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QB Mason Rudolph returning to Steelers

Thu Mar 13 12:35pm ET
Field Level Media

Veteran quarterback Mason Rudolph is returning to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team that drafted him in 2018, on a two-year deal, multiple outlets reported Thursday.

Rudolph spent last season with the Titans. He appeared in eight games, starting five of them, and was 1-4 as a starter for Tennessee, who tied for the NFL's worst record (3-14). He completed 64 percent of his passes for 1,530 yards with nine touchdowns and nine interceptions.

The rest of Rudolph's career has been with the Steelers, largely as backup, since being drafted in the third round.

In 18 starts (29 career games), the 29-year-old Rudolph has a 9-8-1 record, completing 437 passes for 4,615 yards with 28 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.

In 2023, in a fill-in role, he led the Steelers to a 3-0 record to end the season, propelling them into the playoffs. They lost 31-17 to the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round.

The Steelers were quarterbacked last season by Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, both signed to one-year deals as free agents. Fields has since signed with the New York Jets, and Wilson reportedly is visiting the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants this week.

Pittsburgh has only former Miami Dolphins backup Skylar Thompson signed at quarterback as it reportedly waits for four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers to accept or decline an offer.

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Player Notes
Mike Williams Mar 13 11:13am ET
Mike Williams

Dynasty | The Chargers have signed free agent Mike Williams. Dynasty Analysis: Williams is now four years removed from his last 1,000-yard season back in 2021. His last two years were a mess as he played just three games for Los Angeles in 2023 before being injured. He spent last year with the Steelers and Jets, posting 21 catches for 298 yards and one touchdown. He'll look to get back on track where he's called home for most of his career, but he looks like the third receiver at best. At this point, Williams looks more like a roster clogger than anything else.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Mac Jones Mar 13 11:13am ET
Mac Jones

Dynasty | The 49ers have signed quarterback Mac Jones. Dynasty Analysis: One of the many "Tom Brady replacements," Jones fell out of favor after three years with the Patriots, then spent time last season backing up Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville, throwing for 1,672 yards with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. For his career, he has 54 total touchdowns and 44 interceptions, proving he's an adequate player, but not a bona fide starter. He'll provide insurance behind Brock Purdy, but shouldn't be on any roster that's not a Superflex one.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Bryce Young Mar 13 11:13am ET
Bryce Young

Dynasty | The Panthers have restructured wide receiver Adam Thielen's contract. Dynasty Analysis: Thielen is still a good player despite being 34 years old, posting a 48/615/5 line in ten games last season after his surprising 103/1,014/4 bonanza in 17 games the previous season. With Bryce Young improving, Thielen could take another step forward this season, especially considering the rest of the corps currently includes relatively unproven players like Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker. He remains a depth piece in dynasty leagues.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Cooper Kupp Mar 13 10:20am ET
Cooper Kupp

The Seattle Seahawks are interested in signing recently released veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp, according to SeattleTimes.com. Kupp was let go by the Los Angeles Rams following eight seasons with the organization that included him racking up 634 receptions for 7,776 yards and 57 touchdowns in 104 career games. Kupp won the 2021 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award after posting 145 catches for 1,947 yards and 16 scores. Seattle released longtime wideout Tyler Lockett and traded DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason, leaving the team with a weakness at the position behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Kupp is beyond his prime years of production, but he'd instantly slide into at least the No. 2 pass-catching role in Seattle's offense led by new quarterback Sam Darnold.

From RotoBaller

Juan Thornhill Mar 13 9:00am ET
Juan Thornhill

Free-agent safety Juan Thornhill will visit with the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, sources told FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz. The six-year veteran spent the last two years with the Cleveland Browns and has eight career interceptions in 74 NFL starts. Signing Thornhill would help make up for the loss of Talanoa Hufanga, who signed with the Denver Broncos as a free agent. The 29-year-old Thornhill was drafted in the second round (63rd overall) by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019 out of Virginia, and he spent the first four years of his career there. He played in 11 games in each of the last two years with the Browns while recording a total of 103 tackles (72 solo) and four pass breakups. Because he played in only 22 games in his two seasons with the Browns, Thornhill was a salary cap casualty as a post-June 1 cut.

