Kirk Cousins Addresses Achilles Rehab
Atlanta will receive plenty of attention this summer as both Kirk Cousins and first-round rookie Michael Penix Jr. take part in their first training camp with the team. The latter is slated for backup duties in 2024, but the former faces questions about his rehab from the Achilles tear which ended his Vikings tenure. 
Cousins was enjoying a productive campaign until the injury, one which did not hinder his earning power in free agency. The 35-year-old secured $100MM guaranteed from the Falcons to serve as the team’s starter for at least the short-term future. Cousins was initially taken aback by the Penix selection (eighth overall), although he has since turned his attention back to his ongoing recovery.
Head coach Raheem Morris recently indicated the four-time Pro Bowler’s Achilles is not yet fully healed at this point. Cousins is nevertheless taking part in Atlanta’s offseason workouts as he continues to make progress. His latest comments on the matter represent a further sign he will be back to 100% in time for the start of the regular season.
“I’m good to go,” Cousins said during an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show (video link). “I’ve told people for a while that if the Super Bowl were today, I’m playing. And that goes back probably – I think when I first got here, I was working out and we got maybe a week or two into my rehab and I did some drills where I said, ‘Hey, if the Super Bowl were today, I’m playing.’ And they seemed to agree.”
Cousins still has plenty of time to continue rehabbing, and the team will no doubt take a cautious approach during the summer if he suffers any setback. It seems unlikely that will be the case, though, so the most compelling storyline for the offseason (and likely beyond) will presumably be Penx’s development along the sidelines and how Cousins performs knowing his projected successor is in the organization.
Latest On Seahawks RT Abraham Lucas
The Seahawks found starters at both tackle spots during the 2022 draft. No. 9 pick Charles Cross is in place as the team’s blindside blocker of the present and future, while third-rounder Abraham Lucas has impressed when on the field at right tackle. 
[RELATED: Seahawks To Conduct C, RG Competitions]
The latter was limited to only six games last season, however, after he suffered a knee injury in Week 1. That ailment required surgery, and then-head coach Pete Carroll referred to the issue as a “chronic” one. That has led to concerns about Lucas’ long-term health status, but ESPN’s Brady Henderson reports the injury is not viewed by the Seahawks as being as much of an issue as initially feared.
Despite that encouraging update, Henderson adds Lucas’ recovery has taken longer than hoped at this point. The 25-year-old started 16 games as a rookie, drawing impressive PFF grades in both pass protection and run blocking. His evaluation was worse last season, one in which he received an overall grade of just 51.3. As a whole, the Seahawks struggled up front in 2023, something which played a role in quarterback Geno Smith‘s regression relative to the year prior. A healthy Lucas would no doubt help the unit considerably this year.
“It’s hard to tell,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said when speaking about Lucas’ recovery process (via Henderson). “It’s hard to tell. We’re shooting for camp right now. Abe’s getting after it in rehab, so I’m proud of his effort that he’s putting in.”
The Washington State alum’s status will be worth watching through the summer with a training camp return being targeted. In the meantime, practices will have George Fant in place as a first-teamer at the right tackle spot. The veteran was brought back this offseason to serve as Seattle’s swing tackle, and he has 73 starts to his name. Fant last played for the Seahawks in 2019, and the team intends for him to not be counted on as a frequent contributor at either tackle position in 2024. Whether or not that winds up being the case will depend on Lucas’ recovery, a process which is ongoing and does not have much clarity at this point.
Sean McDermott: Bills DC Bobby Babich To Receive Look As Play Caller
Leslie Frazier served as the Bills’ defensive coordinator from 2017-22, but he was away from the team last season and he has not returned for the coming campaign. Buffalo has a replacement in place (Bobby Babich), but it remains to be seen if he will call plays. 
Babich – promoted from the role of linebackers coach in January – has been with the team since 2017, and he drew coordinator interest from outside teams during the 2024 hiring cycle. This Buffalo gig represents his first DC posting in the NFL, however, and Babich has not called a defense at either the college or pro levels to this point in his career.
Head coach Sean McDermott called plays last year, and he said earlier this month that a final decision will not be made on that front until at least training camp. Whichever direction the team goes, the coach guiding the unit will face considerable expectations. To little surprise, though, Babich will receive the chance to handle play-calling duties this summer before McDermott elects to either hand over the reins or repeat his workload from 2023.
“There’s going to be intentionality on my part to make sure, whether it’s practice or preseason games, that Bobby’s given that opportunity,” McDermott said, via The Athletic’s Tim Graham (subscription required). “So it’s just a matter of when and for how long.”
