The Miami Dolphins will exercise the fifth-year option for linebacker Jaelan Phillips (Achilles), according to general manager Chris Grier. The former 18th overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft, Phillips has been an integral piece for the Dolphins defense since he entered the league three years ago. He set a Dolphins rookie record with 8.5 sacks in 2021 and had seven sacks in 2022 before playing in only eight games in 2023 because of an Achilles tear. Before his injury, he was on pace for a career-high 14 sacks. The Dolphins expect Phillips to make a full recovery for the start of the 2024 campaign. Miami can't afford for Phillips to regress after his injury after losing Christian Wilkins this offseason. If healthy in 2024, Phillips should be on the IDP fantasy radar.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders star edge rusher Maxx Crosby (knee) is back to 100 percent health and is as optimistic as ever entering his first full year under head coach Antonio Pierce in 2024. "Recovery and rehab has been incredible," Crosby said on Monday. "I just did my conditioning tests last week and smashed it. And I'm feeling better than I ever have, so it's been an incredible offseason so far." Despite dealing with a nagging knee injury last year, Crosby had career-highs in sacks (14.5), tackles (90) and tackles for loss (23) in 17 games to earn his third Pro Bowl selection and a second-team All-Pro selection. It's scary to think what a fully healthy Crosby could do in 2024 as one of the best pure pass-rushers in the NFL.

From RotoBaller

Free-agent defensive tackle John Jenkins re-signed with the Las Vegas Raiders on a one-year, $3.25 million deal on Sunday, according to a source. The Miami Dolphins had initial interest in reuniting with Jenkins for a third time, but Jenkins chose to re-sign with Vegas instead. It's understandable why the Raiders wanted Jenkins back after he posted a career-high 61 tackles (24 solo), one sack and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown in 17 starts in 2023 in his first year with the team. The 34-year-old veteran was originally drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the third round in 2013. With seven different teams over 12 NFL seasons, Jenkins has accumulated 273 tackles (136 solo), 3.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 11 QB hits, eight passes defended, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. He's not on the IDP fantasy radar.

From RotoBaller

Free-agent defensive tackle Adam Butler re-signed with the Las Vegas Raiders on an undisclosed one-year deal on Saturday, according to a source. Butler had 28 tackles (16 solo), five sacks, eight tackles for loss, nine QB hits and a forced fumble in 17 games (zero starts) in 2023 in his first year with the Raiders. The 29-year-old came into the league in 2017 with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free-agent out of Vanderbilt. Butler will be expected to once again be a rotational player for the Raiders in 2024 on the interior of their defensive line. In his six NFL seasons to this point, Butler has recorded 141 tackles (79 solo), 22 sacks, 30 tackles for loss, 36 QB hits, 16 passes defensed and two forced fumbles in 97 games (13 starts). He will not be on the IDP fantasy radar at all.

From RotoBaller

The Las Vegas Raiders re-signed free-agent DT John Jenkins to a one-year contract worth $3.25 million Saturday, March 16.

From TheHuddle

Free-agent DT John Jenkins (Raiders) recently met with the Miami Dolphins.

From TheHuddle

The Las Vegas Raiders are signing free-agent defensive tackle Christian Wilkins to a four-year, $110 million deal that includes $84.75 million in guarantees. Wilkins became the top free-agent interior defensive lineman on the market after Chris Jones and Justin Madubuike reached extensions with the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens, respectively. The 26-year-old posted a career-high nine sacks in 2023, and he'll now join forces will All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby in the Sin City. Expect Raiders opponents to be under pressure in 2024.

From RotoBaller

The Miami Dolphins won't use the franchise tag on standout defensive tackle Christian Wilkins this offseason, according to sources, meaning the long-time pillar of Miami's defense will become a free agent next week. Regardless of position, Wilkins will be one of the top free agents available on the open market after recording 65 tackles (38 solo), a career-high nine sacks, 10 tackles for loss, 23 QB hits, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries in 17 regular-season starts in 2023, his fifth season in Miami. The 28-year-old pass-rusher could still re-sign with the Dolphins, but they are going to face plenty of competition for his services. On top of being a strong pass-rush presence, Wilkins is also consistent as a run-stopper, making him even more attractive.

From RotoBaller

All options for impending free-agent defensive tackle Christian Wilkins are on the table for the Miami Dolphins, but several league sources say that he's unlikely to receive the franchise tag. That would put a bit-time tackle, who had 63 tackles and nine sacks in 2023, on the open market next week. The Houston Texans are a team to watch, as they have ample salary cap space, a quarterback early in his rookie deal and a playoff roster. There will be several teams in the mix for Wilkins, though, including the Cleveland Browns, who could be looking to strengthen an already impressive defense with a versatile defensive tackle. The 28-year-old Wilkins finished the year with a whimper, but he's a nose tackle on the rise. The franchise tag in 2024 would pay him a hefty $19.7 million.

