdowns, but it could be a relative bounce back season for the veteran. Along the same lines, Derrick Henry played 23 percent fewer offensive snaps in 2025 (32.6 offensive snaps per game), as compared to 2024, his first season with the team. The general lack of depth on offense remains a legitimate concern for the Ravens, as an injury to Jackson, Henry, Andrews, Flowers, Bateman, or any of the five offensive linemen would be catastrophic. The team will also have two new interior offensive linemen in John Simpson and rookie first-rounder Olaivavega Ioane and lost FB Patrick Ricard in free agency.
Non-division games against the AFC South and NFC South could be a solid boost to their end-of-season win total, in addition to six games against a largely rebuilding division. Finally, the Ravens should remain a highly concentrated offense amongst their primary skill position players, and the weekly touchdown upside brought to the table through Jackson, Henry, and Andrews, alongside the per-target upside of Flowers, keeps the Best Ball upside palpable.
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WALTER NOLEN, OMARION HAMPTON, LUTHER BURDEN AMONG THE YEAR 2 PLAYERS POISED FOR A BREAKOUT
Some rookies take little time to adjust to the NFL, such as last season’s AP Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year, Tetairoa McMillan and Carson Schwesinger.
They were among several rookies that made major impacts in 2025, including Seattle’s versatile defender Nick Emmanwori, who helped elevate a defense that led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl title, top-10 pick tackles Armand Membou and Kelvin Banks, and pass catchers Tyler Warren and Emeka Ebuka.
But failing to become a star in year one doesn’t mean a draft pick was wasted.
Here’s a look at some players who showed promise as rookies in 2025 who now have a chance to break out and become stars in their second seasons in the NFL:
Arizona DT Walter Nolen
Nolen never really got started as a rookie, missing the start of the season with a calf injury and then getting shut down early with a knee injury. Nolen had flashes in his limited time in six games that showed why the Cardinals drafted him 16th overall. He had two sacks and 15 pressures in just 99 pass rush opportunities, according to Pro Football Focus, and also returned a fumble for a TD. If he can have close to that kind of production in more extensive time, he could quickly become one of the top pass rushing defensive tackles in the game.
Los Angeles Chargers RB Omarion Hampton
Hampton rushed for 545 yards in nine games behind an injury-riddled offensive line after being drafted 22nd overall. With tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater expected back from injuries and Hampton healthy after dealing with ankle injuries, he is position for a big season in new coordinator Mike McDaniel’s offense. McDaniel has a history of creating big plays for speedy players such as Hampton, who had 15 carries for at least 15 yards in limited action last season.
Chicago WR Luther Burden
Coach Ben Johnson said early in the offseason that he was “ buying Luther Burden stock.” There’s a good reason to do so. The second-round pick put up solid numbers as a rookie with 47 catches for 652 yards and two TDs in the regular season. But he had some big performances late in the season that showed he has the potential to do even more, highlighted by his eight catches for 138 yards and a TD in a Week 17 game against San Francisco. Burden averaged 2.69 yards per route run during the regular season, according to Pro Football Focus, ranking third in the league among wide receivers.
Dallas DE Donovan Ezeiruaku
After trading away Micah Parsons before the start of last season, the Cowboys were lacking on the defensive line. That put added pressure on Ezeiruaku to perform at a high level immediately as a second-round pick. He was strong against the run but had only two sacks and 36 pressures as a rookie, according to PFF. With better talent around him, with Quinnen Williams there all season on the inside and Rashan Gary and rookie Malachi Lawrence helping on the outside, Ezeiruaku is in position to be an even more effective pass rusher in year two.
San Francisco DB Upton Stout
The 49ers used their first picks last season on defense with much of the focus on big bodies on the defensive line. But the smallest player showed some of the most promise, with 5-foot-9 cornerback Upton Stout flashing as a third rounder. He excelled in the slot last season and could be in position to make even splashier plays with a year of experience under his belt after having four tackles for loss, two QB hits, five passes defensed, a forced fumble and a sack last season.
Kansas City CB Nohl Williams
The Chiefs traded Trent McDuffie and lost Jaylen Watson in free agency in the offseason and are planning to go young at cornerback with No. 6 pick Mansoor Delane and Williams, a third-rounder last season, as the potential starters. Williams played just less than half of the defensive snaps as a rookie but had a strong finish to the season in coverage in a sign of potential bigger things to come this season.
