March 2013 4for4 Player News Articles

QB Kevin Kolb gets a 2-year, $13 M max deal with the Bills, per source.

The Bills could still draft a QB, but at this point it appears that Kolb will start Week 1.

The Dallas Cowboys are taking care of quarterback Tony Romo.

NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Friday that the Cowboys and Romo have agreed to a six-year, $108 million contract extension with $55 million in guarantees, according to a source involved in the process. The deal makes Romo the highest-paid player in franchise history.

The Cowboys had been talking with Romo's camp off and on after hoping to ink the 32-year-old passer to an extension last summer.

This is good news for the Dallas receiving corps -- namely Dez Bryant, Miles Austin and Jason Witten. Given all the depth at QB, Romo figures to be available in the 7th or 8th round in fantasy drafts. Current drafts have him going 8.04, so he should represent good value as the 11th or 12th QB off the board. On a per game basis, Romo has finished in the top 12 in six straight seasons.

The New England Patriots typically bring a ton of veteran wide receivers into training camp, and then let them battle it out for a roster spot. On Thursday, they brought another familiar name aboard.

The team announced the signing of former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Michael Jenkins. Details of the contract were not made public.

Jenkins caught 40 passes last season and has averaged 40 per year over the last three seasons as the possession receiver for the Vikings and Atlanta Falcons.

Not much to see here, as Jenkins' best days are behind him.

The Washington Redskins expected to keep tight end Fred Davis all along. They weren't disappointed.

Davis has signed a one-year contract to remain with the Redskins, a source close to the player told NFL.com's Albert Breer on Friday.

Davis was one of the top free agents still available, and one of our favorite bargain pickups all along. He's a big injury question coming off a torn Achilles tendon, but has shown to be one of the most explosive players at his position when healthy. Davis didn't get the long-term love that he was hoping for in free agency, so he'll re-enter the market again next year at age 28, ideally in better health.

Over the last 19 games, Davis has averaged 6.9 fantasy points, which would have been the 11th-highest average in 2012. The problem is that he has only played 19 games in two seasons. (He missed four games in 2011 due to suspension after failing multiple drug tests.) His Achilles is obviously a concern, but it's a good thing that his situation isn't changing for the worse. If both he and Robert Griffin III are healthy, we can expect low-end TE1 numbers along the lines of Jermichael Finley or Jermaine Gresham. The signing is obviously good news for RG3.

DE Osi Umenyora signed a two-year deal to join the Falcons.

When the Oakland Raiders asked Carson Palmer to take a $3 million pay cut earlier this month, his decision seemed like a no-brainer.

By proposing that the 33-year-old quarterback take a relatively modest reduction from his $13 million base salary, rather than a drastic cut, the Raiders were essentially affirming their faith in Palmer's abilities. And given that it's highly unlikely Palmer could command anywhere close to $10 million annually on the open market, staying seemed like the obvious play.

Yet Palmer, Y! Sports has learned and other media outlets have reported, balked at the Raiders' request, a move that could lead to his outright release. The quarterback's decision, according to three sources familiar with Palmer's mindset, is based on a sense that Oakland's prospects for success in 2013 are so bleak that money is no longer the predominant factor in his thought process.

Palmer's rejection of the Raiders' proposal could lead him to the Arizona Cardinals, who are in the market for a starting quarterback, or possibly put him on the path to becoming a backup for a contending team. Oakland, meanwhile, may respond to the player's hardened stance by trading for Seattle Seahawks backup Matt Flynn or selecting West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith with the third overall pick in the draft.

It seemed from the beginning like it was less than a 50/50 proposition that Palmer would start for the Raiders in 2013, and the chances seem even lower now. If he were to land in Arizona, it would be a boon for Larry Fitzgerald. Palmer is no longer elite, but even mediocre play at QB would be a huge upgrade for the Cardinals.

The Ravens continued the rebuilding of their defense today by agreeing to terms on a three-year deal with former Oakland Raiders safety Michael Huff.

Huff, who was released on March 12 as part of the Raiders’ roster purge, started all 16 regular season games in six of his seven seasons with Oakland.

The 30-year-old is expected to immediately start for the Ravens, who lost both starting safeties from last season. Free safety Ed Reed signed with the Houston Texans after 11 seasons in Baltimore, and strong safety Bernard Pollard was released.

A lower-back injury forced Cowboys WR Dez Bryant to leave the season-ending loss to the Washington Redskins, has kept him from running routes this offseason and might prevent him from being ready to fully participate in organized team activities this offseason.

Bryant, who needed a wheelchair to leave FedEx Field that night, said it took him a week to emotionally get over the loss to the Redskins. He has used that feeling as fuel this offseason, when he's been able to lift weights, run straight ahead and catch passes since the cast was removed from his hand.

The biggest concern with Bryant is what off-the-field trouble he might get into, but he seems to be maturing to a point where that's not much of an issue any longer. His production after the Cowboys' Week 5 bye (5.9-93-1.0) was better than Calvin Johnson's season averages. He averaged 6.3 catches for 110 yards and 1.13 TDs in his last eight games. That projects to 101-1760-18 (or 284 fantasy points) over the course of a 16-game season. Since 2001, only Randy Moss (2003, 2007) and Calvin Johnson (2011) scored more than 260 FP in a season, so Bryant finished on a torrid pace. He's likely to be a 2nd round pick in 2013.

ESPN's Trey Wingo received the following text from Redskins QB Robert Griffin III.

"My knee is getting better every day. The doctors say I'm ahead of schedule. My goal is to return healthy in week one but if I'm not ready then i will wait until i am, however long that is. My first NFL season and my injury that ended it showed me a lot about the league, my team and myself. i know where my responsibility is within the dilemma that led to me having surgery to repair my knee and all parties involved know their responsibilities as well. I m looking forward to playing the game we all love so much again and not behind at the negative."

Griffin turned in a wonderful rookie season, racking up 27 total TDs (20 passing, seven rushing) to go along with 3,211 yards passing and 833 yards rushing. RG3 belongs in the top tier when he's playing, but like Michael Vick before him, his lack of bulk and propensity to take hits make him an injury risk. If he's ready for Week 1, he'll one of the top 10 QBs on draft day.

Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski says that he should be cleared to play in the next couple of weeks:

“I’m doing a lot better, definitely. Feeling a lot better. My arm is feeling way better than it was during the playoffs and regular season when I broke it,” Gronkowski said on the Mike & Mike program on ESPN Radio.

“Right now, just rehabbing, getting the muscle stronger around it. You want to get everything activated, re-activated, because it shuts down for a little bit when it’s healing. Just rehabbing, and when my trainers give me the ‘good to go’, hopefully in the next couple weeks, hopefully as soon as possible ... I can get rolling again and get back in the weight room and get back on the field and do what I love doing – running around and catching some balls.”

Gronk's numbers slipped a bit (from 15.1 PPG in 2011 to 13.0 in 2012), but he was still far and away the top TE on a per game basis. From a pure value standpoint, when we project his stats for a full season, he's going to hold 1st or 2nd round value. Here's the question that fantasy owners have to ask themselves: Is he injury-prone or has he just had a run of bad luck? Because if it's the latter and Gronk puts in a full season, he's going to put up 1st round numbers.

Jerry Jones and Jason Garrett, the two biggest faces with the Dallas Cowboys, praised the work of wide receiver Dez Bryant in two separate conversations last week at the NFL owners meetings.

And not just his on-the-field work, but what he's done off the field.

"He's just a really, really good young man," Garrett said. "He's made great strides over the last three years. We feel good about the progress he's made, not only as a player but as a person. We all know from the background from where he came; he's really grown a lot. I think the consistency that he's shown in his personal life spills over and the consistency he's shown as a player and his production he's shown on Sundays. I feel great about his progress and try to stay in touch with him, with all our players."

On Saturday, Bryant made a surprise appearance at a rally against domestic violence in Dallas.

"Is it dreaming to think that we can have a more effective Dez Bryant?" Jones said. "In the sense, Dez just gets better and has a better understanding of what he's doing when he's not getting the ball: How he's helping Miles (Austin) out. How he's helping (Dwayne) Harris out. How he's helping (James) Hanna and how he's helping (Jason) Witten. But he has a better understanding there. I'm looking forward to a more effective Dez Bryant, and everything I'm saying about his work is showing us that."

The biggest concern with Bryant is what off-the-field trouble he might get into, but he seems to be maturing to a point where that's not much of an issue any longer. His production after the Cowboys' Week 5 bye (5.9-93-1.0) was better than Calvin Johnson's season averages. He averaged 6.3 catches for 110 yards and 1.13 TDs in his last eight games. That projects to 101-1760-18 (or 284 fantasy points) over the course of a 16-game season. Since 2001, only Randy Moss (2003, 2007) and Calvin Johnson (2011) scored more than 260 FP in a season, so Bryant finished on a torrid pace. He's likely to be a 2nd round pick in 2013.

Pittsburgh still has holes to fill this offseason, and the Patriots (if they are still interested in WR Emmanuel Sanders) could be waiting for the Steelers to make other roster moves, which would further limit their cap space and ability to match an offer.

The deadline for an offer is April 19.

Eagles HC Chip Kelly threw some cold water on those De'Anthony Thomas and DeSean Jackson comparisons.

"I think [De'Anthony Thomas and DeSean Jackson] are both similar in size and are fast, but DeSean is a wide receiver and De'Anthony is a running back," Kelly said.

"When we got De'Anthony, we looked at some of his traits and thought it was beneficial to get him involved [as a wide receiver] because we had [running backs] LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner [and were asking], how do we get them on the field at the same time."

"DeSean's kind of a wide receiver/running back, but I don't know if he has those qualities of a [running back]. De'Anthony has been a running back his entire life, and my understanding is DeSean has been a receiver his entire life. So they are not similar from that standpoint."

