NFL News Updates

Author: nfltalk

  • Oklahoma football WR Gavin Freeman enters transfer portal after two season with Sooners

    Oklahoma football WR Gavin Freeman enters transfer portal after two season with Sooners

    OU wide receiver Gavin Freeman announced his decision to enter the transfer portal on Tuesday.

    Freeman is a former Heritage Hall standout who joined the Sooners as a walk-on in 2022. He’s the son of Jason Freeman, who played tight end for OU from 1995-98.

    “I wanna thank the University of Oklahoma and the fans for all the support and love,” Freeman said via X.

    More: Who has OU football added, lost via the transfer portal? Here’s the complete list

    Oklahoma’s Gavin Freeman (82) runs back a punt for a touchdown during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Arkansas State Red Wolves at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023.

    Freeman recorded seven carries for 71 yards and a touchdown as a freshman, and he also caught three passes for 46 yards. He then earned a scholarship prior to the start of last season.

    Freeman caught 19 passes for 95 yards and one touchdown as a sophomore. He also returned 18 punts for 122 yards and one touchdown.

    But OU has a stacked wide receiver room, which includes Purdue transfer Deion Burks. The redshirt junior would’ve surely started over Freeman at the slot position this upcoming season following the graduation of Drake Stoops.

    Freeman has two remaining years of eligibility. He was committed to Texas Tech as a scholarship receiver in the 2022 recruiting class before he joined OU as a walk-on.

    More: Oklahoma undrafted free agents tracker: Sooners who signed after 2024 NFL Draft

    This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football: Sooners WR Gavin Freeman enters the transfer portal

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  • Falcons defend selecting Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8, feel solid about QBs for ‘next five years minimum’

    Falcons defend selecting Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8, feel solid about QBs for ‘next five years minimum’

    One of the, if not the, biggest surprises of the 2024 NFL Draft was the Atlanta Falcons selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall. The shock came because the Falcons signed former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins this offseason to a four-year, $180 million deal.

    It is no question why people are questioning this move, considering that Penix is nearly 24 and would be 28 if Cousins plays out his entire contract. The reason people are criticizing the selection is why the Falcons went with the pick.

    While Penix may not help the team win this season, or the season after that, or the season after that, or even the season after that, for Atlanta it is about securing talent for the future. 

    Assistant General Manager Kyle Smith, who joined the team in 2021, gave more insight into their thought process, saying it is all about the long-term plan. 

    “It was an unsettling feeling, sitting there in ’21,” Smith said (via team’s website). “I’ll never forget sitting there with Terry and being like, ‘OK, well, what’s our future? What’s our plan for the future? How are we going to solidify down the road?’”

    He added, “It’s not just about this year or next year. It’s about five years, minimum.”

    In an ideal world for the Falcons, Cousins succeeds while Penix learns from him on the bench and the rising rookie is still on the team and ready to play in five years. If it all works out as they schemed, the Falcons will get the last laugh, but for now they are getting some confused looks. 

    Of their previous drafts, the last three all including top-10 picks, Smith said this year felt different.

    “This is the first year that we were sitting there and staring down the barrel at a player that we think can be that guy,” he said.

    How this all will make Cousins feel is another question that has circulated the NFL world, but despite selecting a quarterback so high, the Falcons maintain…

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  • Appalachian State’s Jack Murphy dies: Mountaineers OL was All-Sun Belt selection in 2023 season

    Appalachian State’s Jack Murphy dies: Mountaineers OL was All-Sun Belt selection in 2023 season

    USATSI

    Appalachian State offensive lineman Jack Muprhy has died, coach Shawn Clark announced Monday on social media. Murphy died Friday and foul play is not suspected, according to a statement from the university provided to ESPN. No further details have been released by the school. 