It would come as little surprise if Babich were to operate as play caller during Buffalo’s exhibition games in addition to training camp practices. McDermott has plenty of experience in that regard dating back to his own DC tenures, and he guided the Bills to a fourth-place finish in scoring defense last year. The team has generally fared well on that side of the ball during the McDermott era (although their postseason performances have not matched regular season showings), and his familiarity with the role could help as a transition to plenty of new faces is made in 2024.
The likes of Tre’Davious White, Leonard Floyd, Tyrel Dodson, Jordan Poyer and (at least for now) Micah Hyde are no longer in the picture for Buffalo’s defense. One of the team’s top storylines will be their ability to fill the vacancies created by those absences, and the decision on play caller will of course be a key topic to follow during the summer. Babich will receive at least a brief look before McDermott makes a final decision.
Aaron Rodgers On Jets OC Nathaniel Hackett
Nathaniel Hackett is in place to reprise his role as offensive coordinator of the Jets in 2024. The maligned play-caller has been the subject of considerable speculation this offseason, though, with New York reportedly seeking out a de facto replacement. 
Hackett had success alongside Aaron Rodgers as a non-play-calling offensive coordinator in Green Bay. He took his first head coaching opportunity with Denver in 2022, but that resulted in his firing before the campaign came to an end. The 44-year-old reunited with Rodgers in New York last season, but his performance guiding the Jets’ offense was met with criticism.
Head coach Robert Saleh was connected to exploring a hire to whom Hackett would cede at least some of his authority this winter, but to date no such move has been made. The latter feels he still has the support of the former, and that is also the case with respect to Rodgers. Healthy following his Week 1 Achilles tear, the future Hall of Famer provided a public endorsement of Hackett during an appearance on Mad Dog Sports Radio.
When asked by host Adam Schein why the Jets should trust Hackett, Rodgers replied, “Well, you should trust me and I trust Nathaniel. So, to me, that’s end of story. There’s been a lot of BS that’s been said out there. There’s a lot of things that have gone on the last couple years that he’s dealt with that I think he’s handled very professionally. And at the end of the day, I think you gotta trust his and my working relationship and the conversations that we have” (h/t ESPN’s Rich Cimini).
Saleh, Hackett and general manager Joe Douglas have faced questions about their job security, but the trio received a mulligan from owner Woody Johnson following a 2023 season in which Rodgers was sidelined for all but four snaps. The latter will be a central figure in New York’s ability to rebound this year, and Hackett too will receive plenty of attention as the season goes on. Cimini confirms the Jets sought out an experienced staffer, though he adds Hackett’s status as play-caller likely would have been safe in any case.
“We gotta believe in Nathaniel,” Rodgers added. “At the end of the day, his and my partnership is one that’s been fruitful in the past, and it’s gonna be fruitful again.”
Vikings Unlikely To Make WR Addition?
The Vikings lost quarterback Kirk Cousins this offseason, but much of their pass-catching corps remains intact. Wideouts Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are on the books, as is tight end T.J. Hockenson. 
[RELATED: Justin Jefferson Seeking NFL’s Largest Non-QB Deal?]
Among Minnesota’s free agent losses was receiver K.J. Osborn, though. He proved to be a consistent secondary option in the team’s passing game from 2021-23, amassing 15 touchdowns during that span. The former fifth-rounder signed a one-year deal with the Patriots in March, leaving the Vikings in need of a new WR3.
The team signed Trent Sherfield to a modest deal, giving the journeyman an opportunity to carve out a role. Sherfield’s best season came in 2022 with the Dolphins (30-417-2), and he has started only 10 of 95 games in his career. Minnesota has other options to operate as a third receiver, such as Brandon Powell, N’Keal Harry and Jalen Nailor.
No member of that group has a track record of success as a starter, though, which has led to questions regarding the Vikings’ depth plans at receiver. On that point, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert writes Minnesota does not appear to be interested in making a free agent move. Jefferson and Addison are positioned to once again command a large target share in 2024, and Hockenson proved to be an effective pickup during his first full Vikings season until it was cut short by a major knee injury.
Several veteran wideouts are still on the market. The likes of Michael Thomas, Mecole Hardman and Hunter Renfrow remain unsigned, and none of them will likely be expensive additions at this point in the offseason. With roughly $16.5MM in cap space, the Vikings can afford to make an addition at the position, particularly if it is one aimed at providing experienced depth in head coach Kevin O’Connell‘s three-receiver scheme. At this point, however, it may come as a surprise if the team prioritized a signing.
Packers WR Christian Watson Addresses Hamstring Rehab
During his first two seasons in the NFL, Christian Watson has missed considerable time. A goal for he and the Packers this offseason was to find a long-term solution to his hamstring issues, and progress on that front has been made. 