Does that mean Kelly won't use Jackson on an occasional end-around? No. Does it mean Jackson could get 30-40 carries next season? Absolutely not.

In 2012, Jackson had his worst season as a pro, catching just 45 passes for 700 yards and two TDs, and missed five games in the process. He is likely to be used in different ways in Kelly's new offense, but we're not expecting a big jump in carries. Expect a few more end-arounds and more quick-hitting WR screens. QB play is a concern.

The Browns signed tight ends Kellen Davis and Gary Barnidge this offseason. They consider Jordan Cameron the favorite to start at tight end with Davis and Barnidge providing depth.

If he starts, Cameron will be a sleeper in Norv Turner's TE-friendly offense, though he'll need to improve his 47.6% Catch % (2nd-lowest among TEs with at least 36 targets).

Jermichael Finley's roster deadline day has come and gone. He's still a member of the Green Bay Packers.

Finley announced Monday on Twitter that he's "ecstatic to be back" with the Packers. He was never gone in the first place, but there was an open question regarding if the Packers would keep Finley at his current $8.25 million salary or if they would ask for a pay cut before Finley received a big roster bonus.

NFL.com's Albert Breer and Ian Rapoport both reported that Finley will not require a pay cut and will not restructure his contract. There were multiple reports that the Packers were wary of paying Finley all his money. If the Packers re-signed Greg Jennings, it's possible that they would have felt differently about allowing Finley to stay at his current salary.

Finley has a tantalizing skill set, but drops have been a serious problem throughout his career and he tends to put the blame on some mysterious lack of chemistry with Aaron Rodgers. But over the last seven games, Finley averaged 4.6-57-.14, which equate to TE10 numbers over the course of a full season. HC Mike McCarthy said that Finley was a "different man" after the team's Week 10 bye, so Finley's strong finish may translate to 2013.

DE Elvis Dumervil decided Sunday to accept a five-year contract from the Ravens rather than re-sign with Denver.

Rod Streater opened eyes last season as an undrafted rookie from Temple. A raw player in college, Streater impressed Oakland from minicamps on. He finished his first NFL season with 39 catches.

With Darrius Heyward-Bey released because of salary-cap issues and Jacoby Ford coming off a foot injury, Streater has a chance to start alongside Denarius Moore. Oakland coach Dennis Allen said recently he hopes Streater continues to make strides.

“I want to see him start where he left off, but I want to see continued improvement,” Allen said. “I think the guy's got talent. I think he's a good route-runner. I think he's got good ball skills. I think he'll go up and attack the ball. I think he's a tough kid. I think he believes in a lot of the things I'm looking for in a football player.”

If he starts and the Raiders passing game is decent, Streater should be fantasy relevant in most formats.

The Jets continue to embrace competition at all positions, so it was no surprise to hear Jets RB coach Anthony Lynn repeat that mantra during an exclusive interview that will air on “Jets Talk LIVE” on Thursday.

“We lost Shonn Greene and in my opinion it’s wide open,” said Lynn. “That is what you want. You want guys coming to camp, coming to work every day and competing for the position, knowing that if you slack (off) — someone else is going to step right in.”

While Greene inked a deal with the Tennessee Titans, the Green & White opted to go with a more versatile, explosive option in free agency and signed Mike Goodson.

“Goodson is a guy I’ve had my eyes on for a long time,” Lynn said… “He has always been a dynamic back, an explosive back. He is fast, he is quick, he can catch and he is a great athlete. With the offense we are in now and with that skillset, it’s going to be a good combination.”

It appears that Goodson will compete with Bilal Powell for the RB1 job, though the duo could very well split the workload. Goodson has a career 4.5 YPC, but has averaged nearly 4.9 YPC in the last three seasons. He has proven to be adept in the passing game, catching 40 passes for the Panthers in 2010. At just 26 years old, he's in his prime. Consider him a RB sleeper until the Jets' depth chart shakes out.

“I liked the way [WR Santana Moss] played last year,” coach Mike Shanahan said Wednesday at the owner’s meetings. “He came in in excellent shape. I think he was a big part of our offense. There’s a big upside to Santana next year because he’s very familiar with our offense. He did a great job in our third-down package. I expect him to come in in the same type of shape and make the same plays he did last year.”

While playing with a receiver like Calvin Johnson is unique because of the way he draws the defense’s attention, playing in a high-powered passing offense isn’t unique for Reggie Bush. HC Jim Schwartz told Jim Rome that his plan for Bush goes back to the way Bush was used early in his career as a Saint, rather than the way he was used in the last two seasons in Miami.

“Our plan for him is a little bit different than that, maybe going back to a little more the way he was used with the New Orleans Saints,” Schwartz. “We think he can have a greater impact on the game when we give him the ball on his terms, on our terms, rather than running the ball into hard 8 boxes.”

The difference between the role Bush has played in those two offenses is significant: In Bush’s two seasons in Miami he averaged 222 carries and 39 catches a season. In Bush’s five seasons in New Orleans he averaged 105 carries and 59 catches a season. Bush has proven in the last two seasons that he can be the primary every-down back in an NFL offense. But he proved before that that he can be a significant threat even when he’s not carrying the ball 200 times a season. And that may be the Reggie Bush we see in Detroit in 2013.

Keep in mind that Mikel Leshoure is a very capable goal line back, so he will likely vulture some red zone touches, limiting Bush's upside. Bush should be especially good in PPR formats as the Lions tend to throw the ball a ton. The Lions aren't stacked at RB like the Saints were, so Bush should see more than 105 carries in 2013 provided he can stay healthy.

While Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan is putting up a caution flag when it comes to the recovery of Robert Griffin III, the quarterback's doctor has no such qualms.

James Andrews, the noted orthopedic surgeon who operated on Griffin's two torn knee ligaments in January, calls Griffin "superhuman" in an interview with ESPN.

"He wants his recovery to be fairly private, but I can tell you he's way ahead of schedule. His recovery has been unbelievable so far," Andrews told ESPN.

"RGIII is one those superhumans. First patient I ever had like that was Bo Jackson. And recently I, of course, had Adrian Peterson, who is also superhuman. They have an unbelievable ability to recover, whereas a normal human being may not be able to recover."

Griffin turned in a wonderful rookie season, racking up 27 total TDs (20 passing, seven rushing) to go along with 3,211 yards passing and 833 yards rushing. RG3 belongs in the top tier when he's playing, but like Michael Vick before him, his lack of bulk and propensity to take hits make him an injury risk. His questionable status for Week 1 has been dragging down his ADP.

TE Brandon Myers, who signed with the Giants last Sunday, played the entire 2012 season with a sprained shoulder.

"Obviously, (I) had to take a few shots, but it wasn’t only about me, it was about trying to help the Raiders win," Myers said in a phone interview this week. "And that’s what I tried to do."

Topic No. 1: blocking, which Myers said he and TE coach Mike Pope "talked a lot about." Myers admits that part of his game suffered after he sprained the AC joint in his left shoulder in training camp last year, resulting in him managing the injury all season. As he explains, "It’s never fun to go out there and try to block a 300-pound guy with basically one arm."

After rest and rehab in Southern California (no surgery), Myers said he’ll be back to full strength by the time the Giants start their offseason program April 15.

"Obviously, my blocking wasn’t up to par. That’s not an excuse by any means," Myers said. "But we kind of went over some things, (Pope’s) technique that he could teach me to help me out, so I think it will be a good fit."

Add Myers to the long list of semi-reliable TEs that will be available in the middle or late rounds. He was 9th in standard formats (6th in PPR) in 2012 and is heading to a good situation in New York. In the last five seasons, the top Giants tight end has averaged 2.7-36-.33, which isn't bad considering that we're talking about Kevin Boss (2008-2010), Jake Ballard (2011) and Martellus Bennett (2012). That works out to 5.6 fantasy PPG, which would have equated to #14 TE numbers in 2012. Myers is a better receiver than any of those players and his weakness (only 4 TD catches in 2012) should be offset by Eli Manning's propensity to throw to his tight end in the redzone. Giants TEs have averaged 5.0 TDs per season, so Myers should be able to build on that given his skill set. He looks like an upside TE2 in standard formats and a low-end TE1 in PPR formats.

Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell was hired in January and has informed Maruice Jones-Drew’s camp he would not talk contract until later in the season or afterward.

“I really learned that through my first year in Atlanta and the approach we took,” Caldwell says. “We need a full year’s body of work to be around the guys to see what they do on the field and how they conduct themselves in the locker room, community, everything to say, ‘Hey, this is a guy we want to invest in for the future.’ ”

Says Jones-Drew: “That didn’t bother me.”

MJD's contract was a distraction heading into the 2012 season, but it appears that it won't be much of an issue in 2013.

New Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton is trying to minimize changes in the playbook and adapt as much of Bruce Arians’ offense as possible to make it easier on his young players. That includes terminology, formations and personnel groups. Even though Andrew Luck is familiar with Hamilton’s old offense because they worked together at Stanford, Hamilton and Chuck Pagano don’t want to burden the rest of the offense too much. And, they want to stick with what worked.

Panthers HC Ron Rivera has taken to giving Steve L Smith occasional days off, and he plans to do more of it.

“The thing about Steve I’ll always be impressed with is how hard he does everything. Not just on the football field. Everything he does, he gives 100 percent,” Rivera said. “He really does put his all into it. I think that’s why he’s been able to sustain it for such a long time.

“I think we have to be smart with Steve, make sure we put him in position to take advantage of his abilities and maximize his time and not waste his time or his reps. So he’s getting quality reps and quality plays.”

Smith didn't catch a TD until Week 9, but finished with four TDs in his final nine games (which coincided with QB Cam Newton's improved play). He's turning 34 in May, but as long as he's seeing 8+ targets per game, he should be a solid fantasy contributor. He was the #19 WR in 2012, yet he's been going 32nd in early 2013 drafts.

