NFL News Updates

Author: nfltalk

  • Georgia WR Nitro Tuggle driving 107 MPH before arrest, police say

    Georgia WR Nitro Tuggle driving 107 MPH before arrest, police say

    Kirby Smart on inexperienced roster: ‘We have a long way to go’

    Kirby Smart says Georgia is a work in progress, with a young, inexperienced roster struggling with fatigue.

    Georgia football receiver Nitro Tuggle was driving 107 miles per hour when the Athens-Clarke County (Georgia) police pulled him over and arrested him on March 19.

    According to a police incident report obtained Wednesday by the Athens Banner-Herald, part of the USA TODAY Network, Tuggle was driving his 2021 Dodge Charger in the inside lane of Georgia State Route 10 Loop outside Athens with other motorists on the road. His girlfriend was also in the car with him.

    REQUIRED READING: Left for dead, California and Stanford may finally be serious about football

    The report added that Tuggle was going 42 miles over the speed limit and when asked to pull over, Tuggle “nearly exited without placing the vehicle in park.”

    “I instructed Tuggle to exit the vehicle, at which point he nearly exited without placing the vehicle in park,” the report said. “Due to his reckless disregard for the safety of others – including himself, his passenger, other motorists, and myself – by operating the vehicle at a speed 42 mph over the limit and exceeding triple-digit speeds, I placed him under arrest.”

    He was charged with misdemeanor speeding and reckless driving.

    Tuggle was suspended indefinitely from team activities last Friday. According to 247 Sports Composite Rankings, the rising sophomore was the 102nd-ranked prospect in the country in the 2024 recruiting class. He caught three passes for 34 yards last season.

    Offensive lineman Marques Easley was also suspended from team activities on Friday. The sophomore from Peoria, Illinois, was arrested for reckless driving and reckless conduct after crashing his Dodge Challenger into a power distribution box in Oconee County on March…

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  • Vikings decline to close the door on Aaron Rodgers, but they won’t promise him a starting job, either

    Vikings decline to close the door on Aaron Rodgers, but they won’t promise him a starting job, either

    Finally, there’s some subtext about what transpired between free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Minnesota Vikings. And it lends an outline to what’s unfolding right now — from Rodgers remaining in a holding pattern to the Pittsburgh Steelers staying patient in their pursuit of his services.

    Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah met with the media on Wednesday, offering the most expansive public view to date about what has transpired between the team and Rodgers over the last few weeks. It was a session that was hopeful in the best-laid plans for 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy, noncommittal about definitively eliminating Rodgers from the future, and also clear when you analyze what’s going on between the lines. Which is something like this: As much as the Vikings are intrigued about adding Rodgers’ talent and experience to the fold, they won’t do it to the detriment of their plan for McCarthy being the team’s 2025 starter. And unless something changes that equation — like a McCarthy injury or some kind of catastrophic struggles in the coming months — the Vikings and Rodgers will be heading in different directions.

    Adofo-Mensah didn’t put it into those precise terms, of course. As most NFL general managers do, he leaned into language that kept as many avenues as possible open. But the message was clear: Minnesota wants to go through the paces this offseason to move forward with McCarthy. And that’s just something that can’t be done with Rodgers on the roster … especially given the reality that he wants to be an NFL starter if he plays in 2025.

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    “Right now, given all our scenario planning, we’re happy with our room,” Adofo-Mensah told reporters Wednesday.

    “For me to sit here and say that, you know, anything is 100 percent forever — that’s just not the job, right? We’re responding to scenarios and different information as it comes. Obviously things can change but right now we’re really happy with…

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  • New Giants QB Russell Wilson expects to be starter: ‘This team is really looking for someone to lead them’

    New Giants QB Russell Wilson expects to be starter: ‘This team is really looking for someone to lead them’

    Getty Images

    When the New York Giants agreed to sign veteran quarterback Jameis Winston on a two-year deal last week, many assumed that meant he would be New York’s veteran, bridge starting quarterback. 

    The team’s signing of Russell Wilson on Tuesday sunk the notion that Winston will be the Giants’ starting quarterback. The 36-year-old, 10-time Pro Bowl signal-caller confirmed Wednesday that he was promised that role after signing his one-year contract with $10.5 million guaranteed that is worth up to $21 million, per ESPN. 