The No. 34 pick in the 2022 draft, Watson joined Green Bay with considerable expectations. His rookie season was limited to 11 contests, though, and questions lingered last offseason relating to his ability to stay on the field for a full campaign. In 2023, the 25-year-old wideout missed the first three weeks as well as the final five games of the campaign dealing with recurrences of his hamstring ailments.
Green Bay sent Watson to see a specialist after the end of the season, and he tested at the University of Wisconsin’s School of Medicine and Public Health. When speaking about his recovery process during that time, the North Dakota State alum noted that a lack of symmetry in his legs (with respect to strength in his hamstrings) was the cause of his problem. Rectifying that will go a long way in preventing further missed time.
“For me, it really was the asymmetry between the legs,” Watson said at OTAs (via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky). “It comes from a lot of things. Obviously, the issues I’ve had in the past with hamstrings, not fully recovering from those strength-wise. I’ve been attacking the strength side of it, trying to get that symmetry back and it’s been huge for me. I feel really, really good.”
Watson added that the difference in muscle mass between his right leg and his left was roughly 20% not long after he tested at Wisconsin. That figure has dropped considerably since, although he has yet to reach his goal of 6% at this point. Of course, that progress will be worth monitoring throughout OTAs and through training camp, and his ultimate success will come down to his gameday availability during the season.
For now, Watson and the Packers are confident this offseason will mark a turning point from a health standpoint. The team’s young receiving corps also includes the likes of Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, and that unit fared well last season as Jordan Love took on starting quarterback duties. Watson (who has averaged 15 yards per catch and totaled 12 touchdowns in his career) will play a notable role in 2024 and beyond if he can remain healthy. Signs currently point to that being possible, if he can follow through on his recovery plan.
Ravens Interested In Safety Addition
The Ravens have Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton in place as projected safety starters for 2024. The team lost Geno Stone in free agency this offseason, however, and finding a replacement late in free agency appears to be a priority. 
Baltimore used three-safety looks regularly in 2023, and doing so allowed Hamilton to wear a number of hats for the team’s defense during his breakout campaign. The 2022 first-rounder has seen considerable usage in the slot, but the departure of Stone (along with the re-signing of slot corner Arthur Maulet) should allow him to play primarily as a safety moving forward.
The same is true for Williams, but his Ravens tenure has been marred by injuries to date. The former Saint inked a five-year, $70MM deal in free agency, but he has been limited to 24 combined regular and postseason games in two Baltimore campaigns. Williams, 27, does not have guaranteed salaries remaining on his contract, but he will be counted on as a first-team contributor for the foreseeable future barring a major injury.
The Ravens are among the teams looking to bring in a third safety, Ryan Mink of the team’s website writes. New defensive coordinator Zach Orr named 2021 UDFA Ar’Darius Washington as a candidate to fill that role, but he has just 10 regular season and playoff games under his belt. The team selected Sanoussi Kane in the seventh round of the draft, but he should not be expected to play a notable defensive role as a rookie. Of course, a number of veterans are still on the market deep into an offseason in which several safeties were let go or not retained by their former teams.
One of those – Jamal Adams – visited Baltimore earlier this week. Adams was cut by the Seahawks in a cost-shedding move, one which seemed to bring his injury-plagued Seattle tenure to an end. He has been in discussion with the team, but the Ravens could represent an alternative destination depending on the level of interest shown in that case. Justin Simmons, Quandre Diggs, Eddie Jackson and Marcus Maye are among the other veteran safeties still unsigned.
Baltimore currently sits near the bottom of the league in terms of cap space with $5.7MM in available funds. Only a low-cost addition is feasible as a result, but the depth of free agent options should allow for an inexpensive move.
Latest On Cowboys, Dak Prescott
Wideout CeeDee Lamb is absent from the Cowboys’ OTAs as he seeks a new contract. Quarterback Dak Prescott is likewise a pending free agent, but he is in attendance amidst questions regarding his future in Dallas. 
The 2023 MVP-runner up has no-trade and no-tag clauses, giving him considerable leverage in talks with the Cowboys. Prescott is not close to a new agreement being worked out, and owner Jerry Jones is remaining patient with respect to the top of the quarterback and receiver markets shaking out. Prescott appears to be open to reaching free agency next offseason, and his most recent comments confirm he is not focused on his contract at the moment.
“I don’t play for money. Never have never cared for it, to be honest with you,” the 30-year-old said, via ESPN’s Todd Archer. “Would give it up just to play this game. So, I allow that to the business people to say what it’s worth, what they’re supposed to give a quarterback of my play, a person of my play, a leader of my play. For me, it’s about, as I said, control what I can control and handle that part and the rest will take care of itself.”