    “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Jack Murphy. He was a beloved Mountaineer,” Clark wrote in his post. “Please keep his loved ones and our App State family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”

    Murphy started 14 games — one at left tackle and 13 at right tackle — for the Mountaineers in 2023 and earned third-team All-Sun Belt honors. Prior to transferring to Appalachian State, Murphy spent three years at Marshall. 

    “The hearts of the App State community are with Jack’s loved ones during this very difficult time,” Megan Hayes, senior associate vice chancellor, said in a statement to ESPN. “We are respecting his family’s wishes and requests and are providing support and assistance as requested.”  

    A native of Fairfax, Virginia, Murphy signed with Marshall in 2020 after a post-graduate season at Fork Union Military Academy. Murphy was also an all-state selection at Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington, Virginia. 

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  • Report: Tyron Billy-Johnson could sign with Cowboys after visit

    Report: Tyron Billy-Johnson could sign with Cowboys after visit

    Free agent receiver Tyron Billy-Johnson is visiting the Cowboys and could sign with the team after a physical, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News reports.

    Billy-Johnson spent most of last season on the Cowboys’ practice squad, but he did not play a regular-season game last season.

    Billy-Johnson, 28, has spent time with the Texans, Bills, Panthers, Chargers, Jaguars, Raiders, Bengals, 49ers and Cowboys since 2019. He has played 26 games with one start, which came in 2022 with Houston.

    In his career, Billy-Johnson has caught 23 passes for 422 yards and three touchdowns. That’s an 18.3 yards per catch average.

    He also has returned 14 punts for a 19.1-yard average.

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  • Kansas State football tight end Ben Sinnott sees Washington Commanders as a perfect fit

    Kansas State football tight end Ben Sinnott sees Washington Commanders as a perfect fit

    Kansas State football tight end Ben Sinnott learned early in the process leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft that in the Washington Commanders organization he found a kindred spirit.

    That is why, when the call came in two-thirds of the way through the second round Friday night he was more relieved than surprised. As the No. 53 overall pick by the Commanders, he landed with a team that shared his vision for what the tight end position should be.

    “Man, I’m so excited. This is an organization that I’ve been really hoping to get taken by, and I couldn’t be more grateful for this opportunity,” Sinnott said later during a media conference call. “I think the fit is perfect.”

    The Commanders certainly did their homework on Sinnott, the first K-State tight end picked since Shad Meier went to Tennessee in the 2001 draft. He met with team officials at both at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine, plus had a Zoom conversation with tight ends coach David Raih.

    Related: Pros and cons of the Dallas Cowboys picking Kansas State’s Cooper Beebe in 2024 NFL Draft

    Related: Pros and cons of the Los Angeles Rams picking Kansas State’s KT Leveston in 2024 NFL Draft

    Kansas State junior tight end Ben Sinnott (34) celebrates a touchdown during the first quarter of Saturday’s Sunflower Showdown against Kansas inside David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

    “I think it’s very like-minded people,” Sinnott said. “Coach Raih, we clicked very easily, had very similar values, and I just felt very comfortable instantly.

    “I love what coach (Kliff) Kingsbury does. I’ve heard fantastic things about coach (Dan) Quinn.”

    Quinn is starting his first year as Commanders head coach and he brought former Arizona Cardinals and Texas Tech head coach Kingsbury on board as offensive coordinator.

    Sinnott’s draft stock shot up after his performances in the Senior Bowl and at the combine….

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  • Former top-10 NFL Draft pick coming out of retirement to attempt comeback with Eagles, per report

    Former top-10 NFL Draft pick coming out of retirement to attempt comeback with Eagles, per report

    USATSI

    When the Philadelphia Eagles hold their rookie minicamp this year, former top-10 pick John Ross will be in attendance and he’ll be there because he’s looking to make an NFL comeback after announcing his retirement last July. 

    According to NFL.com, Ross has earned an invite to the Eagles’ rookie camp and he’ll be there on a tryout basis, which essentially will allow Philadelphia to see what Ross looks like on the field without making any financial commitments to him. If Ross looks like he can still play, then the Eagles could sign him to their 90-man roster in time for OTAs, which kick off on May 20. 

