NFL News Updates

Author: nfltalk

  • Sherman predicts 49ers win 13 games, lose pivotal NFC matchup

    Sherman predicts 49ers win 13 games, lose pivotal NFC matchup

    Sherman predicts 49ers win 13 games, lose pivotal NFC matchup originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

    It should come as no surprise that many experts are projecting the 49ers to be one of the top teams during the 2024 NFL season.

    And that includes former San Francisco cornerback Richard Sherman.

    On the latest episode of “The Richard Sherman Podcast,” the former defensive back went game-by-game through the 49ers’ regular-season schedule and predicted San Francisco will win 13 games this upcoming season.

    “I got San Francisco with 13 wins,” Sherman told co-host Mitch Eisenstein. “The Kansas City game in San Francisco — how do you not have that in primetime? What are we actually doing? This is a Super Bowl rematch and it’s at 1:25 [p.m.], there’s no way. That’s crazy. — But I think San Francisco finds a way to get that game. I think them coming back at home versus Seattle will be another tough game.

    “At Green Bay in Lambeau, it can get dicey. Brock [Purdy] played at Iowa State and it got pretty cold out there, but Lambeau in November, December is … it can be tough for everybody. That may be a potential loss. I think they can go to Buffalo and get a win. I think they beat the Rams again. I think they beat Miami. I think they lose to [the] Detroit Lions on Monday night at home. Detroit gets their revenge. And I think they finish the season with a win at Arizona.”

    Sherman believes Week 12 vs. the Green Bay Packers on the road and Week 17 vs. the Detroit Lions at home will be the 49ers’ only losses next season, both of which could have a huge impact on the NFC playoff picture.

    Yes, 13 wins and only two losses. That doesn’t add up to 17 games, right? That’s because Sherman, as the neutral party he is, jokingly predicted ties for both the Week 6 and Week 11 49ers-Seahawks matchups.

    In the end, Sherman predicts a 13-2-2 record for San Francisco this upcoming season, which certainly would be a first.

    Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast

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  • College athletes on brink of getting $2.8 billion, revenue-sharing model in House v. NCAA settlement

    College athletes on brink of getting $2.8 billion, revenue-sharing model in House v. NCAA settlement

    A new era of college athletics is upon us, and leaders do not have much time to prepare for the transformative age.

    College sports is on the precipice of changing forever as leaders from the NCAA and several power-conference levels have agreed to destroy the amateurism model and share revenue with players by coming to terms on settling a multi-billion dollar lawsuit that threatened to bankrupt the collegiate athletics enterprise. 

    The NCAA Board of Governors voting Wednesday to accept the anti-trust lawsuit settlements and move forward was a pivotal rubber-stamping. The SEC and Pac-12 are set to vote Thursday before it’s in the plaintiff lawyers’ hands; they each are expected to approve moving forward with settling in separate meetings. 

    The $2.8 billion settlement in the House v. NCAA case, a landmark legal battle, has far-reaching implications anchored by revenue sharing and the expansion of roster sizes, which might also spark more legal battles with Title IX implications. In the immediate future, the legal settlement is transformative for players because not only will past athletes be compensated for prior restrictions on earning from their name, image, and likeness via the $2.8 billion settlement, but the agreement sets the stage for a future revenue-sharing model, a first in the NCAA’s long history, benefiting thousands of collegiate athletes starting as soon as Fall 2025.

    The NCAA and its conferences will hammer out the details of new revenue-sharing and governance models over the next few months, but a framework was revealed in internal documents uncovered by multiple outlets in recent weeks. Athletic departments must now prepare for new line items that could balloon up to $30 million annually as the richest schools prepare to…

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  • Cowboys’ Dak Prescott knows ‘business will take care of itself’ regarding new deal, doesn’t ‘play for money’

    Cowboys’ Dak Prescott knows ‘business will take care of itself’ regarding new deal, doesn’t ‘play for money’

    FRISCO, Texas —  Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said “We want Dak Prescott. That’s that.” when asked how motivated he is to retain Prescott as his team’s long-term, face of the franchise quarterback. 

    Jones made that comment two days before the 2024 NFL Draft on April 23, and based on how emphatic he was in saying it, the natural conclusion would be that a new deal for Prescott, who enters 2024 in the last season of a four-year, $160 million contract he signed back in 2021, was imminent. However, nearly a month has passed, and Dallas already has two organized team activities (OTA) workouts under their belt without Prescott receiving a new deal. 

    Prescott, the 2023 season leader in passing touchdowns (36), isn’t phased by the lack of a deal at this moment in time while stressing the importance of not holding out with much of his receiving core trending younger outside of Brandin Cooks (age 30). 