    “I expect to be the starter and come in here and be ready to rock and roll every day,” Wilson said, via SportsNet New York at his introductory press conference on Wednesday. “To be able to lead, I think this team is really looking for someone to lead them in every way in terms of the process, in the offseason, during the season, our habits, our thought process and how we create a great, winning culture. How to continually establish that, to really build on the things we do well and the things that we continue to need to do. So, I think the big part for me is man, just try to — this is going to be my 14th year — lead an amazing group of men that really have big hopes and goals and dreams and desires. We all have to share the same goal, so I think the best part about it is I get to be around a lot extremely, extremely talented guys.” 

    Wilson enters 2025 on his third team in the last three seasons after being a Denver Bronco (2022-2023) and a Pittsburgh Steeler (2024) of late. He got off to a strong start with Pittsburgh last season before fading down the stretch. 

    W-L

    6-1

    0-5

    Completion percentage

    64.8%

    63.2%

    Passing yards per game

    254.9

    193.6

    Pass yards/attempt

    8.4

    6.4

    Total TD-TO ratio

    13-5

    7-4

    Passer…

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  • Alabama football recruiting: Five-star Jorden Edmonds commits as Crimson Tide land No. 1 CB in 2026 class

    Alabama football recruiting: Five-star Jorden Edmonds commits as Crimson Tide land No. 1 CB in 2026 class

    247Sports

    Alabama got a commitment from the nation’s top cornerback as five-star Jorden Edmonds pledged to the Tide on Wednesday. The Class of 2026 prospect out of Sprayberry High School in Marietta, Georgia, picked Alabama over interest from Georgia and Tennessee. 

    Listed at 6-foot-3 and 175 pounds, Edmonds has the size and length to be a major contributor at the college level. He ranks as the No. 10 overall player in the Top247 rankings, No. 2 player in Georgia and best cornerback in the class. 

    “Smooth mover who can flip his hips with ease in coverage, experienced playing a variety of different coverage schemes but excels in off-man coverage,” 247Sports national analyst Hudson Standish wrote. “Should be viewed as a traits-heavy boundary cornerback with the potential to shut down an entire side of the field for a College Football Playoff contender and blossom into an early round NFL Draft selection.” 

    ‘HE LOVES IT AT ALABAMA’: Mother of No. 1 CB in the country talks son’s comfort in Tuscaloosa

    NATIONAL ANALYSIS: Alabama adding ‘one of the most athletic DBs’ to secondary with No. 1 CB Jorden Edmonds

    The addition is significant for Alabama as Edmonds immediately becomes the crown jewel of the recruiting class. He is only the fourth commitment in 2026, and joins athlete Zyan Gibson (No. 65) as recruits in the Top247 rankings. Alabama has recruited the defensive back position exceptionally well over the years, including four five-star signees in the past two recruiting classes. 

    Edmonds is the son of former West Virginia linebacker Chris Edmonds, who…

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  • Patriots signing Stefon Diggs was a smart move for three reasons – NBC Sports Boston

    Patriots signing Stefon Diggs was a smart move for three reasons – NBC Sports Boston

    The Patriots took some big swings at wide receiver earlier this offseason and came up empty. On Tuesday, they hit, coming to an agreement with free-agent wideout Stefon Diggs, per a league source.

    The 31-year-old is coming off a torn ACL he suffered back in October, but Diggs was still able to pull in a deal that ESPN says will pay him $26 million guaranteed — a significant sum for someone that age and coming off that particular injury.

    The dollar figure came as a surprise to some in the league, with one AFC executive saying it was “(more) than everyone thought” Diggs would get this offseason. But that amount speaks to how badly the Patriots wanted to add talent to their receiver room.

    They’d made some splash signings on the defensive side of the ball — highlighted by defensive tackle Milton Williams — but the offense in New England had glaring holes to fill through the initial stages of free agency, particularly at receiver.

    The Diggs deal doesn’t solve all of head coach Mike Vrabel’s roster-building issues. The former Vikings, Bills and Texans receiver is more of a No. 2 option at this stage, but because the Patriots don’t have a No. 1, he looks like their de facto top dog. And no matter who they have at receiver, they’re going to have to find answers at left guard and left tackle along their offensive line.

    But their most recent addition, when healthy, certainly qualifies as help for second-year quarterback Drake Maye.

    Here are three reasons why the Diggs signing is a wise one for the Patriots…

    1. Easy upgrade for Drake Maye

    The Patriots couldn’t coax Chris Godwin to New England despite offering him a much more lucrative deal than the one he got from the Buccaneers. 

    They took a run at DK Metcalf but never made the Seahawks a trade offer because they understood he wasn’t going to sign a long-term deal with them.