From RotoBaller

The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue writes that the Los Angeles Rams have pieces of their pass rush in place between Aaron Donald, Kobie Turner and Byron Young, but they are missing an experienced outside rusher to make the group more cohesive. LA also needs help at cornerback, but Rodrigue thinks an outside linebacker is the team's biggest need for a team that has quite a few. At cornerback, veteran Ahkello Witherspoon may have played himself into a contract elsewhere, and there is little consistency among other young players at the position. Donald isn't getting any younger, either, so he could use as much help as possible if the Rams' defense wants to become an elite pass-rushing force again.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Janarius Robinson was arrested and charged with misdemeanor driving under the influence after police received a call of an incident at a resort on the Las Vegas strip, according to records from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Police were called to the resort just before 6 am on Feb. 6 after a woman was struck by a car and pinned between two vehicles. The 24-year-old Robinson identified himself as the owner of the vehicle involved in the accident, and an officer wrote in the report that he detected "a strong odor of alcohol" emitting from Robinson and that "his eyes were bloodshot and watery." He was arrested after he admitted he consented to a field sobriety test, which he was unable to pass. Robinson was released and is expected to back in court on June 4.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders All-Pro defensive end Maxx Crosby (hand) underwent hand surgery on Tuesday after recently having cleanup surgery on a knee injury that he dealt with during the 2023 season. The 26-year-old should be fully recovered from both surgeries in time for training camp this summer. Despite his nagging knee issue, Crosby played all 17 regular-season games for the Raiders and managed a career-high 14.5 sacks while adding a career-high 90 tackles (55 solo), a league-high 23 tackles for loss, 31 QB hits, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He also had 12.5 sacks in 2022 and has quickly become one of the best all-around pass-rushers in the NFL after five years with the Raiders. Crosby will be one of the first defensive linemen off the board in IDP fantasy drafts.

From RotoBaller

The Las Vegas Raiders are working to finalize a deal to hire Antonio Pierce as their head coach, according to sources. The Raiders made Pierce their interim head coach on Halloween night when they fired Josh McDaniels and are now closing in on giving him the full-time job. Things had been trending this way with several key players on the team publicly endorsing Pierce for the job. All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby said he'd request to be traded if the Raiders didn't hire Pierce full time. An ex-linebacker with a Super Bowl ring, Pierce went 5-4 as the interim head coach in 2023 and has managed to get his players behind him quickly as an ex-player. If the Raiders hadn't decided to keep Pierce around, there's a chance he could have landed a head-coaching job elsewhere.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby (knee) underwent a small cleanup surgery on his knee on Wednesday to help fix issues with his bursa joint. Crosby had been dealing with a knee injury since Week 2 of the 2023 season but still made all 17 starts and finished with a career-high 14.5 sacks, 90 tackles (55 solo), a league-leading 23 tackles for loss, 31 QB hits, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in his fifth year in the NFL. He now has 27 sacks in the last two seasons combined and has developed into one of the most dominant pass-rushers in the game. With better health in 2024, it's scary to think that Crosby could be even more effective in rushing the passer. Crosby is going to be one of the first defensive linemen off the board in IDP fantasy drafts this fall.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (knee, thumb) recently said he'll need to undergo multiple surgeries this offseason. Despite dealing with multiple injuries, Crosby was able to play in all 17 games this season. The 26-year-old recorded 90 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, and 14.5 sacks during the 2023 campaign. He was also voted second-team All-Pro for the second time in his career. The timetable for the surgeries is uncertain right now, but the assumption is that Crosby will be ready for the beginning of next season.

From RotoBaller

Free-agent DE David Agoha, CB Cornell Armstrong, QB Anthony A. Brown, OG D.J. Fluker, TE Cole Fotheringham, CB Jaydon Grant, DT Marquan McCall, RB Sincere McCormick, OT Jalen McKenzie, TE John Samuel Shenker, DT Nesta Jade Silvera, LB Elerson Smith, LB Charles Snowden, CB Sam Webb and WR Kristian Wilkerson signed Reserve/Future contracts with the Las Vegas Raiders Monday, Jan. 8. Terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

From TheHuddle

Las Vegas Raiders Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby and wide receiver Davante Adams have made it clear that they want Antonio Pierce to be retained as the head coach heading into the 2024 season. Owner Mark Davis is said to be a big fan of Pierce's, but the question will be whether there is another candidate, such as Michigan's Jim Harbaugh, who tempts Davis enough to pass on Pierce. Even if the Raiders want to hire Pierce, they would still be required by NFL rules to conduct a full search and go through the complete process. Raiders coaches and staffers were told they won't be blocked from looking for other jobs at a team meeting this week, but that the organization wants to be kept in the loop on any potential opportunities. Some took this to mean that Pierce and general manager Champ Kelly aren't locks to have their interim tags removed.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby has had a dry spell. In the past two games, he has made just six combined tackles and no sacks. He's still getting to the quarterback a couple of times per game. In Week 15, Crosby was only on the field for 39 snaps and 25 pass rushes, so he just didn't have many chances to make plays. Last week, against the Chiefs, he had 59 pass-rush snaps, but the Chiefs have a strong offensive line. Crosby's last big game was in Week 14 when he made 10 combined tackles and 2.0 sacks against the Minnesota Vikings. This week, Crosby has another less-than-favorable matchup. He's facing the Indianapolis Colts who have allowed the 14th-most points to opposing defensive ends. Although they surrendered 17 pressures last week, more than usual, the Colts are still a top-ten offensive line. However, Crosby is good enough to make plays against any team, so he should still be started in Week 17.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders All-Pro pass-rusher Maxx Crosby (knee) is officially active on Thursday night against the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15. Crosby has been dealing with a knee injury in recent weeks and has been playing through questionable tags. It won't be any different for this one despite being on a short week. The 26-year-old should remain in all starting IDP fantasy leagues as one of the best pass-rushers in the game, even at less than full strength. He played in nearly all of the defensive snaps (97%) in Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Vikings and had two more sacks to bring his season total to 13.5. Crosby will be facing off against Chargers quarterback Easton Stick, who will be making the first start of his NFL career.

From RotoBaller

The Las Vegas Raiders held a walkthrough practice on Tuesday. But if they were to practice, defensive end Maxx Crosby (knee) would have been a non-participant. Crosby has been dealing with this knee issue for a couple of weeks now. However, it hasn't stopped him from playing. He has suited up for every Raiders game this season, and that knee injury shouldn't stop him from playing in Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Las Vegas will hold one more practice before Thursday. So Crosby will likely need to practice in full to have no injury designation heading into Week 15.

From RotoBaller