    “Business, business is business. I’ll leave it where it gets handled,” Prescott said Wednesday at Cowboys OTAs. “Right now, it’s about being my best for this team right now in this moment. OTAs is helping these guys out and just focused on that and I know my business will take care of itself. Been in it before, experienced [in talks with Jerry and Stephen Jones] and just controlling what I can right now.”

    The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback, who will turn 31 on July 29 entering his ninth NFL season, is coming off of a season in which he earned 2023 Second-Team All-Pro honors and finished as the league’s MVP runner-up behind Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson while putting up his most efficient season of his career (105.9 passer rating). 

    Should Prescott’s deal somehow not get done between now and March 2025, he can hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent. Prescott’s current deal possesses a no-trade and no-franchise tag clause. If he did become an unrestricted free…

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  • Wisconsin top transfer portal DL target commits to a Big Ten rival

    Wisconsin top transfer portal DL target commits to a Big Ten rival

    Wisconsin top transfer portal target defensive lineman Gavin Meyer committed to USC on Wednesday.

    Meyer chose the Trojans over other finalists Wisconsin, Cal and Illinois.

    Related: Updated 2024 Wisconsin football game-by-game predictions after spring practice

    The veteran lineman entered the transfer portal on May 1 after four years at Wyoming. He entered with major experience and production, having recorded a combined 66 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks over the last two seasons.

    Meyer is a Franklin, Wisconsin native. The Badgers did not extend him an offer when he was a three-star DE recruit in the class of 2020. They now lose out on his transfer recruitment — to a rival program on the 2024 schedule.

    Wisconsin’s quest for a transfer defensive lineman appears to have concluded. The program lost out on C.J. West (committed to Indiana), Khurtiss Perry (committed to Virginia Tech), Jay’Viar Suggs (committed to LSU), Meyer (USC) and Brandon Lane (committed to Louisville) all in the last few weeks.

    It is now at the 85 scholarship limit after extending one to former walk-on wide receiver Haakon Anderson.

    The Badgers will now enter a 2024 season that sees Oregon, Penn State and Alabama visit Madison with a clear weakness along the defensive line. If not a weakness, then at least the team’s thinnest position.

    Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.

    Story originally appeared on Badgers Wire

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  • Brown shares insightful advice he gave 49ers rookie Mustapha

    Brown shares insightful advice he gave 49ers rookie Mustapha

    Brown shares insightful advice he gave 49ers rookie Mustapha originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

    As the 49ers begin their offseason conditioning program with organized team activities, second-year safety Ji’Ayir Brown has some advice for rookie Malik Mustapha.

    Speaking to the media after the second day of OTAs, Brown was asked what advice he would give his fellow safety Mustapha, having just been a rookie himself.

    “I was actually talking to him earlier today and I told him, ‘Just take your time,’ ” Brown said. “Don’t try to rush it, it’s a process. You’re not going to just step on the field and know it all. I didn’t do it, I don’t think [anybody] ever has stepped on the field their rookie year and knew it all. So, take your time with it and enjoy it, enjoy the little moments.”

    Brown has had a wild ride since San Francisco selected him with the No. 87 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, going from backup to starter after Talanoa Hufanga’s mid-season knee injury and even picking off Kansas City Chief’s quarterback Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LVIII.

    Mustapha flashed plenty of potential during his collegiate career at Wake Forest, playing a versatile hybrid safety role for the Demon Deacons, and the 49ers are hopeful that he will turn into a difference-maker on defense after taking him No. 124 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.

    As Hufanga works his way back from a torn ACL, Mustapha will have plenty of opportunities during the remainder of the offseason program to make an impact and impress the 49ers brass.

    In the pass-heavy world of the modern NFL, the safety position is critical to a defense’s ability to prevent huge pass plays. Mustapha’s athleticism will make him a tough matchup for any wide receiver if he can acclimate to the speed of the professional game.

    Given the impending free-agency decisions the 49ers face over the next few years, selecting strong players with late draft picks is critical to maintaining the strong level of…

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  • What will happen in House v. NCAA case? Answering key questions with historic settlement on horizon

    What will happen in House v. NCAA case? Answering key questions with historic settlement on horizon

    College sports leaders and lawyers are nearing a legal settlement in a landmark antitrust lawsuit that will pave the way for revenue sharing with players as part of the inevitable march toward professionalization in college athletics.

    On Tuesday the Big 12 became the first power conference to approve settlement terms, sources tell 247Sports. Other leagues are expected to conduct similar votes over the next few days. 

    “We are optimistic that a transformative moment for college sports may be very close,” House plaintiff attorney Jeffrey Kessler told 247Sports. 