Dre'Mont Jones Mar 13 9:00am ET
Dre'Mont Jones

The Tennessee Titans signed free-agent defensive lineman Dre'Mont Jones on Wednesday to a one-year, $10 million deal, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Jones will head to the AFC South after spending the last two years with the Seattle Seahawks, where he had 77 tackles (40 solo), 8.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 25 QB hits and a forced fumble in 34 games (23 starts). The 28-year-old defensive end's numbers in 2024 were his lowest since his rookie season in 2019 with the Denver Broncos. The Broncos originally took him in the third round (71st overall) in 2019 out of Ohio State. In his six seasons in the NFL, Jones has 210 total tackles (116 solo), 30.5 sacks, 40 tackles for loss, 63 QB hits, one interception, seven pass breakups, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Tennessee will be looking to pair him with Sebastian Joseph-Day alongside Jeffery Simmons.

AJ Dillon Mar 13 9:00am ET
AJ Dillon

Dynasty | The Eagles have signed running back AJ Dillon. Dynasty Analysis: The longtime Packer looked to have a career-ending neck injury back in 2023, but he's apparently been cleared to return and quickly found a job with the Super Bowl Champions. He'll presumably take the job of the newly departed Kenneth Gainwell as a backup to Saquon Barkley, but it's hard to see "Quadzilla" really making much of an impact. If you have Barkley and need a handcuff, he could be the one. However, there's a lot of time between now and the start of next season and that's being a little presumptuous. At this point, he needs to stay on dynasty waiver wires.

Aaron Rodgers Mar 13 8:59am ET
Aaron Rodgers

Dynasty | The Jets have officially released quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Dynasty Analysis: The Jets are going to get around $10 million in cap relief and now turn the keys to the franchise over to the newly signed Justin Fields. As for Rodgers, he's now a free agent for the first time in his career. Now seemingly way past his prime, A-Rod is likely going to need to choose between Pittsburgh, the New York Giants, and possibly the Minnesota Vikings. He's said to be wanting to play two more seasons, but he's going to need to play a lot better than he did for most of last season to make that happen. Having lost most of his mobility, Rodgers looks like a QB2 moving forward in dynasty leagues and one without too much fantasy appeal at that.

Christian Rozeboom Mar 13 8:59am ET
Christian Rozeboom

The Carolina Panthers are signing Los Angeles Rams free-agent linebacker Christian Rozeboom to an undisclosed one-year deal on Wednesday, a source tells NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Rozeboom played in 17 games (11 starts) in 2024 and recorded a career-high 135 tackles (69 solo), his first career sack, five tackles for loss and an interception. The 28-year-old looked great with increase playing time last year and should continue to play regularly as a key linebacker for a Panthers defense that has made defense a priority in free agency. In addition to Rozeboom, they've also added Tre'von Moehrig, Patrick Jones, Bobby Brown and Tershawn Wharton. Rozeboom, an undrafted free agent out of South Dakota State, should start at inside linebacker in 2025 for the Panthers and will be a nice cheap flier with upside in IDP fantasy formats.

Maliek Collins Mar 13 8:59am ET
Maliek Collins

Free-agent defensive tackle Maliek Collins reached an agreement with the Cleveland Browns on a two-year, $20 million deal on Wednesday shortly after he was released by the San Francisco 49ers, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The deal includes $13 million fully guaranteed. In his lone season in the Bay Area, Collins started all 17 games and recorded 33 tackles (20 solo), a career-high-tying five sacks, five tackles for loss, 12 QB hits and two fumble recoveries. The 29-year-old former third-round selection (67th overall) by the Dallas Cowboys in 2016 out of Nebraska has 30.5 career sacks in nine seasons, including 10 in the last two years with the Niners and Houston Texans. Collins will help bolster Cleveland's interior defensive line in 2025 after the expected post-June 1 cut of Dalvin Tomlinson.