As the weekend moves toward a conclusion, defensive end Osi Umenyiora’s time as a free agent is coming to a close.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Umenyiora is expected to join the Falcons on Sunday or, at the latest, on Monday.

TE Kellen Davis signs a one-year deal with the Browns, per league source.

It sounds like Rams RB Isaiah Pead has a chance to start in 2013 after barely getting off the bench last season.

“He just didn’t get a chance because of the other two,” HC Jeff Fisher said, referring to Steven Jackson and Daryl Richardson. “But he’ll get his opportunity this year. ... He’s got a chance to make a lot of big plays for us.”

Pead missed almost all of the spring practice period because his college (Cincinnati) was on the quarter system, meaning its school year ended late. As a result, NFL rules didn’t make Pead available to the Rams until June other than the post-draft minicamp.

We're expecting a Richardson/Pead RBBC in St. Louis.

Rams WR Chris Givens was the most productive of the 2012 rookies, leading the Rams with 698 receiving yards on 42 catches. Early in the season he caught passes of 50 yards-plus in five consecutive games, becoming the first rookie in league history to do so.

As the season progressed, Givens got more comfortable running short and intermediate routes, which made him more than a one-trick pony.

“He improved weekly,” HC Jeff Fisher said. “We were able to do more and more with him as he got more familiar. I think he knows that this is his opportunity.”

Givens definitely has sleeper potential now that Danny Amendola isn't gobbling up 9.1 targets per game. In the five games Amendola missed, Givens averaged 8.0 targets per game. He averaged 4.0 TPG with Amendola in the lineup.

David Wilson told the Daily News Thursday that he recently had minor hand surgery to remove a bone chip in his palm.

"It happened awhile ago," Wilson said. "I didn't want to do it, like, before the season. But it was already chipped. So (they) just take it out so it won't be floating around."

Wilson was still sporting several black stitches running from his palm down his wrist on Thursday. The injury is hardly serious, though, he said, and he's not expecting to miss any time because of it. In fact, Wilson said he has been training at the Giants facility the last several weeks.

With Ahmad Bradshaw out of the way, the Giants will turn to a David Wilson/Andre Brown backfield in 2013. While Wilson is getting most of the press, keep in mind that Brown was playing ahead of Wilson when healthy. Brown will at a minimum get most of the goal line touches, putting a dent in Wilson's upside.

Former 49ers WR Ted Ginn is signing a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers.

Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew knew that his offseason schedule this year would revolve around his rehab schedule after having December surgery to repair a Lisfranc fracture in his left foot, so he figured he could knock out several classes while receiving daily treatment from the Bruins medical staff.

The Jaguars changed general managers and coaches after the season, and Jones-Drew says he has talked just twice with new coach Gus Bradley, who informed him that the team plans to "run the rock."

That's fine with Jones-Drew, who has set his sights on 2,000 yards this season. Never mind that he only recently started putting weight on his surgically-repaired foot. His tentative schedule is to begin wearing a regular shoe this weekend, start running in May, and be full-go in June.

This is first time that the injury has been characterized as a Lisfranc injury, which makes it all the more odd that MJD waited until late December to undergo surgery. Regardless, if he can get healthy for training camp, he's going to hold fringe RB1 value heading into 2013 fantasy drafts. From 2009 to 2011, MJD finished in the top 7 in fantasy PPG.

Safety Bernard Pollard told ESPN's Josina Anderson on Thursday that he has agreed to a one-year deal with the Tennessee Titans.

Pollard was part of the Super Bowl-winning Baltimore Ravens team but was released this month.

Future Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed has agreed to terms with the Texans, ending his Ravens career.

Bears HC Marc Trestman isn't sure if Devin Hester will even practice with receivers, let alone play there. Purely a returner now.

New Bears HC Marc Trestman expects WR Alshon Jeffery to be a starter.

Jeffery averaged 2.4 catches for 37 yards and 0.3 TDs in 10 games in his rookie season.

To help get a feel for star running back Jamaal Charles, HC Andy Reid studied film of the 2010 AFC West champion Chiefs, whose offensive coordinator was Charlie Weis. Reid said Weis’ offense is similar to his and he liked what he saw of Charles.

“Charlie kind of moved him around like we did with our guys [in Philadelphia],” Reid said Tuesday at the NFL owners meetings. “I did that just to see how [Charles] handled the quick passing game or the deep passing game from the wide receiver position. He handled it well. So that gives you another dimension that you know is in there that he wasn’t utilized … they just didn’t use it in him the last couple years.”

In 2010, Charles had 1,467 yards rushing and 45 catches for 468 yards receiving. It was his second- highest rushing season total and a career high in catches and receiving yards.

There have been questions whether Charles will fit with Reid because Reid is a pass-first coach. But he is also a smart coach. He knows Charles, who had 1,509 rushing yards last season, is special on the ground and Reid will use him. But he also will give defenses multiple looks at Charles.

Charles had his share of ups and downs thanks mostly to irregular usage. With new coach Andy Reid taking over the play calling, Charles should see consistent touches, especially in the passing game (a la LeSean McCoy and Brian Westbrook, who thrived under Reid). The Kansas City offense should improve, which should lead for more redzone touches as well.

During his visit to Winter Park, WR Greg Jennings watched film with coordinator Bill Musgrave and receivers coach George Stewart, who showed him places they'd like to put him in the offense. The plan for now is to start Jennings at the "Z" (flanker) -- the same spot Harvin played, although the way that position operates figures to be vastly different.

Jerome Simpson remains the starting "X" (split end) by default for now, a $2.1 million insurance policy if whatever outside receiver the Vikings select high in next month's draft comes along slower than hoped. Jennings figures to play some there and plenty in the slot, too, depending how Musgrave incorporates Jarius Wright and others into the scheme.

Jennings figures to be targeted heavily in Minnesota's offense, though he probably won't be as efficient as he was in Green Bay.

Coach Dennis Allen said this week that the fact that RB Darren McFadden is going back to a system in which he excelled in will help him.

“(McFadden’s) most effective years have been in a downhill, power scheme,” Allen said this week at the NFL owners meetings “That's why Greg Olson and Tony Sparano are here."

McFadden should bounce back this season as the team moves back to a power scheme. Last year was a case of the Raiders trying to fix something that wasn't broken. McFadden averaged 122 total yards and 0.75 TDs in 20 games in 2010 and 2011.

Packers HC Mike McCarthy spoke with reporters about his plans for the backfield (as paraphrased by beat writer Tom Silverstein): "Changes will play to the strengths we have. Wish we had [DuJuan Harris] earlier. Couldn't just put him in there, lost of stress on backs...Felt great with DuJuan in the backfield. He's going to play for us next year...Would like to get into a 1-2 punch with the backs. It really helps if you can keep doing it with same guys. [James Starks], [Alex Green] weren't 100%."

At this point, we think DuJuan Harris will get the most touches in 2013 provided he can stay healthy and hold up in pass protection. The Packers could very well add a RB in free agency (Ahmad Bradshaw, Cedric Benson) or in the draft.

K Phil Dawson, 38, signed a one-year contract Tuesday with the 49ers.

Dawson made his first Pro Bowl last season, converting 29 of 31 attempts. His conversion percentage (93.5) ranked second among NFL kickers in 2012. Defying age, he's made 14 of 15 attempts from at least 50 yards in the past two seasons, including all seven in 2012.

Dawson should be a solid fantasy kicker in 2013 as the 49ers tend to generate plenty of opportunities for their kicker.

Chiefs WR Donnie Avery is a likely starter along with Dwayne Bowe. Reid said recently that Dexter McCluster would also play.

“I like McCluster,” Reid said. “I think he’s a good football player, and he has a role on this football team. I’ve got some things in mind for him.”

McCluster, who is quick, could flourish in Reid’s offense. But he’s not particularly fast, which again pointed to the need for Avery.

Avery was a second-round pick of the Rams in 2008 and played two seasons in St. Louis before tearing his ACL in a preseason game in 2010. He missed that season and was cut by the Rams before the following season.

If he's the starter, Avery will be a sleeper heading into the 2013 season. His value will depend on how quickly Reid can turn around the Chiefs' offense.

Free agent running back Bernard Scott was cleared Monday by orthopedic surgeon Robert Scheinberg to begin cutting and doing "explosive weight training" on his surgically repaired knee, Scott's agent, Scott Casterline, told USA TODAY Sports.

Scott tore his ACL in Week 2 last season for the Cincinnati Bengals. Casterline said Scheinberg said Scott is right on track in his recovery.

The Saints announced the addition of Ben Watson by tweeting a picture of him signing his contract. It was the first indication the Saints were interested in Watson, a solid blocker who can contribute in the passing game as well.

Watson won't be the primary target at the position for Drew Brees. That, of course, will remain Jimmy Graham. Watson will likely slip into the role previously filled by David Thomas, who was released after catching four touchdowns last season.

New Cardinals coach Bruce Arians appears ready to anoint Drew Stanton as his starting quarterback.

Asked by Andrew Siciliano on NFL Network whether he thinks his starting quarterback is currently on the roster, Arians answered, “Yes, we have a very capable one in Drew Stanton.”

Arians continued that Stanton played for him last year as Andrew Luck’s backup in Indianapolis, which makes him comfortable that he has a quarterback who can run his offense effectively.

“Drew knows the offense, he is more than capable of doing it. If he is our guy, I am comfortable,” Arians said.

Stanton has been in the league for four seasons and Arians knows him well. Expectations won't be high, but even if the Cardinals can get mediocre play out of Stanton, it will be an improvement for WR Larry Fitzgerald.

Matt Hasselbeck wasn't out of work very long.

Just a few hours after being released by the Tennessee Titans, Hasselbeck is reportedly signing with the Titans' AFC South rival, the Indianapolis Colts, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

Hasselbeck couldn't reach an agreement with the Titans to lower his $5.5 million base salary and was released on Monday afternoon.