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RAVENS REACH CONTRACT EXTENSION WITH 2-TIME PRO BOWL RECEIVER ZAY FLOWERS
The Baltimore Ravens have agreed to a four-year, $140 million contract extension with two-time Pro Bowl receiver Zay Flowers, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the terms hadn’t been announced. The agreement, which includes $108 million guaranteed, is a sizable commitment to Flowers, who is coming off a season in which he caught 86 passes for 1,211 yards and five touchdowns. Baltimore drafted him in the first round in 2023, and the shifty 5-foot-9 receiver immediately became a factor with his quickness. He’s now posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons as a top target for quarterback Lamar Jackson.
“Great day for the Ravens. Shoutout to Zay Flowers,” Baltimore coach Jesse Minter said. “Nothing better as a coach than to see those guys get what they deserve. Really happy for Zay and excited for him. I can’t wait to see him thrive in our offense.”
The Ravens drafted a receiver in the first round three times from 2019 through 2023. They haven’t done it again since taking Flowers. He’s missed only one regular-season game in three seasons, although he was unavailable for the 2024 playoffs.
Flowers became the fastest player in Ravens history (21 games) to reach 100 receptions and the first Raven with multiple 1,000-yard seasons in the first three years of his career. He ranked 11th in the NFL in receptions in 2025 and seventh in yards receiving. That was despite an underwhelming, injury-plagued season from Jackson — and Baltimore’s willingness to run the ball with Derrick Henry.
Flowers was asked last week about his contract situation as he entered his fourth season.
“Honestly, I am just working right now. I am trying to get better. I leave that to my agents,” he said. “Right now, I am trying to learn this offense, get closer to my teammates and my coaches, and just keep getting right for the season.”
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FALCONS RUNNING BACK BIJAN ROBINSON IS LOCKED UP THROUGH 2030 AFTER AGREEING TO A 3-YEAR EXTENSION
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons have agreed to a three-year contract extension with running back Bijan Robinson through the 2030 season.
Robinson reposted the NFL’s Instagram post detailing the extension on Tuesday morning, writing “God this is for you! Blessings. Love this team and this city!”
According to Spotrac.com, the extension is worth up to $75 million, with $51 million guaranteed.
NFL Network and ESPN first reported the extension. Robinson’s agent, Nicole Lynn of Klutch Sports, posted on X on Tuesday morning “Anyone have a brinks truck?” while the Falcons posted a photo of a smiling Robinson.
The deal with Robinson continued the Falcons’ trend of locking up foundation players on their offense.
On Saturday, the Falcons announced signing left guard Matthew Bergeron to a four-year contract extension. The team gave new contracts to wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts in the offseason.
The new deal comes after Robinson spent the first week of training camp, including Monday’s first day in pads, as a spectator. He attended the practices but did not participate in an apparent contract “hold-in” as he seeks a new deal.
A panel of eight AP Pro Football Writers ranked Robinson the league’s top running back in a preseason poll.
Robinson led the NFL with 2,298 yards from scrimmage and scored 11 TDs last season.
Robinson has been the focus of Atlanta’s productive ground game since he was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. He flourished as a dual-threat back last season, finishing fourth in the league with 1,478 rushing yards while adding 820 receiving yards.
Steven Jackson in 2006 is the only other player ever with at least 1,400 rushing yards and 800 receiving yards in the same season.
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GIANTS’ ABDUL CARTER SETS THE GOAL OF BEING THE NFL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Abdul Carter is setting a lofty goal for himself.
“I want to be Defensive Player of the Year,” Carter said. And he absolutely thinks he can do so right away.
Carter goes into his second NFL season with the New York Giants having come a long way from the edge rusher selected with the third pick in the 2025 draft and who asked Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor to wear his No. 56 — and was denied. He has visibly evolved as a player and a person since struggling through the first two months as a rookie and getting disciplined twice for off-field team violations.
After finishing strong last year with 3 1/2 sacks in his final five games, Carter has been a disruptive force early in training camp and could soon be an every-down linebacker and a difference-maker in all situations.
