NFL News Updates

Author: nfltalk

  • 4 teams snubbed from the NCAA men’s tournament (including Oklahoma!)

    4 teams snubbed from the NCAA men’s tournament (including Oklahoma!)

    It wasn’t a pretty start to conference play for Oklahoma, which lost nine straight games in SEC play to bring in the new year. Though the team recovered to win eight of its next 10 games before suffering a close loss to SEC tournament champion Arkansas in the quarterfinals, that early skid proved to be detrimental.

    The Sooners were one of the first four teams left out of the NCAA tournament field.

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    Regardless, with the NCAA No. 48 and KenPom No. 40 net rating, it’s hard to argue Oklahoma wouldn’t have been a tough out. Especially with all that late-season momentum and a senior scorer like Nijel Pack, who was averaging about 20 points over his last seven games. Below are the four biggest snubs from the tourney.

    1. Oklahoma

    Record: 19-15 (7-11 SEC)

    Key Wins: at 15 Vanderbilt, vs. Georgia, vs. Missouri, at Texas, vs. Texas A&M

    2. Cincinnati

    Record: 18-15 (9-9 Big 12)

    Key Wins: vs. 2 Iowa State, at 8 Kansas, vs. BYU, vs. UCF

    3. San Diego St.

    Record: 22-11 (14-6, Mountain West)

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    Key Wins: vs. Utah St, vs. New Mexico, vs. Nevada x2, vs. Oregon

    4. Florida State

    Record: 18-15 (10-8 ACC)

    Key Wins: at Miami, at Clemson, vs. SMU, vs. Cal

    This article originally appeared on For The Win: Oklahoma, San Diego State among biggest NCAA tournament snubs

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  • Browns FA: Grading the signing of Quincy Williams

    Browns FA: Grading the signing of Quincy Williams

    Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry had a decision to make with linebacker Devin Bush heading into free agency.

    Bush had spent the past two seasons with the Browns and was entering free agency after a 2025 season in which he posted a career-high 125 tackles and returned two of his three interceptions for touchdowns.

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    Berry had to weigh whether signing Bush to another deal was worth the gamble that the seven-year veteran would continue to play at that level, or return to the subpar play he had posted before coming to Cleveland.

    The Chicago Bears took the question off the table when they signed Bush to a three-year contract, leaving Berry to turn instead to veteran Quincy Williams, a former first-team All-Pro who had fallen out of favor with the New York Jets.

    Cleveland is banking on Williams regaining that form under defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg, who worked with Williams with the Jets and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

    With the first week of free agency in the books, let’s take a look at some opinions on the decision to sign Williams.

    Beacon Journal’s Chris Easterling: B

    The Browns named Mike Rutenberg their defensive coordinator in late February. In mid-March, they signed former 2023 All-Pro Williams, one of Rutenberg’s linebackers from their time together with the New York Jets. The Browns had just lost free-agent linebacker Devin Bush to a deal with the Chicago Bears, and it was a definite need for a defense mostly returning intact. Williams fills that void, while also providing Rutenberg with a valuable locker room ally.

    Pro Football Focus: Below Average

    Williams had a fantastic 2023 season, earning an 88.7 PFF coverage grade. But that is the only season of his career where he produced a 70.0-plus mark. He’s coming off a poor 35.2 PFF coverage grade and five touchdowns surrendered in coverage in 2025.

    The Sporting News: C+

    The deciding factor in this signing appears to be familiarity. Williams’ first linebacker coach in the NFL was…

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  • Projecting college football’s 10 scariest environments in 2026

    Projecting college football’s 10 scariest environments in 2026

    It’s hard to win on the road in college football, but there are a small number of stadiums that often provide frightening environments for the opposition every weekend, on top of having to thwart that team’s elite athletes.

    Looking over college football’s 2026 schedules, there are 10 games in which home crowds should be fired up to impact the game in a calculated frenzy. Kickoff time certainly helps, and many of those aren’t available just yet, but the opponent provides much of the punch and intrigue for those in attendance.

    Home-field advantage is real, and these programs will have it in 2026. Whether that results in a trip to the College Football Playoff will rely on execution — and wins.

    College football returning production 2026: Returning starters for every FBS team

    Cody Nagel

    The only stipulation within this scariest environments ranking is that we’re not including the same venue twice, despite some of these teams playing several elite opponents at home this season.

    10. Notre Dame Stadium (Miami at Notre Dame, Nov. 7)

    One of the most important games in the College Football Playoff race next season, this could theoretically pit No. 1 vs. No. 2 in a battle of unbeatens, the much-anticipated rematch of last year’s opener. The Hurricanes hold bragging rights and kept the Fighting Irish out of the CFP with their victory in 2025. Notre Dame fans rarely…

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  • Tua vs. Penix Jr.: Dissecting differences and predicting who will be Falcons’ QB1

    Tua vs. Penix Jr.: Dissecting differences and predicting who will be Falcons’ QB1

    After signing former Miami Dolphins starter Tua Tagovailoa to a free agent contract this week, the Atlanta Falcons will have him compete with incumbent starter Michael Penix Jr. throughout the offseason for the right to take the first snaps under center, with general manager Ian Cunningham stating that the team won’t name a starter at the moment.

    “We’re not in the business of really handing out starting positions in February, and in March, the same,” Cunningham said. “For Tua, coming in here, he knows he’s coming in to compete, just like Michael knows that he’s coming in to compete.”

