Former Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Michael Brockers announced on Instagram on Tuesday that he is retiring from professional football after 11 seasons in the league. He was the heart and soul of the Rams defense for nine years before playing the final two years of his career with the Detroit Lions in 2021 and 2022. The Rams, then in St. Louis, took Brockers with the 14th overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft out of LSU. Brockers was cut in February of 2023 by Detroit and did not play last season. In his 11 seasons in the NFL, he recorded 451 total tackles (274 solo), 29 sacks, 52 tackles for loss, 64 QB hits, 10 passes defended, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 160 games (157 starts). In his nine seasons with the Rams, Brockers was as consistent as they come, only missing six total games.

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Cincinnati Bengals rookie wide receiver Jermaine Burton has left a positive impression on the coaching staff despite being drafted less than two weeks ago. According to SI's Albert Breer, Burton has already shown the Bengals that he is a "competitive kid who has good ball skills and the explosiveness to separate from coverage in the NFL." Breer noted that Burton has worked through some off-the-field issues but has the talent needed to make an impact at the pro level. He's currently competing for the No. 3 receiver role behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Such a position on the depth chart was most recently occupied by Tyler Boyd. The Bengals would love to get production out of Burton in his first pro season, and as Breer points out, he could benefit from Chase and Higgins drawing away coverage.

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Pittsburgh Steelers six-time Pro Bowl defensive end Cameron Heyward hasn't attended the team's voluntary offseason workouts and doesn't plan to attend organized team activities as he seeks a contract extension, according to sources. Heyward is a long-time team captain who has never missed an offseason program. The 35-year-old former 31st overall pick by the Steelers in 2011 out of Ohio State is entering the final year of his four-year, $65 million deal. The 35-year-old has obviously been one of the faces of the franchises for a long time now, but he played in only 11 games due to a core injury in 2023 and finished with just 33 tackles (25 solo), two sacks, six tackles for loss and a pass defended. Contract issues aside, Heyward is expected to be a full-go for the start of training camp and the 2024 regular season. He has 80.5 career sacks and could be streamer in IDP leagues in good matchups if he's healthy in 2024.

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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (shoulder) has demonstrated more knowledge and maturity this offseason, quarterbacks coach Cam Turner told the media. "He's the same athletic Anthony that we know, but in the meeting room, he's taking that step as far as the knowledge and the maturity of the question he's asking now are the next level questions," Turner said. "As opposed to the questions he was asking a year ago were more basic. He's definitely grown in our scheme and then identifying defenses as well." This is a very positive sign out of Indianapolis as it suggests that Richardson is becoming more comfortable with his own abilities and the Colts' offensive scheme ahead of his second pro season. The former first-round pick is working his way back from a shoulder injury but has shown that he can be a real playmaker when healthy. Assuming he's ready to go for Week 1, Richardson (armed with the likes of Michael Pittman Jr. and Jonathan Taylor) will rank as a low-end QB1 in fantasy football.

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The Washington Commanders have signed free agent wide receiver Damiere Byrd following a workout, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. The veteran is entering his ninth season in the league, but he's never finished higher than the WR67 in fantasy football. He spent the last two years with the Atlanta Falcons but registered just two targets during one game in 2023. Byrd represents a low-risk signing for the Commanders, and he'll be tasked with competing for a roster spot while leaving his veteran impact on some of his younger teammates in Washington.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins continues to grow frustrated as his trade request from last month has gone unanswered. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Higgins is "pissed" about the lack of a shared vision between himself and the team. Higgins was once said to be seeking a deal similar to Michael Pittman Jr.'s three-year, $70 million pact, but Cincinnati reportedly never came close to that price tag. This prompted the talented receiver to request a trade, but the Bengals made it clear (via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN) that they have "no plans" to trade him. Therefore, the stalemate continues between Cincinnati and Higgins. One has to wonder if too many bridges have been burned and a holdout might be in the cards.

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Chicago Bears quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams will begin his career at home against the Tennessee Titans, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. The former USC star will have no shortage of weapons to work with to begin his career, so he could get out to a hot start with Keenan Allen, DJ Moore, and Rome Oduzne out wide. Tennessee was a middle-of-the-pack team against the pass last season, but the organization signed former Baltimore Ravens defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson as their defensive coordinator and added cornerbacks L'Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie to the back end of the defense. Overall, it should be a great first test for one of the highest-regarded quarterback prospects of the 21st century.