Speculation for the better part of a week has been that Josh Cribbs is not only on is way out of Cleveland, but that he is headed to the Arizona Cardinals. In fact, the Plain Dealer reporter on Sunday that Cribbs was headed to Arizona to take a physical and, “if all goes as Cribbs hopes, he’ll be a Cardinal by Monday the source said.”

ESPN Cleveland has learned from multiple sources that the delay in Cribbs signing is because he failed his physical with the Cardinals on Monday. It is unclear at this time what may have been the cause of the failed physical and if this will deter Arizona from signing the nine year NFL veteran.

Update: Mike Garafolo of USA Today has tweeted that Cribbs' agent JR Rickert said his client underwent surgery to repair meniscus after the season and it has not completely healed. He added that they expect for Arizona to give Cribbs another physical in a few weeks and possibly sign him then.

A torn meniscus is usually not a big deal. We're expecting Cribbs to pass his physical in the next month or so.

Vikings GM Rick Spielman was asked why the team signed QB Matt Cassel...

You gave Matt Cassel a lot of money (two years, $7.4 million) to be a backup quarterback. Do you envision him competing for the starting job with Christian Ponder in training camp?

Spielman: "Nope. No. No. It's purely we felt he was our best option to get a veteran backup quarterback that would fit from not only our needs as to, if something does happen to Christian, having a guy that's capable of going in there and winning ballgames, but also the right chemistry fit for Christian, too, which was very important."

Ponder's job appears to be safe at this point, but that doesn't make him a good fantasy option.

Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew is expected to get the walking boot off his left foot later this week, HC Gus Bradley confirmed, and he’ll then start rehab.

Bradley: “I’ve had some conversations with him. I know Maurice’s past history is that he leans up as he gets closer to the season so I know this is probably challenging for him to be in the boot and not be doing things physically but I trust him.”

MJD's recovery will be watched closely this offseason. If he's healthy, he'll hold top 10 RB value.

The Tennessee Titans agreed to terms on Monday night on a two-year deal with former Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, a person with knowledge of the deal told USA TODAY Sports.

The Titans also cut Matt Hasselbeck, so Fitzpatrick will back up Jake Locker or perhaps compete with Locker for the starting job. We do not see this as a vote of confidence for Locker.

Jake Long has made his decision. And the St. Louis Rams have a new left tackle.

NFL.com's Albert Breer reported late Sunday night that Long and the Rams have agreed to a new deal, according to a team source. The contract is for four years and $34 million, with incentives that could push it to $36 million, according to the source. Breer also reports that $16 million is guaranteed at signing, with another $4 million guaranteed if he is on the roster at the start of the 2014 league year.

Two club sources told Breer that coach Jeff Fisher's pitch on the direction of the Rams franchise was instrumental in landing Long. According to ESPN's Ed Werder, Long turned down a higher offer from a team other than the Miami Dolphins to join the Rams.

The news was somewhat surprising given reports this weekend that Long and the Dolphins were heading toward a deal that would keep Long with the team that selected him first overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. Long joins tight end Jared Cook as the second player in the past week to choose the Rams over the Dolphins.

"It was a tough decision," Long told the Post-Dispatch. "I came in for a visit and coach Fisher and Kevin Demoff and Les Snead were amazing. I just fell in love with their vision and the entire organization. And all the great things they had to say about Mr. (Stan) Kroenke and the way they go about football."

With Danny Woodhead leaving for San Diego, Patriots RB Shane Vereen's playing time figures to spike next season.

This is not a great leap considering Vereen's late-season production and the fact that Danny Woodhead is out of the way. Vereen gained at least 38 total yards in six of his last nine games and scored three TDs in that span. If he gets all of Woodhead's touches (not a crazy proposition if you split Brandon Bolden's 58 touches in 2012 between Bolden and Leon Washington) Vereen would be looking at around 135 carries (540 yards at 4.0 YPC) and 45 catches (468 yards at 10.4 YPC -- Woodhead's average over the last two seasons). With an estimated six TDs (one less than Woodhead in 2012), Vereen is looking at around 137 fantasy points in standard formats, which would have been good for a #23 RB ranking in 2012. Vereen appears to have fringe RB2 value heading into 2013 in standard formats. His value will be a bit higher in PPR formats if he gets most of the passing down work.

The Giants have a new starting tight end: Brandon Myers, who is coming off a career year with the Raiders.

Myers agreed to sign with the Giants after a visit today, a person with knowledge of the agreement confirmed.

Myers replaces Martellus Bennett, who left for the Bears on the first day of free agency. The 27-year-old had 79 catches for 806 yards and four touchdowns last season with the Raiders. The Giants liked Myers (6-foot-3, 256 pounds) so much, they didn't let him end his visit without agreeing to a deal.

The Giants sounded like they might move forward at tight end with former fourth-round pick Adrien Robinson or a draft pick, but Myers is an intriguing addition to work with quarterback Eli Manning and veteran tight ends coach Mike Pope.

Add Myers to the long list of semi-reliable TEs that will be available in the middle or late rounds. He was 9th in standard formats (6th in PPR) in 2012 and is heading to a good situation in New York. In the last five seasons, the top Giants tight end has averaged 2.7-36-.33, which isn't bad considering that we're talking about Kevin Boss (2008-2010), Jake Ballard (2011) and Martellus Bennett (2012). That works out to 5.6 fantasy PPG, which would have equated to #14 TE numbers in 2012. Myers is a better receiver than any of those players and his weakness (only 4 TD catches in 2012) should be offset by Eli Manning's propensity to throw to his tight end in the redzone. Giants TEs have averaged 5.0 TDs per season, so Myers should be able to build on that given his skill set. He looks like an upside TE2 in standard formats and a low-end TE1 in PPR formats.

Elvis Dumervil had made up his mind.

He would slash $4 million from his salary in order to stay with the Denver Broncos, the team that drafted him in 2006, rather than take a chance on the free agent market and risk playing for less money or a for a team that wouldn't be a Super Bowl contender.

Dumervil informed both his agent, Marty Magid, and the Denver Broncos of his decision around 3:25 p.m. ET, 35 minutes before the 4 p.m. deadline. The negotiating was the hard part. All that was left was to file the paperwork. And that's where it all fell apart.

In a messy situation involving soft and hard deadlines, e-mails and faxes, and late changes to the deal, Dumervil's signed contract didn't spit out of a fax machine at Broncos' headquarters until six minutes after deadline, at 4:06 p.m. Seven minutes earlier, the Broncos had filed paperwork of their own, formally releasing Dumervil and voiding the rest of his contract that was to pay him $12 million guaranteed in 2013.

The latter transaction is the one that will count with league, not the verbal agreement Dumervil and the team reached a short time earlier, and the end result is that Dumervil is a free agent.

Brandon Lloyd reportedly was willing to take a pay cut in order to stay with the New England Patriots, but that won't be enough to keep him around.

The Patriots released Lloyd on Saturday after only one season with the team, a club source told NFL.com's Albert Breer. The team later confirmed Lloyd's release.

NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported that it's possible Lloyd will return at a lesser salary. Lloyd was due a $3 million roster bonus after a season in which Lloyd caught 74 passes for 911 yards and four touchdowns, but it was clear he wasn't going to get that bonus.

Lloyd didn't provide the vertical threat that the Patriots were hoping for, and there were reports that his erratic behavior was not a great fit in the locker room. His potential future in New England could depend on what else the Patriots get accomplished in free agency.

If the Patriots don't add anyone (Darrius Heyward-Bey?), Donald Jones would be a nice sleeper if he ends up starting. After a stellar 77-1448-11 season in Denver, Brandon Lloyd is now trying to join his fourth team in three years. He has played for six teams in his career.

Free-agent CB Aqib Talib reached agreement with the Patriots on a one-year deal.

Former Rams WR Brandon Gibson agreed to terms with Dolphins.

Gibson gives the Dolphins a deeper WR corps that now includes Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline, Davone Bess and Dustin Keller.

WR Greg Jennings reached agreement with...the Vikings.

If Jennings can stay healthy, he should be able to post nice numbers as the Vikings' main weapon (along with Kyle Rudolph) in the passing game. He'll benefit from playing against defenses that will be focused on stopping Adrian Peterson, but he won't enjoy the benefit of playing in the Packers' potent passing attack (with QB Aaron Rodgers). So expect more targets and lower efficiency. He looks like a low-end WR2 at this point. This is an upgrade for Christian Ponder, who could certainly use the help. (It's also an upgrade for Peterson.) In Green Bay, Jennings' departure means that Jermichael Finley will likely be around another season. Expect good numbers from Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and James Jones. All four players should be startable in most formats.

Chargers announced that they re-signed RB Ronnie Brown.

Along with Danny Woodhead, Brown is going to eat into Ryan Mathews' third-down snaps, if not eliminate them completely. Mathews is looking like a very low end RB2 in 2013.

FS Louis Delmas returns to Lions on a two-year deal, per league source.

The Chargers have agreed on a 2-year deal with running back Danny Woodhead.

Woodhead is very good in the passing game and is an underrated runner (4.8 YPC). He's likely to serve as the Chargers' third-down back, which will put a dent in the value of Ryan Mathews. As for the Patriots, they'll move forward with the emerging Shane Vereen and the recently signed Leon Washington at RB behind Stevan Ridley.

Tony Gonzalez contract was 2-years, $14 million with $7 million guaranteed.

RB Beanie Wells has BAD wheel, source says.

This is a Steelers beat writer sharing this information, so along with the Cardinals, two teams have now expressed reservations about Wells' health.

Free agent tight end Dustin Keller has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

Keller is a capable receiving tight end. He has averaged 3.9-47-.29 over the last two seasons (24 games). Those are #13 TE averages in 2012. The Dolphins' passing game is shaping up to be much more potent with Mike Wallace and Keller on board.