    The speedy Ross set the combine record for fastest 40-yard dash in 2017 with a time of 4.22. That record stood until this year when Xavier Worthy topped it by running a 4.21. 

    After showing off his lightning speed at the combine, Ross ended up getting selected by the Bengals with the ninth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, which was one spot before Patrick Mahomes. During his four years in Cincinnati, Ross never really lived up to his draft position. His biggest season came in 2019 when he caught 28 passes for 510 yards and three touchdowns. It was the only season of his career where he topped 225 receiving yards.  

    After the Bengals let his contract expire following the 2020 season, Ross latched on with the Giants in 2021. During his lone season in New York, Ross caught 11 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown. After sitting out the 2022 season, Ross looked like he was going to make an NFL return in 2023 with the Kansas City Chiefs, but he ended up announcing his retirement before the start of training camp. 

    Ross hasn’t played in an NFL game since December 2021, but that drought could end this year if he…

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  • 2024 NFL Draft winners and losers: Nick Saban puts every position in the pros, Colorado shut out again

    2024 NFL Draft winners and losers: Nick Saban puts every position in the pros, Colorado shut out again

    With the 2024 NFL Draft wrapped, there’s no time wasted looking ahead to 2025, but the process of picking up the pieces from the seven-round extravaganza includes some highlights and lowlights for the biggest programs in college football. 

    It was a banner weekend for the reigning champion Michigan Wolverines, who had seven players selected in the first three rounds and led all schools with 13 selections. It makes sense that the culmination of a three-year run that included three Big Ten titles, three College Football Playoff appearances and a national championship included some star power at the top of the depth chart. And that CFP success tracks with 2023 playoff participants Texas (11), Washington (10) and Alabama (10), all finishing with double-digit selections in the draft. 

    The SEC once again led all conferences with 59 picks in the 257-player draft, but the Pac-12 had the second-most at 43. That headline is met with some melancholy, however, with the historic West Coast league losing 10 schools this summer to the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC. 

    If you want a further breakdown of the 2024 NFL Draft by conference and school, we’ve got you covered. But to dive a little bit deeper than the player is to reveal some interesting storylines and developments coming out of the weekend. And while most of our takeaways are more directly tied to the current state of these programs, we begin with an incredible note on one of the game’s greatest coaches who just recently announced his retirement. 

    Winner: Nick Saban 

    The NFL Draft production from Tuscaloosa under Saban set a new standard in college football. Alabama has produced 133 draft picks since 2009, the most of any program in that span, and the Tide have had at least seven draft picks for…

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  • Michael Penix is a Falcon, favorite RB & OL landing spots with Nate Tice | The Exempt List

    Michael Penix is a Falcon, favorite RB & OL landing spots with Nate Tice | The Exempt List

    Less than 24 hours after the conclusion of the 2024 NFL Draft, Charles McDonald and Nate Tice give their thoughts and key takeaways, including Charles’ reaction to the Atlanta Falcons taking Michael Penix Jr, the Denver Broncos overdrafting Bo Nix, Spencer Rattler to the New Orleans Saints and Charles and Nate’s favorite running back and offensive line landing spots.

    Charles and Nate finish off the show with a dueling draft of day three selections, where they each draft a pick from rounds four through seven (and a kicker in round six) so they can track how their picks do throughout their rookie seasons.

    3:55 – Michael Penix is an Atlanta Falcon

    16:40 – Broncos take Bo Nix

    25:15 – Spencer Rattler & our favorite RB landing spots

    39:25 – Offensive line landing spots

    44:50 – Day three dueling draft

    College Football: CFP National Championship: Washington Michael Penix Jr. (9) in action, walking vs Michigan at NRG Stadium. Houston, TX 1/8/2024 CREDIT: Erick W. Rasco (Photo by Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

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