“I know what I’m capable of,” Carter said last week at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. “I know if I put the work in and believe in myself, trusting myself, trust in my teammates, trust in my coaches, I can be whoever I want to be.”
Carter has shown flashes of brilliance in practice, working against established starting left tackle Andrew Thomas and often beating him to the backfield. Thomas notices Carter being better than this time last year.
“He’s using his power more, and you can tell he just has a better understanding for different types of blocks, different types of attacks, recognizing play schemes,” Thomas said, acknowledging Carter has exhibited growth all around. “He wants to be a good player, so when you have that drive, you just have to get it going in the right direction. You just learn as you go. He’s a young kid. He’s going to learn. He’s going to get even better.”
The learning happened in a very public way. Carter had just half a sack in his first 10 pro games, got benched from the first defensive series of his 11th by interim coach Mike Kafka, who then sat him again for the first quarter two weeks later.
Carter, who is 22 with his 23rd birthday coming up on Oct. 3, said at the time he owned his mistakes. Asked at this camp if he could tell his younger self anything, he brushed that off as not the way he thinks about life.
“I feel like everything happened the way it was supposed to,” Carter said. “I learned from it, moved on from it, so I’m ready to go into year two.”
What are the Giants getting from Carter in year two? Brian Burns, who’s coming off a career season in which he ranked second in the league with 16 1/2 sacks behind record-setter Myles Garrett, sees big things.
“He ended the year strong,” Burns said. “I expect him to break out, pick up where he left off.”
Carter intends to do that by leaning on the video, playbook study and practice habits he has developed. That approach fits in with what Burns and others have observed about Carter showing more maturity.
It doesn’t hurt that Carter also has a new coach in John Harbaugh, who brings Super Bowl-winning gravitas to the job and hired Dennard Wilson to be defensive coordinator. It’ll be up to Wilson to figure out the best ways to use Carter to unlock his potential, though that’s something Harbaugh already has a good idea of.
“Just a consistency level: down, after down, after down, all downs, all situations,” Harbaugh said. “Play the run, rush the passer, all the movements, stunts — things like that — (and) cover for guys on movements. All those things that he’s determined to do, I’ve heard him say it many times, to be a complete player.”
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RAVENS REACH CONTRACT EXTENSION WITH 2-TIME PRO BOWL RECEIVER ZAY FLOWERS
The Baltimore Ravens have agreed to a four-year, $140 million contract extension with two-time Pro Bowl receiver Zay Flowers, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the terms hadn’t been announced. The agreement, which includes $108 million guaranteed, is a sizable commitment to Flowers, who is coming off a season in which he caught 86 passes for 1,211 yards and five touchdowns. Baltimore drafted him in the first round in 2023, and the shifty 5-foot-9 receiver immediately became a factor with his quickness. He’s now posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons as a top target for quarterback Lamar Jackson.
“Great day for the Ravens. Shoutout to Zay Flowers,” Baltimore coach Jesse Minter said. “Nothing better as a coach than to see those guys get what they deserve. Really happy for Zay and excited for him. I can’t wait to see him thrive in our offense.”
The Ravens drafted a receiver in the first round three times from 2019 through 2023. They haven’t done it again since taking Flowers. He’s missed only one regular-season game in three seasons, although he was unavailable for the 2024 playoffs.
Flowers became the fastest player in Ravens history (21 games) to reach 100 receptions and the first Raven with multiple 1,000-yard seasons in the first three years of his career. He ranked 11th in the NFL in receptions in 2025 and seventh in yards receiving. That was despite an underwhelming, injury-plagued season from Jackson — and Baltimore’s willingness to run the ball with Derrick Henry.
Flowers was asked last week about his contract situation as he entered his fourth season.
“Honestly, I am just working right now. I am trying to get better. I leave that to my agents,” he said. “Right now, I am trying to learn this offense, get closer to my teammates and my coaches, and just keep getting right for the season.”
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JETS ROOKIE TIGHT END KENYON SADIQ HAS A SETBACK IN RETURN FROM HERNIA SURGERY, OUT ‘A LITTLE BIT’
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — New York Jets rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq will be sidelined “a little bit” after coach Aaron Glenn said the first-round pick had a setback in his recovery from offseason hernia surgery.