    The long-anticipated resolution of House v. NCAA could come as soon as this week, with college athletics’ governing body expected to pay approximately $2.7 billion in back damages over the course of the next decade, according to a memo obtained by multiple media outlets. 

    Within that total, $1.6 billion would come from reductions in NCAA distributions over the next 10 years — with roughly 40% from the five power conferences — according to ESPN. However, there are 68 power-conference schools and nearly 300 Division I programs that fall outside of that category. Division II and Division III schools are not expected to be impacted, but that could change. 

    The remaining $1.1 billion would be tapped from NCAA reserves and budget cuts, among other sources. 

    But back damages are only one part of the equation. An expedited timeline for conferences and universities to implement a new pay-for-play model is also on the table. Though booster-led NIL collectives would not be eliminated altogether as part of a new “enforcement infrastructure,” they would be subject to guardrails not seen in the current unregulated market, per Yahoo Sports. 

    The most notable power players swaying…

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  • Way-too-early 2024 NFL Week 1 picks: Cardinals and Titans cover as underdogs while Cowboys start 0-1

    Way-too-early 2024 NFL Week 1 picks: Cardinals and Titans cover as underdogs while Cowboys start 0-1

    The 2024 NFL schedule was released last Thursday, which means we can officially start breaking down Week 1. Sportsbooks have already posted lines for these matchups, so you can bet on NFL football right now! 

    Let’s break down some of these matchups. As we do every week during the NFL regular season, we will pick and discuss our top five against-the-spread picks. It will be fun to see how these lines shift over the next few months, and with a couple of these lines, it could be a good idea to place your wager now. Let’s jump in.

    All odds come courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook

    Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)

    While C.J. Stroud had a rookie season for the record books, he did go 1-1 against the Colts — as Zaire Franklin tried to point out to him. Indy defeated Houston in Week 2, 31-20, while Anthony Richardson left the game in the second quarter due to a concussion. Richardson getting hurt was a common theme in 2023, as he finished just one game healthy during his rookie season. 

    I’m worried about Richardson’s health and potential rust. As for the Texans, they got better this offseason by adding Joe Mixon and Stefon Diggs on offense, plus Denico Autry and Danielle Hunter on defense. Give me Houston. 

    The pick: Texans -2
    Projected score: Texans 30-23

    Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox)

    Both Tennessee and Chicago had incredibly exciting offseasons. The Titans swung big for Calvin Ridley and L’Jarius Sneed, while the Bears picked up a new franchise quarterback in Caleb Williams, and also landed a couple of new wideouts in Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze. I anticipated the Bears being favorites in this game, but 4.5 points? 

    The last 15 quarterbacks selected No. 1 overall went 0-14-1 in their first career start. I’m not saying the Titans are Super Bowl contenders, but new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson has an impressive track record, and his scheme figures to be aggressive, yet tough to figure out. It may not…

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  • Here are the players Missouri State football’s landed since its Conference USA announcement

    Here are the players Missouri State football’s landed since its Conference USA announcement

    Missouri State football coach Ryan Beard began pitching to recruits that the Bears will be in the FBS rather than the FCS come 2025. He’s already landed a handful of prospects ready to lead the football program into its new era.

    Here are those MSU has landed since announcing it will join Conference USA before the 2025 season.

    Khalil Anderson, East Tennessee, DB

    Anderson’s a 5-foot-10 corner coming off his redshirt junior season. He started his career at Pittsburgh. He played 11 games last season with 25 tackles and a pick. He also held an offer from Rhode Island since entering the portal.

    More: How will Missouri State be ‘budget-neutral’ with CUSA move? Here are new revenue streams.

    James BlackStrain, Georgia Tech, WR

    BlackStrain was a four-star recruit rated in the ESPN 300 out of high school but saw minimal time in three years at Georgia Tech. He’s a 6-foot-2 wide receiver who head coach Ryan Beard offered while at Louisville when BlackStrain was a 15-year-old high schooler in Florida.

    Noah Gardner, Tulane, OL

    Gardner is a 6-foot-5, 290-pound offensive lineman transfer from Tulane. Since entering the portal, he held offers from Houston, McNeese, Tennessee Tech and Lamar. He was a three-star prospect out of high school and held offers from Louisiana Tech and California. He has four years of eligibility remaining.

    More: How Missouri State football coach Ryan Beard is approaching Conference USA, FBS jump

    Missouri State head coach Ryan Beard during a game against the Utah Tech Trailblazers at Plaster Field on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023.

    Antonio Robinson, Marshall, WR

    Robinson’s a 6-foot-2, 190-pound receiver with three years of eligibility remaining. He appeared in one game last season after redshirting in 2022 with no game action. He held offers from New Mexico State, Buffalo, New Mexico, Utah State, Arizona and others out…

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