    Tagovailoa is coming off arguably the worst season of his career, one in which he was benched down the stretch by the Miami Dolphins in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers. Penix, meanwhile, is coming off an up-and-down season during which he also suffered a partially torn ACL and missed the final month-and-a-half of the season. 

    With the competition ahead, we thought it would be a good idea to take a look at what each quarterback brings to the table, in both a positive and negative sense. Because while both quarterbacks are left-handed passers, they could arguably not be more different. 

    Tagovailoa’s strength is his accuracy. He has completed 68% of his career passes, and in 2024 he led the NFL with a 72.9% completion rate. What he lacks is arm strength, as he’s long been unable to push the ball down the field and instead relied on the Dolphins’ scheme and skill-position players to create a significant share of their yards after the catch.

    Should Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. start for Falcons? Proven model says Atlanta better with Tua

    Matt Severance

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  • USC Trojans land commitment from 5-star athlete Honor Fa’alave-Johnson

    USC Trojans land commitment from 5-star athlete Honor Fa’alave-Johnson

    After landing the No. 1 class in the 2026 recruiting cycle, Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans are once again off to another hot start.

    On Saturday they landed what could be a cornerstone piece to the 2027 class.

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    San Diego (CA) Cathedral Catholic five-star athlete Honor Fa’alave-Johnson announced his commitment to the Trojans choosing USC over LSU, Miami, Notre Dame, Oregon and Texas.

    According to 247Sports, Fa’alave-Johnson ranks as the No. 22 player in the country, the No. 1 athlete and the No. 2 player out of California.

    The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder earned MaxPreps Junior All-American honors as a two-way star for the Dons. On offense, he carried the ball 152 times for 1,532 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also hauled in 35 receptions for 564 yards and seven more touchdowns.

    On defense, he added 40 tackles, three interceptions, and a forced fumble.

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    USC Trojans football recruiting continues to flourish

    USC looks well on its way to another top 10 and potential top 5 class following Fa’alave-Johnson’s commitment.

    He becomes USC’s fifth commitment so far this cycle and the third pledge that ranks as a top 75 prospect in the cycle. The others include Centennial (CA) four-star wide receiver Quentin Hale and IMG Academy (FL) four-star cornerback Aaryn Washington.

    Riley and the Trojans are also hitting heavy on in-state recruits. Of the five pledges, four hail from the Golden State.

    This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: USC football gets another recruiting win, lands Honor Fa’alave-Johnson

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  • Texans sign guard Evan Brown to one-year contract

    Texans sign guard Evan Brown to one-year contract

    The Texans are adding another piece to their offensive line.

    Evan Brown, a guard who was cut by the Cardinals this week, has signed a one-year deal with the Texans, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

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    The much-maligned Texans offensive line also added free agent offensive tackle Braden Smith this week. Improving the line has been a top priority in Houston.

    The 29-year-old Brown started 28 games at guard in Arizona the last two seasons. He has also spent time with the Seahawks, Lions, Browns, Dolphins and Giants.

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  • NFL free agency: 10 contract takeaways from early 2026 offseason

    NFL free agency: 10 contract takeaways from early 2026 offseason

    NFL owners were operating like they had money to burn when teams could officially begin contacting agents for players with expiring contracts once the two-day negotiating window — a precursor to the start of free agency — opened Monday. Players collectively signed contracts worth $2.3 billion during the first eight hours of the negotiating period, per NFL.com.

    The pendulum has swung in the other direction with the first wave of free agency over. It’s no longer a seller’s market. Teams are exercising more fiscal restraint and beginning to sign players at much better value.

    The NFL’s annual owners meetings, scheduled for March 29-April 1 in Phoenix, typically signify the end of free agency for all practical purposes. Teams will devote most of their attention to the 2026 NFL Draft, which will be held April 23-25, after the meeting wraps up.

    Here are 10 contract-related thoughts and observations from free agency and the early part of the offseason.

    For more 2026 NFL free agency coverage:

    1. The Opera Ain’t Over Until The Fat Lady Sings

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  • Louisiana Tech football schedule: Why Bulldogs are on both Sun Belt, Conference USA slates

    Louisiana Tech football schedule: Why Bulldogs are on both Sun Belt, Conference USA slates

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    In the latest odd twist of the modern college football era, Louisiana Tech finds itself on two separate 2026 conference schedules — and, if you look at the math, on course for an impossible 20‑game (!!) regular season. The Bulldogs appeared on the Conference USA slate released late Thursday night and then the Sun Belt Conference schedule that followed on Friday afternoon.

    So how did this happen?

    The answer lies in a legal tug-of-war over Louisiana Tech’s conference future. The Bulldogs announced in July 2025 that they intended to leave C-USA — where they’ve been a member since 2013 — and join the Sun Belt. The invitation from the Sun Belt said the move would occur “no later than July 1, 2027,” leaving open the possibility of an earlier transition. Louisiana Tech pushed for that, hoping to compete in the Sun Belt for the 2026 season.

    C-USA disagreed. The league’s bylaws require at least 14 months’ notice before a school can leave. Without a negotiated settlement, C-USA maintained that Louisiana Tech remained a member for 2026.

    On March 4, Louisiana Tech filed a lawsuit against C-USA seeking an injunction to allow the school to join the Sun Belt in 2026. The filing challenges the conference’s interpretation of its departure rules and the inclusion of Louisiana Tech on the 2026 C‑USA schedule while the dispute is ongoing. A judge declined to issue an immediate restraining order and set a hearing for March 19.

    That leaves Louisiana Tech listed on both conference schedules for now. If you combine both conference schedules, it would create a 20-game regular season,…

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