Sadiq, the No. 16 overall selection out of Oregon in April, had the injury while in college and he and the team opted to have the procedure done during the offseason. Glenn said Sadiq, who was on what the coach called “a maintenance program,” practiced the first three days of training camp, but didn’t participate Monday or Tuesday.
“He had a little setback as we watched his exams,” Glenn said. “So he’ll be out a little bit. I can’t tell you exactly how long right now, but I will let you know that at some point. But I’m just expecting him to be out for a little bit. But he’s working his way back.”
Glenn said he was “very confident” Sadiq would be healthy in time to play in the regular-season opener at Tennessee on Sept. 13.
“I’m not real worried, but the thing is I want to make sure that I make the right decision,” Glenn said. “I want make sure I take care of him so he can be ready for the regular season.”
Sadiq was the second of the Jets’ three first-round picks this year and is expected to have a big role in Frank Reich’s offense as a pass-catching threat for quarterback Geno Smith. The 6-foot-3, 241-pound Sadiq set an Oregon record last season for tight ends with 51 receptions — while dealing with the hernia.
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DEVIN WHITE PUSHING FOR STARTING ROLE WITH LIONS AFTER RECORD-SETTING SEASON WITH RAIDERS
ALLEN PARK, MI (AP) — Devin White finished last season as the NFL’s third-leading tackler. He’s still no lock for a starting job with his new team.
The 28-year-old White had a career-high 174 tackles — a franchise record — for the Las Vegas Raiders last season. A free agency after the season, he was still available until the Detroit Lions, in need of depth at linebacker, signed him to a one-year contract on Saturday.
“It’s a great opportunity and I don’t want to let it pass me by,” White said after Tuesday’s practice.
With Jack Campbell, who signed a 4-year, $81 million contract extension this offseason, entrenched at middle linebacker, White will look to push for a starting job at one of the outside spots. Derrick Barnes started all 17 games last season, but White could compete with Malcolm Rodriguez for the weakside job.
Rodriguez suffered a torn ACL in November 2024 and was limited to seven games last season. Rodriguez left Tuesday’s practice early with an ankle injury. Rookie linebacker Jimmy Rolder, a fourth-round pick, is expected to miss several more weeks with a hamstring injury.
White says he’s ready for whatever role the team has in store for him.
“They control all the depth chart things and whenever it’s handed to me to go in, I just run in there as fast as I can so (the coaches) won’t put somebody else in,” he said. “That’s all I’m trying to do. I just feel if I keep doing that and just stay humble, my role will increase and I’ll get better and better within the defense to help these guys make plays.”
The fifth overall pick of the 2019 draft, White spent his first five seasons with Tampa Bay. He signed with Philadelphia in March 2024, but never played a snap for the Eagles before he was released. He then hooked on with Houston and had a limited role with the Texans.
The Raiders took a flier on him last offseason and White set the franchise record for most tackles in a single season. However, his deficiencies in pass coverage made him expendable.
The only guarantee he’ll get with the Lions is a chance to earn a regular role.
“It’s all about competition,” defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said. “We have the chance to acquire somebody that we feel like can come in, whether that’s push to start or push guys in the room to make them better. ”
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JAGUARS OL TRYSTAN COLON RETIRES AT AGE 28
The Jacksonville Jaguars placed veteran offensive lineman Trystan Colon on the reserve/retired list on Tuesday, marking his retirement after six NFL seasons.
Colon, 28, signed a one-year contract with the Jaguars in early June before the start of minicamp.
He played in 12 games at center with four starts last season for the Detroit Lions. He participated in 24% of the offensive snaps (183) and 19% of special teams snaps (66).
Formerly known as Colon-Castillo, he played in a total of 63 games with 19 starts for the Baltimore Ravens (2020-22), Arizona Cardinals (2023-24) and Lions. He played all three interior line positions.
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REPORT: TE ZACH ERTZ (TORN ACL) CLEARED FOR FOOTBALL ACTIVITIES
Free agent tight end Zach Ertz has officially been cleared for all football activities following a torn ACL last season, ESPN reported on Tuesday night.