Former Bills WR Donald Jones has agreed to terms on a three-year contract with the New England Patriots, according to a person informed of the talks between the sides. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn't been finalized and signed.

Jones could replace Brandon Lloyd in the starting lineup if Lloyd doesn't agree to a pay cut. If Jones ends up starting, he could have fantasy WR3/WR4-type value in the Patriots' potent offense.

Three days after the Daily News reported that the Jets were targeting Mike Goodson to replace Shonn Greene, Rex Ryan's team signed the free agent running back on Friday. Goodson, who played last season with the Raiders, signed a three-year, $6.9 million deal, according to a source.

It appears that Goodson will compete with Bilal Powell for the RB1 job, though the duo could very well split the workload. Goodson has a career 4.5 YPC, but has averaged nearly 4.9 YPC in the last three seasons. He has proven to be adept in the passing game, catching 40 passes for the Panthers in 2010. At just 26 years old, he's in his prime. Consider him a RB sleeper until the Jets' depth chart shakes out.

It's natural to wonder whether the addition of wide receiver Percy Harvin signals a shift in offensive philosophy for the Seahawks, who attempted the most rushes and fewest passes of any NFL team last season.

Coach Pete Carroll was asked that question when he joined "Brock and Salk" on Wednesday.

"No, it doesn't at all. We're gonna do exactly what we wanna do with continuing to send the message about how physical we are, how we attack with the running game and fit off that," he said. "What I hope happens when we throw it and catch it we just make more yards, we have more spacing. I'm expecting Golden [Tate] to have a huge year, Doug [Baldwin] to have a huge year and Sidney [Rice] to fit in together.

"This is not a change at all."

With the addition of Harvin and the maturation of Russell Wilson, the Seahawks are likely to throw more regardless of what Carroll is saying in March. While Marshawn Lynch may see fewer carries, defenses will have to respect the passing game even more in 2013, so he should see fewer defenders "in the box."

The Packers feel good about 5-foot-7 back DuJuan Harris and would be satisfied having him share time with somebody else.

Thompson can't be certain that Harris, Alex Green and James Starks are the answer to an improved running attack, but there's enough there that he's not desperate. There are a couple of other options for bettering the talent.

In free agency, there are a number of backs who have had success in the NFL but come with injury and consistency issues. The good news for Thompson is that he can wait most of them out and sign one for a very reasonable price if he wants.

Among those available are Ahmad Bradshaw, Beanie Wells, Peyton Hillis, Justin Forsett and Turner. Bradshaw is the most talented of the group, but he was released from the Giants in part because he has been injury prone and had off-season foot surgery.

With Steven Jackson out of the picture, it looks like the Packers will look for a veteran on the cheap or perhaps draft a rookie RB to add to their committee attack. At this point, Harris looks like the best fantasy bet, but that could change quickly.

In an interview with 98.7 ESPN New York, Jets QB David Garrard fielded the following question:

Did the Jets assure you that you had a fair chance at being the starting quarterback?

“When I talked to everybody, I was given — without a doubt — the idea that I had every shot to be the starting quarterback. I took them at face value. I took them as genuine when they were telling me that. I didn’t think they were telling me the Jets were taking me in to help everybody else out. I felt like they were being very sincere."

This is obviously bad news for Mark Sanchez, but neither player is even a fantasy QB2 given the current state of the Jets.

The Patriots added some speed to their offensive arsenal yesterday.

Running back Leon Washington signed a one-year contract, and he’ll be able to fill a couple of roles. Offensively, Washington is more of a change-of-pace back, similar to free agent Danny Woodhead.

The Pats could use Washington for depth purposes if Shane Vereen continues to emerge the way he did late last season.

49ers WR Mario Manningham agreed to a $1.8 million pay cut in his base salary for the 2013 season, an NFL source confirmed Thursday.

The new contract, first noticed by Jason Hurley of NinersNation.com, reduces Manningham's base pay from $3.6 million to $1.8 million. Of his salary, $1.25 million is guaranteed for injury only.

With the arrival of Anquan Boldin, Manningham figures to be the 49ers' WR3 in 2013. He's very capable in that role.

The Chiefs mercifully put an end to the Matt Cassel era on Thursday, releasing the quarterback into the wild of free agency. And just a few hours after he became a free agent, the Vikings pounced on him, CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reports.

It's a move that simultaneously makes sense for Minnesota and brings into question their faith in incumbent starter Christian Ponder.

The Vikings jumped at the chance to add Matt Cassel so it's possible that he'll have a chance to compete with Christian Ponder for the starting job. Cassel was pretty solid from 2008 to 2010 in one season with the Patriots and two with the Chiefs. He threw 64 TDs and 34 INTs in that span. In the past two seasons, he threw 16 TDs and 21 INTs. Given the current state of the Minnesota receiving corps, neither QB is shaping up to be even a fantasy QB2 in 2013.

The Atlanta Falcons agreed to a contract with free-agent running back Steven Jackson on Thursday, league sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

As expected, Jackson voided his contract with the St. Louis Rams on Thursday, making the 29-year-old an unrestricted free agent. He said last week that he wanted to start for whichever team he signed with in free agency.

"For where I'm at, going into Year 10, I'm not ready to step back and just become a primary backup or a reduced role guy to be part of a running back by committee," Jackson said on Sirius XM NFL Radio last week. "I still have a lot left in my tank. I still have a lot left to offer to a team. We're not talking about someone that's in Year 12 or 13."

This looks like a great signing by the Falcons and Jackson has a chance to have fantasy success in Atlanta's high-octane offense. Jackson will benefit from extra red zone touches -- Michael Turner had almost twice as many red zone carries as Jackson did in 2012. He'll also enjoy running against defenses that will have to respect Matt Ryan and the Falcons' potent passing game. He has a chance to be a three-down back, but the Falcons may continue to use Jacquizz Rodgers in the passing game. S-Jax looks like a low-end RB1 in his new situation. As for the Rams, it appears (at this point) that they are going to move forward with Daryl Richardson and Isaiah Pead in some sort of a RBBC.

The Chiefs announced the release of quarterback Matt Cassel on Thursday, multiple media outlets said.

After a 27-touchdown, seven-interception season for a division-title winning Kansas City club in 2010, Cassel struggled the next two seasons. The Chiefs’ trade for Alex Smith and the signing of Chase Daniel signaled the franchise would be going in a different direction at quarterback in 2013.

Cassel is a fringe (real-world) starter talent so he may end up starting for a QB-needy team in the near future. He threw 64 TDs from 2008 to 2010 (one season with the Patriots and two with the Chiefs). The Chiefs signed former Saints backup Chase Daniel to backup new starter Alex Smith.

NFL.com's Albert Breer reported Wednesday that Avril has agreed to terms to join the Seattle Seahawks. NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday night the deal is for two years and $15 million.

Avril turned down a three-year, $30 million contract extension with the Detroit Lions last year.

The Seahawks arguably had football's best defense last season, and now they add the top edge rusher on the open market. Two days after acquiring wide receiver Percy Harvin from the Minnesota Vikings, the Seahawks are establishing themselves as a favorite in the NFC.

The Seahawks defense is going to be scary in 2013.

Cardinals HC Bruce Arians on new RB Rashard Mendenhall.

“As a running back he’s the total package,” Arians said in a release by the team. “He’s a big, strong, every-down back with speed who can pass block and also catch the ball. I’ve said before: he’s a big man with little-people feet, meaning he can run like he’s 180 (pounds) but also pound the ball like he’s 230.”

The Cardinals gave Mendenhall a one-year contract, which doesn't indicate a ton of confidence. If Ryan Williams is healthy, this could be an interesting camp battle this summer.

"It's a running back's dream," Reggie Bush, 28, told the media Wednesday, after signing a four-year free-agent deal to be the latest cog in the Lions' yardage machine. "It's the first thing we talked about when we watched the film and saw those safeties deep and those safeties rolling over, double-covering Calvin Johnson. It's a running back's dream."

Bush will reportedly be given the opportunity to earn "feature back" duties, which could mean big things for him in Detroit. Keep in mind that Mike Leshoure is a very capable goal line back, so he may vulture some red zone touches, limiting Bush's upside. Bush should be especially good in PPR formats as the Lions tend to throw the ball a ton. At this point, Bush's departure leaves Lamar Miller the favorite to start for the Dolphins.

Chip Kelly was asked about James Casey’s versatility when he brought up an interesting name.

“I think the versatility that you can present to defenses is when you have a certain grouping in the game, there’s not only one thing you can do,” Kelly said. “I think the teams that have been successful doing it, you watch the Patriots line up Aaron Hernandez [6-1, 245] all over the place. Is he going to be a tight end? Is he going to be a receiver? Is he going to be a running back?

“It makes it very difficult for the defense. They don’t know at the beginning of the play where people are going to line up and what they’re going to do. It keeps them on their toes. We want guys that can do that. You really get pigeon-holed when you have one-dimensional players. And when you do, it makes it a little bit easier for the defenses to go out there and understand what’s going to go on in certain formations.”

That was really all Kelly needed to say to explain why he thinks Casey is such a good fit.

That's quite the comparison. Casey proved to be a good receiver for the Texans and he'll bring those skills to Kelly's offense.

Chiefs HC Andy Reid said tight end Tony Moeaki had arthroscopic knee surgery after the season but will be ready to go when offseason practice begins in May.

The Chiefs this week signed a second tight end, Miami’s Anthony Fasano, as a free agent. Reid said the Chiefs have plans to use many two-tight end formations

“It’s important that (Moeaki) gets himself healthy and he works on the rehab part of that,” Reid said. “The combination of those two is something we’re looking at as a positive.”

Neither player is looking like a particularly good fantasy option at this point in the offseason.

Patriots reach agreement in principle on five-year deal with former Ram Danny Amendola, per league source.