Javon Hargrave Mar 13 8:59am ET
Javon Hargrave

Two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (triceps) and the Minnesota Vikings agreed to terms on a two-year, $30 million deal on Wednesday after he was released by the San Francisco 49ers, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. The Vikings were in serious need of upgrading the interior of their defensive line this offseason, and they've done so with the additions of Hargrave and Jonathan Allen. Hargrave, 32, had a career-best 11 sacks with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022 but then combined for only eight sacks with the 49ers the last two years. He played in only three games in 2024 due to a triceps injury, but the Vikings are banking on him bouncing back to his pre-injury level. With Hargrave, Allen and Harrison Phillips on their defensive line in 2025, the Vikings should have a more potent pass rush.

Kenneth Gainwell Mar 13 8:58am ET
Kenneth Gainwell

Dynasty | The Steelers have signed running back Kenneth Gainwell. Dynasty Analysis: This is a little bit of an under the radar signing, but it could prove to be significant should the Steelers fail to add much else to their backfield. Gainwell has been effective in spurts throughout his career but never had more than 84 carries or 364 yards in his career. However, the backfield currently consists of a 1-2 punch that includes Jaylen Warren and Gainwell himself. His dynasty value is in flux right now and could rise significantly if this is what the Steelers enter the season with in their backfield. Stay tuned.

Russell Wilson Mar 12 11:50pm ET
Russell Wilson

Following a visit with the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, free-agent quarterback Russell Wilson will visit with the New York Giants on Friday, a source told The Cleveland Plain Dealer's May Kay Cabot. Wilson is making the rounds but is essentially waiting for free-agent QB Aaron Rodgers to make his decision. Rodgers is deciding between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Giants, although the Minnesota Vikings could also jump into the fray. The 36-year-old veteran is still in the mix to re-sign with the Steelers after Justin Fields agreed to a two-year deal with the New York Jets, but a reunion will only be on the table if Rodgers doesn't choose Pittsburgh. If Rodgers doesn't land in Pittsburgh, a return to the Steel City would make the most sense for Wilson, especially after they acquired Pro Bowl receiver DK Metcalf last weekend. Wilson could pair nicely with receiver Malik Nabers in New York, but he wouldn't be much more than a midrange QB2, at best, in fantasy.

From RotoBaller

Aaron Rodgers Mar 12 11:20pm ET
Aaron Rodgers

The Athletic's Dianna Russini reports that the Minnesota Vikings decision-makers are still evaluating all of their options at quarterback, including the possibility of signing free-agent QB Aaron Rodgers. The four-time MVP is intrigued by the idea of playing in Minnesota, where he'd get to play his old team, the Green Bay Packers, twice a year. However, the 41-year-old future Hall of Famer is primarily choosing between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants after being officially labeled a post-June 1 cut by the New York Jets on Wednesday. Rodgers' decision is reportedly not about money at all but rather team fit. Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones both left Minnesota in free agency, leaving last year's first-rounder, J.J. McCarthy (knee) as the likely starter in Week 1, so bringing in Rodgers at this juncture could be sending the wrong message to the next franchise signal-caller. However, the Vikings do value QB depth and have said before they won't push McCarthy to start if he's not completely ready.

From RotoBaller

Cameron Jordan Mar 12 11:10pm ET
Cameron Jordan

New Orleans Saints all-time franchise sack leader Cameron Jordan has reached an agreement to return to the team for his 15th season, a source told NewOrleans.Football's Mike Triplett. Jordan had one year and $12.5 million left on his current deal, although a pay cut is expected. Without a contract restructure, the 35-year-old veteran likely would have been a salary cap casualty this offseason after waning production in recent seasons. The former 24th overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft out of California was a first-team All-Pro back in 2017 and has been named to eight Pro Bowls in his 14 years in the league. Jordan has had double-digit sacks six times, although he has just 14.5 combined sacks in the last three seasons in New Orleans. In addition to leading the franchise with 121.5 sacks all time, Jordan has started all but one of the 226 games he's appeared in.