A three-time Pro Bowl selection, the 35-year-old Ertz intends to play this season, which would be his 14th. ESPN reported that he was catching footballs thrown by his former college quarterback, Andrew Luck, on Tuesday at Stanford University in California.
Ertz injured his right knee during the Washington Commanders’ 31-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 7, 2025.
He posted 50 receptions for 504 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games (all starts) last season while playing on a one-year contract with the Commanders.
Ertz won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles following the 2017 season. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
His 825 career receptions are fifth all-time among tight ends, while his 8,592 yards rank eighth at the position.
Ertz has 57 touchdowns in 181 regular-season games (143 starts) with the Eagles (2013-21), Arizona Cardinals (2021-23) and Commanders (2024-25).
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COWBOYS TE PRINCETON FANT OUT FOR YEAR WITH TORN ACL
Dallas Cowboys tight end Princeton Fant suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and will miss the season.
Fant had to be carted off the practice field on Monday after he was blocked backward into a teammate. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer confirmed the diagnosis Tuesday and said the tight end would have surgery within the next couple of weeks.
Fant, 27, was entering his fourth NFL season, all with the Cowboys. He has taken only 14 offensive snaps in his pro career, none last year, but he has contributed on special teams.
Fant spent most of last season on the practice squad, appearing in one game and making one tackle.
Dallas has Jake Ferguson as its projected No. 1 tight end and Luke Schoonmaker, Brevyn Spann-Ford and undrafted rookie Michael Trigg behind him on the depth chart.
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BEARS, RT DARNELL WRIGHT AGREE ON DEAL WITH REPORTED $93M GUARANTEED
The Chicago Bears and right tackle Darnell Wright reached an agreement on a four-year contract extension on Tuesday.
Financial terms were not confirmed, but multiple reports said it was worth $116 million and included $93 million guaranteed — the most guaranteed money for an offensive lineman in league history, according to ESPN and Spotrac.
Wright’s $29 million average annual value trails only Laremy Tunsil’s $30.1 million yearly average as part of his March extension with the Washington Commanders, per ESPN and Spotrac.
Wright, 24, was the first first-round pick made by Bears GM Ryan Poles in 2023.
Though the Bears had already picked up the fifth-year option ($19.07 million) on Wright in April to secure his presence in a Chicago uniform through the 2027 season, the team reportedly was keen to keep the 2025 second-team All-Pro long-term.
The No. 10 overall pick by the Bears in the 2023 draft, Wright has started all 49 NFL games he has played, including all 17 in his rookie season. He was a second-team All-Pro last season.
Chicago went 11-6 in the 2025 regular season, their most victories since winning 12 games in 2018. The Bears were eliminated from the playoffs in the divisional round in a 20-17 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
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FALCONS DE JALON WALKER CARTED OFF WITH LEG INJURY
Atlanta Falcons pass rusher Jalon Walker was carted off the field with a leg injury at training camp on Tuesday.
The 2025 first-round draft pick is feared to have torn his left ACL and will undergo an MRI exam, NFL Network reported.
Walker sustained the injury during a two-minute simulation in a non-padded, 11-on-11 practice.
Teammates took a knee and surrounded Walker as he was being treated, bringing an end to Tuesday’s session.
Walker, 22, had 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and 36 tackles in 15 games (nine starts) in 2025 after being selected with the 15th overall pick out of Georgia.
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CARDINALS STARTING ROOKIE QB CARSON BECK FOR HALL OF FAME GAME
The Arizona Cardinals will start rookie quarterback Carson Beck for Thursday’s preseason Hall of Fame Game against the Carolina Panthers in Canton, Ohio, head coach Mike LaFleur told reporters on Tuesday.
Beck, Arizona’s third-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft, was listed as the third-string QB on the team’s first depth chart of the season behind Jacoby Brissett, who got a reworked one-year contract worth a guaranteed $15.5 million late last month, and Gardner Minshew II.
Beck, 23, completed 69.5% of his passes for 11,725 yards, 88 touchdowns and 32 interceptions over five seasons at Georgia (2021-24) and Miami (2025).
The Panthers will start 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett for the preseason opener. Pickett is listed as Carolina’s backup behind Bryce Young and ahead of third-string rookie Haynes King.
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