Well, then. With Wes Welker heading to Denver, the Patriots had a hole in the slot and they filled it with the best slot receiver left on the market. Amendola isn't as durable as Welker but he should be very good in PPR formats if he can stay healthy. If the Patriots let Julian Edelman walk, it would be good for Amendola. Bump Tom Brady back up and move Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski back to their original positions (though Amendola shouldn't see quite as many targets as Welker would have). As for the Rams, it's wide open at WR. We like Chris Givens (42-698-3 as a rookie) and Brian Quick should be better with a year under his belt. Sam Bradford loses his slot receiver but gains TE Jared Cook.

And there it is: what many in New England thought wouldn't happen has. Wes Welker has left the Patriots. He signed with the Broncos.

It's reportedly a two-year deal worth $12 million total, so a curious move by the Patriots to let him walk. Welker will take over for Brandon Stokley (45-544-5) in the slot, and will surely siphon some targets off of Eric Decker, Jacob Tamme and perhaps Demaryius Thomas, who has a downfield skill set that might protect his targets more than the other Bronco receivers. Still, Welker should be heavily targeted, and that will impact the entire offense. His value goes down a bit with the move. It's a boost for Peyton Manning, who gets a great weapon in the slot. In New England, Welker's departure is good news for Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski, along with whomever the Patriots find to start at receiver next season. (Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman are “poor man’s Welkers” and Brandon Lloyd may get a chance to stick around.) As for Tom Brady, he can't be happy about losing his security blanket in the slot.

Source confirms that RB Shonn Greene has reached a three-year deal with the Titans.

The Titans talked about finding a complementary back to lessen the rushing load on Chris Johnson and it appears they have found their man. Greene averaged 3.9 YPC in 2012 and found the endzone eight times. He may vulture some carries around the goal line.

Former Colts WR Donnie Avery signing with KC Chiefs.

This is an interesting move given the arrival of Andy Reid and Alex Smith and the team's decision to re-sign Dwayne Bowe. Avery was pretty good for the Colts in 2012, catching 60 passes for 781 yards and three touchdowns. He wasn't terribly efficient (124 targets), but that was partly due to Bruce Arians' aggressive play-calling. The soon-to-be 29-year-old could emerge as the starter opposite Dwayne Bowe.

Reggie Bush agreed to terms on a four-year deal with the Detroit Lions, the team has announced via its website. The former No. 2 overall pick spent the last two seasons with the Miami Dolphins trying to prove he can be a featured back and now he'll get the chance to take the bulk of the load with the Lions as well.

Bush will step into a backfield that has been without Jahvid Best but also includes Mikel Leshoure.

"Definitely where we are, he definitely would be the missing piece," Lions offensive guard Rob Sims said. "With our aerial attack and he can catch the ball the way we can out of the backfield and some of the other running game stuff we got in place, I think it's tailor-made for him."

Bush will reportedly be given the opportunity to earn "feature back" duties, which could mean big things for him in Detroit. Keep in mind that Mikel Leshoure is a very capable goal line back, so he may vulture some red zone touches, limiting Bush's upside. Bush should be especially good in PPR formats as the Lions tend to throw the ball a ton. At this point, Bush's departure leaves Lamar Miller the favorite to start for the Dolphins.

The Arizona Cardinals reached an agreement in principle on a one-year deal with former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Bruce Arians, the Cardinals' coach, was at one time Mendenhall's offensive coordinator with the Steelers.

Mendenhall was slowed last season by injuries. He tore the ACL in his right knee in Week 17 of the 2011 season and didn't return until Oct. 4 of last season. His return didn't last long, though, as he strained his right Achilles four days later.

The 25-year-old running back has rushed for 3,549 yards and 29 touchdowns in 57 career games.

It's interesting that the deal is only for one year, but the Cardinals (and other teams) may not feel that Mendenhall is completely healthy and want to limit their risk. The deal allows him to prove himself and potentially cash in next summer. He will vie with Ryan Williams for touches in the Arizona backfield. Until the depth chart shakes out, we won't know who is the better fantasy bet for 2013.

Word around the league is the Patriots' offer to WR Wes Welker came in substantially lower than expected, and he's seriously considering bolting New England.

Welker doesn't have a ton of leverage in this situation because the Patriots have other good slot options in Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman. Edelman appeared to be in line for a big role in the offense until his injury. Stay tuned.

Jaguars have waived WR Laurent Robinson. Passed his physical so no injury settlement.

Robinson suffered multiple concussions in 2013 and his career is now in question.

K Josh Brown is signing with the Giants this morning, per multiple sources. He was in camp with the Jets last year.

Brown was solid for the Bengals after Mike Nugent got injured. He hit 13 of 14 FG attempts, including 5 of 6 from 40+ yards. He replaced Lawrence Tynes. Brown should be a solid fantasy kicker available in the final rounds this summer.

Eagles have agreed to terms with H-Back James Casey, per source.

It's unclear how Casey's arrival will impact Brent Celek, but it certainly doesn't help.

Raiders announce release of WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (no surprise w/him set to make $8M).

Heyward-Bey had a down 2012 thanks to injury but was very solid in 2011, catching 64 passes for 975 yards and four TDs.

Former Titans TE Jared Cook reached agreement with the Rams.

There was some talk that he could be headed to Miami, but Cook instead re-joins his old coach (Jeff Fisher) in St. Louis. It's a nice add for the Rams, though Cook has been spotty throughout his career. He's still a fantasy TE2, but we like Sam Bradford a bit more as a QB2. Lance Kendricks' already limited value takes a big hit.

Titans and 49ers TE Delanie Walker reached agreement in a principle on a four-year deal.

Walker is a versatile player who can contribute in several different phases of the game. The signing probably means the end of the Jared Cook era in Nashville.

After starting 52 games for the Bills over the past four seasons, Ryan Fitzpatrick was released by the team on Tuesday afternoon.

Fitzpatrick was currently playing on a six-year, $59 million extension that he signed in October 2011 when the team got off to a 4-2 start. Fitzpatrick finished that season with a league-high 23 interceptions and the Bills have gone 8-18 since that deal was signed.

Fitzpatrick is a fringe NFL starter and may get another shot to start for a QB-needy team. We won't know how this will impact WR Steve Johnson until we have a better idea who will be starting for the Bills.

Former Giants tight end Martellus Bennett reached agreement with Bears on a four-year deal.

Ever since they traded Greg Olsen away, the Bears have struggled at TE. Bennett had a solid year with the Giants in 2012 (55-626-5) and should immediately start in Chicago. We liked him more in New York, but he could surprise for the Bears if Jay Cutler sends enough passes his way.

Dolphins give Mike Wallace a five-year deal worth up to $65 million.

It's reportedly a five-year deal worth up to $65 million. Mike Wallace has the #17 PPG average (in standard formats) over the last two seasons, and if he's able to develop a rapport with QB Ryan Tannehill this offseason, he should be a capable fantasy WR2 in 2013. His YPC (13.1) and Catch % (55%) dropped, but that was partly due to Ben Roethlisberger missing three games during the season. Even though he had a down year in 2012, he averaged 4.5-63-.67 in 12 games with Roethlisberger, which are similar to his 4.5-75-.50 averages in 2011. We typically prefer receivers whose situations are obviously improved (or at least relatively unchanged), but Wallace should be able to make some noise in South Beach. This is obviously good news for Ryan Tannehill and bad (though expected) news for Roethlisberger. Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders get a boost in Pittsburgh.

Eagles announced that they released CB Nnamdi Asomugha.

Jets WR Santonio Holmes' has agreed to a restructured contract and will remain with the team for the 2013 season.

Given the Jets roster of WRs, Holmes is a sleeper WR5 who will likely be available late in fantasy drafts. If he can stay healthy, he should see a lot of targets from QB Mark Sanchez.

Vikings just released CB Antoine Winfield.

Winfield played well in 2012, but declined a pay cut, so he was released.

Texans released WR Kevin Walter, per league source.

Lestar Jean and Keshawn Martin move up a spot on the depth chart provided the Texans don't add another WR via free agency or the draft.

WR Jerome Simpson reached agreement with Vikings on a 1-year deal.

Simpson was a big disappointment in 2012, but he did struggle with injuries at the start of the season and never really looked like himself. The Vikings have a lot of work to do at the receiver position, so Simpson should have an opportunity to earn some snaps.

Tony Gonzalez hasn't publicly declared that he will return for a 17th NFL season, but here's another sign that he apparently is leaning in that direction: The Atlanta Falcons tight end has given his agent, Tom Condon, the green light to talk to the team about a new contract, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told USA TODAY Sports.

It looks as if Gonzalez is going to return for another season provided he the Falcons agree to let him miss a portion of training camp. He finished #3 in fantasy PPG in 2012 and #6 in 2011 so another top 5 season is well within reach.

The New York Jets signed veteran quarterback David Garrard on Monday in hopes of bolstering their backup corps behind starter Mark Sanchez, the team announced.

We wouldn't expect Garrard to challenge for the starting job, but it's not out of the question.

Ravens trade Anquan Boldin to 49ers for a sixth-round pick.

He's 32, slowing down and has trouble separating, but what Boldin did down the stretch and in the playoffs should not be overlooked. In the 10 games from Week 11 through the Super Bowl, Boldin averaged 4.7-75-.70 which project to #6 WR numbers, and that included a goose egg against the Broncos in Week 15. What he lacks in speed he makes up for in savvy and ball skills. He'll start opposite Michael Crabtree and should have similar value (WR3-ish) as last year. As for Crabtree, this probably means a bit of a drop in targets unless the 49ers let Colin Kaepernick throw the ball more. In Baltimore, this leaves a hole in the starting lineup, but it should lead to more consistent targets for Torrey Smith and Dennis Pitta. This is a downgrade for Joe Flacco, who loses a key weapon in his arsenal. Conversely, there's even more reason to like Kaepernick in 2013.