    They were able to sign Mack Hollins in free agency as a veteran presence for their receiver room. But in…

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  • Penn State’s James Franklin weighs in on impact of House vs. NCAA case

    Penn State’s James Franklin weighs in on impact of House vs. NCAA case

    College football began a new era during the 2024-25 season with the expanded 12-team playoff.

    The changes to the sport – and to college athletics as a whole – are expected to be far greater this coming year.

    A federal judge is expected to give final approval on April 7 to the House vs. NCAA settlement, which includes back pay, revenue sharing and roster changes starting with the 2025-26 academic year.

    “This is a challenge all over the country,” Penn State football coach James Franklin said Tuesday. “A lot of coaches are talking about this. A lot of ADs (athletic directors) are talking about this. A lot of (conference) commissioners are talking about this.

    “You’re having to make decisions and you’re having to move forward before you have all of the information and guidelines. Decisions are still being made today. It’s very, very challenging.”

    The NCAA and the plaintiffs, two former Division I athletes, reached a settlement last year that requires the NCAA to pay nearly $2.8 billion to former Division I athletes for lost NIL opportunities.

    It allows schools to share a portion of their revenue with athletes, potentially up to $20.5 million in the 2025-26 academic year.

    Under the settlement, the NCAA will impose new roster limits for teams, which will replace scholarship limits. In football, 105 players will be allowed on a roster, including walk-ons, beginning in the fall.

    Franklin already has discussed the new roster limit with Penn State players. The team had 120 players listed on its roster Tuesday, not including six members of its 2025 recruiting class who are expected to enroll in May or June.

    “It’s going to be different,” he said. “We lost16 guys (to injuries) during the season last year. Now you have 16 guys that you lost during the season who you’re not allowed to replace under the 105…

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  • Patriots signing Stefon Diggs: Veteran WR agrees to 3-year deal as Drake Maye finally gets No. 1 pass-catcher

    Patriots signing Stefon Diggs: Veteran WR agrees to 3-year deal as Drake Maye finally gets No. 1 pass-catcher

    The New England Patriots have finally landed a wide receiver. The club has agreed to a three-year contract with former Houston Texans wideout Stefon Diggs on Tuesday, CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones reports. The deal is worth $69 million and includes $26 million guaranteed, per ESPN.

    This signing comes off the heels of Diggs making a free-agent visit to Foxborough to meet with the Patriots. The 31-year-old left the visit without putting pen to paper on a contract, but the two sides remained in touch and have now agreed to a deal that’ll make Diggs the newest weapon for second-year quarterback Drake Maye. 

    Of course, it remains to be seen how soon Diggs will get back onto the field as he continues to recover from a torn ACL he suffered in Week 8 in a game against the Indianapolis Colts. That cut Diggs’ lone season with the Texans short after they acquired him in a trade with the Buffalo Bills in April. As part of the deal, Diggs reworked his contract, which allowed him to hit free agency this offseason and ultimately end up in New England. 

    Diggs entered the league as…

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  • 2025 Big Ten win totals, odds, picks: Predictions for every team as Ohio State, Oregon face big numbers

    2025 Big Ten win totals, odds, picks: Predictions for every team as Ohio State, Oregon face big numbers

    Expectations often define success. A team could go 10-2 during the regular season and make the College Football Playoff, and leave fans underwhelmed because it was picked to win a conference or national title. Meanwhile, a team projected to win four games can create a positive buzz around the program with a. 7-6 campaign that includes a bowl win. 

    While expectations vary, a team’s preseason win total is the most reliable metric for judging whether a team lived up to its standard. After all, sportsbooks aren’t rooting for anybody; they’re only interested in making money.

    While it’s only March, and the real games are months away, books have begun posting win totals for the 2025 season. So what better time to play out the entire season than right now? Sure, a lot of these schools don’t even know who their starting quarterbacks are, and there will be another flurry of roster movement once the spring portal opens up, but there’s no time for patience!

    So I played out every game on the schedule in my head for all 18 Big Ten teams, and I know how the season will end. There’s no longer any need to wait. We’ll just ignore that when I did this exact exercise last year, I went 9-9 on my predictions for each team. This year, I’m setting my own over/under at 8.5. Odds below via FanDuel Sportsbook.

    Over/under 7.5 wins

    Wins: Western Illinois, at Duke, Western Michigan, USC, at Purdue, Rutgers, Maryland, at Wisconsin, Northwestern
    Losses: at Indiana, Ohio State, at Washington

    Analysis: There’s plenty of buzz around the Illini as a…

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