From RotoBaller

Kyle Trask Mar 12 11:00pm ET
Kyle Trask

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers agreed to terms to re-sign quarterback Kyle Trask on Wednesday night on a one-year, $2.787 million deal, a source told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The former second-round selection (64th overall) in 2021 out of the University of Florida will return in 2025 to backup Baker Mayfield. In his three years in the NFL, the 27-year-old has appeared in only seven games (no starts) and has gone 4-for-11 for 28 yards without a touchdown or interception. Although the Buccaneers are on their third different offensive coordinator in the last three years, Trask has familiarity with the organization. However, should Mayfield go down with an injury in 2025, Tampa's offense will probably be in serious trouble given Trask's lack of NFL experience.

From RotoBaller

Harrison Smith Mar 12 11:00pm ET
Harrison Smith

The Minnesota Vikings and safety Harrison Smith agreed to a revised contract for the 2025 season on Wednesday night, a source told The Athletic's Alec Lewis. Smith's new deal is worth around $11 million, with incentives bringing it up to $14 million. Neither defensive coordinator Brian Flores nor head coach Kevin O'Connell wanted to lose six-time Pro Bowl defensive back who is the heart and soul of the Vikings defense. The 36-year-old veteran has spent all 13 years of his NFL career in Minnesota after being selected with the 29th overall pick in the 2012 draft out of Notre Dame. Although Smith has only had 100 total tackles twice in his 13 years, he remains a stalwart tackler and ball-hawking safety for fantasy managers in IDP formats. Last year in 16 regular-season games, he had 87 tackles (56 solo), a sack, three interceptions, 10 pass breakups and a fumble recovery.

From RotoBaller

Adam Thielen Mar 12 10:50pm ET
Adam Thielen

Veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen will officially return for a 12th NFL season in 2025 after agreeing to a a revised contract with the Carolina Panthers, sources tell ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Thielen will now look to add to his 8,311 yards and 64 touchdowns in his career. The 34-year-old veteran wideout briefly contemplated retirement after the 2024 season but isn't quite ready to hang up his cleats after catching 48 passes for 615 yards and five touchdowns in a career-low 10 starts last year. A hamstring injury cost him seven games, but he still managed to lead the team in receiving yards and touchdowns. Thielen had a strong 103-1,014-4 line in 17 starts in 2023 in his first year in Carolina and has developed a strong chemistry with young quarterback Bryce Young. He's definitely an injury risk in fantasy, but when healthy, he should have a decent target floor as a WR4/flex in weekly fantasy lineups.

From RotoBaller

Tylan Wallace Mar 12 10:50pm ET
Tylan Wallace

The Baltimore Ravens re-signed wide receiver Tylan Wallace to an undisclosed one-year deal on Wednesday evening, according to The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec. Wallace wasn't fantasy relevant in 2024 in his fourth year in Baltimore, but it was notable that he set career-highs across the board in catches (11), targets (12), receiving yards (193) and touchdowns (one) in 17 regular-season games (no starts). The 25-year-old also contributed on as a key return man on special teams. He'll be bumped further down the receiving depth chart in 2025 after the addition of DeAndre Hopkins, but Wallace wasn't realistically going to be on the fantasy radar anyway. Wallace was taken in the fourth round (131st overall) in 2021 out of Oklahoma State. He had just seven catches on 15 targets for 67 yards and no touchdowns in his first three years in the league.

From RotoBaller

Dalvin Tomlinson Mar 12 10:40pm ET
Dalvin Tomlinson

Free-agent defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson is signing a two-year, $29 million deal with $16 million guaranteed with the Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday night, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. It didn't take Tomlinson long to latch on with another team after he was cut by the Cleveland Browns on Monday. The 31-year-old veteran defensive lineman will now head to the NFC West to help a Cardinals defense that had a non-existent pass rush in 2024. Although Tomlinson should be a starter for Arizona on the interior of their defensive line, he probably won't boost their pass rush all that much. He started in 16 games apiece in each of the last two years for Cleveland and totaled six sacks while also adding 54 tackles (25 solo), 10 tackles for loss and 30 QB hits. The former second-rounder by the New York Giants in 2017 out of Alabama has a modest 19 sacks in eight NFL seasons over 125 games started.

From RotoBaller