Cardinals RB Beanie Wells on Twitter: "Just been informed that I'll be released today. Would like to thank the Cardinals organization for give me a chance to live out my dreams."

This potentially clears the way for Ryan Williams to start for the Cardinals, though the team has also been linked to free agent Reggie Bush. Stay tuned.

The Seahawks and Vikings have agreed to a trade that send Harvin to Seattle for draft picks, pending Harvin passing a physical.

Percy Harvin wanted out of Minnesota, and got his wish. He joins a WR corps of Sidney Rice, Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin and figures to lead the group in targets in 2013. This is great news for QB Russell Wilson, who is getting a big boost at WR. In standard formats, Harvin finished in the top 11 in the last two years in fantasy PPG, and will once again be a fringe WR1, especially if he can stay healthy. Harvin's usage may drop a bit in Seattle, but this should be offset by additional red zone opportunities. Seattle's OC, Darrell Bevell, was the Vikings OC in 2010. That year, Harvin averaged 7.7 targets per game. The move leaves the Vikings with possibly the worst WR corps in the league (though Jarius Wright is a sleeper), so downgrade Christian Ponder even further.

The Giants intend to let RB Andre Brown split carries with David Wilson in their back field, so he’ll probably get a second-round tender ($2.02 million). Although his original round is a fourth-rounder and he’s had injury issues, so maybe this is where they try to save a few bucks, thinking no one will want to give him big money and surrender a pick that high. I’m not sure it’s worth the risk, though. For $700,000 more, why not just lock up a player who might start on Opening Day?

At the very least, Brown will be the Giants' goal line back, which puts a significant dent in David Wilson's upside. Brown performed well in 2012, so he could end up in a RBBC with Wilson, who doesn't seem built for feature back duties anyway.

The Dolphins have made little secret of their desire to upgrade their receiver corps for next season and surround Ryan Tannehill with better weapons. And a lot of the talk has focused on Mike Wallace, who is the youngest (26), fastest and arguably the best receiver available in free agency.

The Dolphins can’t sign Wallace until 4 p.m. Tuesday, but all signs point to him landing in Miami, perhaps minutes after the new league year begins tomorrow.

We hear from someone we trust that it’s a “done deal” that Wallace will be signing with Miami.

Mike Wallace has the #17 PPG average (in standard formats) over the last two seasons, and if he's able to develop a rapport with QB Ryan Tannehill this offseason, he should be a capable fantasy WR2 in 2013. His YPC (13.1) and Catch % (55%) dropped, but that was partly due to Ben Roethilsberger missing three games during the season. Even though he had a down year in 2012, he averaged 4.5-63-.67 in 12 games with Roethlisberger, which are similar to his 4.5-75-.50 averages in 2011. We typically prefer receivers whose situations are obviously improved (or at least relatively unchanged), but Wallace should be able to make some noise in South Beach.

NYG have signed DT Cullen Jenkins to a three-year deal for $8 million, $3 million guaranteed.

According to multiple team sources, the Falcons are cautiously optimistic that TE Tony Gonzalez will return for another potential title run in 2013. Sources close to Gonzalez, an unrestricted free agent, said he is contemplating a return at the right price, provided he can miss some or all of training camp this summer.

"He will come back if they pay him $7 million and he doesn't have to do training camp," said one Falcons player familiar with Gonzalez's thinking.

Another team source added, "If we offer him the money, he'll most likely be back for one more. He'll most likely be looking to miss training camp, though."

A high-ranking Falcons official indicated the team would not likely let either of those issues become an impediment to a deal.

"The money is there," a source close to Gonzalez said. "Working out the days he can miss is the biggest holdup."

It looks like Gonzalez will be back if the Falcons concede to his salary and training camp requests, which they almost certainly will. He was #3 in fantasy PPG in 2012 and #6 in 2011, so another top 5 season is well within reach.

The lean market also could work in Danny Amendola’s favor. Brian Hartline provided a benchmark of sorts Friday when he re-signed with Miami for a reported $6.1 million a year over five years, saying he gave the Dolphins a home-team discount at that.

That’s the kind of deal Amendola seeks, according to those familiar with the negotiations. That’s more than the Rams are willing to invest, given Amendola’s recent injury history. So he appears headed to the market once free agency starts Tuesday. And if the market materializes as expected by Amendola’s agents, he will be headed to a new team sooner rather than later.

Amendola averaged 5.7-61-.27 (#28 WR numbers) but struggled with injuries throughout the season. The Rams have a group of young WRs that they're trying to develop, including Chris Givens and Brian Quick. If the two sides can work out a deal, Amendola should once again be a PPR force in 2013.

The latest word from some good sources around the NFL is that Harvin, who missed the final seven regular-season games as well as the playoff game because of a serious ankle injury, has told the Vikings that he doesn’t want to play for them and wants to be traded.

However, Harvin is signed through this year, and the Vikings currently are $16 million under the NFL salary cap of $123 million. So they have the resources to give him some money if his salary is the problem.

Rick Spielman, the Vikings general manager, has made it clear that the club won’t trade Harvin. So the Vikings are in the driver’s seat as far as keeping him for the next three seasons.

But if Harvin truly doesn’t want to play here, it will be interesting to see how the Vikings get him in a good frame of mind for next season.

The Vikings are already short on talent at WR, and if Harvin is indeed traded, Minnesota will have to address the position early and often this offseason. Things aren't looking good for QB Christian Ponder.

A source told FOXSports.com that the Ravens want wide receiver Anquan Boldin to renegotiate the $6 million base salary he is set to earn in 2013. Otherwise, Boldin will be released before Tuesday’s start of the free-agent signing period.

Boldin was one of quarterback Joe Flacco’s favorite targets during the postseason, especially in third-down situations. Boldin caught six passes for 104 yards and one touchdown in Baltimore’s 34-31 championship victory over San Francisco.

He's 32, slowing down and has trouble separating, but what Boldin did down the stretch and in the playoffs should not be overlooked. In the 10 games from Week 11 through the Super Bowl, Boldin averaged 4.7-75-.70 which project to #6 WR numbers, and that included a goose egg against the Broncos in Week 15. What he lacks in speed he makes up for in savvy and ball skills. In early 2013 mock drafts, Boldin has been available in the final rounds.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed potential restricted free agent LeGarrette Blount to a one-year contract extension.

The team has announced the move. But a source said Blount will receive $1.25 million in base salary. He also can earn a $350,000 reporting bonus and a $150,000 workout bonus.

Blount will continue to serve as Doug Martin's primary backup.

The Sideline View's Adam Caplan reports the team is planning to use the low ("original-round") tender on the 24-year-old Danario Alexander. We don't often mull restricted free agents because very few are pursued, but Alexander stands to draw considerable interest if the low tag is applied.

The original-round tender would allow the Chargers to match any offer floated Alexander's way, but if they choose not to match, they'll receive nothing in return, because Alexander went undrafted. This is surprising because earlier reports suggested the Chargers might use their first-round tender on Alexander, which would all but guarantee he'd be back.

Alexander, despite a history of knee surgeries, turned it on for the Chargers last season, pulling down 37 catches for 658 yards and seven touchdowns in nine games.

The Chargers found something in Alexander, who simply had not been able to stay healthy in his three-year career. In his final nine games, Alexander averaged 4.1-73-.78 (#6 WR numbers), so if his knees hold up, he'll represent significant value in the middle rounds. The Chargers are betting that no other team is willing to give the WR a big contract due to his injury history.

Saints RB Chris Ivory has has been issued a second-round tender, according to a source.

Barring a trade, Ivory won't hit free agency until 2014. This news hurts his stock (assuming he would have had a chance to start elsewhere) and the stock of both Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas, who will have to look over their shoulders for another season.

The Cardinals have informed Adrian Wilson that he'll be released today, Wilson spent the last 12 seasons with Arizona, he'll look to continue his career.

The Carolina Panthers have released cornerback Chris Gamble, the franchise's all-time leader in interceptions.

NFL.com's Jeff Darlington reported Friday that quarterback Matt Moore has decided to stay in South Florida, inking a new contract with the Dolphins, according to a source close to the player.

It's smart work by general manager Jeff Ireland. Moore widely was considered the top quarterback in a thin NFL free-agent market and likely would have been courted by multiple teams. Moore wants to be a starter, but he's comfortable with the Dolphins and close friends with second-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

Moore could have had a shot at a starting job elsewhere, but instead decided to stick as Tannehill's backup in Miami. He has trade value now that the Dolphins have his rights.

The Miami Dolphins are bringing back their leading receiver from last season.

Hartline's deal is worth $30.775 million over five years, according to a person who reviewed the contract details.

Hartline had a career season in 2012, catching 74 passes for 1,083 yards, but he only caught one TD. His 12-253-1 outing against the Cardinals in Week 4 accounted for 23% of his yardage for the season. He figures to be the Dolphins' WR2, assuming they're able to land either Mike Wallace or Greg Jennings in free agency.

General manager Dave Caldwell has been consistent in his praise for TE Marcedes Lewis ($5.75 million cap hit). The feeling inside the building is he was underused last year (10.4 yards per catch), too often kept in for pass protection instead of being sent downfield to capitalize on mismatches against less-athletic linebackers.

Marcedes Lewis has shown flashes throughout his career, but hasn't developed into a consistent threat. He posted 58-700-10 in 2010 and then failed to find the endzone in 2011, catching only 39 passes for 460 yards. The new regime apparently believes he's been underutilized in the passing game, so he could emerge as a solid TE2 if he gets more involved.

Nothing earth-shattering, but Rams RB Steven Jackson has officially voided the final year of his contract.

Jackson is looking to join a contender and the two teams to which he's most often linked are the Falcons and the Packers. His fantasy value would increase with either team due to a likely increase in red zone touches.

The 49ers released kicker David Akers on Wednesday.