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According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Kansas City Chiefs will square off against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Houston Texans will host the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Day during the 2024 NFL season. For different reasons, all four teams will be interesting to monitor this year. Kansas City is aiming to be the first franchise to win three straight Super Bowls, Pittsburgh will be led by Russell Wilson or Justin Fields, Baltimore looks to get over the hump in search of a Lombardi Trophy, and Houston was one of last year's big surprise teams to contend in the playoffs. With no shortage of disappointing primetime matchups over the last few years, games featuring stars like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, C.J. Stroud, T.J. Watt, and more on Christmas should be exciting. These two Christmas Day games will be streamed exclusively on Netflix.

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The New York Giants will debut on the HBO show Hard Knocks: Offseason in 2024 in their 100th season in the NFL. The show will feature the Giants for the first time since the series' debut in 2001 as the four-time Super Bowl-winning franchise prepares for its 100th season. It will be the first iteration of Hard Knocks to document the NFL offseason, chronicling the G-Men's moves from January to July. The five-episode season will debut on Tuesday, July 2. Hard Knocks has been in New York twice before with the Jets in 2010 and 2023 and has also followed the Dallas Cowboys three different times (2002, 2008, 2021). In New York, this will be their first year without running back Saquon Barkley while quarterback Daniel Jones (knee) tries to come back from a torn ACL in 2023. New York took receiver Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick in this year's draft.

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Cleveland Browns safety Rodney McLeod said that he will retire following the 2024 season, which will be his 13th year in the league. "This is the last lap for me," McLeod said Monday during an appearance on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access." He will turn 34 in June and signed a one-year deal this offseason to return to the Browns for a second season. McLeod entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia in 2012. He spent the first four seasons of his career with the Rams before joining the Eagles from 2016-21. McLeod was with the Colts in 2022 and had 29 tackles (16 solo) and a pass defended in 10 regular season games (five starts) last year. He suffered a season-ending biceps injury in Week 11. It sounds as though McLeod is now healthy as he looks to provide veteran secondary depth for Cleveland in 2024.

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Chicago Bears wide receiver/return man Velus Jones Jr. should only benefit from the new kickoff rules in the NFL that will start for the 2024 season. "How it pertains to our team, you can only think about a guy like Velus Jones. Great example," special teams coordinator Richard Hightower said. "A guy like that with his type of skill set, with the speed and the power that he has, and he's coming full speed ahead at you, it's like a damn freight train running at you." Jones' average of 27.4 yards per return trails only Keisean Nixon over the last two years. He hasn't worked out as a punt returner and also hasn't had much of a role in the offense since entering the league in 2022, but the 27-year-old's size/speed combo could come in handy for the Bears on kickoffs this year. The Bears could also use running back Khalil Herbert on kickoffs.

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Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift will be taking over the team's lead running back in 2024 after he signed with the team minutes into the start of free agency in early March. "He's exciting to watch, man. That guy, he's got so much ability. He's fast, he can make guys miss and what we're excited about now is just opening up the passing game with the backs. He's got that opportunity to have that one-on-one matchup out of the backfield. We can get him out on empty (formation). We do a lot of empty stuff here, too, so we can move this guy all around. He can win from any spot," RBs coach Chad Morton said. When Morton coached in Seattle in 2023, Kenneth Walker III had 219 carries for 905 yards, with Zach Charbonnet carrying the ball 108 times for 462 yards. Swift is surely intriguing as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, but he's inevitably going to lose touches to Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson, and the Bears also have plenty of receivers that will command targets.

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New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Javon Baker flashed significant promise during his first NFL practice this week, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic. Howe notes that Baker made several impressive plays. He reached to save a sailing throw, utilized "nifty footwork" to get out of his break on a crossing route, and generally demonstrated smooth route-running." There will be growing pains in 2024 as head coach Jerod Mayo, quarterback Drake Maye, and receivers Ja'Lynn Polk and Baker embark on their rookie seasons. However, early indications suggest that Baker could make an immediate impact in New England, earning opportunities over the likes of Polk, Kendrick Bourne, and Demario Douglas. He's a fringe top-30 rookie in fantasy football dynasty leagues.