Four quarterbacks reached the $50MM-per-year mark last offseason on extensions representing their second NFL contracts. Veteran Jared Goff recently joined that group; his new Lions pact (the third of his career) carries an annual average value of $53MM. That contract, coupled with the continued growth of the salary cap, offers reason for Prescott to anticipate a major raise compared to the four-year, $160MM deal he signed in 2021.
Both team and player will be hoping for a smoother negotiating process this time around, but Archer confirms there have still yet to be “meaningful discussions” on a Prescott accord. The Cowboys envision the three-time Pro Bowler remaining as their signal-caller beyond 2024, and ensuring that will require the parties gaining traction later this offseason for this storyline to be resolved before the campaign starts. Dallas’ financial planning, of course, must also take into account deals for Lamb and edge rusher Micah Parsons, both of which will at least bring them close to the top of their respective markets.
“I think it depends on personal relationships and position and how much that pay can affect others, understanding where I am, what my pay means to a team and to an organization,” Prescott added. “I don’t really take things personal. Maybe in my first deal, maybe things were a little different than they are now. One, it’s my age and who I am, where I am in my life… The understanding that I have a lot of decision in this, too. I have a lot of say-so, too.”
The extent to which Prescott wields his leverage will be a key factor in contract talks. His remarks demonstrate an awareness of the impact his next deal will have on the Cowboys’ cap situation, and with the Goff according providing a measuring stick the parties could have starting point for serious negotiations. When those take place and the progress they provide will be worth monitoring closely.
Steelers Sign RB La’Mical Perine
La’Mical Perine has not needed to wait long to find his next opportunity. The former Chiefs running back was let go last week, but the Steelers announced on Thursday he has been signed. 
Perine entered the league as a Jets fourth-rounder. He played sparingly on offense between the 2020 and ’21 seasons, receiving just 72 carries during that time. That was followed by short-lived stints with the Eagles and Dolphins, but his next regular season action came in 2023 with the Chiefs. Perine mainly served as a special-teamer during Kansas City’s run to a second straight Super Bowl title.
The Chiefs did not draft a running back this year, but the team nevertheless let Perine go. That has led to questions about how they will fill out their backfield depth chart during the summer, but the 26-year-old will again be joining a RB room with the top two spots accounted for. Pittsburgh has Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren as returnees from last year. Both are pending free agents, but they are each positioned to once again handle a notable workload.
The Steelers added Cordarrelle Patterson this offseason in large part based on his prowess as a returner. He could serve as a third running back contributor as well, though. The team also added Jonathan Ward earlier this week, and he too will be competing for the RB3 role during training camp. Perine will provide Pittsburgh with another option in that regard.
The latter made one start last season, a regular season finale in which Kansas City sat several starters. Perine received all but one of his 22 carries on the season during that game; with only 14 career receptions, the Florida product does not profile as a pass-catching specialist on the Steelers or any other team. A special teams role therefore represents Perine’s likeliest path to playing time in Pittsburgh.
Eagles Sign WR John Ross
John Ross took part in the Eagles’ rookie minicamp, and his performance has earned him an extended look. The veteran receiver signed with Philadelphia on Thursday, per a team announcement. 
Ross retired last summer, but he attempted a comeback in November. Without having found playing time at the end of the 2023 campaign, he has not played a regular season game since 2021. The 28-year-old will attempt to carve out a roster spot with the Eagles as they sort out the back of their WR depth chart.
Philadelphia is set in terms of starting spots with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Both wideouts signed lucrative new deals this offseason, and they will be counted on to remain the focal points of the team’s passing game in 2024 and beyond. The Eagles lost Quez Watkins and Olamide Zaccheaus in free agency, which required the addition of new secondary contributors.
One of those is Parris Campbell, who inked a one-year deal in March. The former Colt had an underwhelming single campaign with the Giants last year, and he will spend the offseason trying to lock down a role in the Eagles’ offense. The same was presumed to be true of DeVante Parker, but he announced his retirement earlier this week.
Ross will now attempt to take advantage of the opportunity created by Parker’s absence. The former is best remembered for his 4.22-second 40-yard dash at the 2017 Combine. That performance led to Ross hearing his name called ninth overall, but he struggled during his four-year tenure with the Bengals. The Washington product played a single season as a Giant after his rookie contract expired, but that effort likewise did not yield notable production. To little surprise, Ross has been unable to find a permanent home since.
This agreement will no doubt represent nothing more than a one-year flier on the part of the Eagles. If he performs during the summer and can remain healthy, Ross could provide the team with a deep threat at the receiver spot. If not, Philadelphia will again need to turn elsewhere for depth options ahead of the start of the season.