In two seasons with the 49ers, Akers made 73 of 94 field goal attempts and was perfect on all 78 extra-point attempts.

In 2011, Akers set an NFL record with 44 field goals, 52 field-goal attempts and 166 points. He also tied the NFL record for longest field goal with a 63-yarder in the 2012 season opener at Green Bay.

He made just 29 of 42 field goals in 2012, which led to his release.

Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick's status appeared secure last month, when new coach Doug Marrone announced he informed Fitzpatrick and newly re-signed backup Tarvaris Jackson that he intends to have both compete for the starting job this offseason.

The Bills' message was less definitive a little more than a week later at the NFL combine in Indianapolis. That's where both GM Buddy Nix and team president Russ Brandon were evasive when discussing Fitzpatrick.

Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe cut short a tropical vacation to return to Kansas City on Tuesday and meet with GM John Dorsey and HC Andy Reid.

“I find him to be a very engaging young man,” Dorsey said. “He’s a receiver and receivers have unique personalities. But he’s a very talented guy. We sat and talked. I told him it’s his responsibility to uphold his end of the bargain. He said he understood the challenge ahead and he totally embraced that challenge.

“He is ready to take that position of being one of the top receivers in professional football.”

Bowe was on pace for 73-981-3.7 (#28 WR numbers) before missing the final three games with broken ribs. Until Andy Reid was hired as head coach, it was assumed that Bowe would depart via free agency, but Reid was involved in DeSean Jackson's monster contract last season and probably encouraged the Chiefs to re-sign Bowe. With the upgrade at QB (to Alex Smith), Bowe should have a solid 2013 season. He has the 17th highest FP per game average over the last three seasons, so expect him to put up solid fantasy WR2 numbers.

Former Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt liked the idea of breaking up duties for the backs – adding in LaRod Stephens-Howling as well – new coach Bruce Arians has a different philosophy.

“Backs by committee, one of them gets hurt you’ve lost half your committee or a third of your committee,” Arians said. “I like guys who can play every down.”

Arians doesn’t see his running backs as primary receivers. They will get some receptions, yes, but they are there as an extra line of protection so the quarterback has time to look down the field and complete passes for the “big chunks” the new coach loves so much.

“Can they run the football, do they have vision, patience,” Arians asks of his backs. “Second, can they pass protect on second down? Can they pass protect on third down when it really gets complicated?

“Will we throw to the backs? Yeah. But the receivers are the ones paid to catch it.”

Arians is familiar with Ryan Williams, who figures to get first crack at the starting job in Arizona.

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, who was on his way to having one of his best seasons before his injuries, acknowledged for the first time that he did not have the arm strength to make either of those throws after returning from a sprained right shoulder and a dislocated rib.

"Sometimes, certain passes just weren't right. I didn't trust myself to get enough zip on it to throw it out there. I tried to guide it too much instead of just throw it. But that's making excuses ... I'll be better, health-wise."

Roethlisberger said he is, in fact, fully recovered from those injuries.

"I feel great. I think I ended the season healthier than I have in a long time. I know that sounds crazy because of my ribs and chest, but I played three or four games at the end of the season and I was actually getting healthy as the season was ending."

On a per game basis, Roethlisberger was QB12 in 2012 and QB13 in 2011, so as long as he stays healthy -- which isn't a sure thing these days -- he's likely to provide fringe fantasy starter numbers for owners in 2013. However, if big-play wideout Mike Wallace signs elsewhere, it's going to have an adverse effect on his production, and Roethlisberger will likely drop to the next tier.

With Patriots receiver Wes Welker planning to test the market, the question becomes the outcome of the looming experiment.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the Pats remain the favorite to retain Welker. That said, one or two teams could intervene.

“It’s close,” the source explained.

Welker's value would take a big hit if he were to leave the Patriots.

What's important to consider is WR Wes Welker's somewhat mild disdain for the Patriots right now, according to a source close to the player. Welker apparently is a little miffed at how he was treated in last year's opener, when offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels had him targeted for a season-low five pass attempts that resulted in a season-low three receptions.

That bit of tweaking stuck in Welker's craw all season. So did the notion that if tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski hadn't both gotten hurt at different times, there's a strong belief that Welker would have been limited to far fewer than the 118 receptions he finished with last season. In short, there's a little paranoia in the Welker camp these days about his role with the Pats.

Go play with another quarterback and all of that could suffer. Worse, Welker could go to a team that doesn't let him run constant option routes (the ability to go just about anywhere on the field depending upon the coverage). Suddenly, fans and perhaps the management of a new team could view him as just a little guy who doesn't really measure up in the classic ways.

What that means is that Welker could be a cap casualty in two years, that feisty receiver who went somewhere else and didn't pan out. All that money he was set to make in the third year of the contract could evaporate and he would end up back in New England, asking for another shot, taking minimal salary to do it and hoping to get his place back in line.

It did appear that the Pats were ready to give Julian Edelman a larger role early in the season, but it's possible that they were just preparing for life after Welker, who once again proved his worth throughout the season. It's doubtful that they'll give Welker a sizable contract only to bench him for Edelman, though Welker's role in the offense would diminish if Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski were to stay healthy.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Chiefs and WR Dwayne Bowe reached agreement on a five-year contract extension, avoiding having to use a second franchise tag on the 2007 first-round pick out of LSU. Playing under a $9.515 million tender last season, Bowe led the Chiefs with 53 receptions for 801 yards and three touchdowns.

Dwayne Bowe was on pace for 73-981-3.7 (#28 WR numbers) before missing the final three games with broken ribs. Until Andy Reid was hired as head coach, it was assumed that Bowe would depart via free agency, but Reid was involved in DeSean Jackson's monster contract last season and probably encouraged the Chiefs to re-sign Bowe. With the upgrade at QB (to Alex Smith), Bowe should have a solid 2013 season. He has the 17th highest FP per game average over the last three seasons, so expect him to put up solid fantasy WR2 numbers.

As far as outside free agents, it appears that Steven Jackson, who reportedly will void his contract with the Rams, will be the top target in light of the release of running back Michael Turner. The reason for his release was a failed physical, according to the NFL’s transactions list.

Turner aggravated an ankle injury in the NFC Championship game. He limped off the field in the third quarter and did not return. The team did not announce any additional information about the injury or if he required offseason surgery.

Jackson could split duties with Jacquizz Rodgers, who had a strong second season. Jackson is an adept pass catcher out of the backfield and fits the scheme.

If Jackson does land in Atlanta, we'd expect his ADP to settle in the third round. He should see quite a few additional goal line opportunities in the Falcons' high-powered offense.

Reviewing the tapes from last season, the new Browns coaches were very impressed with the improvement of WR Greg Little. In the first five games, he had 11 catches and six drops. In the last 11 games, it was 42 catches and three drops. Little receives high grades for blocking and toughness. He seems to be a significant part of the plan for 2013.

It appears that Little has a strong hold on the WR2 job opposite of Josh Gordon. He averaged 4.4-57-0.4 in the last five games, which are #26 WR-type numbers. It's a small sample size, but Little isn't a bad fantasy WR5/WR6 at this point.

Former coach Pat Shurmur and his staff were not thrilled with WR Josh Gordon's approach during the 2012 training camp. The coaches taught him how to prepare for practice and film work. He seemed to believe his immense natural talent was enough. By midseason, they thought Gordon had made enormous progress, with former offensive coordinator Brad Childress praising Gordon for "always carrying his notebook" and taking notes.

But at the NFL Combine last week, CEO Joe Banner said: "I think Josh has to keep working hard and improving. ... A top-of-the-second-round pick on a wide receiver, you would hope by the second or third year you'd have a big, big impact player."

Gordon did not finish strong, having only eight catches for 73 yards in his final three games. He had only one touchdown in his last nine games.

Gordon should have a nice year in Norv Turner's vertical passing game, which treated Vincent Jackson quite well while he was in San Diego. WR is a very deep position right now, so fantasy owners would be wise not to reach for Gordon too early. Remember, he failed three drug tests (marijuana) while in college.

Former Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Steve Breaston is considering undergoing the Regenokine treatment in Germany in an effort to repair knee inflammation and early arthritic symptoms, according to sources.

Breaston had visits this past week with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns.

It is the same treatment that players such as Kobe Bryant and Alex Rodriguez underwent to help save their careers.

Breaston was unable to contribute in Kansas City, even though the Chiefs had one of the least talented WR corps after Dwayne Bowe. The writing is on the wall.

Randy Moss indicated on Twitter that he has been informed that he won't be re-signed by the 49ers.

Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer was asked who would start at QB for the Browns.

I still get the feeling the Browns would like to upgrade if they can. But their options are limited. The only quality veterans expected to be available are the three Matts: Matt Flynn, Matt Cassel and Matt Moore. Cassel isn't currently on their front burner and Moore is believed to have other destinations in mind. The draft class is generally viewed as weak, and with Colt McCoy set to make more than $2.3 million in 2013, he might get the chance to seek greener pastures. So for now, I think Brandon Weeden is still their best option, but they'll keep their eyes and ears open.

Weeden has a strong arm, which should fit nicely with Norv Turner's vertical passing attack. It's not easy to upgrade at QB so the Browns may give Weeden another year to progress.

Again, Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco has agreed to terms on a new deal with the Ravens. He will sign it Monday. Waiting on terms.

This is good news for the Ravens offense, particularly the receiving corps (Torrey Smith, Anquan Boldin and Dennis Pitta).

The Atlanta Falcons on Friday cut three veteran stars central to recent playoff success, including an appearance in last season's NFC Championship Game.

Running back Michael Turner, cornerback Dunta Robinson and defensive end John Abraham were released, the team announced.

The Falcons have already been tied to Steven Jackson, which would be a good fit for both sides. Turner's departure leaves Jacquizz Rodgers as the lead back in Atlanta, though the Falcons are likely to add an RB, either by free agency or the draft.