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Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, whom the team selected second overall in last month's NFL Draft, is already making a positive impression during the early days of OTAs. "His football IQ is really high," offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said. "He's really well versed in protections." Kingsbury noted that Daniels works very hard, constantly improved on tape in college, and is always working hard to get better. The former LSU signal-caller also drew praise from wide receiver Jahan Dotson, who said, "That's the quarterback I wanted." He added that he's been very impressed by what he has seen from Daniels so far. Overall, there seems to be plenty of positive buzz surrounding Daniels. There's a case to be made that he could be the No. 1 rookie quarterback in fantasy football, putting him over the likes of Caleb Williams and the rest of the class. He should be a top-five pick in rookie drafts and a must-draft name in most redraft formats.

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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (Achilles) was seen jogging lightly and throwing during OTAs on Tuesday, according to Zach Klein of WSB. The veteran signal-caller tore his Achilles while playing for the Minnesota Vikings roughly six months ago, but this latest update suggests his recovery is going quite well. Reports out of Georgia indicate that Cousins is already forming a firm rapport with his receivers, including Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and Darnell Mooney. As long as Cousins remains on track to play Week 1, he'll enter the 2024 campaign as a fringe top-12 quarterback in fantasy football.

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Cincinnati Bengals tight end Erick All (knee) participated in drills during OTAs on Tuesday, according to James Rapien of Sports Illustrated. The rookie was selected with the 115th pick in last month's NFL Draft and is currently recovering from the torn ACL he suffered while playing collegiate football at the University of Iowa. There's no shortage of former Hawkeye tight ends making a big impact at the pro level, so fans should be excited about watching All get healthy and make his NFL debut. All does face some competition for volume in Cincinnati, but most of those targets will go to the wide receiver position. At tight end, All could battle to earn the top spot over the likes of Mike Gesicki and Drew Sample.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Luke McCaffrey "lined up outside more than expected" during Day 1 of OTAs on Tuesday, according to Ben Standig of The Athletic. Washington selected McCaffrey, a product of Rice University, with the 100th overall selection in the third round of April's NFL Draft. McCaffrey impressed in the slot throughout his college career, demonstrating the physicality, athleticism, and ball security skills needed to succeed there at the next level. However, it appears that Washington has different plans or at least wants to explore all their options with the rookie. Perhaps he has impressed the coaching staff enough for them to experiment with him outside. Such positional versatility could allow McCaffrey to carve out a decent role in his first pro season, though he's still off the radar in most redraft leagues. For dynasty purposes, he's a fringe top-25 rookie heading into the 2024 campaign.

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The Denver Broncos and rookie third-round linebacker Jonah Elliss (shoulder) agreed to a four-year, $5.87 million rookie contract on Tuesday that includes a $1.09 million signing bonus. The 21-year-old pass-rusher had 12 sacks in just 10 games in his final year at Utah in 2023. His injury ultimately required surgery to fix a torn labrum in his shoulder, but Elliss took part in walkthroughs and individual periods during the team's rookie minicamp last weekend. Barring a setback, he should be ready to go for training camp this summer and the start of his first year in the NFL this fall. He's the son of former NFL player Luther Elliss and could factor in as a situational pass-rusher in Denver in his rookie campaign if he's able to stay healthy.

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Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes said this week on The Rich Eisen Show that second-year running back Jahmyr Gibbs could have an even bigger role in 2024. "I definitely would expect him to see more of a load, but David Montgomery will still be here too," Holmes said. "Dan and I love that 1-2 punch of him and David." The former first-round pick in 2023 was third among running backs with 5.2 yards per carry in his rookie campaign, so fantasy managers that were already fond of Gibbs' stock in a rising Lions offense will be pleased that he could be even more valuable as an RB1 in 2024. Not only should the 22-year-old former Alabama back see more carries, but he should also be more involved in the passing attack, where he can really excel with yards after the catch in open space. Only seven RBs saw more targets than Gibbs' 71 in 2023.

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Veteran free-agent wide receiver Martavis Bryant is scheduled to work out for the Washington Commanders on Wednesday, according to a source. Bryant was released last week by the Dallas Cowboys, whose former defensive coordinator is now the head coach for the Commanders. The former fourth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2014 out of Clemson has had his NFL career ruined by off-the-field issues that have led to suspensions, and he hasn't appeared in an NFL game since 2018 with the Raiders. The 32-year-old would merely serve as receiver depth heading into training camp and the postseason in Washington behind the likes of Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, rookie Luke McCaffrey, Dyami Brown and others if he were to sign with the Commanders. In four NFL seasons, Bryant has caught 145 passes for 2,183 yards and 17 touchdowns in 44 games (18 starts).

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